Chapter 32

Chapter 32
## Chapter 32: Briefing for the Shield Generator Protection Detail

General Ahn Hoon-seo let out a boisterous roar of laughter the moment Lee Se-eun finished speaking.

“Ha! You’ve got a sense of humor…”

His voice faltered and died away as he locked eyes with her, the smile vanishing instantly.

“Do I appear to be in a joking mood to you?”

“Now, see here, Hunter Lee Se-eun. Regardless of the circumstances, I am your senior in years, and furthermore, I represent the interests of the South Korean military—”

Lee Se-eun didn’t let him finish.

“Veneration for the elderly is a tribute to the life they have led. Respect for a major general’s stars is an acknowledgment of the sacrifices made by soldiers who endure hardship to shield our people from external enemies.”

She pressed the pipe to her mouth, her freezing stare never wavering. The crackle of igniting tobacco filled the silence, and as a cloud of smoke drifted from her lips, she added coldly:

“You fail to meet the criteria for either.”

In her estimation, he possessed neither the character worthy of his age nor the integrity demanded by his uniform.

“If this shield generator functions as intended and provides us with viable results, its value will be immeasurable.”

Given the limited population of hunters, it was a mathematical impossibility to defend every territory plagued by erosion cores. However, these shielding units were mechanical, not biological.

If they could reach the stage of mass production in the future, they would offer a desperately needed safety net for regions that hunters simply couldn’t reach. And this man was attempting to sabotage that progress?

General Ahn Hoon-seo glared at her, his hand tightening into a white-knuckled fist.

“South Korea’s international standing is at stake here. If you refuse to fall in line, the government’s stance toward Zanabi LLC will shift drastically.”

Lee Se-eun looked down at her pipe for a brief moment before meeting his gaze again.

“Is that so? Tell me, what power does the South Korean government actually hold over us?”

She allowed a fraction of her mana to flare. General Ahn Hoon-seo’s complexion turned ashen, and he involuntarily recoiled several paces.

“Shall we terminate our domestic contracts and relocate our operations to another nation? We already have plenty of Zanabi hunters stationed across the globe.

We could easily designate one of those international branches as our new headquarters. If we depart, South Korea has no substitute capable of filling the void we leave behind.”

Naturally, Lee Se-eun had no actual plans to abandon the country. South Korea remained the final stronghold for humanity. Should it collapse, the light of hope would go out everywhere.

She and the members of Zanabi were bound by the honor and obligation of their calling. Regardless of the pressure exerted by the administration, Zanabi would stay the course.

However… these bureaucrats were incapable of understanding that.

If they were in Zanabi’s position and received such a threat, they would view relocation as a perfectly logical countermove. It was the classic error of assuming everyone else shared their own self-serving logic.

“I find myself speechless for two specific reasons. First, does the South Korean government truly believe it has grown powerful enough to intimidate Zanabi?”

Lee Se-eun slid her free hand into her pocket and pressed on.

“Second, it is baffling that they would speak such idiocy while being fully aware of the absolute catastrophe the world has become outside our borders.”

During the trip here, Yoo Chan-seok had remarked that there was nothing the Dangun’s descendants did that he couldn’t rationalize.

She could overlook that coming from him. He was talented, certainly, but he was a green hunter with no firsthand experience on the international stage.

One might say such things if they were blind to the reality beyond South Korea. It could be dismissed as a lapse in judgment caused by a lack of perspective.

But the general standing before her didn’t have that excuse. He was intimately aware of the global state of affairs. For him to utter such threats was an insult Lee Se-eun refused to overlook.

“If our business is concluded, I suggest you leave. I’m certain a man of your stature has a busy schedule.”

Lee Se-eun’s voice returned to a veneer of politeness, but the warmth had vanished from her eyes entirely.

“My only concern is the welfare of this nation.”

“There are boundaries to that excuse. Rigid boundaries.”

The reason Lee Se-eun didn’t plan on making this exchange public was quite simple.

There was no audience for it. The Embargo Tower? Their primary base was right here in South Korea.

Aside from a titan like Zanabi, there wasn’t a single organization—private or otherwise—that could afford to cross the South Korean government in the current climate.

She watched General Ahn Hoon-seo retreat, finished the last of her tobacco, and made her way toward the primary tactical hub.

—

While waiting for the briefing to commence in the meeting hall, the gear procured from Daebak Scrap Dealers was delivered.

“It’s the difference between a quick death and a painful survival.”

That was how she characterized the defensive equipment. Just staying alive was a massive advantage. Furthermore…

“What exactly is this?”

It was a metallic wristband. Following the provided manual, I pointed it at a nearby wall and pushed mana through it. A small projectile shot out, burying itself deep in the masonry.

I then pointed at a different spot and pulsed my mana again. A target mark appeared, and the original capsule fired a tether that anchored itself to the second location.

The two points were now linked by a slender metallic thread. A quick pull confirmed it had impressive tension.

According to the specs, it could hold a load of up to 200kg. I could already think of a dozen ways to use this. Walking over to the first capsule and activating it again caused the tether to retract with a mechanical whir, popping the device out of the wall.

It was reusable. I was starting to regret not buying it outright.

“Yoo Chan-seok.”

While I was testing the gadgets, Han Sang-ah arrived. She caught sight of me as she entered the command center and walked over.

“I was starting to think you might have backed out of our arrangement.”

“Not a chance.”

The terms were far too good for me to ever “forget.”

“The moment this mission is wrapped up, I’ll deliver everything we discussed.”

Knowing Han Sang-ah, she wasn’t the type to break her word on a professional matter.

“The briefing is starting now. All unauthorized personnel, please vacate the command room immediately.”

Han Sang-ah didn’t argue and left at once. The other hunters who had been loitering followed her out.

Once the hunters hired by Embargo Tower, the staff from the Operating Corporation, and the military high command were settled, an officer took the floor.

“I will now outline the mission parameters.”

Our target was an 80-car Mile Train scheduled to depart from Vladivostok. The presentation was meticulous, covering the primary goals, the roster of troops, and the projected path, all visualized through digital slides.

The logistical arrangements were the highlight for many.

“We have designated 65 cars for the primary payload and logistics. The remaining 15 cars are outfitted as living quarters for the hunters and the South Korean military forces.”

The rank-and-file soldiers and support staff were assigned to third-class berths. Officers, independent contractors, small-firm hunters, and Han Sang-ah were allocated second-class cabins. The Zanabi personnel and I were placed in first class.

Finally, Lee Se-eun had been granted half of an entire car for her personal use. It seemed they had completely gutted a carriage just for her.

The other half of that specific car served as the mobile tactical center.

“…”

The atmosphere among the regular soldiers soured visibly. The gap in living standards was impossible to ignore. However, it would have been a diplomatic disaster for Lee Se-eun to decline the luxury.

If she didn’t take the space, who would? It wasn’t as if you could just pack a bunch of third-class infantry into a high-end suite.

More importantly, Lee Se-eun was the 10th strongest hunter on the planet. No official had the courage to tell someone of her caliber to sleep in a cramped bunk.

Why invite that kind of friction?

“What are the primary threats we’ve identified along the track?”

Lee Se-eun’s inquiry was met with a swift response.

“The path crosses through numerous erosion zones, but we’ve identified only seven locations where erosion cores are close enough to be a genuine hazard.”

Fewer than I had anticipated.

“Furthermore, we must account for the bandit factions patrolling the Siberian wastes.”

Apparently, there were organized syndicates that specialized in stealing hunter equipment and hijacking supplies. These marauders were a natural byproduct of a world where law had vanished and resources were scarce.

“High-speed train robbers? It’s like a 21st-century Western movie.”

Lee Se-eun offered a dry summary of the situation.

“The Hunter Association in the UK reached out to eight major warlords in Europe. Only three have provided a formal response.”

Silence from the other five meant we couldn’t count on their cooperation.

“It seems overly optimistic to assume the shield generator will make it through unscathed under these conditions.”

A hunter in the crowd voiced his concern, but Lee Se-eun cut him off.

“The shield generator will reach its destination.”

The hunter who had spoken flinched as if he’d been struck by lightning.

“O-of course! My apologies!”

It wasn’t really something he needed to apologize for, but it certainly highlighted the weight of the mission.

“That concludes the briefing.”

In the aftermath, several discussions broke out regarding the specifics.

“If we consider the potential exhaustion of the Zanabi team…”

“No. Embargo Tower specifically contracted Zanabi, Yoo Chan-seok, and Han Sang-ah to guard the carriage containing the equipment. We will not be altering the distribution of duties.”

Lee Se-eun remained immovable, and after her sharp rejection, no one brought it up again.

I was in complete agreement. Why would I hand off my responsibility to someone else? If they messed up, the failure would still fall on my shoulders.

“Why isn’t this being transported by air?”

I raised my hand to ask, and an answer came back immediately.

“We have intelligence that several European warlords possess and operate Patriot or Aster batteries and other sophisticated surface-to-air systems.”

I hadn’t realized that. Having the tech was one thing, but being able to actually maintain and fire it was another level entirely.

Given that many of these warlords were hostile to our request, flying into their airspace was a suicide mission. Plus, hunters were far less effective in mid-air combat.

“I see.”

That addressed my primary concern.

Once the meeting broke up, everyone bound for Vladivostok moved quickly to board the transport aircraft.

After a multi-hour flight, we touched down at Vladivostok Airport. Another hour of driving brought us to the rail yards, where we finally stepped onto the train.

“That’s not exactly subtle, is it?”

One car in the middle of the Mile Train stood out like a sore thumb. It didn’t look like a piece of rolling stock; it looked like a fortress on wheels.

“The plating is a composite made from depleted uranium salvaged from main battle tanks.”

Ja Su-jeong, who was standing nearby, answered my unspoken question.

“They’ve been planning this for a long time.”

“Indeed. That is why failure isn’t an option. Embargo Tower has put everything into this because they are desperate for the resulting data.”

I understood—the stakes were incredibly high.

“The train is pulling out. Everyone on board!”

As I studied the armored car holding the shield generator, Han Sang-ah leaned out from a doorway and beckoned me.

“Well then. I’ll see you inside.”

Ja Su-jeong offered a quick nod and boarded. I followed close behind, making my way toward my cabin.