Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Emergency Assembly (3)
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Yoon was pissed.
It was justified. This wasn’t just ignoring me—it was disregarding my master’s orders. There was no way they didn’t know my master was Choi Yoon, so they must have figured he wouldn’t catch wind of this incident.
Either way, this guy wasn’t about to let it slide.
Yoon kicked Doson in the gut as he tried to stand.
Thud.
“Bash your head.”
A regular person would’ve died.
Even for a Badger, that was enough force to damage organs. Sure enough, Doson let out a agonized scream and rolled across the ground.
He probably wasn’t in any state to bash his head….
I slowly rose from my spot.
At the same time, Yoon shoved someone else’s head down, slamming them into the ground.
“You bash yours too.”
Who the hell was this?
“You thought I wouldn’t see?”
Oh.
It was the guy who’d shoved my back.
The two seniors bashed their heads against the asphalt.
We were in the heart of a ruined city.
In the thick darkness, heavy silhouettes caught the eye. Tall buildings loomed high, the asphalt cracked and mangled. An overturned SUV and a shopping cart from who-knows-where.
It must’ve been a bustling street once.
Now it just reeked of a gloomy apocalypse flick. I took a deep breath of the fallen city’s air. A faint paint smell wafted from the street.
The seniors bashed their heads on the solid asphalt and clasped their hands behind their backs.
Too bad.
“If you’ve got eyes, you know.”
Yoon spoke in a voice thick with irritation and unresolved anger.
“I’m squad leader this time.”
Right.
Truth be told, a squad leader was assigned every mission. When I’d left the Core to avoid Re-yeon, Richard had been squad leader. For the Colosseum mission, it was Ricardo.
This time, it was Choi Yoon.
I’d seen it on the hologram floating in the Portal Zone just minutes ago. That must’ve been why my master had griped at the personnel report.
Yoon continued in a low voice.
“Zone 14’s just us.”
He was seriously pissed.
“No eyes on us—that’s the perk of outside the Core. Right?”
The seniors who’d bashed their heads stayed put.
No one could miss the implication.
Yoon glanced down at the ones lying there like mice, then turned his head.
“Everyone, prone position forward.”
Regimental discipline.
I bent down following the seniors who dropped without a word.
Then my master grabbed me by the scruff.
“You stand over there separately.”
“Huh?”
That’d just make them hate me more.
The thought flashed through my mind, but it was quickly followed by, *So what if they hate me?*
Why bother sucking up to these typical rookie-breakers?
I moved to the side without arguing.
Yoon whipped his head toward the seniors lining up prone.
He began issuing orders in a flat voice. I watched with hands behind my back as they dropped forward and back on his command.
The punishment drill ended fast and fierce.
Finally, Yoon stomped the backs of the heads of the two who’d committed insubordination.
“Ah~ You were supposed to stop that, huh.”
The other seniors got up in a group.
One of them—tall, broad-shouldered—rubbed his neck as he approached me.
“Didn’t know…. Sorry. I’m kinda dense about this stuff.”
I stared blankly at him.
He wore a helmet and had his visor down, so his face was hidden. But the voice was male. Clear and straightforward, no malice or inferiority complex.
I stared at the senior beside him.
“Oh, can’t see my face?”
The guy snapped his visor up with a click.
Bright blue eyes appeared.
“Sorry. Forgot showing my face is basic manners.”
Even as he said it, he showed no sign of taking off his helmet.
And his eyes blinked oddly little.
Pupils sharp enough to rival my master’s.
“Senior Leonard?”
“Huh? How’d you know?”
Called it.
He seemed like Yoon’s type. I gave a small smile to the surprised guy who said, *Weird, first time meeting you.*
Why were all these people around me like this?
Going through Colton and Yoon had honed my ability to spot antisocial personality types, and it pissed me off.
Two was already too much….
The sociopath senior greeted me brightly.
“I’ll try to stop stuff like this next time. Sorry about this one.”
“No, I appreciate the words.”
“Let’s move out.”
Yoon’s voice cut the conversation.
“Past Zone 10 to Zone 7. Grab a bike each.”
Several motorcycles sat at the edge of the road we’d come from.
Not left here—they’d been brought via portal from HQ, like the models from the Library of Beginnings.
As I turned toward the bikes, someone zipped across my vision.
“Here you go, Senior!”
The fastest to reach a bike presented it to Yoon.
“Take it!”
Impressive.
I couldn’t do that. Admiring the quick courtesy, I headed to a bike.
Then I heard it.
“Sloppy moves?”
It was the senior who’d shoved my back.
Insane recovery.
Too annoying to deal with, I replied smoothly.
“Sorry.”
“Hey, rookie! What kinda manners is hopping on yours first?”
The one who’d just handed his bike to Yoon turned and yelled at me.
“Bring one for the seniors first, take the last one!”
Oh.
Atmosphere’s like that this time. I got off the bike I’d been about to mount.
I handed my bike to the rushing senior with a smile.
Now I got why Yoon had snapped at the HR Director.
“My bad, short-sighted of me.”
“Don’t screw up like that again.”
He hopped on and headed to Yoon.
My master was prepped to go, listening to comms.
That bootlicker must’ve been sure Yoon wouldn’t hear, so he nagged me. If Yoon had been listening, he’d have played nice to look good.
Anyway, I kept the smile on my face.
“Clueless punk.”
Beside me, the one who’d called my moves sloppy muttered as he mounted his bike.
“Gets attention and forgets his place.”
Everyone was on their bikes.
Things moved fast. Once my master confirmed we were all mounted, he took off. No extra explanation, as expected.
We raced after him through the decaying city.
Cracked asphalt, fallen poles, stalled cars blocking the way—it wasn’t easy.
True to B Zone, Creatures swarmed.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Badgers cleared blocking Creatures with gunfire.
Most we ignored and blew past, following Yoon’s lead up front. I quietly admired how he killed what he could on his bike and pushed max speed.
What a guy.
When would I get to cut off that man’s cloak tail?
Cold night wind slapped my cheeks. Motorcycle engines roared over the ruined roads, pounding my eardrums. I blasted a giant slug crawling onto the road and swerved.
Following the seniors, I squeezed between a bus and truck blocking the path.
Then I slammed the brakes.
Screeech!
“Argh!”
A senior had crashed on the road.
I braked desperately.
I yanked the bike sideways and barely stopped.
Whoa.
A bit closer and I’d have hit him.
Too shocked to speak, I felt my racing heart and looked at the guy by my feet.
He’d wiped out.
Smashed bike wreckage littered the road.
Panting, I finally said.
“Sorry.”
Gotta clean up quick and go.
“Hop on back.”
The senior sprang up and climbed on without a word.
I took off again without fuss. Naturally, Yoon wasn’t waiting. He’d pulled ahead quite a bit, so I floored it to avoid falling behind.
Speed climbed fast.
We ran over the wrecked bike debris.
“Hey, don’t gun it so hard!”
I ignored the senior hugging my waist anxiously.
“Too fast and even we’ll die!”
Falling behind slowly would end the same, though.
Stuck as two in a Creature-infested place, we wouldn’t last.
I didn’t voice it. Instead, I focused on catching the seniors, pushing speed until I settled nicely behind Leonard’s pace.
We didn’t stop until we hit Zone 7.
***
Yoon dismounted at the target point.
My master gave curt orders.
“Find a spot to handle incoming Creatures.”
Gun in one hand, he vanished into the dark city.
“Back in 10.”
He’s equally stingy with explanations to everyone.
I snorted softly, watching him melt into the shadows. We were in Zone 7 now. No clue why not Zone 5, or what exactly to do here.
At least say where you’re going and why.
I stared blankly at where Yoon had disappeared.
Creatures surrounded us.
None approaching yet. But I felt them lurking in the dark, watching. Too many to count—senses on edge weren’t even needed.
Even he’d be in danger alone.
I stood there sullenly when someone approached.
“Hey.”
I turned at the arm poke.
And faced the annoying one.
“Newbie. Didn’t hear the squad leader?”
This guy’s recovery was nuts too.
Kicked in the gut by Yoon and still coming for more—admirable grit.
I met Doson’s visor straight on.
“Heard it.”
“Then quit standing like an idiot and move.”
“Yes. Sorry.”
“You’ve been white-haired since you were a kid, right?”
Doson snickered at me.
“So’s your downstairs all white too?”
A couple Badgers who’d overheard burst out laughing.
I replied politely to the roaring seniors.
“Yes. Wanna see?”
I could see Doson furrow his brow through the visor.
“Cut the filthy talk.”
“Sorry. You seemed curious.”
“He says show it. Pfft. Hilarious, crazy bastard.”
“Total no manners, this guy.”
“What’re you gonna show~?”
“Lucia, don’t be dense, butt out!”
“Doson. Quit harassing the rookie and move.”
A senior holding his helmet called Doson in a soft tone.
I felt a flicker of hope looking at his kind face. This new one seemed normal. Good impression. Not as off-kilter as Leonard.
Yeah. At least one normal person….
“Nice to meet you, rookie. I’m Isaac Lane.”
Damn. One of the names my master spat out.
Hiding my disappointment, I shook his outstretched hand.
Nine minutes until Choi Yoon returned.
In that short time, all sorts of shit could happen.
I’d already learned that the hard way.