Chapter 21- Air Raid 4

‘Looks like I’ve explored pretty much everywhere.’

The young Oracle was quiet too, making it almost certain. It was safe to assume there was no one else left to rescue. Choi Kang-sik peered through the broken wall to observe the flow of battle.

“Oink?!”

“Squeal!”

“Oooink…”

The Pig-尊 horde was also being dealt with one by one. It wasn’t because the hunters holed up in the Monster Association headquarters had excellent skills and coordination. It was thanks to the arrival of the ‘real’ ones who operated in the outskirts of Seoul. These were the true guardians of South Korea! Monster hunters.

“Team 1, deploy! Team 2, standby!”

“Team 1, safe! Team 2, standby!”

“Team 1, compromised! Team 2, deploy!”

“Team 2, compromised! Team 3, deploy!”

They were different from MS, who prioritized broadcasting. They valued practicality and efficiency over flashy displays for public attention. A large number of hunters linked up like cogs in a machine, effectively blocking and eliminating numerous monsters. There was also a difference in the equipment they wore. They all wore bulletproof helmets or full helmets. They were different from MS or rookies who tried to show their faces. It wasn’t a matter of skill.

‘Their mindset is different from the start.’

Despite this, Choi Kang-sik’s expression remained indifferent. Because none of this was helpful against Blade. What he needed now?

“Oops! Look at the time. I need to send out the prize and find a house today, this is a big problem. Well, I guess I can do it tomorrow. For today, I’ll be satisfied with saving citizens.”

It wasn’t the reputation of a select elite, but the reputation of the absolute majority.

• Yeah. No. ^^
• What kind of broadcast accident will happen tomorrow?
• See you at the jjimjilbang. lololol
• You don't even have the horn anyway.

He exchanged trivial jokes with the viewers. But why did the jokes not sound like jokes?

‘Is something really going to happen again tomorrow?’ Choi Kang-sik tightened his grip on his loosening resolve. Ever since the gods started meddling, accidents and incidents had been non-stop. Judging by the circumstances, it was almost certainly the case. Could it be a terrifying divine demon involved?

[A certain God feels extremely wronged]

[A hasty certain God whistles]

[A certain God clears his throat]

‘…Suspicious.’

Choi Kang-sik, judging that his reputation had reached its peak, handed over the rescued people to the association officials. It would be better for his activities. But it wasn’t as easy as he thought.

“Mr. Choi Kang-sik. Thank you so much for saving my daughter!” A weeping man in his 30s grabbed his hand. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.

“It’s only natural that I…”

“I want to entrust my daughter’s future to my benefactor! Please wait 10 years.”

“Haha! You’re good at jokes.”

He ran away. ‘Ugh~ He’s trying to assassinate his benefactor!’ Choi Kang-sik had a dream he absolutely had to achieve. To do that, he needed to gain the support of the vast majority. But an electronic bracelet? This was an irreversible regression!

[A leisurely certain God feels regret]

[A certain God hopes for respect of preferences]

‘If I respect that, I can’t even go on an adventure?’ Because he’d be in jail!

[A leisurely certain God admires his decisiveness]

[A certain God gives a thumbs up]

…It was truly easy to understand. Choi Kang-sik, having easily persuaded the gods of their desires and dissatisfactions, quietly slipped into the half-destroyed association building. His destination was the second basement floor of the main building. Thanks to the Pig-尊 that had plunged into the building like a meteor, there was no need to search for emergency exits or stairs. He completely ignored surveillance cameras and security devices.

‘Whether they record or not.’ It was the fault of the officials who abandoned this place.

• Where is this MS going?
• It's dark, I can't see. >0<
• MS. Don't you care about your viewers?

“…Viewers. You’ve all probably heard the urban legend that a monster controlling humans lives in the heart of the Korean Monster Association, right? This MS Cameraman will uncover the truth this time!” Urban legend, my foot. He just forgot to turn off the camera.

‘No matter how messed up this country’s association is, there’s no way it’s so unguarded that monsters would live here. Everyone’s just delusional.’

[A certain God pricks up his ears]

[A hasty certain God is full of anticipation]

[A certain God hurries]

…I’m telling you, there’s really nothing!

“Alright… then…” Choi Kang-sik strode unhesitatingly through the dark basement. He completely ignored the viewers’ complaints about not being able to see. His eyes gleamed like those of a nocturnal beast. Relying on the faint green emergency lights, he individually checked the nameplates on the doors along the corridor.

‘Projection room, boiler room, power plant, warehouse…’

Clink.

Choi Kang-sik swung his shovel in the direction of the sound. His arm, which had been dislocated once, screamed in protest, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t even scream if he died.

“This is…?” It wasn’t a monster. A bone, the length and thickness of an adult’s arm, lay isolated on the basement floor. Its faint orange glow was a bonus. Where had he seen this before?

‘Ah! Is it a Buffalok horn? And a high-grade one. But why is it here?’ It was hard to understand. Any part of a monster’s corpse was valuable. They were sold to butcher shops, research institutes, defense industries, and so on, depending on the part and grade. Meat, bones, organs, hearts, cores… Even monsters’ genitals were used as baseless aphrodisiacs, so that said it all. No, that one was so rare they couldn’t even sell it.

What about a Buffalok horn? It was often used as material for rookie hunters’ weapons. And if traces of buffs remained, like this one, it was carved into an amulet.

‘If it’s an orange buff…’ It slightly increased stamina. It was traded at the highest price, along with the blue Buffalok horn that increased the owner’s intelligence. It wasn’t something so trivial that it would be rolling around on the floor like this. Choi Kang-sik glanced around. No one was there.

“…Someone must have lost it, startled by the monster air raid. The association was going to give me one anyway, so this evens the score. Original owner? If you’re watching this broadcast, don’t bother trying to find it.” He quietly took the horn and wrapped it around his camera’s waist strap. Was this what an RPG game felt like?

The hero acquired the ‘Fancy Treasure Chest’!

• OMG! Is this MS for real? lololol
• Possession is nine-tenths of the law, right?
• Don't you feel sorry for the original owner?
• I'm so jealous. ㅠㅠ (Serious mode ↑)

Choi Kang-sik continued his work, receiving the envy and jeers of the viewers. Finally, he found the desired nameplate.

‘Records Archive. Bingo!’

Click.

It was firmly locked, but a gentle touch with the shovel on the doorknob solved the problem easily. The room was filled with bookshelves packed with reports. All the stored data was on paper. Even though it was inconvenient, they didn’t store it on computers due to the risk of hacking. It was proof of how important it was. To both humans and monsters. Choi Kang-sik’s lips curved upward.

‘Looks like I found the right place.’

The records were neatly organized by year. Without hesitation, he found the desired date.

“Let’s see… June 16th of the year…” This day was more special to Choi Kang-sik than his birthday. Because it was the day he lost everything.

‘Blade’s Second Attack.’ A record with that name caught the young man’s eye. The association and government had controlled access to the detailed inside story of the incident, preventing even the survivors from viewing it. In other words, he didn’t know when another opportunity would arise if not now.

Rustle, rustle.

Choi Kang-sik took a short, deep breath, then quickly flipped through the first few pages, scanning with his eyes. The events of that day were quite detailed. Troops, strategy, losses, cleanup… For now, he just crammed it into his head without thinking too deeply.

Then,

“Caw!” The young Oracle, which had been quietly resting on his shoulder, cried out. And specifically, its left head!

‘Speaking of the devil…!’ Choi Kang-sik reflexively spun around quickly, raising his shovel. It wasn’t too late to identify the monster after striking it.

Whoosh!

He swung the shovel.

‘No, did I really swing it pointlessly?!’ The attack barely missed. A silhouette that had dodged the shovel slowly revealed itself.

[A certain God is startled]

[A certain God is excited]

It wasn’t the monster from the urban legend.

“Mr. Choi Kang-sik. This is a restricted area for outsiders, you know? And aren’t you being too hasty just listening to a raven? You would have died if it wasn’t me.” A very alluring female voice. Choi Kang-sik, having identified the owner of that beautiful voice, lowered the shovel he had been about to swing again.

‘Ah, that’s why I didn’t notice.’ It made sense that he hadn’t detected her approach. Her two feet, clad in black boots, were floating in the air. There was no way there would be any footsteps. Choi Kang-sik replied, not letting down his guard.

“It’s a state of emergency, isn’t it? Ms. Kim So-yoon.” He had encountered a beautiful woman in a dark basement. This was their second meeting…

[A certain God’s heart pounds]

[A leisurely certain God smiles meaningfully]

[A certain God says the atmosphere is good]

Hey! I told you it’s not like that.