Rust - Chapter 258



Only Krnovel

RUST -258

“The operation begins the moment we land at Beijing Airport.”

As soon as they land, the new strategic aircraft will go to the US military base in Korea and wait. Because there is no guarantee that they won’t say ‘China’ just because China is in the middle of a civil war.

In a chaotic situation like now, the Chinese government might try to steal it, saying, “The rebels attacked.”

The rebels might try to sneak in and say, “Why are we messing with the US because we’re crazy?” and say that the Chinese government did it.

It was dangerous to remain at the Beijing airport until the operation was over, considering the possibility of a third force attacking the Chinese leadership’s escape route.

“If your identity is revealed, the authorities will deny any involvement. Do you understand what unofficial means?”

Since it is an unofficial trip based on an unofficial request for support, there is talk that if there is a problem locally, relations with the United States will be completely denied.

‘You’re saying there shouldn’t be any witnesses. You shouldn’t leave any traces.’

Wasn’t that something you always did before? Maru nodded comfortably.

“This is the GFR (Grim File Reaper)-03 suit. It is equipped with optical stealth functions, life support devices, and basic bulletproof capabilities.”

Commonly known as the Ripper suit. The US also had stealth equipment. It was clearly different from the Japanese and Chinese ones. It was not a robe or armor-like feeling, but rather a body-hugging equipment. It was a suit close to a motorcycle suit.

“Stealth can be used continuously for up to 33 minutes. Each replacement battery pack can be used for 33 minutes, and a total of 2 are provided.”

“If there’s a weapon that should be linked to the suit, please give it to me.”

Maru handed over the sword. He took it out with the sheath, and finished modifying it in an instant. As if he had been waiting, he attached a stealth device to the sheath and linked it to the suit.

Now, when you activate the stealth function, the scabbard also enters stealth mode. This means that you won’t be caught until you draw the sword.

“In the future, we will entrust research on dedicated equipment to the military research institute.”

He said he was going to prepare things like transparent blades, or swords that work together when you activate the stealth function. Right now, if you pull out a sword, it will look like it’s floating in the air.

Even if you research and create a sword that can be hidden, would you be able to create a sword as good as this? Eclipse vibrated slightly as if it had sensed such thoughts.

As Maru calmly pressed down on the sword, the small sound of the sword became quiet.

“Have you checked all the equipment?”

“Nothing abnormal.”

“Ready to board.”

“Aboard.”

As we board the new strategic aircraft, we are greeted by seats that still show signs of having been hastily remodeled.

[It will take about 4 hours to get to Beijing Airport.]

Maru caught his breath in the narrow room without any windows.

after-

I pulled the sword out of its modified scabbard. The blade, somewhere between rough metal and rock, was revealed. The handle, wrapped in graphene and carbon nanotubes, felt like a nice grip.

My breathing, which had been irregular due to stress, and my emotions, which had been rising in a jagged manner, seemed to be slowly calming down.

My head was in a state of confusion.

A box of military supplies sent without notice. A sudden emergency call. Chief Dan Brown and a lieutenant colonel standing next to him. And an order to obtain or destroy China’s nuclear security codes.

There is something.

I felt it instinctively. Everything was not accidental. That’s why I didn’t complain or grumble. I thought about it later, but for now, I followed what my instincts whispered. That’s how I was able to survive in the moment of life and death.

‘You said there were three teams.’

Since the civil war broke out 50-60 hours ago, the remaining two teams might have infiltrated and been operating around that time. Maybe there were 30 teams instead of 3.

There’s Japan and China, and I was wondering if there were any hiding equipment in the US, and they went one step further and found a hiding suit. It’s called a Ripper suit.

Having a suit means that there are kids who wear it. If he gave himself a suit, it would be right to assume that other kids received it too. If that’s the case, then it means that there are more than one or two kids who received it, but rather a team.

There were those kids, and he was trying to put himself in Beijing. Why? Maru gripped the handle of his knife tightly, feeling like something was coming to his mind but not coming to him.

Ow- The slight vibration coming from the sword calmed the warping thoughts in the floor.

When he solved the missing person case at Yellowstone National Park, he didn’t even tell anyone who he wanted to meet.

I started digging through Diana, but I had no luck. The sudden explosion and EMP in Seattle virtually brought about a state of war, and the security of government agencies’ communications networks was raised to the highest level. Even using Diana, it was impossible to find them without a trace.

I hinted to Manager Dan Brown that I wanted to meet him face to face and talk to him, using the excuse of a party, but he turned me down.

Maru’s curiosity began with a simple question.

What is the reason?

Although Director Dan Brown had intervened in the middle, it was true that I felt bad. When they said they would delay it by a year, they were secretly pushing the curriculum forward and now they were pushing it forward under the pretext of an emergency.

Why would that be?

The Department of Homeland Security was not a powerless agency. It is true that it has been a strong shield so far, so the exchanges have been relatively clean. But why did they ask the military to take over the shadows?

The manager says it’s because there are people who keep poking him, but I think there might be a more fundamental reason.

A conclusion that is more sensory than logical.

Maybe it was that. That was for sure.

Let’s go back to the conclusion and see if the evidence is there.

What if America really decided to go to war?

I remembered the things that Chief Dan Brown had mentioned and pretended not to know about. He didn’t give a clear answer, but it seemed that one side had already been seeing the possibility of war.

That possibility became reality with the Seattle bombing and EMP attack.

Increased troop strength, increased training, retraining of mid-level officers, start of mass production of new weapons systems, start of production of military supplies. And now, the operation.

‘Secure or destroy the nuclear security codes.’

A low sigh escaped Maru’s lips. Haa- Is that what you meant?

[Arriving at Beijing Airport in 5 minutes.]

And so darkness descended upon China.

Beijing airport was empty as flights were grounded.

Occasionally, the sound of gunfire from afar indicated that a battle had broken out. Maru took off his tactical helmet and connected it to his smartphone. After a while, he was connected to Diana.

“Diana. Take control of the system and change the UI (User Interface) to what I used.”

[Start downloading the program.]

[···Authority adjustment. Complete. Location information confirmed. Video management in progress···]

[System upgrade complete. Restarting.]

The HUD screen briefly turned off and rebooted. The screen that Maru liked to use appeared.

Wiing- I turned on the stealth function of the suit. The stealth function worked almost in real time. It was definitely much better than other equipment I had used before.

It was superior in every way except for the short operation time. I was particularly satisfied with the life support equipment.

“Okay. What about EMP protection for our building?”

[Modular nuclear power plants and supercomputer units are capable of responding to EMP.]

Since the modular nuclear power plant was under the Strategic Command and the supercomputer unit under the Department of Homeland Security, it was not surprising that EMP response was possible to some extent.

[Other facilities, including emergency servers, are vulnerable to EMP.]

There is talk that various research equipment, including smart farms, will be destroyed by EMP.

“We need to implement EMP countermeasures right away. Also, request that Kim Yang’s exosuit be modified to respond to EMPs. Radiation countermeasures are also necessary.”

[Passed on to the technical staff.]

[Due to the EMP that hit major cities in the western United States, there is a shortage of response supplies and parts.]

“If you can find it in the market, buy it even if you have to pay a premium, and if you can’t find it, ask Director Dan Brown of the Department of Homeland Security.

[I contacted you.]

“Is real-time operation possible?”

[The line is unstable. There is currently strong communication censorship in Beijing and surrounding areas.]

“There’s nothing I can do. Just check it out as soon as possible, even if there’s a delay.”

The first thing to look for was the Chinese leadership, which had the nuclear security codes. The locations of the key figures, including the chairman.

Of course, I thought I would find it right away, but there were multiple locations. It meant that they had released the dummy for safety reasons since they were unable to escape through the underground secret passage.

I didn’t have the time to go through and check more than 10 dummies one by one.

“Put it on a map and upload the route the rebel superhumans are moving. Also, upload the CCTV footage of the battle.”

There must have been those within the government who were in collusion with the rebels, and there must have been a third force working secretly to assassinate the chairman. They must have clearly informed the rebel superhumans and other collaborators of the whereabouts of the chairman and the real powers of the regime.

So the direction in which the rebel superhumans and armed forces moved was important. If you look closely at the main battle areas, you will be able to see where the Chinese leadership is.

The prediction area has been compressed into two.

“Control the nearby CCTV. And block all the internet and communications in the area. Can you do that?”

[It takes 30 minutes.]

“Let’s take control and start from nearby places.”

[I will begin the guidance.]

A map and arrows came to mind.

Whether it was because the superhumans ran wild without caring about civilian casualties or because the defenders poured down their firepower to catch the superhumans, the traces of the battle were miserable.

The scene where several buildings were destroyed. Nearly a hundred corpses were strewn about. A power loader-type exosuit was buried among the corpses and was abandoned without being recovered.

‘Did it break through?’

If the defense was successful, they would have been cleaning up after themselves. It was clear that they had retreated.

[Friendly identification code discovered.]

“where are you?”

Maru remained hidden and carefully moved towards the friendly symbol on the HUD.

What they found was a corpse in a gruesome state.

The headless corpse had both arms torn off, as if they had been torn off.

Could this be a sign of torture?

The fire-induced earthquake cross-section was clear.

It was strange that he was torn apart while wearing a ripper suit, and he was on his knees with his throat cut. Next to him was a head with its eyes gouged out and its tongue, nose, and ears cut off, cut into a round shape like a soccer ball.

A method of vandalism that feels horribly malicious.

It was definitely intentional that he did this to not one but three dead bodies.

To break the spirit?

Then they would have left the body in a visible place.

I connected a cable to the shattered helmets of the fallen soldiers and downloaded their combat logs.

“Play the final engagement video.”

A visual log appeared on one side of the HUD. The person recording the log seemed to be a sniper, taking a position and preparing to shoot.

A slight wrinkle formed between Maru’s eyebrows.

Then the rebel superhuman appeared. The target in the scope was covered in fur. Inside, you could see what looked like armor.

[Tung- clang- thump-]

He fired 7.62mm bullets one after another, but the target he was shot with only flinched for a moment, then started killing the defenders as if it was ticklish.

[Tung- clang- thump-]

I emptied my magazine in an instant, but I wasn’t able to kill a single enemy.

[7.62mm does not work.]

[Retreat.]

The agents on the other side must have come to the same conclusion, as they were about to retreat. Flames burst out from the scope.

Hwaruruk-

Flames wrapped around the scope and gun barrel like a living snake. I threw away the gun, but before I knew it, the flames were all over my body.

As the Ripper suit’s life support system kicked in, a sign appeared on the screen indicating that it was blocking out the hot outside air.

In an instant, suppressed groans and drops of blood filled the screen.

[Kkaaaaaaah!]

The groans turned into screams. Both arms were torn off as if they were ripped off whole along with the suit.

The flames that had been swaying the outer surface of the suit bit the exposed wounds. The powerful impact caused the Ripper suit’s life support system to restart.

Even though he was injected with drugs including a combat stimulant, he was unable to do anything as he lost both arms and his flesh was melting away in real time.

Choreuk-

Something like a long whip flew in and grabbed the armless agent by the neck and dragged him away.

[All retreat.]

In the place where the agent who had neither fainted nor died due to the effects of the battle stimulant was dragged, there was a person wearing traditional Japanese armor sitting.