A Player Who Eats Metal

Chapter 25: Seoul Station, F-rank and S-rank

< Chapter 25: Seoul Station, F-rank and S-rank – 4 >

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“Look, look over there! The dome is disappearing!”

People gathered around Seoul Station,

Soldiers, players, and reporters all sighed in relief.

It hadn’t been even 5 minutes since the Fist King Han Taesan entered, and like a lie, the dome began to wash away.

“…As expected of Taho, he’s a lazy tiger, but when he gets up, he astonishes the world!”

Broadcast reporters covering the scene nearby began hurriedly reporting the situation on the ground.

The most frequently mentioned word from their mouths was, of course, ‘Fist King’ Han Taesan.

“But it is too early to rejoice. What is important is how many of the civilians who were isolated inside Seoul Station can safely return, so we have to watch a little longer.”

There was a thrill that the incident had been resolved, but it could not yet be seen as good news.

What mattered was not that the dome had disappeared, but the safety of the people trapped inside.

Therefore, a positive message regarding the current situation had to be withheld.

But the next moment, Seoul Station Square, even further, the entire South Korea had no choice but to burst into joy.

“Ah! Pe, people are starting to come out!”

Just after the dome completely disappeared, a tremendous number of people started to walk out orderly from exit 1 of Seoul Station, escorted by AMT soldiers.

Finally, the hell had ended.

That scene, dozens of cameras captured it completely.

“Look there! Thankfully, it seems there are very many survivors.”

And somewhat strangely, they all looked very fine. The medical team members, who had anticipated a blood-soaked hell and were waiting in advance, also looked at each other with bewildered expressions.

And then…

“…Eh? Really?”

The reporter asked someone beyond the microphone, then looked back at the camera.

His expression was complicated and subtle.

Stiff on one side… yet somewhere filled with ecstasy.

“Dear viewers… It might be hard to believe….”

He closed his mouth for a moment, then slowly opened it.

“…Everyone, everyone survived!”

It was a statement that no one could easily believe.

“…I will say it again! All the civilians who were isolated in the unlucky event area of Seoul Station have returned to us in very healthy condition! The AMT’s operation was perfectly successful! The exact details are not yet known, but it seems that the AMT has done a great job!”

Without knowing the internal situation, it was assumed that at least hundreds of people had died.

But when the veil called the dome was lifted, the greatest twist of all revealed itself.

“Really, it seems like a miracle has happened!”

Yes, it was close to a miracle.

It began to be broadcast all over the world, being coined as ‘The Seoul Station Miracle’ in the news.

Meanwhile, Lee Hyunwook was at the very front of the line of citizens coming out of Seoul Station.

It was quite nice to see AMT escorting the front and back of the citizens, but it was obvious that it would be a headache if he encountered Han Taesan again, so he took the lead to get out early.

But then…

“Hello, we meet again, don’t we?”

The woman who was leaning against one side of the stairs leading down to the station square said.

Dressed in a white suit, it was Yoo Haena.

She slid down her purple sunglasses slightly and flashed a sly smile.

Being in charge of the Seoul strategy for the <Cheonghwa> guild responsible for this area, it seemed like she was on standby at the scene.

“……That seems to be the case.”

“I told you, didn’t I? We are bound to run into each other quite often.”

She smiled slyly again.

“By the way, you were quite lucky. Surviving while being trapped in there, I heard that you… are F-rank?”

“……”

“Ha, what is it……”

She giggled, a clear smirk lifting the corner of her mouth.

It was an overtly mocking laughter.

“……”

“How did I know? Well, I used this phone as you asked me to. But I was somewhat disappointed to find out that you were F-rank. I even handed you my business card thinking you were at least C-rank……”

“Yes, today, and during the orc incident too, I just got lucky, that’s all.”

Lee Hyunwook passed her after saying those words.

“I hope you are keeping my business card safe, right? You wouldn’t have thrown it away… well, naturally you wouldn’t have. My business card might bring you luck. Who knows what kind of fortune it might bring in the future.”

While insulting, she subtly implied that he should contact her.

By doing so, she reaffirmed her superior position.

But if Lee Hyunwook actually reached out to her, she would briefly feel satisfied before soon ruthlessly discarding him.

Making him realize the overwhelming gap between them…

Lee Hyunwook knew that was the kind of cruel hobby this spider-like woman had.

“Well, it is a bit disappointing that you are F-rank, but you do fight well. Contact me if you’re interested.”

With those words, Yoo Haena turned around and walked away.

And she smiled secretly.

‘It will be irresistible.’

She recalled the moment Lee Hyunwook rejected her business card.

It was utterly contemptible.

That’s why she wanted to make him submit properly.

‘How dare an F-rank like him reject my business card? What audacity.’

So, when she accidentally spotted him just now, an unnamed fire ignited in her chest, prompting her to encourage him to call her, to take the bait, by mentioning the business card.

‘The moment you cannot resist the temptation of Cheonghwa, I will make you realize how different our positions are. Hurry up and bite the bait……’

Her greatest weapon was the two characters engraved on her business card – 청화 (Cheonghwa).

That name symbolized ‘power’, ‘honor’, and ‘money’ nowadays.

Cheonghwa was a world that every player wished to enter, and at the same time, it was her surname; therefore, the moment anyone stepped into Cheonghwa, they would have no choice but to bow down before her, no matter who they were.

In other words, Yoo Haena possessed the power to shake almost all the players’ desires in her hand.

However, this rule did not apply to everyone.

“Hey! Yoo Haena!”

A strident voice resonated in Yoo Hae-na’s bones.

‘Han Tae-san…’

He was an exception even in the stronghold named Cheonghwa.

An S-rank player…

They were beings that transcended all rules.

“Just as promised, I rushed over and took part in the raid! We’re having dinner together tonight, right?”

“…No.”

“Huh? Why! Don’t tell me you’re thinking of breaking the promise?”

She put on her sunglasses that she had taken off a moment ago.

“We can eat later… I have to receive and report on this case now.”

Contrary to her usual graceful and relaxed tone, it was a very stiff voice.

And there was caution in her gaze.

Because he was someone she couldn’t deal with by any means.

“Huh? Why does a guild daughter like you have to report it yourself? Hey, even though I rushed here from far away to meet your request, you should treat me to a meal, right?”

“Didn’t we agree not to ask about the compensation issue for the unlucky event? Be satisfied with that for now.”

In an unlucky event, there was a high chance of obtaining a hero-grade item. It was almost certain that the item would have gone to Han Tae-san, there was no need to verify it.

However…

“…Ah, that?”

Han Tae-san scratched his head with an awkward expression.

“…Hey, I’m not in the first place?”

At that, Yoo Hae-na chuckled slightly.

“What are you talking about? Didn’t you kill the boss monster?”

“I did, definitely, but… It doesn’t make sense… So, I definitely pounded the boss monster into a pulp, but, sheesh, someone had already inflicted a fatal wound on it?”

“…”

“After everything ended, I was in the second place…”

“…”

In other words, it meant the hero-grade item went to another player.

…But who could have surpassed Han Tae-san and obtained it?

‘AMT rescue team, is there such a talent among the players under level 15?’

Yoo Hae-na put on her sunglasses again.

And turned around.

“Anyway, got it. See you later.”

“Hey, you’re really not going to buy me dinner?”

“I’m really busy today, I’ll contact you next time.”

“Alright! But you have to treat me next time for sure!”

As Yoo Hae-na moved away from Han Tae-san, she clicked her tongue inwardly.

‘That kid, second place, what the hell does that even mean? If this gets out, it will be quite embarrassing…’

The image of the S-ranked member of the Cheonghwa guild, who was stylishly mobilized to rescue the citizens of Seoul Station,

Was about to turn into a joke.

About 30 minutes later…

“…What did you just say?”

While reviewing the interim report on the current incident, Yoo Hae-na hears surprising news.

“Pardon? Which part should I repeat?”

Seeing Yoo Hae-na’s unusual reaction, the head of the investigation team asked nervously.

“Just now, that… An AMT soldier… played the most active role in this incident?”

“Yes, we haven’t confirmed their identity yet, but this is what the isolated citizens have unanimously said.”

“Was it a rescue team member who was deployed later?”

“Well, we are not certain yet, but according to the station guards who were at the scene, the soldier had been at Seoul Station from the beginning.”

“No way…”

Although it wasn’t certain, Yoo Hae-na somehow felt like she knew who that soldier was.

A soldier who was ‘isolated,’ not deployed as part of the rescue force…

Lee Hyunwook’s face came to mind.

‘What? He was… lucky?’

Thinking back, even that strange composure at that time was irritating.

To her knowledge, it was an expression that an F-rank couldn’t possibly have.

‘If it’s really him…’

That fleeting expression of strange composure at that time would truly annoy her.

Her feelings became a bit more complicated.

* * *

Meanwhile, Lee Hyunwook was facing the battalion commander.

Kim Kang-seok looked at Lee Hyunwook with a stern expression.

“There is a lot I want to hear from you.”

It couldn’t be helped.

“Exactly what happened in there, how was all of this even possible…”

All experts around the world unanimously predicted that there would be numerous casualties.

Honestly, Kim Kang-seok had no choice but to agree with that opinion.

‘Honestly… I thought it would be a success if we could save even just half of them.’

He had strived to hold onto even the slightest hope to prevent losing it all.

If the commander in charge of the operation lost hope, the direction of the operation would become distorted…

‘But…’

… An anomaly occurred in every aspect.

No, it was beyond an anomaly; it was a miracle.

Everyone survived, and Lee Hyunwook’s exploits seemed to go beyond mere bravery.

Now it was to the point where doubts were arising beyond expectations.

‘Lee Hyunwook, what exactly is his identity?’

Kim Kang-seok trusted Lee Hyunwook.

His extraordinary characteristics…

But this event couldn’t have been achieved just with that.

Therefore, he had doubts.

And ‘doubt’ was the first stage of ‘wonder’… Kim Kang-seok knew this to a certain extent.

‘This feeling, it’s not the first time.’

He was one of the initial players.

But the world of the players wasn’t a world where one could become the best just by being old in the field.

He watched countless times as the late-awakening players surpassed him.

‘Han Tae-san, Ki Baek-jun, Seo Eunha, and perhaps Choi Young-jun in the future…’

When they first appeared, the first impression the world had of them was undoubtedly ‘doubt.’

However, as proof accumulated, the world’s view changed to ‘belief’ and ‘admiration.’

Lee Hyunwook might also be in such a process without realizing it.

The process of becoming not just a capable officer, but a hero…

‘But he is an F-rank…’

The previously mentioned individuals continually grew.

But Lee Hyunwook had clear limits.

Eventually, he would be broken facing his fate.

Kim Kang-seok suppressed the bitterness and looked at Lee Hyunwook.

“Corporal Lee Hyunwook, there are many things I want to ask, but before that… there is someone you need to meet.”

Kim Kang-seok turned his head somewhere.

It was Seoul Station Square.

“Everyone clear this area! A teleportation will open!”

An officer yelled like that, clearing a wide space, and next to him, a lieutenant from the wizard line who was wearing a headset started shouting as he looked up at the sky.

“…Ready! Three! Two! One! Open!”

At that moment, blue beams of light poured down from the sky.

Zzze-eh-eh-eh-ng-

It was a massive teleportation.

All eyes in Seoul Station Square gathered there.

And from between those lights, a group of AMT soldiers walked out.

In the center was the commander of the 3rd Air Cavalry Brigade, General Choi Jung-chul.

Kim Kang-seok stood up from his spot and straightened his clothes.

And he looked back at Lee Hyunwook and put his hand on his shoulder.

“…The brigade commander wants to meet you.”

There was unavoidable tension in Kim Kang-seok’s voice.

However, a completely different thought was swirling in Lee Hyunwook’s mind.

‘A star-ranked reward has fallen from the sky.’