Chapter 93
Though Yekaterina wasn’t someone she liked, Mason could at least like and respect her as someone necessary.
She was harmless and unpretentious, yet courageous and led by example.
Even excluding the favors she had done, her personality was one that inspired friendliness and liking.
Especially considering the actions Mason had taken for the demi-humans… it would be strange not to like her.
“Alright, let’s finish this quickly and head North!”
While Mason was sweeping through the monsters in Gangwon Province, Yekaterina was overseeing the administrative work.
“We’ll start by reopening the Donghae Line, especially the section from Sokcho to Jejin.”
“Yes!”
While Mason led the fighters across Gangwon Province, Yekaterina sent architects and surveyors to do the same.
Stations that had been closed due to the monster outbreak were rebuilt and renovated, and the tracks were relaid.
Even with the government’s full support, it wasn’t an easy task. If Mason rarely slept under a roof while traversing the wilderness, Yekaterina rarely left the map in the conference room.
She ate, drank, slept, and woke up in the conference room. She made dozens of phone calls and exchanged hundreds of emails.
The only times she went out were to fight over budget issues.
“Ah, I’m exhausted…”
It was such a forced march that even the always-composed Yekaterina complained.
“Wouldn’t it be better to rest a little?”
Red Knight suggested, but Yekaterina smiled and shook her head.
“It’s okay. This is what I’ve always dreamed of.”
She wouldn’t be able to undo all the things she regretted. But this was enough. She could at least tie a minimal knot in the biggest mistake of her life.
So, Yekaterina could smile.
“Now, let’s get back to work.”
While the demi-humans were busy, the Revengers were also in full swing. They promoted the reserve forces they had prepared in advance to regular members, and scoured agencies to recruit for the empty positions.
“There are three vacancies in total.”
The long-range dealer they had lost due to Needle’s counter-sniping during the Han River Defense, Seo Yeonhee who had left abruptly, and Deroa who had retired as a player due to core damage.
The most urgent need was for a mage team leader.
“Olga, can you take on the role of mage team leader?”
“Ah… Unnie… I…”
“…It seems like it would be too much.”
Olga’s magical abilities themselves weren’t a problem, but she lacked leadership and decisiveness. The smaller the mage team, the more they needed someone like Deroa who was quick to judge and assertive.
‘I wish Seo Yeonhee would come back…’
Seo Yeonhee and Masika had a tense, power-based relationship. However, apart from that, her excellence was undeniable.
The vacancy felt particularly large.
‘Where can I find someone?’
In the internal meeting, it was decided to fill the three vacancies with mages. The problem was that they needed to find a team leader-level mage.
“Should we poach someone from the Mage Corps with cash?”
After much deliberation, Masika called Mason.
“Mason?”
“…What are you doing? Why is the sound quality so bad?”
“If you happen to know any competent mages among the demi-humans…”
At that moment, a rumbling sound started to come through.
“…”
The sound of something collapsing and tearing, followed by a rough roar, then Mason spoke, panting.
“Are there any mages among the demi-humans? Team leader level.”
“Yekaterina is difficult to approach…”
At that moment, the sound of”thud-thud-thud-thud”began to be heard.
It was the sound of a helicopter’s rotor spinning.
Mason shouted.
“Yekaterina is! Difficult! To approach!”
“Huh?! Mason! Wait a minute! That’s not what I…”
The call ended.
“…”
Masika wore a perplexed expression.
Sure, she understood that he was busy. She understood, but…
“Shouldn’t you listen to what someone has to say until the end…”
A moment later.
Yekaterina called.
<...You were looking for me.>
Even through the phone, a chilling coldness could be felt.
Masika gulped and spoke.
“Well… I want to recruit three mages. Including one team leader-level mage.”
“I thought there might be more talent among the demi-humans.”
<...Alright. Since it's Mason's referral, I'll try to find someone. What kind of person are you looking for?>
“Well… I’d like someone experienced and with good judgment. Ah, and someone who works well with others.”
Yekaterina said coldly.
“No, that’s… I wasn’t the one who was going to contact you…”
Masika tried to explain, but Yekaterina wasn’t interested in hearing her excuses.
“No… it’s okay…”
The call ended.
Masika sighed.
‘How did Seo Yeonhee manage to make an enemy of this person?’
It was a moment of newfound admiration for Seo Yeonhee.
Anyway, Yekaterina selected and sent three mages.
“…”
All of them were rosy-cheeked girls, similar in height to Olga. Reddish g*nger hair with freckles on their noses. They were three girls with the same face.
“The Heavenly King sent us!”
Masika just blinked.
“Excuse me, but your ages…”
“73 years old. We look younger than our age, right?”
“…What?”
Masika realized there was something she needed to ask first.
“…Excuse me, but your race?”
“Halflings. We three sisters all grew up under the same parents.”
“Why… why halflings?”
“You said you were looking for experienced people with good teamwork.”
The girls proudly showed off their slender biceps.
“You see, we three sisters are veterans of World War II.”
“We also served in Afghanistan!”
“And the Gulf War too! Even though we didn’t fire a single shot!”
Masika wore a perplexed expression as she watched the girls laugh at each other, as if they had shared a funny joke.
“You were in the military?”
“Special forces. We even graduated from Ranger School!”
Ranger School was a US special forces training school, famous for fostering leadership as well as combat skills.
Masika, feeling a glimmer of hope, asked.
“Where else did you serve?”
“CIA.”
“The US intelligence agency?”
“Ah, not Langley, but the cooking school in Hyde Park.”
Masika blinked.
“Wait, why would a special forces soldier learn cooking…?”
“Well, I went to the wrong place for a CIA job interview. And since I was already there, I thought I might as well learn to cook… I ended up learning French cuisine!”
“I’m a pastry chef! Specialized in sweets!”
“I’m good at filleting!”
Masika asked cautiously.
“Japanese cuisine?”
“No, knife fighting!”
“…”
Masika pressed her temples as she watched the girls, or rather, the elderly women, laugh as if they had shared another amusing anecdote.
Their ceaseless chatter, like that of sparrows, was draining her energy, even though she was only listening to their self-introductions.
‘Deroa… I miss you…’
Deroa, despite her tendency to snap and curse when spoken to, was at least someone she could communicate with…
‘No, wait. Compared to these three, Deroa seemed normal, but she wasn’t really normal either, was she?’
Why wouldn’t any normal mages join her raid team?
It was a moment when she felt grateful for Olga, who was harmlessly abnormal and passive.
Masika seriously began to consider performing a shamanistic ritual.
“…Then, which of you three is the leader? I was looking for someone with leadership qualities.”
“Me!”
“Your name?”
“Vilmos Nike. Ah, we’re Hungarian, so Vilmos is the surname and Nike is the given name.”
“Vilmos Bike.”
“Vilmos Ake.”
The one who raised her hand was Nike.
“Since I’m the eldest sister, leave everything to me!”
Then Bike pushed Nike aside and said.
“No! I’m the eldest sister, so ask me!”
Ake crossed her arms and said.
“You don’t think those two look reliable, do you? Leave it to me, the eldest sister.”
Masika looked at the three girls, or rather, the three elderly women.
She had asked for three mages, including one leader, and they had sent her three mages who all claimed to be the leader.
‘D*mn Heavenly King…’
Masika sighed.
Filling her raid team with only normal people, and sending her these kinds of people.
‘I should have asked for normal people.’
It was a moment of bitter regret.
๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑๑ஓ๑
By the time Mason finished clearing Gangwon Province, the preparations for the railroad, led by Yekaterina, were also mostly complete.
“Now we need to head North.”
North Korea was a collapsed country, and monsters were practically multiplying as if they were being grazed.
Unlike the South Korean railroads, which were being maintained to some extent, the condition of North Korean railroads had never been good, even before the outbreak.
In the worst case, they would have to lay down new tracks altogether.
Naturally, it was Mason’s second army of demi-human players and the North Koreans who were buying them time.
‘The combat capabilities of the demi-humans… are promising.’
Yekaterina wanted the demi-humans to have their own survival skills, even in the worst-case scenario. Demi-humans were generally excellent combatants. Not only the players, but even the civilians had learned at least basic self-defense or marksmanship.
‘On the other hand, the North Koreans… will need retraining.’
Unlike the demi-humans, it was difficult to expect combat capabilities from the North Koreans.
Most North Koreans were obligated to serve in the military for over 10 years. However, due to their extreme poverty, they did not receive adequate training even as soldiers, making it difficult to expect any real combat power from them.
‘The positive aspect is that they are accustomed to obeying authority.’
However, thanks to North Korea’s rigid political system, the North Koreans were used to readily obeying authority.
They were people who were prepared to accept military training without resistance.
Moreover, these were people who, even as civilians, had the survival skills and guts to break through the mine-ridden DMZ. With sufficient training and armament, they could at least adequately fulfill the role of garrison troops at military bases.
“Are these all the North Koreans?”
Mason asked Jeong Ryeogyeong, who was accompanying him.
Jeong Ryeogyeong hesitated, flustered.
“Um… well…”
Ri Gyeongsim spoke up instead of Jeong Ryeogyeong.
“No, sir.”
“Then?”
“We are called South-North Koreans by the South Korean government.”
“South-North Koreans. That means… there are North-North Koreans?”
“Yes. Former North Korean 10th Corps Commander, Kim Donghwang. He crossed into China with his corps stationed on the northern border and the North Korean people. 100,000 active troops and 700,000 civilians. The force he leads is called North-North Koreans by the South Korean government and South Joseon Ethnic Group by the Chinese government.”
“North-North Koreans in addition to South-North Koreans.”
Mason chuckled. It was a distinction that felt like a word game.
“Of course, he calls himself the Legitimate Democratic People’s Republic of Korea…”
“Let’s call them North-North Koreans. The name is too long for its worth remembering.”
Ri Gyeongsim bowed her head.
