35. Mud Golem
The APC ran over something with a loud clunk, jolting the members inside the vehicle.
— “I’m sorry. We’ve bumped into some monster carcass.”
After clearing his throat, Kwang Hwi pressed the transmission button.
“Uijeongbu team, this is your commander speaking. I’ll brief you on the mission.”
The chatter on the radio channel promptly subsided as everyone focused their attention on him.
“Our first objective is to rescue the survivors hiding inside the fire station at Uijeongbu. Immediately after, we will head to the police station to quell the gangsters and subdue any monsters we encounter along the way.”
After explaining only the key points, Kwang Hwi asked if they had any questions. However, there was silence as a response.
“Alright. We’ll soon arrive at Uijeongbu City, so get ready.”
The APC escaped the dark tunnel and sunlight gently wrapped around the Kwang Hwi Faction from above. Unfortunately, the men did not have the leisure to enjoy the sunbath. As soon as they left the tunnel, the ‘mud people’ rushed at them madly. Whenever the monster took a step, the men could feel the ground vibrating from inside the APC.
“Eliminate all hostile monsters.”
The leading Light Tactical Vehicle pointed its HMG at the monsters. With a snap of the finger, a thick shell flew out, making the smaller 7.62 mm bullets look like child’s play in comparison. Often used by anti-materiel rifles like the .50 Barett, the projectile flew at high velocity towards the monster.
The bullet pierced through its body, going out to the other side. However, to the dismay of the attackers, dirt started to fill the hole rapidly. The mud monster only flinched a little and started moving again. Observing the situation, Kwang Hwi shouted.
“What the hell are you doing!?”
Only then did the gunner snapped back to his senses and fired away. The gun gave a strong recoil and second round of .50 caliber shells rained hell on the monster. The bullets must have had some effect, as the mud monster halted in its tracks. However, even then, it did not fall. Slowly but surely, it was repairing the damage it was dealt with.
“Don’t spare any bullets!”
The APC gunner, which had been watching for a while, let loose his reins too. The autocannon rotated, aiming its muzzle at the mud monster. With a flash of light, a deafening sound followed. As expected, the 30 mm shell didn’t let them down. Unlike the .50 caliber shells that had merely stopped the monster in its steps, the 30 mm shell left a beautiful hole that was large enough to be appreciated by everyone. Soon after, the mud monster crumbled into loose sand, flying away with a gust of wind.
『You are the first person in the world to defeat a ‘Mud Golem’.』
『You have obtained 1000 MP.』
It was the first-kill reward he hadn’t seen in a while. In addition, the bounty he received was double the usual amount.
“From now on, we will call these monsters Mud Golems. Aim at their legs with the HMGs so that they can’t approach us. Then use the autocannon to finish them off.”
— “Roger. Turtle-2, engaging in combat.”
Namer Turtle-2, which had been on standby, also entered the fray. The Mud Golems were charging towards it from all directions. Not cowering from their towering bodies, the heavy machine gunners focused on their lower halves. Unlike their thick upper body, their legs were thin in comparison.
Since this was a weak point, the .50 caliber shells managed to break their legs. While the Mud Golems were recovering on the ground, the autocannons spat fire. The mud-caked behemoths returned back to the earth, unable to retain their shape.
— “Warning! More Mud Golems up ahead!”
The driver yelled on the radio, alerting everyone. Mud Golems appeared out of nowhere and blocked the road ahead.
“Break past them at full speed!”
As if it understood Kwang Hwi’s words, the engine let out a battle cry. In a matter of seconds, the APC reached its max speed of 60 km/h. The Mud Golems quickly reached out their hands. It looked like they were trying to stop the intimidating APC with their bare hands. Sadly, they must have thought the APC was just another vehicle carrying a strong weapon atop it.
Not only did it boast its tremendous defense, but it also weighed over 60 tons and rivaled a tank. On top of that, it was running at full speed. That alone transformed the APC into an impressive weapon. It was a metal behemoth, quite literally.
A Mud Golem was crushed on impact, unable to withstand the shock. The monsters next to it hurried to stop the vehicle, but their hands gave way in a similar fashion. Their plan to stop the vehicle failed, leaving them at a loss.
Turtle-2 paved the way for the Light Tactical Vehicles and Medium Tactical Vehicles. The vehicles followed behind, shooting non-stop to slow the Mud Golems down. The Mud Golems tried to chase after the Kwang Hwi Faction, but the gap only widened as they went on. While they were fast, they weren’t swift enough to chase after a vehicle powered by engines.
— “Encirclement broken.”
Ignoring the welcome they received soon after entering Uijeongbu City, Kwang Hwi Faction headed towards the main street. The familiar view of the deserted streets with fallen buildings and debris everywhere greeted them.
— “We’ll arrive at the fire station soon.”
Uijeongbu fire station was stationed right next to the city hall. A few Mud Golems were waiting in front of the fire station, as if they knew some survivors were hiding inside. In front of the autocannon, however, they were pulverized into dust.
All the vehicles stopped in front of the fire station. The APCs parked inside and the Light Tactical Vehicles surrounded the APCs, neatly completing a formation. It was a defensive circle against any Mud Golems that might appear. The Medium Tactical Vehicles that were transporting troops parked elsewhere.
“Disembark.”
The soldiers got off the vehicles in an orderly fashion, ready to launch the offensive. Kwang Hwi tried to stop the soldiers in their tracks as they were about to leave with their vests on.
“Wait.”
The troop leader tilted his head in confusion. Seeing that, Kwang Hwi quickly grabbed on the radio and issued a new order.
“All members, be on standby until further instructions.”
The soldiers who were about to enter the building quickly backed away.
— “Is there an issue?”
Giving another quick glance at the fire station, Kwang Hwi opened the Merit Shop. Luckily, he found what he needed. Kwang Hwi grabbed onto the M32A1 grenade launcher on his back and opened the cylinder.
“Boss?”
He replaced the grenades with tear gas he had purchased. In a low voice, Kwang Hwi muttered, “Gas.”
The surprised leaders quickly propagated the order to their respective team members.
“Gas!”
Hearing that, the soldiers started shouting the same words and quickly wore the gas mask hanging around their necks. Confirming that everyone was prepared, Kwang Hwi pulled the trigger. The tear gas flew in a parabola, broke the window, and rolled inside. After firing all 6 shots inside the cylinder, Kwang Hwi also put on a gas mask and waited patiently. He was standing by for any reaction from inside. White gas fumed out of the broken glass window.
“Cough! Cough!”
“Wheeze!”
Soon after, people rushed out after opening the door to the fire station. They desperately sought fresh air while covered in tears and snot. Kwang Hwi gestured towards them with a nod.
“Subdue them.”
The soldiers pointed their guns at the survivors and some even brought zip ties. The survivors were unable to resist because they were out of their minds from the tear gas. They were dragged away and forcefully restrained.
Amidst the chaos, some tried to struggle to break free. However, the soldiers repressed them in a cold-hearted manner. They didn’t open fire, but they weren’t lax with their fists. The survivors’ faces were a mess and unsightly to see. Those who had come back to their senses raised their voices in protest.
“W-what is this? Cough! A tear gas out of nowhere?”
“How can you do this to unarmed civilians?!”
The restrained survivors spat their complaints one by one, hollering at full volume. The fire station became noisy, just like a marketplace. After inspecting each person, Kwang Hwi pointed towards one individual.
“Bring him.”
The two soldiers next to the man dragged him out of the group. The frightened man looked at Kwang Hwi with a face that evoked sympathy. If they hadn’t known better, they’d have been fooled.
“W-why are you doing this? We didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I won’t ask twice. Where are they?!”
“W-what do you…”
Kwang Hwi pulled out the Glock on his waist and pulled the trigger. The man collapsed onto his knees after being shot and fell to the ground. Blood trickled down from his forehead and formed a small puddle. His eyes were opened wide with shock, fear, and confusion at his own unforeseen death.
“Hiiik!”
“P-please, do not kill us!”
Horrified by the sudden cold-blooded murder, the survivors screamed at the top of their lungs. The soldiers were also shocked, but they did not show it on their faces. They stayed staunch in their attitude.
“You.”
Kwang Hwi picked a new man. The selected guy tried to scamper away, but the soldiers quickly dragged him out. Thrown next to the dead man, the survivor’s face became pale with fright. Kwang Hwi indifferently pointed his gun at the man’s forehead.
“Nooo!”
“Where are they at?”
“I-I will speak! I’ll tell—”
A bang followed and another body joined the pile, right next to his companion. Kwang Hwi looked at another man. Before the soldiers could drag him out, the frightened fellow spoke as fast as he could, not caring one whit about others.
“T-they’re trapped inside the Uijeongbu Police Station! Uijeongbu Police Station! We were sent here to ambush you!”
Only now did the soldiers realize that everything was a trap. Even Kwang Hwi’s loyal subordinates could not hide their amazement.
“Wow, boss! How did you know?”
“Amazing, boss!”
Kwang Hwi casually spoke, as if it were nothing noteworthy.
“I saw their faces from the UAV.”
Yesterday, the Heron flew above Uijeongbu. While hovering around the gangster’s hideout, it had managed to catch the faces of these survivors. With a nagging suspicion, Kwang Hwi threw tear gases. His concerns were validated once he saw their faces and he became certain that a trap was set up.
“Check the building. Afterwards, we’ll head to the Uijeongbu Police Station.”
***
“Do you think our boys will do the job properly…?”
“Those soldiers will be fooled flawlessly, don.”
The don looked back at the figures on the ground. The survivors from the fire station were kneeling on the hard floor. While they weren’t tied up, they were beaten up pretty badly. With such injuries, it wasn’t possible for them to lift even a finger, not to mention making an escape.
“I didn’t think you guys would pull such a cute trick.”
The don sarcastically jabbed at them, but the survivors couldn’t even respond. He was right, though. At the end of the day, they were caught.
“You should have known better. Why did you ask for help using the public channel?”
The survivors lamented over the blunder they had committed. While it was a good idea to ask for help, they should indeed have been more cautious.
‘We shouldn’t have told them about our location so soon.’
It would have caused some inconvenience, but they could have been safely rescued later. Even so, it was too late to cry over spilled milk. When they had their guards down, the gangsters barged into the fire station and dragged them away. In return, they left some thugs to be rescued in their place.
“Gentlemen, I’m grateful for what you did. Thanks to you, we can get our hands on some guns! How can you bear so many fruits for me? First offering me women and now even weapons. Isn’t that right, boys?”
The gangsters on one side bowed their heads in humility. They were like a bunch of loyal dogs wagging their tails at their master.
“Yes! Don!”
The don smiled and spread his arms wide in the air as if grasping everything in his embrace.
“The world is in quite a mess, isn’t it? Our lives were spared because we were imprisoned. Thanks to that, we took all the equipment from the police station and became the strongest power in Uijeongbu! And now, with Kwang Hwi Faction’s help, we can become the strongest power in the entire country!”
“That… won’t happen.”
With a swollen face, the rescue leader struggled to leave one remark.
“You really think so? Even if they are soldiers, it’s not like they’re immune to blades. Ultimately, they are made of flesh and blood. We left the best actors with the sharpest knives back at the fire station. I don’t think things will go the way you imagine. Nonetheless, it’s quite a good fantasy to have.”
The rescue leader closed his eyes in pain and grief. The don was lightly tapping on his cheeks while explaining his scheme. Then, he made himself comfortable on his chair.
“They should be done by—”
Before the don could finish his sentence, a black container rolled onto his feet.
“What’s this?”
*Pshhh!*
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