Rust - Chapter 432



Only Krnovel

RUST -432

“Kuuuk- keu- 1st class. B1kb bi-”

Judging from the fact that it had no tolerance for living, it wasn’t a cannibal.

Maru was determined to survive. All the guys who tried to run away collapsed and sat down, looking at Maru with expressions filled with fear.

“Khuu …

[so.]

“The forces that could attack the lab are the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Marine Corps Special Operations Forces, hh …

[data?]

“I could tell it was Vladimir Kalin. The sound. There was no gunshot. There was only the sound of something being written and no gunshots, which is something other agencies can’t do. And I saw it too. The combat records in Japan.”

Maru’s eyes narrowed. If this was true, it meant that he was certain that there would be an attack, even though he didn’t know who was attacking him. How could he do that?

[Where is the information that was sent?]

“It’s in the central control system. Phew-”

[Bring it.]

The man turned his head with a blank expression when told to bring it.

The sight of the central control room spread out at the end of that gaze. There was equipment in disarray, a mixture of spilled fire extinguishing powder, halon gas, and sprinkler fluid.

“As you can see, it’s difficult. In addition, the automatic backup system was hacked and disappeared, and it’s impossible to revive the control system.”

[Ha- Okay-]

Well, if we drag him and run a psychometry test on him and extract information from his brain, we’ll know whether it’s true or not. Maru accepted it calmly.

When Vladimir Kalin, who seemed like he would kill them all, showed unexpected calm understanding, the man cautiously opened his mouth.

“I… have to get out of here right now.”

[······.]

“If we learn of this abnormal situation from above, we will activate the self-destruct device.”

[how?]

Communications were cut off and the cables connecting the detonator were physically cut.

But you say it’s a suicide? Maru waited for him to continue.

“I don’t know if it was brainwashing or control, but there was a person who pressed the self-destruct device, saying it was an order from above.”

[······.]

It was quite a feat of superiority to use domination and brainwashing to control self-destruction.

“For some reason, the bomb didn’t explode. If they had planned to catch the enemies by self-destructing from above, they would have used more than one explosive method.”

[So you used the fire suppression system?]

By any chance, preventing the automatic detonation system from working? By counter-acting the automatic fire response system?

“Yes? Yes.”

[It seems like he was trying to escape naturally while subduing the test subject.]

The idea was to use a flamethrower to stop the test subject, and at the same time, to keep the test subject in check with the flamethrower while disabling any self-destruct system that might be in the control system.

This would explain why he was not caught in the blast and was able to escape the test subject.

[Isn’t it?]

“Yes, that’s right.”

The man reassessed Vladimir Kalin. He was not just some monster of a swordsman. He immediately grasped the gist of the situation and what was intended.

This. Isn’t it a bit of a waste to just throw it away like a brain dump?

[8 I checked the 2nd basement level with a drone, and it was all open.]

It was reported that Kim Yang had checked up to the second basement level with a drone. The dedicated exosuit that was equipped with four drones was now able to operate eight drones, more than six.

[All areas have been confirmed except for the area where the barrier on the first floor has been lowered.]

[Well done.]

At Maru’s words, Ms. Kim snorted slightly.

[Block the exit and come straight to the central control room. There’s an emergency exit over here. Go out there.]

[Okay.]

A moment later, a low booming sound was heard. The cheerful squeaking sound changed into the sound of someone stepping on the corpse of a test subject, and then Ms. Kim, standing in front of the iron door of the central control room, spoke.

[Uh- This gap is too narrow to get in?]

As time passed and they were fit to live, those who had been lying on the floor stood up unsteadily. There were a few who had suffered a heart attack and passed away, but most of them got up, even if they were staggering.

[Get out of the way.]

Bukakakak-

The iron door that the test subjects had been tearing apart with their hands was cleanly cut off. Some of those who had barely managed to stand up at the absurd sight collapsed again as if their legs had given out.

[Oh- Why those? Were we supposed to kill all the cannibals?]

Kim Yang, who had come inside with a squelch-squelch-sound, asked the people on the other side of the smoky gas.

[It wasn’t a cannibal.]

Kim Yang tilted her head at Maru’s answer and held back her words.

[The cruiser that was anchored is acting strange.]

[We’ve switched to combat mode, but we’re not leaving the port.]

Maru responded reflexively.

[Emergency exit! Where is it? Quickly!]

Those who had been staggering began to move in a single line. As they entered the emergency exit inside the server room, a deep, dark passageway opened up.

“What’s going on?”

[As you said, we prepared double and triple-fold. The Navy has moved.]

“Huh? The Navy?”

[Yes. It looks like they’re going to use the cruiser that was anchored in the port.]

At the same time, the passage shook with a strong impact. The fleet missiles began to pound the building. Communication with Hood was cut off the moment he entered the emergency passage, so he had no idea what the situation was outside.

[Go ahead quickly. Quickly-]

“Everyone move quickly! Quickly!”

Maru and the man urged the people on. When they came out through a narrow passage that seemed to be about 500 meters long, a block of ice greeted them.

People were dumbfounded when they saw the ceiling blocked by ice piled up to 4 meters, but here there was a floor. The ice was no problem at all.

Kkuddeuk-

As if an ice sculptor were carving ice, Maru began to dig up the ice in a step-like manner. The flesh was revealed by the cut. From solid ice to dense snow, to tightly packed snow, to fluffy snowdrifts.

The sound of explosions outside. The ceaseless explosions and red flames echoed across the white snow.

[I made up my mind.]

I made up my mind.

It wasn’t the firepower of a single cruiser. It was the firepower of at least five ships simultaneously pouring out missiles.

[Let’s check the situation outside with a drone. Put in a repeater.]

[Okay.]

The eight drones dispersed. While Kim Yang was scouting the area, Maru planted a bomb on the escape route. The man who saw this licked his lips with his tongue.

‘Is the reason you’re trying to blow up the secret passage because you think someone might come in through here and find traces?’

It wasn’t good.

The fact that you act so meticulously means that you don’t want to leave any evidence behind. It seems like you’re the type of person who always thinks about the possibility…

WHING-WHING-

The man saw his subordinates and researchers gathered in groups of three or four.

‘Are you planning on killing all the crazy kids?’

Perhaps because they had vividly experienced the aura of death, the guys who had followed along obediently seemed to have gained courage from the missile attack that exploded right nearby.

When the researchers heard that the Navy was demolishing the building with missiles, they started to move slowly like cats that need to poop, trying to get out of the tunnel made by piercing through the ice and snow.

“Are you crazy? If you’re going to die, die amongst yourselves. You fucking idiots.”

“Is this a betrayal?”

betrayal?

Betrayal at this very moment?

More annoying than the little annoying whirring sound was the sound coming from the mouth of the little shit who was barking right in front of me.

“Hey. If we hadn’t escaped, we would have been buried alive there.”

“Isn’t this all because you prevented me from self-destructing?”

“what?”

“Honestly, isn’t that right?”

“So instead of stopping that kid who was going to blow himself up, you should have just blown himself up?”

“If I had let it blow itself up and escaped while it was collapsing, I would have caught them and I wouldn’t be a prisoner like this.”

As expected, these kids are weird.

I don’t think he was completely brainwashed, but it seemed like he had some kind of confirmation bias or at least some kind of loyalty ingrained in his head.

‘Is it all like that?’

Fortunately, not all of them were like this. The problem was that I was being led by the actions of these strange guys.

When you’re anxious and nervous, someone who moves with confidence and courage will seem like a leader, so it’s understandable to go along with the movements of those guys who are full of loyalty…

If you have thoughts, they shouldn’t come out like this.

“So you’re going out now? Going out? You’re going to direct the attack this way? Are you out of your mind?”

“All we have to do is fire a signal flare and disperse in all directions.”

“Are you back?”

“It was a betrayal, after all.”

Buzz buzz-

When I raised my head at the small noise that had been bothering me for a while, I saw a palm-sized drone.

What the fuck.

[Don’t worry about it, just keep going. Yeah. That was exciting.]

“······.”

“···I got caught! Run···”

Puck- thud-

The head flying off and the low, muffled sound of a gunshot occurred almost simultaneously.

Suddenly, I noticed an exosuit aiming a gun at the other side of the entrance.

And the sight of subordinates and researchers struggling to get through the snow tunnel.

Before I could even say stop.

Before the words “Get your heads out of here, you little shits” could even leave my throat.

A low, muffled sound was heard first.

Thump-thump-thump-thump-

There was no warning.

There was also a voice telling me to stop.

The 12.7mm bullets destroyed and burned everything in their path. They were special bullets, not designed to be fired at people, so even if they just grazed past, death was certain. The tunnel of ice and white snow was instantly dyed red.

[Why are you just sitting there? Don’t you run away?]

Kim Yang’s regretful voice flowed out from the small drone.

“······.”

The man was speechless.

======

======

Maru, who was setting up a bomb deep inside the escape route, frowned at the dull gunshot that echoed through the tunnel.

Since there was no problem with communication because one drone acted as a repeater, it was Maru who checked the situation right away.

[Did you get caught?]

[No. The kids here were trying to do something weird.]

He seemed to be quite intelligent, but was he just waiting for an opportunity to go out?

Maru whetted his appetite.

[That person, either the control room director or the security captain?]

[···It wasn’t that person.]

Judging from the voice of Ms. Kim, who seemed to have some regret, it seemed like the man had not shot her.

If the prisoners were trying to escape, I thought I could take advantage of the opportunity to kill them all, and I was definitely thinking ahead when I shot them.

[You’re saying you only killed those who tried to run away?]

[huh.]

[How did you know?]

[Drone.]

Did you put surveillance on me even though I didn’t say anything?

[Well done. So how many prisoners are left?]

[3 people.]

While I was talking to Ms. Kim, a communication from Hood came in.

[Chiiik- The Navy has disembarked from the ship. It looks like a search party. Beep-]

[It was also caught by a drone. A naval search team is searching the area.]

[Chi-ik- Troops are moving towards the port too. I’ll dive to evade. Beep-]

[I’ll decide on a location, so join us there.]

Maru finished installing the bomb and headed to the entrance.

[I think they know the secret passage here.]

In the drone footage, soldiers were approaching in a wide surround. Maru began digging through the ice, linking booby traps and bombs. In three to four minutes, a new tunnel was dug.

Considering the map and the situation captured by the drone, they quickly made an escape route and went out. The three prisoners, including the man, silently followed Maru. Ms. Kim, who was at the very back, went through a tunnel of snow and ice.

Did it take about 30 to 40 minutes?

There was a series of explosive sounds as the search party hit a booby trap.

Kung- kwaaang- kwaaang-

[The search party appears to have been annihilated.]

Following Kim Yang’s report, Maru worked hard to dig a tunnel toward the target location.

Soon we arrived at the rendezvous point where the Guards and Hood were waiting.

[We need to leave quickly. The destroyers have started circling around.]