Chapter 164

The Pentagon.

The building, virtually synonymous with the United States, was crumbling in ruins under the sudden assault of its attackers.

Blood flowed like rivers, and corpses piled up like mountains.

The path carved by the Stardust Attack Unit was a scene of utter horror, a spectacle so gruesome that ‘devastating’ felt like an understatement.

Countless Delta-Shield operatives lay fallen, and the Pentagon’s exterior and interior walls, which had never sustained significant damage apart from the airliner attack since its construction, were now utterly shattered.

The Stardust Attack Unit destroyed and massacred everything that stood in their way.

Had they failed to repel the American attack, the Japanese mainland would have already been ravaged by US forces, and while their attention was diverted, the powerful main fleet of the European Union could have overrun China before swallowing the Korean Peninsula.

The United States was, quite literally, the enemy.

Once designated an enemy nation, no mercy would be extended to them.

Beep!

Then, urgent news arrived for Kang Yuseong, who was leading the Stardust Attack Unit as they demolished every part of the Pentagon.

Kang Yuseong checked the monitor on his wrist-watch and cast a cold gaze.

—Operation Meteor Shower initiated. Objective: Annihilation of target locations.

Operation Meteor Shower.

It was one of the plans Kang Yuseong had formulated before leaving Korea.

An operation devised as retaliation in the event of an enemy nuclear provocation.

Soon, an immense barrage of missiles would rain down like a meteor shower from the sky onto crucial military bases across the US mainland.

This urgent news had arrived because the Pentagon was also one of those targets.

‘Five minutes remaining.’

In five minutes, every trace of the Pentagon would be swept away by terrifying firepower. Of course, given that the US mainland had an exceptionally well-developed MD system, it was uncertain how effective it would be, but it was safe to assume it possessed considerable destructive power.

The Korean Strategic Command was asking Kang Yuseong about this.

Whether they should unleash missiles upon the Pentagon, or…

‘No, I’ll finish this with my own hands.’

…if Kang Yuseong would personally finish it.

Beep—

Kang Yuseong sent a dispatch back to headquarters.

—We will secure this target.

That was enough.

He had no desire to let lifeless missiles seize this historic moment of toppling the Pentagon, the very brain of the United States.

At the very least, it was only right that a human being—one who could cheer and clench their fists in fervent excitement while gazing upon the fallen giant’s corpse—should claim that opportunity.

“Attack Unit.”

“Yes, Captain!”

Kang Yuseong radioed the Stardust Attack Unit, who were relentlessly carving a path.

“Soon, the meteor shower will begin. But as planned, we will be the ones to bring down the Pentagon. Any objections?”

A brief silence followed on the comms, then a chorus of vigorous replies rang out.

“No objections!”

“Good, let’s go!”

“Yes!”

The Delta-Shield operatives who had been blocking the Stardust Attack Unit were almost completely annihilated.

Now, the Stardust Attack Unit was being held back only by the remaining Delta-Shield operatives and special forces units like Delta Force.

Drawing on their extensive special operations experience, Delta Force operatives were setting booby traps and staging ambushes, significantly slowing the Stardust Unit’s advance.

Even though Hunters, having awakened their Chakra, possessed physical abilities beyond human limits, a direct hit from a Claymore’s firepower would undoubtedly inflict significant damage. Their resistance was proving quite troublesome.

Kang Yuseong knew very well why they were holding out.

‘Reinforcements are coming.’

The Pentagon’s power was already neutralized, effectively.

Even if generals and commanders were still present, it held little meaning.

They could launch nuclear missiles from Ohio-class submarines and plunge everyone into mutual destruction, but then nuclear missiles would also rain down on the US mainland.

It was a no-win situation.

If X-Tridents launched from an Ohio-class nuclear submarine had wiped out the Blue House and other command centers in Seoul, the situation would be different, but now, they were helpless.

Moreover, numerous missiles were already soaring towards the US mainland as part of Operation Meteor Shower.

They would be overwhelmed just by activating their MD system.

They knew that too.

In any case, escaping the Pentagon now was as good as dying.

If there was any chance for them to turn the tide here, it was to completely annihilate the Stardust forces that had stormed the Pentagon and then, riding that momentum, unleash a devastating retaliation against South Korea.

After all, the United States possessed an countless number of missiles.

However, as long as the Stardust Attack Unit was rampaging right under their noses, holding a dagger to their throats, they couldn’t make such a move.

Wasn’t that why they were forced to tolerate the hundreds of ICBM missiles now flying in from mainland China and North Korea?

The stepping stone to instantly reverse this entire situation was the support of the National Guard and the Delta-Shield operatives attached to them.

The calculation was that if the heavily armed National Guard launched a counterattack, supported by about a hundred Delta-Shield operatives in a battle to reclaim the Pentagon, they might stand a chance.

That’s why Delta Force operatives and the Pentagon’s defense units were desperately trying to block the Stardust Attack Unit.

‘Amusing. Such a hopeless struggle.’

But Kang Yuseong merely smiled coldly.

There was no hope.

Kang Yuseong had already sealed their fate.

For them, truly, there was no hope.

His true power had yet to be unleashed.

The Corpse Manipulation Skill.

Even without employing that fearsome power, the Pentagon was already collapsing.

The moment the dead rose at Kang Yuseong’s command, the Pentagon would be erased from history.

That’s why he said there was no hope.

‘But there’s no need to drag it out.’

Nevertheless, Kang Yuseong had no intention of prolonging this situation.

For him, enemies were beings to be swiftly and precisely crushed.

Crackle—

His hand slowly rose, as if grasping at the empty air.

Whoosh—

In that instant, a colossal and potent energy surged, engulfing his hand.

A dark aura enveloped Kang Yuseong’s entire body, and an eerie mist spread outward.

The Pentagon.

Within this colossal tomb, the energies spread evenly, beginning their search for the departed.

Enveloped by the mist, the departed heard Kang Yuseong’s whispers within it and slowly rose.

An absolute command the dead could not defy.

In that instant, Kang Yuseong’s voice called them back from death, preparing them for another battle.

“Captain…”

As the eerie energy burst forth, the Stardust operatives turned to look at him.

They realized that Kang Yuseong intended to bring this battle to a complete end.

“Groan…”

Squish, squish—

More and more corpses, staggering and stepping through pools of blood, kept approaching.

Their heads were smashed, and their bodies were riddled with terrible wounds, yet they continued to move. A power stronger than death itself had awakened them.

In their eyes, instead of lost vitality, only a malevolent crimson glow was present.

A twisted smile formed on Kang Yuseong’s lips.

“Ye departed…”

Kang Yuseong pointed his hand forward.

“Eradicate all that lives. This is my will.”

“Krrraagh!”

At his words, the departed unleashed an immense killing intent from their eyes.

“Kwwaaagh!”

They quickly grew incredibly savage and began to charge forward.

What drove them was the scent of the living’s blood.

The moment anyone was wounded, they became prey for the departed.

“Attack Unit.”

Kang Yuseong, watching the departed move, called out to his unit members again.

“Yes, Captain.”

“You’re not planning to fall behind them, are you? Let’s end the history of this Pentagon today.”

“Yes!”

The unit members also charged forward, following the departed.

With Kang Yuseong revealing his power, this place was finished.

The colossal, wave-like movement of countless departed filled the Pentagon’s corridors entirely.

* * * * *

Wail—

An alarm blared inside the Pentagon.

Creak, creak, creak—

And from the ceilings in all directions, thick steel doors began to descend.

These were fireproof shutters, designed to protect other sections in case of a fire.

Giant shields, built strong enough to withstand immense flames.

Thud!

From the Pentagon command center, witnessing the uprising of the departed on their monitors, they hastily initiated a base lockdown.

Caught by the departed, they would be torn apart alive, their blood drained until death.

The strategies of Delta Force operatives, no matter how extensive their special operations experience, were useless against them.

Boom!

Because as Claymores detonated and grenades flew, they charged forward, trampling their own comrades in a frenzy.

And they were eerily adept at detecting the scent of living blood and the sound of breathing.

Even when hidden, they would instantly track down the living, tear off their heads whole, and rip their chests to shreds.

Furthermore, the greater problem was that as long as Kang Yuseong’s magic remained active, even the fallen Delta Force operatives, Delta-Shield members, or regular security guards would rise again as corpses.

It was a horrifying hell.

The command staff, having witnessed this horrifying spectacle through the ubiquitous CCTV cameras, resorted to the drastic measure of a base lockdown.

There was no other choice for them.

But even after taking such a drastic measure, they plunged into immense despair.

Their failure to properly understand Kang Yuseong’s power had proven to be a catastrophic miscalculation.

In this situation, even external reinforcements would be useless.

It would only increase the number of corpses.

Whirr—

Suddenly, the dispensers, hanging like sprinklers above each section sealed by the fireproof shutters, began to activate.

It was a gas made of potent neurotoxins.

Hiss—

The gas instantly flooded every section behind the fireproof shutters.

A gas infused with a powerful poison, capable of instantly killing an elephant with just a small inhalation.

“Gaaah!”

“Keegh!”

The dispensers had originally been installed to combat monsters that might burst out of dungeons due to a Shock.

The gas, too, contained powerful toxins specifically designed to target monsters.

It was unknown if the gas would affect the already deceased departed, but the command center had unleashed it because they had to stop them by any means necessary.

After experiencing two Shocks, the Pentagon had been equipped with massive gas tanks, and all the gas within them was now being released.

The departed, drenched in the gas, staggered as if in pain.

It was melting the skin of the departed and corroding their bones.

Sensing this, Kang Yuseong’s eyes blazed with cold intensity.

As expected, the United States wasn’t just going to take it lying down.

It seemed a different approach would be needed to bring them down.

‘If that’s the case.’

Kang Yuseong raised one hand.

His eyes radiated a deep, murderous intent.