Although the response was late, the judgment of the situation was not that slow.
chuck!
Four guns aimed at Kim I-Hyeon in unison. The two guys who had not yet found their positions also aimed their guns while lying on the ground.
It's not a distance where the aim can miss. Even in a narrow room, the enemies' eyes don't hesitate. It's easy to tell that they're not the common thugs you can find anywhere.
'If it were like before, I would have been really scared.'
Even in moments that could have made one shiver, Kim Yi-hyeon responded calmly.
To be exact, the gun was moving even before it was pointed at him.
Left side of the sofa. I jumped into the corner of the room and blocked the angle of exposure as much as possible. I turned around, holding the shotgun in my right hand and forming a shield with my left hand.
Thud, thud!
As I pulled the trigger, a heavy recoil went up through my hand along with the sound of a gunshot.
'It's light.'
It's definitely easier to withstand shocks than before. I'm confident that I won't lose my grip even if I hold the same position for an hour. Of course, that kind of situation won't come up very often.
This was a change that occurred after becoming a 4-star.
Improved physical abilities. And,
"You son of a bitch!"
There was a man running straight at me. His hand holding the knife was pressed against his armpit as if he was going to stab me at any moment. He held out his empty hand on the other side as if he was trying to grab the shield.
'If it were a little while ago, I would have just taken it in.'
There was no need for that anymore. The moment the man's hand touched the shield, Kim Ihyeon pressed the switch on the grip.
Phage crackle!
"Take it...!"
A powerful spark burst from the front of the shield. The direction of the current was perfectly controlled. There was no electricity at all flowing through the back and the grip.
'It's useful. It feels a little heavy though.'
4-star special weapon [Static Tower].
The basic specs aren't that great. It's just a little better than the [FE-7 Suppression Shield] I've been using. Instead, it has a special ability that shocks the opponent it's blocking for 1 second.
It can't be said to be a fraudulent device. It has a limited number of uses, with the maximum being 5 times during battle. In addition, it requires a waiting period, so it can't be used continuously.
'In games, it was used to block attacks by observing enemy motions.'
Equipment to take out when countering enemies with strong attacks but slow attack speeds. It doesn't work on enemies that attack from a distance, so it's less useful than you might think.
However, in reality, its utility was limitless. Spells and equipment that granted abnormal status were more valuable in reality than in the game.
Thud!
The sound of a shotgun blast hit my eardrums.
The young man who was aiming at Kim Yi-hyeon's side jumped backwards as if he was acting in an action scene. Droplets of blood splattered like grains of sand. The pungent smell of gunpowder mixed with the smell of blood and vibrated.
Semi-automatic shotgun with 12 gauge specifications [Benerick M2].
Since his strength was already beyond the level of an ordinary person, he could withstand the recoil with one hand. In the first place, it was a shooting method that did not require precise aiming.
"Everyone, get down! This is an attack!"
"The raid was frozen, they dragged us here."
The rest are three.
Stop the reckless attack and put some distance between you. It's obvious that you're waiting for support. No matter how many people are upstairs, there's no point in wasting time.
Kim Yi-hyeon quietly put down the shotgun and made a smoke grenade. He pulled out the pin with his teeth and removed the clip with a flick of his thumb.
As I threw the can, smoke spread out rapidly. A look of defeat appeared on the faces of the enemies.
"Where do you keep getting this…!"
"Go up!"
He thought it would be difficult to even hold on, so he started to climb the stairs in a hurry. Even though he was very flustered, his judgment itself was close to the correct answer.
But he didn't feel like waiting for him to do well. Kim Yi-hyeon picked up the shotgun again, keeping his shield in front of him in case of an attack.
Bang, bang!
He fired bullets as they came into the thickening smoke. The barrel of the gun heated up with each successive shot. He did not miss any other sound even amidst the thunderous gunfire.
"컥!"
A groan was emitted as a bullet struck him. A silhouette was also vaguely visible as he fell.
And there are two sounds of footsteps heading upstairs. The numbers match up perfectly. Now, you are the only one left on the first floor.
"음."
Kim Yi-hyeon glanced at the entrance. He was lost in thought for a moment. The blade that had been taken away when he was caught was lying on the floor.
Actually, it doesn't matter if you just pack it like this and leave.
The guy who seemed to be the leader was dealt with early on. There must be more than one or two problems that need to be resolved within the organization. It wouldn't be possible to immediately go after him with fire in your eyes...
The thought remained just a thought.
"Because it leaves a bad aftertaste."
I turned my head and looked around the stairs. It was a narrow passage. It was so quiet, as if the gunfight up until now had been a lie. There was no sign of anyone coming down.
I could roughly guess the situation without even checking.
'Should I use a flashbang to break through, or... ? '
Let's go out a little further.
Kim Yi-hyeon rummaged through the bodies. One, two. The object he was looking for was found in the arms of the man who had shot him first. He put the money that came out with it in his pocket.
Next, I grabbed the bottles of alcohol on the sofa. It was too much trouble to open the caps one by one, so I just threw them carelessly and broke them. The contents poured out excitedly.
I thought this would be enough.
When I sniffed them, I could tell they were all strong liquors.
There was a commotion, as if they had heard the noise, and a commotion was heard from upstairs. But still no one came down. Kim Yi-hyeon took his eyes off the stairs and walked towards the door.
Chick, chick.
I rolled the flint of a yellowed Zippo lighter.
It was hard to light a fire under the wick. It was either because he was surprisingly poor while making a living from human trafficking, or because it was his favorite item.
"Oh, it's done now."
It was okay because it stuck in the end.
Bam.
He threw the lighter and went out the front door.
Murder and arson. These are heinous crimes that can never be tolerated in a country governed by law. But in Banjar, it's a different story.
In a society where kindness is repaid with bullets, mercy becomes poison.
"It was good that you came alone."
If anyone in the lab had seen this, they would have freaked out.
* * *
Timorta, a border town of Banjar.
Although it is located on the outskirts of the country, it is an area with a lot of influx from outside. It is also a city where cultures from all over the continent coexist.
Among them, 'Achiyatra', which sells food from the western region, was a regular store that Echidna often visited. Today, too, Echidna was enjoying a leisurely meal.
"It's not bad. It's not good either."
There are no other guests. There is food left on the table, but no one is visible except Echidna and her attendant.
It's because she kicked them all out.
It wasn't something that happened in a day or two. Even so, the owner couldn't help but smile cowardly.
"What did you not like about it…?"
"It's not your problem. It's because the ingredients are trash. Vegetables that taste similar, meat of uncertain origin, wine with swapped contents… How can it possibly taste good?"
It is impossible to perfectly recreate foreign cuisine. It is not a matter of localization, but of ingredients. In an age of disasters, monsters, and bandits, how easy is it to transport food by land?
In the first place, a conscientious merchant would not go to Banjar. Those who risk their lives to do business cannot possibly be in their right mind.
"I'm just feeling it. Just do it like this."
That means you passed.
The owner let out a sigh of relief. The amount of food he received from Echidna each time was not enough to cover the rent, but it wasn't a matter of money.
Here, there was a value more precious than money.
As long as Echidna doesn't break her stride, Achiyatra is safe.
There is no need for a mafia that comes from somewhere to demand a table fee. There is almost no case of eating without paying. That was the reason why I couldn't help but be happy or sad about her reactions.
It was during that time.
Jjang.
The bell on the door rang.
A man entered the store cautiously and whispered something to Echidna. Soon, she stopped holding her fork and raised an eyebrow.
"Maulik? To whom?"
When news of a person's death comes out, the question of who killed him comes up as if it were natural. Basically, it is assumed to be murder.
In Timor, it is rare to find someone who has not had blood on their hands. Even seemingly good shopkeepers have a history of beating their neighbors to the point of being half-crippled.
"The identity has not yet been determined."
"Aha, are you bragging?"
"I've been asking around, but all I can say is that I've never seen it…."
"I guess everyone is getting deaf as they grow older."
She swept her neatly-grown blond hair to the side of her face. Echidna nodded, resting her chin on the back of her hand in an elegant gesture.
"Who was the oldest?"
"This is Karim Harvey. He has been with us for 18 months."
"Next."
"Alex Padilla, 17 months."
Lightly toss and stab the steak with a fork.
"Drop Karim to Alex's house. Dress him up nicely."
"Yes. I will handle it myself, sorry."
"Okay, go ahead."
The subordinate bows deeply and steps back.
He was just about to leave.
"That's right. I didn't ask this."
"yes?"
"How did you die?"
Maulik. He was a pretty decent guy.
In particular, he did not try to expand his power rashly and was content with his pastime. He had a clear understanding of his subject.
He seemed to be quietly building connections behind the scenes. At least he hadn't crossed the line so far. He had a fierce face, but he was a man who behaved properly, so how could he die so suddenly?
I felt a little curious.
"The base was completely burned down."
"Huh? Burning?"
"There were several people who witnessed the scene of an outsider being dragged to the base. And now that the incident has occurred, it is most likely the outsider's doing. It seems that some members of the organization escaped alive, so we are also tracking them down."
"Ah, ah, I see what you mean."
Echidna giggled.
"I got cheated by the product. Seriously."
"Are you interested?"
"A little bit."
Banjar is a land overflowing with primal stimulation. However, no stimulation can be as strong as the first time when repeated. Eventually, you become accustomed to it.
She liked everything new, except food.
"I want to see it once. Bring it in front of me."
"I'll find out by the end of today."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll leave the method to you…."
Clang!
Once again the sound of bells echoed throughout the store.
Sharp eyes shoot toward the door. The new guest enters confidently, even though he feels a silent threat.
"...."
Echidna's eyes narrowed. Her excited mood turned negative.
The atmosphere becomes cold in an instant.
The tension soon turned to shock.
"Can I join you?"
The intruder sat down across from her without even listening to her answer. The store owner and the staff looked at the man with wide eyes. The smile disappeared from Echidna's mouth.
Swish.
Then the man pulled the cloth covering his face away. His characteristic black hair and eyes were clearly visible. The mouth of the gang member who was about to draw his gun slowly opened.
"You, no way."
"What? You know me? It hasn't even been half a day since I arrived."
Kim Lee-hyun is amazing, I said with pure admiration.
Well, that's the only way to survive in this lawless land.
"Then the story is fast. I heard you guys are pretty popular here?"
He said, staring at Echidna with a cold expression.
"Hire me. I'll be more or less useful."