When I Returned to Farming, National-level Big Juniors Flock - Chapter 123



Only Krnovel

123. What is this?

“It looks like we’re almost there.”

Jang Seo-jun, who was driving the vehicle, said.

Then Oh Hyeon-seong, who was yawning, nodded.

‘It arrived sooner than I thought.’

The distance itself was not that far, and we were able to travel by using the proper roads along the route secured by the military.

Of course, as it is the northern part of the Korean peninsula, known as the Demon Realm, you could encounter monsters or damaged roads at any time.

But this time, we arrived safely without any problems.

“But was there originally a garrison nearby?”

“This is a newly built fortress.”

“…Why here?”

Oh Hyeon-seong tilted his head at his words.

In his memory, the geographical environment is not unsuitable for setting up a camp.

However, there was a fairly large base nearby, so there was no reason to build another base here.

“I haven’t been fully briefed on the situation yet, so it’s difficult for me to go into detail… but the current situation is complicated. There are even rumors going around that not only rear units like ours, but even some civilian personnel will be deployed.”

“That’s it?”

Oh Hyun-seong reacted with surprise.

I wondered what the situation was like for them to even deploy civilian hunters to the northern battlefield.

It may not be comparable to the all-out wars of the past, but since the Special Operations Command was established, civilian hunters have only been brought into the front lines once.

‘Of course, I wouldn’t be reaching out belatedly when the situation has already reached its peak. I’m not that kind of guy.’

His junior, Kang Seok, likes to take preemptive action.

When it came to operations, there was no one with a more fiery and certain character, and he was so quick to scorch any potential problems or dangers that it seemed excessive.

It is also thanks to this that we have hardly heard any news of any problems in the areas adjacent to the border for the past five or six years.

This was also the reason why civilians in the North did not normally feel a sense of crisis, even though it was a country adjacent to China.

However, thanks to this, he is also a difficult superior in many ways to his subordinates who have to follow his orders.

A superior who works himself to the limit and doesn’t allow his subordinates to express their complaints.

For Oh Hyeon-seong, who knew Kang Seok well, it was quite surprising that he received absolute support within the organization.

“I’m curious, is there a reason why you respect Kang Seok so much?”

“Who among the Hunters wouldn’t be in awe of him? We all witnessed that scene vividly four years ago.”

Jang Seo-jun answered his question in a slightly heated voice.

It was easy to see what he was talking about.

While Oh Hyun-seong was hospitalized due to his injuries, a huge wave broke out in the north.

Since the defense line was fully established following the Queen’s Subjugation War, it was the first time that a monster wave of that scale had occurred.

The embargo also failed miserably and caused chaos, so much so that the uproar was even heard inside the hospital.

The social atmosphere at the time when outdated eschatology was slowly raising its head.

However, against the monsters that swarmed and filled the field of vision, the special forces command, which had established a single line of defense, was able to crush the giant wave on the spot.

The fight was decided in a single day, defying expectations that it would take at least several months.

In particular, the last scene captured by the reporter’s camera played a pivotal role.

After single-handedly breaking through the endless stream of monsters pouring in from the front, he decapitated the giant monster leading the wave.

A desperate monster that had been advancing despite numerous artillery fire and bombing was silenced by a single hunter with the sharp hilt of his sword.

His appearance at that time remained legendary.

Even in the closed military environment compared to other organizations, the name Kang Seok was not inferior to any other hunter in the country.

“You must be at the front lines right now. You’re always ahead of everyone else.”

“Hmm… well.”

Oh Hyun-seong turned his gaze out the window.

Suddenly, the appearance of the real thing appeared in my sight, and I was surprised by its larger scale than I had expected.

Anyway, their procession joined the base and quickly moved the wounded to the treatment facility.

Oh Hyeon-seong, who needed to be investigated, had to wait in a tent in the corner with Jang Seo-jun, who was in charge of surveillance.

“Please wait a moment. The investigator will be here shortly.”

“There’s plenty of time, so don’t worry.”

“Yes, it is a sensitive time for many things internally within the military… but I will try to explain it to you in the best possible way, so don’t worry too much about the interrogation.”

Jang Seo-jun said that he must have been quite worried.

This is because I thought that, amidst the already active monster movements, sensitive investigators might treat them roughly due to issues with terrorist groups or fanatics.

But there was no need to worry about that.

The sound of footsteps getting closer.

Soon, the tent flapped and a man came in, and Jang Seo-jun froze.

“Uh… uh…?”

Jang Seo-jun doubts his eyes.

The ‘Kang Seok’ that he had only seen from beyond the screen was standing in front of him.

An unrealistic situation where, while waiting to be interrogated as an unauthorized intruder in a military area, the general himself came to visit.

When Jang Seo-jun, who had been waiting for a long time, belatedly saluted, Kang-seok accepted the salute dryly and looked at Oh Hyeon-seong.

But it was Oh Hyun-seong who opened his mouth first.

“Kang Seok, I see you again.”

Jang Seo-jun’s eyes grew wide in surprise.

When Kang Seok suddenly appeared, I wondered if I would ever be this surprised in my life, and it was right now.

An illegal intruder who crossed the border without permission suddenly calls the Commander-in-Chief of the Special Operations Command by his name and speaks informally to him.

I thought he was crazy.

“Why are civilians here?”

“I have some personal business to attend to.”

“I know full well that this isn’t a place you can come and go for personal business… but it would be a big mistake to expect that they’ll overlook anything just because of some old connection.”

Kang Seok said with cold eyes.

To hear something like this in the northern region, completely under the control of the Special Operations Command, and right in the middle of a garrison full of soldiers.

It was a situation that would make your heart sink.

But Oh Hyun-seong, who was staring at him, said.

“Are you still upset?”

“What…? Huh? I’m not upset.”

“… It’s annoying.”

“I said no?”

“Okay, let’s do that.”

“No, what are you talking about? Why are you talking about…!”

Thud!

Kang-seok, who got angry in an instant, slammed the table.

But a brief moment of silence followed.

Kang-seok, who had been silent, unconsciously grabbed his forehead.

‘This idiot.’

He was known as a cool-headed commander who was usually calm and composed.

A great man who can deal with unexpected variables that arise on the battlefield without panicking.

But there is no such thing as a commotion, as soon as you stand in front of him, you will inevitably fall apart.

“Have you regained your composure?”

“shut up.”

“Huh, you have a bad habit of talking to your senior.”

“…it’s noisy.”

While the two were having a conversation.

Jang Seo-jun, standing behind them, had a very confused expression on his face.

What the hell is going on right now?

At least, these were things that were incomprehensible to his common sense.

Knock knock.

“ha.”

Kang-seok, who had his hand on his forehead again, sat down on the seat across from him.

And then he spoke to Oh Hyeon-seong.

“I heard you were in danger after being attacked, but I’m grateful that you saved your subordinates.”

“Thank you.”

“… More importantly, why did you come here? You’re a normal person now, so shouldn’t you start following the law?”

“That’s all I learned in the special forces. What can I do?”

Oh Hyun-seong shrugged his shoulders and said.

He also felt that he still had a habit of switching between legal and illegal activities as needed.

Then Kang Seok let out a hollow laugh.

“So, are you really not going to talk about those personal things?”

“Yes, it’s a very personal matter.”

“Then why were you dragged all the way here? If he wanted to, he could wipe out an entire division.”

Does he see me as some kind of tireless killing machine?

With the thought that it was too much, Oh Hyun-seong opened his mouth.

“I was curious about what was going on in the North, so I followed you here to see if I could meet you.”

“… The way things are going around this neighborhood is not normal.”

“Just a moment ago, the thorns were attacking your men. Why are those who should be stuck in China here?”

Oh Hyun-seong asked.

Although it was not a boss monster, it was a threatening monster classified as a so-called elite monster.

These were the guys he had seen a lot of on the Chinese front during his time in the special forces.

Not only did the entity have its own strength, but it also had a unique stealth ability that made it undetectable by detection abilities, and a one-sided fighting style that would often involve raining down attacks from underground, which caused enormous damage to humanity.

Regardless of whether they were civilians or Awakened, the number of Chinese people who died at their hands would be enormous.

But what’s noteworthy is that they have a habit of building nests and not going too far outside that radius.

It is a species that does not appear in general gates, and there were no instances of thorn ears in other countries.

But such thorny creatures have migrated all the way to the Korean Peninsula.

A story that should be impossible according to conventional wisdom.

But there was a variable from the past that made it possible.

“The command entity that moves them has appeared.”

“That means…”

“A special species has appeared.”

Special species,

Unlike regular monsters that are dominated by instinct and wildness, these monsters have intelligence equal to or greater than that of humans.

Past rivals, unknown to the world today.

Their greatest characteristic was that they could command and move monsters of a completely different species than themselves.

If you brought a group of guys who had been nesting in China and staying there, that would be it.

“… Aren’t you surprised?”

“I’ve encountered a special species recently, too.”

“Senior? A special species?”

Kang Seok reacted in surprise.

I knew about the special species incident that occurred in Korea a while ago, but what Kang Seok didn’t realize was that Oh Hyeon-seong was involved in it.

Although the Special Operations Command’s intelligence gathering capabilities are excellent, there is no place in the country that dares to surpass the skills of the Security Bureau.

Thanks to this, all traces of Oh Hyeon-seong’s name have completely disappeared.

“… Come out. I have something to show you.”

Kang Seok said, getting up from his seat.

Then Oh Hyeon-seong nodded and left the tent together.

Meanwhile, Jang Seo-jun, who was left alone, was hesitating where he was standing.

‘Uh… what should I do…?’

He still doesn’t fully understand what the situation is.

At that moment, I was hesitating whether I should follow this or not.

Oh Hyeon-seong suddenly appeared between the tents and gestured towards him.

“What are you doing? Why aren’t you coming?”

“Ah… yes…!”

Then Jang Seo-jun followed him.