The All-Master of Cyberpunk-Chapter 13

Two diamonds. A lieutenant.

As the soldier mentioned earlier, the Daegu Defense Force didn't just stay cooped up inside the Green Zone.

They operated patrols within the Yellow Zone and had set up several outposts for territorial reclamation.

‘Perhaps he was a casualty from one of those outposts.’

Or he might have been ambushed while patrolling the vicinity.

For a mutant like the Hellcat, specialized in urban settings, a sudden ambush would be difficult to counter.

"Unlucky fellow."

Just looking at the corpse drained my mental fortitude. I clicked my tongue and quickly turned away.

This was the reality of Daegu.

Even a well-equipped active soldier could become food for a mid-level mutant with a single misstep.

"Still, I avenged you, so I’ll put your equipment to good use."

Of course, feeling sorry for the victim and looting the spoils were separate matters. After picking up the gauntlet, I exited the building.

A high-purity soul stone and a military-grade Impact Gauntlet. The results of this raid, alongside completing Reverend Ju’s request, were quite fruitful.

Now it was time to return to my base with my plentiful spoils.

At least, that was the plan.

“Ah… things have really gone south.”

I rubbed my forehead with one hand. I thought today was a lucky day, but here I am, picking up flags left and right.

Is this the 2056 version of "A Lucky Day"?

I looked out the window. Just a few minutes ago, the weather had been sunny, but now it was shrouded in a foreboding green fog.

A 'Microstorm,' a representative weather phenomenon of Seoul 2056 and one of the most troublesome encounters. It’s a climate where microorganisms, presumed to be the source of mutants, whip through in a storm.

You needed A-grade or higher NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) protective equipment, and it had the annoying effect of significantly enhancing the physical abilities of mutants within the storm.

The microorganisms, being heavier than air, didn’t affect anything above the seventh floor, but finding buildings that tall in non-major urban areas was challenging.

Finding an apartment complex was an option, but it would likely be swarming with mutants.

While you could avoid the Microstorm, you might have to deal with all sorts of mutants attracted by the commotion.

That was even more of a nightmare for me.

Getting swept away by the storm and dying instantly was preferable to getting eaten alive while defending against random mutants.

“At least I’m alive because I’m near the villa complex.”

I sighed and leaned against the wall.

Maybe because this area had been sparsely populated even before the Great Chaos, there were relatively intact houses. Some doors were even left open.

Just closing the open doors made them useful as makeshift shelters. The microorganisms, unlike mutants, wouldn’t break through windows or doors.

But the issue was time.

It was currently 4 PM. The checkpoint to the Green Zone closed in just two hours, at 6 PM.

For more rigorous surveillance and defense, the barrier system was completely closed at night.

In other words, once 6 PM passed, it would be impossible to enter the Green Zone, no matter what.

I had aimed to return by 4 PM for this reason.

But now, I had encountered an unexpected Microstorm. I'd have to wait at least two hours, meaning returning before the closure was no longer possible.

“...Damn it.”

If I could contact the Daegu Defense Force inside the barrier, I might be able to manage, but I hadn't received the communicator from Reverend Ju yet, so I had no way to reach them.

It was a total mess.

Maybe I should move to the Liberation Village once the storm subsides?

It wasn’t a bad choice. There would be temporary accommodations for Hunters who couldn’t return in time.

But with no idea when the storm would end, and traveling alone at night being unwise, even for me...

The loud engine of the Halberd would be perfect for attracting mutants with keen hearing.

I wasn’t a Terminator who could pull off stunts on a running bike.

Abandoning the Halberd wasn’t an option, so staying here overnight seemed to be the only choice.

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I quickly resigned myself to the situation. Since all outdoor activities were off-limits, thinking hard wouldn’t bring a solution.

Once I accepted it, I felt a bit more at ease. I bit into an energy bar I had brought just in case and surveyed the inside of the house.

It was completely empty. There were no furnishings, just basic fixtures like the kitchen and bathroom.

No leftover food, of course. It was unrealistic to expect sterile canned goods or preserved food left untouched for over eight years.

With nothing to show for my search, I entered a bedroom without windows.

Lying in the living room would be risky if flying mutants spotted me.

In this cyberpunk world, cautiousness is never a bad thing. Even in the post-apocalyptic setting, it’s crucial to be prudent.

I securely locked the bedroom door and lay down on the floor.

I had a feeling this night would be particularly long.

How much time had passed?

When I cautiously raised my head, it was pitch black. I blinked my eyes, adjusting to the darkness.

In the Yellow Zone, showing any light was practically a death sentence.

Even in the army, they warned about being cautious with cigarette lights at night. Mutants with unusually developed senses could accurately track light sources from several kilometers away.

This was also why the barrier was completely sealed at night. The neon signs and cyberpunk city lights inside the barrier attracted mutants from the Yellow Zone.

During the night, the barrier was closed, and operations continued to clear out mutants near the Yellow Zone.

Deploying small units to hunt them down was too costly and risky.

Indeed, it was a frontline strategy.

After a few blinks, I could at least see outlines. I grabbed my pistol, gauntlet, and the album beside me and stepped out of the room.

It was a moonless night.

But this worked to my advantage.

Mutants roaming at night would track humans regardless of moonlight, but on bright nights, both nocturnal and diurnal mutants hunted together.

At least I could easily elude mutants that relied primarily on sight. The darker the night, the better.

“But what time is it?”

The barrier reopens at 6 AM. Until then, I planned to scout the area more. Moving on foot minimized unwanted attention.

Although residential areas like villa complexes offered less valuable loot compared to commercial zones, thorough searching could yield some decent finds.

“…Wait a minute.”

That's when I heard it. A faint noise. Though the villa had decent soundproofing, something was causing a commotion outside.

Muffled explosions mixed with faint murmurs. It wasn’t the noise of mutants.

Carefully opening the window to check outside.

Rat-tat-tat! Rata-tata!

I heard clear gunfire not far away. The source of the noise seemed to be those gunshots. The murmurs were human voices.

“Aaah! Help me!”

“Head towards the villa complex! All the mutants nearby will converge on the gunfire!”

“This is Hellcat territory!”

“So do we get surrounded and die here? We have a better chance with one Hellcat! And it’s nighttime!”

Screams and urgent voices filled the villa complex shrouded in darkness.

“Ah! Aaaah! Help, urgh-”

“Joo-hyuk!!!”

“Joo-hyuk is already caught! Forget him and run!”

I quickly assessed the situation. Someone wandering nearby was being chased by mutants.

It wasn't my concern. I had no obligation or capacity to save them.

Even if I did, there was no guarantee they wouldn’t turn on me later.

In such cases, the wise move was to stay still.

Intervening without knowing who they were was a bad move.

But the problem was that they were getting closer to my location.

The frequency of gunshots was decreasing, though they were getting louder. The desperate cries of the victims were also becoming clearer.

‘What a run of bad luck.’

The law of conservation of misfortune? First a Microstorm, now unexpected guests. The Impact Gauntlet and high-purity soul stone were hardly compensation.

Of all the villa complexes, why did they have to come this way?

From the darkness, I could make out just two survivors.

Meanwhile, the mutants following them numbered over five, even by rough count. Their fate was sealed.

‘Is that a flying mutant too? How troublesome.’

I gritted my teeth.

If I didn’t intervene, they’d be wiped out. That wasn’t my problem; it was entirely my choice.

But those damn mutants would definitely linger around even after dawn.

I’d gone through the trouble of taking out the local boss, only to attract more pests.

I had to decide once again.

Should I help those poor souls or continue to ignore them?

“Grrrr, grwarrk!!”

“Raaagh! You bastard!”

“Hyung-rok oppa!!!”

“Yoo-hyun! Forget about me and run! I’ll distract them! Go back to Sky Road at dawn!”

In the end, I chose the former.

Not out of some half-baked sympathy.

I recognized their names immediately.

‘Little Reaper’ Yoo Hyun-ah and ‘Tracker’ Park Hyung-rok.

They were members of Sky Road, the largest Liberation Village in Daegu.

Not raiders, but survivors from a major faction like Sky Road were worth saving.

Yoo Hyun-ah and Park Hyung-rok were as famous in Seoul 2056 as Lee Ha-an. It was better to owe them a favor now.

‘Should I consider this good luck or bad luck?’

Whatever the case.

I needed to warm up.

I donned the newly acquired Impact Gauntlet and calmly exited the villa.

Bang!

A single gunshot scattered into the air, drawing the attention of both the survivors and the mutants.

A crying woman, seemingly in a panic, stared at me in a daze.

“A person?! How are you here!”

“It’s dangerous, step aside for a moment.”

I pushed her aside and activated the gauntlet.

Then a clear female voice came from the gauntlet.

[POWER ACTIVATED]

Whirrr!

The unique orange glow of the Impact Gauntlet began to illuminate the pitch-black darkness.