Hiding a House in the Apocalypse

The military commanders' evaluations of monster combat capabilities vary widely.

Commanders who served at the kill zones would have experienced the sheer number and extraordinary combat abilities of the monsters, but they would not necessarily consider them to be invincible.

For commanders who have only faced monsters sporadically in well-fortified areas similar to a ceasefire line, the monsters would likely be seen as a manageable threat—small to medium-sized ones that could be dealt with relatively easily.

Most military commanders who have protected the Korean Peninsula have experiences that fall into one of these two categories.

For commanders in countries like China, where the entire country has been consumed by erosion, there are no frontlines and they must fight battles in what is essentially a free-for-all with monster hordes. These commanders know firsthand why monsters are humanity's natural enemy.

Each individual monster is a superior version of a human combat unit and has the ability to neutralize most human weapons. Most terrifying of all is their endless numbers, which can assault both the front and rear simultaneously—humanity has no choice but to succumb.

The background to Kim Byung-cheol’s insistence on defending the National Assembly likely stems from his limited experience with large-scale monster battles.

They have not fought against monsters in large-scale field combat.

There may have been an opportunity for that, but they quickly gave up the frontlines, citing supply issues between Seoul and the frontline, and converted the Gangwon and Gyeonggi areas into a comfortable fortress and rear cities just for themselves.

Time has passed, and now they have things to protect.

“Already, numerous monsters are positioned in the southeast of Seoul. Simply securing one observation post won’t prevent all the monsters.”

My plan has reached the command center.

The "large monster specialists" at the command center are reviewing it.

Kim Daram's report has also passed through the opinions of these specialists.

“We need to cut off the reinforcements. The ones already in should be dealt with by the legion-strength forces.”

“Wasn’t this operation meant to conserve those forces?”

“Kim Daram. Didn’t you notice something strange during this large-scale assault?”

“Something strange?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you feel like the monsters, which should be acting on instinct, were being commanded by some higher power?”

Kim Daram lowered her gaze.

She seemed to be recalling something.

But that’s always how she is.

Her focus is always fixed only on what’s directly in front of her—the next step she’ll take, the next battle.

Even in the chaos of a battlefield where countless lives and understandings collide, she only seeks out the immediate threat and practical solutions, never caring about anything beyond that.

She did not accept my opinion.

“I can’t convince them, so you should speak to them directly.”

But she still provided an opportunity.

I headed to the operations room, filled with soldiers clad in gleaming military uniforms, along with Kim Byung-cheol.

It seemed odd that there were Chinese personnel among the top brass.

When I entered, a female hunter gave me a knowing smile.

Kim Daram whispered something to a man in a brigadier general’s rank.

The man turned to look at me.

In his late thirties.

He was quite young for a general.