episode_0137

A standoff over the Privy Councilor’s body.

Light from outside filtered through the glass, dimly illuminating the interior of the space.

….

I’m not sure, but the guy in front of me is probably Suin.

Looking at its size, I thought it was far from a cute animal.

Speed is of the essence in this assignment.

The goal of killing the Privy Councillor was achieved, but nothing else was resolved.

Who is that guy and how did the Privy Councilor die?

I should have known that.

“Hoo….”

The evidence of life that had been spit out over and over again came pouring out of my mouth again.

Now that I think about it, how much I longed for this world that was nothing more than a game. There were times when it still felt like a dream I couldn’t wake up from.

No matter how much you give of what you have, death worse than an ant lurks everywhere…

A world so perfect it’s cruel.

If this continues, there will be neither food nor shelter.

I’ve made up my mind.

I don’t know what will happen later, but I’m going to end it here and now.

He picked up all the containers he had on his waist with both hands and threw them toward the floor.

Clang!

Blood spurted out of the broken container with a loud noise.

It’s not just that blood. It uses most of the red blood that circulates in my body.

The number of blood cells that used to be around ten has now increased to dozens, then hundreds. It is truly an overwhelming sight.

“Wait, wait! We don’t have to do this!”

Su-in looked visibly bewildered by the number of blood cells forming towards him with such a frightening momentum.

“Okay! Okay! Look at this!”

Suin pressed a button on the terminal and transformed into the appearance of the Privy Councilor.

“I’m the Privy Councilor you were chasing just now! This body was prepared in advance!”

“So?”

“…What?”

I knew full well that this was a set-up from the beginning.

But I’m not satisfied with just that.

The sense of crisis was heightened by rotating the blood cells in all directions.

“Okay! I’ll do as you say! I will!”

“Okay.”

Finally, the answer I wanted came out of the guy’s mouth.

I gradually reduced the number of bloodstones. Since I could fire them at any time, reducing the number by a few wasn’t a big problem right away.

In the meantime, Ray and Sheila joined me.

“Ray! Sheila! This way!”

I quickly transformed into a baby bat and climbed onto Suin’s shoulders.

“You guys, come here too!”

“Huh?”

Ray seemed to have a lot to think about with the Privy Councilor’s body on the floor and the sudden presence of the watermen.

***

But at my urging, Ray and Sheila quickly clung to Suin.

Ray and I sat on Suin’s shoulders in the form of a baby bat, and Sheila sat on Suin’s back in the form of a cat.

“What, all of a sudden?!”

“Get moving! When you were planning this, you probably thought of an escape route, right?”

When I tapped my wing on her shoulder, Suin moved her body before speaking.

It was fortunate that he was a guy I could communicate with.

“Ray, please contact 3rd Platoon.”

“Okay, I got it.”

Ray took out a terminal similar in size to himself and informed the 3rd Platoon of the situation.

Commission completed. Confirmation of death of Privy Councilor. Withdraw immediately.

A short, essential message of just a few words was conveyed to them.

“Come on, run!”

“I told you so.”

Suin pressed the button on the terminal as soon as she left the space we were in.

Then, this time, he changed into someone who looked like an ordinary attendee, not the Privy Councilor.

‘Oh, I don’t know what it is, but it’s more useful than I thought.’

Judging from the level of equipment, it didn’t look like much.

Moreover, if he is capable of performing this role, he may be a close associate of the guy who planned this.

Outside, a fight was raging between the 3rd Platoon and the two tribes.

‘No, can you even call that a fight?’

Someone transformed into a giant monster and instantly turned the Association’s vampires into a mess.

Since they are vampires by name, they won’t die right away, but unlike me, their regeneration has clear limits.

“Chris, look over there. Everyone is backing off.”

As Ray said, I looked at where the 3rd Platoon was.

Except for the recent attack, they quickly changed direction and began to retreat outside the station.

The swarm of bats that appeared with their appearance was still there.

“Hey, but are we going the right way now?”

“I have all the thoughts.”

As Suin said that, she started heading towards a more remote part of the botanical garden.

“….”

An escape route that seemed to lead directly outside appeared.

“What are you doing? Run quickly!”

“….”

Suin moved her body busily even without me urging her.

Similar to what was seen when he was the Privy Councilor earlier, he moved as if he was climbing a wall using his metal arm.

“I can’t see anything?”

“Wait a minute.”

Suin lifted the terminal and brightened the surroundings.

Only then did some visibility become available.

“Ray, Sheila. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Yes.”

I didn’t forget to check on the other two’s condition either. In particular, unlike Ray and me, I was very worried about Silla attached to Suin’s back.

***

How many minutes did you move like that?

No longer was there any sound of the 3rd Platoon using any major techniques outside, or engaging the two tribes.

“Okay, it’s all out.”

Squeak!

It’s like the sound of scraping iron.

We were able to get out by kicking open the rusty, roughly opened door.

“Now tell me.”

“…what?”

“What is this about?”

I sharpened the claws of my two adorable feet.

Then, Suin frowned as if she felt a little pain.

“I told you earlier. The request is over. Now let’s go our separate ways.”

“Who cares? Ray.”

Ray and I pressed the water man with our sharp claws. It was still an attack by two baby bats, but we still had… Scylla left.

At a point where Silla has not been deployed yet.

“I told you to just check the terminal.”

“The terminal is a terminal, speak with your mouth.”

Otherwise, I made it clear that I couldn’t accept it.

We, too, risked our lives to carry out this mission. And now you want us to just quietly comply with this treatment?

No way.

“Wait a minute.”

Suin suddenly lowered her posture.

Even without that, I could feel the presence of people around me.

“It should be around here.”

Clear speech.

It didn’t feel good to see that there were more than one or two.

“….”

I covered my mouth with my two small wings so as not to make any sound.

Ray soon followed suit, and Sheila and Suin were also trying their best not to make any noise.

“Jipajangnim! Here you go!”

I don’t know who he is, but he’s a guy I want to praise.

At his shout, the surrounding vampires headed towards the door we had exited through.

“Okay! Come on in!”

The brisk voice of the chief of the clan followed, ordering his men.

“….”

I urged Suin on by tapping his shoulder without saying anything.

Despite this, Suin did not let down her guard against her surroundings, and only moved after confirming that there was no one around.

***

We left the botanical gardens where the social gathering was taking place, hanging on to the bodies of several people.

Before I could even breathe a sigh of relief.

Naturally, I began to worry about whether the 3rd Platoon had safely left the scene.

“Okay, now explain.”

“….”

Suin returned to her original form by pressing the button.

A tiger with a large body. Its threatening appearance was very impressive.

“Do I have to say it with my own mouth?”

“Then who would do it?”

“Sigh….”

Suin scratched her head.

“Do you have a rough idea who the client for this request is?”

“No, I don’t know.”

There were a number of possible scenarios, but I decided to continue to harass Suin until the end.

“The Privy Councilor himself.”

“You asked me to kill you?”

Ray asked back with a look of incomprehension.

“You must have seen the body earlier. The Association guys must have thought the Privy Councilor was dead.”

“What is the Privy Councilor trying to achieve by pretending to be dead?”

“I have a feeling it’s going to happen. He’s going to pretend to be dead and come over to you.”

“Our side?”

“Tetracaine Association, Procaine Association. Or the anti-lidocaine faction, whichever it is.”

Su-in said that it wouldn’t be a bad thing for us either, as she mentioned the Privy Councilor’s connections, influence, and information related to the association.

“…But since the Privy Councilor is known to be dead anyway, wouldn’t it be of little help to leave out the information?”

“If the person we thought was dead shows up, things will be different.”

But I think that might have its limitations.

If he faked his death like this, it seems he really hates the fact that the Lidocaine Association found out that he betrayed them.

“How is it? Is this enough? Listen to the details on the terminal I gave you earlier.”

“Hmm….”

Suin started to cry when she saw that I didn’t respond well even though she had done all this.

“Okay, let’s break up here.”

As I flew up on Suin’s shoulders, Ray and Sheila followed.

Of course, this wasn’t the end.

Suin was happy to be free and tried to quickly disappear.

“Wait a minute!”

“…Why again?”

“What’s your name?”

“Ramanujan.”

Hmm. It’s a name that always sounds Indian.

The names of the tiger people gave off a similar vibe, but this guy seemed to be no exception.

“Goodbye, Ramanujan!”

“….”

Ramanujan laughed in amazement at the little bat’s cries.

Then he responded by raising one hand while turning his back to us.

“Okay, let’s check if the 3rd Platoon is okay.”

“I’ll contact you.”

Ray contacted them first without them having to ask for details.

“Yes, Ray.”

“Mr. Eslock. Did you escape safely?”

Eslock’s voice is extremely serious.

Eslock knew my relationship with Ray well, so he used honorifics toward Ray.

“Yes, we are all safe. How are Chris and Ray?”

“We’re okay too. I think we need to go back for a bit, so you guys go back first.”

“Yes, please come back safely.”

As soon as Eslock finished speaking, Ray ended the communication.

“Okay, then let’s get moving too. Sheila, if you’re going to be a cat, then turn into something that can fly.”

“Yes, then I’ll be a bat too.”

I thought it would be good to unify with bats because it gave a sense of unity.

No matter what anyone says, the place we are currently in is the northern part of Magusfall. It is the area of the 2nd place and Lidocaine Association.

If you use public transportation carelessly, you could end up getting caught.

***

“Chris, aren’t you going?”

“Oh, wait a minute.”

Sheila urged him, but there was one thing he forgot.

I wrote a brief note to Sylvia and Lund informing them of the success or failure of the request.

Because those two people might be worried about us more than anyone else.

Even if that’s not the case, I’m sure you’re hoping for the success of your request in many ways.

“Okay, let’s go right away.”

So the three bats traveled thirty thousand miles in search of their hideout.

There were times when we violated the height restriction, but we were able to handle it before the gargoyles charged at us with their eyes on us.

“How far have we come?”

“Just a little further, Chris.”

No, that’s what I’ve been hearing for the past hour.

“Sheila, let’s stop for a moment and check the map.”

“Yes, I got it.”

How good it feels to release the bat transformation and put both feet on the ground!

While Ray and I took a short break.

Sheila quickly checked our current location on her terminal.

“Chris, I’m glad you did.”

“Why? Did you come over to the East?”

“Yes, look here.”

Oh, we were able to confirm our location in the eastern part of the city, crossing the border between the northern and eastern parts of the city.

Coincidentally, it was not far from Cabrini Green, where Silver Side, the old home of the company, was located.

“Okay, now I guess I can ask Lund to send me a flying car.”

“Is that okay?”

“Hey, it’s not the north, it’s the east, so it should be fine.”

maybe?

Nothing can be solved by just worrying. I immediately told Lund my current location through the terminal and asked him to send a flying car.

“Okay. Send it right now.”

“Wow! Thank you!”

I was so tired I thought I was going to die, but I was really relieved.

Since I had already traveled 30,000 miles to find the hideout, I didn’t want to suffer any more.

As the three of them were resting at the coordinates that had been given… a loud noise was heard from far away.

It was a clear signal announcing the arrival of the flying car.

“It’s faster than I thought.”

“That’s right. Did you send it to the guy who happened to be nearby?”

“Chris, do you have that terminal from earlier?”

“Huh? Oh, this?”

Following Ray’s question, I took out the terminal and showed it to Sheila.

Ramanujan had said that he would be able to get more details through the terminal. So it was impossible for this to be lost!

It was also the result of the hard work of the 2nd and 3rd Platoons.

***

We boarded the flying car safely.

It took over an hour to get from the eastern to the southern border.

Actually, it was a blessing in disguise because it would have taken longer if it hadn’t been for the flying car.

“Whoaaaa!”

As I opened the door of the flying car that arrived near the hideout and got out, I stretched and instinctively let out a strange sound.

“Ray, Sheila. You both worked hard.”

“No, I didn’t do much.”

“Oh, aren’t you underestimating your role? Isn’t that right, Silla?”

“Chris, I’m tired.”

Sheila, who had transformed into a cat, lay limp in my arms.

Since Sheila had a hard time, I decided to carry her home myself.

“Ah, Ray. Do you want to come to my house with me? I’m going to report to Sylvia and Lund now.”

“Yeah, I’ll do that. I was just curious about the terminal contents.”

Is that so?

The flying car that had dropped us off disappeared somewhere again, and we arrived at the hideout building.

I took the elevator from the first floor and went straight to the third floor.

I leaned against the wall and just watched the elevator go up in floors.

Tiring!

“Finally!”

“Chris, be careful.”

Ray held my back as I walked, swaying my body from side to side.

Well, I’m not alone right now, I’m carrying Sheila too.

“Ray, can you open the door?”

“Yeah, just a minute.”

The front door opened, and the three of us headed inside the house.

Then, of course, the ones waiting for us were Sylvia, Lund, Johnny, and David.

“The request was successful. But here.”

“What is this?”

“Let’s talk about it, it’s a bit long, so let’s check this first.”

I answered Sylvia’s question with a tired face. Then she patted my head and said she understood.

The terminal that Ramanujan handed over contained various contents.

The most important thing among them is.

“….”

The fact that the Privy Councillor betrayed the Lidocaine Society.

And he expressed his desire to defect to the Tetracaine Society in Lund, setting out two conditions.

Those two conditions are…!