I Entered an Academy in a Ruined Game

Chapter 276 : Humanity's Fortress (5)

It had been three days since carefully selected personnel, mainly Squad Leader-level members of the 7th Unit, began monitoring individuals suspected of colluding with the [Sword of Belphegor].

Among them, Nam Tae-hoon's target, sent by Old Man Jang, was a figure who could be called quite a big shot.

Known as One-Eye.

He was a smuggler in the underworld and considered one of the big spenders at black market auctions.

'He seems to have some relationship with our elder too.'

Nam Tae-hoon thought.

While Old Man Jang mainly operated in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, One-Eye operated in southern Gangwon Province and northern North Gyeongsang Province.

It was an area that had become close to barren due to particularly heavy damage from marine demonic beasts in the past and low population density.

But that's why it was a good place for him to easily dominate the vicinity, use it as a warehouse and forward base, and expand outward.

'They say he has close exchanges with hunters and PMCs too.'

He mainly dealt with weapons and had connections with skilled craftsmen.

'He owns fairly large businesses not just in the shadows but in the open too.'

His real name unknown, he was a figure who had emerged about 10 years ago and was originally a hunter.

'He didn't cooperate with Choi Inbeom's rebellion, but he also didn't seem to be cooperating with the [Sword of Belphegor], so the Execution Force judged his threat level to be low.'

But what if all those appearances were just a disguise?

'It's plausible.'

Nam Tae-hoon thought there was a fairly good chance the card he'd drawn was a winner.

'By the way, the mansion is quite luxurious. It's good that there are many gaps to penetrate, but the guards are also quite skilled.'

Having infiltrated One-Eye's mansion, Nam Tae-hoon monitored the servants from the shadows, eavesdropped on their conversations, and searched each room one by one for potential clues.

After moving around busily all day, he slept with rats above the ceiling of One-Eye's bedroom.

'It's been three days already.'

Old Man Jang had boasted to Su-hyeon that it would take two days, but they had already exceeded the deadline.

'Whatever. What can I do if nothing comes up? Just push ahead.'

Nam Tae-hoon slowly pushed away a large rat and turned to his side.

Jijijik!

The rat slowly moved to the side and then flopped down flat.

'These things aren't even afraid of humans. Cheeky creatures.'

Well, in times like these, even rats need toughness, right? Nam Tae-hoon silently laughed.

'Around this time last year, I was lazing around at the academy, eating and sleeping well. This is really tough.'

But it couldn't be helped.

For him, this was a kind of atonement.

'I did wrong to those guys.'

He had no intention of making excuses about his motives or circumstances.

'...From the beginning, my fate was to live in the darkness of shadows.'

But even shadows need light.

In that light is necessary for shadows to form.

'Su-hyeon, Min-a, and the others.'

Having passed through his family's tragedy.

The boy chose to dedicate his strength to his only blood relative, his uncle, and his friends as his path.

'Maybe we'll meet again someday.'

To be even a little honorable then.

He needed to accomplish something with his own strength.

'By the way.'

Nam Tae-hoon pressed his aching head, which in contrast to his fatigue-laden body, couldn't fall asleep due to tension.

'...This bastard is annoyingly cautious.'

He himself had thought he could obtain some information in two days.

But after three days, there was still no significant result.

'Hmm. Does he really have no connection?'

But that wasn't something to judge without any information.

Moreover, by his sense, it felt like the man was being especially careful about something.

'I even feel something like fear of something.'

For that to be just a human seeking a way to survive amid the social atmosphere of talking about the apocalypse.

He didn't seem to be particularly thoroughly preparing for an apocalyptic situation either.

'...Maybe I should try to get some forced sleep.'

Nam Tae-hoon tried hard to fall asleep, feeling One-Eye's loud snoring sounds coming faintly through the thick ceiling.

How much time had passed?

Nam Tae-hoon's sensitive senses, in shallow sleep, detected some presence.

'...What is it?'

Nam Tae-hoon, with his eyes narrowly open, sent mana to his ears.

"Oh, you've come."

He heard One-Eye speaking in a servile voice, squirming nervously.

'Honorifics? To whom?'

"The promised item... Yes. Not late..."

'Can't hear well.'

He frowned.

'The ceiling is too thick.'

Thinking it was natural since it was thick enough to significantly reduce the loud snoring sound, Nam Tae-hoon carefully changed his position to put his ear to the floor.

But he still couldn't hear well.

'Hmm... this won't work.'

It would be a big problem if he missed important conversations during this time.

'A bit dangerous, but I have no choice.'

Sha-shak.

Nam Tae-hoon's body was sucked into the shadows.

"Sleeping so well, like a pig."

"I-I'm sorry. There was no contact from you for several days, so I unconsciously..."

The night visitor reproaching One-Eye was none other than a vampire.

Pale skin, bloodshot eyes, and even the characteristic chilly mana and smell of blood.

No matter how you looked at it, it was a vampire itself.

'Look at this.'

Nam Tae-hoon, hidden in the shadow cast by the moonlight on the bed, listened to the conversation between the two men.

"This is an order from [Catacomb]. Prepare everything on this list within 2 days without fail."

"Y-Yes, I understand."

"The designated transportation method this time is..."

'This is 100 percent it.'

Nam Tae-hoon thought, firmly gripping the recorder operating in his pocket.

It was an espionage tool modified to make absolutely no noise, making it the perfect tool in this situation.

'Right. Those bastards can't just eat dirt to survive either. If possible, I'd like to know the location of the Catacomb too. Is that too much to ask?'

How long had the conversation continued?

"Hey. One-Eye."

The vampire's voice turned cold.

"Yes?"

At the same time.

Kwajik!

A knife was stuck right next to where Nam Tae-hoon was.

'Holy shit!'

Nam Tae-hoon covered his mouth with superhuman patience.

"W-What's the matter?"

"...Was it my imagination?"

The vampire pulled the knife stuck in the floor.

"I thought there was a rat listening to our night talk."

"S-Surely not! How could I possibly dare!"

The vampire snickered.

"Right... If you had such courage, your neck would have lost its owner and be buried somewhere by now."

"O-Of course."

One-Eye wiped his chest in relief.

'Whew. I almost became One-Eye too.'

Nam Tae-hoon also sighed in relief in his heart.

'Indeed. Strong guys, and especially those with good spiritual sense among them, are troublesome.'

He was hidden in the shadows and had even killed his presence, yet he almost got caught.

'I'm literally shaking, damn it.'

Nam Tae-hoon waited a long time after the vampire left and One-Eye timidly muttered some curses before closing his mouth, then concealed his form back into the shadows.

'I got something good first.'

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The recording secured by Nam Tae-hoon was directly delivered to the Execution Force staff.

"They say they will track their transaction process and identify the location of the Catacomb."

"Amazing."

Chief of Staff Heo Sung-gyeom marveled.

"The guy Su-hyeon pointed out was real. His instincts are good indeed."

"Indeed."

"Old Man Jang also has quite a capable subordinate. It would have been good to enlist him in our Execution Force."

"That's true."

"Well, it can't be helped."

"...Chief of Staff. If that agent secures the location..."

The staff member cautiously said.

"Wouldn't that change everything?"

"Yes. Of course."

Heo Sung-gyeom answered promptly.

"Originally, we would have had to wait for the expected apocalypse while making preparations like now."

But not anymore.

"We don't know how much time we have left. In this situation, finding their base is truly a God-given opportunity."

Even if it disrupted the plan.

"An opportunity to change everything has come, and I have neither the confidence nor the conscience to ignore voices asking why we didn't even try."

Heo Sung-gyeom closed his eyes.

"Report to the Commander. You prepare to form a suicide squad."

"Understood!"

"This is top secret among top secrets. Only communicate it to Captain-level members."

"...Yes."

"Literally suicide. Accept only volunteers ready to die, and tell them to decide freely without considering any honor or dishonor."

A solemn expression settled on the staff members' faces.

"We will do so."

"You may leave first."

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Secretly contacted, Su-hyeon gathered four top-tier cadets: Lee Yu-jin, Hwang Ji-su, Seo Jun-seong, and Min Hae-na.

"...A suicide squad."

As might be expected, Su-hyeon, who had already become the Execution Force's top combat power beyond just a Captain level, received the same contact without exception.

"...If I thought it was too much to ask of an eighteen-year-old cadet, am I still stuck in the standards of the past?"

Min Hae-na sighed.

"It's frustrating that it's no one's fault."

"It can't be helped."

"If they're using the term 'suicide squad,' it will truly be a dangerous operation. One where many Captain-level personnel are deployed... there's almost no precedent for this."

Seo Jun-seong's expression was also serious.

"Right. But it's all or nothing anyway. The apocalypse is now right at the door."

At Su-hyeon's answer, Yu-jin sent a worried look.

"Are you thinking of going?"

"In my opinion, hardly half of the Captains will volunteer for this suicide squad. Not because they fear for their lives, but because even if the apocalypse comes, each has something they must protect."

Moreover, Su-hyeon said.

"Getting my body out is entirely possible. Because I have Chukji."

"...So you are going."

"Of course."

Moreover, there was one more reason why Su-hyeon had to go.

"There are almost none in the Execution Force who can counter Hwang Won-jae's brainwashing ability."

Mental-type characteristics are always tricky.

And Hwang Won-jae was a monster who had risen to a position controlling the [Sword of Belphegor] with that power alone.

"You can handle it?"

"I can."

Su-hyeon immediately answered Ji-su's question.

With two skills, 'Clear as a Mirror' and 'Resistance,' Su-hyeon could withstand Hwang Won-jae's ability.

'What if I kill Hwang Won-jae here?'

Killing him doesn't mean Nastrond won't open.

But in that chaos, cutting off the head that holds the enemy's center and buying time to prepare was valuable enough.

And one more thing.

'Somehow I don't feel like I'm getting any stronger.'

Unlimited.

That characteristic has the absolute proposition of 'having no limits' but.

'The S+ rank itself is the limit of the human species.'

Not only 'Divine Spear' Gong I-an but even "Dragon Spear" Ju Taeyang had remained at the upper S+ wall for a long time.

The same was true for 'Vampire Queen' Song Yeonhui and 'Asura' Seong Ji-cheol, who should be called the strongest among Ma-in.

That's why there wasn't even a word to indicate a higher rank in the world.

'That applies to me too.'

The current Su-hyeon could at least match 'Asura' Seong Ji-cheol if they faced off.

But no more than that.

'The problem is exactly that.'

Su-hyeon knew.

To face the beings coming over from Nastrond, he needed power beyond that.

And to gain that power, there was still a puzzle piece he hadn't filled.

'A puzzle to break the species limit. It's a puzzle that only I, with the Unlimited characteristic, can obtain.'

And this fight could possibly be a fight to obtain that puzzle.

"If I don't return, I want to entrust the next phase to you four."

At Su-hyeon's words, Min Hae-na's eyebrows twitched.

"Why so suddenly, you really sound like someone who won't come back."

"...Human affairs are unpredictable."

Su-hyeon said.

"If you say such things and leave abruptly, how do you think the people waiting for you will feel?"

At Hwang Ji-su's words, Su-hyeon apologized.

"I'm sorry about that. But I promise. No matter what happens, no matter how long it takes, I will definitely return."

"Is that a prophecy?"

At Yu-jin's question, Su-hyeon laughed softly.

"I'll make it into one."

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And two days later.

Nam Tae-hoon found the location of the Catacomb.