The shooter turned the screen, turned on the TV, and helped raise the upper half of my body as I had asked.
I thanked him and swallowed the pain.
As the screen came to life, a live broadcast filled the room. Countless cameras were already aimed at the podium, and just as many reporters were waiting for Yehyeon.
I watched blankly for a while before asking,
“How influential is this announcement?”
“It’s on par with a presidential election broadcast.”
The shooter replied flatly, sitting down in a chair.
“When the announcement time comes, you wouldn’t believe how many lobbyists start calling.”
That made sense.
Too many people’s interests were tangled up in this. No matter which area was designated for reclamation, discontent would inevitably erupt. The social issues to solve were endless, and the land to reclaim was too vast.
Maybe I should review the records of previous reclamations later.
As I sat there thinking idly, Yehyeon appeared on the screen.
Flashes exploded furiously.
“He’s doing the announcement himself.”
“It’s the most important one.”
Yun answered, shrugged his shoulders, then added dryly,
“And he’s a good talker.”
That was true.
The announcement was clean. The superior didn’t so much as blink under the barrage of flashes. Gripping the podium with both hands, he delivered his message concisely. After first revealing the reclamation site (and the moment he did, a thunder of camera clicks broke out), he clearly explained why that area was chosen and the plan for its restoration.
The reasoning sounded so convincing that for a moment I forgot the Elders had influenced the decision process.
I forgot my pain and focused on the press conference.
This year’s reclamation zone was the region between the Center Core and the nearby Core 24.
In other words, it meant unifying the Center Core and Core 24.
Whether that was an unusual choice or not, questions flooded in as soon as the Q&A began.
[There’s also Core 37 near the Center Core. Is there a particular reason you chose to merge with 24 instead of 37?]
[Core 24 isn’t a small Core. Have you considered the socioeconomic issues that could arise from unifying with it?]
[Did you collect opinions from residents living on the outskirts of the Cores?]
[That region doesn’t contribute to solving the food shortage. Shouldn’t areas that can help resolve the food issue be prioritized?]
The room was in chaos.
I stared at the screen, stunned, and muttered,
“Is the head of the Black Badgers running for president or something?”
“That’s why he keeps repeating that everything was decided in consultation with the government.”
Yun pointed at the screen with his chin.
I nodded. Indeed, that was what Yehyeon was saying. He repeated multiple times that the decision had been made in agreement with the government, that they had coordinated with Core 24’s local administration, that they deemed rare-earth supply urgent.
He said several ministries had prepared extensively for the integration and that they would continue to devote their utmost efforts.
His clear diction made his answers sound even more credible.
But still...
“It’s not really a government decision, is it?”
“No.”
Yun answered easily.
“It’s the result of a power struggle among the Elders—with Yehyeon’s influence mixed in.”
“Does the president have any real power?”
“Practically none. The Elders always pick someone who can keep the balance without overstepping their line.”
“What a beautiful society.”
“Hardly news.”
Yun’s voice was bored.
I chuckled and fixed my gaze on the TV again. The Q&A continued. I couldn’t help but be impressed seeing my superior respond smoothly no matter what was asked.
He’d be heavily criticized later, of course.
Anything tangled up with power and profit always brings exhaustion.
While I was thinking about how the press would explode with articles once this ended, Yun said quietly,
“Core 24 is under Sukhoi’s faction.”
Right.
“There’ll be a fierce struggle between Falcon and Sukhoi’s camps for a while. It means they won’t be paying attention to your issue anytime soon.”
“Oh. That’s nice.”
I genuinely had no desire to get caught up in their business.
I wasn’t interested in what logic Yehyeon used to decide the reclamation zone, nor did I want to know more about the Elders. It would only make life more tiresome.
“Jaeyeon and Lee Seunghyun will be busy.”
“Yeah.”
A faint note of satisfaction colored Yun’s tone.
“Would be nice if they killed each other.”
The low murmur was sincere.
I laughed quietly. I understood, to some extent.
They were both difficult people.
Honestly, I was relieved I wouldn’t have to see Jaeyeon for a while myself.
Anyway, I had plenty of questions. The situation kept changing so fast that unresolved doubts just kept piling up.
I noted the date of the planned reclamation day on the screen and asked,
“Did the Elders say anything about the kidnapping case?”
“Let’s start with that, then.”
Seemed Yun had something to say about it too.
As I turned toward him, a reporter’s question echoed from the TV: ‘Is there any special reason you chose to reclaim territory on the meaningful day of Heaven-Sealing Day (閉天節)?’ I kept the phrase in mind as I looked away.
The composed man didn’t take his eyes off the screen.
The situation was reported plainly.
“The anti-Badger group was all arrested. Except for a newcomer who joined six months ago.”
“No.”
He’d missed the key part.
“That mysterious newcomer disappeared. His name and origin were all fake. Not a single photo exists.”
“There must be at least some clue, right?”
“Spitfire is investigating it as a side project, says he’ll eventually find them, but...”
The shooter hesitated before adding grimly,
“For now, they slipped through. The ones arrested didn’t have any useful information.”
“They weren’t caught on nearby CCTV either?”
“They snatched you right in a blind spot. Pretty skilled.”
To hear such a compliment from Yun—
That made me a little jealous.
As that foolish thought crossed my mind, he went on,
“The fact that even Spitfire hasn’t tracked them down yet is strange in itself.”
He was right.
Even if Colton and Yekaterina weren’t personally involved in the search, it was bizarre. Erich Erhart wasn’t some ordinary lunatic. Though he looked like a handsome pervert with eccentric tastes, in truth he was extremely sharp and cruel.
And he had considerable influence.
The fact that the culprit hadn’t been caught immediately—unnatural.
The twins had mocked me, but my hunch had been correct.
Whoever planned my abduction was no ordinary person.
“Think it was another Elder’s doing this time?”
I watched Yehyeon wrap up the press conference.
“Like at the Colosseum.”
“Could be. Or not.”
The shooter’s voice sounded pensive.
Meanwhile, Yehyeon disappeared from the screen. The roar of cameras and applause resonated through the hospital room. Controversy or not, the announcement itself had been flawless. The content was delivered clearly.
Yun turned off the TV.
The screen went black. With nothing left to focus on, the pain I had forgotten came rushing back.
I shifted position, trying in vain to ease it.
“In any case, it’s clear you’ve become someone’s target, so keep your head straight for a while.”
“Yes. When will I be discharged?”
“Third-degree burns take a long time.”
Yun rolled his eyes toward me, meeting mine.
“Especially since you didn’t get immediate treatment. Your own fault.”
“I know.”
I gave a bitter smile.
“Sorry for the trouble.”
Yun nodded once and said nothing more.
He was a plain man. That kind of calmness was comfortable. No matter what chaos I caused, he’d probably just click his tongue and stay composed...
Bang, bang, bang!
What the—
My head turned toward the door.
Yun’s cold eyes narrowed.
“Yes.”
The shooter rose lazily and walked to the door.
“Who is it?”
“Mr. Yun!”
Ah.
It was the Personnel Director.
“Please open the door!”
Yun sighed and rolled his eyes.
His usual reaction whenever he faced the Personnel Director. Watching it was always amusing.
The man pulled the door open with a weary expression.
Journalists’ voices flooded in. No wonder the hallway had been growing noisier. The place erupted into chaos in an instant.
I saw people trying desperately to push their way inside, pale with panic.
“What do you think of the Commander’s decision!”
“Are you technically prepared to merge two Cores?”
“We heard you’ve just ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ been promoted to shooter—how do you feel?”
“What’s Aitek’s stance on the expansion?”
Yun reached into the crowd and yanked the Personnel Director out from among the reporters.
The reporters tried to use that moment to push into the hospital room, but Yun and Ju were seasoned. Once the Personnel Director managed to slip inside, he deftly pushed the reporters back out (You’ll get hurt! Please be careful!) and closed the door.
Smoothly. Elegantly.
Every movement showed long experience.
“Honestly~. The day of a public announcement is always chaos.”
Click! Locking the door, the man turned with a bright smile.
The Personnel Director’s lively eyes shot toward me.
“Thanks for the help, Mr. Yun. And long time no see, Hilde. You don’t look so great.”
“I’m managing.”
“Boasting, when you’re drenched in cold sweat.”
Yun snorted as he sat down in a chair.
Ju smiled cheerfully.
I replied with a straight face,
“It’s just hot in here.”
The Personnel Director sighed, half helpless, and that signaled the shift of topic. The superior, who had heard from the Secretariat that I’d regained consciousness, showed concern for my condition but clearly wanted to wrap things up quickly.
Naturally, he already knew about my case—he had been the one selecting members for the TF team.
He said he’d be heading home soon, and since I didn’t look too good, he’d make it quick.
He pulled over a chair and sat where I could easily meet his eyes. The tablet he was holding rested on his knee.
A hologram flickered up from the screen.
“You expected this one, didn’t you?”
I smiled as I saw Ami’s photo.
The only one I had predicted—and the one I’d hoped would be on the TF list.
When I nodded, Ju’s eyes curved with a grin.
“Ami knows her limits and keeps her mouth shut.”
At that, Yun gave a small snort.
Wearing his usual good-natured expression, Ju swiped across the tablet’s screen.
“She was the first Badger to go on the list. That’s when my headache started, though.”
“Sir?”
“I can’t let the whole task force tilt too much to one side.”
Seeing my puzzled look, the Personnel Director explained gently.
His finger slid across the screen again, and this time the hologram projected not photos but a list of names.
I scanned down the list, recognizing many.
“This is supposed to be confidential, but it’s a combat power ranking chart the Personnel Department updates often.”
Wow.
“Everyone’s strengths differ, so the ranking shifts depending on what you weigh, but the top fifteen rarely change.”
I read the names intently.
Lee Yehyeon
Richard Green
Choi Yun
William Walker
Jason Trevain
Choi Ami
Ska Owen
Ricardo Sordi
Ruta Ayer
Aki Neigle / Rand
Jonathan Kudo
Ro Giacomo (subject to change)
Yoshika Chastel
...
Yehyeon’s at the top?
A paragon of both brains and brawn, apparently. But Yehyeon didn’t even go on missions. Wasn’t that a massive waste of combat power?
Amazed, I asked if the Commander was really the strongest. Ju tapped on Yehyeon’s name.
The file opened with a flood of analysis notes and a hexagonal stat chart.
His abilities formed an almost perfect hexagon.
“He’s lacking in raw strength, but his balance is impeccable.”
Blood doesn’t lie.
“When you give every category equal weight, you get this ranking. If you give extra weight to strength, Yehyeon drops down and Will goes to the top. If you prioritize mobility, Ami takes first place.”
Ah, I see.
Now I understood why he’d shown me this. It meant Ami, Richard Green, and Jason Trevain couldn’t be placed on the same team.
Then who was left?
As I furrowed my brow, Ju smiled faintly.
“First, Carl Dow.”
Hesh’s mentor.
Blue eyes, hoarse voice, a quiet Badger. Come to think of it, he was also among those who witnessed my arrival.
“Sophia Kalak.”
“Ah.”
“She’s still alive?”
That name—I’d heard it once on the subway.
Jin Silver had told me about her: a Badger who lost her lover and once aimed a gun at Yehyeon. The memory resurfaced the instant I heard it, and I let out a short sound of surprise. Yun muttered darkly,
“Pity.”
The murderous edge in his tone was obvious.
“She’s been exemplary since that day,” Ju said soothingly, glancing at Yun.
“Her mouth is as sharp—and as closed—as her blade.”
Yun snorted again.
The chill in his black eyes didn’t fade, but Ju, as always, pretended not to notice the threatening atmosphere.
The Personnel Director smiled at me, seeing me exhale through the pain.
“And lastly, Ricardo Sordi.”
“Sir?”
Didn’t he just say he couldn’t concentrate power in one place?
“You become a bomb the moment you leave the Core.”
Ju shot straight at me, watching my surprise.
I couldn’t help but let out a wry laugh at his bluntness.
Fair enough. The team I’d gone outside the Core with before had been far more dangerous—Richard Green, Jason Trevain, Aki, William, Ami. No wonder Leeho had freaked out when he saw that lineup.
Yehyeon had clearly sent us out with full intent.
As I recalled that day, the Personnel Director finished his explanation.
The team, he said, only applied to missions beyond the Core, so I wouldn’t always be working with them. And, if necessary, Yun could be added to the roster as well.
“That’s all the updates! Any questions?”
“No, thank you for letting me know. Um... the members have already been informed about me, right?”
“Hmm? No.”
Huh?
Ju and I both looked confused.
You’re the one who shouldn’t be confused here.
I thought the candidates had already been told about me and agreed to join the TF after hearing my situation.
Why was he saying no now?
We stared at each other for a long moment before Ju said,
“Sophia aside, you’ll have to tell the other three yourself.”
Me?
“I can’t just go spreading your past around however I like. They’ll want to hear it directly from you.”
I doubt that.
And that’s not how this should work.
That’s really not how this should work!
So you’re telling me I have to personally go and break that kind of news to Ami—and Carl I could maybe manage—but Ricardo?!
