Hiding a House in the Apocalypse-Chapter 124.3: Play (3)

One day, I was asked whether hunters or soldiers were stronger.

It was probably when I was active in China.

Most of my schoolmates, who had undergone rigorous training, received national support, and were deployed to the front lines, naturally believed that hunters were stronger than soldiers.

That might be true in a one-on-one fight.

But what about when a group faces another group?

What if we had to fight a military unit with experienced soldiers and competent commanders?

I would say no.

From the beginning, we were designed as adaptive units, custom-built to handle monsters—beasts that appeared in modern times.

On the other hand, soldiers were created to kill and subdue fellow humans since the dark ages before recorded history.

There was an event that made me fully realize the superiority of soldiers.

While I was operating in northern Beijing, due to a miscommunication—or perhaps intentionally—I was attacked by the Chinese military.

There were no casualties, but the omnidirectional suppression from artillery and tanks, the covering fire so intense that we couldn't even lift our heads, and the inevitable advancement and encirclement despite knowing their tactics—

I felt firsthand, in an utterly helpless situation, that soldiers were a force created purely to deal with humans.

Had it come to a last stand, I might have been able to take a few of them down with me, but the commander halted the attack, and the situation ended abruptly. Even now, nearly ten years later, I still vividly remember my impression of that military unit.

Since then, I repeatedly taught my juniors the same lesson.

Never underestimate soldiers.

If they ever turned their guns on us, we'd be the ones lying dead on the ground.

Even though everything is collapsing, we all know that in the world just before this, the U.S. military was the strongest in the world.

And now, we have to face them.

Perhaps, an enemy that is about to be very, very angry.

*

Well, to be honest, killing the U.S. soldiers approaching our territory wouldn’t be difficult.

We have Javelins.

Just aim, press a button, and we can wipe out the armored vehicle and everyone inside.

But Rebecca and Sue are in that vehicle.

The story begins when they disembark and discover the lies of this grand theater, their disappointment dawning upon them.

I considered the option of not showing myself, but if I did that, they would just get back into the vehicle, turn around, and return to Daegu.

In the end, it means I have to face them.

Since I was educated in school, I can understand English to some extent, but speaking it isn't second nature.

The translation issue can be handled with a phone app, and by using Rebecca and Sue.

Fortunately, Sue is coming along on this journey.

Message from COOKIEMONSTER18: (Sue) I’m coming too!

With Sue, who speaks Korean better than Rebecca, communication shouldn't be a problem.

Persuading my comrades is just as difficult as dealing with the U.S. military.

"...I have an old friend who used to live next to my territory. I plan to bring them here."

It's obvious that my role as the leader of this group and my past as a professor add weight to my words, but even so, I intend to gain my comrades' understanding as much as possible.

I explained how I came to know Rebecca and Sue, the circumstances that led them here through this elaborate play, and the possibility of conflict with the U.S. soldiers accompanying Rebecca.

Of course, I said nothing about my multiple-body technique.

And since Defender is always the only one attending these meetings—and since he’s a psychopath with a perfect poker face—there’s no chance the hidden truth behind this act will be revealed.

My comrades' reactions were indifferent.

They weren’t particularly surprised, nor did they show any hostility.

"If an old friend of Park Gyu is coming, we should welcome them."

"They took us in, after all. If they’ve been neighbors since right after the war, we have no reason to reject them."

What actually troubled me were the questions.

"Park, how exactly did you fool the U.S. military? Was it that internet trick of yours again?"

"I got in touch with an old acquaintance and had a conversation."

"In English?"

"No, in Korean. They speak Korean well."

"Really?"

"Anyway, it won't be easy, but I'm counting on you."

I wrapped up the discussion and moved on to the next phase.

For Rebecca, this might be unsettling, but the next thing we discussed was how to receive the armored vehicle.

I will stand on the main road, waiting for the vehicle.

Defender will stand next to me.

The rest will remain hidden.

Bang Jae-hyuk, armed with a Javelin, along with all other combatants, will stay in ambush. Da-jeong will oversee reconnaissance and combat support using drones.

If things go south, our plan is to eliminate the U.S. soldiers within a minute.

Of course, that kill plan includes Sue and Rebecca.

There’s no other way.

Against trained soldiers like the U.S. military, the only way to win without losses is to hit them all at once with overwhelming force.

To assume we can hold back in a life-or-death situation is arrogance—arrogance that could cost my comrades their lives.

Rebecca and Sue are valuable neighbors, but sacrificing everyone for them would be a betrayal of those who have followed me.

Of course, I won’t let anyone die.

That is my job.

*

Chzzzzt—

The public frequency crackled to life with an unfamiliar language late in the morning.

Clack— Clack—

My comrades each grabbed their weapons and gathered in the open space at the center of the bunker.

I silently nodded at them.

This time, I owe them.

I should be grateful.

The meeting point was a pre-selected optimal ambush location.

From the bunker hill, the Javelin had a clear line of sight, and the road had perfect cover for an ambush.

"Skelton. Skelton."

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Rebecca’s voice came through the K-walkie-talkie as I signaled for battle formation.

Ha Tae-hoon and Cheon Young-jae moved into the dense foliage while Defender and I stood side by side on the road.

I glanced at Defender.

"You don’t have to stand here with me."

"Two are better than one. The U.S. soldiers aren’t stupid—they’ll be expecting an ambush."

He had a point.

If just one person stood on the road blocking their path, anyone would suspect an ambush.

Adding one more person wouldn’t change much, but human psychology is strange and simple.

Two standing together feels significantly different from just one.

"If you die because of me, what am I supposed to tell Da-jeong?"

I joked.

"We’ve already let go."

"Let go of what?"

"The understanding that we might die when we kill others."

Defender scoffed and kicked a pebble, sending it skittering across the road into the bushes.

"That’s fair, isn’t it?"

"That makes sense."

We can die at any time.

So far, none of my comrades have been seriously hurt, but I know that won’t last forever.

Eventually, someone will die. Someone will get injured.

And maybe that's for the best.

Better that than someone losing their mind or becoming something uncontrollable.

If that ever drives us to ruin, I’ll have no choice but to think of Dies Irae—the man I loathe.

"Armored vehicle spotted. It's moving slowly."

Da-jeong’s voice came through the radio.

I spoke into the radio for all to hear.

"Let’s do this well."

It begins now.

Standing on the road, # Nоvеlight # I picked up the radio and attempted to contact Rebecca.

"This is Skelton. I’ll be waiting at the meeting point."

"Oh. Okay."

Rebecca's reply.

But moments later, Da-jeong reported something entirely different.

"The armored vehicle stopped."

I couldn't see it.

The road curved into the ruins of a town, and beyond that, a slight incline obscured the view.

At least five kilometers away.

Too far for bullets or a Javelin.

Why did the vehicle suddenly stop?

An uneasy feeling crept over me as Da-jeong provided an update.

"They’re deploying a drone. Hm. It’s a reconnaissance type."

I tilted my head slightly.

I don’t usually let emotions show during operations, but this time, things were personal.

This wasn’t an undeniable order from above—it was a favor.

And the people who granted me this favor might now be in danger.

That unsettled me.

If the drone reaches an altitude of over a kilometer, it will be nearly invisible to the naked eye.

Occasionally, there’s a glint, but if it’s a U.S. military drone, it’s surely coated with anti-reflective material.

The problem is its purpose.

I know why they deployed it.

They suspect me.

Not just me.

They suspect Rebecca too.

I don’t blame them.

Any well-trained soldier, any competent commander, would prioritize mission success and the safety of their troops above all else.

They are a potential enemy, but they’re being cautious.

That deserves praise.

"Huh? Skelton?"

A moment later, the radio crackled with Rebecca’s voice, distorted by noise, as if delivering a verdict.

"The plane... it’s not there? What’s going on?"

"It was there. But now, it’s gone."

"Really?"

Rebecca’s voice faded, and soon, rapid English conversation echoed faintly, like a distant murmur, before abruptly cutting off.

"······."

This world is not a game.

Enemies won’t just stand there and let themselves be taken down for my convenience. That only happens in games. free𝑤ebnovel.com

In almost every scenario, we face formidable obstacles.

"Skelton. About that transport plane. What exactly did you do there?"

Someone was giving orders to Rebecca.

Whoever it was, they were experienced and deeply suspicious of everything.

The differences in language and race could very well be the deciding factor in whether a trigger was pulled without hesitation.

"Who knows? I was watching from afar, hidden. They launched a drone too, so I couldn’t even snap a single picture."

"Really?"

A brief silence.

And then.

"About that picture... Skelton, it looks like it was taken from your side. We have multiple images here, and one of them was taken from an angle that could only be from your location."

A sharp, precise accusation.

This isn’t the internet.

It’s not.

"Is that so? Well, I was inside the bunker the whole time."

"I see. Huh? Captain?"

Rebecca’s voice shifted.

The radio now streamed rapid-fire English, difficult to follow, with the clear sound of a heated discussion.

Disagreement.

And then.

"You there."

An unfamiliar voice.

"You said you were a hunter, right?"

Korean.

The sentence was short, but the pronunciation was clear—deliberate.

"······That’s right."

"I am Captain George Maxwell of the U.S. Army. I am from Fort Segnol, formerly K2, the airbase in Daegu."

So it’s him.

The one who stopped the armored vehicle, launched the drone, and used Rebecca to verify the truth.

I could tell just from his voice.

This man was meticulous. A perfectionist.

"Private First Class Rebecca mentioned seeing our military transport online. Did you confirm it as well?"

I could feel Defender’s gaze.

We were thinking the same thing.

He must have sensed how dire this situation had become.

And it truly was.

This wasn’t just about the lives and safety of my comrades.

The careful work I’d put into bringing Rebecca and Sue here—everything—could fall apart in an instant.

Captain Maxwell had given me two choices.

A lie or the truth.

Light and shadow, the eternal test of humanity.

"Skelton······."

It was Da-jeong’s voice.

Not just hers.

Everyone was listening through their radios.

They all knew that my answer would decide how this played out.

"······."

I thought for a moment.

And then, I answered.

"No."

"Then what about the picture Rebecca saw?"

"It was all fake."

I painted over the canvas of this grand deception with the brush of truth.

Whether that turned out to be a masterpiece or a disaster depended entirely on how the viewer chose to interpret it.

"I see."

The foreign officer spoke.

The line went dead.

Silence beyond the radio.

"The drone is returning. They're recalling it!"

Da-jeong’s voice hinted at the inevitable storm ahead.

"Skelton. The armored vehicle turned around...."

A failure without casualties.

We avoided the worst outcome, yet in another way, this was nearly the worst possible conclusion.

As the air thickened with the weight of impending defeat, the K-walkie-talkie emitted a cold voice.

"You there, hunter."

"······What?"

"Would you mind showing me your ambush team?"

I let out a small laugh and gestured to my comrades.

From the roadside, Ha Tae-hoon and Cheon Young-jae emerged from their positions, walking toward us with slow, deliberate steps.

"Honest of you."

"How did you know?"

"It was far too obvious. Using a simple ruse to trick someone with low intelligence for personal gain."

"Considering that the ‘low intelligence’ person is standing right next to you, that’s an interesting way to phrase it."

"May I ask you one thing?"

"I’d like to apologize to Rebecca first."

"You'll have time for casual conversation later. Answer my question first."

I remained silent.

A silence of affirmation.

The wind grew colder, sweeping through my hair as if whispering through the void.

Then, his voice, distant yet clear, came through the radio.

"Why did you do this?"

"To save Rebecca and Sue."

On the ruined canvas I had already marred with truth, I threw down another layer of truth.

Hoping that this time, my sincerity would come through.

"······I see."

The radio went silent.

Beyond the unseen horizon, the armored vehicle’s powerful engine roared to life.

"Huh?"

The bitter silence was broken by Da-jeong’s voice.

"The armored vehicle turned around again! It's coming back this way!"

Before I could fully process it, the radio crackled again.

"Korean hunter. We’re coming to you."

Maxwell.

"Stay where you are. All four of you."

My comrades looked at me.

Each with their own thoughts and emotions.

I met their gazes with a quiet, knowing look.

Defender nodded.

Then, almost simultaneously, Cheon Young-jae and Ha Tae-hoon did the same.

I felt something fill the emptiness inside me—something I had long forgotten.

I smirked.

Not out of bravado.

"Why do you all look so grim? I’m here, aren’t I?"

And we had one more.

Bang Jae-hyuk, our strongest card yet.