Steel-Eating Player - Chapter 25
25. Seoul Station, F grade and S grade – 4
————————=
“Look over there! The dome is disappearing!” All
the people, soldiers, players, and reporters gathered around Seoul Station
sighed.
Within 5 minutes of Kwon Tae-sung Han entering, the dome began to wash away like a lie.
“······Tahoe is a lazy tiger, but when he wakes up, he shocks the world!”
Broadcasting station reporters who were relaying the scene nearby began to report the situation at the scene.
Of course, the most talked about in their mouths was Han Tae-san, the ‘King of Power’.
“But it is too early to rejoice. “What’s important is how many civilians stranded inside Seoul Station can safely return, so I think we’ll have to wait and see.”
There was a feeling of excitement that the case had been solved, but it could not be considered good news yet.
What was important was not that the dome disappeared, but the safety of the people stranded inside it.
Therefore, positive messages about the current situation had to be withheld.
But the next moment, beyond Seoul Station Square, the Republic of Korea could not help but be filled with joy.
“uh! “People are starting to come out!”
This is because immediately after the dome completely disappeared, a huge number of people began to walk out in an orderly manner from Exit 1 of Seoul Station, escorted by AMT soldiers.
Hell is finally over.
Dozens of cameras captured the scene in its entirety.
“Look over there! Thankfully, there seem to be a lot of survivors.”
And, oddly enough, they were all perfectly fine. The paramedics, who had been waiting in anticipation of a bloody hell, also looked at each other with bewildered expressions.
and······.
“······yes? “Are you serious?”
The reporter then asked someone behind the microphone and looked at the camera again.
His expression was complex.
On the other hand, it was hardened… There was joy in it somewhere.
“Viewers… you may not believe it, but…”
He was silent for a moment and then slowly opened his mouth.
“······It is said that everyone will survive!”
It was something that no one could easily believe.
“······I’ll say it again! All of the civilians who were isolated within the Seoul Station Unlucky event area have returned to us in very good health! AMT’s operation was a complete success! “The details are not yet known, but it looks like AMT has done a great job!”
Since the internal situation was unknown, it was assumed that at least hundreds of people had died.
However, when the veil of Dome was lifted, the best twist of all was revealed.
“It really seems like a miracle has happened!”
Yes, it was close to a miracle.
This spread all over the world and began to be made into news with titles such as ‘Seoul Station Miracle’.
Meanwhile, Lee Hyun-wook was in the front row of the citizen procession leaving Seoul Station.
It was quite nice to see the AMT guarding the front and rear of the citizens, but it was obvious that it would be a pain if they encountered Han Taesan again, so they took the lead and got out early.
however······.
“Hello, see you again?”
said the woman who was leaning on one side of the stairs leading down to the station plaza.
It was Yoo Hae-na, a woman wearing a white suit.
She slipped down her purple sunglasses and grinned.
She seemed to be waiting at the scene as she was the head of the Seoul strategy department of the guild in charge of this area, [Cheonghwa].
“······Iknow, right.”
“I told you. “We will inevitably run into each other often.”
She grinned.
“Anyway, you were lucky. “I heard you were isolated in there and survived. I heard you’re grade F?”
“······.”
“Ha what…”
The corners of his mouth rise with a grin.
It was a blatant ridicule.
“······.”
“How did you know? I used this phone like you told me to. However, I am a bit disappointed to hear that it is grade F. “I still thought it was a C grade and even handed him a business card…”
“Yes, today and then at Oak, I was just completely lucky.”
After saying that, Lee Hyun-wook passed her.
“You’ll have my business card, right? Just in case, I didn’t throw it away… Of course I wouldn’t, but my business card might bring you good luck. And I don’t know what kind of luck I will have in the future.”
Even while insulting, he secretly hints at contacting him.
In this way, you remind yourself that you are above.
However, if Lee Hyun-wook really contacted her, she would feel a brief moment of satisfaction, play with it a little, and then throw it away miserably.
To become acutely aware of the overwhelming gap with oneself…
Lee Hyun-wook knew that that was the bad taste of that spider-like woman.
“Well, it’s unfortunate that he’s rated F, but he’s still good at fighting, so please contact me if you’re interested.”
After saying those words, Yoo Hae-na turned her back and walked away
and secretly smiled.
‘You can’t help but be intrigued.’
She recalled the moment when Lee Hyun-wook rejected the business card.
It was so embarrassing.
So even more, I wanted to surrender properly.
‘Even something like F grade… what the hell did you have the guts to refuse my business card?’
Therefore, when I just happened to find him, a nameless fire in my heart ignited again and I lured him into calling by mentioning his business card.
‘The moment you can’t resist the temptation of Cheonghwa, I’ll make you realize how different my position is from your position, so take the bait…’
Her greatest weapon was the two letters blue fire (靑火) engraved on her business card.
The name today meant ‘power’, ‘honor’ and ‘money’.
Cheonghwa is a world that every player wants to enter, and at the same time, it is her castle, so the moment you step into Cheonghwa, no matter who you are, you have no choice but to fall at her feet.
In other words, Yoo Hae-na possessed the power to capture and sway the desires of almost all players.
However, that rule did not apply to everyone.
“hey! “It’s harmful!”
A high-pitched voice rang through Yoo Hae-na’s goal.
‘Hantaesan…’
However, even with the last name Cheonghwa, he was an exception.
S-rank players······.
They were beyond all rules.
“As promised, I ran right away and jumped! Are you having dinner together tonight?”
“······no.”
“huh? why! Are you not going to keep your promise again?”
She put on the sunglasses she had taken off for a while.
“You can eat it later… Now I have to report and post this incident.”
Unlike his usual elegant and relaxed tone, his voice was very stiff.
And there was a look of wariness in his eyes.
This was because it was something he could not do anything about.
“huh? What kind of guild daughter is posting reports by hand? “Hey, I came this far after you asked me to do it, so shouldn’t you buy me a meal?”
“I decided not to ask about ownership of the unlock event reward. “Are you satisfied with that for now?”
If it was an unlock event, there was a high possibility that a hero grade item would come out, and it was not necessary to check that the item would have been returned to Han Taesan.
however······.
“······Oh, that?”
Taesan Han played with his head with a shy expression.
“······Hey, I’m not first?”
Yoo Hae-na tilted her head at those words.
“What are you talking about? “Didn’t you catch the boss monster?”
“That’s right, it’s definitely true… but I don’t understand something… So, I beat the boss monster into dough, but before that, someone stabbed it with a knife?”
“······.”
“When it was all over, I was in second place…”
“······.”
In other words, this meant that the hero grade items were given to other players.
······But who on earth can beat Han Taesan and get it?
‘Are there any players below level 15 in the AMT Rescue Team who are capable of doing that?’
Yoo Hae-na put her sunglasses back on.
And then turned around.
“Anyway, okay. See you later.”
“Hey, are you really not going to buy me food?”
“I’m really busy today, so call me later.”
“okay! Then you must buy it next time!”
Yoo Hae-na clicked her tongue inwardly as she walked away from Hantaesan.
‘What on earth do you mean, that kid is in second place? If this becomes known, it will be very funny…’
The S-class team of Cheonghwa Gil and others who showed up in style saved the citizens of Seoul Station.
That image was about to go to the mountains.
And about 30 minutes later…
“······What did you just say?”
Yoo Hae-na hears surprising news while reviewing the interim report on this incident.
“yes? “Which part should I repeat?”
When Yoo Hae-na’s reaction wasn’t the same as usual, the investigation team leader asked nervously.
“That AMT soldier just played a major role in this incident?”
“Yes, this is what the isolated citizens have said in unison, although their identities have not yet been confirmed.”
“Are you a rescue worker sent in later?”
“It’s not clear yet, but according to the station security guard at the scene, he is a soldier who has been at Seoul Station from the beginning.”
“no way······.”
It wasn’t exact, but Yoo Hae-na somehow felt like she knew who that soldier was.
A soldier who was ‘isolated’ instead of being put in as a member of the rescue team…
Lee Hyun-wook’s face came to mind.
‘what? ‘You said you had good luck?’
Looking back, even that strange sense of leisure was annoying.
As far as she knew, that was an expression F-class couldn’t have.
‘If it’s really that person…’
The expression on her face that showed a strange composure at that time seemed like it would really irritate her.
Her feelings became a little more complicated.
***
Meanwhile, Lee Hyun-wook was facing the battalion commander.
Kim Kang-seok looked at Lee Hyun-wook with a stern expression.
“There are many things I want to hear from you.”
It had to be that way.
“What happened inside and how was all of this possible?”
All experts around the world unanimously predicted that there would inevitably be numerous victims.
To be honest, Kim Kang-seok had no choice but to agree with that opinion.
‘Honestly… I thought it would be a success if I could save even half of it.’
Even if it was only a small hope, I tried hard not to give it up.
If he, the operation commander, gives up hope, the direction of the operation will be disturbed…
‘however······.’
······A surprise occurred in every way.
No, it was more than an accident, it was a miracle.
Everyone survived, and Lee Hyun-wook’s performance seemed to be more than just wit.
Now it was beyond my expectations and I was starting to have doubts.
‘What on earth is Lee Hyun-wook?’
Kim Kang-seok believed in Lee Hyun-wook.
His unique side…
But this case wasn’t something that could be done alone.
So I had doubts.
And Kim Kang-seok knew to some extent that ‘doubt’ is the first step to ‘wonder’.
‘It’s not the first time I’ve felt this way.’
He was one of the first players.
However, the player’s world was not a world where one could become the best just because it was old.
He watched countless players who woke up late surpass him.
‘Hantaesan, Ki Baekjun, Seo Eunha, and perhaps Choi Youngjun also in the future…’
When they first appeared, the first impression the world gave them was definitely ‘suspicion.’
However, as the proof continued, the world’s gaze changed to ‘faith’ and ‘admiration’.
Hyunwook Lee didn’t even know if he was in the middle of that process.
The process of becoming a hero, not just a capable officer…
‘But it’s grade F…’
Those mentioned above are constantly growing.
However, Lee Hyun-wook has clear limitations.
In the end, it would collide with fate and be broken.
Kim Kang-seok suppressed his bitterness and looked at Lee Hyun-wook.
“Corporal Lee Hyun-wook, there are many things I want to ask you, but first… there is someone you need to meet.”
Kangseok Kim turned his head somewhere.
It was Seoul Station Square.
“Everybody get out of this area! The teleport will open!”
An officer was shouting like that, clearing a wide space, and next to him, a wizard-type warrant officer wearing a headset looked up at the sky and started shouting.
“······Ready! three! two! One! We’re open!”
At that moment, a beam of blue light poured down from the sky.
T-Uh-Uh-Uh-
That was a large-scale teleportation.
All the eyes of Seoul Station Plaza were focused on it.
And a group of AMT soldiers walked out of the light.
At the center stood General Choi Jeong-cheol, commander of the 3rd Port Horse Brigade.
Kim Kang-seok got up from his seat and trimmed his clothes.
Then he turned to Lee Hyun-wook and placed his hand on his shoulder.
“······The brigade commander wants to meet you.”
There was little tension in Kim Kang-seok’s voice.
However, a completely different thought was lingering in Lee Hyun-wook’s head.
‘A one-star reward fell from the sky.’