Rust - Chapter 996



Only Krnovel

RUST -996

Leon Bonnard looked at the operational status board and mulled over his thoughts.

‘Is this what it’s like to be a high-ranking vampire?’

There was no way. If a single vampire could stop an army, then 10 to 20 vampires would have conquered the entire world.

‘The King of the Holy Kingdom has captured at least three vampires.’

That was the case when I exchanged information with Dan Brown, so if I had killed more after that, there would have been more. Fortunately, the number of high-ranking vampires did not exceed twenty.

[The Confederacy remains divided.]

“Then I guess we will have to consider that there will be no additional support.”

[Yes.]

“Even though the enemy is divided, this is happening…. Tell the home country that we will use strategic nuclear weapons. Prepare for earthquakes and tsunamis.]

[Do you plan to use strategic nuclear weapons, not tactical nuclear weapons?]

“If this attack fails, use it immediately. Tell the home country to prepare. And the Holy Kingdom as well.”

[All right.]

Leon Bonnard checked the status board with a sunken look. The coordinates and movements that came to mind overlapped with the status board.

If a vampire can’t be caught by concentrated fire, he can avoid tactical nukes. If he avoids a direct hit, he will recover with his tenacious vitality and regenerative power.

‘The bombardment was the same.’

The vampire’s recovery rate gradually increased.

‘If you can’t kill, does that mean you’re stronger?’

Perhaps it was similar to how a person with powers awakens. After surviving and enduring a near-death experience, they awaken.

‘Must kill at once.’

Leon Bonnard had no intention of using strategic nuclear weapons. After all, it had been proven that the aftershocks of a strategic nuclear weapon could cause an earthquake, so he was not going to use a strategic nuclear weapon.

However, I did intend to use multiple tactical nuclear weapons. If I hit them with multiple weapons at the same time instead of just one, it would be impossible to escape the nuclear bombardment range.

It was said that we should be prepared for the possibility of using strategic nuclear weapons while using tactical nuclear weapons.

‘If they have a connection, they’ll definitely get word.’

Then either abandon Philadelphia and retreat.

‘They’ll come out of the spider’s web to prevent a strategic nuclear attack.’

Vampires and spiders aside.

What would happen if word got out to the Holy Kingdom that they might use strategic nuclear weapons?

Should we still maintain the principle of non-intervention and remain silent? Should we protest?

Or will the King of the Holy Kingdom come here carrying his heavy butt?

Either way, you’ll be able to tell.

“Prepare to attack.”

Leon Bonnard moved his troops.

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Artificial intelligence Diana has issued an emergency report.

[It is said that strategic nukes can be used in the battle to recapture Philadelphia.]

“Prime Minister Ten?”

[It has been confirmed that this was delivered by the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs.]

“okay?”

You were fighting the spiders and awakening the soldiers, and then suddenly a strategic nuclear weapon?

‘It’s a warning that they might use strategic nuclear weapons, not tactical ones.’

Last time, when they poured strategic nuclear weapons into Central and South America, earthquakes occurred all over the place, starting with the area around the Ring of Fire, as the North American fault shook. Who knew what would happen if they used strategic nuclear weapons without any warning?

‘Are you pressuring us because the situation is so bad that we might have to use strategic nuclear weapons?’

Maybe he was saying indirectly, “I don’t want to use strategic nuclear weapons. Please help me not to use strategic nuclear weapons.”

“They told us not to use strategic nuclear weapons because they could shake the fault line, so they are saying they will use them?”

[It is said that he warned the Imperial administration and parliament to prepare for the use of strategic nuclear weapons.]

“It’s not a tactical nuclear weapon, it’s a strategic nuclear weapon. That’s strange. Is that why the situation in Philadelphia is so serious?”

[According to information confirmed by reconnaissance aircraft, the current deadlock continues.]

“I want to know the situation. Tell me the situation in about a month.”

[Data organization started. Organization complete. Summary of the situation is posted.]

Artificial intelligence Diana has summarized the situation for the past month or so.

A video that appropriately blends realism and graphics. The battle between the spiders and the imperial army is displayed in time order. It looks like a weather map.

“We’ve taken over the entire northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia.”

The movements of the Imperial Army were clean. The units moved as if they were pieces on a chessboard.

Advances and retreats were instantaneous, like living creatures. Even when they were attacked by the enemy, they avoided total annihilation, and even when they surrounded and attacked the enemy, they lifted the siege if losses seemed likely to increase.

‘You opened a retreat route and attacked the rear while the enemies fled.’

It was easy to say, but giving such orders and carrying them out in the midst of fierce combat was not easy.

As time passed, the Imperial Army began to move as one body. What was most impressive was that the Imperial Army, which had almost no Awakened Ability users, began to produce Awakened Ability users.

‘Even the operation that seemed dangerous was intentionally designed to create a life-threatening crisis.’

I thought it was a dangerous operation that might actually result in annihilation, rather than annihilation in tactical terms. It was called Awakening Induction.

Knowing and doing are two separate things.

This is a difficult method to use if you don’t have absolute confidence that it will succeed.

The emperor’s gamble was successful.

As a result, the emperor appeared to have gained the absolute support of the army.

‘The number of Awakened troops has increased enough, so they should be able to enter the city. Is there a reason why they can’t?’

“Stop for a moment. Turn back. Just a little bit.”

Maru’s brow furrowed as he paused at the part where the troops that had advanced deep in began to retreat hastily.

Dust rising from the aftermath of the artillery fire. Troops trying to enter the city are retreating. There was something at the entrance to the city.

“Can you tell from the video why the troops were withdrawn?”

[Play back the communication information at that time.]

(Chijijik – There’s a vampire inside the spider’s web.)

(It’s her! Beep-)

(It’s a spider. Spiders are sizzling-)

The communication quality was poor. That meant there were a lot of spiders.

[It has been confirmed that there are strange people nearby.]

The image zoomed in. There were people waiting in the corner of the rooftop and inside a broken window on one side of the building. It was clear that they were not Imperials, so it was something to do with spiders.

‘A high-level vampire and spider control expert.’

So that’s why you leaked the story about strategic nuclear weapons? You’re trying to stab us in the back too?

Maru’s eyes sank.

‧

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[The toxoplasma drug was made faster than expected.]

It was because there was a kind of pesticide that had been made in the past.

The mutant barnacles discovered in eastern Japan were like parasites that burrowed into people and caused mutations. This was the mutant barnacle that infected Ki-sun.

At that time, Na Ju-yeon created a medicine to remove barnacle larvae and distributed it free of charge in the waters of Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and southern China.

[It was possible to make it quickly because it is similar to the mechanism by which barnacle cells combine with the human body.]

If Na Ju-yeon hadn’t made that choice, the world might have been ruined by the mutated barnacles. Even now, if the mutated toxoplasma spreads, I don’t know what will happen.

[Are you crazy because of parasites?]

[It can affect the mind and cause abnormal behavior.]

When Kim Yang asked in a serious voice, Na Ju-yeon answered that it could be possible.

“Can I put parasite medicine in the feed and spray it?”

[Yes, it will be effective because it is winter, when it is difficult to find food.]

Ki-soon gave her opinion.

[Then wouldn’t it be better to give them medicine that can treat other diseases as well? Like rabies.]

[I did that.]

Na Ju-yeon said that in addition to anti-parasitic drugs, other infectious disease drugs were also included.

“Good job. It was already a problem because the disease was getting more and more dangerous.”

When the ability is awakened, the immunity is improved, but the general public seems to have become weaker than before the mutant virus incident. In particular, the situation is serious, with the incidence of cancer increasing by a whopping three times.

[It was dangerous because not only cancer but also the number of patients with metabolic syndrome and mental illness increased.]

There were too many patients with metabolic diseases, starting with obesity and skinny obesity that is not easily visible on the outside, visceral obesity, and leading to high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes.

If Na Ju-yeon had not created an improved cure, the population of the Holy Kingdom, which was about 5 million, would have suddenly decreased.

[Was it possible to make it that quickly? Both metabolic syndrome and cancer treatment]

[We were able to save time because there was enough related research data. There was a lot of data that had completed clinical phase 2.]

Ki-soon said bitterly.

[This is existing data. You’re saying that even before the incident, it was possible to develop cancer treatments and treatments for specific diseases. But that wasn’t the case.]

[Yes. At that time, Ojin Pharmaceuticals was also subject to a lot of restraint.]

The story was that only an appropriate amount of medicine was released due to pressure from multinational corporations. Diseases were profitable. They could have responded to the mutant virus situation in a different way, but there must have been capital logic behind their decision not to do so.

[It was fucking. It was fucking.]

[······.]

“······.”

Everyone was silent when Kim Yang said that the world was going to be ruined.

[If the disease is getting worse, shouldn’t we also actively encourage awareness?]

Ki-soon suggested that we induce forced awakening. In the long run, awakening was essential for survival.

If a sick person is tempted to become a cannibal and be cured, how many people would be able to resist that temptation?

If you were to tempt someone with an incurable disease or disability by telling them that they could overcome it by becoming a cannibal, even if it was a disease like cancer, it wouldn’t be easy to overcome that.

The way to combat such temptations was awakening. Even just awakening the most common physical abilities would strengthen the immune system and easily overcome most diseases.

Traumas such as cuts, burns, and gunshot wounds, as well as cold and heat, healed quickly, and the prognosis for surgery was good. Even with strong treatments, there were few side effects.

[In the long run, I think the people of the Holy Kingdom need to awaken. That way, they can deal with the temptations of cannibals and vampires, as well as the psychic waves.]

[I agree. It is realistic to induce awakening through operations like the Imperial Army. We have already provided various benefits for military service, starting with the right to reside in a floating city, so it is not good to force it further.]

Hood added further explanation to Ki-sun’s argument.

[That would be good. As the Hunter economy improves, the number of awakened players will naturally increase. I think it would be effective to awaken soldiers first.]

[Huh- Then where are you going to roll it? We’ve already negotiated with the ant empire. The stray dogs and cats are also being sorted out.]

Miss Kim tilted her head.

Let’s say we mobilize the military and awaken the soldiers first.

where?

Negotiations were made with the Northern Ant Empire, and the stray dogs and cats that were bothering them were all sorted out. It was also ridiculous to send the Holy Kingdom army to the war to reclaim Philadelphia. They said they would not intervene, but then they sent the army and said, “We should wake up too.”

“There are ways to clean up what we’re cleaning up in Southeast Asia. There are also ways to clean up sinkholes in China, India, and Japan. There are many places that need to be resolved.”

[China and India? Is it because of population?]

Maru nodded to Ki-sun’s question.

“That’s also true. I checked the Philadelphia siege. The vampires were holding up under concentrated fire. It seems that they’re getting stronger as they gain experience in combat and eat people indiscriminately. Looking at that, it seems dangerous to just let the vampires in China and India grow stronger.”

[Isn’t it dangerous to mobilize the army? The goal is awakening, not all-out war. If there are a lot of cannibals or vampires on that side, it will be difficult to just use the army. In the end, you will end up taking care of them. Then there is no point in going on an expedition to awaken the soldiers.]

Hood agreed with what Ki-soon said.

[However, operations involving large numbers of troops simultaneously are dangerous. It is realistically difficult to transport large numbers of troops and maintain supply lines.]

The maximum number of troops that could be sent at one time was 40,000 to 50,000, and if you consider the number armed with exosuits and including supplies, it would be 30,000 to 40,000.

However, the population of the four core warlords in China was enormous. It was over 100 million or approaching 100 million. It was not easy to attack the Chinese warlords, who boasted a population of 100 million, with only 30,000 to 40,000 troops.

[It’s not even the Tokyo sinkhole. Once it’s breached, infection and erosion will spread. It’s good to awaken the soldiers, but it’s too dangerous.]

China and India are out because of population and quantity.

Japanese sinkholes are so dangerous that they’re out.

What remained was Southeast Asia.

[We can receive support from Korea. If we build a supply base in Korea, we can also make the supply smoother.]

Hood advised that a Southeast Asian expedition would be the most realistic option. Ki-sun and Kim also nodded.

From an economic standpoint, the weather was not bad either. Even though it was a severe cold spell, the lowest temperature was -2 to -3 degrees Celsius, and did not go below -10 degrees Celsius.

“Prepare the expeditionary force for Southeast Asia. Let Ki-sun take charge of coordinating with the relevant countries.”

[Okay. But what will the Empire do? I see they might use strategic nuclear weapons, so I think they want the King to come.]

“Did you get a call again? Tell him not to act like a fool. He won’t have anything to do even if the empire falls, so don’t push yourself too hard.”

[Okay. I’ll tell you that.]

The Holy Kingdom prepared for an expedition to Southeast Asia.

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Kwaaaaang-

Kwaaaaang-

Kwaaaaang-

A small mushroom cloud rose almost simultaneously. It was a tactical nuke that had fallen on Philadelphia.