episode_0071

71.

Even in America, known as the melting pot of races, awakened people are welcome.

The Awakened One is truly a national power-level asset. You could call it an asymmetrical power. That was the Awakened One. It means that you should treat them as preciously as your only grandchild.

But South Korea was different.

‘You’re kicking a time bomb.’

The Republic of Korea as perceived by Catherine.

It was a country that rose and fell with talent.

A country like that would neglect its own people. Even if it was an ally, I had nothing to say.

“By the way, isn’t it really good? The content is very informative, and it seems like you have a lot of practical experience.”

“Hmm.”

Catherine clicked her tongue and stopped thinking about the nonsense and went back to listening to the lecture.

Lee Seonghan’s lecture was at an expert level.

Data and intellectual ability. Many tips obtained from field experience. I couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration when I heard that he prepared this in just one day.

Others had similar reactions.

The outcome has already been decided.

‘That guy gets through.’

Catherine was convinced. Her instincts were always right.

Wasn’t an interview originally a process of evaluating a person by meeting them face to face?

The evaluation of Lee Sang-han was already full marks.

The desire to take her with me naturally rose.

But I can’t report until the love affair is over.

The US has had quite a few incidents and accidents recently. This time, they lost the Alaska area due to the failure of the tower attack.

Then, we can create a baseball team and live together. Of course, the opponent’s opinion is important… but, what can we do?

“Ah, Jin-chan is here.”

“Ikeoka, Catherine. Thank you both for coming.”

Kang Jin-young sat awkwardly on the judges’ podium.

He opened his eyes half-asleep, as if he was tired. His eyes were blurry. What is this? Is he full of heartache?

“Miss Jin. Why didn’t you tell me that he was that kind of guy? It’s obvious that he’s a difficult opponent.”

Kang Jin-young just sat there and licked her lips.

I couldn’t say anything. That was because only Lee Seong-han should know.

There’s no way I can drag this in for no reason.

Although they bickered with each other, their relationship was good enough to drink together.

At least I didn’t want to ruin someone’s relationship because of something like this.

When I explained it like that, he scolded me, saying, “Why were you worrying about that?”

“Okay, I guess it’s almost finished.”

Kang Cheo-kyung said while looking at her watch. Two hours had already passed.

You’ll probably pass. It was almost 100%.

As the interview ended, one by one, people got up from their seats. Kang Jin-young also stood up hesitantly.

Yi Seong-han had already left his seat.

“Don’t worry about it and go quickly. We’ll make sure to tell the higher-ups.”

“Haa, I’ll buy you a drink later.”

Kang Jin-young’s face suddenly brightened and she headed down the hallway. The area in front of the interview room was so crowded that it was difficult to even move forward.

“I hope I can see you again later.”

“It was a good time.”

From a distance, I could see Lee Seong-han and Kang Cheo-kyung. To be exact, just one head. They were so tall that they stood upright even in the crowd.

I saw Kang Cheo-kyung heading to the end of the hallway with her attendants. She must be tired. Should I give her a ride?

“… … Why is my sister teasing other people?”

Someone grabbed my arm from behind. It was Kang Seo-jin. She was puffing out her cheeks like a puffer fish. I was terrified the moment I saw her.

“What’s wrong with being interested in my person? Seonghan said it was okay. And you. You called that bitch. ”

“You call me that bitch. Have you forgotten what it means to be human?”

“I tried to respect you, but you dug up my family register first. And now you’re teaching me strange things, not to anyone else, but to Seonghan. Do you think that makes sense?”

Kang Seo-jin laughed. Who was the one who touched the prince first? He couldn’t help but be flustered because he confidently said what he wanted to say.

He criticized me coldly.

“Don’t follow me. No matter what kind of shit you do, we’ll overcome this damn plan to tear me and Sunghan apart. ”

“You don’t really believe he’s your boyfriend, do you? You were dumped because of that delusion. You just broke up because of his half-and-half looks.”

While the two were fighting like that.

Lee Seong-han ran quickly through the corridor.

“Huh? Oppa!”

“Mr. Seonghan! Hey, where are you going?! Wait a minute!”

Lee Seong-han got on the elevator without a moment to listen. The two of them awkwardly watched the scene and were unable to stop it.

Because I could feel a creepy sense of anxiety in the expression on his face that I glanced at.

[『Favorability Quest』](NEW)

[‘Kang Mi-young’ has reached her physical and mental limits. Meet Kang Mi-young before it’s too late. (0/1)]

[Reward: Permanent acquisition of ‘Mental Barrier’]

[If failed: ‘Kang Mi-young’ commits suicide]

[- Send coordinates for quest completion.]

***

There is a secret military outpost on Mt. Bukhan. It was an outpost established in the early days of the Fifth Republic.

There was a small gate in the basement.

Early days of the Great War.

It was an artificial gate developed by South Korea. Early hunters even trained separately here.

By the current government, the training facility had ceased its function and was closed. Lee Seong-han was heading there.

“Loyalty!”

“Loyalty.”

I passed the checkpoint and climbed the Bukhansan hiking trail again and again.

Lee Seong-han wasn’t into mountaineering.

I enjoyed doing politics in a corner of the room, and I disliked physical work.

It’s a good thing there’s auto-battle, but there were many instances where I almost got beat up by a hunter.

“Ah, what kind of place are we training in… … .”

I put my leg up on the hiking trail.

I felt muscle pain again.

As expected, I didn’t like Santa Claus. I thought he might actually catch a person if he kept doing this.

But there was nothing I could do. Kang Mi-young was dying. The world’s best Kang Mi-young.

Why?

Are you under a lot of stress these days?

No. First, you have to find it. Because you’re sure to die one way or another.

“Keeek!”

A monster’s roar was heard from afar.

The area around Mt. Bukhan was a restricted area.

Because monsters appear frequently.

“Nimi.”

[Activate ‘Auto Battle’.]

It was a goblin that made a surprise attack from the bushes.

As soon as I confirmed that he was about to stab me with a rusty dagger, I pulled out a sword from my backpack and struck him. It was a longsword that a medieval knight would have used.

Boom───!

“What is it?”

The goblin was thrown backwards several times by the impact.

Now was the chance.

I bent forward and stepped on the stepping stone.

As it narrows, prepare to stab.

As soon as he reached the goblin, leaving behind an afterimage, he thrust deep into its throat. The fallen goblin gushed blood. Disgusting bastards. Trying to attack people again.

I wiped my forehead, which was dripping with cold sweat. Every time I use automatic combat, my stamina consumption increases significantly.

I put the sword back in my backpack. The Star Sword was sucked back in as soon as the backpack opened.

Because of its weapon characteristics, it was absolutely indestructible, so it was not compatible with the subspace backpack.

“By the way, is this the right place?”

I checked the quest window again. It was correct that I was in Bukhansan.

“The mana is thick.”

I sniffed. It smelled sour and pungent. It smelled like fish.

If the smell is this toxic, someone must have cast a wide-area spell.

Is that why I feel particularly excited?

If we judge it by this sense alone… … it was definitely a barrier.

The outpost just so happened to be at the top. If the barrier is blocking the hiking trail, it has to be lifted separately.

I sat down awkwardly and rummaged through my backpack.

[‘Super-Recon’ says something is watching you.]

I squinted my eyes.

Are there still enemies left?

There’s nothing to catch.

Rustle rustle-

The bushes next to the trail moved. Judging by the way it moved around, it’s quite large. First of all, it’s not a digging stone or a goblin.

With the help of the Star Sword, he cut through the bushes. The bush leaves floated up into the sky. The black new figure that had been hidden rolled down the slope.

As soon as it touched the marble floor of the shelter, it stopped with a strange scream.

“Ugh.”

I pulled back the Star Sword. The fog was so thick that I couldn’t see anything in front of me.

Probably an orc or troll.

Mt. Bukhan was a completely off-limits area because the gates were opened sporadically.

It seemed like a C-class monster would appear. Just as I was about to strike down with my longsword.

[‘Super-reconnaissance’ shouts for a moment!!]

‘Huh? Why are you doing that again?’

Unable to resist the guy’s words, I reluctantly put down my sword.

[‘Super Reconnaissance’ asks if I’ve seen this face before.]

As the reconnaissance said, I felt a sense of foreboding. I went closer to see his face and saw a familiar face. It was Baek Min-ho with dark circles under his eyes. Oh, I thought I would hear that again.

“Aww! Huh, my back.”

Baek Min-ho groaned with his hands on his waist.

He was dressed in hiking clothes and was buried in the chocolate-colored dirt, as if he had lost his way.

I didn’t expect to see this guy here.

He put the long sword in his backpack and helped Baek Min-ho get up.

“Mr. Baek? How is it here?”

“You are so quick to react.”

Baek Min-ho stood up with his hand on his forehead. He looked very tired.

I heard that he was in the operating room at a hospital and was on a crazy vacation, and that Kang Mi-young, who was enjoying her hobby (crime), disappeared, so he was doing rehabilitation training here.

Wow, I can’t believe I’m doing this in a den full of monsters.

“Would you like to go somewhere with me?”

“… … Where?”

“There’s a training facility nearby, and it looks like the Major is there.”

“ Major?”

I made it sound like I was staying at home─when Baek Min-ho said that, Lee Seong-han quickly explained the situation.

Then, Baek Min-ho’s gaze, which had been looking at him with a strange look, gradually became serious.

Originally, Kang Mi-young had reached a mental limit, but now she seems to be crossing that line, in a soft situation. Of course, I refrained from including a quest window or such explanation.

“Let’s go up quickly!”

“Are you strangely passionate?”

“It would be difficult if the money disappeared. I also have to eat and live. Major, too. Hehe.”

“Ah.”

First off, I got a new partner! It wasn’t the time to make any fanfare.

The urgent task was to remove the barrier. The barrier changed the perception of space, causing it to circle around one place. Or it could make it go back the opposite way.

It’s probably for camouflage.

Lee Seong-han was confident.

I rummaged through my subspace backpack and took out a tea bag.

“It looks like barley tea.”

“Yes.”

“Can I take a look?”

“I don’t recommend it.”

The packaging was the only thing that was really important.

Baek Min-ho came closer to take a closer look, then covered his nose. It was because of the strong scent of mana.

“Oh, what is this? ”

“This is the powder of the Great Forest Nepenthes. It is famous for its anti-magic.”

“Isn’t that expensive? I’ve had it a few times too.”

“Are you eating?”

“It’s chewy and edible. Well, the aftertaste is quite bad. It’s also disgusting. I can’t say anything. It’s like chewing gum. ”

Nepenthes.

It is a plant-type monster that can be seen in the Great Forest. Its grade is around B~C. Despite its size, which is as big as a two-story building, it has no killing ability against humans.

It is mainly carried around for use in dispelling magic.

“Look at this.”

If you weave torn herbs with excavator leather and doll thread… … it makes a good pouch.

[Dispelling Herb (C)]

-Nepenthes herb. It has the effect of removing various magic spells and purifying them.

As soon as I sprinkled the powder, the barrier cracked. I had to get through it quickly because I had only made a hole at the end. It would regenerate soon.

I crossed the barrier like that and headed to the top.

The summit of Mt. Bukhan was not managed, so the road was covered with forest. Baek Min-ho glanced at it for a moment and then pointed somewhere.

Although it was not visible in detail, it was a building covered in national defense colors.

“This time I’ll go.”

Baek Min-ho ran over. He looked inside through the barred window. It was a container that could fit about ten people.

The interior was a mess, more like a cramped office in a day labor camp than a guard post.

The doorknob didn’t move.

“It’s locked, do I need to open it separately?”

Baek Min-ho asked. Lee Seong-han looked around for a moment and then opened the quest window. This is an underground facility. If so, there must be a passage.

“Do you see something like stairs?”

“Stairs?”

Baek Min-ho looked around. Then, as if he had discovered something, he walked towards it with brisk strides. He found a sheet of iron under a bush.

As I gently pulled away the stems with my hand, I saw an iron staircase.

“Here? Oh, it’s so deep? Can we go in? ”

I remembered the name of Lee Seonghan.

“Yes, I think so. Did you see any no trespassing signs on your way here?”

It was so dark that I had to turn on the flashlight. Even the light from the streetlight was swallowed up by the darkness.

I went down carefully, step by step.

After a few minutes, I saw a military facility that didn’t match its size.

Is it because it’s located underground?

I felt a little warmth.

“The heating seems to be working. Hmm.”

“Right? This place…isn’t made by humans.”

Kang Seok-cheon’s eyebrows sunken in like a hook.

The updated bunker was nearly pure white, without a speck of dust. You could say it was ‘unrealistically’ clean.

A fountain was visible in a wide plaza like a lobby. Seeing all these things, it seemed like a monster would appear soon. There was something on the marble wall.

“This is the Major’s coat.”

“It really does exist. I’ll contact the Hunter Management Bureau… …I’ll go out for now.”

BAM───!

At that moment, something fell from the sky. To be exact, it was towards the exit. Lee Seong-han and Baek Min-ho looked towards the exit at the same time. The shutter was down. A familiar face appeared in front of them.

“Mr. Seonghan.”

“Brother.”

What the heck, how did those two come along?