Hoarding In Hell [EN]: Chapter 192

192. Hell is Coming (2)

Amini hurried to where the survivors from Xiaojie’s team were.

However, upon arrival, she sensed a subtle unease among those surrounding the room.

Adam Fault was controlling access in front of the room, unyielding even to the shouts of the Chinese military officer.

Amini approached Adam Fault.

“Mr. Adam Fault, the one who returned is?”

“…Let’s go in and check the condition first.”

Adam glanced at Hyun-woo, who was following behind.

Amini nodded, and she let Hyun-woo enter as well.

Lee Ji-tae was already inside. As a member of Chrome, it was natural.

Lee Ji-tae looked slightly angry.

“You’ll have to explain, Amini.”

Amini ignored Lee Ji-tae and headed towards the chair. A man was sitting there, covered head-to-toe in a blanket.

Even as Amini approached, the man didn’t move. With trembling hands, Amini pulled down the blanket.

“Can you recognize him?”

Adam Fault asked from behind. Amini covered her mouth before finally answering.

“…Bao Xhien. He’s a member of Xiaojie’s team.”

The man named Bao Xhien resembled a broken statue more than a human.

His body was mangled, and parts of his body were missing.

A large hole was in his side as if something had been bitten into him, and a third of his head was gone.

Despite this, the man remained still. Amini understood why Adam Fault had controlled access and covered him with a blanket.

Lee Ji-tae approached Amini, pressing for an answer.

“Explain this, Amini. What is this? Is it a monster?”

“…It might be similar. But it’s different from a monster. If we’re talking about an accurate comparison, we might have to call it a summon or a controllable monster…”

Amini looked sharply at Hyun-woo and Lee Ji-tae before speaking.

“What I’m about to say is confidential. It must not leak out.”

Hyun-woo nodded, and Lee Ji-tae, though seemingly dissatisfied, also nodded.

“Xiaojie is one of the first 5-star ability users Chrome discovered. With information provided by Professor Keller, my senior brought her into Chrome. She rose to the top in China with Chrome’s support and wanted to maintain that position. Chrome and the Special Inspection Department also wanted that to control the Chinese ability users.”

“So?”

“But what she chose was not to strive to maintain the highest level, but to eliminate her competitors. No… to be exact, it should be said that she made them her own limbs.”

“Limbs, as in…?”

“She resurrected them as Undead.”

A strong sense of disgust appeared on Lee Ji-tae’s face. It was amazing he wasn’t drawing his sword immediately.

Hyun-woo, who was already using monsters, didn’t seem to care much.

“Xiaojie successively murdered the strong within China and made them Undead to add to her team. Undead Resurrection, that’s her ultimate skill. She makes them obey her commands while retaining the abilities of the dead. They can’t die, and they can’t grow. They’re eternally preserved.”

“Did the Special Inspection Department let that happen?”

“By the time we and Chrome found out, it was too late. It was Xiaojie’s independent action. Instead, we prevented further damage and forced Xiaojie to use her team only for the right things. That’s all we could do.”

It seemed similar to taking them as subordinates, but it was a lower-level version in that growth was impossible.

‘Why doesn’t she just take them as subordinates?’

Hyun-woo thought, then suddenly remembered the mark on his right hand. Maybe one had to reach a certain level to take subordinates. Perhaps Xiaojie hadn’t reached that level yet.

Or maybe those who already belonged to another star couldn’t create their own subordinates.

“It was a very unpleasant act, but thanks to Xiaojie, we were able to prepare for this dungeon. We were able to gain knowledge about the Undead. That’s why I said she was the best for this dungeon raid.”

The idea was to fight Undead with Undead.

Certainly, Undead are hard to kill, nearly immortal.

They are hard to kill unless you inflict elemental damage or destroy them completely.

As she said, it was an unpleasant but efficient response.

“Xiaojie called her team members Jiangshi [Chinese hopping vampires or reanimated corpses]. Bao Xhien is one of those Jiangshi… Seeing him return in this state, it seems he has a message to deliver to us.”

Amini lowered her stance and made eye contact with Bao Xhien.

Bao Xhien stared at Amini with his one remaining cloudy eye. Amini snapped her fingers in front of Bao Xhien’s eyes and said.

“Friend, do what you have to do.”

The moment she recited the code-like words, Bao Xhien took out a USB from under his tongue.

The USB went from under his tongue, over the back of his neck, and connected somewhere. Amini examined the USB and said.

“It’s like a miniature camera. If you press an inconspicuous button, it takes pictures with a lens hidden somewhere and saves them to the USB. It’s a tool spies often use. But this is the first time I’ve seen it implanted inside the body.”

Amini connected the USB to her phone and displayed the images.

Not many photos were taken. Many images were damaged. As Amini scrolled through the useless images, she suddenly stopped at one photo.

A pale figure was floating in the thick fog.

It was floating with torn cloth haphazardly wrapped around its body, its hands raised to its chest as if worshiping something. At its feet, Undead soldiers stood with their bodies drooping.

“Is that the boss monster?”

Hyun-woo asked.

“It seems highly likely.”

“Then Xiaojie sent Bao Xhien to deliver this image?”

“That too, and I think there’s also a purpose of requesting rescue. It seems difficult to get out unscathed, so she forced one Jiangshi to break through the encirclement.”

***

The Undead floating in the air was given the name ‘Lich’.

It was unclear how strong the Lich was, but it was clear that Xiaojie’s team was in danger. And here, the choices were divided into two.

Form a rescue team, or use the final measure.

Half a day after Bao Xhien’s return, the two countries’ forces stood at a crossroads.

“I’ll go save them.”

Lee Ji-tae answered simply. It was obvious to him. And he seemed to have no doubt that Hyun-woo and Park Do-ryung would participate as well.

From the start, Hyun-woo had suggested participating under better conditions, assuming Xiaojie would fail.

‘I don’t really need to save them, but…’

Hyun-woo was planning to enter Pyongyang anyway. When Hyun-woo agreed, Park Do-ryung would naturally follow.

Whether he lived or died, he had to stick by Lee Ji-tae.

“…….”

However, Amini seemed hesitant.

“Amini, Xiaojie may be human trash, but if she’s isolated inside, we have to rescue her. Not to mention, we’ll be able to recover Pyongyang with our own hands.”

“Just the three of you?”

Amini looked at Lee Ji-tae, Kang Hyun-woo, and Park Do-ryung in turn with opaque eyes.

“Of course, it would be great if Mr. Adam Fault could join us.”

“I won’t.”

Adam Fault said sharply. Amini opened her mouth as if to excuse her.

“Mr. Adam Fault is participating as a final measure, not to engage in close combat. Please think of her as a strategic asset. If something happens to her, it goes without saying that the final measure will disappear.”

“It’s okay. We’re enough on our own. That’s what we planned from the start.”

Of course, Park Do-ryung looked very displeased.

At that moment, Hyun-woo stepped forward.

“Leave it to us, Amini.”

“Xiaojie’s team had six 4-star and one 5-star hunter, and they still lost contact. What guarantee is there that there won’t be more corpses?”

“Well, Xiaojie’s team was already corpses from the start, but we’re not, right?”

“…….”

It wasn’t wrong, but complex emotions crossed Amini’s face.

“I didn’t know Kang Hyun-woo was such a kind person.”

“I didn’t know I was this nice either.”

To proceed with the plan reliably, Hyun-woo had to go in as well. It wouldn’t hurt to beautify the image.

Even considering the future developments.

Lee Ji-tae seemed to be seeing Hyun-woo in a new light.

Amini rubbed her head as if she had a headache. She didn’t want to use the final measure carelessly either.

She didn’t know much about the Chepesh case, but seeing even Professor Keller call it an ‘irreversible’ measure, it clearly contained enormous risks.

‘Can they do it?’

Of course, the initial plan was for Lee Ji-tae to lead the team and enter Pyongyang alone.

But that was just a lever to move China. It was to give Xiaojie a reason to participate.

There was no intention of really pushing Lee Ji-tae into Pyongyang alone. Fortunately, two ability users, Kang Hyun-woo and Park Do-ryung, were added.

“…Okay.”

Amini looked over the three of them carefully and said.

“But the final measure will proceed separately. If the outflow of monsters becomes too difficult to handle, or if a dangerous anomaly occurs, and if there’s no contact for three days, we will use the final measure.”

Lee Ji-tae clenched his fist.

“No problem.”

“If you rescue Xiaojie and return, we will stop the final measure, and the recovery plan will start from scratch.”

Amini said with a dark expression.

“Please don’t make me regret this decision. The most important thing is for everyone to come back alive.”

***

“Kang Hyun-woo.”

After the decision to enter Pyongyang was made, Park Do-ryung approached Hyun-woo, who was preparing. Behind him stood the hunters of the HoHwanMama Clan.

As a clan known for its elite members, their levels and equipment were quite outstanding, but they looked very nervous.

There were familiar faces.

Noh Ha-eul, a hunter who participated as an inspector in the Cheonggye Dungeon and fought Kirson, seemed to be participating as well.

Noh Ha-eul gave Hyun-woo a light nod.

“Is your side ready?”

“Our team? It’s over. Why, afraid we’ll hold you back?”

Xiaojie only took her Jiangshi unit, but Lee Ji-tae, Hyun-woo, and Park Do-ryung decided to move with their respective teams.

The plan was to leave the rest to the team if they found Xiaojie and continue the dungeon raid.

But what Hyun-woo prepared was not just that. Behind the scenes, Priest Johann and Oh Dae-sung’s team were moving separately. The others didn’t know.

Park Do-ryung stared silently at Hyun-woo before opening his mouth.

“I know there was a misunderstanding between us. But since things have turned out this way, let’s call a truce.”

“Misunderstanding?”

Hyun-woo was wondering how to taunt Park Do-ryung to piss him off when he suddenly met Lee Ji-tae’s eyes.

Lee Ji-tae was watching Hyun-woo and Park Do-ryung from a slight distance.

Hyun-woo almost burst out laughing but managed to hold it in.

“Why don’t you just hold hands and declare, ‘We’re friends, so let’s reconcile.'”

“If necessary.”

Park Do-ryung extended his hand towards Hyun-woo. Hyun-woo looked at him with a pathetic expression, then slightly raised the corners of his mouth. Hyun-woo shook Park Do-ryung’s hand.

“It’s time to join forces, right?”

“Of course.”

Lee Ji-tae looked quite pleased with the sight.

Hyun-woo thought he couldn’t blame him.

They were about to enter a dangerous dungeon, and nothing would work out if they were trying to stab each other in the back.

Moreover, it was the moment that would determine whether the Pyongyang expedition was a success or a failure. Naturally, uniting was the logical and correct way.

Lee Ji-tae was a righteous person.

The problem was that the world wasn’t.

***

Finding Xiaojie’s team was the top priority, so the Korean team followed the same route that Xiaojie’s team had taken.

The fog was so thick that satellites and radios didn’t work. They had to proceed as if they were raiding a dungeon in the traditional way.

The Korean team split into three groups and began searching first. Combat was to be postponed as a last resort.

But as soon as Hyun-woo entered Pyongyang, he gave instructions to Song Yeo-un and her team.

“Song Yeo-un, move to the coordinates I wrote down. Then there will be a hunter waiting there. His name is Ha Hyun, and he might seem a little strange, but don’t worry about it and join him and do as he says. You’ll probably be able to meet Priest Johann and Hunter Oh Dae-sung too.”

“Yes? Are you going alone, Branch Manager?”

“I don’t want to take care of you guys even after coming this far. It’s time to earn your keep. Go.”

Song Yeo-un didn’t ask any further questions. Thinking simply and acting simply was her strength.

After Song Yeo-un left with her team, Hyun-woo ran back towards the heart of Pyongyang.

But that movement didn’t last long.

The moment he suddenly felt a murderous intent, Hyun-woo barely twisted his body to evade. Shards were embedded in the ground with a sharp sound.

It was an attack aimed precisely at the heart.

Hyun-woo turned his head with a dumbfounded expression. He spoke towards someone he couldn’t even see beyond the fog.

“It hasn’t even been 30 minutes?”

“Don’t you think 30 minutes is long enough between us?”

Faint black figures appeared in the fog.

They were Park Do-ryung’s clones.