Actually, Dad Was a Hero

Chapter 38: The Price

“. . .Autonomous. . . landmine. . . removal. . . device. . .?”

Kuen asked back, looking at Jin Beom-Min with a sullen expression.

If he had eyelids, he would probably be blinking slowly with his eyes wide open.

“Ah, well, that’s what it’s called. It’s a very simple task. You just have to go straight ahead.”

Jin Beom-Min said, pointing to the wide reed field in front of them.

The reed field, swaying like waves under the soft moonlight, was decorated with a low barbed wire fence and landmine warning signs.

“. . .Then. . . what about. . . you. . .?”

“We’ll follow behind. About. . . 100 meters away.”

Jin Beom-Min winked, looking back at the Ghost Squad members standing at a distance.

There was no big problem in moving to the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the armored vehicle they had taken from the North Korean soldiers.

After all, North Korea didn’t have much traffic, and even if they encountered other vehicles, there were no residents brave enough to pick a fight with an armored vehicle.

They could simply bypass roads where they might encounter checkpoints or other units on the move.

Although the North Korean BMP-1 was a piece of junk that seemed to be at least 40 years old, it chugged along and stubbornly covered over 100km.

After abandoning the armored vehicle near the MDL, Ghost Squad crossed the MDL under the cover of darkness.

Just like the South, there were outposts guarding the MDL on the North Korean side, but they didn’t even need to fire a single bullet to neutralize them.

The moment the two North Korean sentries guarding the outpost saw Kuen’s face appear in the pitch-black darkness, they screamed and fainted.

Thanks to this, Ghost Squad and Jin Beom-Min were able to advance safely to the minefield within the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).

“. . .I don’t know why. . . but I have a bad. . . feeling about this. . . .”

“No, I told you it’s a simple task.”

“That. . . landmine. . . thing. . . doesn’t sound good. . . . What is it. . . exactly?”

“Ah, you’ll know when you get there. It’s nothing.”

Kuen tilted his head in disbelief.

However, for him, a Necromancer Guardian, the orders from the owner of the Ring of Necromancy were absolute.

“Then. . . I’ll go. . . .”

As Kuen stepped over the barbed wire fence and into the reed field, Jin Beom-Min quickly stepped back.

And a moment later.

Kaboom!

An explosion erupted within the reed field, shaking the reeds wildly.

“Wow.”

Reaper, watching from a distance, exclaimed and continued.

“It’s effective, but I feel a bit sorry.”

“He’ll be fine. Even if he breaks, he’ll be fine if we unsummon him and summon him again.”

Jin Beom-Min added reassuringly.

It might be a little inhumane. . . no, undead-like, but for the undead, who couldn’t die even if they wanted to, mine removal was the perfect job.

Of course, Kuen, who had to clear the mines with his body, would probably have a different opinion.

“Ugh. . . . So. . . this. . . is it. . . .”

Kuen, covered in dust and soot, groaned as he rose from the middle of the reed field.

“. . .This is. . . . Humans are. . . more evil than. . . monsters. . . .”

Kuen grumbled, but he started walking again. After all, he had to obey orders.

******

“Halt, halt! Hands up! I’ll shoot if you move!”

Jin Beom-Min and the Ghost Squad members immediately raised their hands without resistance.

Kuen, who couldn’t understand Korean, just blinked his eyes and looked around before slowly raising his hands.

“H, Hands up. . .!”

Jin Beom-Min gulped, looking at the rifle pointed at him by the nervous Corporal.

How absurd would it be to get shot in South Korea after traveling nearly 150km from the middle of North Korea?

Fortunately, a soldier with the rank of Major intervened with a gentle voice.

“Relax, Corporal Choi. You received the order earlier, didn’t you?”

“Y, Yes, sir.”

Corporal Choi didn’t lower his gun, but his voice was definitely more stable than before.

The Major, after calming down Corporal Choi, stepped forward, holding out a document.

“Are you Ghost Squad?”

“Yes, we are.”

When Sandman answered, the Major started to carefully compare the document with each member of Ghost Squad.

Then, suddenly, he looked at Kuen’s face standing at the very end, flinched in surprise, and rummaged through the documents again.

“Uh, that. . . . The person in armor. . . is not on the document. . .?”

“Ah, that’s. . . .”

Just as Sandman was about to explain, Jin Beom-Min cut in.

“You don’t have to worry about him.”

He turned the ring on his finger, and Kuen melted into the ground and disappeared.

“Eeeeeeek!”

The startled Corporal Choi turned his gun towards where Kuen had been, but there was nothing there now.

Reaper gave the surprised Corporal Choi a cheerful wink.

The Major wiped his face as if tired, and then gestured to the group with a weary tone.

“Ah. . . . Yes. Well. . . . Then the documents match. Follow me this way.”

The Ghost Squad members breathed a sigh of relief and followed the Major. Beyond the MDL, to their beloved homeland.

******

“This is good news after a long time. Ghost Squad and Jin Beom-Min have returned safely on their own.”

[On their own. . .? From the middle of North Korea?]

Shim Jung-Min’s voice was laced with surprise.

“Yes, they are currently on their way to headquarters. They will write a report after their medical examination.”

[They were more capable than I thought.]

“We only picked the best.”

For Lee Sang-Jun, it was also unexpected that Ghost Squad returned without outside help. But it was also true that they only chose the best agents who could survive any situation.

[Then you don’t need my help anymore.]

“Actually. . . I would like your help with something else.”

[What. . .?]

“I want to punish the traitor.”

Lee Sang-Jun’s voice was filled with anger. It was clear enough to be heard even through the phone.

[Do you have any evidence. . .?]

“I do.”

Actually, he didn’t. But he was confident he would get it soon.

More importantly, he needed to know if he could punish the traitor for sure.

If he couldn’t get Shim Jung-Min’s help, he would have to change his method of punishment.

[Well. . . . Isn’t dealing with people something the NIS is good at?]

Lee Sang-Jun smiled faintly and replied.

“That’s a story from the days of the KCIA. We don’t do that anymore. No, we can’t.”

Actually, it wasn’t that they didn’t do it at all. At least not publicly.

[Well, as far as I know, that’s not the case. . .?]

To Shim Jung-Min’s sly question, Lee Sang-Jun answered in a serious voice.

“. . .I want social death, not physical death.”

[. . .I see.]

Shim Jung-Min thought for a moment and replied.

[Then hand over their identity and bring the evidence. I’ll review it and take care of it.]

“Understood.”

As always, Shim Jung-Min hung up without saying goodbye. Leaving only Lee Sang-Jun in the dim meeting room, with a chilling smile on his face.

******

“This is different from what you said! The opponent was a knight! Not some petty thief!”

Teano shouted, his dark blue face turning even darker with agitation.

“He was stronger than me!”

Tyrel, clad in crimson armor and seated on a large throne, replied dejectedly.

“B, But I thought Father would be able to handle it. . .!”

“Shut up!”

Clang!

Teano threw the bow he was holding to the floor. The dwarf goblin, who was cowering behind the throne and watching the situation, flinched and trembled.

“Tell me. From the beginning.”

Faced with Teano’s anger, Tyrel bit her nails.

“Tell me who gave you this order, and who the opponent was!”

Tyrel, who was chewing on her nails, spat out a nail fragment and opened her mouth.

“It was the Legion Commander.”

“. . .The Legion Commander. . .?”

Teano swayed as if he hadn’t expected it, and was greatly surprised.

“How could the Legion Commander. . . give you a direct order. . .!”

“. . .He visited me secretly. . . about a month ago. . . .”

“. . .Secretly. . .?”

Teano asked back in disbelief.

The Legion Commander. The supreme commander of the monster legion and a being so powerful that they couldn’t even approach him.

No matter how arrogant Tyrel was, she wouldn’t lie about the Legion Commander.

“. . .He gave me that scroll and. . . ordered me to capture the thief who stole his belongings.”

“. . .Why? Why you?”

“I don’t know that either. . . .”

Teano put his hand to his mouth and slowly walked around the wide hall. He seemed to be deep in thought.

“. . .Father. . . .”

“Shut up. I’m thinking.”

At Teano’s shout, Tyrel shut her mouth with a click.

After pacing for a long time and organizing his thoughts, Teano opened his mouth again.

“. . .Do you know what it means that the Legion Commander gave a secret order to a mere local lord like you?”

“. . .I know.”

“If you don’t handle this properly, not only you, but our entire clan, our entire territory will be wiped out!”

“. . .I know.”

“You idiot!”

Teano yelled.

“I shouldn’t have handed over the position of head of the family to you! How can you be so stupid. . .! You should have called me from the beginning!”

But Tyrel didn’t back down and retorted.

“I’m the head of the family now! I make the decisions and I take responsibility!”

“And that’s why we’re in this mess! So, how many of those scrolls are left now! How many more attempts can you make?!”

Only then did Tyrel answer in an unsure voice, avoiding Teano’s eyes.

“. . .Two. . . .”

“You fool. . .!”

When Teano closed his mouth, a heavy silence fell over the vast hall.

The dwarf goblin, squatting behind the throne, didn’t dare move a finger and just breathed silently.

“. . .Now we only have one chance left.”

Teano opened his mouth in a much softer tone.

“. . .What are you going to do?”

“. . .I have to do it.”

“How. . .?”

“I’ve seen enough of his power. He was strong.”

Teano recalled the image of Jin Beom-Min he had encountered.

His magic and skills. And his skillful strategy of hiding his power in preparation for an enemy who wouldn’t reveal themselves.

He was not an opponent to be taken lightly.

But that didn’t mean there was no way.

“It won’t be easy to find a monster strong enough to capture him. No, even if I find one, it would be difficult for me to control it.”

Rangers had the ability to lure monsters and make them their familiars.

The Manticore that Jin Beom-Min had defeated was also a monster that Teano had lured and made his own after a long time.

But there were limits to that. The probability of luring a monster much stronger than himself was low.

And if the lure didn’t work, all that was left was a terrible end.

“. . .But I can think of one way.”

“W, What is it?”

Teano, the former head of the dark elf clan and now a retired ranger, looked at his eldest daughter, Tyrel, and gave a chilling smile.

“This time, you’ll have to risk your life too.”