novelraw Chapter 227 : White Castle (10)
Chapter 227 : White Castle (10)
"Heuk, heoheok!"
Nam Tae-hoon, who had arrived at a remote mountain dozens of kilometers away by moving between shadows, gasped for breath as he fell into mana exhaustion.
"Tae-hoon, calm down and take deep breaths."
Nam Woo-young opened a mana potion he had kept in his pocket with trembling hands and fed it to Nam Tae-hoon.
Gulp gulp!
As mana began to flow through his veins, Nam Tae-hoon's expression became more relaxed.
"Huuuu."
Nam Tae-hoon, somewhat calmed, lay down on the dirt ground and said.
"Uncle."
"......Yes."
Having escaped from the urgent situation, all kinds of thoughts and regrets rushed in, tormenting the two.
"......It ended up like this after all."
"I'm sorry for being an inadequate uncle."
"Stop that. Am I such a great nephew?"
Nam Tae-hoon chuckled.
"Let's think about the complicated stuff later. At least we're alive, right?"
"After leaving all our comrades behind."
Nam Woo-young said bitterly.
"Oh come on, I save you and still get scolded."
"Who's scolding you?"
"Tsk, making people uncomfortable after all that."
Looking down at his grumbling nephew, Nam Woo-young let out a soft laugh.
"Right. As you said, let's put aside what's already happened for now. We should think about what to do from here on."
"......."
"In fact, it was heaven's luck among heaven's luck that we escaped from that situation. I never imagined the Captain would be overwhelmed to such an extent. Guys like Seo Jun-seong were also frighteningly strong."
"They're strong, those guys."
Nam Tae-hoon smiled bitterly.
"But that bastard Jeong Su-hyeon, he let me go on purpose."
"What?"
"He told me outright to pay attention, said he wouldn't explain further, and even showed me with his eyes which direction he would attack."
Nam Tae-hoon said it was almost like fighting with coordinated moves, which made Nam Woo-young's expression serious.
"Why on earth would that guy do that?"
"How would I know? Who could understand what's going on in his mind?"
"Really now."
Nam Woo-young tilted his head sideways.
"Just what kind of person is this Jeong Su-hyeon?"
"I don't know. No one probably knows."
Nam Tae-hoon chuckled.
"What should I live for now."
His life's goal had been negated, and he couldn't return to the place he had belonged to.
An intense sense of emptiness swept over him.
"......The sky is uselessly beautiful."
The cool, subtle light emitted by the full moon, and the nameless stars showing their presence beside it.
The feeling of looking up at the sky in the mountains at dawn without a single light was, ironically, not bad at all.
"Let's think together. What is right and what is wrong, what we should do."
"Yes, we should."
'Jeong Su-hyeon.'
Nam Tae-hoon thought.
'What do you want? What do you want me to do?'
In truth, it wasn't his business what Su-hyeon wanted.
But he couldn't help but wonder why Su-hyeon had let him go.
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"Khahaha! Look at this dent in my chest! This was made by that guy's fist!"
Jang Su-il and Seong Ji-cheol, the two Ma-in who had broken through the Execution Force's encirclement, which had been reduced in intensity under Captain Son Ji-gwang's orders, were flying through the sky using Bang Seung-su's ability while conversing.
"Hmm. It's certainly unexpected. According to the plan, there should have been much greater chaos, and while the Liberation Corps guys were running wild and falling, we should have escaped leisurely."
'Asura' Seong Ji-cheol said.
"What does it matter, we achieved our goal in the end, didn't we?"
"That's true, but it's also a fact that this result was unexpected."
Seong Ji-cheol muttered with a face devoid of humor.
"It wasn't just the incompetence of Pleasure Killer and Rusty Sword to blame."
"Heng, though they were somewhat pathetic, it wasn't just their fault."
Jang Su-il snorted.
"Want to know why?"
"Coincidentally, there's always been this problem whenever Jeong Su-hyeon gets involved."
"Just as you say."
Jang Su-il grinned.
"He's really interesting."
"I'm also intrigued."
"Damn it, don't show interest. He's my share."
"Hmm. For all you say, didn't the Queen already have quite a bit of interest in him?"
"Tsk!"
"In any case, it's true that there are regrettable points."
Though he had mocked Captain Son Ji-gwang about it being a Pyrrhic victory.
He wasn't feeling good either.
"The riot of the escaped prisoners didn't even cross the fence of White Castle. Now that reinforcements have arrived, they'll probably be suppressed and that will be the end."
"I told you. Whenever this Jeong Su-hyeon is involved, something always goes wrong."
"No, this is a serious problem."
Seong Ji-cheol declared.
"If we don't kill him soon, who knows how he'll trip us up again."
It was a premonition.
"Su-hyeon."
Son Ji-gwang offered Su-hyeon a handshake.
"Truly admirable. To think that promising boy would achieve such brilliant growth. If it weren't for you, tonight would have remained a memory of humiliation for a long time."
"Thank you. I'm just glad we were able to prevent greater damage."
"Huu. To think they would take those people away."
Son Ji-gwang sighed as he recalled the faces of the inmates who had disappeared.
"If those individuals become loyal limbs of the [Sword of Belphegor], it means a more difficult enemy has been born."
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After the storm-like dawn had passed.
From early morning, the Execution Force staff headquarters was a chaotic scene with shouts and roars.
But the Chief of Staff, who should have been commanding them, was dealing with an even more urgent matter.
"You've arrived."
"I'm sorry for coming in the midst of such chaos."
"What are you saying."
The Chief of Staff waved his hand as if it were absurd.
"That just means it's a crucial matter, doesn't it?"
"Yes, that's right. After all, a top national facility has impudently been attacked by Ma-in. It's not a matter that can be covered up, nor should it be."
It was rare for an event to be serious enough for the Prime Minister, the second-in-command of the government and fifth in the national protocol order, to visit in person.
'It's quite nerve-wracking.'
If any of the three elements—the intervention of Jeong Su-hyeon and the cadets, Kang Ji-min's struggle, and Son Ji-gwang's dispatch—had gone wrong, he wouldn't even have had the luxury of receiving the Prime Minister in this reception room.
"The tea has a nice aroma."
The Prime Minister, enjoying the taste of the tea that the Chief of Staff personally brewed, smiled unpretentiously.
"Haha. When this is what I do for a living, I get better at it whether I like it or not."
"There's no need for such modesty. Who wouldn't know of the Chief of Staff's hard work?"
Partly because of his inherently unpretentious personality.
It also meant that the position of Chief of Staff of the Execution Force was high enough to be respected by even the Prime Minister.
Currently, there were three main armed groups in South Korea.
First, the armed police responsible for general public safety maintenance.
Second, the Execution Force, the strongest armed group specializing in Ma-in.
And lastly, the military, which had never disappeared throughout history.
Of course, given the existence of the Execution Force, which shared all the roles traditionally held by the military and police, the proportions were quite different from the pre-Gate era.
When the great chaos of the early Gate era occurred.
The existing military had to suffer devastating, near-annihilating damage.
Even as humanity's enemies changed from demonic beasts to Ma-in, it was always awakened individuals who protected humanity at the forefront.
Naturally, the state's power structure had to be reorganized around awakened individuals.
'The current military has come to focus its investment on high-firepower weapons like missiles, nuclear submarines, helicopters, and self-propelled artillery.'
The Chief of Staff thought.
Given that most battles in the current era took place in urban areas, gates, or dungeons.
There was rarely a structure for deploying massive tanks, aircraft carriers, or bombers to wage large-scale battles.
Thus, the current military was performing the role of eradication operations to annihilate large demonic beasts or demonic beast colonies lurking on islands, seas, or wastelands, or as a deterrent force to respond to the military of other nations, should there be any.
'Missiles and high-explosive bombs that pour down overwhelming firepower are still effective against demonic beasts.'
Thanks to that, most of the existing special forces like the Special Forces or UDT had been reduced to a minimum size.
And all the remaining budget and time were being invested in nurturing the Execution Force.
'It was also a more urgent issue to somehow restore the system and create infrastructure with money that would have been invested in military power.'
"By the way, Chief Heo."
"Please speak."
"In fact, I was greatly surprised when I heard the course of events."
The Prime Minister tapped his teacup with his finger and continued in a calm tone.
"I was surprised by the power held by the key executives of the [Sword of Belphegor], and by the fact that the [Liberation Corps] joined hands with them to commit such terrorist acts. But the most curious thing is the judgment, determination, and skill shown by that cadet, Jeong Su-hyeon, last night."
"I share one hundred percent the same feelings as the Prime Minister."
The Chief of Staff said.
"He suspected the existence of a spy named Nam Tae-hoon, and even in the midst of a gate opening at the academy, he persuaded his comrades to rush to the rescue of White Castle, which was their real target? How on earth was such a thing possible?"
"That's why I've summoned Jeong Su-hyeon now. He is being treated by the best healers and is on his way here."
"You mean to hear the story directly, Chief of Staff?"
"That's right."
"Hmm."
The Prime Minister asked with a concerned look.
"What's clear is that the boy is a hero. You wouldn't be interrogating him in an intimidating manner, would you?"
"Haha, I understand your concern, Prime Minister, but that won't happen. Probably few people are as grateful to him as I am."
"That's a relief."
The Prime Minister smiled.
"After the truth is revealed and the situation is somewhat sorted out, the government is seriously discussing the option of awarding medals to Jeong Su-hyeon and the cadets."
"......!"
The Chief of Staff was surprised.
"That's truly exceptional among exceptions."
"Once again, an era has come where heroes are needed."
The Chief of Staff, who understood the government's intention to award medals, clenched his fists in anticipation.
The next generation's hero, the next generation's hope.
Jeong Su-hyeon, not Min Hae-na, Seo Jun-seong, Hwang Ji-su, or Lee Yu-jin, had been chosen as that symbol.
However.
"There is one point of concern. He doesn't seem to like receiving excessive attention."
"Is that so?"
The Prime Minister stroked his chin.
"Don't worry too much. I'll have a good talk with him."
"We also don't intend to proceed with things forcibly. For this matter, I'll trust only the Chief of Staff."
"This makes my shoulders heavier."
The Chief of Staff said that with sincerity.
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"How's your body? I heard you were injured while fighting Battle Maniac."
"Fortunately, I'm fine now. I think I'll be able to resume normal activities in a day or two."
"That's good."
Chief of Staff Heo Sung-gyeom patted my shoulder and smiled.
"Su-hyeon, you did something really great again this time. When the situation first broke out, cold sweat ran down my spine."
If he hadn't broken into a cold sweat in that situation, he would have been a spy.
"Those guys, they're truly audacious. They launch an attack on the academy, use the Liberation Corps as a chess piece to raid White Castle, and their real goal was to jailbreak a few targets and secure them as forces?"
The Chief of Staff gave a hollow laugh.
"The [Sword of Belphegor], they're really something else. I wonder if even I could have devised such an operation."
Despite such exaggeration, there was strong confidence in Heo Sung-gyeom's expression.
'Probably because of "that operation."'
"It must have been serious enough for the Prime Minister to be alarmed and come here first thing in the morning?"
"The Prime Minister, you say?"
"Yes. The Prime Minister you know."
"......That's surprising."
"Given the nature of the matter, it was. Actually, that wasn't so surprising."
Heo Sung-gyeom, as if he had something to say, narrowed his eyes.
"What surprised me was that even the Prime Minister has a considerable interest in Su-hyeon."
"!"
I couldn't hide my surprised expression at those words.
'This is getting bigger.'
"Are you surprised? That's understandable. But if you hear the reason, I think Su-hyeon will understand too."
"What is it?"
"The Prime Minister asked me this. How on earth could a mere cadet know that a person named Nam Tae-hoon was a spy, and how could he know that the attack on White Castle was the real goal?"
"......!"
"I'm also very curious about that part. Has the Execution Force's intelligence fallen to the ground? Or......."
Looking at the Chief of Staff's sharp eyes as he trailed off, I thought.
'It's finally come.'
"I thought you would be curious about that point."
I really had to answer well here.
Mixing truth and lies, so as not to be suspected.
And above all, to be able to change the future.