Master Smith Under Ministry of National Defense

Master Smith Under Ministry of National Defense

122 – Contract Killing

「Liberty City. Completion in 3 months. Liberty Academy’s opening imminent?! 」

「Global organization for managing major Awakener. Commencement of candidate selection for admission. 」

「EDA Director Moon Hee-cheol, who promised the completion of a Korean-style K-Academy before the opening of Liberty Academy. Debate on the possibility of completing the academy within 3 months. 」

「The opposition party leadership in South Korea demands accountability from the presidential office for the current situation. 」

「Growing calls for the dismissal of EDA Director Moon Hee-cheol. The worst situation created by enforcement of executive orders. 」

The declaration of the Liberal Clan to complete Liberty City within 3 months made Director Moon Hee-cheol, who had announced the completion of a Korean-style awakener academy before the Liberal Clan, appear foolish.

Unlike the Liberal Clan, which had showcased the construction of the city ‘in real-time’ using tens of thousands of ECVs on public broadcasts, nobody believed that the South Korean government could create a proper awakener academy within such a short time of 3 months.

And indeed, Moon Hee-cheol and EDA had no ability to properly build academy facilities within just 3 months.

“Concrete wouldn’t even have time to dry in 3 months.”

However, Hee-cheol had no choice.

If the awakener academy of Liberty City, which rivaled major cities in scale, successfully established itself in the market, then his so-called K-Academy declaration would be treated like a local university on the brink of closure.

Feeling the crisis, Hee-cheol urgently convened an emergency meeting with top executives from major corporations.

However, even at the meeting with the so-called top executives of domestic major corporations, there was no strategy to remedy the current situation.

When Hee-cheol demanded that they only need to complete one building if not the entire city, everyone shook their heads.

“If it’s about budget, we’ll support it unlimitedly. We’ll also provide unlimited rare monster materials and crystals. We must somehow complete the Korean-style awakener academy within 3 months, no, within 2 months.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t believe this is a problem that can be solved with money. Unless, at the very least, we can borrow a large number of ECVs from the Liberal Clan, it’s physically impossible to complete the desired scale of building within 2 months using existing construction technology.”

“We have gathered here the representatives of the top construction companies in South Korea. These are the people who have built the tallest buildings in the world, and the longest bridges. Yet is there not a single person among you who has the capability to meet my demands?”

“The size or scale of a company doesn’t make concrete dry faster. Furthermore, the academy facilities you mentioned need to be sturdy enough to withstand an Awakener’s rampage inside, don’t they? Such facilities cannot be constructed with existing building materials, let alone within two months.”

“What if we focus on renovating existing buildings? Select a suitable building and proceed with interior construction only…”

“The crucial thing is the material, Director.”

Lee Chang-yong, the representative of Samjeong Construction, one of South Korea’s leading construction companies, spoke up at the meeting.

“As you know well, Director, an attack imbued with an Awakener’s abilities can demolish a reinforced concrete building with just one blow. I have witnessed tanks being split in half with just a single swipe. And there’s only one place I know of that can produce materials capable of resisting such attacks, and that’s the Liberal Clan.”

Faced with dissenting opinions from all sides, Hee-cheol suppressed his rising anger and ended the meeting.

However, just as if to rescue Hee-cheol from his predicament, a woman visited him, her identity being Song Yeon-bi, a deputy director from the Records Department of the Central Military Commission who had previously attempted to scout Myung-jun into the Chinese Communist Party.

Hee-cheol was taken aback by the sudden meeting request from China, but he agreed to the meeting with a feeling of catching at straws, and Yeon-bi delivered surprising news to him.

It was a proposal from China to establish an awakener academy exclusively for South Korea within 3 months, no, within 2 months.

Despite knowing it was impolite to the other party, Hee-cheol had no choice but to question.

“Even South Korea’s prominent construction companies have withdrawn, can it be done in China?”

“Well, it might not match the buildings made by the Liberal Clan, but it’s not entirely impossible. Please take a look at this.”

Yeon-bi took out a large concrete block from a silver aluminum case.

Then, stepping back slightly, she said,

“Would you instruct one of your dolls to attack this block?”

“With full force?”

“Of course not. After all, the awakener academy isn’t intended for top-tier Awakener like yourself, but for potential ones. Please consider that and instruct the doll to attack with the intensity you require.”

With skepticism, Hee-cheol summoned one of his dolls and instructed it to attack the concrete block.

Without even suspecting that the concrete block would be demolished in one blow from the doll’s attack.

But surprisingly, despite receiving the blow from the doll’s sword, the concrete block did not shatter into halves, although some parts broke off, sending stone fragments flying in all directions.

Perplexed by the sight, Hee-cheol, holding the concrete block, looked inside the broken part and was astonished.

“This is…?!”

Deep scars left by the doll’s attack on the concrete.

Inside it was a tissue-like substance wriggling as if alive.

“You put the tissue of this monsters directly into concrete?! But it looks as if it’s alive…”

“After special processing on the dead tissue and continuous supply of crystal energy, it ends up in the state you just witnessed. Of course, the drawback is that it’s extremely inefficient to embed high-grade materials entirely, but it ensures the durability you need.”

Facilities made using this technology can bestow the same durability as the monster material placed inside.

That’s how Song Yeon-bi explained it.

“But the production technology for this ‘living wall’ material is treated as highly confidential even within China. So instead of providing materials made using this technology…”

“What are you asking for?”

“We would like you to eliminate the ‘one person’ we designate.”

“If that person’s name is Myung-jun, I’ll refuse. Killing him now could bring public condemnation from governments worldwide.”

Hee-cheol had contemplated that he might eventually have to kill Myung-jun himself, but now was not the time.

At a time when the world’s attention was focused on the Liberal Clan, killing the clan leader Myung-jun would be too risky.

However, Yeon-bi seemed to have no intention of making such a demand, shaking her head as if to say she didn’t even consider it.

“Of course, we have no intention of making such an absurd request. And perhaps the person we’re asking you to eliminate is a name you’ve never heard of in your entire life.”

“Why would such a person be brought to me? Even if the opponent is an awakener, isn’t there already Zhai Tianlin, a world-ranked awakener, in the Records Department?”

“It’s because Zhai Tianlin lost to him once.”

Only now did Hee-cheol realize that the conditions demanded by the Chinese government were far from trivial.

Although not as strong as himself after his victory against Aftershock, Zhai Tianlin was still one of the world’s foremost powerhouses.

Asking to eliminate someone who defeated Zhai Tianlin was not a request that Hee-cheol could easily dismiss.

‘If I eliminate him, will you really complete the Korean-style awakener academy facilities within two months?’

“That’s right. And to support the success of the academy built in Korea, we will send the top talents intended for Liberty City’s academy from China to Korea first. Additionally, we’ll send Awakener from countries indebted to the Chinese government to participate in the project individually.”

Yeon-bi’s proposal, which solved not only the construction of academy facilities but also the issue of participating applicant countries, was an offer that Hee-cheol simply could not refuse.

“Very well. I’ll do as you wish.”

“Great. We’ve prepared the plane tickets, so please depart from Incheon Airport this evening.”

“Wait, I haven’t heard the name of the target yet?”

“Well, we don’t know his name either. But you’ll find out as soon as you get there. Who he is and where he is.”

“Are you asking me to eliminate someone whose name and face I don’t even know?”

“That’s because his real name is concealed. Despite mobilizing all the resources of the Communist Party’s intelligence department, his birthplace and upbringing remain unknown. All we know is this, he’s currently in the Tibet Autonomous Region, a member of the Tibetan exile government’s awakener, and Zhai Tianlin, who went to arrest him, was defeated.”

With that said, Yeon-bi stood up and headed for the door.

Just before opening the door, she turned back and left a significant remark.

“Oh, locals refer to him as ‘Avatar’, I’ve heard. It means ‘incarnation’ in Sanskrit. Detailed information is written in the report inside the bag with the block. It includes the reason why Zhai Tianlin was defeated as well.”

As soon as she left the room, Hee-cheol opened the bag she left behind and took out the report.

Inside were the battle report between Zhai Tianlin and Avatar as Yeon-bi had mentioned, along with the data analysis of Avatar’s abilities by the Communist Party’s Records Department.

Hee-cheol, as if mesmerized, began reading the report, focusing solely on its contents for quite some time.

And finally, as he reached the last page, a small smile appeared on Hee-cheol’s lips.

“Fire, water, wind, and earth. Indeed, facing an Elemental Master like Zhai Tianlin, who is a toxin-type ability user, would be challenging. I understand why locals call him Avatar. However…”

As Hee-cheol hardened his expression, four dolls with different colors appeared around him.

Seeing dolls of the same color as the four major elements symbolized in the report, Hee-cheol handed the report to the knight-shaped doll with a body entirely composed of red.

Instantly, the report on the doll’s hand turned into ashes with flames and fell to the ground.

“Pity for the opponent, but in terms of ability compatibility, I have the advantage.”

Hee-cheol picked up the airplane ticket on the desk and walked out.

====

***

====

‘It’s ominous. Extremely ominous.’

Myung-jun, who had been cutting back on sleep to secure the monster needed for constructing Liberty City, was almost half asleep as he summoned a turret and engaged in the hard gate assault.

There were many applicants, so the other members could take turns, but the situation was such that besides Myung-jun, there was no one else to lead and protect those members.

In contrast to Myung-jun, who could hunt relatively leisurely, the awakener from Japan, who couldn’t even make it to the top 10 in the world rankings, had to risk their lives in each assault, even while wearing the equipment provided by Myung-jun.

In a situation where there’s literally one bus driver but dozens of passengers, Myung-jun divided the Japanese awakener who participated in the extremely difficult gate assault with him into five groups, rotating and progressing with the assaults.

While the members who participated in the first assault were recovering from injuries and regaining their strength, he could immediately take the second group to the next gate assault.

In this consecutive series of assaults, Myung-jun, who was in a half-awake state, was startled by the sudden whisper of Keeper and almost aimed the turret towards his allies.

“Oh! Crazy! How dare you startle me like that?”

‘I know, but isn’t it a bit much? While others are risking their lives, hunting them down one by one with difficulty, you’re slaughtering them while half asleep?’

‘Gamers call this ‘bus driving’ in gaming jargon.’

‘Anyway, I’m contacting you because the flow of destiny is unusual. Humans consider this a strong feeling, right?’

‘Well, does it mean you can see the future?’

‘Not really, but for now, we’re in the middle of a battle, so let’s talk after the assault is over.’

As soon as Keeper finished speaking, Myung-jun summoned an additional 40 turrets, swiftly eliminated the monster the remaining awakener were holding, and then, ignoring the awakener who were looking at him with amazed expressions, he addressed Keeper with a puzzled expression.

‘The assault is over. What’s going on?’

‘You… You… I mean, you could clear it alone with that level of firepower, couldn’t you?’

‘Well, I can’t drive the bus then, can I? It’s a gesture of goodwill. Hurry up and tell me. I can’t stand the curiosity. What’s with the strong feeling?’

Upon hearing Myung-jun’s question, Keeper paused to gather his thoughts.

And then, for the first time in a long time, he uttered the name of an entity that Myung-jun hadn’t heard in a while.

‘Seems like the Goddess of Liberation wants to make a request to her champion, huh?’

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