Chapter 873 – Wind of Change
“Ready for battle?”
“As there are people training in the artificial dungeon, we need about a month to prepare. However, since the seeker will provide a base for operations in the meantime, I think it is enough to prepare from now on.”
After saying that, a council administrator lights up the hologram screen and begins to brief Seong-il on the operation plan they have prepared.
‘Oh… Are you saying we should approach the Kuril and Aleutian Islands through northern Japan instead of the route through Manchuria and Siberia, which are now half-submerged…’
During the Great War, mainland China and Manchuria were half-sunk under the sea thanks to the formidable weapons used by the alien civilization? Even Japan suffered enormous damage, and half of its southern mainland was submerged in seawater due to a massive flood caused by a huge earthquake intentionally caused by aliens, and it was barely able to maintain its civilization in the north.
‘It is ironic that the Korean peninsula’s territory is intact as it was quickly subdued from frozen areas such as Siberia, which had a relatively low population density…’
At first, this fact felt very shameful, but now that Seong-il thinks about it, he feels that the current situation is a kind of blessing. The executives who saw him lost in random thoughts and pondering something seemed to have misunderstood that Seong-il was silently requesting a briefing, so they quickly started explaining the current operation.
“Because the population density is extremely low, this route is relatively under the surveillance of the Transcendence Church. However, regardless of that, its importance is by no means low.”
An S-class hunter called Go Min-seok begins to speak impassionedly to Seong-il about why the current operation is necessary. From a traditional perspective, the Aleutian Islands had limited strategic value due to poor living conditions, but by using the branch of Withgrasil, the powerful dimension tree that Eden boasts, it would be possible to overcome the limitations of living in the Aleutian Islands. It is emphasized that it can be used as a natural bridge for the war against aliens.
‘That makes sense.’
In any case, by secretly planting Withgrasil branches, hunters could go in and out of Eden at any time and ensure their survival by providing food, clothing, and shelter in an archipelago where survival is difficult. Therefore, Seong-il had no choice but to agree with Go Min-seok’s point of view.
“The idea is… To cross the Pacific Ocean using the archipelago as a bridge, but also plant branches to establish a base?”
“Yes. That’s right. There is a downside to it being a hassle for the seeker… But if you just create a base like that, not only the seeker but also us will be able to use the branches to save time in the future.”
Ko Min-seok also strongly emphasizes that if Seong-il crosses the Pacific Ocean and establishes a base in Alaska and western Canada, additional operations can be carried out.
“The second advantage is that if the seeker creates a base, relatively low-tier combat troops can be deployed for non-dangerous operations. The most representative example would be reconnaissance work toward low-population areas.”
Go Min-seok’s opinion that lower-level hunters who are still difficult to deploy in dangerous missions should be deployed to the base created by Seong-il and used as scouts.
“The point is… Instead of just making fun of hunters who are difficult to deploy in major missions… Should we send them to a relatively sparsely populated area and create a large-scale base when we are ready to launch a major counterattack?”
“That’s right. The low population density is consistent with the fact that the area is not valuable to the Transcendence Church. There is a high possibility that there will be relatively less threat or surveillance from them. At that level, low-tier hunters can also be active enough. I think it can be done.”
“… Isn’t it dangerous?”
“No matter how weak a hunter is, a hunter is a hunter! Based on our abundance, Eden has the powerful advantage of being able to generously provide powerful psionic equipment to even low-level hunters. Trust them!”
“Hmm…”
Go Min-seok’s opinion makes Seong-il worry. While Seongil and the main hunters target the main cities in the western United States and attract the attention of aliens, weaker hunters are dispatched to low-intensity conflict areas to carry out reconnaissance missions and rescue the few surviving civilians, or plant branches of the World Tree to establish additional bases. The opinion that creates causes Seongil to be troubled.
“Okay… I allow it.”
“…!!”
The executives, including Go Min-seok, begin to brighten up when a positive answer comes out of the mouth of the seeker, one of the absolute powers of Eden and the strongest demigod. Perhaps encouraged by Seong-il’s positive answer, he begins to lay out additional strategies.
“Then how about this? C-B grade hunters will also attempt covert reconnaissance in the eastern United States when the main hunters are conducting operations in the western United States! So, if they can set up a base, when they launch a major offensive on the European continent in the future, We may be able to rescue the remaining humanity by secretly sending a few elites to the eastern United States!!”
There was a problem that if the Transcendence Church got caught while scattering Weedgrasil’s branches randomly, they could target the branches… But the dimensional shields of Withgrasil and the Earth Mother were so strong that not even the Transcendent Church could penetrate them. Seong-il considers Go Min-seok’s opinion to be quite reasonable.
“That’s a good opinion, but… You were talking about ‘psionic equipment’ a little while ago? Did you get equipment without me knowing?”
“Yes, that’s right. While the Seeker was closing its doors, our Eden engineers and Gaia Systems worked together to successfully mass-produce powerful weapons. If you look at it, you will understand Hunter Ko Min-seok’s confidence.”
In response to Seong-il’s question, a middle-aged person who appears to be a scientist stands up and begins to explain the rationale to him.
“Can you explain in detail?”
“We, Eden’s scientists, have produced a variety of products mainly to help low-level hunters survive and carry out operations. Let me show you right away.”
The scientist who said that starts a holographic image on the table and begins to show Seong-il something.
“Hoo…?”
At first glance, it looks like an ordinary object the size of a backpack. However, when the video is played, intense psionic energy emanates from what looks like a bag, and a defensive force field begins to unfold. A backpack that even floats the wearer in the air. Not only that, the bag shows an unimaginable variety of utility, such as turning into a magnetic levitation bike or thin armor depending on the wearer’s needs.
“This is the AX-47, a powerful defensive and mobile device that we have recently introduced. When not in combat, it is made into a magnetic levitation bike and used for high-speed maneuvering. Using this, even low-level hunters can attempt quick reconnaissance. I think so.”
This bag is said to revert to backpack form and conceal the wearer when an infiltration mission is necessary. Seong-il begins to look around the cutting-edge equipment shown by the doctor with an expression of interest.
‘A lot of interesting things have happened.’
A psionic and internal injury recovery elixir that seems to have been created by combining techniques from the Pocket Girls, alchemy, and detective worlds as well as the world of Mythology. A powerful spray-type treatment that combines nanomachine technology and alchemy to quickly heal trauma. Psionic weapons that seem to have been made using magic stone technology from the detective world, etc. Outstanding objects that Seong-il had never seen before appear his eyes.
“I’m sure… If I give this to low-level hunters, it will be enough for one person?”
“Haha! We can provide it to all hunters, not just low-level hunters. We even have plenty of spare parts piled up.”
‘Ho…? Then… Can you really restore a low-population area with only low-level hunters? Still, the eastern United States is currently half submerged, so the operational radius is narrow.’
The eastern part of the United States was the area most severely attacked by aliens, and horribly, the area was virtually half submerged and most people were dead. Naturally, the population density in the eastern region was extremely low after that, and therefore the interest of the Transcendental Church was also low.
‘I heard that huge tsunamis swept through the eastern United States dozens of times, killing people first, and secondarily turning the continent into a semidesert due to salt damage caused by the seawater that swept over the continent, right?’
The eastern United States has virtually become a wasteland. It has become a hell where ordinary creatures cannot live, but Seongil provides sufficient equipment even for low-level hunters. Also, I think that even low-level hunters will be able to attack the eastern region if they use the Withgrasil branch base to steadily supply.
‘Luckily, some small areas in the eastern United States are said to be able to withstand natural disasters… If we search carefully, we may be able to rescue survivors…’
‘If I do this well, I might be able to eat the American continent raw.’
