Chapter 155
The team is losing, but he’s smiling!
Ah, maybe that’s not quite right. Anyway, Dark Dragon seemed to have something to rely on.
Otherwise, no matter how optimistic his nature, there was no way he’d show such a relaxed demeanor in the face of an overwhelming disadvantage.
Up until a moment ago, Dark Dragon seemed pretty tense too… but the turning point where his attitude changed was after hearing the talk about the “Lieutenant colonel”.
From the context, it sounded like they were talking about the superior of those Mili-Tech Special Tactical Unit members, but could it be someone he actually knew?
If so, it was a chance for a reversal. Of course, someone on the level of a special forces commander wouldn’t recklessly mix public and private matters for personal reasons… but then again, you never know.
Maybe they had a really deep friendship, seeing Dark Dragon acting this confidently?
[Why, are you curious about him? The more you know, the smaller your chances of making it out alive will be.]
The operative, a hulking man with an exoskeleton, scoffed and threatened him.
Dark Dragon spoke without caring.
[There’s no way an active duty soldier joined the Mili-Tech special forces… so his rank before discharge must have been lieutenant colonel? His current rank is probably around major. Was he discharged after the war? I happen to know someone exactly like that.]
[You know the lieutenant colonel?]
Rather than being surprised, his attitude showed complete disbelief, as if to ask how that made any sense. His aura was so vicious that one wrong word would have him swinging a steel fist immediately.
[Yeah. If it’s the person I’m thinking of, we met on the battlefield.]
[Oh? You fought in the war? That better not be a minion. There are a few members of the Veterans' Association among us. I went to the battlefield too, even if it wasn’t the front line.]
[Hah, I, Dark Dragon, do not lie.]
It seemed they hadn’t considered the fact that his stubbornly claiming his identity was Dark Dragon was already a minion in itself.
First of all, the godfather wearing the shell of Dark Dragon was, as far as I knew, a veteran soldier. Just during our company dinners alone, hadn’t I listened to his war stories until my ears bled?
Of course, there were plenty of absurd stories among them, but you know what they say.
The military stories that make you think, “Does this even make sense?” are mostly true.
Furthermore, even if the godfather’s stories were ridiculous, the details were so vivid that if he hadn’t fought in the war and just made it all up… I should advise him to change careers to an artist right now.
With those skills, he could easily beat the creative works pumped out by AI.
[Which one?]
[The 2nd and 3rd. Those were the major ones.]
[Hah, you fought in quite a few, didn’t you? What was your affiliation?]
[Beggar. For the most part.]
[Idiots who don’t know anything always run their mouths saying they were a beggar. Thinking Mercenaries wouldn’t have a regular registration in the database. But during the 3rd, every single beggar was registered in the corporation data. What was your identification number? If you really fought, you’ll definitely be able to answer.]
[Hmm… 891312556-M01.]
[Your assigned Unit?]
[I moved around here and there, but mostly Unit 343 and Unit B-52.]
[Any battlefield and enemy appearance you remember?]
[I don’t know the exact location, but it was probably a Factory District near the Rust Belt. It was occupied by killer droids, and we had a pretty hard time retaking it. Have you ever seen them? They move on a continuous track, spinning around, shooting a Pulse Beam from below and firing a laser projectile from above. The top and bottom are different colors. One side is blue and the other is red - ]
[That’s enough.]
Look at that. Even the Mili-Tech Special Tactical Unit member who claimed to be a veteran soldier couldn’t find fault with Dark Dragon’s words.
The stories pouring out without hesitation were clearly based on real experience.
The operative taking the lead reluctantly nodded, as if acknowledging it.
[I was half in doubt, but it seems you really are the person the lieutenant colonel mentioned. A legendary ronin… though you’re just a mere beggar in the end. He told us not to touch one’s share, so I suppose we should leave you alone.]
Yes, this is exactly it!
People who met on the battlefield.
Saving each other’s lives, sharing a tight bond of camaraderie. Wasn’t that the kind of relationship the godfather had with that Yangban called the lieutenant colonel?
If so, they should obviously let us go. You can’t treat a comrade-in-arms like this!
My happiness circuit spun wildly in a positive direction.
Did it work? Are they letting us go Just like this?
I was making an Optimistic Observation, but as expected, life didn’t work out that easily.
[He’s arriving right on time.]
He didn’t make a loud entrance like the tiltrotor with optical camouflage applied and the Mili-Tech operatives who jumped out of it.
However, he was fast. The door of a long limousine-type AV, which had touched down silently from who knows where, opened diagonally upward.
A pair of navy suit pants, much more casual and loose-fitting than mine, stretched out long, and soon a tall man lightly wearing a suit stood up with a smirk while wearing round sunglasses.
He was an unemotional man whose machine mark drawn above his mouth and deep eye sockets hidden by the black lenses gave off a somewhat dangerous vibe.
Going purely by his outward appearance, he didn’t look incredibly strong unlike the special operatives… but one thing was certain: he was a person with enough charisma to completely sink the mood just by showing up.
The Mili-Tech operatives, who had been like fierce dogs beyond control, all stopped what they were doing and saluted, only lowering their hands from their eyebrows after the man called the lieutenant colonel gave a bland nod.
[Lieutenant Colonel Hares.]
Dark Dragon nodded as he said the name, as if he had expected this.
The Mili-Tech Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Hares, fortunately spoke with a face that showed signs of gladness.
“Dragon. It’s been a while. How long has it been?”
Oh, the mood is good for now. A situation where through an unexpected incident past comrades-in-arms ran into each other. Surely he wouldn’t just suddenly go, “Sorry, but I need you to die” right here.
Just as I was feeling anxious, Dark Dragon suddenly showed a sudden reaction.
[Given how good your complexion is, it seems quite a bit of time has passed. Is the wound you got from me okay?]
The wound he got from him? Well, guys do get close by fighting, don’t they?
Having a fistfight over a disagreement, and then getting closer… It’s something that could easily happen between comrades-in-arms.
And a scar could have been left behind from that. What he just said was a joke that could only come out of a close relationship.
While I was interpreting Dark Dragon’s aggressive remark like that, Lieutenant Colonel Hares twisted his lips.
The seemingly cheerful atmosphere reversed.
“Right. It’s already been nearly 20 years since I got this wound.”
He used his thumb and index finger to grab the bridge part of the metal frame and took off his sunglasses. The pitch-black lenses disappeared, revealing the area around his eyes stained black with scars and cold mechanical prosthetic eyes.
Both metal eyes moved this way and that, looking in different directions. He frowned his left eyebrow, which went beyond a simple scar and looked like a part of his face had been completely gouged out.
“It’s not okay. It still hurts. It throbs every time I wake up. The empty space of the two eyes you took from me is still freezing cold.”
Uh… is this a joke too?
I pondered for a moment, but after seeing Lieutenant Colonel Hares’s chilling expression that looked ready to chew a person whole now that his bare face was revealed, I came to a conclusion.
Fuck, we’re so screwed.
* * *
“To think that the Dragon from back then would be standing in front of me now. You really can’t predict the future.”
He put the sunglasses he had taken off back on and smiled pleasantly.
I shuddered at Lieutenant Colonel Hares’s words, which sounded like he had his caught prey right in front of him.
“What kind of raver is this…!”
The raver I’m talking about here isn’t Lieutenant Colonel Hares.
It’s Dark Dragon.
No, seriously, what kind of nerve did he have to casually go, standing with his hands behind his back and chuckling, 'I’m an acquaintance of Lieutenant Colonel Hares,' when he was the one who slashed both of his eyes out?
They weren’t just acquaintances; they were complete sworn enemies!
Even desperately pretending not to know him wouldn’t be enough, yet he actually stepped forward confidently and provoked him by asking if the wound he gave him was okay. It was truly spectacular.
Does this mean he has the Talent/Skill to at least get his own body out of this terrible situation? Then again, if it’s the extraordinary him, it might be possible.
But what’s the point of that?
What does it matter if our Boss can escape? I’m the one who can’t get out!
Microchip, System Assistant, or whatever - surrounded by Mili-Tech Special Tactical Unit members, a forcible breakthrough was impossible.
The only thing with even a slight possibility was a peaceful solution through a diplomatic approach, but that just went out the window too.
Is my trouble-filled, sorrowful life in Dusk City ending Just like this?
Please, in my next life, I hope I can live in an Otherworld Magic Academy overflowing with dreams and hopes instead of this decadent dystopian world.
If not that, it would be best if I woke up back in 21st century Korea where I used to live after my death.
Just as I was about to let go of all my lingering attachments, close my eyes, and reach nirvana, I suddenly got angry.
“No, but what did I even do wrong?”
What did I do wrong to deserve this? Anger surged at this unreasonable ordeal.
If I did anything wrong, it was merely getting dragged into Dark Dragon - no, Sasha Dragon’s forced hero story development and doing whatever he told me to do.
Should I have firmly refused instead of pretending to reluctantly follow along when he was talking about being a dark hero, a sidekick, or whatever?
That’s like firmly cutting off the president who pays your salary when he asks to go hiking on the weekend by saying, “I have to rest on my days off, so I don’t think I can go.' I’m not that Gen Z.
The more I think about it, the angrier I get. There aren’t even weekends in Dusk City in the first place, right? What kind of world throws worker welfare to the dogs like this?
Or should I have pretended not to see the crazy terrorist spraying poison gas while I was riding the monorail home?
Was it a mistake to tactlessly wake up the godfather back then?
No, but it’s not like I could just stand by and watch people die. If I had ignored it and just gone home, it would one hundred percent have appeared in my dreams.
In the first place, it makes no sense that those guys, who call themselves the Police Department’s special forces, are pointing their guns at us after we saved people and stopped a terror attack. Shouldn’t they be giving us a certificate of commendation instead?
I came to a conclusion.
I had done nothing wrong. All of this was because of that detestable godfather.
Dragging me out to work in the dead of night when everyone was asleep, claiming on the day I was trying to get off work he was going to do vigilante activity, and provoking that Lieutenant Colonel Hares to make things look completely hopeless when he should have been begging for forgiveness.
This won’t do.
Even if I die, I have to smack the back of the godfather’s head at least once before I go.
The enemy of my peaceful and tranquil life!!!!
Just as I was about to throw a fist punch of rage, Lieutenant Colonel Hares parted his dry lips.
“So, how much did you find out?”