Trait Hoarder-Chapter 211 The Darkness of the Eastern Army – Part 1

The Darkness of the Eastern Army – Part 1

After poring over the documents for a while, I asked,

“Does the Legion Commander know about this?”

Kim Chulkwon shook his head firmly.

“No way. If he knew, he wouldn’t just sit back and do nothing.”

On the other hand, Choi Sunsoo looked skeptical.

“I doubt he’s completely in the dark. He might not have realized it was this bad, though.”

“But he’s the Legion Commander…”

“The Legion Commander is still just a person. Who’d imagine their own kids would make such a mess?”

That was true.

The names listed in the documents were Gu Jungju and Gu Hyeongju.

The Legion Commander’s second daughter and third son—who was also a Division Commander and a Swordmaster.

I flipped through the papers and let out a short sigh.

“This is a damn disgrace.”

If they had just funded the factory, that would’ve been one thing.

The real problem was that they had supplied superhumans as well.

The ones I had encountered at the lowest level.

No wonder their levels were so high.

There was no way the researchers or security guards I saw in that factory could have taken them down.

“Any movement from the Eastern Army? If I were them, I’d be doing everything I could to keep mouths shut.”

“Nothing yet.”

Well, it had only been a few days since we raided the factory.

On top of that, we’d also hit a frontline division, a university, and an abandoned church, attracting media from every corner.

Journalists were practically tripping over themselves to get an interview with me.

Reaching out to me at this point would be difficult.

If the media caught a whiff of something and ran with it, things would get ugly fast.

“Find anything else anywhere?”

“We’re still working on it. We’re short on manpower…”

“Got it.”

The other bases weren’t any better.

They were just as steeped in crime and corruption as the factory.

Maybe they were connected to the Four Great Factions as well.

Back in Episode 2, the Four Great Factions had stayed suspiciously quiet, only handing out quests.

Maybe this was why.

Because they were the ones responsible for this mess.

I grabbed the documents and stood up.

“I’ll take care of this case. Director Kim and Director Choi, focus on the redevelopment and cleaning up the sites I uncovered.”

“Yes, Sword Star.”

“Leave it to us.”

Should I go straight to the Legion Commander?

If I used Black Tiger Swordmaster as a front, I could get through easily.

No.

The Gu Clan already wasn’t too fond of me.

It’d be better to secure some allies first.

I called while driving the Red Cougar.

[Division Commander Gu Hyungwon]

A man who was now at the same level as me.

The Legion Commander’s grandson, and someone who had been making a name for himself lately.

Especially after running around non-stop during the Seoul terrorist attack.

[Oh? Look who it is!]

Gu Hyungwon answered in a bright voice.

[The ever-busy Sword Star! I saw the news. You’ve been cutting out tumors left and right, huh? So, what is it this time? Don’t tell me you’ve got another headache to dump on me?]

“Actually, I’m calling because of a headache.”

[Ha… Damn it. Every time I get involved with you, my workload doubles. What is it now?]

“Let’s meet in person. I’ll explain then.”

We met at a café in Cheorwon State.

Without a word, I handed him the documents.

Seeing the [TOP SECRET] stamp on the cover, Gu Hyungwon frowned.

He took the documents and started reading.

Less than a minute in, his jaw dropped.

“This… this is real?”

“Yes. It’s confirmed.”

“No way. My aunt and uncle wouldn’t do something like this. Investing, sure. It’s about autonomous combat robots, right? Those would be a huge boost to national defense. Even for monster hunting. But kidnapping superhumans? Human experimentation? They even attended demonstrations and accepted bribes? Impossible. It’s just not possible.”

Was it, though?

These were the same people who had torn each other apart in a brutal civil war after the Legion Commander’s death.

The faction had split into three.

Gu Jeongju, Gu Jungju, and Gu Hyeongju.

Honestly, it was more surprising that Gu Jeongju—old man Gu—wasn’t involved.

Of all the Legion Commander’s children, he had been the worst of the worst.

Greedy and petty beyond belief.

Maybe it was just a coincidence. Or maybe he backed off after getting crushed by me last time.

“This is impossible… No, it can’t be true. Right, it must not be.”

Gu Hyungwon closed his eyes tightly.

His hands trembled.

The classified documents shook as if they were about to tear.

“Why do you think it’s impossible?”

“My aunt and uncle are Division Commanders of the Eastern Army’s 2nd and 3rd Divisions. Personally, they’re also Swordmasters. They wouldn’t gain anything from backing some small-time factory. Sure, bringing in autonomous combat robots would strengthen our forces, but why go to such extremes?”

“Because of black magic.”

“…What?”

“I don’t think they cared about the robots. Their real interest was in superhuman fusion.”

“Superhuman fusion? Why?”

“Think about it.”

I leaned slightly toward Gu Hyungwon.

“Superhuman fusion is the combination of machine, flesh, and spirit. It’s a way to forcibly level up. Now, what do you think someone at Level 7, at the peak of their abilities, would be considering?”

“That’s just speculation. You can’t reach Level 8 with some cheap sorcery.”

“Do they need to reach a perfect Level 8?”

“If it’s not perfect, what’s the point?”

“That’s how a young Division Commander like you sees it. But someone over eighty? Their perspective might be different.”

Gu Hyungwon fell silent.

There was a limit to leveling up.

For Mages or Priests, it was different, but for Warriors and Reinforced, the barrier was clear.

The prime of one’s body was generally considered to be the late 20s to early 30s.

The older you got, the harder leveling became.

And once you hit sixty?

It was virtually impossible.

“Using black magic to level up, huh…”

“A considerable amount of money was invested, but for the two of them, it’s nothing more than pocket change. The same goes for throwing superhumans into the mix.”

Most of the superhumans used as test subjects were criminals.

There were even a few from the Terror Alliance.

Since they were either going to be executed or sealed away at great expense, someone must have decided it was better to use them for experiments.

“Huuuu…”

Gu Hyungwon let out a long sigh.

“This is beyond what I can handle on my own.”

“I know.”

“You’re not seriously planning to show this to the Legion Commander, are you?”

“Of course I am.”

“You!”

Gu Hyungwon raised his voice.

“The world is already in chaos, and you want to stir up even more trouble? Don’t do this. I’ll arrange a meeting. My aunt and uncle are reasonable people. Why not accept some compensation and quietly let this go? The Legion Commander hasn’t been in good health lately. You wouldn’t want to burden an old man with this, would you?”

Let it go?

If I weren’t Level 7, I might have considered it.

If the zombie outbreak weren’t imminent, I might have given it serious thought.

But compromise was not an option.

In the game, there was over a year between Episode 1 and Episode 2.

But in this world, that gap had been shortened to just six months.

So how long would it be until Episode 3?

A year? Six months?

Maybe even less than three months.

The Eastern Army would be a key player in the battle against the Old Father’s Cult.

This was the perfect opportunity to cut out its rot.

Only then would it be able to function properly.

“…Do you, by any chance,”

Gu Hyungwon’s eyes sharpened,

“Have ambitions for the Eastern Army?”

Ambitions, huh.

I smirked faintly.

The Eastern Army was rotten to the core.

I wouldn’t take it even if it were handed to me.

“Not at all. But think about it, Division Commander Gu. Even if I let this slide, do you think I could establish a productive and positive relationship with them? Smile and pretend nothing happened?”

“…No, I suppose not.”

“If I had destroyed the documents immediately after discovery, that might have been possible. But the moment I showed them to you, my relationship with them was set in stone. We’re enemies now. We have no choice but to crush each other. Isn’t that right?”

“Hah, you really say whatever you want. Have you forgotten who you’re talking to?”

Gu Hyungwon sounded incredulous.

He picked up the documents and tossed them onto the table in front of me.

“Take them back. I’m saying this out of consideration for the relationship we’ve built. Burn them. Not just these, but all the other evidence, too. Do you think being called ‘Sword Star’ makes you something special? Think again. The Legion Commander may favor you, but blood is thicker than water. Even if you show him these papers, what do you think he’ll do? Kill his own children? Throw them in prison? At most, he’ll put them under house arrest and be done with it.”

I smiled meaningfully.

Gu Hyungwon was wrong.

There had been a similar case in an Eastern Army character’s personal quest.

The Legion Commander’s son, who was also the Deputy Chief of Staff, had committed crimes against civilians.

And he lost his head for it.

Not figuratively—literally.

Why would it be any different now?

“I refuse.”

“…What did you just say?”

“I said I refuse. I’m taking this to the Legion Commander right now.”

I had been naïve to think otherwise.

Gu Hyungwon was, after all, a member of the Gu Clan—just another superhuman consumed by greed and ambition.

He had changed his attitude toward me only when he realized I wasn’t a threat to him.

Even today, he had greeted me warmly, hoping to earn merit like he did during the Seoul terrorist attack.

But look at him now.

The moment he sensed a threat to his power, his expression changed instantly.

This was the true face of the Eastern Army’s leadership.

Their real nature, their true intentions.

Gu Hyungwon clenched the White Tiger Sword in his hand, grinding his teeth.

“You really think you can just walk out of here? What if I stop you?”

“Try it.”

I gripped Black Tiger Sword in response.

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A heavy surge of mana flared up.

Our energies clashed, filling the air with a suffocating tension.

A moment ago, the café had been buzzing with noise.

Now, only deathly silence remained.

Lips pressed tight.

Black pupils burned with intensity.

And in them, I saw it—

Inferiority.

Gu Hyungwon, the most talented of the Legion Commander’s grandsons.

Yet, he had always been compared to me, despite the gap in our levels when we first met.

He had carried that resentment in his heart ever since.

Had we never crossed paths before, it might have been different.

But that first impression, that memory of me being insignificant, was now driving him to recklessness.

Flash!

A blade’s glow erupted.

Sword Qi surged toward me like a black tiger.

A fitting strike from a Swordmaster.

Powerful, ruthless, and formidable.

But—

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A series of harsh metallic clashes rang out.

At the end of it, White Tiger Sword was sent flying.

Boom!

“Kyaaah!”

“Mommy!”

The attack didn’t just destroy the café’s ceiling.

It blasted through the second and third floors, tearing straight into the sky.

Gu Hyungwon stood frozen, his face blank with shock.

His right arm hung limp. His right hand trembled.

Blood dripped steadily to the floor.

Black Tiger Sword was pressed lightly against his throat.

The blade was so sharp that a single drop of blood had already formed on his neck.

I scoffed at him.

“You asked if I thought you were a fool?”

Then, with an icy sneer, I continued,

“Well, yeah. You look like a fool to me. What are you gonna do about it?”

He dared to act so high and mighty.

Yet, the moment someone treated him with courtesy, he assumed he could look down on them.

Gu Hyungwon should be grateful I didn’t go straight to the Legion Commander. Yet he still thinks he’s above me.

Reality is harsh. Even if he dragged his entire division here, he wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Hah… Hahaha…”

Gu Hyungwon staggered, laughing weakly.

His body wavered, looking like he could collapse at any moment.

“This has to be a dream…”

Not all Swordmasters are the same.

A moment ago, I had used Mars Swordsmanship alongside Sword and Spirit as One, completely breaking Gu Hyungwon’s stance.

Immediately after, I switched to Nephilim Sword and struck White Tiger Sword with overwhelming force.

This was the result.

I had subdued him in a single move.

If he had remained calm, he might have lasted a little longer.

But with his inferiority complex flaring up, he had lost all composure.

The only thing left for him to do was kneel.

“I’m sparing your life out of respect for the Legion Commander.”

I withdrew my sword.

As I sheathed it at my waist, Gu Hyungwon finally collapsed.

With a hollow expression, he looked up at me.

I ignored him and turned away.

I started walking toward the skyscraper that loomed over Cheorwon State, visible from anywhere in the city.

The Eastern Army Headquarters.

A building commonly known as Tiger’s Palace.

“B-Big trouble!”

“Division Commander! Just now, Sword Star—”

“He confirmed the documents! You need to act immediately!”

I could hear the frantic phone calls behind me.

Of course, the two Division Commanders weren’t just sitting idle.

They had been keeping an eye on me ever since I entered Cheorwon State—perhaps even since I raided the factory.

“We need to conduct a security check.”

The Eastern Army soldiers blocking my path were merely a minor annoyance.

“Move.”

“Please cooperate with the security check.”

“And if I don’t?”

“If you refuse, we will use force!”

“Go ahead. Try taking down the Black Tiger Swordmaster.”

I drew Black Tiger Sword, gripping the blade with my hand.

I prodded the soldiers with the hilt, making them shift back uncomfortably.

Black Tiger Sword was the Legion Commander’s prized sword—practically a divine relic.

No ordinary soldier would dare to challenge someone wielding it.

Unless they were an officer from the Gu Clan.

“You fools! What are you doing?! Conduct the security check by force!”

“But, Lieutenant, that’s…”

“That’s Black Tiger Sword.”

“Move aside! I’ll do it myself!”

The lieutenant drew his sword.

I ignored him and stepped forward.

When I thrust my chest out, daring him to strike, even he hesitated.

Before his blade could reach me, he withdrew it and stepped aside.

“You will pay for this!”

“Sure. I’ll remember your name and rank.”

A mere Level 3 acting so arrogant.

Even if he tried stabbing me, he wouldn’t be able to pierce my skin.

With that, I swiftly made my way to the Legion Headquarters.

Once inside, no one dared to stop me.

Instead, an officer I had encountered before personally escorted me to the top floor of Tiger’s Tower.

“The Legion Commander is expecting you.”

The Legion Commander’s Office.

The door opened.

It was a scene I had seen before.

A vast office, reminiscent of an observatory.

Lined up inside were high-level superhumans, alongside the Legion Commander himself.

Not a single one of them looked pleased.

Their eyes burned with the desire to rip me apart.

“Well, what is it?”

The Legion Commander asked in a calm voice.

“Judging by the mess you made on your way here, you must have something to say. Speak.”

“Yes, Legion Commander.”

I bowed my head once and began my report.

Soon, rage spread through the room like wildfire.