Zero Point

#031

The car door opened.

As they got out of the car, they found themselves in the middle of a highway.

“Why does it have to open in a place like this?” Ji Taeuk frowned as he looked at the gate.

“How’s your condition?” Moon Bora asked as she got out of the car and stretched.

“I’m fine,” Eunseok replied briefly and began preparing to enter the gate, opening his duffel bag.

The team members’ atmosphere was quite different from their previous C-rank days when they acted as if going on a light picnic. Everyone was wearing protective gear, not just carrying weapons on their bare bodies. Ji Taeuk, in particular, wore a cartridge belt crossed over both shoulders with potions inserted, and even carried a backpack.

Noticing Eunseok’s gaze, Ji Taeuk patted his backpack and said, “It’s just water and some energy bars.”

“I can carry the backpack,” Eunseok offered, reaching out his hand.

“No, no. I always carry it,” Ji Taeuk hurriedly shook his head, taking a step back. “I’m of no help in combat anyway, and I hardly move except for traveling, so it’s right for me to carry it.”

Ji Taeuk seemed genuinely unwilling to hand it over. There’s a clear position within the team, after all. Eunseok, knowing he needed to solidify his own position in the team, didn’t insist further.

The team members looked quite impressive in their full armor and weapons. They all wore bulletproof vests, but these were different in thickness and style from the bulky military-grade ones. Han Cheolyong, the tank, carried a fairly large shield instead of the small one he had on his arm in C-rank.

“Are you all ready?” An employee from the Ability Management Bureau approached and asked.

“We’re still waiting for the Guild Master to arrive,” Han Cheolyong replied, causing the employee to look troubled.

“As you can see, the gate’s location is not ideal. We’ve been announcing traffic control through news and gate notifications since last night when the gate opened, but vehicles that haven’t checked continue to pile up. We request you conquer it as quickly as possible.”

The employee, who had spoken politely, turned and went back to his colleagues.

“Even after we finish conquering, they’ll have to keep controlling traffic while we mine the by-products. Why are they in such a rush…” Moon Bora grumbled quietly.

“Don’t mind what they say,” Ji Taeuk whispered, sticking close and glancing at the Ability Management Bureau employees. “Those Bureau-affiliated espers only care about their own casualty rates. It’s annoying how they rush us like this, not caring if other guild hunters get hurt or die. If they’re in such a hurry, they should send in their own people.”

Finally, Choi Hanseo’s car was seen crossing the control line. As the driver opened the back door, a long leg stretched out.

Eunseok looked over Choi Hanseo’s appearance with fresh eyes as he got out of the car. Instead of the usual suit he always wore, he was wearing a black shirt and black pants that fit his body nicely. Of course, there were still no visible weapons or armor.

“He’s wearing black,” Eunseok said quietly to Ji Taeuk standing next to him. Ji Taeuk glanced at Choi Hanseo and nodded.

“The Guild Master is an exception.”

It wasn’t clear whether Ji Taeuk meant that he could break the implicit rules, or that it didn’t matter if he wore all black because there was no risk of injury. Maybe it was both.

By the way, what was this person’s position in the 1st Public Order unit?

From Eunseok’s perspective, the 1st Public Order unit was already complete without Choi Hanseo. Moreover, it was hard to imagine Choi Hanseo doing anything in coordination with the team members.

Still, seeing him dressed like that today, he must be planning to do something.

Eunseok felt slightly elated at the thought of finally being able to directly confirm Choi Hanseo’s combat ability.

Choi Hanseo approached and looked Eunseok up and down. It was a blatant gaze. After scanning down to his feet in military boots, his gaze came back up and fixed on Eunseok’s lips. The memory of naturally planting his mouth there came to mind. I should have bitten it off instead of just planting it. Eunseok regretted inwardly as he abruptly turned his body towards the gate.

“8:23 AM. White Tiger Guild’s 1st Public Order unit is entering the A-rank gate,” Han Cheolyong declared as he stepped into the gate first. The rest of the team followed in the same formation as before.

As Eunseok entered the gate alongside Ji Taeuk, their vision immediately darkened.

Suddenly, a bright white light bloomed in the pitch-black space. Blinking slowly once, Eunseok saw that the bright light was emanating from Oh Seongeun’s stick.

“…It’s a cave,” Eunseok muttered quietly, relying on Oh Seongeun’s light.

The 1st Public Order unit was standing inside a rocky cave. The width of the cave was enough for three or four people to stand in a line, and the height was estimated to be about 3 meters. The visible cave walls were damp. High humidity could be felt on the skin, and a fishy, pungent smell stung the nose.

“Ah, why does it have to be a place like this?” Moon Bora grumbled.

Eunseok glanced at the longsword Moon Bora was holding. In such a confined space, it would inevitably be inconvenient to use a longsword. Moon Bora seemed to have the same thought, as she sheathed the longsword and instead held only a medium sword in her right hand.

“This is going to take a while, isn’t it?” Ji Taeuk muttered in a gloomy voice next to him.

“Then we’ll depart,” Han Cheolyong said, raising his shield. The team began to move forward, maintaining their formation according to his words.

Water droplets that had formed on the cave ceiling dripped onto their heads. In the narrow and dark space where the only options were to advance or retreat, only the team members’ footsteps echoed clearly. The relaxed atmosphere from the C-rank dungeon was nowhere to be found. This was probably because even a momentary mistake could lead to serious injury or death.

Eunseok focused on the dark area ahead, holding his pistol and knife. And he calmed his excessive tension. Judging from Ji Taeuk’s reaction, the interior of this type of gate would take longer than usual to conquer. It wouldn’t do to exhaust his strength from the beginning.

The previously still air suddenly began to ripple. Something was rapidly approaching, cutting through the humid air.

Keeeek-! Kik-! Kik-!

Countless sounds that stimulated the hearing rang out from beyond the sticky darkness. A swarm of winged monstrosities rushed in like a flock of bats.

Han Cheolyong, guarding the front, merely stopped his feet but made no move to act. Instead, Moon Bora and Shin Jeongho, who were standing side by side behind him, sprang forward as if flying and began to slash at the monsters.

Moon Bora and Shin Jeongho moved rapidly through the cave interior as if jumping through space. With each of their movements, monster bodies were split and wings were severed. Not even the sound of flesh and bone being cut could be heard. Only the countless thuds of monsters losing their wings or lives and falling to the floor echoed.

Keeeee-

A monster with severed wings writhed on the floor, letting out an eerie scream. The creature, about the size of an adult’s torso, had wings and ears similar to a bat, with a single, grotesquely large eye embedded in the center of its head.

Oh Seongeun showed no intention of moving. This was probably due to the smoke that would result from burning the monsters in this narrow, enclosed space. Or perhaps he was saving energy for later battles.

Tang-! Tang-! Tang-!

Eunseok, as if finally finding something to do, confirmed kills on the writhing monsters on the floor one by one. The monsters, pierced by hollow-point bullets, immediately stopped moving and perished.

Eunseok observed the movements of Moon Bora and Shin Jeongho, who moved as if lightly flying, using the cave walls as footholds. Shin Jeongho, wielding a dagger and a short sword in each hand, seemed specialized in agile movements, slashing at enemies without a single miss. It was an incredible display of dynamic visual acuity and agility. On the other hand, Moon Bora used the thick blade of her medium sword to crush the monsters. With her other hand, she clenched her fist and pulverized the rushing monsters, bones and all. It was tremendous brute strength.

The monsters’ assault continued for what felt like thirty to forty minutes. The corpses of the creatures that had been endlessly flying in like moths to a flame now filled the cave floor. When no more came flying in, Han Cheolyong used his large shield to push forward, clearing a path by pushing the corpses to both sides.

Splash-. Splash-.

Every step in the puddles of dark green blood made a sticky sound. Eunseok checked his magazine as he advanced forward, maintaining the formation.

How long had they walked like this?

Sasasasak-

A sound like countless insects crawling on the ground began to approach.

“They’re coming,” Han Cheolyong announced the approach of enemies in a heavy voice. Soon after, within Oh Seongeun’s light that illuminated a few meters ahead, monster-like creatures resembling giant spiders began to swarm in, covering the cave walls and ceiling in black.

Eunseok frowned instinctively at the rising unpleasant feeling.

The swarm of spiders that rushed into the illuminated area without hesitation simultaneously opened their hook-like mouths and began to shoot a whitish liquid.

Zing-

Han Cheolyong raised his shield at the right moment. An opaque membrane formed, enveloping the team members centered around the shield.

Tuk tuk tuk, the liquid shot by the spiders was blocked by the opaque membrane. The membrane was almost coated by the enormous amount of liquid.

Chiiik-…

The liquid that slid down below the membrane could be seen melting the cave floor. It was obvious that if skin were exposed to that liquid, flesh would instantly melt away.