Chapter 13 – Biting Wind

Se-min adapted quickly to the military.

Recently, the magic beasts had been quiet, so they spent most of their daily routine training. His training partner was usually Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon. Whenever he had time, he called Se-min to cross swords and exchange opinions.

Although there were many times he lost, there were times he won as well.

“Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon, why did you go over to the other side?”

“Because I felt suffocated just going out normally.”

“Why is that, since you are a golden boy?”

“My father is someone who values saving face. He found it shameful that his son was dragged to the military without even passing a single qualification exam.”

It seemed even the rich had their own troubles.

“I went there because I didn’t want to be embarrassed after being discharged. Rolling around there once would build up practical experience.”

“How was it?”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

Jeon Woo-yeon shook his head.

“It was hell.”

Se-min also shuddered at the thought.

Se-min was repairing the old North Korean iron fence they used as a defensive line, so he also had opportunities to look beyond it.

Plants of another world were blooming.

Even the insects that occasionally hovered around were things he was seeing for the first time. Every time the shadows of giant magic beasts flickered along with strange cries from beyond, his spine went cold.

Jeon Woo-yeon had roamed such a place for over a month.

“Why do they go to North Korea?”

“There is a reconnaissance purpose, and although the officers don’t say anything, it seems there is something more. I heard they received something from the guys over there and returned with it, but I don’t know the details.”

Se-min thought that it might be about naturalization.

He figured that no matter how much they liked power, they couldn’t live in the land of those magic beasts forever. Might it not be a negotiation for the remaining warlords to enter South Korea one by one?

“You should go.”

“Pardon me?”

“You practice even during your free time. Seeing someone who has skills doing that means you have ambition.”

“I only do it so that I won’t be a burden to my respected seniors…”

“Cut the crap, and give it a try. It is an experience you won’t get anywhere else but here.”

“Yes. I will think about it seriously.”

Se-min nodded.

In fact, he was also inwardly thinking about the dispatch.

He had thought that enlisting would block his growth, but on the contrary, he had reached an even more mature state through repeated actual combat and training. Now, he had also mastered the Tai Chi Accord and Form-Intention Fist.

He assessed himself as having the skills of a Green mark level, except that he lacked the license. But his goal was not to become just an ordinary Raider.

A Raider strong enough to yield all magic beasts, who would not allow people to die before his eyes.

Yes, he wanted to become a true powerhouse who stood shoulder to shoulder with the older brothers and sisters of the Transcendent Network.

He had already tasted the sky. He could not be satisfied below.

Suddenly, he missed them.

“Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon, is there no cyber room here either?”

“Confidentiality is our lifeblood, so do you think such a thing would exist?”

“That’s sad.”

Se-min had thought that even if he enlisted, he would be able to access the Transcendent Network through the cyber room, but it was a miscalculation. No communication equipment was allowed here.

If he had known it would be like this, he would have learned a magic spell or technique that would allow him to connect through a mirror or the surface of water, just like the other Transcendents.

“Ah, it’s time for my guard duty. I’ll be back!”

“Alright.”

Se-min’s number one treasure, the wristwatch, vibrated again to announce his duty hours.

His partner was Yoon Woo-jae. Along with Yoon Woo-jae, he equipped official combat protective gear and proceeded to the guard post.

“Keep up the good work.”

“Thank you for your hard work!”

They took over from the previous guards.

The work of watching beyond from the guard post was not boring. Since magic beasts occasionally appeared and loitered near the iron fence, there was no time to be relaxed.

“What is the name of that thing?”

“Yes. It is Hazardous Magic Beast System No. 11, Bugak.”

“What does it do?”

“As it looks, it is a creature that rams with its horns. If you get pierced by it, your body rots, so you have to be careful. Single hunting is permitted starting from Green marks.”

“What a scary guy.”

“Yes. We must pray it doesn’t cross over.”

“This kid knows everything.”

Yoon Woo-jae leaned his sword on his shoulder and shook his legs.

“You’re going to keep taking the Raider exam after you’re discharged, right?”

“Yes.”

“Right…”

He seemed to have a lot of thoughts on his mind lately.

Kim Hee-in, who was the most senior when Se-min transferred in, had been discharged. According to the rumors, he got a job at a private security company. In effect, he had given up on becoming a Raider. Just because someone was an aura adaptant did not mean everyone could become a Raider.

In addition, the discharge of Jeon Woo-yeon, the spiritual pillar of the platoon, was not far off.

Since the next turn was Yoon Woo-jae himself, he seemed to have many worries about the future.

“Sigh. I’m thinking of just quitting.”

“Why do you say that?”

“You said you failed too, right? So would I be able to pass?”

“I am a special case. You will definitely make it.”

“I kept saying ‘just this once, just this once’ and ended up in the military. It’s not like the only way is to be a Raider, and Hee-in said he would look for a position in his company, and the salary wasn’t bad.”

Se-min could understand his feelings. How much had he also wandered back when his aura wouldn’t increase?

“You will do well. If you really have nothing else to do, become a model. Your face is a waste.”

“Pfft. You’re kissing my ass too much, kid.”

Yoon Woo-jae kicked Se-min’s butt.

While they were killing time talking about this and that like that, they discovered something and reflexively raised their weapons.

Something was approaching from beyond the iron fence.

“What is that…?”

“It looks like… that…?”

“It is, right?”

“It is.”

A dazed Yoon Woo-jae spoke.

“Call quickly.”

“Yes!”

Yoon Woo-jae left the guard post and approached the iron fence.

What was approaching from beyond was none other than.

A human.

“It is a suspicious person. A suspicious person is approaching from the north.”

Se-min briefly explained his appearance and hung up the receiver. Soon, the emergency standby team would arrive.

Se-min ran out and stood by Yoon Woo-jae’s side.

The unidentified man looked ragged. Perhaps because he had starved for a long time, his cheeks were hollow, and he staggered, unable to even balance his body properly. It would not have been strange if he collapsed at any moment.

But the bigger problem was that the magic beast Bugak was approaching behind him.

The Bugak approached the man with its ink-colored horn in front. The man, seemingly unaware of anything, only stared blankly at Yoon Woo-jae and Se-min beyond the iron fence.

Since shouting might instead stimulate the magic beast, they tried to convey the meaning of ‘do not move anymore’ with anxious eyes.

“Should we cross over?”

“No. We can’t.”

“But it’s dangerous.”

Crossing the iron fence without permission was a taboo.

Se-min bit his lip. The way to save the man was remote. If they went on like this, it seemed a disaster would occur.

It was the moment when Se-min, unable to bear it any longer, gathered his aura to leap over the iron fence.

The Bugak charged toward the man.

“Dammit!”

“Get out of the way!”

Se-min and Yoon Woo-jae let out a single scream.

At the same time.

The Bugak was chopped into pieces.

Se-min and Yoon Woo-jae caught the splattering blood from the Bugak’s body on their cheeks and opened their mouths blankly.

When the ragged-looking man turned back and waved his hand, the Bugak was severed in two in an instant.

“Crazy.”

“Good heavens.”

The man blankly stared at the corpse of the Bugak he had made, and then turned his gaze again. Se-min and Yoon Woo-jae flinched.

The man spoke.

“Please help me…”

It was a voice so quiet it could barely be heard.

The man collapsed just like that.

With bewildered faces, the two alternately looked at the collapsed man and the bisected Bugak.

Soon, the urgent footsteps of the emergency standby team began to be heard.

The arrived NCO, panting, placed his hand on Se-min’s shoulder.

“That, what is that? What did he say?”

“He asked for help.”

After talking about something on the radio, the NCO stepped back along with a sergeant from the emergency standby team. Then, they took a running start and leaped over the iron fence in one go.

“I will throw him, so catch him well.”

Inside the iron fence, the soldiers stood in a circle and crossed each other’s wrists to make a makeshift net. The two gathered their strength and threw the collapsed man.

The man flew over the iron fence.

Since they were aura adaptants, there was no impact. They laid the man down and checked his breathing. He was simply unconscious.

The sergeant and NCO who had crossed the iron fence pulled out magic crystal extraction equipment even in the midst of this, extracting the magic crystal of the dead Bugak. Afterward, they crossed the iron fence again, and returned to the headquarters, carrying the man on a stretcher with the emergency standby team.

Since Se-min and Yoon Woo-jae’s duty was not yet over, they had to sit in the guard post and pass the time again.

They were dumbfounded.

“What just happened?”

“I don’t know either.”

“Looking at that, it’s not a dream.”

The corpse of the dead Bugak was still splayed out beyond the iron fence.

Small magic beasts approached from afar after smelling the blood. They began to feed on the Bugak’s corpse.

Watching that scene, Se-min muttered.

“Still, we caught a Bugak for free. Our salary will increase.”

“If we divide it, it won’t be much.”

“Wouldn’t they give us at least a little more?”

“The higher-ups will probably pocket it all.”

***

After that, no one saw the man again.

At the same time, rumors circulated.

“Is it true that the dispatch team is being formed again?”

“They say so.”

It was unknown if it was related to that man, but for some reason, Se-min had a premonition that it was because of him.

Though he looked exhausted and not in his right mind, his martial prowess was astonishing. He chopped the Bugak to pieces with his bare hands in an instant. At a rough estimate, he was at least a Platinum mark.

“Are you going to volunteer?”

When Se-min stood at a crossroads of choice, he developed a habit of substituting the Transcendents. What would they have done if they were in Se-min’s position?

The answer was one.

“Yes.”

“I knew you would.”

Yoon Woo-jae stroked his chin.

There were not many spirited people who would voluntarily jump into the line of fire. But this strange fellow named Lee Se-min seemed fully capable of it.

“Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon is a special case; there are also guys who returned with nothing but injuries instead of becoming stronger. There are many dead people who were buried and forgotten. Do you still plan to go?”

“Yes.”

“Because you want to get stronger?”

“That’s part of it, and I’m also curious about what lies beyond.”

Yoon Woo-jae twitched his lips and let out a sigh.

“Buy me a drink outside later.”

“Yes. Of course. Just call me.”

“Follow me.”

Yoon Woo-jae jumped up and left the living quarters. Se-min followed.

Yoon Woo-jae headed toward the company commander’s office. The company commander discovered the two and lifted his chin.

“What is it?”

The company commander was in the middle of talking to someone. The person sitting opposite him was a major he was seeing for the first time, but despite that, he looked younger than the company commander.

“I did not know you were in the middle of a conversation. I will come back.”

“Alright. If it’s not a big deal, wait a moment. It’s not a big deal, right?”

The major sitting opposite took a sip of tea without even turning his eyes.

“Yes. We came because of the dispatch.”

“The dispatch?”

Only then did the major raise his eyes.

One of his eyes was white.

Se-min felt an unknown ominous feeling. The mark on his shoulder was that of the Army Headquarters.

“Did you come to volunteer for the dispatch?”

“Yes. Private Lee Se-min and I have decided to volunteer.”

Se-min looked at Yoon Woo-jae in surprise at his words. His profile was firmly hardened.

“The two together.”

At the word volunteer, the company commander subtly glanced at the major.

The major stood up from his seat. The company commander got up following him.

The major was short, so he looked up at Se-min and Yoon Woo-jae. However, the pressure emanating from him made the area around their solar plexuses go cold.

“Names.”

“Corporal Yoon Woo-jae!”

“Private! Lee! Se! Min!”

He stared at Se-min.

The whitened pupil rolled first to look at Se-min, followed by the other pupil and his head turning toward him. It was a minute instant.

Se-min got goosebumps.

***

“Be wary of everything. Don’t separate from other people.”

It was Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon’s advice.

“Not getting hurt is the highest priority.”

Yoo Gil-hoon, who became the youngest again during the dispatch, grumbled as he handed over a talisman for safe returns that he said he received when enlisting.

Se-min and Yoon Woo-jae joined the barracks of another company, which was the departure point. They first filled out a pledge of responsibility for any unfortunate incidents. Although it was something they had seen several times, writing it while leaving for a place of death felt strangely ominous.

The total number of dispatched personnel was about fifty. Half were volunteer soldiers, and the rest were non-commissioned officers and officers.

“Corporal Yoon Woo-jae, why did you apply?”

“Am I not allowed to?”

“No, sir. It’s just that you didn’t say anything like that, so I didn’t even think of it.”

He, who had struggled exceptionally when writing the pledge, now had an expression of having let go of something.

“Now that it’s about time for me to become a sergeant, that kind of thought just came to me.”

“What thought do you mean?”

“Whether I want to become like Hee-in or like Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon.”

“I know what you mean.”

“Hee-in is living his own life too, but still, I found Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon cool.”

He slapped the back of Se-min’s head.

“And since a strange guy like you came as my junior, how could I stay still.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“Protect me well when we go. If you don’t do it properly, it’s straight to cleaning duty as soon as we return.”

“What is cleaning duty?”

“You haven’t done it, right? The military these days is ruined. Sigh.”

“Corporal Yoon Woo-jae, do you do it together too?”

“You’re crazy.”

As Se-min and Yoon Woo-jae were giggling in the living quarters, a soldier from another unit sitting next to them spoke to them.

“Where did you guys come from?”

“Paju. What about you?”

“I’m from Ganghwa. Then you’re from the Shield Battalion side?”

“That’s right.”

The Immortal Unit, made up of aura adaptants, had a different organization from the existing army. Since the battalions under the Immortal Unit were scattered to defend the boundaries, it was close to a brigade, but there were dozens of those battalions. Because it was a unit hastily organized for the purpose of blocking magic beasts, the system was chaotic.

“The atmosphere in your unit seems good. It’s not easy for a private to act like that with a senior.”

“Should I tell you something even more surprising? This bastard has been at the unit for just over two months.”

“Hehehe, really? It’s a bit of a lax military then.”

“I’m telling you, he’s totally slack.”

That man was a sergeant.

Se-min protested to the two senior soldiers.

“I am not slack. I am an ace.”

“Are you sure?”

Se-min spoke with an arrogant expression.

“For dinner today, it’s brown rice, pork kimchi stew, fried boneless Spanish mackerel, diced radish kimchi, and stir-fried shishito peppers and dried shrimp.”

This time, Yoon Woo-jae was also surprised.

“Did you crazy bastard memorize it even after coming to someone else’s unit? How did you know?”

“As soon as I arrived, I asked the comrades here.”

“What a lunatic.”

The soldiers who had been listening quietly around also chimed in.

“Private, do you by any chance know tomorrow’s breakfast too?”

“Tomorrow’s breakfast is Gunderia.”

“Wow.”

“He really is an ace.”

The soldiers who had only been reading the room began to open up to each other using Se-min and Yoon Woo-jae’s conversation as a catalyst. Gradually, the living quarters grew noisy.

The next day, they received a briefing on the operation.

The destination was Gaecheon, South Pyeongan Province. The main point was to return after meeting the garrisoned troops there.

“What are we doing after meeting the North Korean soldiers?”

A soldier asked.

The captain who was explaining shook his head.

“It’s classified.”

Other than that, everything was classified.

“Gather at the training ground after eating. We depart immediately.”

The equipment was already prepared on the training ground. They packed supplies including combat rations in their military gear. Not satisfied with just that, they took turns carrying the duffel bags.

Since magic beasts reacted sensitively to exhaust sounds and petroleum fuel, everything had to be resolved by human power.

“Isn’t that the person from back then?”

“The cataract major?”

He was the major who had visited Se-min’s unit when they volunteered. He had filtered the volunteers himself.

In the case of Se-min and Yoon Woo-jae, they received permission immediately on the spot, but the reason was unknown.

“Did they say he was Major Kim Gyu-jin?”

“Yes. That person seems to be the one in charge.”

He flashed his uniquely white eye as he checked the personnel one by one. Recalling the strange pupil that moved as if it were a separate creature, Se-min got goosebumps again.

“Depart!”

“Depart!”

“He says depart!”

The dispatch group, having finished checking the supplies, set off.

Crossing the DMZ, they opened the iron fence.

They reached North Korean territory.

Se-min felt the smell changing first. A burning smell arose, and the soil was muddy like a swamp.

Major Kim Gyu-jin took the lead and guided them. He walked forward without hesitation, as if he had been there many times.

“Sergeant Jeon Woo-yeon talked about hell and whatnot, but it’s nothing special?”

Yoon Woo-jae muttered.

Except for the occasional sound of mountain birds, the surroundings were quiet.

It was unlike the infamous territory of magic beasts.

“If you don’t see things like animals, there’s only one reason.”

The sergeant from Ganghwa, who was silently following from behind, spoke.

“It means it’s a hellish place to live.”

Se-min agreed with those words. It was a place he did not want to stay long. The lack of living things meant it was a bad environment to live in.

Se-min raised the Tai Chi Accord.

A refreshing energy swept through his body. He thought he would feel a bit better, but on the contrary, his heart pounded.

Reflexively, he grabbed Yoon Woo-jae’s clothes.

“What is it?”

“Corporal Yoon Woo-jae, watch out…”

Before Se-min could even finish speaking, an explosion sounded.

The earth shook, and the troops at the rear tumbled.

“It’s Statum!”

Acrid smoke rose thickly, blocking their view. Beyond that, a shadow resembling an artillery battery flickered.

Hazardous Magic Beast System No. 185, Statum. It was a peculiar species that hid in the swamp floor and caused explosions. Shockwaves burst continuously from its coffin-like elongated snout.

The troops at the rear flew through the air. The aftermath of the explosion ruined their formation.

Se-min retreated to the side along with Yoon Woo-jae and flung his luggage. Due to the thick smoke, it was difficult to grasp the Statum’s position. He raised his claymore while keeping watch in all directions.

Something brushed past them.

Se-min’s eyes chased the afterimage. It flew into the middle of the smoke and collided with something invisible. Soon, a pathetic cry spread, dragging its tail.

“Kriiiiiii…”

Se-min cleared the smoke with his claymore and proceeded toward the source of the sound.

Major Kim Gyu-jin was standing there.

The Statum’s snout was held in his grip. He could not grab the large Statum fully and only seemed to be placing his hand on it, but even with just that, the creature could not find its strength and faltered.

He seemed to be sucking the life force of the Statum.

Soon, the Statum went limp. When Kim Gyu-jin shook his hand off, the Statum’s corpse fell to the floor.

“Everyone, prepare.”

His voice was hoarse as if cracked.

“This is not the end.”

Simultaneously, explosion sounds rang out from all directions.

It was their den.

Se-min lowered his body and charged toward the elongated muzzle of the nearest Statum. Yoon Woo-jae stood shoulder to shoulder by his side.

After exchanging glances, the two scattered to the left and right.

When the target split, the Statum hesitated, unable to respond, and their swords hacked at the magic beast from both sides. The Statum collapsed while bleeding. Se-min and Yoon Woo-jae stabbed their swords into it several times to confirm the kill.

Similar battles occurred in all directions. Occasionally, those who could not avoid the artillery fire groaned on the floor.

Se-min took a hemostasis kit out of the military gear he had left behind and helped the injured.

“Brother, are you okay?”

“Ugh… I didn’t get severed anywhere, right?”

“It’s not a severe wound, so don’t make a fuss.”

Certainly, the officers’ skills were outstanding. Non-commissioned officers and officers handled the Statums skillfully.

The ones who collapsed were all soldiers. There were no major casualties, but due to injuries, two soldiers had to be sent back.

Kim Gyu-jin gathered the troops.

Everyone was a mess with soot and mud.

“You can return because this is the starting point. After this, returning is impossible.”

The soldiers’ eyes shook.

“We depart.”

He did not even say the common phrase, ‘Anyone who wants to return even now, go back.’ Kim Gyu-jin immediately turned his body and walked forward.

“It really is hell.”

Yoon Woo-jae gathered his saliva and spat.

Suddenly, Se-min discovered that the luggage of the officers following closely behind Kim Gyu-jin was different. Their bags were metallic. They had stayed at the back even during the battle.

Was there some important object?

There was no way for him to know.

Se-min ignored it and spoke to Yoon Woo-jae.

“Do you know that Statum is an extremely rare magic beast?”

“It looked that way. How could it be good if things like that were common.”

“We’ve had a precious experience. Don’t you feel it was good that we came?”

“Crazy bastard.”

Yoon Woo-jae smirked.

Since they were aura adaptants, their marching speed was fast. They walked without resting and left the mountain.

As their vision opened up, abandoned houses in the distance came into view. People must have lived there in the past, but now it was empty.

It was obvious what had happened to the residents.

Se-min grew depressed.

The dispatch group encountered magic beasts again. It was a pack of Zorgs. Since everyone was on edge, there was no damage. The magic beasts were wiped out in an instant.

Looking at the Zorg corpses, Yoon Woo-jae whistled.

“How much is all of that worth. Should I secretly pocket a magic crystal?”

“You will get your neck strangled by Major Kim Gyu-jin if you do that.”

Collecting byproducts was prohibited. Yoon Woo-jae licked his lips.

They stopped at a ruin assumed to be an old North Korean military barracks.

The dispatch group pulled the heating cords of their combat rations one after another. Steam rose here and there.

***

Two days passed.

During that time, they had encountered magic beasts five times, and injuries had occurred. Since they could no longer return, they had to continue the operation while staggering with their injured bodies.

“We wait here.”

At a time when the sun was high in the sky, Kim Gyu-jin stopped the march, saying words of unknown meaning.

The officers laid down their luggage as if they had been waiting.

“Everyone wait. Do not wander far. Those who need to relieve themselves, resolve it inside the forest over there.”

The master sergeant commanded the soldiers. Se-min went to the forest to urinate with Yoon Woo-jae and a sergeant from another unit who had gotten quite close.

“He doesn’t even explain what we are waiting for.”

“The soldiers seem to have the role of just porters and filling the head count.”

Other troops also scattered here and there in the forest.

Se-min, having quickly done his business, gathered aura in his hands while waiting for the two. A faint haze rose.

The power dwelling inside had become stronger than before, but on the contrary, he could contain it so that it wouldn’t be revealed on the outside.

During this operation, Se-min gave himself a task. That was to continuously circulate aura. No matter how much of a divine art the Tai Chi Accord was, it was not easy.

However, the further north they went, the more he felt that energy accumulation was going well. The efficiency was better than usual, and the energy of the Tai Chi Accord was also vigorous.

“You guys are taking forever to piss.”

Se-min opened his five senses. Then, the positions of those scattered here and there in the forest, their movements, and even the strength of their urine streams were felt. Se-min concentrated his mind to specify Yoon Woo-jae among them.

But suddenly, unfamiliar things entered his senses.

An unidentified group was approaching the outskirts from the center of the forest.

The speed was fast.

“It’s magic beasts!”

Se-min shouted.

Those who were urinating startled and hurriedly pulled up their pants. Then, they looked around, each holding their weapons. Se-min pointed in one direction.

“It’s over there!”

Se-min stepped forward there, holding his claymore. Although everyone didn’t know the reason, they raised their weapons following his words.

Standing at the front, Se-min steeled his resolve and shouted.

“Come on, magic beasts!”

Soon, the identity of the enemy was revealed.

Se-min opened his mouth.

“Nice to meet you, comrades from the South.”

They were North Korean soldiers.