043 – Collapse
Before the regression, Myung-jun who reached Rank 12 before Hee-cheol gave up the fight. illustrating the stark difference in power between combat and production classes. Production classes have to rely solely on the performance of their equipment, whereas combat classes can also utilize their unique abilities in battle.
However, now that he has returned to the past through regression, he has acquired a unique class called ‘Mechanic.’ Having gauged his strength by clearing Rank 3 gate through Overrun, Myung-jun believes he has a good chance of winning against Hee-cheol at the current time.
If Hee-cheol can deploy an armed doll with almost no penalty, Myung-jun can freely summon various types of turrets he has developed in advance.
Ultimately, Myung-jun’s concern was not whether he would win or lose the fight, but whether it was wise to reveal his abilities in this place.
After much consideration, he concluded that supporting the U.S. troops deployed at the scene was the right decision.
“Major Holmes, is it possible to ensure the safety of our group with just the U.S. troops currently here?”
“I can’t be sure since I haven’t fought with an awakener before, but it will probably be difficult. However, don’t worry. We will somehow transport you safely to the U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek, even if we have to risk our lives.”
“Do you know why the U.S. government has ordered to secure me? What’s the reason?”
Holmes shook his head at Myung-jun’s question.“I don’t know. I’ve only received orders to ensure the safety of your group at all costs.”
“Then let me show you the ability that the U.S. government so desperately wants to secure, even at the risk of damaging relations with its allies.”
Myung-jun slowly raised his hand and aimed at the direction where Hee-cheol had summoned dolls. He then muttered in a calm voice.
“Summon Mk 13 – [Karma], the fixed combat equipment for suppressing awakeners.”
At that moment, more light clusters than the number Hee-cheol had summoned appeared with a tremendous mechanical noise. Steel turrets, 2 meters high with 4 large barrels, began to appear and aim at the EDA members and Hee-cheol’s dolls, exuding an intimidating presence.
– Whirrr –
– Clink, clink, clink –
As the sound of loading for immediate firing was heard, Hee-cheol and the EDA members took defensive postures with shocked expressions. Seeing this, the previously speechless Holmes urgently stopped Myung-jun.
“Wait a moment!”
“What’s the matter?”
“Thank you for the support, but if we engage with such equipment, even the U.S. troops here will be annihilated! Besides, isn’t there a risk that your allies will get hurt?”
It was a reasonable question, but Myung-jun shook his head with a smile.
“The turret I just summoned, [Karma], was specially developed with awakeners and monsters in mind. It uses specialized ramjet bullets that are several times faster than conventional ones and attacks targets at eight times the speed of sound. However, the bullets can only damage awakeners and monsters. If an ordinary person is hit, they would only get a slight bruise.”
“Is that even physically possible?”
“It is. That’s what my special ability allows.”
Hee-cheol, who had also heard Myung-jun’s words, had no choice but to think quickly amidst his confusion.
‘If what he says is true, then even with my puppet and the team members I brought, it would be hard to take on Myung-jun alone. How did he get so strong in such a short period of time? Is there a higher-level job that’s stronger than a unique class?’
What Hee-cheol didn’t know was that most of the turrets Myung-jun summoned were a kind of ‘decoy turrets’.
This was something Myung-jun had separately requested when Soo-jeong was developing the special turret [karma].
Soo-jeong thought about the time when she was developing Karma, looking at the turrets that filled the room.
“A decoy turret?”
“It’s like a hologram. It summons an illusion that looks identical to the other turrets that have been summoned, and it simulates the sound they make through speakers.”
“Why do you need it?”
Myung-jun put his hand on a part of the Karma he was developing and said,
“As you know, my main ability is to summon turrets, right?”
“I know.”
“That ability is almost overpowered, as it allows me to summon any number of turrets designed by you for various situations. But it has a penalty.”
“A penalty?”
“It consumes a huge amount of resources every time I summon.”
Myung-jun continued,
“The problem is that developing new equipment for Mr. Ho-Chang and Mr. Byung-Tae or developing new types of turrets for me to summon also consumes a huge amount of ‘points’. Deactivating the functions of this space we’re using as a base also requires an astronomical amount of points.”
Moreover, summoning already developed turrets also consumed points, Myung-jun added.
Furthermore, summoning turrets with his unique ability called [Attribute Transformation] required even more points.
For that reason, he actually didn’t have many points left.
“Of course, I do have some points from clearing a Rank 3 gate as a first-time clear bonus, but it’s not much. After the battle, I do get some points back when I retrieve the turrets, but it’s not as much as I spent. So, I wanted to have decoy turrets that could be summoned with fewer points but still be threatening.”
Accepting Myung-jun’s request, Soo-jeong made a small dish-shaped hologram projection device in just two hours.
And she gave it the codename Mk 14, [Hallucination].
‘Isn’t it a bit excessive to have 190 out of 200 turrets be Hallucination turrets?’
Of course, the illusion she created was not perfect.
The Hallucination Turret could only simulate images and sound, not the air pressure created when a 2-meter turret moves, or the smell of gunpowder produced during combat.
Anyone with a bit of insight could easily distinguish between the illusion and the real thing as soon as combat started.
Therefore, Myung-jun’s action was to discourage the opponent from even considering combat through overwhelming numbers.
The ten turrets within were a minimal ‘insurance’ to protect Soo-jeong and Myung-jun in case of an emergency. And this ‘bluff’ by Myung-jun was having a definite effect.
[Let’s retreat for now.]
one of the agents Hee-cheol had brought radioed into Hee-cheol’s ear.
Frowning, Hee-cheol put his hand on the radio to respond to her suggestion.
“Retreat? Are you saying a South Korean government agency on a special mission should retreat on South Korean soil against foreign military?”
[I’m not saying we give up, but rather to buy time to regroup. Our current agents are positioned to confront multiple armed U.S. military personnel without anticipating an awakener. We’ll be annihilated in no time if we engage with those many turrets now. Same goes for your ‘dolls’,]
She was not talking about giving up. Fighting the turrets in a surrounded situation would be extremely disadvantageous given the current formation. The idea was to distance themselves first, regroup according to each agent’s specialties, and then engage.
[If we can buy a little more time, we can also call in the members of the dispatched First Unit. We may face a 100% defeat in the current situation, but we don’t know what will happen if the First Unit joins and we fight in a proper formation.]
“Assuming we deploy the entire Awakener force of the EDA, what do you think our chances of winning are?”
After some consideration, the woman with the most tactical acumen in the EDA concluded,
[30%.]
“That’s enough.”
Hee-cheol then recalled all the dolls he had summoned. Simultaneously, the EDA agents who had been in combat stance began to disarm as well.
“We’ll concede this time. However, as the head of an allied special agency, I have a request for both the U.S. government and Mr. Myung-jun.”
Holmes, who had been silently sighing in relief, was startled as Hee-cheol addressed him.
“What is it? If it’s something I can do, I’ll listen.”
“We understand that according to the new asset law enacted in the United States, Mr. Myung-jun has become a U.S. citizen. However, he has not yet renounced his South Korean citizenship. To be precise, he is currently in an ambiguous dual citizenship status.”
“Do you think he will renounce his South Korean citizenship once the formalities are complete?”
“I can’t say for sure. So, I have one request. This is also a request for Mr. Myung-jun.”
“What is the request?”
As Myung-jun spoke, Hee-cheol bowed 90 degrees in apology.
“I sincerely apologize for my earlier rudeness. Even if it was for national security and prosperity, handling the situation through coercion was my mistake. That action was not representative of the official stance of the South Korean government. Please set aside your anger and grant me just one request.”
“You switch tactics quickly. So if you can’t win by force, you’re trying persuasion now?”
Myung-jun sneered, but Hee-cheol was unfazed.
If anything, Hee-cheol seemed even more humble than before, trying to convince Myung-jun.
“You can criticize me all you want. If necessary, you can ask me to resign, or even hit me until you feel better. However, for your sake, I think it’s a bad decision to leave your birthplace for the U.S. just like that.”
“But if I stay here, I will constantly be pressured by the South Korean government. My work will also be greatly interrupted.”
“The U.S. government isn’t going to protect you without any conditions. Surely there are strings attached. Then, I believe there is room for negotiation on our side as well. Perhaps we can offer you and your group benefits beyond what the U.S. government provides. At the very least, we hope to be given an opportunity to make our case.”
“An opportunity? And if I decline?”
“If you accept, even if you reject our proposal, we will ensure all measures are taken for you to safely go to the U.S. mainland. Just hearing us out is enough. We would like an opportunity to prove that we have done our best to retain you.”
Instead of answering, Myung-jun looked at Holmes.
Then, Lieutenant Holmes shrugged and spoke to Myung-jun.
“If the negotiation takes place in a secure location and is accompanied by a U.S. government negotiator, I think it would be acceptable.”
“A secure location being…”
“There’s no place safer in South Korea for you right now than the U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek. We had your assistance before, but now it’s the U.S. military’s turn to protect you and your group.”
Myung-jun looked at Hee-cheol, seeming to ask if he agreed with those terms. Hee-cheol gritted his teeth. And then he nodded to Myung-jun.
“We agree. The proposal from the Korean government will proceed at the U.S. military base in Pyeongtaek with the U.S. government negotiator present.”
Myung-jun recalled the turret he had summoned back to the void.
And so, the momentous standoff that took place in front of a cafe in downtown Changwon smoothly concluded without any full-fledged confrontation between the U.S. military in Korea and the South Korean government.
Except for Captain Kim Hak-soo of the 4th division, who took a stand and was beaten almost to death, it was a peaceful resolution with no injuries. However, the aftermath of the incident turned the country upside down in no time. Despite the strict control of the EDA agents, civilians who had filmed the incident from nearby buildings and around the square began posting it all over the internet.
It became the incident that spread the vaguely hidden truth about the ‘Awakening’ throughout the country.
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