Chapter : 45
Confrontation (1)
“If it’s Jindo Dog Team 1, they must be pretty famous. Anyone know the details?”
“The team leader is a well-known esper.”
“Well, that’s obvious. What about the other espers?”
“There were a few more, but I’ve only heard rumors, so I’m not really sure…”
Team 1 was the face of the company, but at the same time it was also its greatest combat force. Unless someone was a team leader with considerable fame, it wasn’t strange that their exact abilities weren’t widely known.
“I heard Team 1’s leader controls ice.”
“Ice-type abilities are always useful. If he’s the leader of Team 1, he must be pretty impressive.”
Even if two people had the same ability, the difference between users could be enormous. One person might only be able to form something like an arrow out of ice, while another could create an enormous iceberg.
“I’m curious too, but let’s focus on our job first. We’ve already checked the location, so if something happens we’ll run that way… For now, we’ll move to our sector.”
“Should we take out the sensors?”
“Good idea.”
Although Suhyeon said that, inwardly he was skeptical.
The sensors were meant for monsters, not humans. There were people who could detect sensors through experience and instinct alone, and there were even detectors designed specifically to find sensors.
If the attackers had properly prepared for the ambush, they would likely be able to locate something like that.
Still, they couldn’t just skip it.
Even drawing the enemy’s attention would have some effect.
The team members immediately moved toward the forest. Though they had divided up the Redwood Forest, their territories weren’t completely separated. They could sense movement from far away.
“How are they planning to defend that side?”
“Who knows? They’ve got plenty of firepower. Maybe they’ll just fight head-on.”
“Stop worrying about others and move. You two, install the sensors and come back.”
“Yes, sir!”
In any case, the members clearly knew what their tasks were. They obediently began installing sensors along the edge of the forest and around the area.
Suhyeon observed the surroundings with long-distance vision just in case.
“Um… Captain.”
“Hm?”
It was rare for someone like Lee Sohee to hesitate before speaking.
Suhyeon turned his head to look at her.
“I know a lot about Team 1’s leader.”
“What? How?”
“…Team 1’s leader, Lee Jungwoo, is my older brother.”
“?!”
Suhyeon was startled, but he quickly returned to a neutral expression.
If she was telling him privately like this, it clearly meant she didn’t want the others to know.
‘Are they not on good terms?’
It wasn’t uncommon for people working here to have complicated pasts. Pretending not to know a family member you didn’t get along with wasn’t unusual.
“So it’s something you don’t want others to know?”
Instead of answering, Sohee nodded.
“Then I’ll keep it to myself. Tell me everything you know.”
“I know about Team 1 roughly as much as others do. Most of them are probably espers, and at most one or two might be ordinary people. Even those are probably…”
“Power armor pilots. What about the leader? What kind of person is he?”
“As a leader, he’s fairly decent. Calm and decisive.”
‘Do the siblings have similar personalities?’
“What about his ability?”
“It’s an ability that’s more threatening against humans than monsters. Of course, it’s still dangerous to monsters…”
Lee Jungwoo’s ability was known as ice manipulation, but the specifics differed from the general image people had.
Instead of freezing opponents or firing individual chunks of ice, his ability created a large amount of ice in midair and continuously fired countless small ice fragments.
Each fragment, being created by an esper ability, dealt effective damage even against monsters.
Against humans, it was even more devastating.
‘Definitely useful.’
Even if it had weaknesses against monsters, those weaknesses probably wouldn’t appear much in human combat.
If the situation was right, he could potentially wipe out enemies by himself.
‘This makes me want to push them into the fight even more…’
The ideal scenario was to avoid clashing with the enemy and instead lure them toward the Jindo Dog team.
Once a clash happened, they could identify the attackers and, if possible, capture at least one alive as evidence.
Of course, reality was different.
Suhyeon expected that if an attack came, the attackers would target their location first.
Because they looked like the obvious weak point.
The Jindo Dog team had their own pride and probably wouldn’t actively cross into another team’s territory to help.
Likewise, the attackers would probably destroy the easiest target first.
‘I’ll need to guide them carefully.’
“The installation is finished.”
“Good work. Let’s move to that clearing and rest a bit.”
“If you mean that clearing, the Jindo Dog team is already there.”
“It’s fine. They won’t complain about something like that. It’s not like they reserved the place.”
Despite Suhyeon’s confident words, the team members looked slightly uneasy, but they followed him without arguing further.
The Jindo Dog members already occupying the clearing frowned when they arrived, but they didn’t say anything.
If they claimed it was their spot, the situation would only become childish.
“Well then, I’ll go scout for a bit.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll take someone to assist—”
“No need. It’s easier alone.”
They knew about Suhyeon’s ability, but even so, it was hard to accept him moving alone.
Moreover, he was now the team leader.
If he acted recklessly and died, everything would fall apart.
“Just rest here and recover your stamina.”
After saying that, Suhyeon left.
The team members watched him anxiously as he walked away without even taking a weapon.
The sensors they installed were nothing more than bait for intruders.
His real sensors would be set up in another way.
Thin, transparent threads that were nearly impossible to see at night.
Even if someone walked through and broke them, they wouldn’t notice.
But for someone with telekinesis like Suhyeon, they could be used effectively.
‘This should be enough.’
His telekinesis had grown stronger, making fine control harder, but he had already mostly adapted.
He had no intention of complaining about having more power overall.
When Suhyeon returned, he sensed the subtle atmosphere in the clearing and chuckled.
The two mercenary teams were moving around while pretending not to notice each other.
“Shouldn’t you at least introduce yourselves? We’ve got a few sociable people here.”
“You can still say that after seeing the mood right now?”
Unlike Suhyeon’s relaxed demeanor, the Jindo Dog team looked sharp and tense.
The area was already dangerous because of monsters, and now that there was talk of a terrorist threat, their vigilance had only increased.
“Anyway, we’ll probably end up fighting together whether we like it or not… By the way, I don’t see Team 1. Are they somewhere else?”
There were several power armors and members, but none of them seemed like espers.
He didn’t have a specific ability to identify espers, but someone at the level of Team 1’s leader would usually give off a certain presence.
“They’re probably waiting somewhere else.”
“Preparing for emergencies, huh? Smart.”
Suhyeon carefully observed the Jindo Dog members.
Right now they were treating each other with distance, but there was a good chance they might fight together later—or even work together again in the future.
This industry seemed big, but it was actually small.
It was best to identify useful talent early.
Even if he couldn’t recruit them, he might still make use of them someday.
“Rookie! Move faster!”
“Rookie, huh. Heh.”
One of Suhyeon’s members chuckled quietly after hearing someone from the Jindo Dog team shout.
It reminded him of how they used to call Suhyeon a rookie not long ago.
The rookie who had been called hurried over clumsily.
“Come to think of it, our side’s rookie never had moments like that, right? For a rookie he’s not even cute…”
“Looks like someone here has too much free time. Want me to assign you some work?”
“No, sir!”
“Too late. Grab your rifle and run to that spot and back. And every step you take, shout that you shouldn’t say useless things.”
“R-Really?!”
“Want me to double the distance? Run!”
Muttering curses internally, the joking member ran toward the place Suhyeon pointed.
He knew Suhyeon well enough to realize the distance really would double if he didn’t obey.
‘But that guy… Have I seen him somewhere?’
A member making jokes didn’t matter.
Suhyeon had only tightened things up because the atmosphere felt too relaxed.
What really bothered him was the rookie from the Jindo Dog team.
Extremely thin.
A somewhat hollow, exhausted-looking face.
Most mercenaries were physically sturdy, so he stood out.
And he looked familiar.
‘What is it? If I know him… it’s probably from when he was older…’
“Ingyu. How are you still not adapting? This isn’t the army. If you can’t do your job, the company has no reason to keep you.”
“I-I’m sorry!”
‘Curse Sorcerer Kang Ingyu?!’
The moment he heard the name, Suhyeon realized who the rookie was.
Kang Ingyu—the Curse Sorcerer.
An esper famous enough that even the old Suhyeon had known his name.
Curses were among the most unusual and alien types of esper abilities.
Above all, they were extremely difficult to use effectively.
The fact that Kang Ingyu had overcome that disadvantage and become famous spoke volumes about his ability.
At one time, Suhyeon had even considered asking him to place curses on the team’s weapons to increase their destructive power.
But the team members had unanimously opposed the idea, so he had given up negotiating.
‘What’s going on? Has he not awakened yet?’
The awakening of an esper was unpredictable.
Even if someone would awaken tomorrow, it was impossible to know today.
Because of this, it wasn’t rare for a small company’s mercenary to suddenly awaken and lead the entire company.
Or for someone who had been bullied as a mere member to awaken and instantly rise in status.
If Kang Ingyu hadn’t awakened yet, his current treatment made sense.
The value of an esper ultimately lay in their ability.
Suhyeon suppressed the smile that was about to appear.
He had been wondering where to find espers.
And here one was, right nearby.
It was slightly inconvenient that he belonged to Jindo Dog, but pulling out a rookie of this level wouldn’t bother them too much.
‘Now… how should I approach him?’
The method of approach was the important part.
Even though Kang Ingyu was just a rookie in one of Jindo Dog’s lower teams, the company itself was still more attractive than a brand-new mercenary company like Uncle Joe Company.
That was the advantage of being a large organization.
To overcome that advantage and recruit him away, Suhyeon needed to show him something different.
