Chapter 25: Paju Yeonam Rivertown Apartment Defense Post

You can only save them by using magic remotely before rushing inside.

No, that wasn't the only condition.

It was possible for me because I was a mage with these absurd stats, something inconceivable for ordinary first- or second-order mages.

At least a fourth-order mage.

Regardless of the approach, the level of magical proficiency required at this point was unreachable.

If one hadn't started the game with exceptional stats like mine, the task would have been impossible.

Could this be straying from the pre-set routes of the game?

I had confirmed it before, but this world that was built on a bug-riddled game was excessively unstable.

What kind of butterfly effect could this action create?

I was worried, yet a part of me was...

A little... excited, right?

Here goes my gamer brain again.... the thought crossed my mind, but it couldn't be helped.

It was at this time that Moon Seung-hee, who had been leading the way, stopped in her tracks.

"This way."

The destination Moon Seung-hee led me to wasn't far off.

It was a place that could be reached without special guidance and had a characteristic shape that could be recognized from afar.

Inside the partially constructed apartment complex.

Some parts were still unfinished, but the surrounding area looked pretty decent.

The nearby structures were already forming a complete apartment complex.

It appeared that the electrical installations were complete, as I could see lights on in a few places.

Moon Seung-hee pointed with her hand to a place that particularly stood out.

"Here's the entrance to the underground parking lot."

The entrance to the underground parking lot, right in the heart of the apartment complex, was a familiar sight that needed no further explanation.

Yet, the entrance to the underground parking lot before me would have been unrecognizable without Moon Seung-hee's additional explanation...

This was due to the strange structure that had been built in front of it.

It was a large makeshift building, constructed from building materials, sandbags and what appeared to be specialized military equipment from an unknown source.

"...A defensive outpost, it seems."

Around the defensive outpost, about a dozen armed soldiers watched the underground parking lot with tense expressions.

Most of them were dressed in suits, but they wore bulletproof vests over their suits and metal arm guards as additional protection.

And the level of their weapons is quite high.

Each soldier possessed strange-looking weapons that were uncommon in everyday life.

While most of them carried firearms, some had large hammers with bizarre engravings or melee weapons like swords.

It might sound amusing, but in [Cthulhu World], one should be more wary of those armed with melee weapons than those with guns.

In keeping with the unique logic of [Cthulhu World], those carrying melee weapons each possessed extraordinary magical powers.

Mercenaries....? No, all the people appearing here were employees.

It might sound absurd, but even the Republic of Korea in [Cthulhu World] and even Paju in [Cthulhu World] were like that.

Although the use of firearms and force was illegal even in [Cthulhu World], one wouldn't be arrested unless they brandished weapons openly in front of the police.

These individuals were likely members of the security team within Yeonam Construction.

As I was observing the defense posts and security personnel, Moon Seung-hee spoke up.

"Officially, it's a temporary installation."

"I see."

The name didn't really matter, but perhaps due to legal or other issues, Moon Seung-hee insisted on the vague term "temporary installation".

"There are five other installations like this one, set up to prevent the escape of ghouls."

I responded to Seunghee Moon's words by nodding my head without offering any particular opinion.

As we approached the defense post a bit more, a large man who stood out among the troops approached us.

He was such a fearsome-looking man that you'd think he was already committing a minor offense just by standing there empty-handed.

He even held a giant hammer in one hand, its handle as long as he was tall.

"Director, you have arrived?"

"Yes. What's the current situation?"

"The preparations are complete without any issues. We can proceed as soon as the requested support firepower arrives. But... who is this?"

Anxiety flickered across his rugged face.

His expression made it blatantly obvious what he was thinking. He had been expecting a renowned mage, and here was this skinny kid instead.

His reaction was honest, if not a bit rude.

With his large face and prominent eyes, he blinked at Moon Seung-hee.

"Is this...?"

His expression seemed to question, "Surely not, right?" But Moon Seung-hee simply responded.

"This person is the mage who came to assist today."

"...Really?"

The man paused, thought for a moment, then scratched his head and muttered to himself.

"Haah... crazy, what's with that mask...ugh... never mind."

His mumble was just a whisper and it probably went unheard by Moon Seung-hee standing next to him, but my heightened senses thanks to [Enhanced Vigilance] caught every word.

"........"

"Alright. Mage-nim? My name is Kwak Dae-yong. I'm the team leader of the Yeonam Construction security team... and currently in charge of this site."

"I'm Kim Shin-hwa."

"Anyway, I assume you're not here for a small fee, so please do your best. You understand?"

Kwak Dae-yong's words trailed off almost to a murmur, sounding like a faint "Please, you understand right?".

"Sure."

Just as the introductions were concluding, Moon Seung-hee couldn't hold back and interjected.

"Team Leader, we're running out of time."

"Yes, I'm aware."

"No, that's not what I mean. There are still people alive underground."

"What do you mean...? Survivors?"

"Yes, the mage here confirmed it. There are still people alive..."

While saying that, Moon Seung-hee turned to look at me.

"Yes, there are three survivors."

"Survivors... three of them... Alright, understood."

Although Kwak Dae-yong tried his best to manage his expression, given that Moon Seung-hee was right beside him, it seemed to be a difficult task.

He perfectly assumed the look of "a subordinate trying to appease a boss who's been duped by a fraud mage".

"We were planning to do just a minimal briefing before proceeding anyway... Don't worry. Come this way, please."

He said this and led us to a space set up on one side of the defense post.

"We're in an urgent situation, so we'll skip formalities and procedures."

The place resembled a kind of makeshift command center, but the defense post itself was temporary, so it wasn't a properly equipped location.

It was merely a simple table laid out on the bare ground with a few architectural blueprints spread out.

"Currently, we estimate there are about 20 to 30 ghouls. Are you familiar with the physiology of ghouls? They move through tunnels..."

"I know."

"Hmm, that's good. These creatures, like moles, must have sprung up from somewhere or been set loose. There's likely a hole somewhere in the underground parking lot where they entered."

Kwak Dae-yong then pointed out a few places on the architectural blueprints.

"The expected areas are here, here, and here... If there's any commotion, more could emerge from those tunnels. We could be dealing with twice as many as are currently underground."

When he said this, Kwak Dae-yong glanced briefly at Moon Seung-hee.

Moon Seung-hee's expression remained unchanged, but upon closer inspection, her fingers and the ends of her eyebrows were twitching slightly.

Rush in now! It looks like she is holding back on saying something along these lines.

At any given time, in whatever manner we met, Kwak Dae-yong always picked a quarrel with me.

Thus, his unwarranted actions were nothing new to me, but Moon Seung-hee's involvement was unexpected.

It seems that rescuing someone trapped underground could greatly advance my relationship with her.

Eventually, under the silent pressure exerted by Moon Seung-hee, Kwak Dae-yong concluded his explanation at a reasonable point.

"We've blocked all other entry points, so applying pressure won't cause major issues. We've decided that a straightforward plan with overwhelming firepower is the best approach, rather than a complex one."

"So, that's why I'm here."

They had hired a mage to increase their lacking firepower.

"That's right. However, there is one aspect I'd like you to be mindful of."

Kwak Dae-yong spoke gravely and softly.

"What is it?"

"Well.... this place is not a battlefield, but a newly built apartment complex that cost a considerable amount of money. Could you use methods that won't leave much of a trace?"

If it were just about firepower, there are many alternatives that don't require an expensive mage.

But the ability to unleash powerful force without leaving any trace, as if nothing had happened, is a feat only a mage can accomplish.

"Well, that's possible."

"That's a relief. As you know, this isn't just a minor issue of cockroaches emerging, is it?"

Kwak Dae-yong paused briefly before continuing with emphasis.

"We cannot leave any remnants. If the creatures hide in the tunnels, we must pursue them and eradicate them completely."

His point was valid.

No one would want to live in an apartment built over tunnels frequented by man-eating ghouls.

"So, teams B and C will move from here to there, while team A which includes the mage and myself will make a frontal assault here, directly entering down to the second basement level. Do you understand the plan?"

I understood the plan.

Kwak Dae-yong explained it at length, even drawing diagrams, but the content was simple.

Teams B and C were tasked with preventing the ghouls from dispersing.

Meanwhile, team A which comprised of Kwak Dae-yong and myself, would move in and beat down the ghouls.

Use plenty of magic for an easier breach. That was it.

I understood the plan, but there was a critical flaw in Kwak Dae-yong's strategy from the start.

"Hmm... I understand the plan."

My vague response seemed to irk Kwak Dae-yong who showed a flicker of annoyance.

"...If you have any other opinions or suggestions, please speak up now."

"The plan is flawed."

"What did you say?"

He estimated the number of ghouls to be around sixty at most.

Likely, the troops prepared would be sufficient to counter such a number.

But then...

[The number of life forms matching the conditions is 125.]

Excluding the three human survivors from this...

"The number of ghouls. Right now, there are 122 ghouls gathered underground."

Kwak Dae-yong's mouth fell open in astonishment.

"Is that... accurate information?"

"Hmm... If you include those in the tunnels, there might even be more..."

"Ha!"

Kwak Dae-yong cut me off with a sound that was neither laughter nor exclamation.

"That's ridiculous! Your earlier mention of survivors too... On what grounds and belief do you make such statements?"

See, this is why I didn't want to talk about it.

As expected, he didn't believe the part about the survivors.

When I played this as a game, I would just skip such scenes and end it by selecting a few predetermined choices... But here, these people are alive, and they react vividly to my words and actions.

Responding to each reaction turned out to be more bothersome than I had anticipated.

I guess it's better to show them rather than continue this verbal sparring.

"Well, if you can't believe it, there's nothing I can do. We'll proceed as you originally planned."

"Hmm..."

Kwak Dae-yong wore a skeptical expression but soon rose from his seat.

"Then let's get ready immediately. Just make sure you don't impede our progress with any erratic actions."

"Well, I'll definitely deliver the value of the payment you've made."

I assured him with certainty that it was worth the fifty million won, but Kwak Dae-yong's face bore an incredulous look. Or was he glaring at me?

Eventually, he grumbled and walked towards his subordinates.

He then loudly announced that the operation would commence soon and began organizing the troops.

Moon Seung-hee watched Kwak Dae-yong's command for a moment and then turned to me.

"Mage-nim."