Chapter 76

The shaft was more complicated than expected. A fork in the road led to another fork in the road. It was a maze to the intruder, but I didn’t see any traps.
“It’s where people live in the first place.
You need to bring in supplies from the outside. Whether it’s a minecar or something else, there’s bound to be traces of its passage. They wouldn’t have time to hide it out of sight.
The problem is that the marks are all over the place. Rather than pavement, they all seem to be pathways that people use every day. There are even a few lights to illuminate the darkness.
“There doesn’t appear to be a single path leading to the center.”
“Maybe so, but the soldiers are coming from different directions.”
Rocco agreed with Westcreek. Rocco was squatting near the soldier’s body, wiping the blood and fat from his blade.
“This is why we’re not going to be able to wipe it out.”
This means there’s a lot of escaping. This was also a pain point in the game. While the enemies are low-spec, there are a lot of different pathways to block, so you have to be careful with your placement.
But this time, the purpose was different.
“It’s a shame, but it doesn’t matter, because as I said at the beginning, I’m not here to exterminate you.”
“Well, yeah. There’s something there, but it’s still a mystery what it is.”
Bam!
Rocco snatched the ID tag from around the soldier’s neck and ripped it off. “I’m sorry,” Kim said, half-heartedly, as he took the loot.
“Collect?”
“Eh, I don’t have any of those creepy hobbies, you never know where they might come in handy.”
“I get it, but take it in moderation. Take 10 or 20 and do something with them.”
“We haven’t really faced these guys yet, boss. Bring me something small if you can, please.”
“Don’t tell me that…!”
Daisy of the Redwoods glanced over at Kim, and in stark contrast to her puzzled demeanor, Rocco shrugged as if to say, “What’s wrong?
“Why? You’re not trying to stab me in the back, are you?”
“As long as you do your job, I don’t care.”
“See, you want to be cool.”
He giggles like a rascal. Daisy was timid by nature, but she didn’t cower. Considering we’re in the middle of the enemy, she seems pretty relaxed.
“Maybe we’re the ones who are nervous.
Chelsea and Asterique’s movements were stiffer than usual. That’s not surprising. Most of Asterique’s combat experience comes from league matches. He can’t be used to this kind of tactics.
‘Chelsea, you used to be a bounty hunter, so it shouldn’t be too awkward….’
Apparently, he hadn’t gotten over his last failure. It’s troubling, but I don’t have any advice. It’s not like it’s going to disrupt the operation.
Eventually, time will take care of that.
“As you roll, you’ll gain confidence.
This mine is just one of many points. You want to take out as many of them as possible before they get word of the raid and pull their heads out of their asses.
“Ainoa is in Carmen’s good hands.
Now is the time to pounce. This is a rare opportunity to deliver a one-sided blow to the Legion.
The further in you went, the more intense the battle became, and the lights increased noticeably. I could hear the sounds of an unspecified number of people moving about.
I soon found a structure made of steel. The ceiling is hung with steel pipes and bundles of wires. Guide rails and stainless steel chains dangled from the open passageway below.
“Is it an elevator.”
Kim sneaks a peek and looks down. The floor wasn’t too far away. As she listened, various sounds bounced off the walls.
I could easily imagine shouts of urgency, wheels rolling over stone, and a mix of soldiers and non-combatants moving equipment back and forth.
“You’ve got the direction right, what are you going to do?”
“This doesn’t look promising.”
Rocco flicked the switch with the back of his hand. The button was already smashed, no need to push it. There was no way to move the elevator pinned down below.
Then the lights started going out one by one from the back. It had given up trying to fight back and decided to buy time. It was a valid response, if a valid one.
“Find your way down, brother.”
It was when Rocco clicked his tongue in annoyance.
“What are you looking for, bother.”
“What? That’s…….”
“There’s a road here.”
A [Tactical Hook] appeared in Kim’s hand. There were plenty of places to hang the hook. He grasped the equipment and checked the durability of the steel. Rocco gasped at the sight of him.
“It’s all-purpose, just. What can’t you make?”
“Anything but.”
I responded appropriately and got ready. Normally, I would have sent them down one by one while retrieving the rope. But that would take too long.
For now, there’s a more efficient way.
“West Creek. Take Navy and go down there first. Can you do it?”
“Yes, that should be fine.”
“You take this.”
Kim made a smoke bomb and handed it to Navy. He gave Westcreek a concise tutorial on how to use the [Tactical Hook], then gave him detailed instructions.
“There’s a good chance we’ll be fighting as soon as we land. Navy, you spell while Westcreek disrupts. Signal with smoke when you’re ready.”
“Okay.”
Navy replied calmly, but inwardly admiringly.
‘I’m glad I thought of that in this brief moment.
A few months ago, Dustborn became a collaborator in the Daeheum Lab. Despite initial skepticism, all three quickly proved themselves, and their performances have become well known in the rap world.
‘I heard it was great, but….’
Aside from the two of them, who didn’t have much of a platform to showcase their skills, Kim certainly lived up to the rumors. She has a different perspective on certain situations than others.
There are a lot of spellcasters in the Celbrox Labs. Depending on how you build your team, you can employ a variety of strategies.
However, this is easier said than done, especially when you’re actively utilizing the spells of a first-time agent.
“I’m being favored for a reason.
There were a number of agencies eager to see what Kim could do with this opportunity. The Navy was one of them, and judging by what we’ve seen so far, it’s left little to be desired.
“Go ahead.”
On cue, they both descended.
The handle was pulled and a long wire attached to the hook came out. Westcreek remained steady, even as he held Navy upright.
Redwood’s two agents watched the sequence unfold.
“Uh, what’s the plan?”
“It’s simple. When the signal comes, you jump.”
“You want me to jump off ……? Barefoot?”
“I’m not going to die, though I might break my neck if I fall headfirst.”
Kim couldn’t have said it better himself. It’s a matter of trust. Since she was not part of the lab, she was reluctant to disclose the spell information of the agent.
– ……! …, ……!
The commotion in the passageways intensified. A battle had begun. There was no need to rush; Westcreek would be able to handle itself.
After a while, smoke began to rise from below.
“I’m going first. Asterique, bring Chelsea.”
“Hmph!”
Kim chuckles at Chelsea’s hiccups. She’s better than she was when we first got on the helicopter. Your growth is remarkable.
“Maybe we can work on it when you have time.
I thought to myself and threw myself down.
You’re diving without any equipment. My muscles tensed in anticipation of the crash. I tried to act nonchalant, but I couldn’t help but feel the fear.
I was worried for nothing.
The artificially generated airflow caught his falling body. The acceleration died quickly, along with the sensation of sinking into a padded mat.
[Airbag]. A spell that creates a layer of air at a specified location. In the game, the Navy is a supporter class, primarily used to mitigate damage from straight ranged attacks.
“Performance is solid. I’ll use it here and there.
Kim landed safely in an elevator without a lid. The elevator’s lattice doors had been shattered. It was clear that Westcreek had ripped it off.
Pulling up the neck of his top to cover his mouth and nose, he pushed through the smoke. Outside the unfurling smokescreen, a vast cavity came into view.
It was a hidden laboratory. It was filled with research equipment that didn’t match Bastiterra’s level of civilization. The smell of formalin hung in the air.
At a glance, I estimate 50 people, some of whom are wearing hazmat suits. They appear to be resident researchers. There are perhaps thirty armed men.
“They’re coming, surround!”
“Aaaaaaah!”
But Westcreek was slicing and dicing. It had his full attention. I directed the disruption, but if I left it alone, it would clean up after itself.
It was a six-star mangem.
“I’m going to have to live with this three-star.”
It would be so simple if it were just a junker, but forgettable names pop out and turn the composition on its head.
I swallowed back the sigh that threatened to burst out. There was no point in grumbling while my coworkers fought. I couldn’t take on all the work that would be easier if I shared.
I moved forward, avoiding eye contact as much as possible on the outskirts. Carts and cranes piled high with minerals. Large test tubes filled with an unknown green solution. Cover was sparse and scattered.
“What, when……!”
Boom!
Stepping out from behind the test tube, Kim thrust his sword. The blade, honed by a Soyin technician, pierced the enemy soldier’s chest without much resistance.
The researcher fumbles for the gun the soldier dropped as he fell. Crouching down, he raises his gun at the intruder. His arm shakes frantically, and he can’t steady his aim.
The researcher’s throat was slit before he could even fire the gun he’d picked up.
“Eek, eek, eek….”
The researcher dropped the gun and clamped both hands around my throat. My blood rushed to my throat. Panicked eyes caught the back of the intruder’s head as he walked away as if he had nothing better to do.
As Westcreek continued to run all over the map, Kim was quietly chipping away at the numbers. And then came the sixth kill.
You have encountered a single Pekatum.
“You coward!”
I filtered out the bullshit in my head. Pekatum was dressed neither like a researcher nor like a soldier. He wore the clothes of the poor, a common sight in Bastitera.
“Is it a bodyguard.
Kim met his opponent’s gaze. He’s eyeing the tip of his sword. His intentions are clear: to counter. But it’s only a show.
There is no point in winning a hand-to-hand fight against Pekatum. They have different physical abilities. A crazy race that can hold their own against a melee-specialized 3-star agent if you’re a neighborhood bully with a few fists.
That’s just the basic spec.
Kim lowered the tip of his blade to draw attention to it, and then slowly removed his left hand from the hilt, the [Webley Mark] appearing on his empty hand.
Ironclad.
“Oh no…!”
As soon as the hammer was cocked, Pekatum ducked under the barrel of the gun. Kim quickly dived in and slammed his knife down. The knife plunged into his defenseless back.
“Blah, blah, blah!”
Bam!
A bullet pierced his temple, and Pekatum fell helplessly to the side. A soldier was a soldier. Kim yanked his sword out of his hand and began advancing again.
Rocco, who had arrived late and was about to join in, swallowed dryly.
“What are they fighting about?
I simulated it in my brain. Assuming they didn’t know each other’s spells or skills. If I were you, would I be able to deal with that attack?
‘I’m not sure…….’
At least one arm will fly off.
I was familiar with Westcreek’s skills, but Kim was a surprise. I’d heard she was a good commander, so I’d expected her to be shaky in combat.
“I’m scared, I’m scared.”
I remember the chilly face of the lab director. As an outsider, I was worried about what Cellbrosics Labs would do with all this power.
Surviving as a One-Star in a Dead Game-Chapter 77 (of 77)