Chapter 26 – What He Truly Desires (2)
“…It would be better for each of you to consider the security matters on your own, but first, let me explain more about this request.”
“Isn’t this ultimately asking us to kill someone?”
Park Joon-seok smirked.
After all, in this game, once you consider someone an enemy, there is only one stance you can take.
And that is to kill.
A few people took a sharp breath.
“That’s right. I’m the only one in Korea, so my activities are even more limited. Still, my player says this is a transaction.”
Chae Yeon took out something else from her bag.
It was a small flask filled with a glowing blue potion.
“This is one of the gifts. I heard it’s a precious medicine made through alchemy. Its efficacy is healing. It can essentially heal any illness or wound, almost giving another life.”
“H-Have you verified this?”
“At least I have seen its effects in reality.”
Chae Yeon scratched her hand, letting her blood flow, and poured just a little of the potion onto the wound.
Immediately, the injury was healed as if it had been washed away.
It was like a miracle displayed by extremely rare healing hunters.
“Okay. Let’s accept the request. Can’t we just do it first?”
“Eh…”
While Oh Yu-na couldn’t easily come to a conclusion, Park Joon-seok stepped forward as if he had some confidence.
“That’s right.”
Chae Yeon nodded.
“But mom… Aaaah!”
After the meeting, Oh Yu-na was caught and dragged away by her parents.
No matter how obvious it seemed, murder was never a light matter.
“But we can’t just stand still.”
“Right. I don’t intend to just sit idly by either. But I can’t run away and hide, either.”
I didn’t deny my younger sister’s melancholy words.
We weren’t the only ones moving.
Perhaps others were also targeting our lives.
Just like Chae Yeon decided to use us to kill that lady.
It seemed that those with some mysterious abilities might also discern our identities.
“Did another big incident happen?”
I confirmed the breaking news on my phone.
Last time it was goblins, and this time it’s orcs. Surely, they are the same kind as those that appeared in North America.
I thought of heading to the middle of Seoul, where those creatures were causing chaos, hoping to collect some corpses.
“That’s dangerous.”
“I have to take the risk.”
I sent Kang Do-yeon home with a worried expression.
Then I hopped into a taxi alone.
The battle was still ongoing at the scene.
If I arrived late, I could get caught up in the chaos and perhaps salvage something.
[The Legion will be able to realize your intentions]
“It seems you’re quite certain? What are you relying on?”
[Don’t actions show it?]
Showing through actions.
I checked the screen.
The Legion was continuously waging war.
[The Legion’s collective tactics are evolving. Learning through experience is continuously building up. There are limits to tactics inscribed in the genetics. But there are no limits to those developed through learning.]
The answer lay in developing the brain.
The growth of the Legion, which began to think and research for itself, was terrifying.
[The Legion has started to restructure its overall system. Instead of carelessly producing soldiers like before, it is now manufacturing new troops with optimal efficiency according to their designated uses and functions.]
“…”
No longer was it merely a matter of being based on ‘beasts’ and making slight modifications.
These were, quite literally, new life forms.
The newly created soldiers revealed themselves and growled.
Their overall shape resembled the saber-toothed guardian spirit absorbed last time.
However, the developed front limbs were robust, equipped with proper hands, and they were capable of standing upright with somewhat hunched postures.
With a stinger at the end of their long tails and their entire bodies covered in black carapaces like armor made of solid muscle.
[If the troops based on goblins are versatile, these ones focus their strength on size and mobility. The design target was presumed to be able to engage one-on-one with enemies of the size of those cats.]
They dashed through the corridors, joining the scene of carnage.
It was just as the taxi arrived near my destination.
“Everyone, calm down! The monsters have retreated, so now the rescue operations…”
As expected, the scene was chaotic.
Police, rescue teams, hunters, and media outlets alike.
But the largest groups were the families and friends of the victims who had rushed in upon hearing the news.
[Such occurrences will continue, endlessly repeating.]
“Why are they fighting over there beyond the gate?”
[Of course, they will fight over there too. Why do they keep invading Earth even after becoming units participating in the game?]
“…It’s likely for plunder. Those bastards.”
The monsters that had become units were no longer merely mindless beasts.
They were now plundering what they needed from Earth. For instance, humans.
“Maintain order over there!”
“Everyone, please calm down. The rescue teams are entering now…”
It was utter chaos.
Perhaps it was because it was the midst of downtown that the appearance of goblins at Kang Do-yeon’s school felt even more overwhelming.
But at least it seemed like an opportunity for me.
Taking a quick glance, I noticed that amidst the commotion, I could grab a fluorescent vest lying nearby.
The rescue teams, including police officers, were rushing in to retrieve people and corpses from the scene.
I slipped into the crowd.
I was a bit worried, but perhaps due to the extreme confusion, no one suspected me.
“This way!”
As one of the rescue workers leading the charge rounded the corner with their colleagues.
I sneaked into an alley between nearby buildings.
The scene was in ruins as people fled in panic; I gulped at the still fresh blood stains.
“Ugh…”
Turning the corner, I witnessed the horror.
The body of a sprawled person, and an orc’s corpse split in half as if it had been attacked by a hunter.
[Will you register the specimen?]
“Humans… it’s pointless to input those now.”
[That’s what I think.]
“Only transmit the orc. I have no intention of desecrating the deceased if not necessary.”
I hurriedly took a picture and sent the orc’s corpse to the Legion’s nest.
Surprisingly, I collected without much difficulty, but my mind was not at ease.
No matter how strong and smart the orcs and goblins became, would they truly progress to the point of being comparable to humans?
Before long, I felt like I would need to send a human specimen as well.
[The Legion has grasped your intentions and absorbed and decomposed the orc registered as a specimen.]
This time, I was on the subway, heading home.
While everyone around me was trembling in anxiety about the rapidly changing world, I was blankly staring at my phone.
[The most needed thing was the brain structure of the orc, but the alternate bodily structure of the bipedal life form I encountered for the first time as a goblin would also be a great help. Most importantly, it would greatly aid in increasing size.]
“So, is the effect good?”
[It serves as a reinforcement, but it’s not a major advancement.]
The Legion had analyzed the genetic information of the orc and was utilizing it thoroughly, but no significant changes occurred.
It merely meant that the size of the Legionnaires was larger compared to those based on goblins.
“I’m anxious. To be honest, I’m scared.”
I quietly muttered in lamentation.
I didn’t particularly expect comfort or a response.
I might be scolded for whining, but regardless, the reality wouldn’t change.
I no longer felt wronged for getting involved in an app and a game.
After all, if the app didn’t exist, I would have been swept away unknowing in this suddenly changed world like everyone else.
I said it simply because I felt like I had to keep hanging on, but it wouldn’t be easy.
“What, what was that?!”
“Ahhh!!”
But at that moment, I was thrown from my seat by a sudden, strong impact that hit the subway train, crashing hard against the floor.
I couldn’t gather my senses.
The lights flickered, and shards of glass from broken windows scattered everywhere.
Surely, the subway was running above ground.
[Stay alert.]
A desperate message flashed from the fallen phone in front of me.
I hurriedly gathered my phone with trembling hands.
The invasion and plunder didn’t cease.
*
“Another gate?!”
“They seem to be units. A race that has not shown up on Earth since the game started.”
“…Where is it?”
“I just sent it. But commands have not yet been issued. Well, it was expected that this would become a chaos.”
Chae Yeon, who had stayed quietly at home, answered a call from a teammate while hastily checking the news.
Before the orc incident could settle, another invasion began.
It might be too much, but if this was a decision made in collaboration with the player, the concerns of Earthlings wouldn’t be taken into account.
[You’re being annoying. The player is getting frustrated. His abilities cannot cover all that happens on Earth.]
“What should I do then?”
[Wait. While punishing the impudent ones is important, if we try to keep track of dozens of minor forces, our grand strategy will crumble.]
Upon hearing the reply, she let out a small sigh.
She had expected it, but nonetheless, it became clear that she couldn’t take action.
The grand strategy they referred to was the full-scale offensive being carried out from this side.
Her player was planning to gather all the units scattered around the world and launch an assault on the enemies beyond the gate.
‘The race consists mostly of ethereal beings; it would be challenging to face them with ordinary fighters.’
She paced the floor anxiously, only watching the news.
From the moment she accepted the contract, she was prepared for this, but the thought of just watching people die and get hurt always weighed on her mind.
Especially the fact that such incidents would only continue to increase in the future.
