The First Hunter

Chapter 31. Hunting for Snakes, Part I

Translator: Khan

Editor: RED

1.

“You have to secure three nuclear power plants located in the area of Gyeongsang Province. Every time you secure a single nuclear power plant, we will give you ten relics, including five national treasures, and we will acknowledge ownership of all the relics acquired in the process.”

Lieutenant Colonel Yoo Ji-hyun hit the document in front of himself with his fingers as he was speaking. “This is the document.” At the end of the remark, he looked up and looked at the two people on the other side of the desk.

Kim Tae-hoon was closing his eyes, and Jang Sung-hoon was rolling his eyes hard. It was not difficult to predict which of the two would speak.

“So…” The answer came from Jang’s lips. “Is it alright for us to keep what we find from securing the nuclear power plant?”

“Yes.”

“So, it’s okay for the Mac Guild to take all the relics from the National Gyeongju Museum, Bulguksa, and Seokguram?”

Lieutenant Colonel Yoo nodded.

“If we find Manpasikjeok in the Tomb of King Munmu of Silla, or Geumchuk of Park Hyuk-geo-se in Najeong, we can take it, right?”

“It’s…”

However, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did not respond to Jang’s question. ‘What’s it?’ He had never heard of the Geumchuk of Park Hyuk-geo-se in Najeong, let alone the Manpasikjeok in the Tomb of King Munmu of Silla.

Of course, it was not hard for Jang to mention them since they really existed.

“Oh, the Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk of Park Hyuk-geo-se are part of the Gyeongju Samgi (three wonderful treasures). These two things and the Bell of King Seongdeok are the Gyeongju Samgi. You don’t know these relics because these do not appear in the textbooks.”

Only then did Lieutenant Colonel Yoo understand the situation and frown. He realized that Jang played a joke on him.

“What would you like to do, the boss?” Jang handed over the ball to Kim in order to avoid the eyes of Lieutenant Colonel Yoo.

Kim opened his eyes. “What’s the status of the Sobaek Mountains?”

Jang was the first to answer the question. ‘It’s a heaven of monsters.’

The Sobaek Mountains…

It was a big mountain range extending from Taebaek Mountain to Yeongnam, and Honam to Yeosu Peninsula. It was also one of the boundaries that divided the Korean Peninsula for a long time. The Sobaek mountain range was now a paradise for monsters.

‘Two blue-grade monsters are in Daedongyeojido, and the number of green-grade monsters is enormous.’

Crossing the Sobaek mountain range was not much different from crossing the Jordan River, which symbolized God’s Heaven.

Kim and Jang knew the facts through Daedongyeojido, so Kim asked the question at this moment. If the Capital Defense Command hid or reduced the situation in the Sobaek Mountains, it would mean that they had a secret design.

“Once there were blue-grade monsters in the mountains of Sobaek and Jiri, and we found green-grade monsters in the mountains of Taebaek, Deogyu, and Palgong. There may be more, but that’s what the Capital Defense Command found out.”

However, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo’s answer was not much different from what Kim and Jang knew. It meant there was a secret design.

“Securing the nuclear power plants, for reference, means not just going to the nuclear power plants and putting a flag on them, but securing them so that we can operate the nuclear power plants, as well as the way to the nuclear power plants.”

The Capital Defense Command was serious.

“It’s not easy.” Lieutenant Colonel Yoo gave a long sigh after that remark. ‘I never expected that they would request the Mac Guild secure a nuclear power plant.’

In order for the Republic of Korea to establish a long-term plan, nuclear power plants could not be omitted. Of course, the Capital Defense Command had repeatedly tried to secure nuclear power plants after some foundation has been established. But the attempts were not done properly from the exploration stage.

It was not easy to cross the Sobaek mountain range, and those who crossed the Sobaek mountain range were also out of communication.

In addition, this request of the Capital Defense Command to the Mac Guild was not an exploration, but a securing. The level of difficulty was different.

“I’m going to refuse this request.”

Therefore, Lieutenant Colonel Yoo was not surprised by Kim’s answer.

“It’s too dangerous, and we would need to use all the power of the Mac Guild to form a route through the Sobaek Mountains.”

“I suppose so.”

Even if he was in the position of Kim, he would have given the same answer.

“I don’t want to repeat my own experience of bleeding my people, while I’m working somewhere else with my enemy behind me.”

However, when Lieutenant Colonel Yoo saw Kim’s words and his expression full of determination, his expression was firm. “Give me a break…” Yoo was able to see what Kim had planned and what kind of picture Kim was drawing.

“I’m going to kill the traitors in the Capital Defense Command.” Kim’s next goal was nothing but the traitors of the Capital Defense Command. It was no strange thing.

Kim knew how the Six Snakes would come out if he moved to secure the nuclear power plants. They would do their best to interfere, and as soon as Kim secured the nuclear power plants through the obstacles, the nuclear power plants would explode.

Even if they detonated only one of the three nuclear power plants located in Gyeongsang Province, it would become a nightmare land where people could not live.

In such a situation, if he spent all his energy to secure the nuclear power plants, he would sow and they would reap.

In fact, it was right to kill the Six Snakes when he could do so. Nevertheless, the only reason to keep the traitors alive so far was to use them.

“As long as I know Taiwan is our main enemy, there’s no reason to keep them alive.”

‘Now I will see the end.’ But now, he knew Taiwan was their control tower. Most importantly, he knew where the Six Snake’s heart was.

“You don’t know exactly who the traitors are, or how much power they have?”

Of course, he did not know how deep or how many roots the Six Snakes had sunk in the Capital Defense Command.

“The traitors are not few in the Capital Defense Command, and Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk is probably the peak.”

Lieutenant Colonel Yoo did not know who the peak was right now. It could be Lee Hyuk, or it could be another executive. It was clear that it was not a small organization. It was not just a group of three or four executives. In that situation, Kim would pick out the traitors and remove them? It would be impossible.

“If I can’t handle parasites, I can just take them with their host.”

Kim Tae-hoon couldn’t help but notice that.

“Host? Are you—”

“I’m going to destroy the Capital Defense Command, if necessary.”

“Whew!” Lieutenant Colonel Yoo sighed.

Kim added more words to Yoo. “You will not stand on my side for the existence of the Capital Defense Command?”

In that remark, Yoo stopped sighing. “So, it is a coup.” He had a look of resolution instead of nervousness.

As Kim said, Yoo was on his side for this situation. Yoo was also ambitious. Right now, within the system of the Capital Defense Command, he could not fulfill his ambitions, and it was evident that his role was only a messenger coming and going to the Mac Guild and the Capital Defense Command. He could not dismiss Kim’s proposal.

“For now, it is impossible to have a coup with the power of the Mac Guild alone. I am sure that you are good enough to assassinate a VIP, but it will not be possible to do a coup with that power only. You need an army to manage the civilians, soldiers, and Awakeners managed by the Capital Defense Command.” Instead of stopping, Yoo gave sincere advice. “There is only one place with that kind of military power, the Eighth Mechanized Infantry Division. Please make Colonel Lim Hyun-joon join your side.”

At that moment, a sound that did not fit the sincere advice of Yoo came out of Jang’s mouth.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Did you think it was funny?” Lieutenant Colonel Yoo spoke some keen words, grumbling. It was natural that Jang’s behavior did not seem polite, and it would not happen anywhere else in the world.

“No, I don’t think your opinion is funny.”

“Then why did you laugh?”

“Not because of your opinion, but because of the look you’ll have in a few minutes.”

Colonel Yoo looked cold.

Jang shook his head. “You’ll know what I mean when you go to the next room. Boss, please explain!”

Kim complied with Jang’s earnest request. “Colonel Lim Hyun-joon is a member of the Mac Guild.”

“What?”

“Colonel Lim Hyun-joon and the 8th Mechanized Infantry Division joined the Mac Guild.”

Lieutenant Colonel Yoo asked with a look showing that he did not understand. “Uh, when?”

Kim checked the watch on his wrist and said, “Thirteen minutes ago.”

When Lieutenant Colonel Yoo heard the answer, he thought, ‘Am I dreaming now?’ He thought that if Kim was not talking nonsense now, he was dreaming.

Kim said to him again, “I refuse the request of securing the nuclear power plants, but please tell the Capital Defense Command that I will accept it.”

When Yoo heard that, he gave up thinking. He looked blank.

Jang looked at his expression and said, “Look, I’m right!”

2.

“The report is finished.” Lieutenant Colonel Yoo immediately left after saluting.

It was none other than Major General Lee Ki-soo who filled the seat after Yoo had disappeared.

“Lieutenant General, did the Mac Guild give you an answer?”

“I got the answer.”

At that, the expression of Lee Ki-soo wrinkled. ‘Fucking hell.’ Of course, his insides were so wrinkled that they could not compare with his outside expression. ‘It’s the worst.’

Beyond the Sobaek mountain range, there was a power that Lee Ki-soo had prepared in the area of Gyeongsang Province. Of course, he did not intend to tolerate Kim and the Mac Guild crossing the Sobaek mountain range. ‘I can’t help it.’

“That’s really great, and as he has that much power, he is confident.”

So, at this moment, Lee Ki-soo raised the stakes. “But will he really satisfy the request?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you think that the Mac Guild will use them as their own nuclear power plants after they have secured them? In fact, the Mac Guild is using the Songdo LNG base after they have secured it. The nuclear power plants would not be any different. And if they try to build nuclear weapons…”

“Major General Lee, just say what you want to say.”

“I think we need a leash to keep the Mac Guild from doing anything wrong, like taking hostage civilians in Bucheon or Incheon, which the Mac Guild has occupied.”

At the combination of the two words, civilian and hostage, Lee Hyuk looked at Lee Ki-soo with a cold expression. It was a ferocious look.

‘Whew!’ The eyes were ones to make Lee Ki-soo sigh repeatedly. ‘Now I am branded a troublemaker.’

It was a result of incurring the wrath of Lee Hyuk. What he was looking at right now was not the near future. He wanted to be a historical hero who would save the Republic of Korea from this crisis, and what he looked at was his own image being recorded for future generations.

Therefore, it was unacceptable to take the civilians of Bucheon and Incheon as hostages to threaten the Mac Guild. Not because it was unfair, but because it would be a blot on his history.

“Lieutenant General, to do the job, we have to do it when Kim Tae-hoon is not in Bucheon. It will be too late if we do it later.” However, Lee Ki-soo did not retreat his opinion.

“You saw that Kim Tae-hoon was a crazy monster. If he secures a nuclear power plant, he will inevitably eat the monster stones in the area. There is no way to stop a Kim who is even stronger than he is now. He is not a soldier who fights thoughtlessly. He is a specialist trained under Major General Chang Young-sung.”

‘I’m trying to strike his weakness when he is away, and I’m going to make the time right now and seize his ankle.’ In fact, Lee Ki-soo knew that this was not the answer. ‘I’ll have to fight against Kim in return.’

In the viewpoint of Lee Ki-soo, Kim was not a man who would be easily shaken by threat, and even if he could buy time if he held Kim’s aides, subordinates and citizens as hostages, he could not use them as a leash.

Rather, over time, Kim would make him pay for taking the people around him as hostages. He would start a full-scale war against the Capital Defense Command.

“Fuck, if it were planned, I should have removed Lieutenant General Lee Hyuk after searching for Manpasikjeok and Geumchuk, and I should have taken the Capital Defense Command… none of them have been achieved.”

It was a painful thing for Lee Ki-soo. He needed the power of the Capital Defense Command. Even if the situation of the CDC was not good, the number of soldiers and Awakeners belonging to the Capital Defense Command was enormous, and the weapons and firepower it possessed were also significant.

He had a plan, but now there was nothing to say that it was a plan. In the military, the way a subordinate was given the power of a superior was simple: if a superior was gone, power would be naturally transferred down.

In such a situation, it would not be better for the Capital Defense Command and the Mac Guild to engage in the war of attrition. But he couldn’t help it.

If he left Kim and the Mac Guild like this, they would take monster stones and relics and expand their force. Later, they would be a real monster which the Capital Defense Command would have nothing to compete with.

‘I will sacrifice Lee Hyuk.’ However, it was not possible for Lee Ki-soo to handle this work with his own little ability. The situation was different from the one with the Gamecock.

There was no evidence then, but this time the evidence would be left. In other words, a sacrifice would be needed to accept all the anger of Kim, and Lee Ki-soo was planning to make Lee Hyuk that sacrifice. And for Lee Hyuk to be a sacrifice, Lee Ki-soo needed Lee Hyuk’s command.

“… Can you do that?”

“There are many able monster hunters in the Mac Guild, but there are not many elite soldiers who can fight a war. In order to cross the Sobaek Mountains, almost all of the Mac Guild’s power will be put there, and it will be like cutting trees in an ownerless, deserted mountain.”

“You’ll have to plan a little more specifically and report it.”

“I’ll take your order.”

After hearing the order he wanted, he immediately turned his back after saluting. Colonel Jang So-gook came to his office immediately.

Colonel Lee said in a low voice to Lee Ki-soo, “Mao’s Okjo arrived.”

“What’s the content?”

“He’ll send auxiliary troops if necessary.”

“Auxiliary troops? In Taiwan?”

“No, it is Japan that is sending auxiliary troops.”

Lee Ki-soo clenched his teeth tightly upon hearing of Japan’s involvement.

“What would you do? Would you like to ask for auxiliary troops?”

“… ask him to stand by in Busan.”

“I understand.”

After Jang left Lee, he disappeared somewhere. Lee grit his teeth alone.

‘Kim Tae-hoon, I will pay you back the damage I have suffered!’

————————————————————————–

Manpasikjeok: It is a flute in the legend of the Silla Dynasty. If someone blows it, all the worries and diseases of the country disappear.

Geumchuk: It is a measure of the first King of Silla, Park Hyuk-geo-se had. With the measure, he was able to save the dead and fix the sick.