Chapter 30
Knock, knock-.
Creak-.
“Hey, sit down.”
Do-jae sat on one side of the round table placed in the Commander’s Office.
Inside, the Commander, Deputy Commander, and the leaders of each team were already gathered.
Except for the leader of the 1st team.
“Now that everyone’s here, let’s begin. Deputy Commander?”
“Yes, I will begin.”
Deputy Commander Song Hun spread out a large map that had been placed on the table.
He picked up a long pointer and began reporting the situation.
“Currently, the operation is about 70% complete. In Area 7, the Red Orcs, Area 1 with the Hwain, and Area 3 with the Death Ants have been maintaining balance. However, we detected unusual movemAnts earlier this morning.”
Song Hun pointed to Area 7.
That was the Red Orc zone that Do-jae had been responsible for until just yesterday.
“Show the photos.”
At Song Hun’s order, one of the Extermination Force soldiers clicked a few buttons, and the large monitor at the back of the room displayed the photos.
“These are photos taken by the 2nd team. Please take a look, and I’ll explain afterward.”
The photos showed Red Orcs gathered in large numbers.
At a glance, the sheer number was overwhelming.
The next photo was taken at a closer distance.
The Red Orcs were each holding weapons and, although crude, they were also wearing armor.
It looked like they were about to go to war.
“This was taken roughly four hours ago. Currently, they’re engaged in battle with the Death Ants in Area 3, and the Red Orcs are overwhelmingly dominant.”
“I heard that it’s been a little over a year since the Dungeon Break occurred in Kaesong….”
“Orcs breed quickly and grow fast. In one year, even one can become a full-fledged warrior. Don’t you know that?”
Kim Hwansu, the Commander, scolded Shim Yeong-jin, who had muttered to himself.
Shim Yeong-jin looked at Do-jae with a pitiful expression.
“That’s why we’ve been consistently working on the extermination in Area 7 to reduce their numbers. These creatures tend to cannibalize each other, so we thought that if we reduced their population, they’d eventually self-destruct. However, based on these photos….”
“We misjudged, and now we’re facing a serious problem.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
At Song Hun’s agreement, the mood in the room darkened.
Everyone sensed that a significant battle was brewing due to the sudden turn of evAnts.
“So, what’s the plan?”
“We’ll engage in full-scale warfare at the edge of Area 3 after the Red Orcs finish their battle with the Death Ants.”
“And what about Area 1?”
“I have something to report on that as well.”
Song Hun picked up his pen and circled a spot on the map.
He drew a curved line, moving the pen from Area 7 to Area 3.
“This is the route the Red Orcs are taking. They bypassed Area 1 entirely and made a wide detour to move to Area 3.”
“They deliberately avoided the Hwain’s domain.”
“That’s correct. They passed through the area we, the Chilgok Unit, had already cleared and headed directly for the Death Ants’ territory.”
“That means there’s a smart one among them.”
“Yes, that’s right. Since the Hwain won’t engage unless their territory is invaded, once the Red Orcs are done with the Death Ants, we will be their next target.”
“So, we should strike after the Red Orcs and Death Ants finish their battle.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Song Hun put down his pen.
Everyone waited for Commander Kim Hwansu’s decision.
Not long after, Kim Hwansu opened his mouth.
“All squads, cease current operations and prepare for full combat readiness. With the number of Red Orcs here, the battle will surely be over by tomorrow. We’ll take that opportunity to commence the Red Orc subjugation. We’ll head out at dawn, so squad leaders, ensure your members get adequate rest.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Understood!”
Song Deok-hoon added one more thing to Kim Hwansu.
“And we should recall the First Squad Leader.”
“Got it. Dismissed.”
As Do-jae left the command room with the other squad leaders, he wondered to himself.
‘Who is the First Squad Leader anyway?’
***
The next day.
All troops, save for a few left behind, gathered at Area 5.
Area 5 was separated from Area 3 by a small hill, making it an excellent vantage point to observe the battlefield while maintaining a safe distance from the Red Orcs.
“This is practically a massacre.”
“They’re organized, perfectly in sync. This isn’t just a tribe… it’s like an army.”
Kim Hwansu and Song Deok-hoon watched the battlefield of Area 3 from atop the hill.
The battle between the Red Orcs and Death Ants was nearing its conclusion.
The Red Orcs’ momentum was more formidable than anticipated.
“Commander, I don’t think a frontal assault is going to work.”
The corpses of the Death Ants piled up in mounds across the battlefield, but there were far fewer Red Orc bodies.
Given that Death Ants rely more on their sense of smell than sight, they should have had the advantage in a prolonged battle, but the Red Orcs had used fire to their benefit.
The charred remains of half-burnt trees scattered around bore testament to this strategy.
“The Red Orc shamans are nowhere to be seen.”
“Indeed. They’ve foregone the Berserker magic in favor of maintaining order. For a bunch of Red Orcs, that’s impressive.”
If they had used Berserker magic, they would have turned themselves into enhanced biological weapons, rampaging and ending the fight quickly.
However, the Red Orc shamans had opted not to use it, meaning they wanted to conserve their forces.
This revealed one thing: the Red Orcs weren’t just focused on the Death Ants; they were thinking beyond this battle.
“If we charge head-on, our losses will be immense. This was a mistake on my part.”
“It’s no cause for regret. We only learned this yesterday. Let’s revise the plan.”
Kim Hwansu decided to abandon the idea of a frontal assault and formulated a new strategy.
The current number of troops in the Chilgok Unit was far too few compared to the Red Orcs.
Even if the officers, including himself, could each take down a hundred enemies, the regular troops would still face more than ten Red Orcs per soldier.
In this open field with no cover, should they engage in a chaotic skirmish, they risked being surrounded by Red Orcs and losing valuable lives before they could even put up a proper fight.
“Has Squad Leader Kang arrived yet?”
“He set out at dawn and is on his way. He should be here soon.”
Kim Hwansu nodded.
The First Squad Leader was an immense asset.
Once he arrived, it would be a game-changer on the battlefield.
“We’re revising the strategy. Gather the squad leaders.”
After giving the order, Kim Hwansu fixed his gaze on an unusually ornate wooden structure standing out in the middle of the battlefield.
***
Song Deok-hoon quickly gathered the squad leaders, who were already on high alert, ready to receive new orders.
“The plan is changing.”
Kim Hwansu explained the revised strategy.
The all-out assault by the entire force was put on hold.
Instead, the squads were to form a semi-circle defensive line to the south and wait.
Kim Hwansu, along with the squad leaders, began a deep infiltration to hunt down the Red Orcs. This strategy was feasible because each squad leader was capable of handling dozens of enemies on their own.
“And based on the deputy commander’s judgment, the entire unit will push up from the south. This will naturally force the disadvantaged Red Orcs northward, where they will eventually clash with the Hwain in Area 1.”
It was a classic “use one enemy to defeat another” strategy.
Since the Hwain would instinctively defend their territory, it was the perfect plan.
At that moment, Do-jae cautiously raised a question.
“But what if that doesn’t happen?”
Kim Hwansu looked at him, puzzled.
“What do you mean by ‘that doesn’t happen’?”
“What if the Red Orcs don’t retreat? Assuming they’ll fall back just because they’re at a disadvantage seems too human-like a thought process.”
Kim Hwansu nodded at Do-jae’s words.
“True. They are monsters. But these are different. The fact that their tribes are united already sets them apart. Plus, they seem to be trying to preserve their forces.”
Kim Hwansu continued while lightly stroking his sword.
“Our main goal is to stop them from heading south. Even if they don’t move towards Area 1, it’s fine. We just need to prevent them from advancing southward and hold them off until reinforcements arrive.”
Do-jae had no choice but to accept Kim Hwansu’s firm words. However, this strategy relied on Song Deok-hoon and the remaining members holding their positions in the south, meaning casualties were inevitable.
“May I speak out of turn once more?”
Do-jae cautiously asked another question.
Kim Hwansu looked slightly irritated but allowed it.
“Go ahead.”
“Does the unit have any magic stones in stock?”
Song Deok-hoon, who managed the unit’s resources, paused to think for a moment. As the one responsible for inventory, he had a general idea of what they had.
“We have about thirty low- and mid-grade magic stones. And we’ve got one high-grade stone. Why?”
Magic stones were valuable spoils of war, crucial for the unit’s operation. One high-grade stone could cover a month’s worth of operational expenses.
“I don’t need the high-grade one. Would you be able to provide me with all the low-grade stones?”
“What? Do you know how much those are worth? I can’t just—”
As Song Deok-hoon waved his hand in refusal, Kim Hwansu interrupted.
“Give them to him.”
“Excuse me? In this situation, what does he need them for—”
“You’re planning to make golems, aren’t you?” Kim Hwansu asked, eyeing Do-jae.
Do-jae’s golems were already known to many in the unit. Only Song Deok-hoon, who wasn’t as familiar with Do-jae, was unaware.
“Yes, I want to use the golems to fortify our rear. With them as shields, we can also minimize casualties.”
“I heard you don’t need to stay close to control your golems.”
“If they’re too far, direct control becomes difficult, but I can monitor them within a range of 4 kilometers (2.48 miles approx). Beyond that, it gets tricky.”
“Understood. I’ll place you as close to the southern front as possible. Anyone else have something to add?”
“No, sir!”
“Then we move out in 30 minutes. Prepare and assemble—”
Sssrrrk.
Just as Kim Hwansu finished speaking, someone pulled open the tent flap and stepped inside.
“Ah, Captain Kang! We’ve been waiting for you!”
The leader of Squad 1 finally arrived.
Seeing him, Do-jae widened his eyes in surprise, while Shim Yeong-jin trembled in fear.
—
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