novelraw Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Chapter 29
After Obia’s briefing ended, time passed quickly.
Jin Crow spent his time inside his quarters, refraining from going outside as much as possible.
‘How boring.’
Putting aside the faction’s orders delivered through Lieutenant General Regchap, the realistic problem that there was nothing he could do at the moment held him back.
Inside the quarters with the blinds drawn, he had left only the soft lighting on and was lost in thought by himself.
‘Captain Satra is suspicious.’
However, there was no justification to arrest her.
He had already finished a simple cross-verification through First Lieutenant Lee Hana and First Lieutenant Antonio, with whom he had at least built some rapport.
As Obia’s investigation had shown, Captain Satra had already been proven to play a core role within the Defense Force, regardless of her rank.
‘But what if I arrest her without justification?’
Even putting aside whether the lieutenant general would permit it, if things went wrong, not only the Defense Force but even the public sentiment of the Atla Colony residents would be lost together.
And that was not all.
If she turned out to have no charges, he could even add resentment that had not existed before.
“…….”
The flickering lights of the residential sector beyond the blinds dazzled his eyes, but paradoxically, they were a stimulus that could not have been better suited to refreshing his complicated mind, trapped in a swamp of thoughts.
Swoosh-.
He rose from his seat and stepped toward the window covered by the blinds.
Then he finished lifting the blinds that had been slightly lowered.
“……Magnificent.”
The colony’s panorama was, how should he put it.
It was unlike any structure he had seen until now.
It was as if there was a certain awe that came from artificial structures built in the vastness of space.
Of course, even now, in his head, rather than the awe or inspiration the colony gave, doubts and worries about how the current situation was unfolding were still chaining one after another.
‘Tonight is the last night of the week.’
One week that Lieutenant General Regchap had given to each instructor.
He had heard that, unlike usual when the admissions inspectors fiercely clashed among themselves, this time a major faction had made concessions, so the distribution ended without any particular conflict.
And so, a week passed.
If the Red Hand were going to do something, tonight would be the most likely time.
「Red Hand」
An organization created by the displaced people of Lo Planet, who had lost their planet due to the Human Composite State’s indifference, but now a group that had come to be called terrorists and had clearly become perpetrators.
In the story, Baek Hwi-young, the protagonist, did not have that many points of contact with them, but he once said this to a Red Hand special-duty officer he encountered someday.
‘You are monsters driven mad by revenge.’
……that was what he said.
Naturally, Jin Crow was also one of the people who agreed with those words a hundred times over.
There was no need to look far.
Just one week ago, even Liberto, whom he had personally shot dead while heading to Atla Colony, had shown a near-fanatical belief, insisting that their revenge was justified.
‘They aren’t called a terrorist group for nothing.’
It was at that moment, as he thought that and reached out his hand to drink a glass of water.
Knock knock-.
He turned his head at the sound of knocking that did not suit the night. Half instinctively, he checked the time.
‘1 a.m.’
He did not open the door right away.
Instead, after gripping the longsword he had placed nearby and finding the hip flask so he could drink at any time, he stared at the CCTV screen linked to his watch.
‘This man…….’
It was a silhouette that was not all that unfamiliar.
Because of that, when he opened the door remotely, beyond the slowly opening door stood a man with glasses and a cool, composed image, raising a crisp salute.
“Loyalty.”
Even though it was the quarters of high-ranking officers with few residents, perhaps considering that it was night, he gave a short and concise salute.
At that, Jin Crow was also able to recall his identity before long.
“What business does an adjutant have at this hour?”
The identity of the man standing in front of the door was none other than the pig—no, the adjutant of Lieutenant General Regchap, who had stated that he belonged to the same Rozen faction.
Although he had only seen him in passing a week ago, he remembered him because his no-frills soldierly appearance had not been bad at all.
‘Please. Let’s tone down the personality a bit.’
Of course, inwardly, irritation flared up for a moment at the fact that a mere adjutant—on top of that, a regular officer—had come to find him at 1 a.m.
“……I apologize for coming so late at night, but the lieutenant general wishes to see you, Instructor.”
“The lieutenant general?”
“Yes.”
Perhaps because he had seen Jin Crow’s expression twist for just an instant.
The adjutant spoke to him with an even more stiffened face, and Jin Crow, after briefly pondering the adjutant’s immediate reply, thought to himself.
‘If it’s something on Rozen’s side.’
It was entirely possible.
Or perhaps it was simply to build some camaraderie with a fellow faction member who would be leaving tomorrow.
At any rate, if he belonged to Rozen, which selected its members based on ability, he would not be an incompetent person despite appearances.
‘If that’s not it…….’
For a moment, he erased the suspicion that had unknowingly lifted his chin with a quiet chuckle, then replied to the adjutant who was waiting for his answer.
“I’ll get an outer coat.”
“Yes. I’ll wait.”
The adjutant nodded at his words and stepped back one pace from the entrance, while Jin Crow moved his steps and put on the black leather coat that hung on a wall rack on one side of the quarters.
Thud-.
Inside his coat, along with the hip flask he had been debating whether to drink earlier, he felt the presence of two syringes that would serve as spare lifelines.
……He hoped he wouldn’t have to use them.
“Let’s go.”
“I’ll escort you.”
When he stepped outside, the adjutant politely guided him to a vehicle prepared below the quarters, then sat in the driver’s seat.
“We’ll depart.”
Jin Crow nodded, and the adjutant, seeming not to expect a reply anyway, silently began driving the military vehicle down the road.
The moment the vehicle entered the colony’s residential sector, Jin Crow absentmindedly looked out the window and put a cigarette to his lips.
Hiss, fwoosh-.
As the briefly idling lighter’s flame burned the tip of the cigarette, the adjutant quietly cracked the window open slightly.
How much time passed like that.
As the vehicle passed through the back alleys of the residential sector and gradually headed toward the outskirts of the colony, Jin Crow lightly took the half-burnt cigarette from his lips and opened his mouth.
“Where are we going?”
“His Excellency the lieutenant general has a bar he frequents.”
There was no rise or fall in the adjutant’s reply.
Yes, it was as if…….
As if he had ‘prepared’ in advance what he was going to say.
Swoosh-.
The moment Jin Crow realized that they were heading toward the outskirts where private residences grew sparse, and moreover toward a place where construction had been halted, he calmly slid his hand into his coat.
“……!”
At that very moment, the adjutant flinched instinctively, but when he confirmed that what emerged from Jin Crow’s coat was not a weapon but a hip flask, he seemed to relax somewhat and lowered his shoulders slightly.
Gulp-.
When Jin Crow opened the hip flask and swallowed a mouthful of liquor, a sharp sensation spread, and at the same time, a gear rotated unconsciously.
However, at that moment, Jin Crow felt a sense of incongruity and could not help but furrow his brows.
‘……The number of gears increased?’
That was when it happened.
Vroooom-!
The military vehicle suddenly accelerated violently, entering the halted construction tunnel before he even had time to react, and the moment it crashed into several pieces of construction material and came to a stop, the adjutant pulled a silver-glinting pistol from his coat and aimed it at him.
Bang!
A trigger pulled without hesitation.
Along with a short, sharp report, the fired bullet’s trajectory grazed Jin Crow’s cheek precisely, and the adjutant immediately opened the door and threw himself outside.
“So it was you.”
Immediately after, Jin Crow likewise kicked the car door open without hesitation and spat out the cigarette that now had nothing left but the filter.
“You were the one who leaked the instructors’ hyperspace route.”
“Yes, that is correct.”
The adjutant spoke to him as he slowly lowered the muzzle toward the ground.
Of course, unlike the calm and composed attitude he had shown until now, his expression was stiff beyond measure.
That was only natural.
The adjutant was an ordinary officer wearing a navy-blue uniform.
In other words, a civilian.
The pressure a civilian felt when facing a special-duty officer was greater than one might think.
Unless he was wearing a reinforced exoskeleton.
Because the adjutant had been directly responsible for luring him, perhaps to avoid suspicion, he was wearing nothing more than his usual uniform.
But the moment Jin Crow slowly drew the jet-black longsword.
“I have no personal regrets.”
Under the gloomily flickering tunnel lights, the cast shadows swiftly surrounded him.
And only then did Jin Crow realize the source of the confidence that allowed the adjutant to stand before him unarmed, and he could not help but let out a hollow laugh.
“What kind of damn mess is this.”
Seven special-duty officers surrounded him.
All of them were special-duty officers of the Defense Force.
“Ha ha.”
There was a common misconception people often had, that generals of the Federal Army automatically became special-duty officers.
Of course, that was not entirely wrong.
However, more generals than one might expect came from ordinary officer backgrounds.
“Yes, of course. This matter also went well, so please do not worry too much.”
The reason was simple.
The number of ordinary officers was overwhelmingly large.
Unless it was wartime with the Empire, in ordinary times politics was more important than force.
“Ha ha ha! Yes. Then I will rely on you again next time.”
Lieutenant General Regchap laughed with satisfaction, then cut off the interstellar communication linked to his watch and returned to a fatigue-soaked expression as if he had never smiled.
Flesh jiggled along his wrinkles.
His throbbing head hurt.
But separate from that, since things had gone well, as always he cut the end of a thick cigar, lit it, and put it in his mouth.
“Hoo…….”
Heavy smoke pressed down on his lungs.
However, troublesome matters were not limited to the Special Service Academy alone.
“……Now it’s come to this. Even monsters are running rampant.”
Lastly, he picked up the documents to review the final report from the 107th Brigade, which was deploying its front line on Rermal Planet.
‘Annihilated.’
The 107th Brigade was a unit with considerable firepower even among its subordinate units.
Because of that, when support was dispatched to Rermal Planet, it had been deployed as the vanguard and was engaged in combat.
But just moments ago, along with sudden news of total annihilation, the final report had come in. And while he was about to check it, he had suddenly received a call from a politician backing a mid-to-small faction.
‘The 107th Brigade’s loss hurts, but it can’t be helped. Atla Colony cannot be saved anyway.’
Lieutenant General Regchap’s judgment might have seemed irresponsible at a glance, but he firmly believed it was the best choice.
Since it had already been decided by the Ministry of Defense, there was even less reason to hesitate.
Still, the annihilation of a brigade-level unit was something that clearly would not be brushed aside easily.
To cover it up, a considerable amount of money would have to be spent.
With a heavy heart, he read the final report that had come in.
“……This, this is insane.”
But the moment he saw it, even the faint trace of composure that had lingered on his face vanished, and he dropped the cigar he had been holding in his mouth to the floor.
-Current planetary danger level judged as Black. Retreating.
-Creature routes are heading toward the colony. Preparation required.
-Battleship Light stranded. Emergency support requested.
-Cruiser Atomu stranded. Emergency support requested.
-Emergency support requested.
-Flagship Skeleto stranded.
“Th-this is.”
Although the support requests were cut off midway, that alone was enough to make him realize what kind of situation it was.
Because of that, the lieutenant general turned pale and raised his hand to his watch to report to higher command immediately, but at that very moment.
-W-What is it?! Kyaaaagh!
-Stop! Kuhk!
At the desperate screams echoing from outside the lieutenant general’s office, he froze his fingertips and stared beyond.
Kwoooong!
Booom!
Along with deafening explosions, the screams of familiar voices rang out, assaulting his ears.
“W-What in the world is going on…….”
He froze on the spot in a level of chaos he had never even experienced during the Third Galactic War.
And that became the greatest mistake of Lieutenant General Regchap’s life.
Booom!
Soon after, Satra, standing at the forefront of the special-duty officers who tore their way into the office, flashed her distinctive violet eyes, aimed her pistol at him, and spoke.
“Lieutenant General Regchap. In the name of Rermal, I sentence you to death.”
“W-wait a mome—!”
Bang!
At the end of the scattered gunshots, his vision was dyed black.