Chapter 156
An unexpected question arose. Unlike me, who had no idea what was going on, Dark Dragon answered readily, as if he had expected it.
[The terrorist scientist we subdued, thinking he was just a simple villain, has a much more complicated story intertwined with him. Judging by how they’re trying to silence all the witnesses by killing them, it is evident that it’s a sensitive matter that must not be exposed to the outside.]
“Is that it?”
[Also… you, who I thought had retired, have become a Mili-Tech unit commander. Well, I ended up finding out about that much. Hmm, did I learn too much? This is a big problem.]
Dark Dragon’s playful attitude was completely incomprehensible.
He was confident even though he was surrounded by Mili-Tech special forces members, who were said to only handle the most heinous criminals and gang wars.
An indescribable aura emanated from him, as if to say that no matter how disadvantageous the situation, he would never lose.
Lieutenant Colonel Hares must have read that spirit as well, as he rubbed his forehead with a hint of displeasure.
“Retirement… Even if I want to rest, the world won’t let me. I guess you could call it destiny. What else would a Ghost of the Battlefield, whose only learned skill is butchering people, do? In the end, you just return to a similar place.”
His tone was soft, contrary to his rather poor complexion. However, his expression contorted further at Dark Dragon’s subsequent answer.
[Well. I think you can do anything. And go anywhere.]
“…What?”
[Just look at me right now. I’m saving people without getting blood on my hands. Today, on its opening day, various mishaps occurred, but just wait. Soon, the fame of the Knight of the Night Protecting Dusk City, the Hero Dark Dragon, will spread far and wide.]
After saying that, he looked back at his own blood-soaked appearance from beating up the Infected Entities, and muttered awkwardly.
[Hmm, come to think of it, I guess I’m not completely keeping blood off my hands? You, you understood it was a metaphor, right?]
“…”
Lieutenant Colonel Hares fell silent. A heavy stillness settled over the street at dawn.
I was struggling to avoid the glaring eyes of the burly Mili-Tech agents in a truly, incredibly uncomfortable atmosphere.
“Tsk. Understood. I’ll let you go.”
It was an unexpected twist. Since I had half given up, Lieutenant Colonel Hares’s change of stance was truly surprising and welcome.
[Yes? Lieutenant Colonel, but.]
[The instructions were clearly…]
The decision must have been baffling to them as well, as the Mili-Tech Agents murmured among themselves before falling silent in unison when Lieutenant Colonel Hares raised his fist.
“It’s my decision, and I’ll take responsibility. I won’t accept any objections. Dragon, you know how you should accept my goodwill, right?”
[Of course. Nothing happened here today. I didn’t see anything. I was just at home scratching my leg and watching anime.]
“…That would be for the best. Because no matter what Closed Net you leak the news to, I’ll catch it all.”
His last words sounded as chilling as a ghost.
“Clean up and withdraw.”
As soon as the Lieutenant Colonel gave the order, the surrounding troops moved in perfect order.
In an instant, the bloodstains and remnants of the fight on the road were erased, and the fallen Infected Entities and corpses were collected.
Watching the human-shaped lumps being placed in sacks for transfer, Dark Dragon asked.
[What happens to them, Beggar?]
“Didn’t you say you saw nothing?”
[…]
Lieutenant Colonel Hares retorted sharply, but when Dragon took a step back, he clicked his tongue and kindly answered.
“I don’t know either.”
[If you had to guess, Godfather?]
“Well, wouldn’t they treat them?”
A very insincere answer. Dark Dragon’s sulfur-colored eyes narrowed.
[What’s the reason you think so?]
“Our superiors are quite humanitarian. There’s no way they’d just stand by and watch precious citizens die.”
[…]
It was natural that Dragon and I exchanged dubious glances as silence flowed between us.
Everyone here knew that a human life in Dusk City was a very cheap commodity.
It was common sense that the superiors' corporations treated the lives of ordinary citizens as less than flies.
A humanitarian corporation? Could the adjective 'humanitarian' even be placed in front of the noun 'corporation'?
It was nonsense that even a passing dog would snort at.
After throwing out a terribly unfunny joke, Lieutenant Colonel Hares briefly observed our reactions and clicked his tongue.
“If you need another explanation… First of all, we have the cure. This means treatment isn’t that difficult a task.”
[I’ve never once seen them readily do a task that isn’t difficult.]
“That’s because it’s not profitable. Do you still not know the logic by which they operate?”
[So you’re saying it’s profitable this time?]
Lieutenant Colonel Hares nodded. His sunken eyes gleamed dangerously.
“There’s a saying… dead men tell no tales. It’s too old a saying. News travels fast in the world these days. Death, the loss of existence of a being, becomes information in itself. It just further excites the jackals who blindly foam at the mouth and lunge at anything even slightly related to a corporation.”
[So they’re going to keep them alive and treat them?]
“Because it’s an era where silencing the living is much cheaper than silencing the dead. It’s a matter of loss calculation rather than profit. And in this case, the victims are mostly corporate security guards.”
[Why does that matter?]
“If they die, they have to pay severance.”
[…]
Silence flowed without fail. I broke out in a cold sweat at his tone, unable to tell if he was joking or being serious.
“It’s a joke. What severance? There’s no way something like that exists in Dusk City. Especially when there isn’t even industrial accident insurance. Hahaha.”
Was that intended to be a joke? I couldn’t have imagined it at all.
That Lieutenant Colonel Hares guy, I didn’t know much else, but it was clear he had absolutely no talent for jokes. On top of that, he seemed to feel pride in his own jokes, which somehow pissed me off.
He was setting a serious mood just a moment ago, and now he is being all smooth like this, so I didn’t know which tune to dance to.
It was at least fortunate that I didn’t need to cater to his whims for long.
When the NCPD agents, who had finished cleaning up the scene at an incredible speed, reported in, Lieutenant Colonel Hares declared the situation concluded and headed back toward the long aerial limousine he had arrived in.
I thought he was leaving just like that.
“Oh right, Dragon. That wasn’t a joke earlier.”
[…What wasn’t?]
“The part about the superiors being humanitarian. I said the world has changed, right? These days, corporations are also using something called the Sunshine Policy. Think carefully. You know you owe a debt this time, right? A talented person of your caliber would be treated well.”
At the sight of Dark Dragon shaking his head as if it wasn’t even worth answering, he continued speaking as if he had expected it.
“If you don’t want to, fine. You said it earlier, right? That you can do anything. Just like you said, do whatever you want to your heart’s content. Whether it’s hero activities, or that… Dragons' Lair, was it? Running a bar. Enjoy it all you want. But don’t snoop around in this line of work. No matter how humanitarian they are, they aren’t soft enough to tolerate a retired person poking around everywhere.”
His tone was playful, but the corners of his mouth weren’t smiling in the slightest.
Lieutenant Colonel Hares mentioned Dragons' Lair, but we had never once brought up Dragons' Lair.
“It’s a sincere warning. You’d better listen closely. And that goes for you too, Nakamura Aaron.”
Likewise, I had never said my name. I had my face covered in the first place.
“Because we’re always keeping a close eye on you.”
Lieutenant Colonel Hares pushed up his sunglasses and got into the vehicle. I blankly watched the rear of the top-tier aerial vehicle as it glided up and disappeared without a single common exhaust sound.
Mili-Tech, the Police Department Special Tactical Unit, came like a storm and disappeared like a storm.
“- Phew.”
The taut tension unraveled, and a sigh naturally burst out.
In many ways, it was a highly meaningful encounter for me.
Would it feel like this if I narrowly escaped the Highest Difficulty Dungeon?
The Mili-Tech Commander was the superior mentioned by Lieutenant Colonel Hares.
Just as the Troublemaker Detective said, they aren’t called MILI-TAC for nothing.
The Megacorp ranked 2nd in Global Corporate Ranking, which swallowed the Privatized Dusk City Police Department with the power of capital, was the giant corporation of the superiors he spoke of.
Where that was could be known just by looking at the crime scene right in front of my eyes, the intimidating steel skyscraper jutting out oppressively like the Devil’s Tower.
'MILITIA'
Seven English letters were engraved largely with imposing pride.
This was the Militia headquarters building.
I boldly stepped into an incident that occurred right in front of the gaping maw, the den of the largest Shadowy Corporation that made me who I am today.
It was a relief that there was some sort of harvest.
When the Mili-Tech unit first appeared, my vision truly went dark. If it hadn’t been for Dragon President, I would have definitely died. Or maybe I would have suffered something even worse.
Even though I didn’t lead it and was just dragged along to act as Dark Dragon’s sidekick, I realized it was a truly risky gamble.
I should never do something like this again.
[A-Ahem.]
As I barely stood there exhausted, I heard a fake cough filled with awkwardness and apology.
[Well, um. This was an unexpected turn of events, Masked Man.]
“Tell me about it, Boss.”
He flinched when I called him Boss.
However, at this point, I didn’t force myself to hide my Exposed Identity, a Failed Concept that had been ruined a long time ago.
[…Sigh. I’m sorry. Aaron.]
It was an uncharacteristically sullen voice.