Rust - Chapter 361



Only Krnovel

RUST-361

A blast of red flames shot out at the advancing, shiny chitin.

Even in the face of the red-hot napalm flames, the cockroaches surged forward.

[Don’t stop, keep shooting!]

The distinctive smell of napalm began to fill the sewers. Then came the increasingly thick black smoke. At first the flames were large, but gradually the black smoke began to thicken.

[Captain Kim!]

[I can’t see ahead!]

[2 spare filters left.]

Even the filters that were automatically replaced were quickly consumed by the black smoke. If the filters ran out, there was a possibility that they would have to rely on reserve oxygen.

[Alternate retreat.]

As we emerged from the sewer, the surroundings were noisy. This was because black smoke suddenly poured out into the sewer.

Although the NYPD was blocking the area, people were busy taking pictures of the smoking sewer.

“Over there!”

“It’s a robot!”

“It looks like there’s someone inside?”

“Did you set fire to the sewer? Is that right?”

“Why did you do that?”

“Is it because of the sewer alligator?”

“Is this related to this missing person’s case?”

People and reporters asking questions while taking pictures of the blackened exosuits here and there.

It was a lively sight to see various infrastructures alive, but Ms. Kim was somehow annoyed.

Isn’t it a mess that the operational area is not completely under control? Kim Yang and his bodyguards silently left the area between the crowd of people rushing in and the police blocking them.

There was another reason why I was so nervous.

I thought it would be over if I just pushed in and grilled the shrimp, but it was different from what I expected. First of all, the flames. The fire was strong at first, but gradually weakened.

Next was the smoke. Black smoke blocked my vision, making it difficult to see ahead. Naturally, the thermal imaging was also useless. Since I was using a flamethrower, the thermal imaging and infrared detectors were useless.

If I kept trying to hold my position, the cockroaches might have pushed me out. I was wearing a full-body armored exosuit, so I didn’t have to worry about cockroach bites, but who knows.

[Diana. I’ll send you a video so you can analyze the situation.]

[Video has been sent. It is being analyzed. Please wait a moment.]

A little later, Diana’s analysis came out. The content was that the problem was lack of oxygen and incomplete combustion. The hypothesis was that when they started burning cockroaches in the underground water, the oxygen rapidly decreased, causing incomplete combustion. This hypothesis could explain both the weakened firepower and the black smoke.

[Is that why the cockroaches kept pushing in even though they were dying?]

[I’m not sure. But if you look at the results, it seems like it.]

‘This is a headache.’

Kim Yang was a kind of cleaner. He had never received any proper training, except for holding and shooting guns since he was a child. If he had learned anything, it was all he learned while rolling around with Director Yoo as a traitor.

Since I used to rely on my talents and senses to shoot, I was at a loss as to what to do in a situation like this.

‘I’d rather fight with people. I hate this kind of thing.’

I just wanted to quietly stay by his side and provide backup, but it was very difficult to command his subordinates and do all that.

‘What’s different about this shrimp fry from the last time I grilled it?’

The environment is completely different from when I first encountered cockroaches in Japan. Back then it was an open field, but now it’s a maze of underground waterways.

Let’s think about it, there was so much to consider.

‘I can’t be away for too long.’

Just as he had created the ‘Ark Revolutionary Guard’, PD wanted to create the ‘Holy Ark Knights’. If left empty for too long, the size of the ‘Holy Ark Knights’ would surely continue to grow.

Ms. Kim, who was in a hurry. I thought it would be over in two or three days, or at most, four or five days, but if I kept going in and out like this, I didn’t know when it would be over.

[Captain Kim.]

[What is it?]

[If we continue like this, the filters and flamethrower fuel we brought as spares will be insufficient.]

[Unload the supplies loaded onto the airship and request additional supplies.]

The same goes for the bodyguards that Kim Yang had carefully selected; they were passionate, loyal, and talented, but they had no experience in this area.

It’s not that there weren’t trained people, but most of them, like those from the Department of Homeland Security or other departments, were driven out to satellite villages during the last incident.

Even those who did not have any ties to that side were classified as subversive elements and were not recruited into the Royal Guard.

‘Should I ask the Department of Homeland Security for help?’

When I thought about it, that wasn’t it either. If I couldn’t properly resolve this issue, my trust in the people next to me would weaken. And that would also affect Maru, the person who sent me as the leader.

Come to think of it, whenever something like this happened, Maru would solve it easily.

It gave me an answer, whether good or bad.

Mainly by cutting, slicing, or writing.

huh?

Slice?

Suddenly a slogan came to mind.

Think and shoot.

If there’s a difference, shoot.

Then shouldn’t I just shoot?

An exclamation mark appeared above Kim Yang’s head as he was thinking.

What if we just stop them for a moment with a flamethrower and then wipe them out with bullets?

[When requesting supplies, also ask for a 7.62mm minigun.]

[How many miniguns should I get?]

[Fifteen until the reserve.]

[All right.]

The good thing about the armored exosuit was that it was humanoid. It could go almost anywhere a human could go, and it could use almost any means of transportation a human could use, so it was easy to move around.

[All aboard. Moving to the next objective.]

Kim Yang and his guards immediately moved to another culvert, this time with a minigun and flamethrower combination.

The situation unfolded similarly. Cockroaches that had been attracted by VX gas were pushed out, and Ms. Kim immediately fired her flamethrower and minigun.

Wheeeeeeeeing

Tudadadak

Puhwaaaaak

The sound of a minigun motor. The shells pouring into the cartridge pouch. And the flames of napalm.

The dark brown, glossy material that filled the long, stretched-out culvert was instantly crushed and baked.

Bam-

Thud-thud-

Pieces of bricks falling from the ceiling, unable to withstand the firepower of the minigun.

[Don’t shoot the ceiling.]

In the brick section, the cockroaches’ response was quick, as if they had noticed the minigun’s firepower faltering. The cockroaches began to actively use the ceiling and walls that seemed structurally weak.

‘Do you think there’s something really wrong with those baby shrimps?’

I remembered what Maru had told me. He had told me that cockroaches, like rats, could possibly have a commanding individual. Or that they could have some sort of swarm intelligence, so I should be careful.

[Flamethrower! Ceiling!]

[Right wall!]

Since they had brought in plenty of supplies, such as filters and oxygen, the tug-of-war between the cockroach and the exosuit continued for over 30 minutes.

[Below. It’s water!]

[I’m diving into the sewer and falling!]

[Prevent them from going outside!]

Just in case, the two machines waiting at the rear opened fire with flamethrowers and miniguns.

[It keeps coming towards the sewer!]

Kim Yang was quick. If there was one thing I realized while hanging out with Maru, it was that you have to start early.

[gas!]

As Ms. Kim took out the VX gas canister and shouted, the agents shouted along.

[gas!]

[gas!]

Boom- Pwaaaaaaah

VX gas exploded at the same time. Colorless and odorless death began to fill the sewers.

[Communicator. Tell them to evacuate the entrance and nearby areas, as VX gas has been used.]

When Kim Yang called Julia, she received a telepathic response along with a tickling sensation in her head.

[Didn’t you decide not to use VX gas?]

[What if the wheels escape and spread into the residential area?]

[···Gas alarm sounded and nearby residents began to evacuate.]

[Once you go outside, prepare to move to the next area.]

[Okay, and the Director of Homeland Security just requested a meeting.]

[I’m leaving now.]

After more than 40 minutes, we came out and it was a mess outside. Paramedics wearing full-body protective suits were moving around busily.

[What’s going on?]

[It is said that VX gas leaked and caused casualties among the homeless and refugees nearby.]

The situation arose because the complexly connected sewers in the vicinity could not all be evacuated at the same time. While I was asking Julia, who was outside, about this and that, a person who appeared to be an agent of the Department of Homeland Security approached me in a hurry.

“Commander of the Guard. Is that you?”

[Stop there. VX gas danger over here.]

The agent who had been running towards Kim Yang’s words froze.

Pushshshshshshsh-

Only after the decontamination solution had passed through the exosuit several times did the agent approach.

“The director is waiting.”

Ms. Kim followed the agent coolly.

Director Den Brown had a headache. Bloody Maru Kalin’s handling of the matter was aggressive, but there was little secondary damage.

Because it was handled so neatly, people thought it was easy and rushed in to try it, only to end up with a lot of people getting their asses kicked.

In contrast, Yania Kim’s current handling of affairs… honestly, there was no answer. She didn’t even announce that she would use VX gas, so what if she suddenly used it? She didn’t even say anything about using gas if necessary.

The fear of VX gas is due to its toxicity and its colorless and odorless properties. Huh? That’s strange? The moment you think that, you’re already lying on the ground and dying.

The very act of writing something like that spontaneously was a very risky decision.

Wasn’t it because it was difficult to deal with VX gas in the first place that you requested support?

But you’re just going to openly release VX gas?

What on earth are you thinking?

So, Director Den Brown wanted to talk to Yaniya Kim.

I had several conversations with Vladimir Kalin, and I was able to understand what the other person was thinking and at least be considerate, but that wasn’t the case with Yania Kim.

Kim Yang entered with a unique engine sound that was completely different from the general exosuits. Chik- Kim Yang came in with her face shield open and greeted them.

He came to meet me fully armed? I was momentarily taken aback, but Director Dan Brown responded calmly.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Director Dan Brown.”

“···This is Yania Kim.”

Since she didn’t seem very happy, Ms. Kim kept her mouth shut. No matter how much I tried to talk to her, the conversation didn’t flow naturally. I had no choice but to ask her directly.

“···Can you tell me why you used VX gas?”

[Cockroaches dive into the sewer to escape···]

Ms. Kim explained the situation plainly.

[···I decided that the most important thing was to prevent the spread of cockroaches.]

“I see. So next time a similar situation arises, you will use VX gas.”

Ms. Kim nodded quickly to Dan Brown’s question.

Dan Brown’s heart ached at the sight of her without even a hint of hesitation.

While Kim Yang and Dan Brown’s Möbius-like conversation continued, Hood’s fingers were moving briskly.

Tadadadadak-

With the sound of a laptop keyboard being tapped, screens flashed and connected, windows appeared and disappeared.

The worms that were scattered here and there during the last cannibal hunting operation received orders and began secretly transmitting various data that had been stored up until now.

‘What is this?’

A title that stands out among the many top-secret projects for being so concise.

[U+]

U+ Project.

‘Oh, I wonder.’

I suppressed my curiosity and continued working, but the project name kept coming to my mind. The hood that I had been holding back while squirming and twisting finally couldn’t stand it anymore and opened the file.

======

======

Detroit, Arktown

Maru was calm even after sending Kim Yang away.

I did feel a bit uneasy, but wasn’t that you, Miss Kim?

It seems that the aftereffects of the mutant virus have somewhat recovered. She also had to grow. And unfortunately, the thing she needed most to grow was the clouds.

I was like that too. When I broke and rolled around, I found out that what worked, worked, and what didn’t work, didn’t work.

‘I hope you’re doing well?’

I feel a little sorry for Director Dan Brown, but I couldn’t help it because it was the best situation to try to manipulate Ms. Kim.

There was a need to confirm whether Kim Yang, who created the so-called ‘Ark Revolutionary Guard’, could properly command it and respond calmly and effectively in unexpected situations.

So, we decided to find out in New York whether it was a dud or a bomb.

According to the reports coming in so far, it was a passing grade. It was the same with the telepathic inquiry for communication security, and the fact that they rushed into the operation without wasting time.

It’s a bit odd that Hood didn’t hide his intention to dispose of the data if he was caught stealing it, but it was still a reaction that was expected.

I just had a feeling that Kim Yang might be too greedy, knowing that she has psychometric abilities.

‘I told you to do the operation properly so as not to get in trouble with the Department of Homeland Security.’

Since Ms. Kim has a tendency to be persistent once she gets hooked, I was a little uneasy.

A tickling sensation on the scalp. Maru didn’t ignore it like he had at first, but felt a little more generous. Then, a voice was directly transmitted to his mind.

[Urgent message from Xenia Roden.]

A hood?