The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 181

181. Dongjak District Battle (3)

The senior soldier glanced back at Lee Ho-seung, who trailed behind, and called out, “Busan! Get a grip. What’ll you do if you’re already spent?”

Lee Ho-seung, drenched in sweat, nodded at the reprimand. “S-sorry. I’ll catch up.”

He hastened his pace, falling into step beside the senior.

The senior clapped him on the shoulder, offering a word of encouragement. “Almost there. Once we get past this road, we’ll be at Seoul National University.”

“…Yes. Thank… Thank you,” Lee Ho-seung replied, wiping his parched lips with the back of his hand, his gaze drifting to the side.

A hulking ogre, laden with supplies, lumbered past the line of infantry.

Each step of the ogre sent tremors through the ground, like a miniature earthquake.

Thump… Thump… Thump…

The sheer size of the creature was awe-inspiring.

Lee Ho-seung watched the ogre, then opened a plastic bottle and took a small sip of water.

The senior, his face glistening with sweat, smiled. “Looks like the ability user squad has secured Seoul National University. At this rate, we’ll take Dongjak without much trouble.”

“…Ah. The ability user squad.”

Lee Ho-seung knew Jin Jae-hee was among them.

*It’s Jin Jae-hee, after all.*

Having witnessed her power back at the Nest, he was confident in her survival, no matter the odds.

His own situation, however, was a different story.

He was weak, armed with nothing more than a pathetic spear.

The senior had always looked out for him.

“Hang in there, Busan! We’ll survive this and laugh about it later, right? The Hero’s on our side, so victory’s guaranteed. Just stick with me.”

“Hero… Yes. I believe it too.”

Kang Si-on was trusted by Jin Jae-hee.

Lee Ho-seung had no reason to doubt him.

Unit 079 marched onto the Seoul National University campus.

The university’s iconic gate lay in ruins, a broken symbol of what once was.

Even within the university grounds, they maintained a vigilant perimeter.

After a grueling three-hour march from Mangyeong, they had finally reached Seoul National University in Gwanak District.

A journey that would have taken just 30 minutes by subway had stretched into an exhausting three hours.

Lee Ho-seung now understood the true meaning of a war march.

Suddenly, a shout rang out. “Elite unit incoming! Everyone, move to the sides!”

The commander of Unit 079 directed the troops, waving his hand to clear a path.

Lee Ho-seung wiped the sweat from his brow and followed the senior to the edge of the road.

The sight of the elite unit was truly terrifying.

“…”

Each member possessed the fierce eyes of a predator, their equipment far superior to that of ordinary soldiers.

Despite being allies, their overwhelming presence made you feel insignificant.

They were the embodiment of an elite fighting force.

The elite unit was forged through hellish training under the command of the newly appointed Commander Choi Myung-joon.

Lee Ho-seung spotted Choi Myung-joon leading the unit.

Unit 079 buzzed with excitement at his appearance.

“…Choi, Choi Myung-joon.”

“Isn’t he the Hero’s right-hand man?”

“Amazing.”

“Don’t stare too much. I heard those elite unit guys are violent.”

“They have to be violent. Gotta be tough to be elite. Can you trust a soft face?”

Ignoring the whispers around him, Choi Myung-joon marched forward, his gaze fixed ahead. The elite unit followed his lead.

*Choi Hyun-ji’s defense of Gangdong… Jin Jae-hee’s capture of Dongjak… Ha Yoon-ha and Jung Hyun-soo’s defense of Mangyeong…*

He and his unit were carrying out Kang Si-on’s special orders.

Choi Myung-joon was determined to bring glory to his leader above all else.

To achieve this, he had pushed his elite unit to their limits, training them relentlessly.

The current members possessed combat capabilities rivaling those of artifact ability users.

Ordinary soldiers could only tremble at the sight of them.

Even the commander of Unit 079 bowed respectfully to Choi Myung-joon.

Lee Ho-seung watched Choi Myung-joon’s back and thought, *That person… the Hero’s right-hand man…*

He couldn’t imagine him ever losing.

* * *

The ogres formed a massive living wall centered around Seoul National University.

As the soldiers from Mangyeong poured in, they began establishing their garrisons.

This location had previously served as a forward base for the Metro forces, so a combat-ready environment was quickly established without the need for extensive construction.

Seoul National University was the heart of Gwanak District.

With its capture, Gwanak District was effectively under Kang Si-on’s control.

Kang Si-on’s first priority was to locate any survivors in Gwanak District.

He sought information and potential recruits.

But surprisingly, they found no one.

Only skeletons and decaying corpses.

The Metro organization primarily resided in the northern and western subways of Seoul.

According to Choi Hyun-ji, one of the Metro forces’ decrees was, “Those who go above ground shall be judged.”

Therefore, unless they were exceptional individuals, there was no reason to venture above ground.

The hunters’ use of gas masks stemmed from the same belief.

They believed the surface world was contaminated and wore the masks to filter out even the smallest particles.

Si-on considered such precautions pointless.

*It’s all stupid짓거리 [jitgeori – a foolish act or behavior].*

Kang Si-on turned to Hwang Min-jae, who stood beside him. “Mobilize the ogres to destroy all the subways in Gwanak.”

“Understood. I will proceed immediately.”

Hwang Min-jae promptly carried out the Hero’s order.

Seoul was a city of subways, a vast network of lines like a spiderweb.

He decided it was best to destroy these lines, preventing their use as transportation by the enemy.

With the ogres, it was a simple task.

Like shattering ice on a frozen road with a single stomp, the ogres used their massive feet to collapse asphalt and cement.

Filling the subway tunnels became the first order of business in the occupied territory.

Kang Si-on’s army continued its advance.

The goal was to quickly secure Dongjak District and put pressure on Yeouido.

* * *

Several days passed, and Kang Si-on’s ability user squad launched another preemptive strike to capture Dongjak District.

This time, the occupation was different from that of Gwanak.

The enemy had established defensive positions.

Hunters used buildings as fortresses, firing guns and arrows.

The soldiers of Mangyeong, armed with shields at best, fell before the onslaught of bullets and arrows.

The sacrifice was significant, but no matter how strong the hunters’ defenses, they were no match for the ogres.

-Kuaaaaaaaa-!!!

Kang Si-on’s assault ogre unleashed a deafening roar and charged towards the building from which the bullets were raining down.

Hunters aimed for the ogre’s eyes, firing relentlessly.

The bullets flew with deadly force.

But the ogre, unfazed, continued its charge, shielding its eyes with its hands.

It reached the building in moments.

The hunters realized that bullets alone couldn’t stop the ogre and tried to flee, but it was too late.

Kwaang-! Urrrrrr-!!!

A thunderous roar echoed through the city.

As the ogre slammed into the building, the concrete structure crumbled like Lego bricks.

The hunters were buried beneath the rubble, and those who survived faced the swords and spears of the advancing infantry.

The battle raged not only in the streets but also within the buildings.

Hunters relied on more than just guns.

As Kang Si-on had anticipated, they deployed small units with firearms, but the majority were ordinary infantry armed with swords and spears.

The hunters planned to ambush and destroy the main force of Mangyeong inside the buildings.

However, this plan was swiftly dismantled by Choi Myung-joon’s elite unit.

The sound of gunfire echoed through the dark hallways.

Tudada-!

A hunter’s aim went wide, hitting the wall, and he fumbled to reload his magazine.

Seizing the opportunity, an elite unit member leaped from his hiding spot, using the hallway wall as a springboard.

Taat-!

The hunter’s eyes widened behind his gas mask as he watched the elite unit member soar through the air like a flying squirrel.

The elite unit members had been trained in parkour.

And the skill proved invaluable within the confines of the building.

The elite unit member’s 회칼 [hoekal – sashimi knife] flashed towards the hunter’s neck.

Hwirik-. Puk! Chwareureuk-.

The 회칼 [hoekal – sashimi knife] pierced the hunter’s neck with deadly accuracy, and blood spurted from within the gas mask.

“Puaaak-!”

The elite unit member twisted the knife in a cross shape to ensure a swift kill.

When the enemy ceased moving, he sought out his next target.

He looked up to see dozens of hunters brandishing weapons.

The hunters, witnessing their comrade’s gruesome demise, recoiled.

The elite unit member’s assessment of the situation was clear: they were nothing more than a disorganized mob without guns.

He rose to his feet, pulling the 회칼 [hoekal – sashimi knife] from the hunter’s neck, and his fellow elite unit members followed suit.

The two groups faced each other in the hallway.

They exchanged silent glares, the power dynamic clear.

The elite unit was the predator, and the hunters were the prey.

The ensuing one-sided massacre left the narrow hallway awash in blood.

* * *

Victory report. Victory report. Victory report.

Kang Si-on heard victory reports multiple times a day.

At first, his commanders celebrated, but after a few days, victory became commonplace.

The capture of Gwanak took less than a day, and while Dongjak had been contested for a week, the annihilation of the enemy forces was only a matter of time.

The performance of the ogres and the elite unit far exceeded Kang Si-on’s expectations.

While infantry units sometimes faltered against enemy fire, the ogres and the elite unit remained unstoppable.

Continuous victories.

They triumphed in every engagement.

Kang Si-on studied the map and asked Hwang Min-jae, “What’s the situation in Songpa?”

Hwang Min-jae responded immediately. “As ordered, we are not launching reckless attacks and are focusing on regional defense.”

Kang Si-on nodded.

They were also conducting offensive operations in Songpa.

But twenty ogres and Choi Hyun-ji were stationed there.

Furthermore, Dongwang in Gangnam was providing support and cooperating with their efforts.

The conquest was progressing steadily, but one problem remained.

The enemy’s main force remained elusive.

Kang Si-on had anticipated an attack on the Mangyeong headquarters.

But they had not made any rash moves.

He couldn’t imagine any other possibilities.

If they weren’t focused on defense, their only option was to confront the 괴수 [goesu – monster] of Mangyeong.

*I just have to keep doing what I’m doing. Don’t doubt it.*

Doubt breeds doubt, eventually leading to a lack of confidence in one’s own decisions.

With the capture of Dongjak imminent, the leader of Mangyeong couldn’t afford to waver.

Kang Si-on ran a hand through his hair and addressed the remaining commanders. “We will accelerate the capture of Dongjak District as planned before they can reorganize. Move quickly.”

The commanders responded with a resounding shout and left the barracks.

The city echoed with gunfire and screams.

After a few more days, Dongjak District was under Kang Si-on’s control.

In just two weeks since the start of the war, Mangyeong had acquired territory equal to its own size.

* * *

Jin Jae-hee gazed at the river, its surface shimmering in the sunlight.

Aside from the piles of hunter corpses lining the riverbank, the Han River retained its beauty.

She felt a sense of reverence for the river.

Suddenly, a massive wave surged from the opposite bank.

The creatures responsible for destroying the Han River bridges were swarming beneath the surface.

They were the reason you could drink the Han River water but couldn’t cross it.

Red scales broke the surface.