Chapter 23
Within 10 Meters
Rat-tat-tat—the sound of gunfire echoed endlessly. Soon, Seong Geon-woo drew his Union 202 pistol, slightly crouched, and charged at the two large motorcycles like a predator.
No one had expected Seong Geon-woo to act so boldly, but Yong Yeohong, whose eyes were already glowing red, continued to suppress the enemies instead of stopping his own fire.
Rat-tat-tat!
Two robbers, each holding a small submachine gun in one hand, retaliated while speeding on their motorcycles.
Seong Geon-woo leaped forward, rolled once, and dodged their attacks. Bullets struck the ground behind him, raising clouds of dust.
At that moment, the distance between Seong Geon-woo and the two rapidly approaching motorcycles was less than ten meters.
The robber on the inner motorcycle, closer to Seong Geon-woo and wearing a helmet, aimed at him again.
He was certain there was no way the target could avoid his shot at such a short distance. A vision flashed through his mind.
Amid the roar of machine guns, he imagined the motorcycle charging forward, and the enemy falling convulsively, bloodied, before him.
Meanwhile, the other robber on the second motorcycle confronted Yong Yeohong, preventing him from rescuing his comrade.
Seong Geon-woo rolled several times, bouncing to his feet, and saw the black muzzle of the submachine gun.
Without hesitation, the helmeted robber prepared to pull the trigger.
But at that moment, his body stiffened and froze. Sweat poured from his forehead and spine.
He had forgotten how to pull the trigger.
A simple motion, yet he could not execute it. It was as if he had lost the ability.
“How… do I shoot this?”
The absurd thought ran through his mind.
Seizing the moment, Seong Geon-woo raised his arm with a cold expression and pulled the trigger of his Union 202 pistol.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Of the three bullets fired, one hit the robber’s body, another his neck, and the last struck the motorcycle.
A torrent of blood erupted from the robber’s neck.
He staggered and fell from the motorcycle with a thud.
The unmanned motorcycle barreled forward for about ten more meters before tipping over. Dust swirled from the slightly trembling ground under its heavy weight.
Seong Geon-woo didn’t stop. Twisting his wrist, he aimed at the other motorcycle driver who had been confronting Yong Yeohong.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
One bullet struck the motorcycle’s fuel tank, while the other two hit the driver.
Seong Geon-woo’s shooting skill ranked mid-to-high even among genetically enhanced individuals—quite formidable.
Kabang!
The fallen motorcycle exploded due to various factors. A massive red flame engulfed the driver. Screaming in agony, he convulsed violently before collapsing.
The leader, wearing a military exoskeleton, heard the commotion and quickly turned toward them. His eyes glowed red.
Instead of facing him directly, Seong Geon-woo rolled and ran behind the jeep’s hood.
The enraged gang leader ignored the limits of his exoskeleton’s battery and his own body, using its powerful mobility to charge at the jeep.
This was completely different from his previously cautious attacks.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The attacks from Jang Mok-hwa and Baek Saebyeok failed to cause serious damage—only minor scrapes at best. This confirmed the overwhelming power of the exoskeleton.
Thud!
The man, launched into the air, landed on the jeep’s hood and aimed a storm of guns—submachine guns, grenade launchers, and electromagnetic weapons—at the three hiding behind it.
At the same time, Baek Saebyeok, Yong Yeohong, and Seong Geon-woo all targeted him.
The leader was furious and willing to take risks, but he hadn’t lost all reasoning. He had no intention of sacrificing himself to avenge his two dead subordinates.
Originally, he planned to land on the jeep, use the exoskeleton’s leg power to jump again, dodge incoming fire, and fire grenades midair to eliminate the three hiding behind the hood. He would simultaneously fire his submachine gun to catch any escaping enemies, then adjust his trajectory midair using the exoskeleton’s jet assists to target anyone hiding behind a black swamp alligator corpse.
As he bent his knees and prepared to leap, a sudden thought struck him:
“No! That’s not it!”
He wanted to face the enemies who had torn his comrades apart directly and see the fear and regret in their faces as they died. That, he thought, would be true revenge and the only way to release the rage boiling inside him.
“Shooting from high above is cowardly! It lacks sincerity! A real man must face his enemy directly!”
Overcome by this unstoppable thought, he abandoned his original plan.
He hadn’t lost all reason. The leader, clad in the black exoskeleton, bent his knees and waist, lowering his upper body. This exposed his chest, helmet, and jointed areas to the three hiding behind the jeep—almost impossible to target a gap.
Then, he noticed one of them had darker, deeper eyes than ordinary humans.
Seong Geon-woo, having given up aiming, rolled sideways instinctively.
From her angle, Jang Mok-hwa, slightly behind the leader, saw his posture as perfect. Without hesitation, she fired instinctively.
Bang!
A yellowish bullet traveled 20–30 meters, grazing the black exoskeleton and striking near the leader’s spine and power pack—the exact point she had aimed for.
For a sharpshooter like her, it was nothing difficult, even at 20 meters further.
Blood gushed from the leader’s back.
Overwhelmed by pain, the leader realized he had made the worst choice at the crucial moment.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Jang Mok-hwa’s second shot went off on time. Baek Saebyeok fired at his abdomen, while Yong Yeohong’s continuous shots were blocked by the exoskeleton’s metal helmet and chest armor.
Realizing escape was impossible, the leader’s face contorted.
He attempted to fire grenades wildly, intending to die with his enemies—but could not pull the trigger.
Even though shooting someone was instinctive, his hands seemed dead before his mind could act.
Boom!
The leader, wearing a 70–80 kg exoskeleton, collapsed on the jeep’s hood. Blood quickly stained the surrounding area.
In his last moments, suspicion and resentment filled his eyes.
A black SUV, having heard the motorcycle driver’s screams, rushed over but was already too late. By the time it entered effective shooting range, Gil Seon and Ha-yoon saw the leader spewing blood from his back.
Ha-yoon, enraged, leaned out of the window, ready to shoot the enemies.
As the exoskeleton-wearing leader collapsed, the jeep shook briefly.
The black SUV skidded and came to a sideways stop.
Ha-yoon nearly flew out of the window but was saved by thick clothing.
The SUV made a sharp turn and began retreating urgently.
“What are you doing?”
Ha-yoon pulled back inside, shouting angrily.
Gil Seon, older and gripping the steering wheel, shouted back:
“We’re escaping!”
“But our comrades are still there!”
Ha-yoon aimed his Union 202 pistol at Gil Seon’s temple.
“Turn back now!”
His eyes were bloodshot with rage.
But Gil Seon ignored him.
“Your brother is already dead! Do you want to die too?”
He pressed the accelerator nearly to the floor.
Ha-yoon’s lips twitched, his expression shifting multiple times.
Then, suddenly, he flung himself into the passenger seat.
“You damn coward!” Ha-yoon spat angrily.
“I… me too…”
Tears finally fell from his eyes.
“Wow, they’re fast.”
Jang Mok-hwa, swapping magazines in her 9mm Ismos, watched the black SUV disappear in the distance.
If they had brought a grenade launcher, they could have engulfed the fleeing enemies in fire. Unfortunately, they hadn’t grabbed it when exiting the vehicle.
Yong Yeohong, hiding behind the jeep, fired until his ammunition ran out. He paused, slightly bent forward, and gasped for breath.
His eyes were unfocused, as if his mind were elsewhere.
Baek Saebyeok, holding an orange rifle, scanned the area. Seeing no other enemies, she exhaled in quiet relief.
Her expression remained calm. What had just occurred was routine to her, an occasional event not worth emotional investment.
She had already checked the grenade launcher Jang Mok-hwa had left in the passenger seat. The exoskeleton-wearing leader was dead, the black SUV had escaped, and she wasn’t skilled with the launcher—no reason to use it.
“No need to waste a grenade unnecessarily,” she muttered.
Her gaze shifted to Seong Geon-woo, about 7–8 meters away.
She harbored great suspicion over the gang leader’s last choice. The exoskeleton-wearing enemy could have caused injuries or minor scrapes to attack the three hiding behind the jeep, yet he rushed in blindly, consumed by anger.
At that moment, Seong Geon-woo alone reacted differently, rolling sideways.
As Baek Saebyeok pursed her lips, Jang Mok-hwa asked,
“Are you hurt?”
There was a first aid kit in the jeep.
Yong Yeohong shivered but regained composure.
Trembling from tension, he could still assess his condition.
“I’m okay,” he said.
“Just a slight headache,” Seong Geon-woo added with a smile.
“The explosions and gunfire probably pressed against your ears,” Baek Saebyeok analyzed calmly.
“Good,”
