When I Returned to Farming, National-level Big Juniors Flock - Chapter 124



Only Krnovel

124. Map

They moved into a building inside the garrison.

It definitely looks like a proper facility rather than a hastily put up tent.

Kang Seok stared at Jang Seo Jun as if asking why he followed him in, but Oh Hyun Sung pushed him from behind before he could say anything.

The two people sitting across from each other finally started talking.

“Didn’t you say you had something to show me?”

“That’s right.”

Kang-seok sat up for a moment and rummaged through the drawers.

“It’s been a while since I noticed that a special species has appeared. However, I was able to identify it directly through the screen a while ago. You’ll know when you see it, Senpai.”

Kang Seok pushed the photo he had placed on the table in front of him.

Then Oh Hyeon-seong reacted with a start.

Although the picture quality wasn’t that good, the identity of the monster was known just from the silhouette shown in the picture.

“… Lastus.”

“Yes, it was he who led the hordes of thorn-ears and other monsters. I don’t know how he came back to life, but he is currently controlling most of the monsters that came in from outside.”

“You brought monsters all the way from China. Does that mean you came back to seek revenge?”

“Well, I don’t know what he’s thinking, but it’s clear what we have to do.”

Currently, the Special Operations Command is mobilizing almost all of its capabilities to eliminate monsters and track down Lastus.

It was my intention to make a decision here.

If he runs away to a foreign country and starts building a nest and gaining power, it will only make things more difficult.

Especially if you head back to China, there’s virtually nothing you can do about it.

China is currently the worst demonic realm on Earth, and is not a place where you can lead a large number of troops or equipment to subdue its nests.

Rather, it would have been best to suppress them without fail when they entered the Korean peninsula like now.

“Do you think you can handle it by yourself?”

Lastus, a former named monster that devastated the coastal areas of China.

A man who led a force separate from the Queen when the North was in chaos.

It was fortunate that he had no connection to the Queen, but even so, he was no ordinary enemy.

He is someone I have met and talked to face-to-face with Oh Hyeon-seong.

At the time, it wasn’t an environment where we could fight, so after we all retreated, it was up to the other team members to directly subdue the bastard.

Oh Hyun-seong still vividly remembered the boy’s boiling gaze at that time.

“Don’t underestimate my men.”

However, Kang Seok answered firmly.

You are not alone.

The Special Forces Command was home to many of Korea’s most renowned high-ranking hunters, and was equipped with advanced equipment.

High-powered magical equipment for dealing with multiple monsters has become much more advanced and tactically useful than in the past.

“If we were going to be shaken by just one named monster, we wouldn’t have been able to protect the border until now.”

“hmm…”

Oh Hyun-seong nodded.

While he was away, the soldiers here must have fought countless battles.

On the front lines, closer to the demon realm than any other domestic hunter.

“This is a problem we have to solve on our own, and it’s not something that retired civilians should worry about.”

Kang Seok pushed the photo of Lastus aside.

The main routes from China have been blocked to prevent further inflow of the herd, and the net around special species is gradually closing in.

I’m sure we’ll be able to face him sooner or later.

“But… recently, another headache has arisen.”

Kang Seok placed other photos on the table.

Then, Oh Hyun-seong’s expression as he looked down at him slightly frowned, and he quickly snatched a photo and brought it in front of him.

“This is…”

In the photo he picked up, he saw a huge structure with a bizarre appearance.

An unidentified object that digs through the ground, casting shadows on the forest below with only a part of it exposed.

However, for Oh Hyeon-seong, or rather, for a first-generation hunter who had stood on the Chinese front, it was something he could not have not known.

“It’s a ‘root’. Are you saying that this appeared on the Korean Peninsula as well?”

Kang Seok nodded to his question.

Then Oh Hyeon-seong’s expression suddenly darkened.

A being also known as the devil’s root.

‘It’s not even a monster, so why…’

The ‘roots’ that dig deep into the ground erode the surrounding soil and rapidly increase the concentration of turbid air.

Thanks to this, the area where the roots are located becomes a great place for monsters to be active and also a very suitable place for nests to be created.

Thanks to this, the effect of monsters multiplying faster is also seen.

Conversely, the effects of the takgi greatly restricted the hunters’ actions in that area.

From the hunters’ perspective, this is an opponent that must be eliminated, unless they want to give the entire area to the monsters.

“We recently removed three roots in a three-day operation. The problem is that five more have sprouted since then.”

To remove the root, the nucleus located inside must be destroyed.

However, the structure of the roots varied greatly from individual to individual, and even the location of the nucleus was impossible to determine from the outside.

You have to go inside and search around inside to find the core and destroy it.

In the meantime, you must endure the terrible turbid air inside your roots and fight against monsters pouring in from within and outside in a hostile environment.

This is because the monsters are not just sitting there watching the hunters attack their roots.

The difficulty of the strategy is practically close to being extremely difficult.

In addition, we are dealing with the army of monsters that has come together with Lastus.

It would be difficult to keep up with the proliferation rate with the current manpower without risking casualties and pushing in subordinates.

‘Even if it’s a special paper, this is difficult for me too.’

The area where the roots are located experiences rapid erosion and the concentration of turbid air increases rapidly.

His seed vault could be at risk.

No matter how well the storage facility is designed to protect itself, if it comes into direct contact with the roots, it is impossible to avoid contamination of the numerous samples inside.

If they multiply even in close proximity, the entire facility could be destroyed.

If that happens, not only will it be a loss to individuals, but the seed vault that holds enormous value to humanity will be completely lost.

‘In reality, it is physically impossible to move all the seeds that are there.’

Meanwhile, Kang Seok spread out the map and pointed at the marked locations with his hand.

“It would be best to avoid the areas marked here, considering the injuries I’ve suffered before, so it would be best to avoid exposure to strong turbid air as much as possible.”

“I’m so touched that you thought of me like this.”

“… We’re going to start getting rid of the roots soon. Don’t hang around and get hit by a shell and die.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Oh Hyun-seong chuckled.

But soon he stopped smiling and asked.

“Are you trying to force an attack?”

“I’ve tried other methods, but there’s nothing I can do. I have to accept some level of damage. If I leave it to proliferate like this, there will be no answer.”

That’s definitely true.

If you hesitate for fear of the inevitable damage that will occur during the attack, and the situation escalates, it will reach a level that cannot be handled even if tens of thousands of lives are sacrificed.

Oh Hyeon-seong of the past also judged it that way.

Even if I went back to that time now, I would judge it the same way.

but.

“Let’s postpone that attack plan a little longer.”

“What does that mean?”

“I think that’s why we can attack the roots without suffering too much damage if we do it right.”

Oh Hyeon-seong, who had been thinking deeply, said.

Of course, to Kang Seok, this is nothing but nonsense.

An outsider, not even an internal staff member, was suggesting that the military postpone a large-scale operation that had been planned.

It was even an over-the-top remark.

The same applies even if you are not a civilian.

Even if the president had come running and told him to stop, he would have continued the operation, saying that his judgment on the spot would take priority.

But why is that?

“… How much time do you want me to give you?”

“Probably about three weeks, if we’re generous.”

“That’s too long. The roots will spread outside the operational radius.”

“Then 10 days.”

“10 days… are you sure?”

“Okay, until then, if something doesn’t work out, just keep going.”

Oh Hyun-seong nodded and said.

Then, Kang-seok muttered, holding his forehead as if he had a headache.

“Yeah, we should use this opportunity to further strengthen our plans. And bring in more supplies.”

If it were someone else, I would have just dismissed it as nonsense, but since Oh Hyun-seong said it, I couldn’t just listen and let it go.

Kang Seok is already looking at the map, thinking about the planned changes in his head.

Then Oh Hyeon-seong got up from his seat.

“I don’t have much time, so I’ll get up first. Oh, and I’d like to borrow one of your subordinates. Is that okay?”

“…Our kid? Who?”

There were many famous and powerful people within the Special Operations Command.

I thought it would be one of them.

But what came out of his mouth was a very unfamiliar name, one I had never heard before.

“Jang Seo-jun.”

“What…who?”

“I’ll take this guy.”

Oh Hyun-seong said, touching Jang Seo-jun’s shoulder.

Then, he, who had been very tense, reacted in surprise.

“Yes… yes?”

“What do you mean?”

“I was thinking of asking you to be my guide while I’m here, and maybe give me a little mentoring.”

Oh Hyun-seong speaks casually.

However, Kang Seok looked at him as if he couldn’t believe it.

The sight of him rolling around on the table, even letting go of the pen he was holding.

A new second lieutenant who appears to have only recently joined the military.

I thought it was strange that they brought him, who I had never met, next to me and made me listen in on their conversation.

There were also some things I just left alone because I thought they wouldn’t be done without any intention.

But what happened now was something beyond what was expected.

“Uh… me… me?”

Jang Seo-jun, who had been having a hard time following their conversation, spoke blankly at yet another sudden turn of events.

Normally, I would hear people say that I’m rather quick-witted, but I’m not the type of person who would be so quick-witted.

But circumstances kept making him that way.

Meanwhile, Oh Hyeon-seong and Kang Seok exchanged a few words and ended their conversation.

“Then I have your permission, so let’s go.”

“Ah… yes.”

Oh Hyun-seong leaving the room.

Jang Seo-jun followed him and walked out unsteadily.

Kang Seok stared at Jang Seo-jun’s back as he left.

‘That’s Oh Hyeon-seong’s 1:1 guidance…’

As a former special agent, Oh Hyeon-seong would often train previous recruits as a training center instructor when he was off duty.

It’s not that I have a hobby of harassing people.

At the time, the team needed good people, and it was a shame to see them go out into the field unprepared and die, so I volunteered to do it.

In fact, the riders who received his training had a significantly higher survival rate than the riders who did not.

He was also a mentor to all the special agents.

An irreplaceable leader who taught and inspired everyone, whether it was operational capabilities or combat prowess.

Even if they didn’t necessarily meet at the training camp, there wasn’t a single person on the team who wasn’t influenced by him.

Including Kang Seok himself.

“I don’t know what kind of potential you saw, but… I’m starting to get jealous.”

As the door closed with a loud bang, he turned his gaze and quietly muttered his honest feelings.