Chapter 47

Ammunition Battalion (1)

After leaving the barracks in the mountain range.

If you asked when we had encountered the most monsters. No matter how you put it, it was right then, when we were coming down the mountain range.

‘The gunshots fired by soldiers who had turned into zombies. Hearing that sound, all kinds of monsters came swarming in.’

It overlapped oddly with the current situation.

Back then, surviving at all had really been a miracle.

But it wasn’t as if we hadn’t gained anything from surviving there. Aside from escaping the unit and reaching the surface.

‘Eavesdropping Alaur,’ and the like.

We had secured the meat of useful monsters and one of those was exactly this.

『Light Dried Meat of Sleipha’s Foot, imbued with a Low-Grade Chef’s Devotion』

‘Light-Footed Sleipha.’

After the gunshots rang out. It had been one of the monsters that attacked us first, a wolf-like appearance with blue fur.

If there was anything distinctive, it was probably that it had six legs instead of four.

When it lightly leapt over our allied warriors’ formation, my heart had nearly dropped out.

And the effect you could obtain through its meat was. Something you could easily predict.

『You have consumed the dish.』

『Agility increases.』

『The magic power contained in the ‘Light-Footed Sleipha’ seeps into your body.』

『Temporarily, you acquire the trait — ‘Sleipha’s Swift Legs (Degraded).’』

『Trait — Sleipha’s Swift Legs (Degraded)』

『A magical beast whose magic is mostly concentrated in its six legs, a trait innate only to Sleiphas. The leader Sleiphas, with bodies as large as ogres, produce speed and movement impossible for such bulk through their unique six legs.』

『Leg strength greatly increases. Walking speed, jump height as well. You approach the domain of magical beasts beyond humans.』

『However, due to being degraded, side effects may appear.』

“My legs feel so light!”

“Even after Awakening, this kind of feeling is my first time…!”

The effect could be felt immediately. Because the movement speed was on a whole different level. It wasn’t just the effect of my cooking alone.

‘Lieutenant Kim’s buff and my cooking buff. Strangely, their compatibility is really good.’

Lieutenant Kim’s buff, which granted bonuses to retreating back to the quarters.

And when my cooking effect overlapped with that. The synergy wasn’t just about twice as strong as when only one buff was applied. It felt more like three times, no, maybe four times.

As a result the speed at which we were sprinting at full throttle was like cars racing at full speed on a highway.

No, it was even faster than that.

“Hey, monsters are approaching!”

Not long after we broke out of the buildings and started running. Monsters that had heard the noise and were approaching could be seen in the distance.

“The monsters are getting farther away!”

“Holy crap, already!?”

Because our speed was too fast. The monsters that had been lunging at us were instantly shaken off and had no choice but to fall far behind.

“Kaha!”

As we kept running like that.

The wind brushing past my face. The scenery changing in quick bursts with every step.

‘A strange sense of liberation.’

With the world having become like this.

As a human, stress was bound to pile up. But the refreshing feeling that came from running. It felt like even the stress that had built up was melting away.

“At this rate, it doesn’t look like any monsters will be able to catch up!”

“Sergeant Shin, this dish is seriously amazing!”

“I know, you bastard!”

The soldiers running together with me seemed to be feeling something similar.

Their tension had oddly lifted.

In a good mood, I shouted toward the soldiers.

“Since it’s come to this! We’ll just run all the way back to the quarters!”

“Yes!”

“We’ll go ahead, so Sergeant, take it easy and come later!”

“What did you say, you punk?”

Anyway, it wasn’t a bad feeling at all. Since there was quite a lot of Sleipha meat left.

When stress piled up, running like this once in a while might not be such a bad idea.

* * *

The me who had that same thought was the real madman.

“Ughhh…”

After returning to the unit.

The first thing I did was…Collapse while groaning in pain.

『Sleipha’s Swift Legs (Degraded)』

The traits obtained through cooking. Their effects were outstanding. But the problem was that (Degraded) stuck on the end.

『However, due to being degraded, side effects may appear.』

Just like with Keen Hearing (Degraded). This time too, there was that line saying side effects might appear.

Back then, the side effects had shown up right away, so I knew what it meant.

But this time, I didn’t.

Sleipha was a monster with six legs. The result of bipeds like us using that trait.

“The, the muscle pain.”

“Ughhh…”

“Medic, save me…”

“Ugh. The medic is laid up too.”

“Damn it…”

The overwhelming muscle soreness that flooded in the moment the trait’s effect ended.

The soldiers and I all ended up laid out.

‘I should’ve just shaken off the monsters and walked back slowly…’

As a result of maintaining speeds that put extreme strain on our leg muscles.

If we had slowed down and walked from the middle, it probably wouldn’t have been this bad.

‘Damn it. From now on, this dish is sealed unless it’s really necessary.’

* * *

Several hours after I and the other unit members were laid up.

“C-Cough.”

A few deserters followed after us and arrived at the quarters.

Unlike stats, which don’t apply to survivors. Traits do affect ordinary survivors as well. These guys too had been able to escape with the same ‘Swift Legs’ as us.

“W-we were wrong. Please forgive us…”

“We’re sorry. We’re sorry…”

As a result of eating the dish of 『Deep Guilt』.

They came to find us, wrapped in guilt

‘The guilt these guys are carrying. It’s probably because of my cooking.’

The moment the cooking effect ends. That guilt will also likely fade away, leaving only faint remnants behind.

“We should’ve just farmed and lived. Really, we’re sorry…”

“Farming? What are they even talking about now.”

For now, they looked like they were sincerely repenting. But I couldn’t tell how much of that was truly their own feelings.

There was no reason to let my heart waver at that sight.

“How do they look?”

“They’re not Awakeners. The side effects of the trait are also worse than for the other soldiers. They’ll probably be lying down for weeks before they can even get their heads straight.”

The chaplain, who had been nursing the soldiers.

In place of the medic who was laid up.

“So. What will you do with them?”

Private Shin Jungsu spoke.

“I heard about the deserters. If these guys had only deserted, that’d be one thing, but.”

“Yeah. They pointed their guns at people.”

That part was an unforgivable sin.

If the military system were functioning properly, they would’ve been lined up for execution.

“For now, treat them.”

“Yes?”

“And when they wake up, call me. They should at least get one meal.”

“A meal? What about these guys is lovable that you’d do that for them?”

“It’s not because they’re lovable.”

“…?”

“It’s the opposite.”

Just execute them?

‘That’d be a bit of a waste, wouldn’t it.’

To begin with, considering the price of their sins, an ordinary death might even be mercy.

‘Sorry. I’m not that nice of a person.’

“I can’t let them off that easily.”

‘For these guys…I’m planning to give them a punishment worse than death.’

『Chef of Reformation』

『Special Sauce of Deep Repentance』

As the permanent youngest members of our unit. They’ll be punished by being worked like dogs for the rest of their lives. They chose plunder as a comfortable method of survival. And when that method was blocked, they ultimately chose a comfortable death, unlike those other guys.

‘At least these ones. They did try to live.’

They had the will to survive. That alone was enough to meet the minimum condition for joining our unit.

“Besides, we were already suffering from a manpower shortage.”

And the very ones who caused that manpower shortage were these deserters.

Shouldn’t they take responsibility for it?

I guarantee it.

‘Your remaining military life. It’s not going to be comfortable at all.’

* * *

While I and the other unit members were laid up. Not all the unit members were just lazing around.

“We’re heading out for the final Awakening operation.”

“Yeah. Sorry for just lying around.”

“No, sir. Please rest well.”

Originally, the defensive personnel for the quarters and the personnel in charge of Awakening operations were divided up.

The soldiers in charge of Awakening operations were also rotating shifts.

The soldiers who were still in good condition continued Awakening survivors. The Awakening operation, which had already been nearing its final stage.

The last ones left were. The siblings, Lee Suyeon and Lee Su-hyeok, whom we had met at the mart before. Since we were, in our own way, a guild with roots in a military unit. Awakenings were carried out in order of when people joined the unit.

“I’m sorry I can’t help you directly, but just do what those hyungs, no, those uncles tell you to do. Nghh. Don’t worry.”

“Pfft. If anything, the commander looks more worrying.”

“Heehee.”

Fortunately, the siblings didn’t seem particularly nervous.

A few hours after they left after finishing their report.

I could tell that the Awakening operations had been completely wrapped up.

『Guild: Steel Legion』

『Commander: Shin Young-jun』

『Deputy Commanders: Lee Minjae, Jeon Gwang-il, Seo Su-hyeok, Lee Sang-ah, Park Taejun』

『Guild Members: 128』

Because the number of people in the guild information window had changed.

“It feels new.”

When we left the mountain range, the legion members numbered exactly 100.

A group that barely qualified as a ‘guild’ in size. That number had now increased to 128.

There were no longer any ‘survivors’ in our unit. Everyone had settled in as members of the legion.

A few days later.

When the muscle soreness of the unit members had subsided to some extent.

“All personnel except those on duty have assembled.”

“This is my first time attending a meeting as an Awakener, so I’m a bit nervous.”

“What’s there to be nervous about? Just relax.”

At morning roll call, all unit members gathered for a meeting. Standing in front of the old pavilion in the quarters, I cleared my throat and spoke.

“Ahem. First of all, the most important task, the Awakening of the survivors, has been completed. Good work, everyone.”

As I spoke, I swept my gaze over the assembled soldiers.

Those who had once been huddled in a corner as survivors. They were now spread out here and there as members of each squad.

Men and women, young and old, all standing in uniforms made by Lee Sang-ah.

“Our unit’s combat power must have increased in an instant.”

“That’s right. And by quite a lot.”

It wasn’t something that could be expressed simply as having twenty more people.

“That’s because the Awakened professions are diverse. There’ll be more synergy.”

Just like how my buff and Lieutenant Kim’s buff overlapped to produce greater effects.

Awakeners of various professions, the more they gather, the greater the synergy they produce.

“Now that our combat power has been reinforced like this. There’s something I want to propose.”

“Yes?”

“What is it?”

Before continuing.

I glanced toward Corporal Seo Su-hyeok. The guy was listening with his arms crossed, as if he didn’t have any particular expectations. It didn’t take long for his expression to change.

“Securing ammunition.”

“…What?”

Corporal Seo Su-hyeok’s eyes widened. Since he was such a taciturn guy, I could tell.

That guy, he was extremely excited right now.

“S-securing ammunition. Are you serious?”

“But how?”

It wasn’t just Corporal Seo Su-hyeok.

The soldiers who had Awakened as marksmen. With the noise of guns and the dwindling ammunition.

They hadn’t been able to contribute much. It was only natural they’d be excited to hear about replenishing ammo.

‘Come to think of it, everyone was laid up with muscle soreness, so I couldn’t explain it properly.’

The information we had heard from survivors and deserters.

I decided to explain it to the confused marksmen.

“There’s an ammunition supply depot near here.”

“What?”

“An ammunition supply depot…”

The one who picked up my words and began explaining was Lieutenant Kim.

“Also called an ASP.”

Ammunition supply point.

An ammunition supply depot or a unit called an ammunition battalion.

“There are many names, but the role is simple. It’s a unit that stores ammunition to supply nearby units.”

Some soldiers who only did their own tasks didn’t know about it. But maybe because he’d been a company commander, Lieutenant Kim did.

“The ammunition battalion being mentioned this time is the one that handled ammunition supply for our battalion. I’ve been there a few times.”

“What?”

“If you knew about a place like that, why didn’t you mention it earlier?”

“Until now, we didn’t have the leeway to go get ammunition. I was planning to bring it up once the Awakenings were finished. To suggest maybe merging with a nearby unit or something. I never imagined…”

Lieutenant Kim let out a sigh.

“That unit would be wiped out.”

“Wiped out?”

“Not just the ammunition battalion. It seems most units other than ours were wiped out.”

Further explanations followed.

The lizards that had attacked our unit. It seemed similar monsters had attacked other units as well.

“Come to think of it…”

A quiet voice came from among the unit members. It was Lee Suyeon, one of the siblings who had Awakened just a few days ago.

‘Now that I think about it, she was active as a survivor until even more recently than Squad Leader Lee Sang-ah.’

Maybe because of that.

“I’ve heard something like that before.”

“That military units were wiped out?”

“Ah, it’s like an extension of that story. Something like, the larger the unit, the stronger the monsters that appeared. Stuff like that.”

Hmm, When you think about it, that could make sense.

‘For stronger monsters to wipe out stronger units.’

The lizards that attacked our unit were strong, sure. But if they had attacked something like a corps headquarters, wouldn’t they have been repelled somehow?

But if that’s the case, there’s something strange about it.

‘No, the stories the survivors we met halfway told us didn’t make sense to begin with.’

All military units were attacked by particularly powerful monster groups.

And as a result, all military units were wiped out?

That’s too much to dismiss as a lie or mere rumor. In reality, most of the monsters we encountered after coming up to the surface weren’t as strong as the lizard packs.

At best, maybe that ‘Mek’ was a bit stronger.

And yet, going further and saying that the stronger the military force, the stronger the monsters that appeared?

‘It’s not like monsters are battle junkies who enjoy fighting the strong.’

That particularly strong monsters only appeared for the military.

‘There’s no way that kind of coincidence exists.’

This was a phenomenon that couldn’t possibly be dismissed as coincidence.

In order to attack humanity…To first neutralize the core of its force, the military.

‘I can sense a clear malice.’

It was a headache-inducing thought. The sudden appearance of monsters, the Awakenings.

There had to be a clear cause behind it.

For now, we couldn’t know that cause, the only hint we had was.

『World Event — Occupation War is in progress.』

That occupation war. Since this world was telling us to carry out an occupation war.

If we kept doing that, maybe we’d start to see the bigger picture.

To succeed in occupation wars, we ultimately had to grow stronger.

Securing ammunition was part of that.

“This is where the ammunition battalion is located.”

Lieutenant Kim said as he spread out a military map. Some of the soldiers who saw the location expressed doubt.

“Huh?”

“It’s kind of… big, isn’t it?”

Because the area shown on the military map was quite large.

“No way that’s all just one unit—”

“It is a unit.”

“…”

“ASP is actually quite large in area. It’s up on rough mountains, so compared to our relatively small unit, it’s hard to even compare.”

The soldiers looked stunned at Lieutenant Kim’s words.

“Uh. Didn’t you just say that the larger the unit, the stronger the monsters that appeared, or something like that?”

“If that rumor is true… just how strong are the monsters there supposed to be?”

“Well. That, we can’t know.”

Unlike the soldiers, Lieutenant Kim’s face was relatively calm.

“I told you, right? This is an ‘ammunition battalion.’ Our unit is an ‘air defense battalion.’”

“That’s.”

“In terms of unit organization, it’s the same battalion level as ours.”

That a unit with such a massive area was only battalion-level.

“Think of it as a characteristic of ammunition depots and supply points.”

Lieutenant Kim continued.

“Especially here, all kinds of munitions used on the front pass through. The amount stored is considerable.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Ammunition has a high risk of exploding, and if something goes wrong, it can lead to chain explosions. So when storing them, the distance between different ammunition stocks can’t be close. As a result, each building is large, and the distance between buildings is also quite far.”

‘Oh, so that area was just wide, but the building density was actually low.’

“The number of personnel stationed at the ammunition battalion would probably be similar to ours. Even considering that our battalion is relatively small, the difference wouldn’t be that big.”

“In that case.”

“The monsters that appeared at the ammunition battalion would likely be at a similar level to the monsters that appeared at our unit. Ah. Of course, that’s assuming that the ‘stronger units get stronger monsters’ theory circulating among survivors is true.”

Even after Lieutenant Kim’s explanation, the soldiers still looked unconvinced.

“Wouldn’t it be dangerous? That would mean monsters like those steel lizards have settled there.”

“It’s not even a defensive battle. If we’re the attacking side… hmm…”

“If we judge it’s dangerous, we can just retreat. And actually, securing ammunition isn’t the only reason.”

“What?”

This one was a bit farther from practical reasons. But it was still one of the main reasons.

“We’re still soldiers, after all.”

We should confirm how other military units were wiped out. And reclaim the military bases that were taken.

‘Tch. It would’ve been nice if we’d heard about the monsters that appeared in the unit from the deserters.’

Since that incident happened in the middle of interrogations. It was a shame we couldn’t ask about the most important information. Those guys were currently unconscious from the side effects of ‘degraded’ traits.

According to the medic, they’d be laid up for weeks. It was awkward to wake them just to ask. But at the same time, every single day was precious right now.

We couldn’t afford to waste weeks.

“Hmm. If we’re going to visit the ammunition battalion, I have a suggestion.”

Lieutenant Kim said.

Come to think of it, he’d said he’d been there a few times.

“Here. This mountain, see?”

“Yes. What about this mountain?”

Lieutenant Kim pointed at the map as he spoke. What came out of his mouth was quite surprising.

“Actually. If you look down from here, you can see part of the ammunition battalion.”

“…Really!?”

“I’m sure. Whenever we went from our unit to the ammunition battalion, we passed through this mountain path, and I saw that view every time. There’s no way I’d be mistaken.”

If that was true, it was extremely useful information. If we could at least roughly see the situation inside the unit, the risk would be greatly reduced. And on top of that…

“Hmm. If we can see the inside beforehand.”

“Idiot, that’s not all, you know.”

“What?”

“Sergeant Shin’s eyes!”

“…Ah!”

The skill I possessed.

『Chef’s Eyes』.

I’d be able to identify the monsters’ weaknesses in advance.

“Oh? When you think about it like that.”

“This might actually be doable.”

Even the soldiers who had thought it was dangerous changed their minds.

“Does anyone have any other opinions?”

“…”

“Good.”

Nearly three months had passed since contact with other military units was cut off.

At last, the time had come to visit another unit.

* * *

We boarded vehicles modified by the engineers and began moving toward the ammunition battalion.

Just as Lieutenant Kim had said, the scenery of the ammunition battalion came into view.

“…Huh.”

“How should I put it?”

The sight we saw there was.

A little unexpected.

“It’s too quiet.”

A unit that was supposedly occupied by monsters.

Inside it…It was strangely, eerily empty.