The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 196

196. Farewell and Reunion (4)

Choi Myung-joon single-handedly infiltrated the heart of the Western Metro forces.

His trail was marked only by corpses.

He walked on.

Nothing could stand in his way.

Red mist, the vaporized blood, spread around him.

Blood poured from every bullet hole in his body, half the skin on his face had sloughed off, and his eyes glowed like those of a wild beast.

Human, monster, or something else entirely.

His appearance was so horrific that they all instantly lost their will to fight.

He finally reached a subway entrance in Mapo-gu.

It was an old, dilapidated subway entrance, seemingly leading nowhere.

The monster was hidden underground, so Choi Myung-joon had only one path to take.

Revenge.

Fueled by that single emotion, he was single-handedly crushing the Metro forces.

Choi Myung-joon’s steps were slow and weak as he descended each stair.

Returning to Mangyeong now was pointless.

The reason the Metro could be breached so easily by a single player was that most of their attack forces were concentrated in Seocho, Geumcheon, and downtown Mangyeong.

Because of that, Choi Myung-joon was able to raid an empty base.

Even though it was an empty base, it still had a strong defense that couldn’t be breached by a single player.

As he went down into the subway, a wide passage came into view, unlike what he had imagined.

It looked more like an underground cave than a passage.

The Metro forces had expanded their underground territory using monsters.

They tore up the asphalt on the surface to create underground roads, and they dug tunnels everywhere to secure living spaces.

So, the first thing that greeted Choi Myung-joon was the Metro’s monster defense squad.

The defense squad leader lined up the hunters with rifles and greeted Choi Myung-joon.

The hunters couldn’t retreat any further either.

Because beyond this point was the room where the cult leader was.

Choi Myung-joon took a few more steps forward and stopped.

A suffocating tension filled the air.

The hunters, with their cheeks pressed against the stocks of their rifles and their sights trained forward, swallowed hard.

Some were trembling violently.

Soon, Choi Myung-joon’s footsteps echoed again in the underground.

Because the passage was blocked on all sides, the footsteps sounded even more amplified.

Squish… Squish… Squish…

The sound of moisture on bare feet meeting the ground.

But that wasn’t water; it was the hunters’ blood.

A terrifying footstep that swallowed even the screams and gasps for breath.

And Choi Myung-joon emerged from the darkness.

“Everyone, prepare for battle!”

The hunter defense squad leader tried to calm his nervous subordinates.

Then, the defense squad leader spoke to Choi Myung-joon as he approached.

“You’re fearless… to dare come here alone. I won’t kill you easily. I’ll tear you limb from limb and boil you in oil…”

As he said those words, the defense squad leader felt his vision suddenly rise.

“…Huh?”

The defense squad leader’s face was lifted into the air.

Choi Myung-joon had instantly approached and grabbed his face, pulling it up.

Chrrrrrrk…

The stream of blood gushing from the severed neck stretched out into the air.

The hunters who were watching the scene couldn’t even think about raising their guns.

They simply began to silently accept their deaths.

Choi Myung-joon began to massacre.

He thought as he subdued a hunter who rushed at him.

Revenge for Big Brother.

The end of his dream.

A belief that he would never betray the master he once served.

And a vow that he would never lose his master again.

The hunters came closer and closer.

The hunters’ swords and bullets mercilessly cut and pierced his body.

Only four sentences ran through Choi Myung-joon’s mind.

‘I don’t care.’

‘I will kill.’

‘Anyone, come.’

‘I will crush you all.’

Even if his whole body was torn apart and he died at the end of this battle, Choi Myung-joon would use his last strength to swing his fist and die.

Finally, after killing all the hunters in the passage, Choi Myung-joon went berserk and ran.

Hundreds of hunters were waiting for him there.

Choi Myung-joon rushed towards them without hesitation.

The hunters screamed and threatened Choi Myung-joon.

Spraying blood and saliva, the hunters rushed at Choi Myung-joon with swords and spears.

In response, Choi Myung-joon charged forward and shouted powerfully.

“Uyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

A cry close to a scream.

Even if hundreds of people shouted at the top of their lungs, they couldn’t match the sound of a single man.

Choi Myung-joon rushed at the hunters again.

Berserker.

A raging warrior.

Following Choi Myung-joon’s body as he threw himself into the air, a stream of beautiful red mist followed.

Choi Myung-joon vowed.

At the end of this war, Sion *hyung* [older brother/male friend] will.

He will definitely take control of northern Seoul.

He would complete his revenge, and he would promote Kang Sion to make him the one and only ‘ruler’ of Seoul.

Thud-!

He was about to meet the president of the Metro forces, and the cult leader.

That place was a space made of golden pyramids.

At the top of the pyramid sat the cult leader, adorned with golden accessories all over his body.

Light poured down from the sky, and behind him, a huge monster was crouching.

And at the bottom of the pyramid was the leader of the Metro forces, Seo Wang.

“Amazing.”

The cult leader, sitting in a golden chair, began to clap.

His voice felt cunning like a snake, yet seductive.

“I’m so envious.”

The cult leader got up from his seat and came down one step of the pyramid.

“Kang Sion… he really has many heroes.”

He came down another step.

“Was this how Cao Cao [famous Chinese warlord] felt?”

He came down another step.

“Even though I may have gained the world, I don’t have a hero like you by my side.”

He came down another step and now stood on the same level as Choi Myung-joon. And he shouted.

“What a lamentable thing!”

The cult leader slightly spread his hands to the left and right and asked.

“Become my man. I will grant you anything. There is nothing I cannot achieve in this world. I am a man who has everything. I am truly close to God. There are too many contaminated things on this earth. The contaminated must be disposed of, and when all of that is dead, the earth will finally be purified. That dream will not last long. If I want to achieve it, God will help me.”

The cult leader put his palm on his heart and asked again.

“Tell me. Hero who has served the wrong master. What do you want?”

Choi Myung-joon lowered his head slightly.

Even the floor was made of gold.

It was so dazzling that he thought all the gold in Seoul had been collected and melted in this room.

Choi Myung-joon said.

“Then…”

Choi Myung-joon wiped away the blood flowing down his eyes with his palm, and pointed at something with his trembling fingers.

At the end of his finger was the cult leader’s face.

“Will you give me your head?”

* * *

Kang Sion’s ogres smashed through the buildings and began to advance into the city.

Faced with the overwhelming ogre offensive, the Metro was helplessly breached without any defense lines.

But there was a change on the front lines.

The main force of Mangyeong had finally arrived in the city.

Kang Sion’s army systematically subdued the hunters from the outer areas of the city.

Of course, the news was delivered to Woo Ji-hye and Kim Kang-seok.

Woo Ji-hye frowned and looked at the building across from her.

The faces of the ogres that had risen above the building were approaching.

Woo Ji-hye urgently said to Kim Kang-seok.

“Uncle. Change of plans. We’ll just deal with the monster and retreat.”

“…Okay.”

Kim Kang-seok was holding Jung Hyun-soo.

Held in Kim Kang-seok’s hand, Jung Hyun-soo coughed up blood painfully.

“Cough…! Keheok…!”

He was a stronger enemy than expected.

According to the Metro’s prior information, Jung Hyun-soo was weaker than Choi Hyun-ji, but it was actually the opposite.

Jung Hyun-soo was much stronger.

The result of this battle between the three of them had turned everything in the area into a burning ruin.

Kim Kang-seok stretched his clenched fist back to finish off Jung Hyun-soo in one blow.

Because he had to quickly finish Jung Hyun-soo and kill the monster.

Whoosh-!

The moment Kim Kang-seok’s fist was swung.

Taat-!

Ha Yoon-ha snatched Jung Hyun-soo and fell to the side.

Kim Kang-seok’s fist tore through the air.

“Rat…?”

Ha Yoon-ha took out the envelope she had been holding and scattered it on Kim Kang-seok.

Chwaaaaaak-!

It was the spores of *Nepenthes* [tropical pitcher plant].

The moment you inhaled it, mucus and pus would come out of every hole in your body.

“Kehaaak!”

Kim Kang-seok inhaled the spores and was in pain.

It was his fault that he had taken off his gas mask in the battle with Jung Hyun-soo.

And Ha Yoon-ha began to run away, with Jung Hyun-soo’s arm around her shoulder.

She poured out all the strength she had to drag Jung Hyun-soo.

But Jung Hyun-soo, who was weakly leaning on Ha Yoon-ha, had his head drooping.

A thick stream of blood was flowing from his mouth and nose.

“…”

Jung Hyun-soo barely raised his head and looked at Ha Yoon-ha.

Ha Yoon-ha was frowning and propping him up.

Hyun-soo said to Yoon-ha.

“Weakling… what are you doing here… crawling here.”

“Shut up. We have to run away first.”

“Idiot… do you think we can… escape… They’re players.”

“I’m a player too…!”

“A uselessly weak player… you…”

“Even in this situation!”

Ha Yoon-ha hugged Jung Hyun-soo tightly and took him to a large bus nearby.

It was a large bus that formed the defensive wall of Mangyeong.

Ha Yoon-ha was trying to put him inside the bus.

But Jung Hyun-soo pushed Ha Yoon-ha away with force. Even though he pushed with force, he had no strength, so Ha Yoon-ha didn’t budge.

Jung Hyun-soo said.

“Don’t mind me and run away…”

“Shut up.”

“You idiot…”

Ha Yoon-ha pushed Jung Hyun-soo under the bus and looked back at the battlefield.

There, many wounded soldiers were already lying here and there, groaning.

She ran to them without hesitation.

But at that moment, that huge bus was lifted up.

Jjeongeong-!

Ha Yoon-ha was startled and looked at the truck floating in the sky.

Kim Kang-seok.

He summoned earth pipes [earth manipulation ability] and got rid of the truck.

Kim Kang-seok said.

“Did you think I’d let you get away?”

Kim Kang-seok was panting, spewing tears and snot.

“…!”

Kim Kang-seok spread the earth pipes again.

And he spat out saliva again.

The saliva poured straight towards Jung Hyun-soo.

But before the saliva could reach Jung Hyun-soo, Ha Yoon-ha covered him.

Pak! Pababababak!

Numerous saliva hit Ha Yoon-ha’s back.

“Ugh…”

Ha Yoon-ha let out a faint groan.

Jung Hyun-soo, who was watching the scene while lying on the ground, widened his eyes.

“Heueueu…”

Jung Hyun-soo got angry at Ha Yoon-ha, who was in pain.

“Why are you doing this… why!”

“Shut up!”

“I can’t shut up! Why! Why! You could have just run away alone!”

“How can I go alone. What the hell…!”

“If you’re an emperor, just stay in the palace like an emperor!”

“Shut up… what do you know?”

“I know everything!”

“You don’t know anything!”

“Why are you doing this!”

“We’re friends!”

Jung Hyun-soo held his breath at Ha Yoon-ha’s powerful voice.

She continued in a very low voice.

“…We’re friends.”

Jung Hyun-soo was now Ha Yoon-ha’s only friend.

She was rescued by Kang Sion and started as a checkpoint member of Mangyeong.

She first met Jung Hyun-soo because of Mangyeong’s regular military training.

At that time, Choi Myung-joon was instructing them, and after that, Ha Yoon-ha and Jung Hyun-soo caught Kang Sion’s eye and served as spies and company commanders, respectively.

After Choi Myung-joon’s basic military training, the two built their foundation as artifact players under Jin Jae-hee, and after that, the two were always together.

During the Great War, and immediately after the Great War.

Until an ordinary checkpoint member became the emperor of Mangyeong.

Until a snot-nosed kid left his father’s arms and became the supreme commander of a force.

The two didn’t talk to each other much, but they took care of each other and cherished each other.

Normally, Jung Hyun-soo thoroughly prevented Ha Yoon-ha from touching his body.

Because Ha Yoon-ha could gain the memories of the other person just by touching their body, Jung Hyun-soo didn’t want to get caught.

Such feelings of friends cherishing each other were too cheesy for Jung Hyun-soo.

“Heueu… Hoo Woo…!”

Protected by Ha Yoon-ha, Jung Hyun-soo took a deep breath.

It was so hard that it was hard to move even a single finger right now, but he squeezed out his last strength.

Jung Hyun-soo grabbed Ha Yoon-ha’s shoulders and pushed her aside.

“Kyaat-.”

Jung Hyun-soo raised his upper body.

And he struggled to straighten his knees and stood up.

Electricity flickered slightly from his back.

Jung Hyun-soo’s eyes stared at Ha Yoon-ha without wavering.

“So run away.”

Ha Yoon-ha frowned as if she was dumbfounded, then quickly ran back and hugged his shoulder.

“I don’t want to.”

“You crazy!”

“Let’s go together…!”

“What are you talking about! Did we come on a picnic?!”

“Let go! I’m going with you!”

“Why are you being so stubborn!”

“That’s what I want to say…!”

Ha Yoon-ha and Jung Hyun-soo were bickering even in this situation.

Kim Kang-seok, who couldn’t just watch that, flew in and threatened them.

Kim Kang-seok reached out his hand and gathered earth pipes.

“Then let’s all go to hell together.”

The earth pipes were fired at Jung Hyun-soo and Ha Yoon-ha.

Jung Hyun-soo tried to subdue Kim Kang-seok by pouring out all his remaining strength.

After that, he would die.

But if he could save Ha Yoon-ha, his life was nothing.

Kwazijijijijik-!

Lightning gathered in his hand, and the lightning targeted the flying earth pipes.

It was Jung Hyun-soo’s last struggle.

The earth pipes fired numerous saliva.

The saliva poured down like a shower.

Jung Hyun-soo kept his eyes wide open and fired electricity.

But what blocked the numerous saliva was not Jung Hyun-soo’s lightning.

In fact, no matter how much Jung Hyun-soo struggled, the earth pipes would not have missed the injured Ha Yoon-ha.

Hwirik- Pababababak!!!

A huge burst of noise echoed everywhere.

Jung Hyun-soo blinked his eyelids once and tried to understand the scene that had unfolded before his eyes.

The saliva of the earth pipes was hitting a sphere and falling weakly to the ground.

Thicker and sharper lines than saliva were aiming at Kim Kang-seok, who had risen into the sky.

Blocking the two was their hero, Kang Sion.

He was glaring at Kim Kang-seok as if he would kill him.

At the same time, light spread across the sky.

(To be continued in the next episode)