NTN 22

Encounter Battle

As Jang Mok-hwa ran toward the rear of the massive snake corpse, Sung Geon-woo didn’t want to bother entering the jeep and climbing out the opposite door. Instead, he steadied himself by placing one hand on the door, tensed his waist and abdomen, bent one knee, and leapt over the roof, landing on the side where Baek Sae-byeok was positioned.

This moment fully showcased Sung Geon-woo’s extraordinary physical abilities, enhanced through genetic modification and rigorous training.

By the time Baek Sae-byeok finished firing, Sung Geon-woo had reached her side in short, quick strides, crouching behind the rear of the car hood.

This was a maneuver he had been trained for.

When using a vehicle as a shield in a gunfight, one had to stay near the front of the car where various components offered protection, as other parts could easily be penetrated by bullets.

Yong Yeohong, who had also been behind the car with Baek Sae-byeok, reacted slightly later due to tension but managed to get in position to Sung Geon-woo’s right.

Baek Sae-byeok, upon losing sight of the exoskeleton-wearing opponent, made a decisive move: she pulled her rifle close, lowered her stance, and pressed herself against the car body.

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat!

The sound of the machine gun instantly heightened the trio’s tension, filling them with adrenaline.

Meanwhile, before the enemy’s machine gun could sweep their position, Jang Mok-hwa leapt using both legs, landing behind the black swamp iron-scaled snake’s corpse, crouching low.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The massive snake’s black scales began to crack under the continuous gunfire, but inside were two more layers of scales. Even if those layers broke, the snake’s flesh would still offer some resistance to bullets. Additionally, the side where Jang Mok-hwa hid had three layers of steel scales.

In other words, it was nearly impossible for the machine gun alone to pierce the snake’s corpse. Unless an overwhelming amount of bullets was fired continuously at the same spot, Jang Mok-hwa could still crawl and move.

The desert gang leader, aided by his exoskeleton, approached the black swamp snake and the olive-gray jeep at high speed while wielding the machine gun. In the face of his attacks, Baek Sae-byeok, Sung Geon-woo, Yong Yeohong, and Jang Mok-hwa could neither counterattack nor even lift their heads.

Once the machine gun overheated and the preloaded ammunition was exhausted, the leader finally discarded the weapon and raised a rainstorm submachine gun in his right hand.

With his left hand, he aimed a grenade launcher at the front.

At the same time, a crosshair appeared on the crystal goggles attached to the exoskeleton helmet, linked to the targeting system. A sequence of numbers flashed rapidly around the crosshair, assisting him in calculating the correct trajectory.

If he fired the grenade now, the olive-gray jeep would be obliterated, and Baek Sae-byeok, Sung Geon-woo, and Yong Yeohong hiding behind the hood would almost certainly die.

However, doing so would destroy the jeep along with all the supplies inside—the ultimate goal of the desert gang.

Hesitating, the leader shifted the grenade launcher toward Jang Mok-hwa. While restricting her movements with the rainstorm submachine gun, he used the infrared module of his integrated alarm system to pinpoint her exact location.

Meanwhile, he gestured to two subordinates on large motorcycles to circle the jeep and prevent any interference from hidden enemies. The two, accustomed to such situations, understood immediately from his gestures and circled around the snake corpse toward the jeep’s front.

Rat-a-tat!

They were highly skilled. Handling the motorcycles with one hand while firing a compact submachine gun with the other, Sung Geon-woo, Yong Yeohong, and Baek Sae-byeok couldn’t lift their heads.

Seeing Jang Mok-hwa marked in orange, red, and green behind the black snake corpse, the exoskeleton-wearing leader smirked and began calculating the grenade’s trajectory.

Though the snake was massive, its height while lying down was much lower than the jeep’s roof, providing no protection against the grenade’s trajectory.

Crouched behind the snake’s body, Jang Mok-hwa shifted slightly to avoid being located.

She didn’t want to stay exposed too long, as the enemy might carry anti-tank heavy weapons. Such weapons were cumbersome for humans, but manageable with an exoskeleton.

The smell of mud mixed with blood reached her nose, yet her concentration remained unbroken. As the leader appeared in the exoskeleton, she was the first to notice and react—even faster than Baek Sae-byeok, who was observing through a scope.

The continuous machine gun fire nearly drowned out all other sounds, but Jang Mok-hwa calmly measured the distance between herself and the enemy.

She grabbed an olive-green anti-tank grenade with her left hand.

Just as the exoskeleton-wearing leader raised the grenade launcher, Jang Mok-hwa pulled the pin with her mouth. Using her waist and abdomen, she rolled on the spot and threw the grenade swiftly.

Her bioengineered prosthetic arm, modeled after an electric eel, could generate, store, and release electric energy, and exert tremendous force beyond human limits—an enhancement Vango Bio excelled in.

KABOOM!

A blazing fireball erupted, engulfing the area.

Alerted by her exoskeleton, the leader leapt over 20 meters, narrowly avoiding the explosion. Even if he hadn’t dodged, he could have used the targeting system with his submachine gun to shoot the airborne grenade—but unsure of its capabilities, he chose not to risk it.

Seizing the moment, Jang Mok-hwa knelt behind the snake corpse, drawing her Union 202 pistol and opening fire.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The 11.18mm bullets targeted vital points not protected by the exoskeleton, forcing the leader to dodge repeatedly. Sweat appeared on his forehead, as Jang Mok-hwa’s skill pressed him without giving a chance to counterattack.

Without her, even soldiers without an exoskeleton would not have survived the bullets. She was a true sharpshooter.

All genetically enhanced Vango Bio staff had innate talent with firearms, with Jang Mok-hwa being among the best. Sung Geon-woo and Yong Yeohong were competent but fell short in comparison. She also trained to hone her abilities further.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

At that moment, Jang Mok-hwa was subduing the exoskeleton-wearing enemy with her Union 202 pistol. Her only concern was that her magazine would soon empty, as the pistol couldn’t be reloaded quickly like her Berserk assault rifle. The enemy would surely counterattack the moment she showed any weakness.

Meanwhile, the motorcycle engines grew louder. Baek Sae-byeok set down her orange rifle and aimed under the jeep chassis.

A small mirror placed in front of her reflected a limited view, serving as a rear-view for her crouched position.

“Cover me and push the other two to the side!” she ordered, tossing her coat upward.

Rat-a-tat!

Bullet holes appeared in her camo-gray uniform. She rolled toward the car door, grabbing the orange rifle she had set aside, and aimed at the enemy’s ankles from an unexpected angle beneath the chassis.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The leader, trying to counter Jang Mok-hwa, had to keep dodging due to another threat.

‘Excellent,’ Jang Mok-hwa muttered, impressed by Baek Sae-byeok’s judgment, decisiveness, and daring.

She then discarded her Union 202 and drew her Ice Moss rifle.

While Baek Sae-byeok covered Jang Mok-hwa, Sung Geon-woo placed the Berserk assault rifle beside Yong Yeohong.

“Push them to the side!” he repeated Baek Sae-byeok’s order.

Their goal was to flank the two motorcycle riders, preventing them from targeting the jeep door. Bullets aimed at the door could penetrate the jeep and hit Baek Sae-byeok beneath.

“I…” Yong Yeohong hesitated nervously.

“Shoot!” Sung Geon-woo urged, his expression tense.

Having undergone grueling training, Yong Yeohong no longer hesitated. Hiding behind the jeep hood, he grabbed his assault rifle and fired blindly behind him.

The motorcycle riders’ submachine gun fire momentarily ceased, and their engines roared louder.

Taking advantage, Yong Yeohong spun and fired at their exposed upper bodies, driving them to the side, opening an opportunity to attack those on the opposite side.

When his magazine emptied, he continued shooting with the Berserk rifle Sung Geon-woo handed him.

If you want, I can also translate Chapter 22, Part 3, to keep the full encounter flow continuous.

Do you want me to do that next?