When I Returned to Farming, National-level Big Juniors Flock - Chapter 55



Only Krnovel

55. Nodaji

A group of mercenaries disappeared without a trace due to artillery fire.

No matter how many hunters they were, none of those on the ground survived.

But not everyone was wiped out.

Before the follow-up troops arrived, those who had set foot in the seed vault and been attacked by Oh Hyeonseong remained.

Of course, the entire facility collapsed due to the bombardment, and under normal circumstances, it would not have been possible to survive.

However, Oh Hyeon-seong had already taken measures to prevent them from being buried underground and dying.

If everyone died, there would be no more prisoners left to open their mouths.

The surviving mercenaries were pulled out from deep underground, and the first one to come to his senses spoke with Oh Hyeon-seong.

Of course, this is an interrogation, not a normal conversation.

In the end, it was difficult to expect much loyalty from mercenaries who were driven by money, and since they were not in a state where they could afford to think about the future, it was not difficult to get the information they wanted from them.

By using a moderate amount of coaxing and threats, I was able to get everything I wanted to hear without resorting to violence.

“Thank you for your time.”

“no.”

As he spoke as he exited the vehicle, the soldier standing guard outside answered.

Oh Hyeon-seong, who personally finished the interrogation first.

He then handed the guys’ recruits over to the military.

After escorting them to the unit, we will investigate why they came here and who is behind it.

I’ll make it so he can do it so smoothly that you don’t even have to worry about it.

“Are you done?”

“Yeah. I heard everything.”

“We’ve just finished searching the area. We were wondering if there were any units torn apart on the other side, but it turns out they’re all here.”

Kang Seok, who had come near, said.

It had been a long time since I had seen his face, but he looked around at his subordinates first and gave instructions.

“Then everyone withdraw now. Take the prisoners and go first.”

“Huh? Just between us?”

“Okay, I’ll go for a walk and then come in.”

The subordinates exchanged glances.

If it were the same as before, it would be absurd.

How can we withdraw with our commander in the middle of such a dangerous zone?

An act that will make you sound crazy no matter which army you join.

But since this wasn’t the first or second time this had happened, they quietly backed off.

“When are you coming back?”

“It won’t take long.”

“All right.”

Hunters preparing to withdraw.

Then Oh Hyeon-seong also spoke to Lee Gil-sang.

“You go back now. I won’t come here and arrest you now.”

“Are you thinking of going alone?”

“Okay, this is enough.”

“…Please call me again whenever you need.”

Gil-Sang Lee stepped back with his head bowed.

If you move with the soldiers, there will be no accidents along the way.

Having completed his role, he could now go back.

“I didn’t expect to see you here, senior, why are you here?”

“I have some personal business to attend to.”

“What’s going on?”

“That’s hard to say.”

“Well, fine. I can let it go for the crime. As for crossing the border with some weird criminal, you’ve often done such antics. But this is our operational area. We can’t tolerate you coming in here without permission as a civilian, not a Hunter. Go back now.”

“Can’t we just pretend not to see it because of the long-standing friendship between seniors and juniors?”

“Don’t try to joke around. If you really need to do something, get permission from the government first. I’m a soldier. I don’t issue permits.”

Kang Seok responded stiffly.

The reaction was exactly as expected.

I knew I might run into him as I headed out of the border, but I figured the odds of seeing him like this weren’t high.

I never thought we would meet and get involved in an incident like this.

“The reason I brought this many people here in the first place was not because of the mercenaries, but because of my senior.”

“Just because of a retired, trashy hunter?”

“Even after seeing what happened in the past, I’m not stupid enough to let my guard down against someone who might have happened in the past five years.”

Oh Hyeon-seong looked at the hunters around him.

Still, even though I detected an S-rank gate wavelength, I thought it was too much.

It seemed like he knew it was here from the beginning and moved accordingly.

It looks like the report from the gate went up there.

Then, after thinking about it for a while, he opened his mouth.

“I can’t help it. I came here to visit the graves of my former colleagues.”

“…What kind of lie is that.”

“It’s true.”

“If you were going to the graveyard, why did you come all the way here?”

“I took the wrong route. The GPS was down because of the jamming signals from those mercenaries earlier. But if it’s not true… This is a good thing. You can come with me.”

“…?”

“Follow me.”

Leaving behind the soldiers preparing to withdraw.

As they emerged from the flattened forest, they could see a military vehicle parked in one corner.

Fortunately, the vehicle I brought was not swept away and was unharmed.

Although the distance was a bit risky, he thought it was fortunate and got in the car first and took the wheel.

“What are you doing? I’m not riding.”

***

Squeak.

The car stopped halfway up the mountain.

The two men got out of the vehicle and started walking up the small road.

Even though it was an area where proper construction was impossible due to the surrounding environment being swarming with monsters, stairs made of stone continued.

Although the facility is several years old, it appears to be in good condition.

This is because a strong barrier has been created so that monsters in the area cannot approach.

Of course, as you can see from the fact that it has been this effective for several years, the barrier here was also Han Su-yeon’s work.

There were swords stuck in the path leading up.

Orphaned swords that are broken or show signs of age, but still retain their sharpness.

When the two reached the top, they came across a long tomb.

“… This is my first time coming here in person.”

“Of course you would, senior.”

This is the place where the dead comrades were buried after the Queen’s attack five years ago.

Most, if not all, of those who died at that time rest here.

But Oh Hyeon-seong couldn’t come.

Even if we leave aside the fact that accessibility is the worst because of the area where he is located, he has been staying in the hospital since the fighting ended and only recently came out.

Oh Hyun-seong passed by, reading the names written on the tombstones one by one.

It was just a three-letter name, but the face, the tone of voice, and the memories flashed vividly before my eyes.

Although they were people I had never forgotten, when I came to see them in person like this, I felt something different.

“As expected, feeling gloomy in front of a tombstone is not my style.”

As for the deaths of my comrades, I have encountered them countless times over the past 10 years of service in the unit.

But this place was still bitter.

“Has anyone been there?”

“No, no one has come recently.”

Kang Seok, who had come back smoking a cigarette, leaned against me and stood next to me.

The guy who had been silently looking at the graveyard opened his mouth.

“A secret government organization that didn’t even leave official records. Thanks to that, even though they saved millions with a single operation, they couldn’t be buried in the National Cemetery. We were all so naive back then.”

“You’ve become cynical before I knew it.”

“Senior, when I first joined the military, they put a star on my shoulder. The position of commander of the special forces is the same now as it was then. But now, I have three stars. But in the process of obtaining them, I gained power and authority, so they say it’s a sudden change in the hunter’s ambition.”

Kang Seok smiled.

“At first, I thought that I just had to work hard and do my job. However, the ceiling placed above me blocked the paths of all my juniors. In the end, I had to climb higher in order for the treatment of the other Awakened to improve. I realized that later.”

“Did you and Baek Ji-soo fight over that?”

“… It’s not the Administration or the Security Bureau that’s protecting the country. It’s us who are blocking the hordes of monsters rushing in right before our eyes and guarding the northern defense line. It’s us who are continuing to guard the defense line that our seniors completed by sacrificing all our comrades who are sleeping here.”

Bam.

Kang Seok continued speaking, frowning.

“Do you know why these guys stay here instead of going to the rear? They know that if it weren’t for them, the country would collapse, so they gave up more money and a comfortable life and stay at the front. I have no intention of leaving those guys alone.”

“Hmm. I think you’ve been mistaken since a while ago. I’m retired. This isn’t the time for you guys to decide what’s right after you argue.”

Kang-seok, who had been reacting quite violently to his words, stopped.

Then Oh Hyeon-seong smiled and said.

“Well, since I have a hardened mind, I can’t handle major issues like the authority and treatment of the Awakened. But… there is one thing I can do for my junior, Kang Seok.”

Oh Hyun-seong picked up the plastic bag he had brought.

Then he took out a bottle of makgeolli and poured a glass into a paper cup.

“Take it.”

“… It’s been five years since I quit drinking.”

“You came all the way here and didn’t even bother me? My arm hurts.”

Oh Hyun-seong waved his arms.

Then Kang Seok hesitated, staring at the glass.

This is something I wouldn’t have even thought about normally.

Although he was once one of the most popular drinkers in the unit, Kang-seok has not touched alcohol since that day.

But for some reason, today I felt impulsive.

Could it be because it’s been so long since I’ve seen a past relationship?

Or maybe it was because I visited my colleagues’ graves.

He took a sip of the alcohol with an unbearable emotion, although he did not know which one it was.

Just one drink for my colleagues who are sleeping here.

A soft, gentle, yet sharp white liquid poured down my throat.

Kang-seok felt the shock of being hit in the head with just one glass of wine he received.

Is it because it’s my first time drinking alcohol in a long time after being abstinent for 5 years?

It tasted absolutely unbelievable.

No, even though I had been abstinent from drinking and was craving alcohol, this wasn’t just something that tasted good.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you coming down?”

“Huh…”

Kang-seok, who had been standing there blankly, suddenly came to his senses.

Without realizing it, he lost consciousness and followed Oh Hyeon-seong down the mountainside where the vehicle was.

Moving at night across the border is suicidal.

It was already getting dark, so I had to stay here for a day.

“…What is this?”

The luggage that Oh Hyun-seong loaded into the car trunk.

When we moved to the military vehicle, there was a lot of camping equipment that had been moved.

Oh Hyun-seong answered confidently to the man who was looking at her wondering why she was fighting so much.

“It’s my hobby. I prepared for it so that I wouldn’t have a hard time even if I left home.”

Wow!

Oh Hyun-seong, who had been pouring water, sat down at the back of the vehicle.

It looks very realistic, with a spacious back compartment and a roof over the trunk.

Since it was inside the barrier, there was no chance of monsters getting in the way, so it was a perfect place to spend a night, even if it was just a car camping trip.

And finally, he pulled out his ultimate skill.

Almost a few bottles of makgeolli that he personally made.

This makgeolli is made from rice grown as an original variety and touched by the hands of spirits.

It is a top-class makgeolli that boasts a taste that is beyond comparison to any other liquor in the world.

“Now, drink.”

Kang Seok unknowingly accepted the drink and took it.

There was no way around it, because makgeolli was the drink he loved the most.

He liked all types of alcohol, but he especially liked the taste of makgeolli and had many memories associated with it.

They drank several glasses in a row as if they were possessed.

“Come to think of it… I drank makgeolli when I first met you, senior.”

“Oh, was it the welcome party? Normally, the new recruits wouldn’t have even been able to touch it, but your class was a bit special.”

“The upper echelons were a mess back then.”

“admit.”

Every time we shared a drink, empty laughter broke out.

The two of them happily chewed out the upper class that was full of old farts at the time, and finished off all the makgeolli they had brought all night.

And then the next day I came.

“… uh?”

Kang-seok, who had woken up from a half-asleep state, looked around.

An empty space.

Oh Hyun-seong was nowhere to be found, and he, who had been falling asleep excitedly, ended up clutching his forehead.

***

“I’m sorry, junior. You’re still as naive as ever. And you’re still the same.”

Oh Hyun-seong moved forward, letting out a hollow laugh.

Since long ago, Kang Seok has been easily fooled by him.

Thanks to this, he was able to reach his destination without any obstacles.

Kwarrrrung!

Oh Hyeon-seong passed through the collapsed entrance.

He was faced with a huge number of seeds piled up everywhere.

“… found it.”

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