Master Smith Under Ministry of National Defense

Master Smith Under Ministry of National Defense

187 – Commencement of the Counterattack

 

After hearing Myung-jun’s idea, Seung-ho, as if to prove his abilities, miraculously completed the new drug that Myung-jun had requested. The critical assistance in this process came from Soo-jeong, who had created equipment capable of detecting parasites perfectly assimilated with human tissue.

“Unlike the parasites that have begun self-destruction, the dormant parasites have tissue characteristics that are 100% identical to the surrounding human tissue, but there is one difference from humans. My detection equipment can sense that difference,” Soo-jeong explained.

She revealed that since the parasites were entities from outer space, even the perfectly assimilated ones had a faint flow of crystal energy within their bodies. Hearing this, Seung-ho deliberately created the first reagent in an ‘incomplete’ state and injected it into the test subjects. Normally, the synthesis process would require the injection of the necessary amount of crystal energy, but Seung-ho intentionally added just below the critical threshold of crystal energy to the reagent.

As intended by Seung-ho, the reagent, which was ‘slightly lacking’ in the energy needed to activate its effects, reacted explosively with the crystal energy flowing within the parasites the moment it was injected.

“Perfect!”

The reagent caused a chemical reaction with the crystal energy inside the parasites without affecting human tissue. Its effect was to change the entire internal tissue of the parasite into a completely different type of tissue within just 2 seconds.

What Seung-ho needed was precisely those 2 seconds. In that brief span, barely enough to take a breath, Soo-jeong’s dual injector would administer the second reagent, which reacted only with the altered tissue.

Soo-jeong completed the dual injector as an auxiliary part that could be attached to the arm of the bionic suit. Myung-jun, now dressed in the bionic suit, attached the equipment to his arm and said, “We don’t have time, so we’ll go straight into practical use.”

“What? Right now? Shouldn’t we at least run a test?” Seung-ho asked.

“The problem is that the medical pods are already at full capacity, so we can’t thaw the frozen infected even if we capture them. Because of this, the EDA operatives have already stopped the capture operations. So, the only remaining method is to use this equipment as intended and directly inject the needles into the bodies of the living infected,” Myung-jun explained.

With determination, they prepared to put their plan into action, knowing that the success of their counterattack depended on their swift and precise execution.

Soo-jeong expressed her concern about the possibility of failure and the resulting death of an infected soldier, knowing Myung-jun’s special sentiment towards the active-duty soldiers of South Korea. Myung-jun had a strong sense of sympathy for the conscripted soldiers, and Soo-jeong feared the psychological damage he would suffer if an infected soldier died during treatment.

However, Myung-jun, as if reading Soo-jeong’s mind, gently patted her head and reassured her, “Senior, it’s true that I feel sorry for the soldiers conscripted into military service in South Korea, but that doesn’t mean I have a sense of mission to save every single one of them. I just want to do my best within what I’m capable of.”

Myung-jun stated that it was impossible to end the gate incident without any casualties. “We’ve already refused the field commander’s decision to eliminate all infected individuals and are doing our best to treat the infected soldiers. If there are any deaths due to the cure going wrong, that would be beyond the scope of our efforts.”

“Why not have the EDA operatives do it? They’re wearing bionic suits, so they could scan for the infected areas and fire the syringes easily, right?” Soo-jeong suggested.

“That feels a bit iffy. What if they make a mistake in firing and then claim the reagent was bad if the soldier dies? It’s better if I do it myself, seeing and firing with my own eyes,” Myung-jun insisted.

Unable to sway Myung-jun’s determination, Soo-jeong pulled his arm and checked the settings of the injector multiple times. Letting go of his arm, she said, “Okay. I’ve checked the injection order and amount, the timing settings, and the projectile speed and range. There shouldn’t be any problems…”

“Of course not. Who made the equipment?” Myung-jun replied confidently as he stood up, and Kei, who had been waiting, stood up with him.

Although Soo-jeong’s newly made scanner could easily confirm the presence of infection once they arrived at the location, finding the exact location of the infected was much faster with Kei’s help. Thus, Myung-jun and Kei quickly moved towards the suspected location of the infected individuals.

Before long, they discovered an infected soldier at a farmhouse, attempting to infect a pitiable elderly woman by forcing a disgusting parasite into her mouth.

“That bastard!” Kei, seeing the soldier who appeared to be forcing the parasite into the mouth of an old woman who looked to be over seventy, immediately tried to stop the soldier’s actions.

But Myung-jun’s outstretched hand blocked Kei, who was rushing towards the soldier.

“Getting infected doesn’t mean immediate death. We need to wait for now,” Myung-jun said.

“But the grandmother!” Kei protested.

“The parasite has already entered her esophagus. It will move around inside her body until it settles. The injector that Soo-jeong made isn’t designed for targets moving inside the body. Let’s save the grandmother later,” Myung-jun explained, taking a deep sigh. He knew that if he had arrived just a bit earlier, the innocent old woman wouldn’t have had to suffer such a terrible fate. But he also understood that thinking this way would lead to endless regret. Reality was not a fairy tale; it was harsh and unforgiving.

“Kei, I understand how you feel, but the soldier infecting the grandmother isn’t doing it of his own will. He’s just another victim. So, let’s hate the parasites, not the infected,” Myung-jun said.

“…I understand. I’m sorry, hyung,” Kei replied.

“It’s okay. I stopped you because of the situation, but I feel the same way you do,” Myung-jun reassured him.

The infected soldier, having left the trembling grandmother on the floor, began moving towards a room where he sensed movement. As the door opened, a young girl with a youthful appearance emerged.

“Grandma? Who’s here? Oh no! Grandma?! Who are you?!” the girl exclaimed.

Seeing this, Myung-jun sprinted forward with all his might. Unlike the grandmother, who was already in the process of being infected, the girl hadn’t been attacked yet.

“Inspector Scanner, activate!” Myung-jun shouted as he ran. The screen inside his helmet displayed the hidden parasites in red. The problem was that there were five infected areas.

Two in each arm.

This exceeded the injector’s limit, which could only target four areas at once.

“Kei!” Myung-jun called out.

“I’ll take the left leg and left arm!” Kei responded.

With their roles quickly assigned, Myung-jun and Kei prepared to execute their plan to save the girl and eliminate the parasites.

There was no need for a countdown. Soo-jeong’s designed injector could calculate the speed of the syringes to ensure that even if multiple people targeted and fired at one host, the syringes would hit at precisely the same time. Knowing this, Myung-jun skipped the timing process and immediately raised his arms.

With a strong press of his thumb on the launch button located on his palm, the injectors on Myung-jun and Kei’s arms fired ten syringes in sequence—five filled with green reagent and five with red.

The syringes, launched with perfect timing, embedded themselves accurately into the infected areas marked in red on the soldier’s body.

The girl who had emerged from the room screamed at the sight of the collapsed grandmother, the soldier charging at her like a zombie, and then the soldier suddenly sprouting syringes like a porcupine. Overwhelmed by fear, she fainted.

“Take care of the girl!” Myung-jun ordered Kei and immediately scanned the soldier’s condition. The soldier’s body, which had been marked with red spots just moments ago, was now gradually clearing up.

“Is he alive?” To be sure, Myung-jun checked the soldier’s vital signs and confirmed there were no abnormalities.

Then he rushed towards the grandmother, who had been infected by the soldier. Suddenly, the girl who had fainted woke up and screamed at Myung-jun, “Who are you people!? What are you going to do to my grandmother?!”

Kei, standing beside her, grabbed her and said, “Calm down. The captain is trying to save your grandmother right now.”

“Save her? From what?”

“So, the parasites inside people’s bodies are… um… Hyung, is it okay to explain this?” Kei asked, seeking permission.

“Since she’s already involved by coming into contact with the infected, it’s fine to explain. Whether we tell her or not, the Ministry of National Defense and the EDA will bother us just the same,” Myung-jun replied.

With Myung-jun’s approval, Kei explained the situation in a simplified manner to avoid scaring the girl too much. Then he turned to Myung-jun, who was checking the grandmother’s condition.

“Have the parasites settled?” Kei asked.

“There are three in total. Two seem to have settled, and the third one is about to. Once the parasites stabilize, they’ll start controlling the host. So, we need to time it right and remove them immediately,” Myung-jun explained.

“I’ll help,” Kei said, moving from the girl’s side to stand next to Myung-jun. He aimed the injector attached to his power armor at the grandmother’s body.

“Will this hurt?” Kei wondered aloud.

“Not sure. Whether the infected feel pain is one thing, but the syringes aren’t exactly slow. At the very least, there might be some bruising,” Myung-jun responded.

“She’s quite elderly, so I’m a bit worried,” Kei admitted.

As soon as the last parasite settled, Kei and Myung-jun fired the injectors. Six syringes embedded themselves into the grandmother’s body.

“Parasite removal complete. It looks like the new treatment is a success,” Kei observed.

“We’ll know for sure once the first soldier regains consciousness, but I think you’re right,” Myung-jun agreed.

The girl felt as if she were dreaming. The soldier who had suddenly attacked her grandmother, the two people in what looked like movie-like suits saving her and treating her grandmother—it was all beyond her comprehension. Yet, the stinging pain from pinching her cheek told her this was no dream.

“Excuse me…” the girl hesitated, addressing the man who was removing the syringes from her grandmother’s body. Unlike the other man, this one had a slight build, reminiscent of a boy.

Having removed all six syringes from the grandmother, Kei turned to the girl and spoke.

“Why?”

“Are you two aliens by any chance?”

“No, we’re not. We have similar technology, but I’m just like you, an Earthling,” Kei replied.

“Pfft. Doesn’t calling yourself an ‘Earthling’ make you sound more like an alien?” Myung-jun chuckled at Kei’s choice of words.

Kei quickly corrected himself, “No, I mean human, human.”

Seeing the girl look at him with even more suspicion, Kei felt a bit exasperated. “Hyung, can I take off my headgear?”

“Scan the area first. If it’s clear, go ahead. We’ve taken them off a few times already,” Myung-jun replied.

“It’s safe,” Kei confirmed.

“Then do as you like,” Myung-jun said.

Kei pressed a button on his neck, and with a mechanical sound, the helmet covering his head opened and folded back behind his neck. The girl, seeing the cute face of a young boy emerge from the suit, widened her eyes in surprise.

“Elementary school student?” she exclaimed.

“I’m the right age, but I don’t attend school. I’m Ito Kei, a Seeker from the Liberal Clan. Ah, you might not know the Liberal Clan since I’m not a Hunter,” Kei explained.

The girl shook her head vigorously. Even though she lived a life unrelated to the gate incidents, the name Liberal Clan was one she had heard countless times. She just couldn’t believe she was meeting a member of the famous clan in this remote mountain area.

“I… I’m a fan!” she stammered.

“Of whom?” Kei asked, curious.

“Of Kei! Wait a moment! I even have some merchandise!” she exclaimed, rushing back into the room she had come from. She quickly returned, holding a notebook and an acrylic stand with Kei’s picture on them.

However, what awaited her was a small note left in the spot where her grandmother had been lying just moments ago.

“Your grandmother has been taken for treatment. If there are no health issues, she will be safely returned. Please don’t worry. With infected individuals roaming around, do not leave the house under any circumstances.”

She held the note left by Kei as if it were a treasure, clutching it tightly. Looking in the direction she thought the two had departed, she quietly murmured, “Ah… he’s even cuter in person…”

With that, any worry she had for her grandmother had completely vanished from her heart.

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