The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 174

174. Egg (2)

Seoul Metro, Seoul Station.

Two men emerged from the portal.

Seo Ji-ho, the president of the Metro faction.

Kim Kuk-jong, the leader of Gangbuk.

They walked down the dark corridor.

Numerous followers holding torches bowed their heads to the two men.

The two men did not speak to each other.

They were merely holding the egg.

The two men walked forward and entered a tall building.

There, a huge throne stood, and a bald-headed cult leader sat upon it.

The throne was in the basement, but that place alone was brightly lit by sunlight from above.

The sunlight reflected off the golden accessories that the cult leader wore, making him appear to glow.

The cult leader was literally emitting light himself.

The leader of the underground church, holding a huge and sacred staff.

Beneath the cult leader, dozens of people bowed their heads in worship.

The cult leader looked down at the two men.

“…….”

The two men silently looked up at the cult leader before prostrating themselves.

The kings of the two factions bowed before absolute faith.

The figure of immense power, holding the presidents and leaders of factions under his command.

He was the leader of the underground church.

From Round 1 to the present, everything in Seoul started with him and ended with him.

No amount of force or politics could neutralize the cult leader.

Innocence, love, gospel.

The cult leader prioritized temperance above all other leaders.

He did not possess much materially, but at the same time, he controlled everything.

All residents living underground praised his teachings and bowed their heads.

He was the god of the underground.

The god rose from his seat.

A brilliant ray of light shone upon his body.

“The surface must be destroyed.”

He took one step, descending from the throne.

“The surface is a hell where contaminated beings live.”

Another step.

“The contaminated must be disposed of. That is the law of the world, and the truth that has allowed us to survive until now.”

Another step.

“But through numerous explorations, we tried to save them, but they refused our overtures.”

Another step.

Now he stood before the two prostrated leaders.

“The heretics and the contaminated must be disposed of. That is the task you must accomplish in this land.”

Two maids approached the cult leader, their white cheeks holding bowls filled with water.

The cult leader put his hands into the bowls, soaked them, and sprinkled the water on the two prostrated leaders.

“Go and burn everything, liberate Seoul.”

The two leaders rose from their spots.

And turned around.

Thousands of ‘Hunters’ were lined up.

These thousands were all ‘commanders.’

Not ordinary soldiers.

The hunters, having received the cult leader’s orders, began to strike the ground with the butts of their guns.

The sound was so magnificent and immense that the inner walls forming the underground world shook.

However, the cult leader’s artifact ability, ‘Tendrils,’ which wrapped around the inner walls, remained firm no matter how much they vibrated.

A war of destruction had arrived.

Now they were ready to devour and burn everything.

Seo Ji-ho, the president of Metro, who received the order from the cult leader, raised his hand towards the hunters.

Then all the hunters stopped hitting the ground and fell silent.

In the silent underground passage, the president commanded them.

“All troops, deploy.”

Everything was to purify the contaminated.

And to liberate Seoul from the heretics.

***

The elite unit is Mankyeong’s proudest and strongest force.

Mankyeong was largely composed of two military organizations.

The elite unit and the regular army.

The detailed organization of each army was incorporated into units of 100 soldiers.

The elite unit was directly under the Emperor’s command, and now under the Hero’s command. The combat power of each and every one of them was superior even when compared to Metro’s hunters.

Units 101 to 109, each with 100 soldiers, totaling 900 members, belonged to the elite unit.

The regular army was directly under the command of the council, possessing the largest number of soldiers and reservists, and was in charge of actual combat power.

Units 01 to 47 each had 100 soldiers, totaling 4,700 members, were assigned to the regular army, and Units 48 to 100 each had 100 soldiers, totaling 5,300 members, were reservists.

Among the units operated by the regular army, Units 01 to 05 were ogre units accompanied by ogres.

The one who commanded the regular army and the reservists was Hwang Min-jae, the commander-in-chief personally appointed by Ha Yun-ha.

And the captain of the elite unit was Jung Hyun-soo, but now that Choi Myung-joon had returned, the command system would change.

The 900 members of the elite unit.

They were Kang Si-on’s dogs.

The most elite special forces that barked when the master told them to bark, and bit when told to bite, according to the master’s orders.

The captain of that special forces unit was Choi Myung-joon.

The first thing Choi Myung-joon did to them was to establish discipline.

“…….”

He entered the elite unit’s training facility and looked down at the members.

“Kuh-heup… Kuh-huh-huh….”

“Eu-eu-woo… Kuh-huh-heu-heup…!”

“Haa…! Haa…!!!”

The elite unit members were all groaning, dripping with sweat.

Choi Myung-joon sat down and observed them.

Then he opened his mouth.

“Stop.”

As soon as he told them to stop, the elite unit members collapsed to the ground.

“Puh-haa…! Keo-heo-eok…!”

“Heu-eu…! Heu-eu-eu…! Heu!”

“Ka-ha-aa… Haa-aa….”

The elite unit members were being punished, their faces buried in the dirt.

Choi Myung-joon walked among the elite unit members rolling on the ground.

Excluding Units 101 to 103, which Jung Hyun-soo had taken, there were a total of 600 members.

All of them had gathered at this training ground at Choi Myung-joon’s call and were being disciplined.

“Hey, you sons of bitches. When the owner comes, you should wag your tails and greet him. What the fuck. You try to bite? You live as you please? Has the elite unit really become a mess?”

“We, we are sorry!!!”

“We are sorry!!!”

“Hey, hey-! Min-jae.”

“Yes. Tell me.”

Commander-in-chief Hwang Min-jae.

Hwang Min-jae was sweating profusely.

He was not directly in charge of the elite unit, but he had developed his martial skills in Choi Myung-joon’s elite unit in the past.

Also, he had been by Choi Myung-joon’s side since the Manan Police Station, serving him as a younger brother and Kang Si-on as a respected older brother.

“It’s a problem because you educate them like this. How did you educate these kids?”

“……I will correct it.”

In fact, there was nothing Hwang Min-jae could do.

Until now, the elite unit had been Kang Si-on’s loyal henchmen, which was enough reason to be strongly pressured by Land Minister Lee Seok-jin and the progressive forces.

But even for that reason, Choi Myung-joon could not tolerate it.

The elite unit was so subdued that Mankyeong was dominated by Kang Si-on’s detractors, such as the progressive forces.

Therefore, they could not properly use the power they possessed.

“The status of the elite unit has become shit. Discipline starts from fixing what has fallen. ……You sons of bitches. Why aren’t you all getting up?!?!!”

Thump-!

At Choi Myung-joon’s thunderous roar, the elite unit members immediately stood up and realigned.

Choi Myung-joon looked at his aligned subordinates and spotted the orc he had fought before.

The orc’s forehead was swollen red.

“Who is this?”

“We, we are sorry!!!”

“What are you sorry for?”

“We, we, we are sorry-!!!”

“So what are you sorry for?”

“……Euk!!”

The orc could no longer say anything.

Choi Myung-joon stroked the orc’s cheek and passed by.

He had also heard something from the orc.

It was the humans’ rejection of other races.

Of course, Choi Myung-joon had plans to correct that first.

In this elite unit, there should only be a strong camaraderie between brothers who endure being stabbed together, and there should be no discrimination.

“From today, we will train in my way. Everyone must attend without exception. Do you understand?”

“Yes! Brother!”

“Yes! Brother!”

The elite unit shouted in unison, and Choi Myung-joon didn’t like their voices.

“Voice……? What……?”

Anticipating another round of discipline, the elite unit shouted with all their might.

“Yes-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brother-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Yes-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“10km run. Prepare within 10 seconds.”

“Yes-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Understood!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

“Yes-!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Understood!!!!!!!!!!!!! Brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Swish-.

They scattered in perfect order and prepared for the run.

Hwang Min-jae was slightly impressed by Choi Myung-joon’s leadership style.

As expected, Choi Myung-joon was the only one who could lead them.

***

Clang-! Clang-!

The sound of metal echoed loudly in the gymnasium.

This place was originally a military supply warehouse and factory, preparing for the war with Dong-an.

It was also the most important space in Mankyeong, where labor was considered sacred.

I deployed a few dwarves within the faction and held a demonstration event here to refine red ore.

“Red ore generates heat when pressure is applied. So it can be used in various forms, but what we can do is limited to this.”

A short dwarf handed me a mechanical device combined with red ore.

I examined it and asked.

“What is the principle?”

“The principle is simple. When you pull this lever towards you, a certain amount of pressure is applied to the red ore. Like this.”

The dwarf operated the mechanical device and demonstrated.

The chain inside made a loud noise and struck the small ore inside.

“Would you like to touch the front? Gently. It’s hot.”

As the dwarf said, I touched the front of the mechanical device.

The ore quickly became hot enough to make me pull my finger away.

“The amount of pressure applied also varies depending on the size. What our race can handle is splitting the red ore and generating enough heat even with such small pressure.”

“What else?”

“Only certain races will know. Even if you ask my brothers, it will be the same.”

The dwarf took the mechanical device from me and placed it on the desk.

There is a limit with them alone.

Eventually, I had to bring those dwarves who only lived in Incheon into the faction.

Of course, the dwarves belonging to the Wanderers in Mankyeong were also excellent blacksmiths, but it was not enough.

“Red ore is the only thing that can penetrate the dragon’s skin, right?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

Jin Jae-hee nodded and touched the mechanical device as if it were amazing.

In fact.

Actually, there was no need to be so fixated on red ore.

I had a stone knife item that could erase anything I received from K.

If I could encounter the dragon with that stone knife item, I could clear Round 3 in one go.

In this case, there are two problems.

The first is that in order to meet the dragon, I have to defeat the Metro faction.

The second is that the stone knife is too precious to be used on ‘just’ a dragon.

And in order to clear this Round 2.5, what I had to aim for was the economy.

“Where is Yun-ha?”

“She’ll be at the palace. Waiting in the vault.”

“Let’s go there.”

I left the factory to head to the palace.

In front of the factory, a huge carriage procession was waiting to serve Kang Si-on.

Even if he only visited one place, dozens of elite units followed and escorted him.

That was the natural right of Mankyeong’s top leader.

***

Mankyeong’s greatest weapon in the eyes of other countries is not just the ogres and Choi Myung-joon’s elite unit. The players with overwhelming combat power were also a tremendous weapon.

But that is a misjudgment.

In fact, Mankyeong’s greatest strength is its economic power.

Breaking through the strict security, the place where Kang Si-on and his party approached was the innermost area of the palace.

Ha Yun-ha personally guided Kang Si-on and Jin Jae-hee. Before long, they were able to reach the innermost room.

“Just a moment.”

Ha Yun-ha took out a necklace she was wearing inside her clothes and handed it to Si-on.

“For five years, I have always kept it with me. Since that day, I have managed it thoroughly, and I have prevented anyone from touching the Hero’s property.”

Si-on accepted the key that Yun-ha handed him and smiled faintly.

“Thank you.”

He opened the vault’s lock without hesitation.

Clunk-! Kuggeugeugeug.

The vault door opened slightly automatically, and inside were not gold bars with colorful hues… but piles of cigarettes.

“I have collected all the cigarettes that come into the faction. I have also bought them from time to time, and I have not used them at all. The overall amount will have increased a lot compared to before.”

“The cigarette storage condition is good.”

Kang Si-on gave a brief impression as he examined the cigarettes piled up in the room.

On the other hand, Jin Jae-hee turned her gaze away.

She had quit smoking.

In fact, it was not quitting smoking, but enduring it.

“What’s that?”

Kang Si-on pointed to a box piled up on one side of the vault and asked.

“It’s soju [Korean distilled spirit]. Soju is not as easy to collect as I thought, so there are only 818 bottles in total….”

“No. It’s very excellent.”

Si-on smiled slightly and patted Yun-ha on the shoulder.

A shy smile appeared on Yun-ha’s face.

There were thousands of hardships in the process of protecting and collecting this, but those hardships disappeared like snow at his one compliment.

Soju, like cigarettes, was a luxury item with considerable value.

Ha Yun-ha not only collected cigarettes, but also stacked soju and beer.

From Si-on’s point of view, Yun-ha was very admirable.

These cigarettes were not simply luxury goods in this era.

This was a weapon.

Cigarettes were full of carcinogenic substances that caused strong addiction, which made people’s lives bound to cigarettes.

Of course, that was also a great value of cigarettes.

“Now… is it finally starting?”

Jin Jae-hee asked cautiously.

Kang Si-on picked up a carton of cigarettes and replied.

“Yeah. Now it’s time to release this enormous amount of cigarettes.”

Humans are simpler than you think.

They are simple and pleasure-loving animals.

Kang Si-on was planning to use such human habits.

If Ha Yun-ha had only raised the economic level so far, Kang Si-on had a plan to grow the economic level so that other countries would not dare to covet it.

And one more thing.

The gold he earned from the items he sold in the community.

For example, the boiler manufacturing method was a steady seller sold all over the country.

He had been selling it for the past five years…….

“In addition, I should start using this soon.”

Kang Si-on smiled slightly as he checked his gold amount in the community.

(Continued in the next episode)