Ch.422Episode 16 – The Six Million Dollar Man (End)

I sit in the safe house, examining the map.

A map marking all regions from Asen to Sanya to Hasan. Red lines crisscross chaotically across the desert map.

I open a water bottle with condensation on its surface, gulp down the half-remaining water, and wipe my mouth. Then I bring over a chair and recline in it.

I lift my head to look at the ceiling.

My eyes are directed at the ceiling, but my mind drifts to the past. I carefully close my eyes and trace through my memories.

‘Kamila. You said you wanted to become an intelligence officer, right?’

‘Yes.’

‘Let’s talk about your career path.’

Episode 16 – The Six Million Dollar Man

A storm began to brew at the Abbas Intelligence Agency.

High-ranking intelligence officers gathered in the conference room to prepare for worst-case scenarios, while headquarters analysts locked themselves in their offices compiling intelligence coming in from the Empire.

Meanwhile, thousands of kilometers away from Abbas, I exited an immigration office and put on sunglasses.

Partly to shield against the blazing sunlight of the Mauritani continent. They were also a useful tool to conceal my face.

“You’re here, Asud.”

“Hey, long time no see.”

The warlord duo greeted me warmly. I waved back and stuffed my luggage into the trunk.

The warlord duo took the wheel, shifted gears, and stepped on the accelerator to leave the parking lot. Then they began driving toward Hasan warlord’s territory.

I returned to the field along the bumpy unpaved road.

To resolve the conflict between Asen and Sanya.

*

By the time I returned to the field, the conflict had intensified.

Asen and Sanya were doing everything they could to cut off each other’s lifeline.

“Asen has attacked Sanya’s cocaine manufacturing facility. It’s interpreted as an attack intended to cut off their funding.”

Asen’s Group 1, which supported Mauritani centrism, focused on destroying Group 2’s infrastructure.

The cocaine manufacturing facilities and cannabis farms that brought significant money to Group 2 were just the beginning.

“Fire!”

The gunpowder production mines and ammunition factories were also attacked. The phosphorus and nitric acid mines, which were both the driving force behind Group 2’s ability to continue fighting and the trigger for this conflict, were also targeted.

Asen’s attacks were mainly carried out using mortars. Group 1 soldiers moved mortars and shells by vehicle, employing hit-and-run tactics to strike targets and quickly withdraw.

“How did Sanya respond?”

Sanya immediately retaliated after being attacked by Asen.

“Sanya’s forces raided Asen’s cities. Elite units composed of small forces are moving like guerrillas in urban areas.”

“What were their targets?”

“Government offices, city halls, magic supply stations, power substations… The number of Asen facilities destroyed is countless.”

Sanya focused on non-conventional warfare using small elite forces. While their main forces pressured Asen’s main resistance line, infiltrating forces in the rear would blow up facilities.

The reason Asen could operate mortars was thanks to the supporters backing Group 1. Foreign politicians and generals who supported Mauritani continental centrism were supplying shells to Asen.

In contrast, Sanya, receiving support from the Kiyen Empire, actively utilized special operations forces.

When Asen’s mortars burned fields, Sanya’s special forces would blow up command posts. When Asen’s pursuit teams closed in, Sanya’s special forces would quickly escape into urban areas and mountains.

This was clearly Imperial army tactics.

Asen, supported by the Mauritani nation.

Sanya, backed by the Kiyen Empire.

While the two warlords were evenly matched in the early stages of the war, as the conflict prolonged, the advantage began to shift toward Sanya.

It started with Sanya’s armored units breaking through Asen’s main resistance line.

-Rumble!

Outdated armored vehicles smashed through Asen’s defensive line. These were armored equipment donated by the Kiyen Empire’s Ministry of Defense twelve years ago.

The Asen warlord brought out anti-tank rockets to counterattack, but it was too much to handle the armored units of Sanya pressing in from all directions.

Moreover.

“It’s a sorcerer! A sorcerer has appeared!”

“Kill that bastard first!”

Sanya began deploying sorcerers to the battlefield in earnest.

As everyone knows, Group 2 is the wealthiest warlord in this country. They’ve received substantial funding from the Kiyen Empire, and the largest cannabis farms are owned by the Sanya tribe.

Investing enormous capital, Sanya gathered sorcerers from across the country. They paid monthly salaries equivalent to what an ordinary person would earn in a year.

The compensation offered by Sanya was much higher than what Asen promised, and sorcerers who came to the battlefield to earn money began flocking to Group 2.

Although the skills of warlord-affiliated sorcerers are lower than those of combat mages in advanced countries’ armies, a sorcerer is still a sorcerer.

The moment they form a seal, machine gun nests get buried underground; when they chant a spell, a dozen men fly over buildings on the wind—how could anyone stop that?

As Group 2’s sorcerers applied pressure on both the front lines and the rear, Asen also began mobilizing sorcerers, but it was insufficient to turn the situation around.

Sorcerers who had been observing the situation without choosing sides joined Sanya, who offered higher compensation.

Even sorcerers who had been working for Asen began defecting to Sanya.

Hasan was no exception.

“The desertion of sorcerers is accelerating.”

“I’ve heard that many people have left Asen’s side.”

“I’m not talking about them. Our Hasan sorcerers have started defecting to Sanya.”

What moves mercenaries is money, and sorcerers who join warlords are also mercenaries.

Sorcerers, experiencing an unprecedented boom due to the conflict between Asen and Sanya, were taking advantage of the chaos to profit.

“Most sorcerers born and raised here follow their tribes, but sorcerers from other regions are joining Sanya.”

“It’s hard to stop people who gather for money. Is there any way to gather sorcerers?”

“We could hire sorcerers from the Port of the Dead Whale, but the sorcerers there are known to be greedy, so it’s difficult to reach out to them.”

“……”

Nasir was wary of his sorcerers defecting. If Sanya secured more sorcerers than Hasan, the balance of power would be disrupted.

However, what caught my attention was something else.

Names were being erased one by one from the list of Asen’s executives provided by the Hasan warlord.

Witnessing commanders dying at a rapid pace, I realized that a two-person team from the Reconnaissance Command was operating behind the scenes.

“I think the Imperial intelligence unit has intervened. Asen’s commanders are being assassinated.”

“I’ve heard. They say they were killed by snipers.”

“Who else could have obtained their movements? And who selected the targets? This is clearly the work of the Reconnaissance Command.”

“Is it time for us to intervene?”

Nasir, who had been passive to avoid losses, changed his attitude around that time.

While he was cautious about Sanya pushing Asen aside and absorbing their forces, his pride was also greatly hurt by the fact that Hasan’s sorcerers were defecting to Sanya.

But I wasn’t concerned.

“No. Now is not the time to step in. Asen is still holding on.”

“Then what should we do? Will you move directly like last time?”

There’s no need for me and the Hasan warlord to intervene in the conflict. This is between Asen and Sanya.

In other words,

“…Is there any reason for us to step in? It’s Asen who is hostile to Sanya, not us.”

We don’t necessarily have to get our hands dirty.

*

“It’s Asen who’s at war with Sanya, not Nasir’s Hasan or the Abbas government.”

“That’s true.”

“Whether it’s gambling or betting, it’s always most fun to use someone else’s money. I’ll handle it, so just watch.”

“Alright. If you need anything, just let me know.”

I began activities in earnest to restrain Sanya, who was pressuring Asen.

First, I needed information. I used informants to detect Sanya’s movements and collect intelligence. Then, with Hasan’s help, I attempted to contact the Asen warlord.

“To push back Sanya, who has gained the upper hand, we need to cooperate with Asen. However, directly intervening in the conflict would have a negative impact on Hasan.”

Hasan had signed ceasefire agreements with both Asen and Sanya. Before entering the war, the two warlords requested Hasan to stay out of the conflict, offering substantial benefits.

If Hasan were to officially cooperate with Asen now, it would be seen as betraying Sanya. It would be as if Hasan had violated the ceasefire agreement and backstabbed them, giving Sanya justification to attack Hasan.

“To avoid giving Sanya justification, we must support Asen unofficially. We should provide help but avoid situations where we enter the battlefield alongside Asen.”

“Then what should we do?”

“First, we need to contact a high-ranking official from Asen. Very quietly.”

Nasir tried to arrange a meeting between me and a high-ranking official from the Asen tribe, but I declined his proposal.

Unlike Asen, Sanya doesn’t have an intelligence department, but they have the Reconnaissance Command’s overseas team backing them. They would be wary of Asen and Hasan cooperating according to Sanya’s intentions. If Hasan’s leader were to move directly, the probability of being detected by the Reconnaissance Command’s surveillance network would be high.

In other words, we needed to meet in a way that wouldn’t attract attention.

I looked for a collaborator within Hasan who had connections in Asen and could arrange a meeting.

And finally, I succeeded in finding an appropriate intermediary.

“Mr. Farid. A guest has arrived.”

“A guest? Who?”

“It’s Mr. Asud.”

Farid, the son of Nayan Al Bas, the leader of the Al Bas tribe.

He met all the conditions I had set. His father was Hasan’s accountant, so he knew many people in Asen, and he had kept his distance from the warlords until recently due to studying abroad, so he wouldn’t raise Sanya’s suspicions.

A playboy who had lived idly abroad before parachuting in. He had no achievements and little work due to his dislike of getting involved with warlords.

With such a background, he was likely to be outside the Reconnaissance Command’s surveillance network. Who would imagine that a playboy would discuss important warlord matters?

Imagination and creativity are among the qualities that intelligence agencies require from their employees, but those who present far-fetched possibilities are treated as crazy. And in intelligence agencies with vertical and authoritarian structures, intelligence officers find it difficult to be creative and raise objections.

I quickly exploited this rigid, toilet-like weakness of the Reconnaissance Command.

After arranging an appointment through Farid and visiting Asen tribe’s territory, I encountered an unexpected figure.

The niece of Sheikh Bint Al Asen, the leader of the Asen warlord—Jamila.

“It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Asud, introduced by Mr. Farid.”

“Nice to meet you, Asud. My name is Jamila. I’m Farid’s friend.”

Bint’s niece, who had provided the spark for this conflict, greeted me warmly. In very fluent common language of the Mauritani continent.

Like modern standard Arabic, the common language of the Mauritani continent is used only in limited fields. While regional dialects are used in everyday conversation, the common language is only used in official diplomatic documents and scriptures.

In that sense, Jamila was an extremely erudite individual. In a neighborhood where many people couldn’t even attend school, she had mastered the common language, a symbol of higher education.

Thanks to this, I could quickly skip the introduction.

“To get straight to the point, there’s an Imperial intelligence unit behind Sanya.”

I provided information about Sanya that the Asen side hadn’t grasped. Although Asen, which operated an intelligence department, knew a lot about Sanya, they hadn’t obtained information that Group 2 warlord was receiving support from the Imperial intelligence agency.

This isn’t particularly strange. No matter how experienced a warlord’s intelligence department might be, it can’t match a proper intelligence agency.

The Kiyen Empire is a powerful nation, and the intelligence agencies of powerful nations don’t lag behind even in intelligence warfare between countries. No matter how much the Asen warlord controls the intelligence network, the Reconnaissance Command wouldn’t easily leave a trail.

“In Kiyen, they call it the Reconnaissance Command. It’s a military intelligence unit that supports foreign armed groups that benefit the Empire. Right now, their friends are helping the Sanya tribe, which is in conflict with Asen here.”

“It’s well-known that Sanya is receiving help from the Empire. But I didn’t know an intelligence agency was involved. Why are you telling me this information, foreign gentleman?”

Naturally, Asen didn’t take the bait immediately. No matter how urgent the situation, who would believe a foreign stranger who came through a warlord with whom they had a ceasefire, suddenly saying such things?

Jamila concealed her intentions with a smile and probed my motives. It was an indirect refusal to cooperate.

Although things didn’t go as planned, I wasn’t flustered. Asen might have the clock, but time was on my side.

I cast the bait and waited in Hasan’s territory for a few days. Like an angler dropping a fishing line into a reservoir and waiting for fish.

As time passed, the situation at the front began to deteriorate.

Asen, having lost commanders to snipers, couldn’t withstand Sanya’s offensive with armored units and sorcerers. Elite units diverted to the rear to catch guerrillas were annihilated by sorcery in urban areas, and Sanya’s armored vehicles exploited the gaps left by Asen’s elite forces.

With the situation unfolding like this, it was Asen, not Sanya, who found themselves in a desperate situation. The Asen warlord, who had been resisting Sanya with the robust support of the Kiyen Empire’s intelligence unit, contacted me secretly less than a week later.

That’s how I met with Jamila again. The meeting place changed from Asen’s territory to Hasan’s territory.

This time, there was another guest.

“Nice to meet you, Asud. I am Mukhtar, in charge of Asen’s intelligence.”

Mukhtar Al Nur. The head of Asen’s intelligence department.

He, who ran Asen’s intelligence department, looked at me with quite an urgent gaze. He seemed quite anxious, having lost key commanders one after another to the Reconnaissance Command.

I proposed cooperation to Asen’s intelligence chief at that meeting. In an unofficial manner.

Asen’s intelligence chief wasn’t pleased with the proposal from a foreigner, but he had no other options.

As Sanya launched fierce attacks, he sought help from the Hasan warlord.

More precisely, from me, who was helping the warlord.

“The reason commanders are dying on the front lines is because the Imperial Reconnaissance Command has discovered your information. The deployed intelligence officers are few in number, but they’re skilled.”

“How can I help you?”

I decided to gladly use Asen.

“Let’s put out the urgent fire first.”

I devised a plan to overturn the support of the Reconnaissance Command detachment. Using the information about Sanya that Asen’s intelligence department had.

Asen’s intelligence department had been monitoring a warehouse located in the northwestern port for several years. It was a warehouse where Sanya stored ammunition, drugs, and illegally captured monsters for export overseas.

The warehouse was managed by orcs who usually dealt with Sanya. According to Asen’s intelligence chief, the orcs were the mafia of this place.

Around that time.

I received two useful pieces of intelligence from the Royal Intelligence Service’s operations team.

-‘A ship has arrived at the northwestern port. Weapons and ammunition sent by the Imperial army. They’re currently stored in the warehouse that deals with Sanya.’

It was intelligence that weapons and ammunition supported by the Reconnaissance Command for Group 2 warlord had arrived.

The intelligence didn’t end there.

-‘News from the branch is that Sanya seems to have borrowed money from the orcs. The orcs who manage the warehouse storing the military supplies they received.’

“What exactly does it mean that they borrowed money?”

-‘It means they advanced payment for goods transactions, meow.’

Sanya had borrowed money from the orc mafia. They demanded advance payment in exchange for providing more drugs than usual once the conflict ended.

From the perspective of the orcs who had maintained steady trade, Sanya was a reliable trading partner, so the orcs willingly lent them money.

This is very interesting news. Sanya borrowed urgent funds from the orc mafia, and the orcs are storing weapons that the Empire provided to Sanya. If I connect these well, I could take down the warlord, the mafia, and the Reconnaissance Command all at once.

After obtaining this intelligence, I contacted the head of Asen’s intelligence department.

“Burn everything! Don’t miss anything, burn it all!”

“We need to get out before the ammunition explodes! Hurry!”

The Asen warlord, who received the intelligence, raided Sanya’s warehouse. The warlord’s soldiers killed the orcs and set fire to the goods.

All the products stored there—drugs, monsters, as well as the gifts sent by the Reconnaissance Command to Sanya—were completely burned.

There was still time before the news of the warehouse attack reached Sanya. During that short time, I launched an attack on Sanya’s cannabis farm.

With Kamila.

-Whoosh!

“It burns well.”

Kamila, her face concealed by traditional attire, silently watched the burning cannabis farm. The sight of a massive field reminiscent of an American plantation burning down was a rare scene that couldn’t be bought with money.

Looking at the blazing cannabis field and the black smoke rising high into the sky, I made a joke as we left the scene.

“Looks like your skills from burning fields in Africa haven’t died. As expected of an experienced professional.”

“Shut up!”

*

The raids on the warehouse and cannabis farm were attributed to Asen.

In a situation where the war was turning unfavorable, Asen needed propaganda. They needed to calm the agitated crowd and give Sanya a taste of their own medicine in some form.

Meanwhile, the warehouse and cannabis farm burned down.

The news reached the ears of Asen’s intelligence department, which was closely monitoring Sanya’s movements. Upon receiving the report from the intelligence chief, Asen’s leader, Bint, ordered the news to be used for propaganda.

The Asen warlord claimed responsibility for burning the warehouse and cannabis farm. They widely publicized the news that they had cut off Sanya’s funding source.

This meant that Asen had not neglected to gather intelligence on Sanya,

and it also served as an implication that Sanya no longer had the means to pay the compensation promised to sorcerers.

“Did you hear? The cannabis field was completely burned down.”

“They say it was Asen’s doing? I heard about it too.”

“That enormous amount of drugs went up in smoke all at once. Can we still get our money?”

“I don’t know, damn… If I had known this would happen, I would have waited a bit longer.”

Sorcerers began to waver after hearing Asen’s propaganda.

As is often the case with propaganda, it was merely tailored to their advantage rather than the truth, but people tend to see only what they want to see.

“Excuse me. Will you still pay the promised compensation?”

“Please wait a moment, Sorcerer. The compensation will be paid sequentially on the scheduled dates…”

“How are you going to prepare the money?”

“……”

The fact that Sanya funds itself by selling drugs is information known even to passing children. Who would take the news that their funding source had turned to ashes positively?

Group 2 warlord proudly claimed that they had sufficient funds and wouldn’t have problems for a year. Most sorcerers believed in Sanya’s reputation, but some withdrew from the conflict.

However, there are times when agitation works. Because lies cannot withstand the truth.

Sanya succeeded in calming the sorcerers, but failed to persuade their creditors.

“I’ve heard the news. Can I be sure to receive the promised goods?”

The news that the cannabis they were supposed to receive had been completely burned reached the ears of the orc mafia.

The orcs visited Sanya to demand an explanation. Sanya’s position was that they could restore the fields and quickly supply cannabis once the conflict ended, but the orcs didn’t believe them.

“Let’s consider the deal off.”

The orcs declared the contract void.

They said they wouldn’t press for payment considering their past relationship, but they demanded more cannabis than initially contracted from Sanya.

Sanya succeeded in securing time as planned. However, in return, they lost a trading partner.

With the trust they had built, trade would likely resume once the tribe’s situation improved, but from the orcs’ perspective, they couldn’t just wait for Sanya to recover. The orc mafia, having lent a large sum to Sanya, began looking for new trading partners to fill the hole in their ledger.

The Hasan warlord.

Hasan, who hadn’t been involved in the conflict, had more cannabis than Asen and Sanya. Unlike the two warlords who had lost fields and manufacturing facilities in the turmoil, their facilities were intact.

The orc mafia designated Hasan as their new trading partner, and Nasir welcomed them with open arms.

That’s how Hasan succeeded in absorbing Sanya’s trading partners.

“This is the most valuable achievement Hasan has gained from this conflict.”

“Congratulations.”

Nasir smiled brightly at the rare respite. With two troublesome competitors becoming crippled and money coming in, it’s no wonder he was smiling.

“I’ve received a lot of help thanks to you, Asud. I won’t forget this favor.”

“Someone would have done it anyway. You would have benefited even without me, Nasir.”

“But your contribution is significant, isn’t it?”

“I just relayed information.”

The reason the orc mafia terminated their contract with Sanya was partly because the cannabis field had burned down, but also because untrustworthy news had reached their ears.

‘Sanya raided the mafia’s warehouse.’

‘Sanya never intended to pay in the first place.’

‘They tried to steal the goods and blame Asen, but failed.’

This was propaganda I had spread through informants over a few days.

The perpetrator of the raid was Asen, and the person who burned the cannabis field was Kamila, but the victim of both incidents was the orcs.

The orcs, with their eyes rolled back, scoffed at the far-fetched agitation, but it’s clear that the agitation raised doubts about Sanya’s ability to pay.

It was quite effective for hastily constructed propaganda. I had completely dried up Sanya’s funding source. Nasir seemed not to have imagined such a day would come. He genuinely admired it.

“I didn’t expect such a situation to be created in such a short time. Did you plan this from the beginning?”

“No.”

“That’s even more impressive.”

I exchanged drinks with Nasir, using the crisis of Asen and Sanya as a side dish. It was Mauritani’s traditional liquor, famous even across the continent.

“The conflict won’t last much longer now. With Sanya’s financial power, their coffers will hit bottom in three months at most. By then, Sanya will propose a ceasefire to Asen.”

Nasir, who had grasped Sanya’s financial status through informants, predicted that the conflict would be resolved within three months. I was thinking of ending the conflict within a month, two months shorter than his prediction.

After emptying his glass, Nasir asked a question. He was asking about future plans.

“Do you have a good plan to finish off Sanya?”

“Well…”

I leaned back on the sofa and fell into contemplation.

“Actually, the plan has been slightly modified.”

“Modified?”

“Isn’t the situation changing rapidly?”

Not only is Group 2 warlord pushing Group 1 faster than expected, but the biggest issue is the Emperor’s condition.

An Emperor with dementia and a Crown Prince attempting to seize military power. The Prime Minister of Abbas is closely watching the situation of the Imperial royal family and demanding the intelligence agency to bring intelligence quickly.

That’s why the plan changed.

“Those above want the conflict to end as soon as possible. Of course, Nasir, you don’t need to worry. The framework of the operation hasn’t changed, and it’s not good for Hasan if the conflict drags on either.”

I reassured Nasir and continued.

“As planned, our goal is to eliminate the Reconnaissance Command behind Sanya. By cutting the connection between Sanya and the Empire, we aim to ensure that the Empire can never exert influence in this land again.”

This was the part that Nasir and I had agreed upon. More precisely, between the Military Intelligence Service and the Hasan warlord.

Leoni added one more thing here. The Abbas government would co-opt Sanya, who had lost their backing. They would sever ties with the Empire but change their trading partner to Abbas. If possible, they would also keep the Asen warlord under control.

Of course, mentioning this in front of Nasir would be stupid. The future Hasan wants is for Asen and Sanya to be sorted out, with Hasan monopolizing all the benefits. So I didn’t mention it.

Suddenly, I remembered something Lucia had told me before. The demon who created alcohol as a means of corruption entices humans not with lies but with truth.

To reassure humans, the demon promises to speak without mixing in lies, only truth. However, the demon added that not all truths would be revealed.

I don’t know if that’s true or false.

Theology is Lucia’s domain, not something I need to worry about.

But one thing I do know.

There are people in this world who promise to speak only the truth, but don’t reveal all truths.

Moistening my lips with alcohol, I opened my mouth toward Nasir.

“So dealing with the Reconnaissance Command is the priority.”

*

Having lost their cannabis farm, which brought significant revenue, their trading partner the orc mafia, and the heavy weapons and ammunition sent from the Empire, the Sanya warlord sought help.

“We need the Emperor’s grace. Please send supplies and funds.”

“Emperor” refers to Nikolai VI, the Emperor of the Kiyen Empire. “Grace” symbolizes the abundant favor bestowed by the Emperor, often appearing in historical dramas in lines like “Your grace is boundless” to refer to the king’s favor.

The entity from whom the Sanya warlord requested material and financial support was the Reconnaissance Command. Since supporting warlords was traditionally the role of the Imperial intelligence unit, the Imperial Guard did not step forward.

But the result wasn’t good at all.

“What, you’re asking for more support? How can you suddenly come at us like this?”

The intelligence officers of the Reconnaissance Command who received the request were bewildered. It was a natural reaction.

From the beginning of the war, Asen, who received mortar support from sponsors in the Mauritani continent, unleashed powerful bombardments. Even though Sanya, equipped with armored equipment and sorcerers, was no pushover, there was no way to deal with the artillery responsible for the battlefield’s firepower.

The bombardment across the entire front line, the mortar shells fired by the rear infiltration team who infiltrated in vehicles with sorcerers, often chilled Sanya’s courage. Who could remain calm when shells suddenly fly from a clear sky and hit buildings?

Sanya requested heavy weapon support as soon as the conflict broke out. They begged for any spare mortars to be sent.

The Imperial Ministry of Defense had no reason to refuse that request.

With the northern issue resolved, weapons were in surplus. The five-year conflict had fattened the defense industry, and the Empire’s arsenals were filled with brand-new weapons fresh from the factory.

Giving away a few old mortars wouldn’t make a difference, so the Imperial Ministry of Defense generously supported them with heavy weapons. Mortars, field guns, explosives, parts to repair armored vehicles, and even fuel were packed tightly.

Where are those gifts now?

“The warehouse burned down.”

They’re all gone.

Having lost their gifts before even unwrapping them, Sanya began begging for help just one more time. And the Reconnaissance Command showed reluctance.

While supporting warlords with weapons isn’t a burdensome task, creating ships and documents to send weapons isn’t easy. If foreign intelligence agencies notice…

‘People of the world! Look at this! These Kiyen Empire bastards are causing trouble in the Mauritani continent…!’

‘What, Kiyen Empire, it’s you guys again?’

‘They’re ruthless, ruthless. These guys see international law as a pushover.’

‘Our neighboring warlord is armed with Imperial weapons? You son of a- Hey, don’t move! I’m going to bring a tank, no, tanks are a bit expensive. Anyway, I’ll bring troops and blow your heads off…!’

Although I hadn’t mastered mind-reading, I could almost hear the thoughts of the Reconnaissance Command duo.

Regardless of the situation, they had to maintain the reporting system. The Reconnaissance Command duo reported to their headquarters. After reviewing the plan submitted from the field, the Reconnaissance Command sent a message saying it was difficult to send items immediately, so they should procure weapons from the black market to patch things up.

“…Leader. What do we do now?”

“Since it’s come to this, we go to the black market.”

From that day on, the Reconnaissance Command duo began scouring the black market. Like I had done, they would visit armies and offer money to get weapons.

I began to carefully tail them.

“……”

For five days, I didn’t take my eyes off the duo. I woke up when they woke up, went to bed when they did, and even matched the food they ate.

By matching my lifestyle pattern with the Reconnaissance Command duo, I was able to gather some information. Behavioral patterns, negotiation techniques, counter-surveillance methods, even minor habits and preferences.

I obtained useful intelligence when I was rummaging through the garbage bags they had discarded. Among the garbage bags stuffed with plastic and paper smeared with food, cigarette butts were found.

“Local cigarettes.”

As I had noticed while monitoring from Hasan’s territory, the Reconnaissance Command intelligence officers were smokers. They seemed quite stressed, as they were constantly smoking.

The important thing is that they preferred indoor smoking. The Reconnaissance Command duo had a habit of smoking indoors rather than outside.

As soon as I realized this fact, I contacted my informants. I was curious if these bastards smoked in their safe house as well.

“Where is their lodging?”

-‘Sharjah Apartments. The best apartment in Sanya’s territory. They paid five months’ rent in the name of a Sanya tribe member for the top floor.’

“Ask the neighboring residents if they smell cigarette smoke.”

After inquiring around, the informant reported that cigarette smoke constantly rose from the lodging where they were staying.

At that moment, a good idea came to mind. I secretly entered Sanya’s territory and infiltrated the room where the Reconnaissance Command duo was staying. Then I opened the valve of the gas pipeline.

I rented an office in a nearby commercial building under an informant’s name and monitored the apartment from there until the date the Reconnaissance Command duo returned. I listened to the sounds inside through the bugs I had planted.

“……”

A van entered the apartment parking lot, and the targets disembarked. The duo walked up the stairs, unlocked the door with a key, and entered.

-Thud. Thud.

The sound of shoes hitting the floor was loud. Kiyen language with a dialect began to be heard mixed with noise. I turned on the recorder and wrote down the conversation while quietly waiting for the right moment.

-‘It’s damn hot. Do we have water?’

-‘In the refrigerator. It’s still cool.’

-‘Give me one. I’m going to dry up and die at this rate.’

Click, the sound of opening a water bottle follows. After gulping down the water and wiping his mouth, the intelligence officer rustled and took out a cigarette.

The sound of a lighter’s flint grinding was mixed into the conversation. It was a sound I had heard often and had been waiting for, so it came through clearly.

I took off my headset, turned off the recorder, and organized my equipment. There were busy sounds from outside, but I paid no attention.

After tidying up the office and loading the equipment into the vehicle, I quietly went up to the roof and lit a cigarette.

Taking a puff and exhaling, I looked up at the sky.

Red rain was falling in the clear desert sky.

“……”

I exhaled smoke and threw the cigarette butt toward the burning apartment.

Even if they were enemies.

I could at least give them a cigarette before they went.

*

When I returned to my lodging, the sky was dyed red.

I sat in front of the terminal and wrote a report to send to the company.

[The Reconnaissance Command detachment duo has been eliminated. Local authorities concluded it was a fire caused by gas leakage. The targets were smokers who habitually smoked inside the safe house, so based on testimonies from surrounding residents, the cause of the fire was determined.

Even if counter-intelligence agencies launch an investigation in the future, there is no evidence to link the deaths of the Reconnaissance Command intelligence officers to the Military Intelligence Service.]

The assassination was successful.

Assassination through fire is a method often used by intelligence agencies to disguise it as an accidental death. Not only can it kill, but it can also destroy evidence, making it one of the best assassination methods available.

“……”

As I continued writing the report, I suddenly thought.

The Reconnaissance Command has lost its intelligence officers. They might suspect assassination, but without evidence, they will likely conclude it was a loss of life due to individual carelessness.

But what the Reconnaissance Command has lost is not just the lives of intelligence officers. With the death of the officers in charge of the region and supporting Sanya, operations will halt unless new intelligence officers are dispatched.

How will the Reconnaissance Command respond here?

Will they continue to spare no support for Sanya until the end? Or will they try to cut their losses?

Sanya has already lost a lot. Drugs that were their funding source, the orc mafia that was their trading partner. Sorcerers who heard Asen’s propaganda began to doubt Sanya’s capacity, and some withdrew from the conflict.

The weapons and ammunition they had invested time and budget to support were all burned. The attack was carried out by Asen, but the location of the warehouse was leaked because Sanya’s security was breached.

Then.

How will the Reconnaissance Command view Sanya, who has lost funding, reputation, weapons, and ammunition?

What’s certain is that the intelligence officers who would make decisions in the field are dead. And there’s no Emperor to give final approval for support projects.

“……”

I decided to bet that the Reconnaissance Command would close the project and withdraw.

Rather than pouring resources into a warlord across the sea that might be a bottomless pit, they would focus on monitoring military exercises of neighboring countries at the eastern border.

Intelligence agencies have priorities, and budgets are limited. We’ll have to see what happens to the Sanya warlord, which has been pushed down in priority.

As I was organizing my thoughts and writing the report, Kamila appeared.

She naturally took the seat next to me and began to speak.

“Were you safe today too?”

I, who was typing on the keyboard, nodded.

“No problems.”

Seeming pleased with the answer, Kamila smiled slightly. Lowering her gaze slightly, she smacked her lips and continued.

“To be honest… I didn’t think you would succeed.”

“What?”

“The permission. Frederick didn’t like me working in intelligence, right?”

I leaned back in my chair and let out a slight sigh.

“Even if I had told you not to, you would have done it anyway. If you were the type to listen to what I say, you wouldn’t have come back in the first place.”

“That’s true.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

“I know. Hehe.”

Not a compliment, I said.

Anyway, she’s quite stubborn. How did the British intelligence agency manage to keep such an eccentric talent? They say the most bizarre things in the world come from Britain, but this is a bit…

The future of Britain. Is it really okay like this?

While I was lost in idle thoughts, a gentle touch began to climb up the back of my hand. When I turned my head, Kamila was making eye contact with her hand placed on mine.

“Thank you.”

“……”

“For helping me. And for worrying about me.”

I silently looked at her. Kamila smiled broadly and tilted her eyes.

After quietly staring at that sight, I prepared to flick her forehead. The magician, seeing my index finger and thumb sticking together, was startled and pulled back. It was an impressive movement.

How is she so fast? Anyone watching would think she’s a knight, not a magician.

Toward Kamila, who jumped up in surprise, I, who had been preparing to flick her forehead, opened my mouth.

“Don’t be too pleased. Even though the collaborator isn’t an intelligence agency employee, they’re someone outside the line, which makes it more dangerous. Please listen to me from now on.”

“I got it!”

“Always can’t even speak properly…”

I stood up from my seat with Kamila. We leaned against the windowsill.

The clear air coming through the wide-open window and the starlight of the bright night sky. The Milky Way spread against the backdrop of the vast desert is reflected in two pairs of eyes.

Kamila, who had been staring at the night sky, turned her gaze. Then, smiling broadly, she said this.

“Not bad.”

She says.

“Both looking at the stars together and working together.”

“I told you not to be too pleased. Even though it’s an intelligence agency, it’s just a civil service job, what’s so good about it…”

“Come on, don’t be like that. Frederick is good too, right?”

“No, he’s not.”

“Really? Truly?”

“Oh, come on.”

I was about to flick the giggling Kamila’s forehead but held back. What can I expect from her?

I looked at Kamila leaning against the windowsill. She was looking at me too.

“But I’ll keep my promise. The promise to help you whenever you’re in danger. Frederick will help me too, right?”

“Of course I should. Isn’t that what I’m here for?”

“Hehe.”

“Why are you laughing like that? What’s so good?”

“I wonder? Want to guess?”

“Sigh…”

I can’t help but sigh deeply. Instead of worrying about Britain’s future, I should worry about my own future. I’m in no position to talk about others.

“Don’t trust people too easily. I’ll save you if you’re in danger, but if the situation gets complicated, I don’t know what will happen to me either.”

“You say that, but I think you’ll end up saving me anyway. Like coming alone to rescue me if I’m imprisoned. Like in the movies.”

“Prison? How would I single-handedly extract someone from prison? I’m not the Six Million Dollar Man or something…”

I turned around and pressed the keyboard of the terminal.

The terminal, which had transmitted the encrypted report to the company, emitted a blinking light before turning off. All records stored in the pension card disappeared as soon as the magic power supply was cut off.

Having completed my report, I watched the stars with Kamila. The desert night under the bright full moon. As I silently looked up at the sky, I suddenly opened my mouth.

“…But I’ll try my best.”

Kamila laughs playfully.

Fingers poking at my side.

She, who had been teasing me gently, jumped up and ran out of the room as soon as I prepared to flick her forehead, and I chased after her.

I don’t know about anything else, but I think I can be certain of one thing.

At least in that moment of chasing after the fleeing Kamila, I too.

Episode 16 – The Six Million Dollar Man – END –