Chapter 162. Blast! (2)
“It’s for the smooth development of the swamp and rice farming going forward.”
That was complete nonsense, woof woof.
Most nonsense, surprisingly, isn’t that unpleasant to hear. That’s why the kind that is unpleasant to hear often gets classified simply as dogshit.
Was today one of those days?
It must not be allowed to become one.
Kim Jangcheol, who had just let loose a string of unbelievable nonsense, made a mental note to himself. Then, he looked at the Combat Engineering Commander sitting across the table—Forkray.
“.............”
Forkray said nothing.
Even his gaze toward this side had stiffened a bit.
He was probably dumbfounded.
He probably thought this guy had gone insane.
But the die was already cast.
And this was something absolutely necessary for the plan going forward.
Resolute, Kim Jangcheol strengthened his voice and spoke clearly and deliberately.
“Also, this is for everyone’s safety. That is why, starting now, we must plant the mana explosives for blasting, which the Combat Engineering Corps possesses, intensively in selected areas of the swamp currently undergoing purification.”
“For blasting... mana explosives, you say?”
“Yes.”
Kim Jangcheol nodded.
And then he spoke as if he knew everything.
“I saw it while reviewing the supply inventory before we even left the royal capital. The Combat Engineering Corps is always required to keep a certain amount of blasting mana explosives in stock. Am I correct?”
“...You are.”
“And you brought a significant amount as part of the supplies this time as well.”
“That’s right.”
“Then this is perfect. We’ll plant all of it—every last one—into the swamps and the rice paddies.”
“What on earth...”
Commander Forkray’s brow twitched. He looked this way with eyes full of doubt.
Just as expected.
‘Of course it would sound insane.’
Kim Jangcheol thought.
If he were the engineering commander?
And he received such a proposal in the middle of a swamp purification operation?
What would he think?
‘He’d obviously start worrying that I’d lost my damn mind.’
Maybe wondering if this guy’s gone completely off the rails.
Sincerely concerned, anxious, thoughts racing, eyes full of unease, staying up at night wondering what to do about me.
‘And he’d want to know the reason.’
Naturally.
In fact, mana explosives weren’t ordinary materials.
Among the many supplies used by the kingdom’s army, they were some of the rarest and most expensive.
It was because they weren’t just regular gunpowder, but refined mana powder, compressed and filtered, then packed into cases engraved with miniature magic circles.
‘Back in the capital, I heard that just one mana explosive could buy a whole sack of grain.’
That’s how valuable and rare they were.
But to bury all of that into a swamp—not even an area that required blasting, but just a damp, soggy swamp floor—and detonate it?
From the perspective of the engineering commander, that must sound like utter madness.
‘But I have to persuade him.’
Again, this was an absolute necessity.
If this didn’t happen, the future plan would suffer a critical setback.
Other people wouldn’t understand.
Even if I explained now, they wouldn’t believe it.
But I—who had spun this world through the washing machine cycle nineteen times over—was sure.
So I must persuade him. I must give the engineering commander a reason he can fully accept.
To do that...
...Chrrrp!
Kim Jangcheol licked his lips, smacking them with anticipation. He revved up his mental engine, preparing to unleash a dazzling verbal performance.
And just as he was about to start laying down the meticulously prepared lines he’d selected and rehearsed since last night—
“Very well.”
Suddenly.
Out of nowhere.
Without warning.
The engineering commander nodded in agreement.
Then he looked this way and said,
“Sir Kim Jangcheol... no, I shall follow the will of the Demon King.”
“Eh?”
Thanks to that, it was Kim Jangcheol who ended up speechless.
He asked, full of confusion,
“Excuse me? Commander?”
“I’m listening.”
“Are you sure about this?”
“What do you mean, am I sure?”
“Uh... You’re not, like, in a coma right now with your eyes open, or something like that?”
“I am perfectly fine.”
“Or maybe you’ve been overworked lately and are suffering from depression, perhaps?”
“I am fine.”
“Tsk... Then could it be... menopause?”
“I’ll say it again—I’m fine, I’m okay, I’m not depressed, and I’ve yet to enter menopause.”
“.........Then why?”
“What do you mean, why?”
“Uh... You just accepted my completely ridiculous proposal without even a second thought...”
“I believe in what the Demon King is trying to accomplish.”
“.........”
Huh.
Now what was this supposed to mean?
At the unexpected development, Kim Jangcheol shut his mouth with a soft smack.
Commander Forkray continued speaking.
“I’ve been watching ever since we arrived here. Observing the capabilities the Demon King displays. And I’ve come to a personal conclusion. The Demon King is truly committed to developing this abandoned land. Therefore, I will trust and follow the plan he is pushing forward. If I do that, at the very least, a normal result should be achievable.”
“Uh... But usually people treat the Demon King with suspicion, wariness, and caution, don’t they?”
“Usually, yes. But this time is different.”
“Why?”
“Because the Demon King Credos... the hero of the capital, Sir Kim Jangcheol, does not seem to be an ordinary man.”
“Uh... Are you, like, trying to kill me from secondhand embarrassment by saying stuff like that?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Then why on earth?”
He was curious.
He just believed and followed? Just like that?
Maybe some people might be able to do that, but he couldn’t. People didn’t operate that way. A world overflowing with such lethal levels of romanticism didn’t exist.
That was Kim Jangcheol’s firm belief.
And still was.
‘Tsk. I made a completely insane proposal, and he just accepted it? Just because he believes in me?’
Strange.
He hadn’t even heard the full explanation.
He hadn’t even let me use the lines I’d prepared.
It was hard to believe things were going this smoothly.
That’s why.
……... Swiip.
He narrowed his eyes. And continued the conversation so as not to get caught staring without blinking.
“Still, shouldn’t you at least hear the reason?”
“Is there really a need for that?”
“No, you have to hear it.”
“I’m treating it as if I already did.”
“But what if there’s some dangerous entity lurking beneath the swamp, and this is to prepare for that? Like, maybe I already foresaw its existence, which is why I’m telling you this in advance. Wouldn’t a reason like that make sense?”
“Ah, is it something like that?”
“..........”
“If that’s the reason, then I have all the more reason to believe you. As expected, I trusted you all along. Hohoho.”
“..........”
Unbelievable.
This guy wasn’t like this before. Back when they first left the royal capital for the abandoned land, he was so prickly, arrogant, and openly disdainful of Baal and the rest of the Four Heavenly Kings.
He was practically a full-on racial supremacist.
But now?
It felt like he hadn’t just done a 180-degree turn, but more like a 541-degree spin.
And then it happened.
Ding-dong!
[Skill Bloodshot Eyes (Lv.2) has activated.]
[Target of observation: Combat Engineering Corps Commander Forkray]
[You detect Commander Forkray’s current status, mindset, and changes he will undergo in the next 7 hours.]
[Commander Forkray is currently secretly very excited. He is inwardly cheering and shouting: Hell yeah! Finally, we get to use the explosives!]
“.............”
Eh?
What the heck.
[For the next 7 hours, Commander Forkray will be tossing and turning all night, heart pounding with excitement, thinking about how to use the explosives in the coolest way possible.]
“...........”
He almost, just barely, let out a laugh.
He could finally understand, a little.
‘.......Ah-ha. So that’s what this is.’
Of course.
Was it only because he believed in him?
That could be part of it, but there was clearly another reason.
‘This guy, he’s been dying to use those explosives.’
But the chance just never came.
Now the opportunity had finally arrived.
And that’s why, deep down, he was secretly cheering to himself like yay-hooo.
Kim Jangcheol gave a faint chuckle.
And Commander Forkray, trying to suppress the bursting joy, had to twitch his mustache just to keep it together.
‘........Hff, hff!’
He was thrilled.
So damn excited.
He nearly burst out laughing.
‘No, I mustn’t.’
Commander Forkray barely maintained his dignity (questionable as it was).
And at the same time, he was moved.
Ahh.
It had been seventeen long years since he was commissioned as a junior officer in the Combat Engineering Corps. And five years since he became commander.
After that long dedication, finally! Finally, he was going to use blasting explosives!
‘.......Sniff! Sob!’
He couldn’t show it outwardly.
But tears had almost welled up.
He thought of the youthful days he had devoted to the Combat Engineering Corps. And of the long-held yearning tied to those explosives.
Blasting mana explosives.
As Kim Jangcheol had said, they were one of the core supplies the Combat Engineering Corps always kept on hand.
But the truth?
They were only ever kept in storage.
They were always stocked, their performance was said to be incredible, yet for 17 years, he had never once used them.
The reason was simple.
Because they were too damn expensive!
“...........”
Ahh.
What a bitter life it had been.
So many sorrowful days, being denied whenever he requested their use for an operation or field assignment where they were truly needed.
The old geezers at the top always said the same thing.
That he was just trying to slack off, using fancy explosives to make life easier. That for such a trivial mission, they should just throw more soldiers at it, dig more, push harder.
That it was a matter of effort.
That with a little more shoveling, they could cut down hills, move small mountains—anything could be done.
So why waste such expensive explosives? Didn’t all that money come from the blood and sweat of the people, collected through taxes?
And if you went and used it all up, were you going to pay it back?
“...........”
Goddamn.
Just thinking about those days made him swear.
It had always been like that.
That’s why.
Even after devoting seventeen years of his life to the Combat Engineering Corps, the commander had never once used the blasting mana explosives.
It was sad.
Frustrating.
But now?
Those old geezers weren’t here!
And more than that, by royal decree, official command of the Combat Engineering Corps had been delegated to Kim Jangcheol!
And that Kim Jangcheol had just said—they were going to use all the blasting explosives!
‘........Ah, there’s no way I can refuse that!’
And this is... absolutely irresistible!
With internal cheers, the commander began the operation to plant the blasting mana explosives. Thanks to that, the excitement spread to all the engineering troops.
Everyone was fired up.
There was no break—just nonstop sweat and labor.
Even a soon-to-be-discharged veteran, dragged in at the last moment, rolled up his sleeves and led the charge.
And thanks to that—
…….Rumble!
Deep underground beneath the noisy, bustling blast zone, where piles of mana explosives were being embedded...
There, an ancient demonic beast stirred, roused by the noise. It cracked open one eye, deeply annoyed by the ceiling-thumping ruckus, and thought—
Unaware of the explosive welcome awaiting it—
How dare those annoying little vermin disturb my slumber... I’ll devour every last one of them.
This one is so exciting! I'm waiting for further interaction between Aged Kimchi and Kim Jangcheol!
I really enjoy reading this, and I adore the loyalty Credos' people held to him!