Chapter 120 – Exposure (3)

Swoosh!

The head of a giant bear causing havoc by barging into a bank on the building’s first floor soared skyward.

The head hit the ceiling and rolled to the corner, and people gathered there trembling screamed seeing the rolling head.

But the screams were brief as people all sighed in relief and looked toward where the bear’s head came from.

There stood the fallen bear’s body and Sun-woo holding a sword.

“Bear also dealt with. I think it was the last contamination. Now we just need to remove the contamination source remaining in the zoo.”

Sun-woo was contacting Michael through his cell phone.

[We’ll also head to the zoo. Let’s meet there.]

Sun-woo who put his phone in his pocket sighed looking at people gathered in the corner staring at him.

“Should I wear a mask or something?”

Though using illusion technique to prevent them from remembering his face, inner strength gradually flowing out seemed like he couldn’t maintain the illusion technique continuously.

Like a dam with holes, security was completely breached. The Summoner seemed to have given up entirely, not even thinking of summoning support teams to modify people’s memories.

No, maybe there were too many people so they couldn’t come here.

But with holes already poked in broadcasting and internet, simple memory manipulation wasn’t much help. Rather, inconsistent situations could arise making the problem bigger.

“Well, the association will handle it.”

Since he wasn’t even associated with the association, Sun-woo didn’t need to worry.

Sun-woo saw people slowly moving their bodies and threw his body to the opposite side. Fortunately the map worked well so there was no problem knowing the direction to the zoo.

The contamination source of this Prague rampage fortunately didn’t leave the zoo, making it easy to deal with contaminated animals.

Of course the problem became bigger because animals scattered in all directions, but if even the contamination source had left the zoo, it would definitely have been several times harder worrying about the contamination source and newly increasing contaminated creatures.

Sun-woo jumped between buildings heading toward the zoo.

The further north toward the zoo, the more messed up the city looked.

Corpses scattered everywhere and destroyed cars and shops showed how serious the situation was.

Sun-woo advanced north hiding his appearance as much as possible with illusion technique, then ran across the Vltava River blocking his path. It was truly peak lightness skill, treading on water.

Of course he used some water magic tricks, but Sun-woo was quite satisfied with running across a river over 100 meters.

Crossing the river, what immediately appeared was Prague Zoo.

The entire zoo was dyed murky color, so finding the contamination source wasn’t difficult.

Checking with sorcery and inner strength, there was a strong-looking contamination source and contaminated creatures at the zoo’s center.

Though the contamination source and contaminated creatures were strong, they seemed at a level Sun-woo could handle alone.

However, if he charged alone and let contaminated creatures or the contamination source escape causing more contamination to surroundings, that would be troublesome, so Sun-woo decided to wait for other summoners to come.

“Came quickly.”

Just then a motorcycle stopped behind Sun-woo and Michael and a Westerner clinging behind him got off.

Though they rushed here on a motorcycle because roads were blocked by abandoned cars, Sun-woo had arrived first.

“This is Prague branch support team. In charge of contact with other people.”

The man whose face turned white from clinging behind Michael forcibly straightened his face at Sun-woo’s greeting and extended his hand.

[Nice to meet you. A modern person using martial arts, really surprising. I’m Cheska from Prague branch support team.]

[Hello? I’m Mary helping master.]

Sun-woo looked slightly surprised at the voice heard in his head.

But he wasn’t as surprised as Cheska who used telepathy to inform Sun-woo of his ability.

“What on earth is that?”

Sun-woo didn’t like the man casually sending voices into his head or the ego equipment answering without owner permission.

“Can you read other people’s minds without restriction?”

At Sun-woo’s cold questioning, Cheska had no choice but to answer hurriedly.

“No! I can transmit thoughts to people I recognize, but unless the other party strongly intends to transmit thoughts to me, I can’t read them. But, but how that woman’s voice reached me without telling me…”

Seemed like an ability close to a communicator. Sun-woo who got confirmation from Michael also lowered his guard against him a bit.

‘Don’t answer other voices without my permission.’

[Yes. Understood.]

Sun-woo also firmly warned Mary. Even at Mary’s somewhat dejected voice, Sun-woo was resolute.

Cheska seemed very curious about Sun-woo but couldn’t interrupt the conversation between Sun-woo and Michael.

Moreover, he needed to relay contact with summoners coming here.

“How’s the atmosphere at headquarters?”

“It’s a mess lately, lacking people and many died so the atmosphere is bad. Plus this incident happened…”

Definitely different from what Caroline said.

Michael glanced at Cheska then whispered quietly in Sun-woo’s ear.

“Moreover lately there are bad rumors about Korean branch and Empire refugee ability users. Rumors they’re trying to disconnect from headquarters and become independent.”

At Michael’s words, Sun-woo’s expression hardened. He recalled stories heard from Caroline and the new branch chief and Empire people flocking to Korean branch.

“Hmm, might not just be rumors?”

“Really? Then Sun-woo, you should be careful too. From rumors heard at headquarters, felt like they’re trying to take some measures so I was worried, but guess I didn’t need to worry.”

“Moreover because of this incident, headquarters probably can’t do much.”

“Right? Amazing timing.”

At Michael’s words, Sun-woo frowned as if something was about to come to mind.

But then Cheska’s voice was heard.

“Everyone arrived.”

Cheska finished contacting surviving branch combat summoners and second-wave summoners from other branches like Michael and Sun-woo through telepathy.

All summoners positioned themselves surrounding the zoo.

They planned to create an encirclement with the zoo in the center and gradually narrow the encirclement so no contamination source or contaminated creatures escaped.

“Then should I move too?”

At news everyone was positioned, Sun-woo also loosened up. It was decided Sun-woo would move first and relay the situation.

“Will you be okay going alone?”

“It’s fine. He’s not a summoner who’d be defeated by that level.”

At Cheska’s worry, Michael waved his hand saying not to worry. Sun-woo immediately threw his body into the zoo.

The reason Sun-woo volunteered to scout alone was partly because he could do the most reliable reconnaissance with sorcery and martial arts, but more because he wanted to test newly obtained equipment.

Sun-woo checked the skull ring on his finger and bracer worn inside his coat then stepped deep into the zoo.

The zoo had all fences and bars destroyed with corpses scattered everywhere, creating an extremely desolate atmosphere.

Going deeper into the zoo, forest and plains that looked like natural state appeared.

From high fences and observation cars, it was definitely a safari.

Sun-woo jumped onto a nearby tree, climbed to the highest branch and looked inside the safari.

Filling his eyes with inner strength to widen vision, he could clearly confirm the safari’s interior.

Several elephants were positioned in a circle with several lions prowling around them.

He hadn’t seen lions and elephants outside the safari, so they seemed to be guarding the contamination source here.

Inside the circle made by elephants was an unexpected contamination source.

The contamination source was human. A man in zoo staff clothes, specifically animal trainer attire.

“Was the trainer the contamination source? So contaminated animals obeyed the trainer and wandered around leaving the contaminated area?”

Sun-woo finally understood why animals escaped the contaminated area turning the city into wasteland.

[There are multiple contaminated elephants and lions in the safari at the zoo center. And the contamination source is human, a zoo trainer.]

[Really? Damn!]

Like Cheska said, when Sun-woo spoke mentally while thinking of Cheska’s face, Cheska’s voice immediately came to his head.

[Since reconnaissance is finished, you can withdraw. I told the summoners so they’ll narrow the encirclement now.]

Hearing the voice, Sun-woo would follow Cheska’s words if there was nothing else to see, but he slipped down from the tree and began approaching the contamination source.

[I’ll look around more and return.]

Of course he reported just in case.

Though Sun-woo approached hiding his presence as much as possible with illusion technique, completely avoiding contaminated animals’ surveillance was impossible.

Sun-woo was detected by a lion before even approaching the contamination source.

Roar!

The red-eyed male lion grown much larger from contamination opened its mouth and charged at Sun-woo, and Sun-woo calmly raised his left arm toward the mouth.

Crunch!

The lion bit down on the arm that came up before its eyes.

[Ugh.]

Though his hand went into the mouth and wrist was bitten, Sun-woo’s expression didn’t change.

“This level doesn’t hurt at all. Mana consumption is also minimal. Basic defense passes.”

Mary let out a groan but Sun-woo ignored it and checked the bracer’s performance.

Meanwhile the lion shook its head frantically trying to tear off Sun-woo’s arm. But the arm was immovable and Sun-woo’s body strengthened by inner strength also didn’t waver.

“Roar!”

Instead the lion that bit Sun-woo’s arm opened its mouth and began screaming.

Pop!

When the lion opened its mouth, Sun-woo’s hand came out. And in Sun-woo’s extracted hand was the lion’s tongue.

Sun-woo who put his hand in the mouth grabbed and pulled out the lion’s tongue.

The lion writhed on the ground in pain and Sun-woo swung his sword to ease the lion’s suffering.

Then all contaminated animals nearby began charging at Sun-woo.

Other lionesses and several giant elephants, numbers that seemed endless if fought individually.

Sun-woo injected mana into the bracer creating a translucent shield above his arm, bounced off a charging lion, then spread his ringed hand casting summoning magic.

“Kua!”

A summoning circle spread before Sun-woo and soon over ten goblins appeared.

Sun-woo commanded the goblins to charge at the elephants.

When three or four goblins clung to them, the elephants couldn’t maintain composure. Leaving elephants rampaging in all directions behind, Sun-woo headed toward the contamination source.