The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 184

184. The Battle to Defend Mangyeong

It wasn’t just Mangyeong that had tamed monsters.

Metro also had its own tamed monsters.

The monstrous Dudu.

Though herbivores, they were notoriously violent, known for charging headfirst into anything.

They resembled the ancient Triceratops, with thick skin and four large horns.

Originally, they were tamed to pull carts on the railways, replacing electricity.

Of course, the Dudu weren’t as intelligent as Mangyeong’s Ogres.

Kang Si-On was remarkable because he had tamed the Ogres so ‘perfectly’ that he could use them in many ways.

In comparison, the Dudu were dim-witted.

All they could do was charge in a straight line, and even that was hard to control, requiring significant sacrifices to recapture them, just as when they were first caught.

Nevertheless, the Metro forces mobilized the Dudu for this war for a simple reason.

They were creatures that could break through anything.

Like modern tunnel-boring machines, they were useful for creating additional tunnels underground.

Thanks to this habit of the Dudu, the Metro forces were able to secure more territory underground, in addition to the existing subway lines.

And the reason for Metro’s delayed advance was that they had infiltrated Mangyeong through these underground passages dug by the Dudu.

Digging underground tunnels deep into Mangyeong with the Dudu, and then killing the monster in one fell swoop.

That was the Metro forces’ strategy.

As Kang Si-On had predicted, they intended to start their plan once Mangyeong’s main force invested time and troops in attacking the bridge, but.

Kang Si-On hadn’t moved his troops for weeks, so they couldn’t execute it.

But now that the passage was complete, Metro’s commanders decided to proceed with the operation.

As their operation commenced, the full-scale battle to defend Mangyeong began.

The rain continued for days.

Amidst the relentless downpour, the sound of tearing air echoed.

Thud- Bang! Thwack!!!

A massive sinkhole began to form in the heart of Mangyeong.

Crawling out of the sinkhole were the Dudu, with expressions as ferocious as the Ogres.

The Dudu looked around, found something to charge at, and rushed forward without hesitation.

Thwack-!!!

A small building collapsed under their charge.

“Eek-!”

“They’re here!”

“Run away!”

The startled citizens of Mangyeong began to flee in all directions.

Hunters wearing gas masks emerged slowly through the holes the Dudu had created.

They slowly climbed out of the pit and scanned their surroundings with sharp eyes.

Upon spotting any of Mangyeong’s citizens, they didn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.

Bang, bang, bang-!!!

The hunters invariably fired single, aimed shots during engagements.

Their intention was to minimize the waste of bullets.

The bullets fired in this way mercilessly pierced through the citizens of Mangyeong.

“Agh-!”

“Ugh……!”

The citizens screamed and collapsed helplessly.

They shot indiscriminately, regardless of whether they were soldiers or civilians.

The order given to the hunters, who prioritized the cult leader’s commands, was to ‘burn Mangyeong to the ground.’

The Metro forces aimed to crush their will to fight by carrying out a massacre in Mangyeong.

Of course, breaking the fighting spirit of Mangyeong’s citizens, united under Kang Si-On, was a difficult task.

Mangyeong’s archers, who had been ambushing on the upper floors of buildings, began to fire arrows all at once.

“Fire-! Kill them all!”

They unleashed a barrage of arrows at the sinkhole.

Whizz- Ting-!

However, the arrows bounced off the bulletproof helmets and fell weakly to the ground.

The hunter in the red helmet looked up at Mangyeong’s archers.

They were the Metro forces’ troubleshooters, having received specialized special forces training.

Each was supplied with 120 rounds of ammunition.

Entire platoons were armed with rifles.

Their shooting skills were arguably the best in the Republic of Korea.

The red helmet aimed at Mangyeong’s archers in a standing position.

Bang! Bang!

With just two shots, he neutralized Mangyeong’s archers.

Following this, the red helmet directed the hunters who followed behind to begin infiltrating deep into Mangyeong.

One by one, they ran in low stances and entered the city.

Smoke billowed from various places, and bullets flew.

Thus, they carried out a one-sided massacre.

However, Kang Si-On had already seen through the Metro forces’ scheme.

Therefore, Mangyeong was fully prepared for their attack.

Thud-.

A man landed softly on the roof of a building and looked down at the hunters, saying.

“Long time no see. The Red Devil, was it?”

The hunters immediately fired their guns in the direction of the voice, but the bullets passed right through the man’s body.

The space where the bullets passed through was punctured, and lightning crackled within.

The man was Jeong Hyun-soo.

Jeong Hyun-soo asked the one in the red helmet, the so-called ‘Red Devil.’

“I thought you were dead, but you’re still alive?”

The Red Devil was a player hunter known for mercilessly murdering wanderers in the Geumcheon and Guro areas.

He was also Jeong Hyun-soo’s rival, with whom he had fiercely fought, each aiming for the other’s life, for the past two years.

To prevent unnecessary waste of bullets, the Red Devil made a fist and ordered a cease-fire.

The Red Devil lowered his gun and looked up at Jeong Hyun-soo, saying.

“So, you were protecting Mangyeong as well.”

The Red Devil took off his gas mask.

His subordinates were surprised by his actions, but the Red Devil remained calm.

In fact, they all knew.

The reason they had to wear gas masks on the surface was simply because it went against their doctrine.

In reality, most of the residents of the Metro forces were from the surface, and the Red Devil was no exception.

His exposed face no longer resembled a human’s.

The skin on his face was sagging, covered with scars from electric burns, and one of his eyes was blind, showing only the white.

All the wounds were inflicted by Jeong Hyun-soo.

Jeong Hyun-soo sneered.

“What’s the point of coming through tunnels, sweating like a North Korean pig? It’s like crawling into your own grave.”

At Jeong Hyun-soo’s provocation, the Red Devil looked around.

The trap that Mangyeong had prepared over the past two months was simple.

The reservists and laborers had reorganized Mangyeong.

They had turned the city into a maze.

They had blocked all roads and buildings so that they could defend against enemies emerging from anywhere.

It cost quite a bit to construct a city, but Kang Si-On covered the construction costs with gold he bought with cigarettes and alcohol.

He had used the black market and Incheon [a major port city in South Korea].

Kang Si-On had previously checked the asset size of each player visiting the nest and the size of the black market.

He secured the construction costs through them, and the labor required for construction was provided by Ogres and players.

It was a demonstration of why Mangyeong was economically number one.

With money, anything was possible.

Especially in developing a city like this into a maze, two months was enough.

All of this was thanks to Kang Si-On’s wealth.

Even if the hunters infiltrated the city using the Dudu, what they would face was Mangyeong’s densely built defense line.

Looking around at these defenses, the Red Devil briefly commented.

“A trap has been set…….”

“A rat trap. A trap for you guys who live in the dark, dirty, and smelly underground like rats. How is it? Should I give you a welcoming greeting? Shall I blind your left eye this time?”

Crack-.

Lightning crackled on Jeong Hyun-soo’s finger.

The Red Devil looked at Jeong Hyun-soo’s finger and grinned, baring his teeth.

“Interesting. Definitely interesting. The reason I like fighting you……. is because of your confidence. Because of your attitude that doesn’t fear death. I like you. You’re young and full of spirit. Should I say you’re different from the kids these days? Hahaha……. But do you know? No matter how many defenses you build…….”

At that moment, the main force of the Metro began to crawl out of the sinkhole.

The Metro main force, totaling 65,000 troops.

The forces blocking Mangyeong’s main force on the ground were at most 20,000 troops.

And the rest had all come here.

Metro was now leading the largest army in the league’s history, charging into the heart of Mangyeong.

Jeong Hyun-soo couldn’t help but frown as he confirmed their ant-like, numerous legions.

The Red Devil finished his sentence.

“……how long you can last. I wonder. You little Pikachu [a reference to the Pokemon character, implying electric powers]. I’ll finish you off this time.”

Rat-tat-tat-tat-!

The Red Devil launched a preemptive strike, and the fierce battle with Jeong Hyun-soo began.

* * *

A bizarre snoring sound echoed through the soccer field.

-Zzzzzzzzz! Coo……. Zzzzzzzzzzz! Coo…….

Ha Yun-ha looked at the monster that filled the soccer field.

The monster’s belly rose and fell in a steady rhythm.

All sorts of foul odors filled the soccer field.

The stench coming from the monster’s maw or excrement was unbearable, even for the citizens of Mangyeong who were accustomed to the smell of corpses.

The aides around her frowned at each other, suffering from the stench, but Ha Yun-ha remained calm.

She steadfastly maintained her expression as she looked at the monster.

Outside the stadium, the shouts and screams of people were deafening.

The full-scale battle to defend Mangyeong had begun.

Ha Yun-ha suddenly remembered what the hero had said to her before leaving Mangyeong.

-The defense will probably fail. When the enemy’s main force rushes in, the defenses will be breached no matter how strong they are.

Kang Si-On had already given up on defending Mangyeong.

In fact, even if Metro’s army was inferior to Mangyeong in quality, their numbers were overwhelmingly greater.

They possessed a detailed military system and units that were comparable to those of ancient kingdoms.

So Mangyeong would lose.

That was Kang Si-On’s judgment.

The only breakthrough Kang Si-On had envisioned for this 2.5 round was to kill the enemy’s monster before his own monster died.

That was why Kang Si-On had defended Mangyeong with only the garrison, and the remaining main force had all set out to occupy Seoul.

According to the information she occasionally received, the operation was proceeding smoothly, but.

The problem was here.

An aide approached Ha Yun-ha, holding his nose.

The aide placed his finger on the back of Ha Yun-ha’s hand and reported.

Ha Yun-ha instantly received the information the aide knew.

-Unit 03 annihilated, Unit 051 annihilated. The situation is deteriorating rapidly.

The aide only reported that and stepped back.

Then, a few minutes later, another aide approached her and placed his finger on the back of her hand in the same way.

-Unit 05 annihilated, Unit 06 annihilated. Commander Jeong Hyun-soo fighting well. Several victories. Dozens of retreats.

The reports she heard all day were similar.

Even just counting the reports she had heard so far, the casualties on Mangyeong’s side exceeded 500.

500 people had died in just one day of the invasion.

It was an enormous number.

Ha Yun-ha couldn’t bear to think that the screams of people echoing through the soccer field were those of her own people, not the enemy’s.

She clenched her fist so tightly that the veins in the back of her hand stood out.

But she had to endure.

No matter what sacrifices were made.

The order Kang Si-On had given her was simple and clear.

Once the Metro forces’ offensive begins, hold out for a week.

After that, I’ll take care of it.

Ha Yun-ha intended to carry out his orders, even if it meant her own death.

To do that, she thought she couldn’t just sit still.

* * *

For days, the rain had been pouring relentlessly.

A fierce battle unfolded inside Mangyeong.

Corpses piled up like mountains.

That was a figurative expression from ancient wars, but it perfectly described the current situation.

In three days, nearly 2,000 of Mangyeong’s soldiers had died.

Corpses lay torn to pieces in the streets.

The bodies of people were entangled in every space that made up the city, including buildings and rooftops.

Everyone was equal before a gun.

Moreover, because it was the best killing weapon in human history, where even one hit was sure to kill.

Even Mangyeong’s well-trained defense forces had to suffer considerable casualties.

Except for the core areas defending Mangyeong’s monster, the city was truly a jungle.

A jungle of death with no front lines, no strategies, and no armies.

Whether they were Mangyeong soldiers or Metro hunters, they moved in small groups, and when they encountered the enemy, they were busy killing each other.

Even at night, there was no distinction between friendly and enemy lines, so they would hide somewhere and wait for morning.

The form of this battle was proceeding as Kang Si-On had planned.

If they confronted the hunters with front lines, strategies, and armies, Mangyeong would collapse in less than a day.

But if the battle took place in a battlefield that was truly like a maze, where they didn’t know where or how the enemy would emerge, they could at least buy time.

Of course, in the process, Mangyeong’s forces had to endure enormous damage.

The hunters pushed forward relentlessly.

Mangyeong was doing its best to stop the enemy forces, but there were limits.

Even if war is determined by strategy, tactics, and supplies, if it is pushed forward with a large amount of material, the victory will tilt.

Mangyeong medics were complaining everywhere.

“There are too many injured!”

“Hasn’t the medical equipment arrived yet?”

“We need more people to apply pressure here!”

They had set up clinics, but the medics and beds they had prepared in advance were woefully inadequate.

Up to 100 patients a day were leaving the battlefield and moving to the rear clinics.

They were struggling with an already insufficient workforce.

Gunshot wounds were more dangerous than knife wounds.

Wounds caused by bullets were largely divided into two types.

It was fortunate if the bullet only penetrated the flesh and passed through.

But if it hit bones or organs, the human body would be damaged to such an extent that it could not be revived even with modern medicine.

In particular, medical equipment and medical systems were not perfect.

Most of those lying on the beds would die, but they did their best.

A doctor, whose face as well as his entire body was stained with blood, looked for a nurse.

“Isn’t there a nurse? Nurse!”

But the nurse who had been treating people until just now was lying dead on the asphalt.

The arrows fired by the enemies on the rooftop meant that this place was not completely safe either.

Mangyeong’s medics had one goal.

To save those who could be saved.

They would only pray for those who were already beyond hope.

But it was a disqualification as a doctor if they could not save someone who could be saved due to lack of manpower and equipment.

At that moment, someone ran barefoot and approached the doctor, placing their hand on the wound.

The doctor was startled to see the woman’s identity.

“Your Majesty!”

“Start suturing. Quickly!”

Ha Yun-ha shouted back at the doctor.

The doctor blinked for 2 seconds to sort out the situation, and the moment he saw her determined eyes, he executed without hesitation.

“Yes!”

The doctor began the suturing. Blood flowed from the wound where the bullet had grazed, but thanks to Ha Yun-ha’s diligent nursing, the patient was able to survive.

Ha Yun-ha moved on to another place without delay.

She roamed the battlefield herself, trying to be of help.

This time, when a soldier carrying supplies collapsed, she rushed to him and supported him.

She did everything she could.

Her actions became an example for all the citizens of Mangyeong.

The Mangyeong defense, which would not have been strange if it had collapsed in a day, was already on its third day.

The Metro forces were pushing in relentlessly, but each time, the citizens of Mangyeong worked together to defend the city, following the Emperor.

At that moment, Ha Yun-ha heard an old man’s scream.

“Cough……!”

Thud-!

The old man clutched his heart and fell forward.

The old man was buried in the mud and wasn’t breathing.

But the people around him were busy focusing on their own tasks, and no one paid attention to the old man.

Ha Yun-ha waded through the mud and approached the old man.

Ha Yun-ha was not a doctor.

But she had to do what she could.

She continued to perform CPR and artificial respiration.

She desperately tried to save him.

The citizens were running quickly in all directions.

They couldn’t even imagine that their Emperor was performing CPR on an old man.

In the midst of this, the running citizens collided with her, and she was knocked away from the old man.

“Kya- Ack!”

Thump-!

The whole floor was wet.

It was because of the heavy rain that had been continuing for days.

Ha Yun-ha was looking at the old man who had fallen and died in the mud.

There was no hope.

He had died again.

“…….”

Ha Yun-ha gasped as she looked at the old man.

And someone wearing military boots stepped on the old man’s body and advanced.

They squinted at Ha Yun-ha, who was sitting down in the gas mask.

“It’s the Emperor of Mangyeong.”

The hunter left only those words and raised his rifle without hesitation, pulling the trigger.

Bang-!

Ha Yun-ha squeezed her eyes shut, but she realized that she wasn’t dead and looked ahead.

Choi Hyun-ji was there.

She said.

“Is this déjà vu [French for ‘already seen,’ the feeling that one has lived through the present situation before]? I’ve definitely experienced this situation before.”

The hunters who had pulled the trigger on Ha Yun-ha were already dead, pierced by tentacles.

Choi Hyun-ji turned to Ha Yun-ha and grinned.

“I’m here.”

Choi Hyun-ji had received Kang Si-On’s orders and returned to defend Mangyeong.

Her reinforcements had just arrived in Mangyeong.

(Continued in the next episode)