Hiding a Logistics Center in the Apocalypse - Episode 17
(Door-to-Door Service (1))
“Phew...”
This was the Operations Command of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Headquarters.
Operations Command Chief Yu Seongcheol, left alone, let out a deep sigh.
At the end of his gaze, the status and results of the various operations the military had conducted over the past few days were marked without omission.
He muttered to himself.
“...It’s pitch-black. Pitch-black.”
The results shown on the status board were dismal.
Literally, nothing could be seen.
Across the nation, units whose communications had abruptly gone dark were not merely one or two.
Put differently, it meant those units had been swallowed whole, root and stem, by monsters.
Of course, it was possible.
Since the situation was akin to war, minor defeats were to be expected.
“But...”
The real problem was that hope was gradually disappearing.
He had ordered the higher command units across the country to reorganize their troop structures.
In a situation where all sorts of monsters were appearing simultaneously, forming a focal point was more urgent than anything.
They had added Awakeners to the existing troop structures and ordered them to assemble at the city, district, and corps levels, but the assembly itself was not happening properly.
“Gwacheon and Anyang seem to have gone dark too... And the 56th Division... I suppose the only place that assembled properly is the 1st Corps.”
As he organized the board muttering to himself, he suddenly uttered something blasphemous.
This Operations Command of the JCS was the very center of power that wielded absolute control over military operations.
“Even with the situation at this point... can we truly say the government remains?”
A nation is a concept rather than a physical entity, but it exerts influence through systems and military power.
But that was collapsing.
He bitterly stroked the collar of his uniform.
Three stars felt beneath his fingertips.
Those stars, embroidered in black thread, had already died, their light completely spent.
Then, someone entered the conference room.
It was Yu Seongcheol’s aide-de-camp.
“Chief, there is someone who has come to see you... I think you should meet him.”
“Who is it?”
“He is the commander of the 50th Information and Communications Battalion of the Armed Forces Communications Command. He says he was tasked with communications support at the government complex assembly point in Gwacheon. He says he has news that must be delivered to you, Chief...”
“...Gwacheon? Is that true?”
The troops at the government complex, whom he had assumed were annihilated.
Yu Seongcheol brightened at the news of a survivor.
“Tell him to come in immediately.”
In his vision, stained black—finally, a small morning star appeared.
“...A coup?”
Yu Seongcheol asked again with a bewildered expression.
In his hand were several classified documents handed over by Communications Battalion Commander Han Gyeongho.
Two or three of them had been drawn up according to orders from this very JCS Headquarters.
But several of them...
Han Gyeongho added.
“Yes, it’s the 1st Corps, Chief.”
Commands transmitted directly from the 1st Corps were recorded in them.
They were not official documents, but their contents were clear enough.
Cutting off support and communications to the assembly points of units organized for the Capital Defense Command.
Disguising the failure of troop assembly as monster attacks in reports.
‘Are these bastards out of their minds?’
There was circumstantial evidence as well.
The only places where troop assembly was being properly organized across the country were the 1st Corps, a few front-line divisions, and the rear-area higher commands.
Among them, the place where assembly was most devastatingly delayed was none other than the Capital Defense forces here.
Only then did all the puzzle pieces seem to fit.
But there was one questionable point.
“How on earth did you bring these documents? Sorry, but they should be difficult for someone of your rank to even touch. And it’s strange that you made it back alone from Gwacheon...”
“Normally, that would be true. So, there is someone I really hope the Chief will meet.”
Han Gyeongho briefly explained what had happened to him over the past few days.
A man named Kim Jeonggyeom had saved him, and not only did he possess the Armed Forces Communications Command in his subspace, but he also had overwhelming combat power.
It was truly an absurd ability, but...
“If that is true...”
Operations Command Chief Yu Seongcheol had no choice but to nod.
Operations Command Chief Yu Seongcheol came down to the parking lot himself to meet me.
I got out of the car with Lee Yongsu and immediately began negotiations with him.
As requested beforehand, Han Gyeongho must have explained my abilities to the Chief.
“My family is beyond that wall right now. So, I would like to borrow a helicopter... If you lend me one, I will give you far more supplies in return. Water, food, military supplies—anything.”
“I heard about Mr. Kim Jeonggyeom’s abilities from the communications battalion commander here. It truly is an absurd ability. A helicopter is a very important strategic asset, but... I don’t think it will be impossible to hand one over.”
“Really?”
I brightened.
I hadn’t expected him to hand one over this easily.
But...
“However, there is a condition. I would like you to become an Awakener affiliated with the military. As you know, the government is struggling to stabilize the current situation. But if Mr. Jeonggyeom joins us... a clue to the solution might emerge.”
“I’m sorry, but that will be difficult.”
I refused outright once again.
And I added.
“I understand the government’s situation. But right now, nothing can take priority over rescuing my family.”
I didn’t go out of my way to say it, but it would be the same even after I found all my family.
Whether it was monsters tearing people apart or the 1st Corps bastards coveting power at a time like this, both felt equally despicable, but I wasn’t even confident this government could survive.
The Chief answered.
“That is... regrettable. Then it will be difficult to lend you a helicopter.”
“Understood. I won’t ask further.”
Slam!
I immediately got into the passenger seat.
Getting a helicopter had become difficult... but I hadn’t properly checked the wall yet anyway.
If I threw thousands of grenades, wouldn’t I somehow blow a hole in it?
As I was thinking that.
Knock, knock.
Someone knocked on the car window from outside.
Squeak.
When I rolled down the window, Chief Yu Seongcheol was clearing his throat.
“Then I have another request. If you help me with this, I will give you the helicopter.”
Vroom.
We were inside a running Korando.
Swoosh.
A dry hand popped out of a portal opened between Lee Yongsu and me.
I thought it was a scene from the movie *The Ring*, but in that hand was a lunch box wrapped in a cloth bundle.
In other words, it was Oh Jisu’s hand.
“Thank you.”
When I expressed my gratitude, the hand gave a thumbs-up and slowly retreated back into the portal.
This time, it was a scene from *The Terminator*.
When I opened the cloth, inside was a thick, handmade sandwich.
A considerate gesture for me and Lee Yongsu, who had been skipping meals while constantly moving outside.
Even though there were pre-made sandwiches lying around in the Fresh Center, this was a premium sandwich made by grilling homemade ham and torching the cheese.
“...!”
Naturally, the taste was unbelievable as well.
Lee Yongsu also chewed on the sandwich with one hand while busily turning the steering wheel with the other.
This human must have saved the country in a past life.
Chewing on the bread, meat, and vegetables in my mouth,
I recalled the conversation I’d had with the Operations Command Chief moments ago.
Yu Seongcheol, he had clearly said this.
“The lord of the castle is the ‘Knight King.’ Of course, it is not human.”
“The Knight King...?”
It was a name quite reminiscent of a myth or a game character.
That said... I hadn’t imagined monsters would have such an honorable name attached to them.
“It isn’t a name given by people. An elite monster called the ‘Skeleton Knight’ appears from time to time, and they recite things like ‘For the honor of the Knight King.’”
For monsters to speak—this, too, was an amazing thing.
To me, who was puzzled, Yu Seongcheol added a warning.
“If you encounter a Skeleton Knight during the operation, avoid fighting as much as possible. You must retreat unconditionally, even at the cost of taking damage. Our attacks don’t work on them.”
Communications Battalion Commander Han Gyeongho had told me something similar.
Enemies against whom firearms and other modern weaponry were ineffective.
The situation here was no different.
“Aside from the Skeleton Knights, the rest are all skeletons. Their combat power itself isn’t very threatening... but surprisingly, they are difficult to catch with guns.”
“Why is that?”
“First, since their whole bodies are hollow, bullets tend to glance off them quite a bit. Moreover, unless you properly destroy the ‘core’ made of magic stones, they have the property of regenerating by gathering their bones back together.”
“Where is this core located?”
“It would have been nice if it were in the head... but the middle part of the bottom right last rib is made of magic stone. If the magic stone is separated, they lose strength and fall.”
Having conveyed the general information about the enemies, he finally got to the main point.
Since he was the one who had asked me to help with the operation in the first place.
“They are expanding their forces from below Namsan to Huam-dong, Namyeong-dong, and Cheongpa-dong. And the place where we recently called up reserve Awakeners was Seoul Station. Fortunately, communications with them are smooth... but the roads are blocked because of the skeletons. Since they are early-stage Awakeners, their combat power is nothing special, and even if we launch a rescue operation, we would have to sustain considerable damage.”
“Simply put, you want me to get those people out?”
“Exactly. Is it possible?”
“Yes. Fine.”
It was inconvenient that time would be spent, but fortunately, Seoul Station wasn’t very far.
Moreover, if I got a helicopter through this matter, the process of crossing the wall and heading to Euljiro would gain much more speed.
But I added one more condition.
“However, all the magic stones obtained during the rescue will be mine.”
It wasn’t a rescue operation I was participating in alone.
Several transport trucks and support troops were going to enter together, so it would be troublesome if they quibbled over magic stone ownership after providing that much help.
The magic stones I had gathered so far totaled 617.
It was an enormous amount, but still insufficient to reach Subspace Level 3.
To my condition of taking all the magic stones, the Chief surprisingly nodded easily.
“Very well. The operation’s purpose is rescuing people from the start... but it will be a problem if you waste time collecting magic stones. Once you’ve rescued the people, you must return here to headquarters immediately.”
“Understood. You needn’t worry about that.”
And so we shook hands.
It was a temporary transaction to exchange what each other needed.
Be fitting of an Operations Command Chief, he used his imagination.
“I heard you can summon any object from your subspace. How about sweeping away the skeletons with something like a two-and-a-half-ton truck? They will revive, but... it should buy enough time for movement.”
“Ah... yes, I’ll keep that in mind. Then.”
And with that, our conversation concluded.
Outside the window of the moving car,
looking at the gradually setting sun, I organized my thoughts.
Chief Yu Seongcheol’s plan to summon trucks.
It wasn’t a bad method... but for some reason, it didn’t satisfy me.
Because after achieving Subspace Level 2, there was still an ability I hadn’t unlocked.
Pax opened a window.
----[Available Unlock]----
[Cost: 50]
◈ Tracking Delivery
-Dispatched products automatically track their set destination.
-------------------------
Beyond
The destination: the lower right ribs of the skeletons.
I intended to properly bust their ribs via Tracking Delivery.