Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 314

[It’s just as you gave me the location coordinates. According to the records left in the facility, it’s been running for well over three days, and it seems they’ve already cultivated nearly a thousand artificial bodies. When we arrived, they were already churning out living flesh, calling it human.]

“Understood. Were there any other unusual findings?”

[…I’m not sure if I understand correctly, but it seems they were planning to insert artificially set combat data into the brains of these cultivated artificial bodies and use them as slaughter dolls.]

Felix, muttering with a disgruntled voice, let out a soft sigh.

[To think that those who guarded the defense line of Vulcan would fall this low… It’s truly regrettable.]

“Uwaaaaaaaah!!!”

Upon hearing those words, the colonel, whose face had been stiff until now, contorted and began to wail madly.

Even after being completely pierced by the super-vibration sphere, was there still that much resistance left?

However, Lenok could understand the colonel’s thoughts to some extent.

Shame, insult, humiliation, fallen honor, and the end of glory. All of it could be endured for the sake of one goal.

But even so, pity was something that could not be tolerated.

It was proof that they were nothing more than traitors who had already thrown everything away, unable to give any meaning to what they had done so far.

The sight of the colonel, desperately reaching out with his body, his internal organs and blood vessels crushed and mangled.

The moment Lenok was gazing at that sight.

Swoosh!

Iriya, who was standing next to him, cleanly beheaded the colonel with her sphere like a flash of lightning.

The body of a superhuman, already devoid of combat ability, was cut off so futilely and rolled onto the ground.

Everyone in the room quietly closed their mouths, paying their respects to the end of a soldier who had once protected their city.

Aris, who had been watching the scene with her arms crossed, asked.

“Was it effective?”

“Certainly.”

Pallard replied.

“It’s not for nothing that we haven’t put the Antares Mercenary Corps at the forefront until now. A top-tier military force with a moderate disposition, yet each member is a skilled individual… The method Ban thought of was the best way to utilize that power most effectively.”

It wasn’t that Dylan and Mila couldn’t help Lenok until now because they suddenly had urgent matters.

Rather, Lenok had persuaded the Antares Office, which was about to be summoned by Meyer, to keep their actions a complete secret.

Since they realized that the Defense Force Command’s goal was not simply within the city, they needed to hide a trump card to turn the situation around.

And Lenok’s plan worked perfectly.

As soon as they obtained the location information of the artificial body cultivation facility transferred from the closed area, they dispatched a mercenary corps assault unit centered around the bird-headed giant Felix.

While drawing attention here, they succeeded in destroying the cultivation facility with a pincer operation.

Now that they knew that the reason the Defense Force Command and Gearside had been collecting the combat data of freelancers within the city was to cultivate artificial humans through artificial body cultivation to replenish new manpower, destroying that plan itself was not difficult.

The important thing was how efficiently they could proceed with the work and minimize losses in the process.

It would have been impossible without the mercenary corps’ infiltration operation, which even deceived their own allies.

[It’s not like there were no losses on our side.]

Felix said in a slightly lowered voice.

[As Ban said, some of Gearside’s combatants were managing the facility. It would have been dangerous if the Defense Force’s attention hadn’t been focused there.]

“I know. From now on, things won’t be as easy as they were just now.”

Lenok answered, slowly turning his gaze towards the sky over the satellite city.

“In the end, if we can’t capture that, everything we’ve done so far will be meaningless.”

Whoosh!

The hot wind that blew as the Antares Mercenary Corps blew up the artificial body cultivation facility was pushing away the fog that had filled the city.

What appeared beyond the receding fog was not a clear sky, but an extremely solid steel fortress.

Thud!

As the mobile fortress, which had arrived at the outermost edge of the satellite city and taken its position, began to reveal its appearance, everyone held their breath.

The fortress, which completely blocked the sky above the outskirts of the city and had thousands of gunports aimed at the ground, was overwhelmingly majestic, as if it had nothing to do with the fall of the Defense Force.

Only now, all the preparations to face the strategic weapon where all the Defense Force’s power was concentrated were beginning to be in place.

* * *

In a dark room where even the direction and altitude were impossible to discern.

The old man, who had turned his gaze away from the scenery visible through the glass window, faintly distorted his expression.

“Bilen… is dead?”

[I don’t know the name well.]

Beyond the alien communication mixed with mechanical sounds.

A dispassionate voice replied.

[Anyway, it is true that the unit blocking the main road entering the satellite city was annihilated, and at the same time, the cultivation facility located in the rear right was destroyed.]

“……”

[In the process, our side also suffered considerable damage in managing the cultivation facility. Some of the numbering that managed the data collected by that side were hit.]

“…I see.”

[How do you plan to take responsibility for this damage, Lieutenant General Trepen?]

A sharp-looking old man with graying hair.

Lieutenant General Trepen, the highest decision-maker of the command and the lieutenant general of the Defense Force who had the outer front line under his control.

But now, he was just sitting in the command room of the mobile fortress, only watching and listening to the situation as it unfolded.

He didn’t know when things had turned out like this. He didn’t know why he was the only one who had fallen behind like this.

However, by the time he had finally obtained the position he had so desperately wanted and desired, it was already too late.

The downsizing and collapse of the Defense Force was inevitable.

He thought it couldn’t be helped that his subordinates were deciding to retire and leave the military.

But he couldn’t bear to see the position he had struggled to obtain lose its luster.

So he hadn’t refused the hand they had extended.

Even if he betrayed the values he had protected, the prestige of the command had to be maintained.

Because that was the only way to prove that his time dedicated to the military had not been in vain.

[It seems like it’s time to review the last offer we made.]

Was it a delusion that the stiff mechanical voice sounded like a sweet temptation?

[Lieutenant General Trepen. If it’s your will, you can dramatically reverse this whole situation.]

“……”

[You know how much effort we put into preparing for this. It won’t take long. There will be no pain. But that wish will be close to eternal.]

Only then did Trepen understand why they were called the Machine Cult, even though they did not have the form of a religion.

The proposal of a superhuman who had obtained perfect intellect and wisdom through the study of magic engineering [a fictional field combining magic and technology].

When he first received the proposal, he thought it was not even worth considering, but now it was starting to sound like the most rational and reasonable advice.

Trepens head tilted very slowly.

Only then did his voice begin to emit sounds other than conveying his intentions for the first time.

[That’s right… I knew you couldn’t refuse. You will be able to become one with the symbol you have so desperately yearned for.]

Behind Trepen, whose head was slumped, the heavy scenery of the mobile fortress was faintly reflected.

* * *

Immediately after occupying the main road leading to the center of the satellite city, the group immediately entered a brief meeting.

Due to the magnetic storms raging nearby, communication had been difficult until now.

The moment such a force gathered in one place, it was necessary to quickly explain the operation and move.

“Five Saint-level powerhouses. Dozens of level 6 military ability users. And hundreds of veteran and agent personnel who are seasoned in combat.”

Pallard uttered grand words with a face that showed no emotion.

“This is the first time I’ve commanded a superhuman unit of this size since I started wearing a tie. I’ll do my best, though I’m lacking.”

“Stop with the useless talk and get to the point.”

Hina cut off his nonsense with a cold face. Pallard, who had clicked his tongue, corrected himself again.

“It’s fortunate that Ban’s plan worked, narrowing down the target to one. Originally, we would have had to divide our forces to attack the artificial body cultivation facility and the mobile fortress at the same time.”

The achievement of the Antares Mercenary Corps destroying the cultivation facility in the previous battle was significant.

Not only did it make the activities of the Defense Force’s intelligence unit, which had been constantly operating secretly within the city, pale in comparison, but it also effectively blocked the possibility of the Defense Force’s power increasing further.

It was significant that they had reduced two positive variables for the opposing side in the mobile fortress capture operation.

“Since we deliberately kept the colonel alive and told him the story, related information will have flowed into the command and Gearside sides.”

Hina said, adjusting her glasses.

“If they realize that we have obtained the location information of the closed area transfer facility, they won’t be able to recklessly disperse their forces.”

“All that’s left is to keep tightening the battlefield by moving further into the satellite city.”

Lenok nodded, rubbing out the remains of his cigarette.

“The more we narrow the battlefield, the less room the mobile fortress will have to operate. We’ll minimize the range where firepower can be projected, and directly confront the Defense Force generals to seize control of the fortress.”

The Defense Force’s coup.

Its core was the mobile fortress itself, which projected firepower sufficient to establish and maintain a front line just by its existence.

Without the existence and firepower of the fortress, even the Defense Force Command’s demands to hold the citizens of Vulcan hostage would not have much meaning.

Naturally, it would be possible to block Gearside’s plan to cooperate with the command.

“Let’s put aside the Defense Force’s forces scattered around the satellite city for now, and think about the three things we need to do right away.”

Lenok picked up a pen on the operation table that had been taken out by disassembling the command vehicle.

“How to approach the mobile fortress, how to take control of it, and…”

“The problem of how to deal with the command’s generals.”

Aris naturally took over the words.

She continued, meeting Lenok’s gaze.

“If it’s as known, there are three major generals who have reached the Saint-level, including Lieutenant General Trepen… Considering the power of Gearside, we’ll be at a disadvantage.”

“You don’t have to worry.”

The bird-headed giant, Felix, who was standing with his arms crossed, spoke in a heavy voice.

“I don’t know about the others, but I and Kyeonryo are well-versed in this kind of thing. I can handle two old geezers alone.”

Felix said, naturally turning his gaze towards Aris.

“Rather, I would like Professor Richelren to step back and focus on supporting our firepower from the rear.”

“…That’s something I can’t ignore.”

Aris, raising her blue eyes, met Felix’s gaze.

A sharp tension flowed between the two in an instant.

“I have no intention of taking myself to a safe place while others are going to the battlefield. I have been assuming a battle with the generals since I joined the operation.”

“That’s not what I meant. It’s just a matter of efficiency.”

Even at Aris’s words, Felix shook his head leisurely.

“Among those gathered here, except for Ban and you, there are no ability users who can provide fire support from the rear. Donovan has made great contributions to establishing the front line so far, but it won’t mean much against monsters around level 7.”

“……”

Everyone around them listened attentively to the giant’s words, which were flowing smoothly and calmly.

“When the meeting is over, we will try to enter the fortress to capture it, but it is also true that we need a battery that can observe the situation from behind and provide fire support. Am I wrong?”

“That means…”

“If possible, I would like to put both Ban and you in the rear to prepare for variables, but it is impossible to be that lenient with our current forces. It would be better to put Kyeonryo, who has worked with us before, on the front line.”

Just as Lenok had eliminated the Defense Force’s forces on the main road earlier, someone needed to spread firepower over a wide area and exert power from the rear.

In fact, Aris would not be unaware of this fact.

But the reason she insists on going to the front line and participating in the battle now is-

“If it weren’t for the professor, Ban would have had to do that role. Thanks to Professor Richelren’s joining, the possibility of playing an active role on both the front and rear lines has increased.”

“…I understand.”

Aris, who had been listening to Felix’s calm persuasion, finally stepped back.

“Once the operation starts, I will focus on rear fire support. But I will make my own decisions about the battle situation and cooperate.”

“That’s not an area I can interfere with. It doesn’t mean that I don’t trust the professor’s judgment.”

Felix’s actions, which gently stepped back and praised Aris until the end, were reminiscent of a manager leading the Antares Office from within.

While Lenok was inwardly admiring, Felix subtly stepped back and winked at Lenok.

“Did I do well?”

“…What do you mean?”

“I thought you would want to fight in the front, so I took care of it in advance. This way, the professor won’t fight in the front instead of you.”

“……”

“I’ve heard a lot about you here and there since we last met. I didn’t know you were such a combat enthusiast.”

Felix seemed to be under a strange delusion, to the point where Lenok didn’t even know where to start answering.