novelraw Chapter 188 : Mission 12: Fast & Furious (2)
Chapter 188 : Mission 12: Fast & Furious (2)
Siheung City. A temporary landing zone at an abandoned school.
Thwup-thwup-thwup-thwup!
The thrum of rotors sliced through the air as three transport planes carrying the Black Parade landed in a row.
The hatches opened. Jae-hee, leading the way out, had something new wrapped around his neck and shoulders—a large scarf, or perhaps a small cape.
“Couldn’t even wait to put it on. Enjoying the new merch?”
Razor needled him while following him down.
Jae-hee looked sheepish and pulled the cape tighter. When he tugged it up below his nose, it almost looked like a bandana a cowboy might wear in a Western.
“Hey, when you get something, you’re supposed to use it right away. It’s not like I could just leave it somewhere…”
“Yeah, yeah, he loves it. He really does.”
As Razor poked Jae-hee in the ribs, Status Window pushed his glasses up his nose.
“An optical camouflage stealth device… so cool desu. Super high-tech desu. The military made this desu?”
This short cape was the Military Gate Gear Jae-hee had been issued. It was a piece of optical camouflage equipment that helped the wearer automatically blend into their surroundings.
They said it was mostly issued to marksmen, but either way, Jae-hee got one and put it on immediately.
Just then, Ghost, who had disembarked next, commented dryly, “That’s a castoff.”
“Huh? A castoff?”
“It was developed as a Military Gate Gear, sure, but the duration is too short and the camouflage performance is crap. They barely use it in the field.”
In other words, while it was technically military gear, its performance was so shot to hell that they had just given him something that was rotting in a warehouse.
Still, Jae-hee puffed out his cheeks and tied the cape firmly around his neck.
“It could still be useful if I use it right!”
“Well, that’s true,” Ghost readily agreed. “You’re ridiculously fast. If you can slip out of an enemy’s sight for even a tenth of a second, you can exploit that opening.”
“…!”
“Use it creatively.”
“Hehe, you got it.”
Jae-hee grinned and looked out at the convicts disembarking onto the abandoned school grounds.
There were the familiar faces: Jail Mojik from Deck 2, the Glasses Society from Deck 3, and Team Shakespeare from Deck 4. Following them were the newly appointed Deck Leaders and their teams from Decks 5 through 8.
From Deck 0, the Monster Unit was being rolled out, still in their mobile prisons. As the monsters growled from behind their bars, the correctional officers moving the cages flinched.
“This is basically an all-out war. Looks like almost every combatant from the ship is here.”
“That’s because it is that kind of situation,” Ghost said gravely. “We probably won’t be going back to the ship until this is all over.”
“Another rough one on the schedule…”
Just then, a comm came in from Hae-eun.
«Looks like you’ve all arrived.» Hae-eun gave her orders concisely. «Intel reports three members of the Crimson Poverty Front have entered Siheung City. Spread out and search. Report as soon as you find them and—»
KRA-KABOOOOM…!
A massive explosion roared from the north, in the direction of Asan.
«Speak of the devil. Guess they don’t have an ounce of class.» Hae-eun clicked her tongue and issued new orders. «Shylock, position Decks 4 through 8 on the coast. They can’t be allowed to reach the sea. You have field command.»
“As you wish.” Shylock, the Deck 4 Leader, removed his fedora and bowed to the empty air.
Hae-eun continued. «The rest of you are now a guerrilla unit. Ghost, you’re in command.»
“Figured as much.”
«Hunt them down and kill them. I’m counting on you.»
“Acknowledged.”
Ghost cut the comms and waved her hand.
“Decks 1, 2, and 3, recon the city with your Deck Leaders. Report any unusual signs immediately.”
Then, Ghost jutted her chin at Jae-hee. “Kid. You and I are moving together.”
“Yes, sir!”
The plan was set. Decks 1 through 3 would run recon, and Decks 4 through 8 would form a defensive line on the coast. That left Ghost and Jae-hee to act as the tip of the spear.
As two of the very few S-Rankers in the Black Parade, they were the surest bet against the Crimson Poverty Front Villains. Ghost had decided that she and her apprentice would be the ones to finish the job.
“Uh, but…” Jae-hee cautiously pointed to one side of the schoolyard. “What about them?”
Over there, three prisoners locked in a cage were staring their way, their eyes shining with pathetic hope.
Ghost speechlessly pinched the bridge of her nose, a headache already setting in.
***
North of Siheung City. A mountain.
Rat-tat-tat-tat-tat!
Soldiers forming an encirclement laid down alternating waves of fire.
CRACK! THWUMP!
Dry trees caught in the hail of bullets shuddered violently, scattering bark and branches.
“Gah…!” Iljimae gritted her teeth as she zigzagged between the trees. “Like hell I’m gonna die in a place like this!”
While not on Jae-hee’s level, Iljimae was still a ridiculously high-speed Awakened. Three rings of energy materialized behind her as she kicked off the ground, leaving afterimages before the soldiers could even draw a bead on her.
“That crazy—”
“Too fa—”
Before the startled soldiers could finish their sentences, Iljimae charged a section of the encirclement and swung her dagger.
SHING!
Sparks flew.
Guns were sliced clean in two, and wounded soldiers screamed.
Breaking through the encirclement in a spray of blood, Iljimae desperately scanned for an escape route.
Where do I go? Where is my way to surviv—
That’s when it happened.
The moment she broke the cordon and descended the mountain onto the road, a new set of soldiers in different combat uniforms moved to engage her. The unit patches on their shoulders and chests bore a simple number.
666!
D-d-d-d-d-d!
Members of the 666th Special Operations Unit opened fire as one. Comprised entirely of Awakened, their volley was imbued with special abilities. Some bullets curved like guided missiles, while others trailed fire or lightning.
With no way to dodge, Iljimae’s eyes flew wide open. Her dagger became a silver blur, parrying the entire barrage at breathtaking speed.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!
Sparks flew as bullets grazed her arms and legs, leaving bloody trails. Even so, Iljimae kept moving, still trying to break through the new encirclement.
But the members of the 666th didn’t panic.
Their objective was never to kill her, but simply to slow her down and pin her in place. If they could just tie down this speedy Villain’s feet—
Whoosh…!
—their commander would finish the job.
Just as Iljimae was about to break through the outer ring of the cordon, a shadow fell over her. A giant figure was hurtling down from the sky.
“?!”
Iljimae instinctively threw herself into a roll.
CRASH!
A figure landed in the exact spot she’d just been, one fist and one knee slamming into the ground in a perfect hero landing. The sheer weight of the impact carved a shallow crater in the asphalt.
Iljimae swallowed hard, a dry lump in her throat.
It was a giant of a man in Joseon-era armor, his face hidden by a metal faceplate.
Chosen One, a member of the New Five Heroes.
“Hah… well, look what we have here. One of the big shots.” Recognizing her opponent, Iljimae clenched her jaw and raised her dagger. “Works for me. You were on my list of people to cut down eventually.”
“…”
“Listen up. I’m Iljimae, the one who will become the Greatest Sword of Joseon—”
She never finished.
FWOOSH!
With speed rivaling her own, Chosen One’s massive frame launched forward like a cannonball. His hand, as huge as a cauldron lid, shot toward her face.
Iljimae reacted instinctively, swinging her dagger to slice it off.
SHUK!
But Chosen One didn’t even seem to care that a blade was sinking into his hand. He just kept coming.
What—
Iljimae panicked and tried to pull back, but his straightforward charge was faster.
His massive hand clamped down on her small face.
“—?!”
“Got you.”
With his hand still gripping her face, Chosen One lifted her entire body into the air and—SMASH!—slammed her into the ground.
Gack!
Pain shot through Iljimae from the back of her head to her spine as she convulsed. Even then, she struggled, flailing with her dagger and slashing at Chosen One’s arm.
But he didn’t even flinch as the blade left gashes in his armor.
He lifted his hand, hoisting the villain’s body into the air again, and smashed her into the ground.
And again.
And smashed her down again.
And again.
By the time he had smashed the back of her head into the pavement more than ten times, Iljimae’s hand went limp, her dagger clattering to the ground.
Chosen One didn’t care.
SMASH! SMASH! SMASH! SMASH!
He kept slamming her down, over and over.
He only stopped after the count had passed thirty.
On the dented asphalt road, skull crushed and neck broken, Iljimae lay dead.
Chosen One shook the blood from his hand.
In a desolate voice, he muttered, “That’s one.”
***
Ghost and Jae-hee arrived on the scene right after.
Ghost examined Iljimae’s gruesome corpse before looking up at Chosen One.
“Chosen One.”
“…So you’re here too, senior.”
Jae-hee offered a greeting as well. “Mr. Chosen One.”
“Ah, the Boy is here as well.”
Applying a hemostatic patch to his stabbed hand, Chosen One spoke grimly. “Boy, have you heard about Death-Medic?”
“…Yes.”
“She was a precious colleague. A brilliant healer who saved many lives.” After wrapping a bandage hastily around his hand, Chosen One spat out his next words with venom. “They have harmed the government of Joseon, an S-Rank healer, and my own aide.”
“…”
“Therefore, I intend to kill every last one of them.”
Ghost sighed. “You still shouldn’t have killed her. You should have at least gotten some intel.”
“I will concede that point. I should not have simply killed her. I should have tortured her until she confessed who was behind this. My eyes were clouded with fury.”
From behind his faceplate, Chosen One’s bloodshot eyes met Ghost’s.
“I will do so for the others who remain.”
“…”
“My unit has no desire to cooperate with the Angel Unit, but this is no time to be picky. Let us work together.”
Chosen One gestured toward the city.
“It seems the other two used their colleague as bait and have gone to ground in Siheung. To abandon a comrade so callously… they are not your average cold-blooded killers. The citizens could be in danger.”
“…”
“Let us find them and kill them swiftly.”
Leaving the soldiers to handle Iljimae’s body, the 666th Special Operations Unit moved nimbly toward Siheung.
“Boy.” As he passed by Jae-hee, Chosen One spoke in a low voice. “You remember why you were sent back to prison, do you not?”
“…!”
“The Heroes’ Meeting suspects a connection between you and the Crimson Poverty Front. Watch your step.”
Chosen One headed toward the city with heavy steps.
Ghost watched him go and clicked her tongue.
“We’d better get moving, too. Before that psycho kills the other two.”
“Yes…”
Jae-hee took one last look at Iljimae. Soldiers were covering the fallen villain’s body with a sheet. Though she was an enemy, he recalled the mundane conversations they’d had.
He turned away and started running, chasing after Ghost’s retreating back.
***
Downtown Siheung.
Inside the evacuation zone, the streets were deserted. In an empty cafe, Razor and Status Window had commandeered a pair of chairs. Instead of scouting as ordered, they were slacking off when they both looked up at the entrance.
“…”
“…”
Chevalier, wearing a hoodie he’d stolen from a nearby shop, had just walked in. He saw the two of them and froze.
An awkward silence hung in the air. Finally, Status Window spoke up cautiously.
“Um…”
“…?”
“Care for… a cup of coffee desu…?”
Again, a brief silence.
In response, Chevalier whipped up his hand. Razor and Status Window latched onto each other and shrieked.
“Noooooooooo!”
“Have mercy desuuuu!”