Hoarding In Hell [EN]: Chapter 294

294. The Worst Person in the World (3)

“Come out!”

“Drag that son of a bitch out here!”

The crowd surrounding the mansion shouted, their voices filled with rage.

It was late at night, but the lanterns people carried and the lights from the broadcasting vehicles made it seem like daytime.

Some even carried torches.

The police tried to control the surging crowd, but they were overwhelmed by the sheer number of angry people.

“Eagle, Eagle, this is Dawn. The defensive line is about to break. Hurry…”

Suddenly, a roar erupted from the crowd.

The police noticed that the inside of the mansion walls they were guarding had suddenly become bright.

They realized that someone had climbed over the wall and set fire to the mansion.

Pushed aside by the stunned police, the crowd surged forward like a tidal wave.

With no way to stop them, the police simply retreated.

Only the commander shouted to stop them, but in truth, not a single officer there genuinely wanted to hold back the crowd.

“Burn it all down! If you don’t come out, you’ll burn to death!”

The crowd surrounded the burning mansion, adding fuel to the flames wherever they could.

Flames shot up from all over the stone house.

The crowd, worried that he might have escaped, was relieved when screams erupted from inside the house.

A bald man burst out of the burning mansion.

“You rioting bastards, do you know who I am! I’ll kill you all right now…”

Before the bald man could finish his sentence, someone struck him on the head with a club.

The man’s eyes rolled back as blood gushed from his head. But the crowd, already consumed by rage, felt no guilt.

As if on cue, kicks and club blows rained down on him.

The assault continued long after the bald man had stopped breathing.

The crowd dragged the bald man out as if to show everyone else what would happen to them.

Someone wrote insults and his name on his shiny head. The crowd cheered and shouted, throwing the bald man’s body onto the main street.

The police turned a blind eye, and the reporters frantically snapped photos. Someone in the crowd shouted.

“Justice has been served! We killed the worst person in the world!”

***

Meanwhile, at the Blue House [the executive office and official residence of the South Korean president].

In the bunker, Min Soha, the current Martial Law Commander of South Korea, faced a difficult opponent.

The President, already a puppet of Hyunmu, had been reduced to a symbolic figure who simply showed his face and smiled. Therefore, the person who actually led South Korea was Martial Law Commander Min Soha.

The man watching TV with her—Commander Banner of the US Forces in Korea (USFK)—shook his head.

“A miserable end for a dictator who attacked his own people with guns and swords.”

“It’s just embarrassing.”

Banner looked puzzled at Min Soha’s words.

“That’s unexpected. I thought you’d be happy. Is it because he’s a senior officer from the military?”

“Of course not. I never even set foot in the Korea Military Academy. It’s definitely a textbook ending for a dictator, but it was forced by the situation… He should have faced that end at the hands of the people long ago, not been pushed into it like this.”

It should have been driven by the consensus and enthusiasm of the people, not forced by the need to kill ‘the worst person in the world.’

It would have been better if the process had been handled legally, but the dictator was released because of the law in the first place.

Even if it’s a second-best option, it’s still a fitting end for that dictator.

However, Min Soha’s face was not bright. Banner’s was not either.

“But killing that man doesn’t mean ‘Leviathan’ [likely referring to a powerful and dangerous organization or force] is over. People will realize that once the excitement dies down. They might have been motivated by a sense of justice at first, but fear will consume them over time.”

Banner walked up to Min Soha and said.

“At first, they’ll have some sense of judgment. Socially known villains like that dictator will be attacked first, but eventually, there will be great chaos. They might raid prisons or commit massacres for political or religious reasons.”

“Maybe.”

Min Soha answered without wavering, despite Banner’s subtle persuasion.

“But that shouldn’t be a reason to attack the innocent.”

“Innocent, you say.”

Banner smiled bitterly and replied.

“I know Kang Hyunmu is far from ‘innocent.'”

Min Soha clicked her tongue at his sly attitude.

I don’t know how much this guy knows.

In the first place, the US military had no reason to stay in Korea after North Korea collapsed and a huge divide was created with China.

But like the United States, which maintained military bases all over the world for all sorts of reasons, they knew how to use information and threats.

“Well, I don’t think he’s bad enough to be called the worst person in the world, even if he has some sins. I know that guy a little.”

Min Soha said, trying to appease Commander Banner.

“He may seem reckless, but at least he knows how to reason. And his girlfriend is subtly keeping him in check.”

“Indeed.”

Banner nodded and said.

“But Kang Hyunmu is quite high on the list for this ‘Hammer Plan’ [likely a codename for a targeted elimination program]. As you may already know, the United States has already launched attacks around the world.”

Min Soha had heard about that.

That’s why Min Soha was surprised that Commander Banner had come to at least ask for her understanding.

“After eliminating the top 100, we’ll eliminate the next 100, and then the next 100. Even if Korea doesn’t approve.”

“Then do it.”

Min Soha said nonchalantly.

“Why are you asking me for permission? If you have to eliminate the target, whether it means cutting off diplomatic relations with that country or fighting the local army, it would be better to get retroactive approval.”

If diplomatic relations with the United States were severed, Korea would be the one to suffer. But she really didn’t seem to have any intention of helping the United States attack Hyunmu.

Banner felt that Kang Hyunmu’s control in Korea was quite deep-rooted.

Or perhaps she saw Kang Hyunmu as a powerful ally that she couldn’t possibly exclude.

“Then promise me you won’t interfere with our attack.”

“Oh, don’t be ridiculous. If you use weapons in our territory, the Korean army will naturally intervene. Don’t even dream about it.”

Is she serious? She might turn her guns on the US military?

Banner looked at Min Soha with a suspicious expression.

It was impossible to know whether it was courage or fear of Hyunmu.

But the Min Soha that Banner knew was not someone who would succumb to the other party out of fear.

And it was unbelievable that she felt less afraid of the US military than of Kang Hyunmu.

Banner glanced at his phone and sighed deeply.

“I have no choice.”

“Have you finally given up?”

“You just said it yourself. That retroactive approval is better than asking for permission.”

Min Soha’s face hardened.

“The US military has already been bombing the Ghost Mansion for 15 minutes. It was about the time that bald dictator’s house caught fire, so it should be settled by now.”

The reason why the commander of the US Forces in Korea had come all the way to persuade her was actually to prevent her from being informed about this situation.

Before Min Soha could shout in anger, Banner said with a chilling smile.

“I wonder if you’ll still say you can’t allow it after seeing Kang Hyunmu’s body.”

***

A sharp, high-pitched sound echoed in the sky.

The mountainside, shrouded in darkness, instantly lit up.

The missile directly hit the Ghost Mansion, which had stood proudly in that spot for a long time, causing a huge fire to erupt.

The Ghost Mansion disappeared without a trace, but the fighter jets flying over Seoul did not stop bombing.

Boom, boom, boom.

The bombs that pounded not only the Ghost Mansion but also the mountainside caused a huge sea of fire.

Claymores [anti-personnel mines] heated by the fire exploded everywhere.

Citizens in southern Seoul watched the war that started on the mountaintop in terror.

“Damn it, they’re hitting us really close.”

“Each one of those shots could save your life. That Kang Hyunmu guy has set up all sorts of weird traps in the mountains.”

At the foot of the mountain.

The US military squad, blocking the road leading to the Ghost Mansion, waited nervously, talking.

According to what they had been told, there were only two people in the Ghost Mansion where the target was.

Kang Hyunmu, the target, and a woman named Yumin.

They wondered if it was necessary to waste so many bombs on just two people, but they couldn’t help but be nervous about such a powerful ability user.

At that moment, soldiers wearing dark gray equipment walked past them.

These soldiers were equipped not only with guns, grenades, and military equipment, but also with various items that Hunters [individuals with special abilities] carried.

The black hammer-shaped patch on their shoulders was noticeable.

“Those are the ones who move directly under General Victor…”

The US soldiers realized that they were the special forces they had only heard about.

A unit of experts among experts, rich in equipment, technology, and experience as Hunters and soldiers.

Known as Warhammer.

They had heard that only a very small number were dispatched around the world, and even the US military was seeing them for the first time.

Strange crimson light emanated from the dark gray helmets of the Warhammer operatives.

They calmly stepped into the mountains, where explosions were still occurring and flames were rising. They didn’t even seem to feel the heat. Soon, the smoke and rising flames obscured their figures.

“Damn, this must be a really big deal. I didn’t know they could go this far, even if it’s our country.”

“Just do what you’re told. Didn’t you see that earlier? Damn, I never thought some parts of our hometown would become such a hell. If you’re weak-hearted, your town will be next.”

It wasn’t that there weren’t soldiers who felt pangs of conscience and confusion.

But they had already seen a hellish scene of citizens killing and destroying each other before their eyes.

In that situation, having been told who ‘the worst person in the world’ was and ordered to kill him, they had no choice but to move.

Boom, boom, boom!

Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed from the mountain. It hadn’t been long since the Warhammer operatives had gone up. The two US soldiers flinched and looked up at the mountain.

“The bombing seems to have stopped… It must be those Warhammer guys from earlier. They’re making a lot of noise.”

“Are they planning to leave no bones behind?”

Boom, boom, boom. But the explosions, which they thought would stop soon, didn’t stop easily.

The US soldiers thought the situation was getting stranger and stranger. But their orders were only to maintain the encirclement while the operatives handled it.

It was then.

Rumble.

Something that looked like a Korean military truck approached on the road.

Since it was the road leading to the Ghost Mansion, they quickly stopped the car.

The car door opened and someone jumped out. It was the voice of a cheerful woman.

“Hello. US military guys, do you speak Korean?”

A female soldier? The US soldiers were momentarily taken aback, but soon a translator stepped forward.

“I can. This is a US military operation area. The Korean military has no business here, so please leave.”

“Huh? That can’t be. This is our operation area, though?”

The female soldier said, taking something out.

The US soldiers, who thought it was an operation order, took the paper and looked blank.

Only one line of command was written on the paper.

[You can destroy anything that gets in your way.]

“What is this…”

“Perfect timing. Song Yeoun.”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind the US soldiers. The US soldiers were startled and pointed their guns at the man who had suddenly appeared.

At that moment, the female soldier called Song Yeoun made a sharp sound.

“Ah, everyone! Don’t move rashly!”

The Korean soldiers got out of the vehicle in a row and pointed their guns.

About a hundred US soldiers participated in the operation for secrecy. But just counting the number of trucks still coming in a row on the road seemed to exceed the number of US soldiers.

No matter how much it was the US military, they couldn’t handle this number.

Just when it seemed like a gunfight was about to break out, Hyunmu nonchalantly threw something.

The US military officer accepted it in a daze. It was the head of a man with Warhammer patches all over it.

The US military officer stared blankly at the operative’s head.

The top Hunters of the US elite unit were unilaterally massacred? Without even making a single scratch?

Hyunmu didn’t even pay attention to that and said to Song Yeoun.

“I was late because I was collecting patches to ask how many there were and to identify the guy who was running away.”

“What about Yumin?”

“She’s cleaning up the lab. A few chairs fell over because it was shaking.”

Hyunmu gave the US military officer a cold look and sneered.

“Our house is a haunted mansion that a paranoid patient seriously prepared for a nuclear attack. You should have brought a bunker buster [a weapon designed to penetrate hardened structures], not a missile.”

***

“Hahahahaha!”

Banner frowned at Min Soha’s loud laughter.

“What’s so funny? Commander Min Soha?”

“Ha, cough, heh heh. Hooo. Ah, it’s funny because you’re making a big mistake.”

“A mistake?”

Min Soha said, covering her mouth as if she couldn’t help but laugh.

“You came here because you were worried that I would move the Korean army, right? Because I’m the Martial Law Commander and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces? But you’re wrong. The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is the President, and Kang Hyunmu is the one who uses that President as a scarecrow.”

Banner’s expression hardened. Min Soha wiped away her laughter at the end and whispered coldly.

“If you don’t want to see your subordinates with holes all over their heads, you better get out of here right now.”