A Player Who Eats Metal - Chapter 42: Steel Battalion

< Chapter 42: Steel Battalion – 3 >

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Clearly, the night sky of Seoul had turned purple.

But almost no one noticed it.

So it was a night like any other.

Although gates appeared simultaneously all over Seoul, because it happened mainly around military units, civilians remained relatively peaceful. There were no bureaucrats predicting this problem as a ‘Wave’.

No, someone must have questioned it. However… predicting such a thing was as ominous as predicting a nuclear war, so the decision-makers were skeptical, and above all…

It was dawn.

“Hey! What are you talking about at 2 a.m.? Are you sure?”

So the response was inevitably delayed.

Soon, stories began to spread about people coming and going in Seoul encountering a translucent wall.

Eventually, at 4 a.m….

It became known to the world that the 4th Wave had started when all signals in Seoul were cut off.

From that point on, Seoul got busy.

―Citizens, this is the National Gate Response Headquarters. An alert for the appearance of gates has been issued throughout Seoul from this time. This broadcast is a real situation. Once again, let me tell you…

In the blacksmith alley of Munrae-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, a voice crackled through the air.

It was not a regular loudspeaker but a sound coming from a ‘Mana Alert System’.

If it was activated, it meant a gate had opened nearby.

“…Oh my God! What on Earth is happening?”

The Blacksmith Alley had a fairly large resident population.

To meet the guild’s orders, they had to work day and night without rest.

Like a factory that never shuts down, operating in 3 shifts, that was the culture here.

So at this moment, not a few blacksmiths were listening to the alert broadcast.

“Boss, but this isn’t just a gate, it’s, uh, what, a Wave?”

“Do you think that makes sense, you fool! Do you think a Wave is like an American rock singer’s tour?”

“I wish it weren’t, but anyway, let’s go to the shelter quickly.”

And Kang Jung-du was also out on the street.

“What do we do…”

He was the type who couldn’t sleep at dawn, but he came out when he heard the noise outside.

After understanding the situation, he rushed back into the one-room workshop.

“Hee-seol! Hey! Get up quickly!”

“Uh… what’s the time to make such a fuss…”

“Yeah, it’s a fuss! A big fuss has happened!”

“-Ah!”

Kang Jung-du kicked his granddaughter, who was buried in the blanket, with his foot and took out a travel bag from the wardrobe.

“Ugh, what’s all this fuss about? My only granddaughter… Huh! Is it a gate?”

Hee-seol heard the alarm sound from outside and grasped the situation.

“Yes! Grab some stuff from that shelf!”

“Hmm… this isn’t a dream, right? If so, I want to awaken as a wizard instead of a blacksmith.”

“Shut your mouth and get up quickly!”

The two hurriedly prepared to evacuate and went outside.

―… Citizens are advised to immediately evacuate to the nearest shelter.

A shelter was a refuge equipped with a magical shield in preparation for a gate situation.

The closest government-operated shelter was at Yeongdeungpo Station.

However, there was a privately operated shelter in the basement of the guild office.

Naturally, Kang Jung-du and Hee-seol headed there.

However, they were stopped by shocking news at the entrance of the shelter.

“Whoa, we can’t take any more people. The shelter is full.”

“…Excuse me? What does that mean?”

It didn’t make any sense.

“No, I don’t understand why there is no room in the shelter, let us in.”

The guild had boasted that the large shelter could accommodate over 500 people and could house all guild members for at least a few weeks in case of emergency.

“Ah, the old man doesn’t understand… it’s full, we’re not taking more.”

“Then what are we supposed to do?”

“I don’t care, it’s not my problem.”

Kang Jung-du realized why this was happening.

This disaster was not a usual gate situation.

The guild leadership decided to reduce the number of people to last as long as possible, prioritizing members who were submissive.

“Brother Kang, it’s a bit risky, but let’s go to the Yeongdeungpo shelter. Ah, this is disgusting!”

Another blacksmith advised Kang, making the guards snicker.

“Fine, get lost. Be careful not to get stabbed by goblins.”

Kang’s eyebrows twitched at this.

He might be weak, but he wasn’t completely timid.

“This whore-.”

“Damn it! You scumbags!”

But before he could finish, a loud shout erupted.

It was his granddaughter, Hee-seol.

She screamed and charged at the guard.

“Move! We have a right to go in!”

“Whoa, are you crazy?”

“Don’t discriminate! We also pay our dues!”

“I don’t care, go to Yeongdeungpo Station shelter, you wench!”

“-Ah!”

When the guard swung his arm, Hee-seol was thrown back.

As a blacksmith player, she couldn’t overpower the guard physically.

Kang Jung-du helped his granddaughter up and glared at the guards.

But that was all he could do.

“Why! Why are all the strong ones so selfish?”

Hee-seol began to cry, and the guard sneered.

“Well, being weak is a disease. Why complain?”

At this, Hee-seol spat out another curse.

However, her cursing was drowned out by a loud noise.

Thud-thud-thud-thud—-

A gust of wind blew, and a beam of light shone down from the sky.

It was a helicopter.

“..Huh?”

“Oh! It’s AMT!”

The guards cheered.

“Great, finally paying taxes is paying off! They came to rescue us early!”

At this, Hee-seol bared her teeth.

“Are you kidding me? We also paid our dues, why are you behaving like this?”

“What, what? This kid really…”

The guard lost his patience and raised his arm.

“Kids like these really need to get hit to know the…”

Just then, ropes dropped from the helicopter and AMT soldiers in black combat gear landed. One pushed away the guard who was threatening Hee-seol.

“…What is going on?”

“Step back. This is a warning.”

Meanwhile, the helicopter landed on the roof of the guild office.

An official from the shelter ran out to greet them.

“Ah! Welcome! We’re so grateful you came to help us so quickly.”

“Sorry, but that’s not the case. Civilian rescue operations have not yet begun.”

The female sergeant, who seemed to be the leader of this helicopter team, shook her head and said this.

“Then…”

“For now, staying in the shelter should be safe. We came to find someone.”

“…Who are you looking for?”

“We’ve already found them.”

The sergeant was holding a photo and looking somewhere.

It was towards the blacksmiths who had been rudely turned away.

Surveying the situation, the sergeant frowned.

“Are you really not allowing these people into the shelter?”

“Uh? Ah, no!”

“What do you mean no? I saw everything from above.”

“No, that’s… damn-”

“You’re aware that this is a violation of regulations and is an illegal act that can be penalized, right?”

“Ah, yes, well…”

Today, shelters were directly linked to the people’s right to survive.

That’s why shelters had a significant impact on real estate prices, and to operate a private shelter, you had to meet conditions specified by the government and be subject to ongoing oversight from relevant departments.

One of those operational conditions was the ‘unconditional accommodation’ of nearby refugees.

“If a violation of regulations is found later on, the right to operate the shelter will be revoked.”

“…”

The sergeant finished speaking and approached Kang Jung-du.

“Are you Mr. Kang Jung-du? Someone is looking for you, and we’ve come to pick you up.”

“Yes, I’m Kang Jung-du, but who is looking for me?”

“Would you be willing to come with us if I told you Lee Hyunwook sent us?”

At that, Kang Jung-du’s eyes widened,

And the corners of Hee-seol’s mouth turned up.

“Wait? You mean to say… was Mr. Lee a military general?”

Knowing it sounded unbelievable, Kang Jung-du still said it.

If they had come to pick him up in a military helicopter…

Even if not a general, he must be in a position with significant influence in the AMT.

And actually, he said this so the guild officials standing there would hear it.

* * *

Thus, Kang Jung-du, Kang Hee-seol, and several other blacksmiths arrived at the 1st Battalion.

Lee Hyunwook greeted them.

“Master Kang, thank you for coming.”

Kang Jung-du bowed slightly upon seeing Lee Hyunwook, at the same time, noting the rank insignia on Lee Hyunwook’s combat uniform.

“My goodness, how should I ever repay this kindness, General…”

This cunning old man, who himself was a former Navy lieutenant and had clearly just checked the rank, deliberately called him a General. It was quite a calculated flattery.

‘But he’s a good person.’

Doing this sort of sycophantic maneuvering to look out for his granddaughter was understandable for an old man raising her on his own. Still, he was a man of integrity who could call out what was wrong as wrong.

“I’m not a general; I’m just a soldier. I apologize for not informing you earlier.”

“Does it matter? This old man knows well enough that you are a great man.”

After all, it was unthinkable that a mere soldier could commandeer a helicopter to pick up a blacksmith.

Lee Hyunwook must have a significant backing, he thought.

Lee Hyunwook took the blacksmiths to the armory.

There, 21 ‘Living Armors’ were lined up at regular intervals.

“This is Living Armor. Most of them are damaged; could I ask you to repair them?”

Kang Jung-du inspected the armors and looked a bit troubled.

“Hmm, to restore the magic circuits honestly requires collaboration with a high-level mage. Of course, I can try to imitate, but I can’t guarantee that it will function perfectly.”

“If they can just be operational, that’s fine, even if not fully restored.”

The ‘magic circuits’ that powered the Living Armor were engraved like tattoos on the armor surface.

So if the ‘outer shell’ broke, and the circuit was interrupted, they would lose their function.

However, most of the essential circuits were in the ‘helmet’ part. As long as that part remained intact, it could function properly. The circuits in the ‘body’ were mostly additional protective spells.

“Thank you for taking the time to come here. You will be duly compensated when this crisis is over.”

“Don’t mention it. I’ll do my best, thinking it’s the price for my granddaughter’s life.”

“The nation will pay you, not me. Consider it the price for saving the nation.”

At that, Kang Jung-du’s expression became quite serious.

“Am I… saving the nation?”

“Yes, you’re making a significant contribution.”

Once a Navy lieutenant, Kang Jung-du had an injury that forced him into retirement, a story Lee Hyunwook knew.

So it would stand to reason that he would still have some desire to serve his country, especially in these terrible times.

Lee Hyunwook played on that aspect to ensure Kang Jung-du would be even more committed to this work.

‘But the truth is, Kang Hee-seol will be more useful.’

Lee Hyunwook looked at Kang Hee-seol.

She was examining the Living Armor as if fascinated, even giving it a kick and hopping around.

“Oh dear, child…”

Kang Jung-du held his head.

She might be naive now, but…

‘Of course, her character will likely stay the same…

Snow White,

The first ‘Elder Smith’ chosen by the seven dwarf artisans,

And the best drinker acknowledged by the dwarves…

‘Kang Hee-seol will grow up to be like that.’

And thus create the first ‘masterpiece’ level item.

But her true talent was more in ‘magical engineering’ than in blacksmithing.

Though she entered the field late, she quickly mastered it and became the best.

‘Her magitech troop was top-notch.’

Although a non-combat blacksmith, she led the magitech troops she created and excelled on the battlefield.

‘If Kang Hee-seol commits herself to magical engineering earlier, she will go much farther.’

And so…

He was planning to have her design and produce the Steel Army, which would utilize divine power as their weapon.

* * *

At 3 PM, the clearing of the three gates within the camp was completed with the closure of the last gate at the military post.

The operation took 8 hours, with only 4 casualties. It was undoubtedly an incredible feat.

However, the real work was just beginning.

“Attention, From Battalion Commander! Ten-minute break, then back to operations!”

“Ah…”

There wasn’t even proper time to rest.

There are now only 4 days left.

After that, half of Seoul would disappear.

Even if they were to drop from exhaustion and die, they couldn’t stop.

“Time’s up! Let’s move!”

Since it was essentially wartime, they took out all the ‘support supplies’ from the battalion’s supply warehouse.

Inside were recovery potions, stamina potions, and mana potions, which were distributed to the fatigued soldiers. Of course, overuse of these potions could negatively affect skill growth, but…

“…Who has the time to worry about that? Drink it quickly and let’s move!”

Soon, trucks lined up in the transport section. Commonly called “two and a half tons,” there were seven K-511 trucks.

Behind them, three K-153 armored reconnaissance vehicles coated with magical metal were also prepared.

“Load the weapons onto the trucks now! You have 10 minutes, move it!”

Half of the battalion armory was being relocated, as per Lee Hyunwook’s request.

Meanwhile, Lee Hyunwook separately called for Corporal Kim Se-hee, Private First Class An Min-tae, and Private Choi Tae-yong.

He had specific tasks for them in this operation.

“Corporal Kim Se-hee, will you take charge of the first platoon?”

“…”

“I’m sorry, but it’s essentially a command.”

Kim Se-hee visibly frowned at the word ‘command.’

It was true. Lee Hyunwook’s words carried the weight of a battalion commander’s orders.

However, she nodded without further comment.

“…Alright.”

Her expression and tone were filled with annoyance.

Yet, there was a reason why the female soldiers in the 2nd company respected her and followed her obediently. She was competent, unbiased, and took good care of others.

‘In other words, she is trusted on all fronts.’

Despite her small stature of 155cm, she had a strange charisma.

An Min-tae and Choi Tae-yong were both blankly staring at her.

Sure, her appearance was the reason why the male soldiers in the 1st company referred to her as a goddess, but…

It was truly… unpleasant to behold.

“An Min-tae, are you not focused?”

“Ah, um, yes!”

“An Min-tae, you’re in charge of the second platoon.”

“Ah, no… Me, platoon leader? Ah, yes!”

Lastly, he looked at Choi Tae-yong.

“You will be at the front, scouting. Keep your eyes wide open and monitor everything.”

“Yes! Understood!”

“If you slack off, you’ll have to answer to me.”

“Y-yes…”

When Lee Hyunwook said that key roles in the operation would be assigned to soldiers, Kim Kang-seok expressed his puzzlement.

Of course, it was also true that there were not many competent officers available since the majority had not returned.

However…

‘They are capable, will follow me well, and can be useful in the future.’

Kim Se-hee was the player with the most potential in the 2nd Company. It was necessary to maintain a relationship with her.

And An Min-tae and Choi Tae-yong followed Lee Hyunwook the best and understood his intentions well.

Most importantly, they had grown to be among the best in the company.

An Min-tae’s level had somehow reached 24.

‘It seems like wielding the holy weapon has paid off; he’s killed quite a few zombies.’

Of course, his one-handed sword broke, but Lee Hyunwook had lent him the KG19.

“Then, we will depart in 20 minutes. Please be prepared by then.”

Lee Hyunwook also briefly went back to the barracks to prepare for the operation.

It was time to equip his weapons.

He wore a utility vest, and on his back, he equipped the Sword of Clouds and the KG19.

Around his waist, he equipped the Pale Note, a Mithril dagger, and a pouch of iron beads.

In his heavy, pre-packed military vest, there were ten iron spikes.

Clank-

He also took the K2C1 rifle. Of course, rifles were not as useful anymore, but when it came to suppressing multiple enemies and providing firepower, firearms were still indispensable.

Regardless of whether he’d use it, it was necessary to bring it.

Shush-

Lastly, he rolled up the left wrist of his combat uniform to check.

A spear-shaped tattoo; it was Achilles’ Spear, his secret weapon.

All in all, he was equipped with dozens of items throughout his body.

But that wasn’t all.

The seven trucks being prepared now, and everything going into them were also his weapons.

Kim Kang-seok acknowledged that he was the battalion’s greatest force, and it was not incorrect.

“Excuse me–”

The voice from behind was Seo Eunha’s.

After multiple battles, it looked like she was taking a short break; she was only wearing her lower body armor.

“…Really, are you sure it’s okay if I don’t go with you?”

Seo Eunha and Choi Young-jun, who were among the best in the company, were ironically placed in the follow-up force.

The operation led by Lee Hyunwook had the role of entering dangerous areas, so there was a need for backup troops to assist in rescue when problems arose. Internal defense also couldn’t be left unattended.

“Anyway, if a problem arises, you’ll come rushing over as always, won’t you?”

“…You plan to complain again if I’m late?”

“It would be fortunate if I could, that means I’d still be alive by the time you’re late.”

“What? Ha… you really know how to talk nonsense, don’t you?”

Lee Hyunwook smiled and nodded.

“If you think about it, it’s all true.”

Lee Hyunwook had been talking back for a while now, but Seo Eunha didn’t particularly mind.

It was because she had come to recognize Lee Hyunwook beyond his rank as an officer and a soldier.

“I hope we don’t meet outside the camp.”

“Sure, it’s unlucky but true.”

As Lee Hyunwook was about to leave the barracks, Seo Eunha held out her palm.

“So-”

“Is it chocolate again?”

“…You’re really trying to make me angry, aren’t you?”

Seo Eunha opened her palm.

There was a bracelet in it.

Clearly, it was an item imbued with divine power.

“You know this wave is related to the undead. If you pour mana into this, a divine shield will form within a 3-meter radius. I’ll lend it to you; it will help.”

“I’ll take it if you won’t hold me responsible for losing it.”

“…Don’t lose it.”

Losing it meant he could also eat it.

Lee Hyunwook went to the assembly field.

There were 7 trucks, 3 tactical vehicles, and 12 living armors in formation.

And in front of them, 39 soldiers were assembled.

It was an elite unit that would go beyond the camp led by Lee Hyunwook to carry out the Seoul defense operation.

As Lee Hyunwook stepped out of the barracks, their eyes converged on one place.

Lee Hyunwook stood next to the battalion commander on the reviewing stand and looked down at the newly formed company-level force.

The battalion commander had given them this name.

“…Steel Battalion, the fate of Seoul rests on you.”

Following Steel Emperor, now Steel Battalion…

Lee Hyunwook thought the nickname that had followed him since his previous life was too childish.

And that the fate of Seoul rested on them was also a clichéd speech.

However, at this moment, every word felt significantly different, and heavy.

Because it was all true.

‘Yes, I will protect Seoul. And even more, everything…’

Lee Hyunwook saluted the battalion commander and boarded the K-153 command vehicle.

“Let’s go.”

The first mission of the Steel Battalion,

The Seoul defense operation began.