Monument for What Must Be Reclaimed 02

“…What? Right now?”

The next morning.

When I told my family that I had to leave for China immediately, they looked visibly surprised.

It was sudden, but not an unreasonable departure.

In Incheon, where a Subspace Portal was installed, my family would automatically move with me, whether they stayed here or entered the subspace.

“Don’t get hurt… and make sure to eat well, okay?”

I exchanged farewells with Min-woo and Mother, then boarded the helicopter piloted by Lee Yong-su.

From Chinatown to Incheon Airport.

Excluding the time spent getting on and off, the helicopter ride was less than ten minutes.

Tudududududu!

The powerful sound of the helicopter’s blades.

As we ascended into the sky, the landscape of Yeongjong Island, where Incheon Airport was located, came into full view.

Han Kyung-ho, the communications battalion commander, connected me to Yoo Seong-cheol over the radio.

-We’ve prepared a transport aircraft in the airport hangar. It’s a military transport plane, a C-130J, and it should easily make it to Beijing. Its speed is at least twice that of a helicopter. You can take possession of it through the 3rd Guard Unit.

I asked.

“It seems Incheon Airport is still being managed. Considering we can just go straight there.”

-Yes. There’s a guard unit stationed there, and I’ve heard that some airport staff and engineers are still at the passenger terminal. The control tower should assist with the takeoff. If you stop by the airport, it’ll likely benefit those people as well.

Indeed, that was true.

Unless there were special circumstances, I would usually distribute food and supplies wherever I went.

The remaining conversation was about bidding farewell until next time.

-I’ve heard that Lieutenant Colonel Han will be there, but contact might be difficult once you’re in China. Wishing you the best of luck.

“Ah, it won’t be direct, but we’ll still be able to communicate. I’ll use Incheon as a relay.”

I explained that I had gained the ability to install portals and that I would occasionally send Han Kyung-ho to the Incheon portal to exchange messages with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Once again, Yoo Seong-cheol clicked his tongue in amazement.

-I thought I was already surprised enough, but… Colonel Kim, you keep exceeding expectations every time. Maybe it really is possible to restore the old world.

“That’s what we need to make happen.”

For him, it was about rebuilding the nation.

For me, it was about recovering normalcy.

Our two different goals aligned perfectly in the face of the common enemy – destruction.

I finished the radio communication with him.

We were slowly approaching the runway of Incheon Airport.

The airport control tower still stood tall in its former grandeur.

However, on the airport runway, scattered with wrecked aircraft and the corpses of monsters, not a single airplane was in motion.

Tudududududu!

As the helicopter descended closer to the ground, we witnessed an interesting sight.

“……A monster?”

It was bigger than an Orc, but not large enough to be called a giant.

The creature, with its dark gray skin, barely covered its lower body with a tattered cloth and swung a massive club menacingly.

Admiring the sight, Han Kyung-ho murmured softly.

“…A troll?”

The name was undeniably fitting.

But that wasn’t the end of it.

What the three trolls were facing was even more impressive.

“……A gigant?”

At this point, I had to acknowledge Han Kyung-ho’s insight into fantasy genres.

“Battalion Commander Han, you’re better at fantasy than you look…”

“……”

Regardless of the banter, there truly was a gigant, the size of a truck, standing before us.

On its back was a cockpit barely shielded by a thin frame of iron, through which a human figure could faintly be seen.

However, the materials used for the gigant were clearly improvised.

Car wheels, hoods, airplane engines, and various other components were chaotically assembled to form its structure.

Yet, surprisingly, the gigant’s performance was decent.

Swoooosh!

A troll’s club flew at high speed.

The gigant quickly raised its left hand, using a car door it had strapped together as a shield.

‘…Will that work?’

I thought it would be torn apart like paper.

After all, how durable could a car door be at best?

Bang!

However, the gigant’s shield was sturdier than anyone could have imagined.

Not only did it withstand the troll’s attack, but it successfully deflected the impact, forcing the troll to retreat.

Swoooosh!

Suddenly, another club flew in as an ambush.

Bang!

The gigant’s chest, composed of a car bonnet, took a direct hit, causing it to stagger momentarily. However, it endured the troll’s attack without significant damage.

Boom!

Thunk!

The gigant began its counterattack.

As its fist extended forward, small mechanical parts scattered into the air.

Bang!

The result was a direct blow to the troll’s head.

Pew! Pew!

From its left arm, lasers were fired.

Their power was on par with that of magic missiles, not overwhelmingly strong, but sufficient to push one troll far back.

However…

Was it due to the excessive movements?

Whirr… Whirr…

Suddenly, the gigant’s engine stalled.

And then…

Thud!

The gigant’s knee struck the ground.

Immediately after

Psssssh!

Bang!

Something resembling a car airbag exploded as the gigant’s pilot performed an emergency escape.

The cockpit shot upward as if propelled by a spring, while the trolls looked baffled at the sight.

In the end, it fell to me, who had descended from the helicopter, to eliminate the trolls.

Screeeeech! Screech!

Thud!

Enhanced Holy Spears embedded themselves in the trolls’ foreheads.

Finally, the three trolls collapsed in unison onto the runway.

Whoooosh…

In the distance, the gigant’s pilot was descending by parachute.

Beyond him, a group of soldiers could be seen running from the passenger terminal toward us.

.

.

.

The soldiers were from the 3rd Guard Unit, as Yoo Seong-cheol had mentioned.

I exchanged greetings with an officer who appeared to be the senior-most among them, and he guided me to an airline’s hangar located on one side of the airport.

From him, I was able to get a brief explanation of the situation here.

“We’re currently using only Terminal 1. Incheon Airport staff and employees from various airlines are staying there, while our guard unit manages the surrounding safety.”

“I see. Then, for now…”

Clank!

Thunk!

Hearing that there were many people, I decided to ship basic supplies right away.

Bottled water, food, camping gear, as well as communication devices and fuel from the National Oil Corporation’s storage.

The well-stocked logistics center once again showed its might without fail.

“Wait, all of this…?”

The overwhelming supply of goods left the guard unit officer astonished, beyond mere admiration. However, I couldn’t hold back my own question.

“But… who is that man over there?”

The pilot who had fought using the gigant.

He was resting in the shade on one side of the hangar.

The man, with scruffy facial hair, was a middle-aged white man.

Wearing rectangular transparent glasses and a tattered T-shirt riddled with holes, he lay sprawled over a messy pile of scrap machinery as if it were a bed.

The guard unit officer explained.

“He’s James, an American aircraft engineer who was dispatched to work with one of the airlines. I’ve heard he awakened the <Mechanic> ability. For better or worse, he’s stuck here for now.”

“Is he the one who’s been dealing with the nearby monsters?”

“Yes, that’s correct. He’s been quite helpful, though he doesn’t interact much with others. He spends his time scavenging leftover materials from the airport, assembling them, and fighting with what he’s built… That’s how he’s been surviving so far.”

A recluse with zero interpersonal skills, a machine fanatic.

Perhaps this was exactly the kind of personality you’d expect from a Mechanic.

I glanced back momentarily.

The supplies I had shipped for the guard unit included food.

There was kimchi, canned mackerel, canned peaches, and even combat rations for bibimbap.

Most of the people at Incheon Airport were likely gathered in the passenger terminal.

However, Mechanic James continued to roam the hangar alone, sporting his scruffy beard and characteristic ‘nerd’ appearance.

Perhaps it was because he looked somewhat lonely.

I approached him and shipped a few items separately for him.

[Mac and Cheese (Refrigerated), 3kg, 1 unit, Price: 33,660 KRW]

[Johnsonville Original Smoked Sausages (Refrigerated), 1.67kg, Price: 34,450 KRW]

[Bushman Bread (Frozen), 8 pieces, 100g, Price: 11,000 KRW]

[Coca-Cola 245ml, 24 cans, Price: 16,430 KRW]

[Renée Kitchen Apple Brie Cheese Croissants, 4-pack…]

“…?”

James looked visibly surprised.

A stranger had suddenly approached and handed him food.

It wasn’t as though I had some grand plan in mind.

I had simply recalled that he wasn’t Korean.

At least for him, macaroni with cheese might be his equivalent of kimchi, and hot dogs might be his doenjang jjigae. That was the reasoning behind my choices.

He clearly wasn’t much of a talker.

All he did was stare blankly at the food in front of him.

Leaving him behind, I returned to the guard unit officer.

It was time to receive the transport aircraft that would take me to Beijing.

As I followed the officer, I soon came across two C-130J transport planes parked conspicuously in the hangar.

The transport planes were painted in a dark military green, with two engines mounted on each wing, making for a total of four engines. At the tail end of the aircraft, a spacious cargo hold, something you’d only expect to see in spy movies, was fully exposed.

“You can copy one of the transport planes and take it with you. The remaining aircraft will carry Joint Chiefs personnel who will follow you shortly.”

This matched what Yoo Seong-cheol had told me.

The Joint Chiefs had decided to send soldiers to Beijing as well.

Without hesitation, I stored one of the transport planes into the Subspace.

[This item belongs to the ‘Military Base’ category.]

[Calculating registration cost…]

Ding!

[The cost for registration is 473 Mana Stones.]

[Remaining Mana Stones: 21,268.]

Compared to the Black Hawk, which had cost around 100 Mana Stones to register, this was undoubtedly expensive.

But considering its size, at least twice as large as the Black Hawk, it made sense.

Just as I was about to depart, the guard unit officer voiced his concerns.

“Given your awakened abilities, I’m sure you’ll handle things somehow… but flying monsters will likely be a significant problem. We’ve been seeing more Wyverns recently, and strange monstrous birds have also been appearing more frequently since yesterday.”

The destruction of my transport vehicle.

It was definitely a troublesome issue.

No matter how invincible the Subspace Portal was as a defensive shield, and no matter how I and a few others had Repulsion protecting us, it wasn’t possible to perfectly block anti-aircraft attacks targeting vehicles or helicopters.

Moreover, this transport aircraft wasn’t armed like the Black Hawk.

While I was lost in thought…

“You’re heading to China?”

Someone approached me.

The voice belonged to none other than Mechanic James.

What he said was undoubtedly in English.

However, as if some kind of automatic translation had kicked in, the precise meaning flowed directly into my mind.

Zzzing.

In his hand was a Mana Stone glowing with a soft light.

‘Does the Mana Stone have a translation function?’

This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.

When I first encountered the skeleton knight Gawain, he had broken a Mana Stone to initiate a conversation with me.

If this ability stemmed from the power of the Mana Stone, then it wasn’t all that surprising that I could communicate with James, an American.

One way or another, James got straight to the point.

“I’ll reinforce the transport aircraft’s armor.”

“The armor?”

The earlier battle with the gigant flashed through my mind.

Though the gigant was made of crude parts, its durability was remarkable.

If James could reinforce the transport plane’s armor with the same durability, it would undoubtedly be a huge help for the journey to China.

“However, I have a condition. Do you plan to go to the United States at some point?”

“…Probably. Though I can’t guarantee when exactly.”

“I won’t press you for a timeline. But when the time comes, please take me with you.”

I asked.

“Do you have a specific reason to return to the U.S.? Family, perhaps?”

“I don’t have any family. But… it’s my home.”

As he glanced back at the ‘American-style’ food I had shipped for him, he continued.

“I’m not so desperate to go that I’d take reckless risks. But you seem quite strong… and if I go with you, I feel like I’d be safer. I have a garage at home. Even though I don’t have family, it’s a place I really want to reclaim.”

The apocalypse had treated everyone equally.

Yet, the motivations that drove people in its wake were remarkably diverse.

I nodded.

After all, I could copy the transport plane infinitely.

If it meant improving our safety, I was more than willing to give it a try.

“Alright. Maybe not right away, but I promise I’ll take you to the U.S.”

“I’ll need materials. I noticed earlier that you can conjure transport planes out of thin air…”

“Oh, that? No problem.”

I immediately shipped another brand-new transport plane beside us.

James spun around quickly and placed his hand on the newly shipped aircraft.

“I’ll get started right away.”

Zzzing…

A blue glow emanated from his hand.

The armor plating of the transport plane was sliced apart effortlessly.

Whirrr!

Clink!

Wherever James touched, screws embedded deep within the plane’s body began to twist and pop out on their own.

The sight was nothing short of astonishing.

It was like witnessing the reincarnation of MacGyver.

Watching him at work stirred something in me as well.

Thanks to that, I couldn’t help but ship out several objects to one side of the runway.

A UH-60 Black Hawk, a Korando Sports, a Cheonma, an armored vehicle, and even a Retona.

James tilted his head.

“…What’s all this?”

“Oh, don’t mind it. I just thought I’d clean them up since they’ve gotten a bit dusty.”

With a dry cloth in hand, I started wiping the dust off the Black Hawk, muttering to myself.

“What’s that, Black Hawk? You want to return to your homeland in the U.S.?”

“……?”

“But in your current weak state, you wouldn’t make it to Jeju Island, let alone the U.S.?”

“……”

Straightening up, Mechanic James let out a small laugh.

It was likely the first time he’d smiled in ages, and it showed in his awkward expression.

But to me, that small change in him felt deeply satisfying.

He said.

“Just leave it there. Let’s call it payment for the sausages.”

I couldn’t help but grin back at him.

And so, on the wide-open runway, blue light shimmered.

It danced alongside the sweat dripping from MacGyver James’ brow.

***

Swoooosh.

The engine of the transport plane hummed smoothly as we neared Beijing.

The journey here had been far from easy.

Right after takeoff, dozens of wyverns swarmed us, and after flying a considerable distance, monstrous birds encircled the transport plane.

However, the reinforced armor that James had installed didn’t falter.

With the laser cannons mounted underneath, the minigun installed in the cargo hold, and my Shipping Skill utilizing <Tracking Delivery>, what once seemed like a major weakness, aerial combat, now felt surprisingly effortless.

“Comfortable, so comfortable.”

After several hours had passed, we finally entered Chinese airspace.

We all put on gas masks, pulling the straps tight around our faces.

The air here wasn’t something any human should breathe.

Even after wiping the lenses of my gas mask repeatedly, the view didn’t change.

The haziness wasn’t from smudges on the lens but from the atmosphere of Beijing city itself.

Polluted air.

That was the first opponent we faced upon our arrival.

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