Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Outside the Core (2)
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Just hearing it sounded brutal.
At this rate, it might be better to just seal off the subway entrance. Was there some other reason we had to go down into the subway?
A question popped into my head, but there was no time to ask.
Yoon, who had been standing far off staring at some unknown spot, turned his head.
“Let's get started.”
He said flatly.
“There’s a mountain of stuff we need to move.”
“Where to?”
Yoon met my gaze at my question.
The man sent a dry look my way and pointed his thumb over his shoulder. Tom and Hessi followed the tip of Yoon’s finger with their eyes.
“That big building over there.”
His finger pointed to a massive white building standing amid the dilapidated structures.
It was the kind of building that must have boasted a wide, pristine site before the world went to hell. The glass windows reflected the sunlight, gleaming brilliantly. Green grass grew on the grounds, and turrets were positioned at every corner of the site.
What’s that near the entrance? Some kind of cannon?
“Library of Beginnings.”
As I observed the building, Yoon’s monotone voice flowed into my ear.
“It’s the first supply depot the Black Badgers created after Breath was established.”
***
We worked all morning.
Since we had a baseline level of strength, it wasn’t too grueling. But there was just so much.
We formed a line like ants and kept hauling supplies. Eventually lunchtime came, and we paused. We went inside and ate the lunch that had been stocked on the train. After lunch, we retreated to our respective train cars for about an hour’s rest, then headed back out on schedule.
Afternoon work commenced.
Before starting, Yoon approached Tom and Hessi’s masters.
“About the supply depot inventory issue. What exactly did that guy say?”
Yoon locked eyes with Karl.
“I heard it was from Tvein’s report.”
“Food supplies are decreasing,” Angela answered.
“One box less every night.”
“One box?”
Yoon raised an eyebrow.
Karl and Angela nodded. Yoon furrowed his brow slightly and muttered to himself.
“The missing amount is too vague.”
“So he’s asking if someone’s eating it or siphoning it off…”
Angela replied as she slipped on her work gloves to start.
“He thinks it’s most likely someone diverting it.”
“Whatever that guy claims, it’s not our concern. The facts matter, not his imprecise guesses—they’re useless.”
My master was consistently rude, without fail.
I admired his unwavering attitude. He wasn’t wrong, but… wasn’t the way he said it just too obnoxious?
But the follow-up conversation made me understand why Yoon had responded that way.
Because I realized who Tvein was referring to.
“So where’s that bastard right now?”
“He’s on his way back from D Zone. Should arrive here around midnight.”
“And the train?”
“He’s debating whether to take it back or not.”
“If he contacts again, forward it to me. And don’t mention the three rookies if he runs into them—it’ll just cause hassle.”
Yoon said indifferently.
“Especially Hildebert. He’s already got him marked as a parachute drop or whatever.”
“Senior Agent Jason Tvein?”
That guy from back then.
The one who’d been badmouthing Ye-hyeon in the corridor right after introductions. I’d only caught a glimpse of his blond head from behind.
Angela said she understood. Karl nodded silently.
I slipped on my gloves, gauged the mood, and mustered the courage to ask.
“Who’s Senior Agent Tvein?”
It might grab a living person by mistake.
The masters turned to look at me.
Yoon answered.
“The blond one who talked behind your back.”
Yeah, figured.
“Behind my back?”
Karl raised his thick eyebrows.
I gave an awkward smile. It felt embarrassing to explain the whole thing in front of the other recruits’ masters.
I just trailed off.
“I did join in a weird way, after all. My low recovery rate is a burden on the other Black Badgers… I get why he wouldn’t like it.”
“He just hates Ye-hyeon.”
Yoon said indifferently.
“So he hates you by extension since Ye-hyeon’s paying attention to you. Though that guy’s an old fogey too.”
“Don’t let it get to you.”
Karl said, studying my expression closely.
He must think I was holding onto the fact that I’d overheard the gossip. Not wrong—I was keeping it in mind.
“Senior’s explanation is spot on. He just dislikes the Commander.”
“Why does he hate him so much?”
Hessi asked.
She’d said she admired Ye-hyeon and aspired to be a Black Badger, so it made sense she’d wonder why someone hated him.
Yoon answered again.
“Because Ye-hyeon got promoted.”
Huh?
For real?
“He thinks the credit for subjugating a 10th-stage creature all went to Ye-hyeon. The guy’s ridiculously simple-minded.”
“Really just for that…?”
“Officially, Ye-hyeon got promoted for delivering the killing blow on the 10th-stage creature.”
Officially meant there was more to the story underneath.
But Yoon didn’t elaborate, and Angela picked up.
“If he contacts again, I’ll forward it to you, Senior.”
“Yeah.”
Yoon nodded without enthusiasm.
The man turned his head to stare at something and spoke.
“Let’s finish restocking the supplies first.”
People began moving with disciplined efficiency.
***
Work commenced. Like in the morning, we got to it without a word. We lined up like ants and hauled the cargo. I was too busy moving quickly to avoid getting in the way to even wonder what was inside.
By the time we finished, the sun was setting.
The last box passed into Yoon’s hands and settled inside the library. The master, who had vanished inside briefly, emerged with his hands shoved in his pockets.
“How’s it inside?”
Angela approached Yoon as he walked out onto the grounds and asked. The master didn’t spare a glance at the approaching Black Badger. Even as he walked, he kept staring at something.
The same direction as before. What the hell is this guy looking at?
Yoon spoke without tearing his gaze away.
“Doesn’t look like much at a glance.”
“So someone really is diverting supplies?”
I narrowed my eyes, trying to figure out what he was seeing.
What are you looking at…?
“If the discrepancies keep up, we’ll have to report in more detail to the top…”
“Send in the three rookies.”
Choppy words.
Click. The sound of Karl assembling and chambering his gun shifted the mood. The sunset dyed the surroundings. The languid atmosphere tautened in an instant.
Hessi, who’d been sitting on the asphalt, leaped to her feet. Tom, removing his gloves beside me, straightened his spine.
Angela cut her words short and turned her head.
And that’s when I figured out what Yoon was looking at.
[Creature ‘Witch’. 5th stage. Floats through the air and fires energy blasts. The better the witch, the stronger the blasts. Spears and swords are better against it than guns. Weak point: head. No fixed habitat. Never sighted inside the Core.]
The codex spoke.
So it explains like this automatically when you encounter a creature. I was glad I didn’t have to ask what the rags appearing one by one on the horizon were.
Karl whipped his head around.
“You three, get inside the library.”
He said in a heavy voice as he walked toward Yoon and Angela.
“Don’t come out until we’re back.”
“We can fight too!”
Hessi shouted, gripping her gun with both hands.
“Let us fight!”
“Why are there so many…?”
Angela’s startled voice rode the wind.
And their numbers kept growing.
The horizon darkened. Yoon, with the bored look of someone watching dull TV, pulled out a pack of cigarettes.
“Looks like they came for the rookies.”
“Huh?”
“Let’s save time. Just like you said—send the three rookies to the library.”
Yoon ordered, a fresh cigarette dangling unlit from his lips.
“We’ll go welcome them.”
“Senior!”
Hessi rebelled.
“We came out here to fight!”
“It’s not about protecting you by stuffing you in the library—follow orders quietly.”
Yoon pulled something from another pocket that looked like a car key.
He pressed the beep button, and an engine roared somewhere.
“I don’t give a damn about your lives. Split up. Rookies defend the depot. The rest wipe those out.”
“Yes.”
“Yes, Senior.”
“Defense team—find the cause of the missing supplies if you can.”
Three pitch-black motorcycles burst from inside the library.
The unmanned bikes pulled up beside the masters and stopped. My eyes widened, along with those of my fellow recruits. Guess there were things like that inside the depot too.
Yoon hopped onto a bike and turned his head.
His black gaze flew straight to my yellow eyes and stuck.
“I want to clock out right after the job’s done.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Search every inch.”
“We’ll check every corner and report back.”
I had no clue what to do, but I answered enthusiastically.
Tom, who’d been silent until now, spoke calmly.
“We’ll hold the rear.”
“Stay alert.”
Angela, mounted on her bike, warned Tom.
“There’s a ton of them—can’t predict when some might break through that way. Defending the depot is critical. Don’t think of it as a small task—give it your all.”
“Yes, Senior.”
“Watch the fuel tanks.”
Karl jerked his chin toward the library.
“Energy blasts hit them, and it’s a catastrophe.”
So there were fuel tanks on the library grounds too.
The revving engines filled the air boisterously. In a flash, Yoon sped off on his bike.
Vroom!
The two-wheeler charged forward amid the deafening engine roar.
Karl and Angela stuck close behind Yoon. The seniors, who’d accelerated to insane speeds, vanished in moments. We watched the bikes race through the ruined city, then backed toward the depot, eyes fixed on the shrinking dots.
“Let’s get to it.”
I turned my head once the masters had shrunk to thumbnail size.
Hessi, biting her lip. Tom, with his composed expression.
They looked back at me and nodded.
I turned my body.
“Let’s head inside the library.”