Master Smith Under Ministry of National Defense

084 – Command Center

‘Facing annihilation.’

The moment Hee-cheol saw the cold smile on Myung-jun’s face, the word that came to the minds of all the soldiers on the scene, including Hee-cheol, was ‘annihilation.’

At the same time, in Hee-cheol’s mind, Myung-jun’s ruthless firepower demonstration in Manaus, Brazil, came to mind.

Countless turrets mercilessly massacring Rank 5 and 6 monsters that even missiles couldn’t penetrate.

On Hee-cheol’s back, who thought that dreadful firepower would be aimed at them, sweat was dripping down unnoticed.

‘Should I bring it out now?’

Even though there was no definite card to ‘subdue’ Myung-jun, there was a card to ‘resist’ him.

It was Hee-cheol’s awakening ability.

His ability, as the awakening class <Doll Master>, allowed him to freely utilize exclusive equipment for all classes with the dolls he summoned, possessing the strongest combat power that could rival other classes under the assumption of securing powerful equipment.

With just his slender body, Hee-cheol could simultaneously exert the combat power of 100 awakeners, thanks to the unique ability of his awakening class.

Moreover, his ‘dolls’ were equipped with the most powerful gear available worldwide.

Specifically armed with the equipment of the ‘Liberal Clan.’

‘Although it’s said that he can summon numerous turrets with various abilities, in terms of firepower, we’re not inferior. Moreover, the equipment we’ve exchanged includes materials stored by the Gate Technology Research Institute.’

Furthermore, at the moment, Myung-jun’s sturdiest shield and bodyguard, the spear, were absent.

Even though Myung-jun was evaluated as the strongest in terms of attack, he received comments that, apart from the shield, there was nothing noteworthy about his defense. Therefore, Hee-cheol judged that now, when the spear was not by Myung-jun’s side, was the best timing to attack.

At that moment.

“What will you do? If you’re going to fight, let’s fight right now. Should I go first?”

As if reading Hee-cheol’s mind, who was gauging whether to initiate the attack, Myung-jun spoke in silence.

Surprised, Hee-cheol clapped his hands and denied Myung-jun’s opinion.

“A battle? Ah, no way. The troops gathered here are, to a certain extent, forces gathered for the sake of securing safety. They’re troops for a kind of power demonstration. Unless an inevitable situation arises, there is no intention at all to actually engage in combat.”

Through numerous combat simulations performed like a repeating cycle in a short period, Hee-cheol concluded that ‘combat is not feasible.’

‘Even if we succeed in subduing him, most EDA members will likely die. It’s too great a loss during a time when the Gate incident is escalating like now.’

Of course, deep down, he had an urge to deliver a righteous blow to this arrogant existence openly ignoring the law enforcement of South Korea. However, Hee-cheol had too calculating a personality to let emotions take the lead in such matters.

Upon hearing that Myung-jun had no intention of fighting, despite creating a situation, heaving a sigh, he spoke to Hee-cheol as if the tension had dissipated.

“Then, shall I create an inevitable situation?”

“Do you really intend to fight all the troops here?”

“If there’s a presence disrupting my rights and freedom, I’m willing to fight, even if it’s the U.S. government. Of course, fighting the entire country alone might be impossible, but I can torment them to the point where they want to surrender.”

Myung-jun began to reveal his ‘terror plan(?)’ in a nonchalant tone.

If the battle were to begin, he explained that he would tie up Hee-cheol’s feet, making it difficult to eliminate him quickly, and start by eliminating the weakest EDA members. He also mentioned that he would escape the scene as soon as Hee-cheol was freed.

“If I want, I can become the most formidable enemy imaginable to any government. I can appear unexpectedly in an unforeseen location, cause catastrophic damage in an instant, and vanish.”

“Are you threatening us?”

“You started the threat first. Can I become a criminal? Try finding out. Just one thing, if you’re going to fight me, it’s better to go all-in and put your life on the line. The moment you fail to take my life, the South Korean government will consider me the most terrifying terrorist in history.”

Upon hearing Myung-jun’s words, the worst-case scenario imaginable unfolded in Hee-cheol’s mind like a panorama.

At the same time, he realized that the man in front of him actually possessed the ability to make it happen.

‘If it’s not a head-on confrontation but a run-and-dodge strategy, there’s no way to stop it.’

Once again, Hee-cheol sighed internally, lamenting that the man who was showing a defiant attitude towards the government had acquired an overwhelmingly powerful ability compared to him.

“Let me say it again, all we want is one thing. For Mr. Myung-jun to operate under the government’s clan, the Liberal Clan, as a national clan. Of course, he should pay an appropriate price. Is that too much of a burden for Mr. Myung-jun? Becoming a criminal, sacrificing the country and past life?”

In response, Myung-jun, with a cold gaze as if seeing through everything, spoke to Hee-cheol.

“An appropriate price. Don’t talk nonsense. Don’t you know? No government will leave a weapon of mass destruction to move freely according to its will. Now, since I’m stronger and the damage is minimal when I suppress, I’m treated well. However, when the power gap is reversed, the situation will change.”

“How will it change?”

“I don’t know. After being suddenly declared missing, I might end up being a tool the government creates, making equipment until I’m locked underground in the Ministry of National Defense, until I die.”

Hearing Myung-jun’s words, Hee-cheol desperately tried to control his expression.

Because ultimately, that was the picture Hee-cheol intended to create if he didn’t listen to him.

Hee-cheol, as if Myung-jun could read his thoughts, maintained a composed expression and spoke.

“That’s speculation. Mr. Myung-jun is considered one of the most important talents in South Korea. Isn’t it inappropriate to treat a talent like that?”

“If young men performing military duty to defend the country are the most important talents of the nation. Surely, the current Ministry of National Defense wouldn’t claim to treat them fairly.”

“But that’s inevitable due to the nature of a divided country…”

“Calling it inevitable is just an excuse. The word ‘inevitable’ always appears in the process that forces sacrifice. But when you peel off a layer, that ‘inevitable’ is just a tool for self-rationalization to ease the burden of guilt for the side enforcing the sacrifice.”

“It seems opinions won’t narrow down.”

“That’s right. Unless you concede and step back from your side, I have no intention of conceding.”

“If you don’t concede, what will you do? In any case, to operate a ‘physical organization’ like the Liberal Clan, it needs a ‘base.’ There should be an airport to welcome Awakeners visiting the Liberal Clan from around the world, and a logistics system is needed to safely deliver the products made by the Liberal Clan. If we stop all that support now and isolate the Liberal Clan, there will be nothing Mr. Myung-jun can do, right?”

Hee-cheol’s words made sense.

Regardless, to operate the ‘physical organization’ known as the Liberal Clan, a ‘base’ was necessary.

If, as Hee-cheol suggested, barricades were erected near Sejong City to block the visits of all Awakeners to the Liberal Clan, or if the export of products from the Liberal Clan was prevented from airports or ports, the Liberal Clan would naturally face an unavoidable fate of shutting down.

The primitive threat of ‘pay rent if you want to do business on this land.’

But despite hearing this threat, a smile still lingered on Myung-jun’s lips.

“Oh, I see. Certainly, for the operation of the clan headquarters in Sejong City, cooperation from the South Korean government is essential.”

“Now you understand! That’s right! So, accepting our proposal is a reasonable choice! Even if you say you want to move the clan headquarters to another location, all equipment leaving the current location from now on will be subject to export prohibition.”

“Are you saying that if I want to go overseas, I have to leave all the equipment owned by the Liberal Clan for free?”

“Until you decide to cooperate, yes. But if you promise to cooperate, the situation will change.”

Myung-jun touched his chin as if contemplating.

Then, with clear eyes, he looked at Hee-cheol and spoke.

“Isn’t that too much of a strong-arm tactic?”

“I’ve said it before. Currently, the Liberal Clan and its leader, Cha Myung-jun, are a group of criminals who committed the illegal export of weapons. And the numerous weapons piled up inside the Liberal Clan are a type of means for that crime. Legally, there’s no problem seizing the ‘weapons’ used in the crime.”

“I see. So, that means, until the Liberal Clan decides to cooperate with the South Korean government, all equipment inside that building cannot be taken out?”

“That’s correct. Whether it’s weapons, armor, or recyclable trash, anything that comes out of the Liberal Clan cannot leave the premises.”

“Fine. Then, we just won’t take them out.”

In response to Myung-jun’s abrupt remark, Hee-cheol widened his eyes and asked, “What does that mean?”

“Do not export them but leave them inside the building. Isn’t that the solution?”

“Are you saying you’ll accept the blockade willingly, accepting the fate of the Liberal Clan shutting down?”

“No, not really.”

Despite Myung-jun’s relaxed attitude, Hee-cheol, visibly tense, assumed a combat stance as he spoke.

“So, are you implying you’re ready for an all-out war right now?”

However, even to that question, Myung-jun glanced around, then tilted his head.

“As I said earlier, it’s not that I don’t have the ability, but I don’t necessarily want to go that far. Unless you attack first, we won’t attack first on our side. Besides, mass slaughtering soldiers brought here because of orders is an unpleasant task.”

“Well then, how…”

“Have you heard of a game called StarCraft?”

In response to Myung-jun’s sudden and seemingly unrelated question, Hee-cheol nodded in momentary confusion.

“Yes, I know. It’s a national game.”

“When you play it, there’s a race called Terran, and the characteristic of the Terran race is that they can lift their main building, the Command Center, and move it elsewhere. If the resources at the starting location run out or if the base is at risk of being destroyed by enemy attacks, they can lift the building and escape to another location.”

“I understand.”

“As you mentioned earlier, you have stated that you will prevent a single piece of equipment from Liberal Clan being exported. Also, you will block anyone trying to visit the Liberal Clan.”

Only now did Hee-cheol realize the hidden meaning in Myung-jun’s words, and his expression turned pale with shock. Myung-jun, who had envisioned every possible scenario from blockade to all-out war in his mind, hadn’t even imagined that Myung-jun could play this card.

With an astonished expression, Myung-jun raised his right hand and, with a mocking smile, spoke to Hee-cheol.

“Watch closely. Imagine the situation where you’re fighting to the death behind, and the headquarters building just swiftly escapes. Consider how the Terran soldiers must have felt.”

Having said that, Myung-jun flicked his fingers with his raised right hand.

“This is the Liberal Clan’s response to the new decree in South Korea.”

At that moment, the special armor covering the Liberal Clan headquarters, which had moved a little earlier to display the monitors, began to move in a spectacular manner incomparable to before.

Some parts were inverted and entered inside, while others transformed into completely different forms.

After a fleeting moment that felt eternal, the transformed Liberal Clan headquarters became like a massive rocket with eight thrusters.

– Vroooom! –

And that colossal rocket, emitting a deafening roar and heat, began to rise into the air before Hee-cheol could desperately intervene against the impact.

As the already towering height of the building surpassed that of other buildings with the same number of floors, the true form of the Liberal Clan headquarters, hidden underground, was revealed to the world.

A flying mobile clan headquarters, with four underground floors and six above ground, completely covered in special armor.

Even with the most advanced technology available, lifting a mere 150 tons into the sky was considered cutting-edge for humanity to handle. Therefore, all the members gathered at the scene could only silently watch the Liberal Clan headquarters soar eastward with stunned expressions.

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