Chapter 22
Chapter 22
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Recruits (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I knew nothing, so I quickly changed the direction of the question.
"Why did you apply?"
I asked the brown-haired and red-haired recruits.
"Was becoming a Black Badger your dream from the start?"
"Of course!"
"Hmm."
Their reactions split clearly.
Hesi replied in a confident voice, while Tom made a sound like he was pondering his answer, just like me. I blinked and turned my gaze to Hesi, who seemed ready to respond right away.
Hesi poured cola into a paper cup with a glug-glug.
"It was my dream since I was little. Our family has been military, but I was the only one who wanted to be a Black Badger instead of a regular soldier. My younger brother followed in my father's footsteps and became a soldier."
Is there a separate military in this world?
Anyway, I nodded with a neutral expression.
The freshly made pizza was hot and savory. Before taking another bite of the pepperoni pizza with stretching cheese, I asked a follow-up question.
"Is there a special reason you wanted to be a Black Badger instead of a regular soldier?"
"I wanted to save lives, and I admire Ye-hyeon. I've grown up watching him on screens since I was young, and I've always thought he was amazing. I still can't believe I get to work under him."
"Yeah? Why do you admire him so much?"
"He's consistently devoted to rescuing lives as far back as I can remember."
A pure friend.
Or idealistic. Either way, I thought it was a bit unusual motivation for joining. Of course, I admired Ye-hyeon too. He'd bestowed a favor on me at great personal risk.
But could you admire someone you've only seen on screens that much?
I still didn't know what kind of person Ye-hyeon was. Of course, I knew he was a good and capable person. There was a kindness that emanated from his very presence. But aside from that, I had no sense of what he was like on a personal level.
Well. Knowing someone deeply and admiring them are two different things.
In fact, someone like Hesi might really be the kind of person who fits the Black Badger. Better than a guy like me who just ended up here by chance.
I nodded silently.
Tom, who had been sitting in the rickety chair, set down his pizza.
"I applied because I wanted to help others too."
He stared into space for a brief silence before continuing.
"...It's an honorable job. My parents always supported me."
"Ah."
I had nothing to say, so I replied briefly.
Then, feeling it lacked sincerity, I added a comment.
"Both of you have families cheering you on."
"Yeah. They can't see their grandchild or watch their son grow old, but they weren't surprised and understood. My younger brother opposed it at first, but later he supported me even more than my mother did."
"Did your family oppose it?"
Tom cautiously asked beside Hesi, who answered proudly.
I inwardly scolded myself for not anticipating the question would bounce back to me and smiled awkwardly.
"Ah, I don't have parents."
Silence descended in an instant.
I shouldn't have brought up family. No, I shouldn't have asked back. Why hadn't I stupidly realized the arrow of the question would naturally turn to me?
I regretted it as I saw the sorry expressions on my recruits' faces. This was entirely my fault for steering the topic wrong.
"Don't worry about it. Since as far back as I remember, I haven't had parents, so it's natural to me."
Their expressions worsened.
Argh...
"I mean it, don't worry. Hey, should we talk about something else now?"
"Sorry. I asked too rashly..."
"No. It was a totally natural flow. If you hadn't asked back, I would've felt hurt. So really, don't worry about it. More cola?"
"Uh? Uh, thanks."
Tom, who had been at a loss, took the cola I suddenly offered.
Hesi, who had been quietly watching me, set down his pizza and scratched the back of his head.
"Hey. I'm really sorry. I was chattering away excitedly without knowing your situation."
"It's fine! Relax and eat some pizza."
But the recruits didn't relax their expressions.
I would've felt the same in their shoes. Still, right now, I desperately wanted to break this awkward atmosphere.
I rolled my eyes frantically, scanning the room. There had to be something to change the subject. Anything—a weird poster, or talk about some rolling-around clothing brand...
My gaze locked onto one corner of the room.
"Is that a game console?"
At my mutter, the recruits' heads turned.
Hesi blinked his hazel eyes and nodded.
"Yeah. A console I've had since I was little. I haven't touched it because I still can't fully control my strength."
"What titles do you have?"
I asked absentmindedly.
Strange memory fragments popped up. Hands gripping a console. Titles scattered on a white floor. I was playing games with someone. When? The memory was hazy like fog, vision narrow like a frosted window.
A voice from beyond the white field of view.
'You really like games.'
You're better at it. ...At it. Part of the voice was smeared, not coming through clearly. But it was a familiar voice. Neutral and intellectual. Calm and full of goodwill...
"There's a lot. Want to play?"
Hesi's voice pulled me back to reality.
I glanced at the game console in the corner and nodded.
***
"Why are you so good?"
Tom's mutter fell into my ear in astonishment.
I returned to reality.
My concentration shattered, and sensations flooded in. The character crashing into an obstacle. The score filling the screen.
Dead. I stared blankly at the screen, still holding the Joy-Con.
Then I snapped out of it and looked up at Tom and Hesi.
They stood beside me, staring blankly.
"Sorry. I got too into it."
"Hey, that's a new record."
Hesi wasn't looking at me.
Instead, he stared at the thin screen with a dazed face. Tom nodded slowly, gazing at the same spot. His blue eyes were fixed on the screen Hesi had brought, unable to look away.
Feeling awkward, I turned my gaze to the screen.
I had just finished one round of the third title, a running action game.
"I've never gotten this far."
"This round was lucky. If you try a few times, you'll get here easily. It's not that hard."
"I've been playing this since elementary school,"
Hesi retorted. I shut my mouth, having nothing to say.
Tom, with his mouth slightly open, muttered to himself.
"Were you an e-sports hopeful?"
"...Uh. No."
Not sure, but anyway, I picked a more plausible answer.
Feeling embarrassed, I quietly set down the Joy-Con in my hand. But the recruits showed no sign of snapping out of it. Hesi blinked and suddenly started looking for his phone.
His movements were urgent.
"Photo."
He muttered as he picked up his phone.
"Photo. Don't turn it off. Let me take a picture."
"...Okay."
"Seriously amazing."
Tom looked down at me, who was baffled by Hesi's actions.
"If you'd gone into that, you'd definitely be a world-class star! No thoughts on switching careers even now?"
"Unfortunately, none at all."
"It seems like your true calling."
Tom genuinely seemed regretful.
"Why hasn't anyone scouted you?"
They're both exaggerating.
I watched with indifferent eyes as they fussed over taking photos of the score on the screen. I watched as they asked my permission—why ask me, I don't know—and sat on the bed to try themselves. I watched their disastrous scores due to imperfect adaptation to Enhanced Body, and their gaping mouths saying it was too hard.
It wasn't until nearly 11 PM that the gathering broke up.
Hesi handed me the console and titles as I headed back to room 304, and I didn't refuse.
***
Sunday night.
A gloomy, low voice fell over my back as I was immersed in the game.
"Hey."
I jolted with a silent scream.
"What are you doing?"
"Eek!"
The scream burst out belatedly.
I barely gripped the recruit's joystick that I'd nearly flung to the floor. I staggered, nearly fell over trying to stand, then whipped around like I'd been hit.
A man standing silently behind me.
I looked at the man who seemed to exude cold air and said in a hoarse voice.
"Senior?"
Yoon just rolled his eyes like a ghost, not twitching an eyebrow.
"Uh... Didn't you say you'd never bother me on weekends?"
"The situation changed."
The man replied in a voice devoid of any apology.
He pointed at the door with his thumb at me still standing there dumbly, not grasping the situation.
"We're heading out now."
"Huh?"
"Outside the Core."
No further explanation followed.
"Get ready to go now."
"Right now?"
I echoed stupidly.
No, what time is it...? I turned my head to the electronic clock on the dresser and realized it had just turned from Sunday to Monday.
Midnight?
Still dazed, I looked from the clock to my master.
He was wearing a black windbreaker and had a duffel bag similar to mine slung over his shoulder.
"You can sleep on the way."
My master seemed to read the doubt in my stupid gaze.
"We're taking the train, so just pack toiletries or so."
"Train?"
"We need to deliver supplies."
Yoon said flatly.
"Your recruits and their masters are heading out too, so get ready without being late."
Hesi and Tom are going too?
I jumped up from my spot before asking more questions. I saved the game and hurriedly dressed.
Like my master, I found a windbreaker and zipped it up. I threw toiletries and a towel into the duffel bag.
"Let's go."
Yoon turned as I shouldered the duffel bag and stood in front.
I obediently followed behind my master. I'd been about to brace myself and sleep—what the hell. Good thing I'd showered early.
As soon as I stepped into the hallway, the lights turned on. We crossed the quiet hallway at a brisk pace. Down to the first floor in quick steps, past the dimly lit, silent lobby, and we were outside the dorm.
The cool, refreshing scent unique to midnight filled the air. People gathered in the pale darkness illuminated by streetlights.
Hesi and Tom. And the Black Badgers I'd seen in the auditorium.
One of them was the blue-eyed man I'd encountered when I first fell into this world.
"Loading complete, sir."
The blue-eyed man reported to Yoon as soon as he saw him. The man's voice was as low as Yoon's, mixed with a strange metallic tone.
Yoon nodded as he descended the stairs in front of the building.
"Disperse to your vehicles and assemble at the station. Arrive within 30 minutes."
"Yes, sir."
"What about the rookie's combat uniform?"
The brunette woman standing next to Tom asked.
That must be Angela. I recalled Ami casually saying to Tom in the afternoon, 'You heard from Angela, right?' From the distance, Angela seemed to be Tom's master, and the blue-eyed man Hesi's.
If I remembered correctly, the name was Karl Dow.
We hadn't exchanged names, but anyway, I nodded politely to the female senior.
Yoon, hands in his windbreaker pockets, answered dryly.
"I got it."
He pulled out a cigarette pack from his pocket.
"Report departure. See you in 30."
Angela, who had been receiving orders, and Karl, standing silently, nodded and quickly dispersed. Hesi and Tom, who seemed as bewildered by the situation as I was, followed their respective masters.
At least that's a relief. I'm not the only one who came out in a daze.
I followed my master, relieved.
The man, now smoking, stopped in front of a white new car.
"Get in."
"Did you get a new one already?"
"Yeah. Bought it yesterday."
Yoon got into the driver's seat indifferently and rolled down the window. I quickly hopped into the passenger seat.
The car smoothly started as soon as I closed the door. I watched Yoon exhale smoke out the window and stub the cigarette in the ashtray.
The acrid tobacco scent faded in the wind. My master's black hair whipped around in the breeze coming through the car window.
"Smoke?"
"...No."
"You wouldn't remember."
"Yes. To be precise, I don't recall."
As I answered, my master nodded indifferently and looked ahead.
I waited for an explanation, but silence settled.
The car sped smoothly and quickly along the road. I waited for the silence to break, then looked away from my master. He'd explain when the time came.
I took in the city flashing by with my mouth shut.
Current time: 12:05 AM.
He said arrive within 30 minutes, so wherever it was, it'd be dawn by the time we got there.