Chapter : 82
The Long Road to Lone Combat (4)
It had been a stroke of luck when humanity built four cities around the first dimensional gate. If monsters had swarmed the area like in other regions, humanity might still have been unable to construct large-scale cities.
Building a new city on the planet Cameron was no simple task. First, a suitable site with the right environment had to be found. And the most crucial factor in that environment was whether monsters appeared there.
It wasn’t an absolute rule, but the stronger the monster, the larger its territory. Thinking in reverse, if you managed to defeat a single strong monster in a given area, that territory would become safe. The stronger the monster, the fewer surrounding monsters there were, and the safer it became.
From that perspective, dragons were perfect monsters.
Territorial monsters that claimed vast lands alone, allowing no other monsters to enter. If a dragon was taken down, the surrounding land would open up.
The problem was…
“Can humanity actually take down a dragon now?”
Suhyun had become incomparably stronger than in his past life, yet the thought of fighting a dragon still didn’t appeal to him. Dragons were simply that formidable.
“Why so fast…?”
Suhyun felt like he could hear his own brain spinning. That much—he was thinking rapidly. The Dragon Slayer Project wasn’t supposed to even be considered yet. It was meant to come much later.
“No way?!”
Something occurred to him: the Kakrita Valley. If his team hadn’t resolved it, it would have been a problem far further down the line.
The previous Dragon Slayer Project had tried to bypass Kakrita Valley and head toward the Dragonia Basin instead. But now that Kakrita Valley had been cleared, transportation became significantly easier.
“Mr. Kim Suhyun? Are you okay?”
“Ah, yes, I’m fine. But the Dragonia Basin… as far as I know, isn’t that—”
“Yes. The land of dragons. The Red Dragon, as Americans call it.”
Development focused mainly on the Outerp region, but small exploration teams were still venturing into uncharted areas. The Dragonia Basin had been discovered thanks to their efforts.
When it was first found, people noted that dragons lived there, but discussion went no further. After all, there were plenty of profitable areas elsewhere. No one risked their life to descend below just to hunt dragons. Even without facing them directly, the territories they held made it clear that dragons were far from ordinary monsters.
“So building a city there means… killing a dragon?”
“Yes. If a decision is made, that’s what it would entail.”
Suhyun muttered under his breath. Madness.
In the past, it didn’t concern him, but now it was directly related. He had planned to take care of things quietly and leave, but the schedule had been moved up far faster than expected.
The Dragon Slayer Project was a collaborative effort among countries to eliminate dragons and build new cities in their lands. Naturally, it had drawn considerable forces, almost like a military of psychics. The teams owned by the Development Planning Bureau were participating as well.
But they underestimated dragons.
Since humanity’s arrival on Cameron, monsters had never been absolute threats. If a monster wasn’t worth the effort, people simply didn’t bother. Everyone believed that no monster was unbeatable if humanity applied full force.
Dragons literally tore through entire attack squads.
The losses were so severe that none of the participating forces returned unscathed. Humanity’s next plans were entirely scrapped, and the Development Planning Bureau lost all its teams. The government, unable to recover from the loss, eventually created and operated a special military unit.
In a way, this event had influenced the course of Suhyun’s past life.
“Don’t worry too much. If we do take one down, we won’t go alone. We’ll start with elite teams from various countries and receive strong support.”
Lee Wonjae added an explanation, perhaps misunderstanding Suhyun’s silence. But to Suhyun, who already knew the outcome, it sounded like nothing more than how many powerful people would go just to die.
“Ah… damn it…”
The attack squads had been beaten back like dogs, but there was some gain: they had gathered information on dragons. That information later became training material.
“Physical resistance, psychic resistance, multiple usable psychic abilities… it’s a monster you just avoid at all costs.”
The defense alone was horrifying, but dragons also possessed the abilities of a magician. They could wield multiple psychic powers, often surpassing even top psychics.
Plans to take down dragons were never attempted again in the future—the shock of their strength was too great.
“I must avoid it at all costs.”
Even if it worsened relations with the government, Suhyun had to step back here. A wrong move could turn Dragonia into a graveyard.
“Anyway, it’s still under discussion. Nothing is confirmed. But I trust you understand why secrecy is important. These things can’t be widely known. The fact we’re telling you means we trust you.”
Sorry. No matter what, I won’t be going.
“Thank you.”
Lee Wonjae’s words referred to the fact that if the Dragon Slayer Project were to start, their team would be one of South Korea’s primary forces. Suhyun, however, had no intention of throwing himself into the lion’s den.
“I’ll update you on progress.”
“Other missions, perhaps…?”
“That’s fine. We’re still in discussion. If a plan forms, you can adjust your schedule then. For now, focus on your work.”
Judging from Lee Wonjae’s tone, there was still time. But Suhyun didn’t feel reassured. The Dragon Slayer Project was practically a death sentence, but he couldn’t outright refuse. Without a proper excuse, avoiding it could cause headaches later.
“I need to find some benefit…”
Amateurs only seek to avoid crises; masters turn crises into opportunities. Recovering from the shock, Suhyun could now see the situation more objectively.
A few things were clear: he had to act quickly. Whether he joined the project or not, he had to maximize his abilities.
“Then we have to solve problems one by one…”
“Team leader, what do you mean Ingyu awakened?!”
“Shaina, go explain it.”
“Why me?!”
“I’m busy. Go explain it.”
Grumbling, Shaina began explaining the events to the team, excluding Suhyun’s dealings with Keshika. Even so, it was already astonishing news.
While the team reacted outside, Suhyun was spinning a transparent orb in his hands.
What is this?
Most artifacts revealed their nature immediately upon touching them. There were exceptions, but Suhyun suspected this orb might be one.
The only thing that can interfere with psychic powers is an artifact.
When he used telekinesis strongly, control had been disrupted because of this orb. That made it likely an artifact.
The problem: Suhyun had no idea how to use it.
Even overusing telekinesis produced no response from the orb. It seemed valuable, but without knowing its use, it was frustrating.
“Team leader.”
“Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me?”
“No, it’s not that… someone’s looking for you.”
“Who?”
Detecting Suhyun’s indifference, the soldier’s tone was cautious.
“Seo Gangseok. Should we turn him away if we don’t know him?”
“…!”
Suhyun jumped up.
“Let him in!”
Seo Gangseok was surprisingly cautious for his size. He slumped in a chair, looking like a guilty man.
“Did you commit a crime? Why such a grim expression?”
“…What I’m doing isn’t exactly righteous.”
“Nonsense. What’s not righteous? Did Joo Wonjun give you anything besides money?”
“Nothing, but…”
“Then money’s enough. If it sticks in your mind, add interest.”
Seo Gangseok shook his head. If he could think like Suhyun, he wouldn’t have suffered so much. Though Joo Wonjun had treated him poorly, he had extended a hand when Seo was in trouble. That favor existed.
“So… why are you here? You didn’t just come to say thanks and leave, right? Even I have limits.”
“I didn’t come for that.”
Seo Gangseok smiled wryly.
“So you’ve made a decision?”
“For now…”
“Something must have happened.”
“!”
“No surprise. People like you rarely act. If Joo Wonjun hadn’t done something, you probably wouldn’t have come.”
“…”
“Want me to guess? The purpose of our team. You probably didn’t report it properly?”
“!!”
“Life’s tough. You could’ve just said that.”
Seeing Suhyun predict events he hadn’t even observed, Seo Gangseok was stunned.
He hadn’t reported the facts Suhyun mentioned. He had failed the mission and couldn’t afford to leak information to the enemy. He had reported honestly and received Joo Wonjun’s scolding in return.
That’s why I envy him.
“So, other than tolerating everything else, you couldn’t stand threats against your daughter?”
“!!!!!!!”
Even the taciturn Seo Gangseok couldn’t endure that.
“Did you plant a spy inside?”
“A spy? You can see the answer. Would Joo Wonjun just wait patiently? If returns aren’t as expected, he loses it immediately. And judging by why you’re here… you can figure it out.”
Seo Gangseok shivered. Before coming, he had researched Suhyun. He looked like a young, strong psychic leading a new team. But the more he observed, the more Suhyun seemed a strategist, seeing the bigger picture.
After Seo failed, Joo Wonjun had scolded him and threatened to reconsider payments. That attitude worsened after the announcement of the Rock Giant’s defeat.
“I won’t be petty like him. Treatment money? Madness. Whether you help or not, I’ll put money in your account regularly.”
“May I say something presumptuous?”
“Go ahead.”
“I don’t want to sell Gaongil’s internal information.”
After saying that, Seo Gangseok shut his eyes, worried Suhyun would kick him out.
“If you don’t want to sell it, don’t. Who said you had to?”
“Huh?”
“You’re mistaken. You think I recruited you to get internal info from Gaongil?”
“No…?”
He had no other reason. He wasn’t a psychic, and his knowledge as a poisoner and hunter wasn’t worth the huge sum he’d been offered.
“Too insecure. Not selling Gaongil info is your choice, but I don’t want to see you so intimidated while working under me. Fix it quickly.”
