Part 1, Chapter 4 (6)

“Mana scan complete! …! Commander-nim!”

At the operator’s report, Shin Jingwang re-checked the map. As a result of a precise scan of the area designated by Unsa, numerous monster reactions popped up at that location. Shin Jingwang bit his lip at the concentrated monster reactions.

“They’re gathered at every stronghold?”

The monster reactions weren’t randomly spread out but clustered in various places. Those locations were truly strategic points for ambushing the heroes.

If they had passed by unknowingly, the heroes would have been kidnapped by monsters bursting from the ground, or in the worst case, killed. Shin Jingwang’s eyes twitched at the enormous number of monsters waiting along the advance route he had set.

“A-rank reaction confirmed!”

And a mana reaction distinctly different from that of the B-ranks was detected. An A-rank monster, at the tail end of a long line of Hellhounds, was coiled up in the middle of the city.

“The center of the Guro Digital Complex! …Commander-nim! It’s a dangerous species!”

Shin Jingwang slammed his command staff onto the table.

“Damn it! What happened?! There were no monster reactions when the operation started! How are you incompetent fools going to take responsibility for this?!”

Shin Jingwang had set the advance route through areas with no monster reactions. Having meticulously checked for monster reactions and determined the path beforehand, Shin Jingwang was enraged by the sudden appearance of monsters and the incompetence of the Association’s observers who failed to notice them.

Commander-nim.

Unsa, who had devoured a Hellhound, calmed Shin Jingwang.

– The monsters hidden underground have awakened due to the aftermath of the battle. It’s not strange that we couldn’t scan monsters hiding beneath the ground. The only problem is that there are more enemies than expected, and one hero has now been kidnapped….

“There’s only a little over an hour left until the scheduled time to capture Yeouido! How are we supposed to retake Seoul like this?!”

– Commander-nim, I suggest that instead of being tied down and wasting time like this, we maintain our formation and advance north. Otherwise, we’ll just waste time and deplete our mana and stamina.

At Unsa’s words, Shin Jingwang groaned. His rational judgment screamed that Unsa’s plan made sense, but he couldn’t make a decision, feeling as if command of the operation was being taken from him again.

– Commander-nim.

Unsa bowed their head.

– Due to my oversight, C-rank hero Lee Giseong was kidnapped by the monsters. I expect the enemies dragged Agent Lee Giseong to their stronghold, the ‘nest.’ If we can confirm Agent Lee Giseong’s location….

“Find that bastard’s location immediately!”

The operator quickly searched for Lee Giseong’s mana reaction. Lee Giseong’s mana was difficult to detect, perhaps because it was depleting, but a very faint trace, like pheromones left by an ant, led north along the main road.

That place was the Guro Digital Complex, which Unsa had designated as the expected location of the higher-ranking species.

“Alright! I’m giving the order! Unsa, lead Team A, rescue Lee Giseong, and destroy the nest!”

It was a good outcome. Although one hero was sacrificed, destroying a monster nest that seemed to produce over a hundred Hellhounds. The exchange ratio of one C-rank hero for a monster nest and an A-rank dangerous species was, even to him, an outstanding achievement.

‘I will not forget your sacrifice. …Hero!’

Shin Jingwang offered a mournful tribute of gratitude to the hero whose name he couldn’t even remember.

– Orders received. Executing instructions.

Four heroes broke formation and dashed north through the circle. Unsa, Tempest Lady, Jeok Song, and Cheolpyo. The vanguard, composed of four A-ranks, ran at full strength towards Guro.

– Kyaaaak!

Cheolpyo’s skin hardened like steel. Cheolpyo, running with a metallic sheen, ravaged the Hellhounds like a steel leopard, befitting his epithet.

– Die!

– It’s over!

Every time Jeok Song swung his sword, Hellhounds’ heads flew off as if in a madman’s sword dance.

As Tempest Lady raised both arms high, a massive sphere of wind gathered above her palms.

– Team Leader!

– Hwaaaaaaah!!

With a shout, Unsa struck the storm-whipped sphere of air with their spear. The gale, compressed with mana, crushed the Hellhound pack blocking their path.

Kigiiik?!

“Yes, you’re doing well! Team A, all advance north!”

In the blood-soaked battlefield, Shin Jingwang excitedly ordered the advance.

“The Hellhound pack is moving with Team A! It seems they’re trying to block their path!”

The Hellhounds that had surrounded the intersection broke their encirclement and ran north. At first, he worried they might be ambushing from the rear, but the Hellhounds ran ahead of the heroes, attempting to occupy the main road.

‘Even if there’s a commanding entity…!’

Even if it’s a higher-ranking species commanding over 100 Hellhounds, the opponent is still just a monster. Is it even plausible for mere monsters to challenge intelligent humans?

“Team B! Arrived in Gangnam! A Hellhound pack is engaging in combat!”

“What?! Without a report?!”

Shin Jingwang checked the screen. Contrary to the operator’s words, Team B had not yet entered Gangnam.

“Villains, it’s villains! The villains of Gangnam have appeared to intercept the Hellhounds!”

Vagrants appeared, stirring up the roads and buildings. Clad in tattered old clothes, they each brought out their weapons and were having a staring contest with the Hellhounds.

– Grrrrr

The Hellhound pack, which had descended towards Gangnam and was about to rampage, faced off against their opponents, gauging their reactions. At the forefront of the villains, a middle-aged gentleman in a fedora was warming up the motor of a chainsaw.

“Checking villain wanted list! It’s A-rank Villain Haneulseong!”

“!!”

Shin Jingwang subtly brought up a screen where others couldn’t see. It was the execution list personally delivered by the President before this operation was carried out.

Seeds of evil that, if alive, must be killed, and if dead, their corpses must be annihilated without a trace.

Heukyeomso, Seonmudang, Beacon, Ttanggwae, Architect, Pibada, Stuki, and so on. These were the villains south of the Han River identified through intelligence.

Haneulseong was the ringleader who dominated Gangnam among them.

‘I must arrest all of them…!’

They shouldn’t simply be killed. They must be arrested and brought to the gallows, thereby setting an example of a villain’s end for the wicked in South Korea.

“Team B! Intervene! Kill the monsters and neutralize, no, arrest the villains!”

At Shin Jingwang’s command, which barely suppressed his true intentions, Team B attacked the rear of the Hellhound pack.

Heroes and villains. Though their dispositions differed, they were fighting against a common enemy: monsters.

The Hellhound pack scattered in both directions and began to tear into humanity.

* * *

– The herding is complete. There’s movement in Seocho and Gangdong. They are villains.

At Jihwa’s report, I stopped controlling the Hellhounds. After grouping individual entities and giving them simple commands, I focused on my conversation with Jihwa.

“What kind of movement?”

– Both are moving towards Gangnam. It seems they intend to provide support.

“Black Flame Dragon is one thing, but Seonmudang is a bit unexpected.”

I thought they would flee. Because I loosened my command, the heroes regained the upper hand. The Hellhounds charged at the heroes with only their instinct to kill, and the heroes easily dispatched the Hellhounds.

“As expected, large-scale control is still difficult….”

‘Still, the first objective has been achieved.’

They were Hellhounds mass-produced by the cube anyway. For the Hellhound packs rapidly being eliminated in both Guro and Gangnam, I informed each team leader of their retreat points.

“Good work. Both the Gangnam team and the Guro team are to hide at their designated locations. From now on, it’s a war of superhumans.”

All Hellhounds had already been ordered to move to their destinations. While buying time against the heroes, the Azure Syndicate members who had been controlling the Hellhounds began to hide in various places, avoiding the heroes’ eyes.

“I’m entrusting the combatants’ retreat to you, Jihwa.”

Yes. I will ensure everyone retreats safely.

There was no reason to needlessly send subordinates, who had nothing but junk core weapons, onto the battlefield to act as bullet shields.

“Wait until the heroes take the bait.”

Hide underground. Follow the subway lines and gather at the rendezvous point.

Jihwa gave the command, and the subordinates scattered according to Mini Phoenix’s relay. As they were all vagrants, they knew exactly how to hide.

‘Now, the problem is the heroes.’

“Even in decline, they’re formidable. They’re all strong. Since it’s the first subjugation operation, only aces have gathered.”

Even with a map hack that clearly overlooked the battlefield, and mass-producing B-rank Hellhounds for a surprise attack, I only managed to snatch one C-rank hero. It’s difficult for monsters, whose thoughts are only ‘destruction and slaughter,’ to defeat humans who make rational judgments.

“Should I increase the number of monstrous humans?”

– Do you have anyone in mind, perhaps?

Jihwa immediately reacted to my muttering. Perhaps because the connection wasn’t cut, she must have thought I was asking her and retorted. Since the conversation had already started, I asked Jihwa for her opinion on who might be a good candidate.

“How about Black Flame Dragon? If that man becomes a monstrous human, he’ll really turn dark.”

– …I’ll reserve my comments.

Seeing Black Flame Dragon rapidly join the Gangnam battlefield made me laugh. He truly considered his awakening to A-rank a divine blessing and was following the Azure Syndicate.

‘If he dies, I’ll just turn him into a monstrous human and use him.’

“Then, besides Black Flame Dragon, any other villains? They don’t necessarily have to be villains.”

– Then, heroes as monstrous humans… Oh, Commander-nim. The heroes have entered the field.

My gaze returned to Guro. The brief rest was over. I rubbed my fingers, preparing to enter phase 2 of the operation.

“Understood. Then, it’s about time….”

The heroes entered the Digital Complex. I awakened the mana of my fireballs, which I had instructed to be embedded throughout the buildings.

Wooooong–

The fireballs embedded in the walls like glass beads began to tremble. Each basketball-sized fireball was a bomb boasting powerful destructive force.

“Let’s see how they move once their escape routes are blocked.”

The heroes advanced, dealing with the Hellhounds. The moment the last hero entered the range, I clapped my hands.

Clack.

“Welcome! Welcome to Guro!”

Let’s set off some fireworks as a welcome. Very big, massive fireworks.

Kwa————!!!

The fireballs exploded. Starting from the outer ones, all fireballs embedded inside the buildings caused a chain explosion.

“Duck!”

One hero lowered their stance, protecting their head. I didn’t intend to attack by collapsing buildings, but the explosions that brought down the entire city would naturally make them duck.

Kwaang, Kwaaaang!

Pillars of fire and dust shot high into the sky. Explosions and the sound of collapsing buildings echoed alternately, the roar exceeding the limits of human hearing.

Koong, Koong, Koong!

Buildings on the outskirts of Guro collapsed like dominoes. The ground caved in due to the explosions, and supports shattered, causing buildings to tilt and slide, blocking the roads.

“Thanks to modern civilization.”

High-rise buildings, over a dozen stories tall, lay directly across the main road, blocking it. To break through those buildings, they would have to jump over building debris dozens of meters high.

“No escape route. If they want to escape, they could climb over the buildings, but….”

The Hellhounds waiting outside Guro climbed onto the debris of the collapsed buildings. If the encirclement at Siheung Interchange was an appetizer, then this encirclement was the main course.

“They probably mistook the A-rank reaction here for the commanding entity and rushed over, but….”

‘I’m not in Guro.’

The master of the arena, surrounded by concrete debris, had already swallowed the spirit stone and completed preparations. I tore open a bag of convenience store popcorn I had bought beforehand and commanded.

“Begin, Subordinate No. 2.”

Kwaaaang!

Breaking through the exterior wall of a 20-story building, a Flame Giant burst out.