Chapter 74.1

Seo Su-hyeok’s words were not illogical when thought rationally. That I shouldn’t risk my life to rescue just two soldiers.

Rationally, I also think he’s right.

However, it’s a bit difficult to act only rationally when seeing the soldiers bleeding.

When I see them dying, Doomsday scenarios come to mind.

My former subordinate Jun-hyuk and the youngest.

The bodies of the subordinates who died right in front of me.

Even the bodies of the soldiers I found while crossing the unit to join the main force.

That day, I first learned, the appearance of a murdered human is much more gruesome, disgusting, and ugly than I had imagined.

‘I don’t want to end up like that.’

And,

I hope the soldiers with me don’t end up that way.

It’s idealistic, but perhaps I was lucky or something.

So far, there have been no casualties.

Wouldn’t that mean I can be a little greedy?

Someday, someone will surely die,

but in situations where I can save them, I won’t hold back.

And,

although it’s a bit awkward for me to say,

‘I do have the ability for it.’

***

[Trait – Environmental Camouflage]

[Blends perfectly with the surrounding environment]

The trait I obtained from the Blue Water Droplet through [Absolute Palate]. Sᴇaʀᴄh the NovᴇlFɪre .ɴᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

“Captain Shin has…”

“Disappeared?”

The soldiers’ reactions confirmed the effect.

The soldiers nearby couldn’t detect my presence and were surprised.

“No… Look closer.”

One soldier with sharp eyes pointed to where I was, saying, “There’s a strange rippling effect over there.”

“Rippling effect?”

“I don’t see anything.”

Most of the soldiers didn’t seem to notice even after being told, but the one pointing at me was clearly a veteran soldier.

If he has good eyesight, he might be able to detect me.

“Impressive.”

“A voice from thin air?!”

Unlike the Blue Water Droplet, the trait I’m using as a human has some weaknesses.

It’s regrettable, but on the other hand, unless someone with exceptionally good eyesight focuses and observes closely, it’s difficult for them to even notice anything strange.

I plan to use this ability to directly visit the Tank Battalion.

Unlike the infantry unit, a direct confrontation with the Tank Battalion carries significant risk.

If a tank is lost in the process, it would be a devastating blow to us who want to seize the tanks.

If there’s an easier path, there’s no reason not to choose it.

If they attacked us due to some misunderstanding, clearing up the misunderstanding would be enough.

It could even lead to absorbing the soldiers of other military units.

Of course, if they attacked us knowing we were human, then they’ve become no different from plunderers.

In that case, I might have to accept a bit of risk.

I started moving towards the Tank Battalion with my invisible body.

‘No shelling…’

The effect of Environmental Camouflage.

As I got closer to the unit, there was no shelling like last time.

I arrived at the area devastated by the shelling.

In the distance, I could see the location of the Tank Battalion.

‘Come to think of it, the shelling only happened after I got quite close.’

The performance of modern firearms often exceeds the average person’s imagination.

Indirect fire weapons like mortars have ranges of dozens of kilometers.



However, the actual shelling was carried out only from the point where the silhouette of the Tank Battalion became visible.

The reason is understandable.

‘Since all communications are cut, they probably had no way to gather information on the other side either.’

Shelling is never a simple matter.

They use radar or reconnaissance planes to pinpoint the enemy’s location, calculate the environmental conditions like wind and predict the enemy’s movement path before firing.

An absurdly complex realm of physics and mathematics.

Without the information provided by other units, such complex operations would be impossible for them.

So, they had to resort to line-of-sight shelling with its limitations.

[Warning]

[This area is a military zone, and civilian access is restricted.]

After walking for some time, I saw a familiar signpost that I had seen several times in our unit.

The Tank Battalion.

At the gate, there were several soldiers standing guard with their guns at the ready.

Seeing this, I couldn’t help but be momentarily dumbfounded.

‘So there really was another surviving unit besides us.’

Men of the same age as me, dressed in military uniforms and carrying guns.

It might be an unfamiliar sight to others, but it’s a familiar scene to those who have been in the military.

‘Now, their appearance seems more out of place.’

It’s been only a few months, but still.

Our unit is now equipped with gear that simply takes the form of military uniforms.

Except for the veteran awakeners who use firearms, we’ve become quite different from a modern military.

Even me, a chef, has been using kitchen knife as my weapon.

The others have spiked steel gloves, two-handed swords, war hammers, and bows.

There are even soldiers carrying staves.

Just as Corporal Seo Su-hyeok said, we’ve become quite distant from the existing ROK military.

That’s why, perhaps.

The soldiers standing guard in their digital camouflage uniforms with rifles at the ready that pure image of a Republic of Korea soldier, felt unfamiliar to me, even though it was familiar to me just a short time ago.

It’s not like it’s been that long, but maybe the density of the experiences I’ve been through is so high that it makes me feel like it’s been years.

‘This isn’t the time to be staring dumbfounded.’

Surprising as it may be, I had already anticipated the presence of soldiers at the point where shelling was directed at us.

I’ve come here to gather information and clear up any misunderstandings.

‘Revealing my identity at the gate won’t do any good.’

I carefully moved my body, trying not to get detected.

I was planning to break through the fence where there were no guards and enter the compound.

But…

‘…?’

Something felt off.

Suddenly overcome by a sense of unease, I stopped in my tracks.

The cause of this unease was the soldiers guarding the gate.

‘Aren’t they a bit too…perfect?’

The soldiers manning the outposts.

Outwardly, they are exactly the image of the soldiers I know.

And that’s precisely why I felt something was off.

The soldiers stood at attention, staring straight ahead.

There was not the slightest movement from their bodies.

They weren’t even exchanging casual chitchat with the other soldiers.

‘Even without a supervising officer, to maintain such a rigid stance despite the physical strain?’

I recalled the duty attitudes of the members of the 423rd Battalion.

Nodding off to sleep was a common sight.

Asking the juniors for some interesting stories to pass the time and the juniors wracking their brains to come up with something – that was the daily norm.



‘Our unit was a bit relaxed, but still.’

They could be an exceptionally disciplined unit.

The appearance of monsters might have heightened their vigilance.

But still…

‘Something’s not right.’