Chapter 68
Chapter 68
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: <Junni>
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Jain arranged the dishes with military precision. Just as she turned to leave, Tora suddenly wrapped her arms around her from behind. Jain jumped in surprise.
"I can't hold back anymore."
Tora's body was burning hot against her, in a state of arousal that defied comprehension.
"What..."
Tora planted a kiss on the nape of Jain's neck, her hot breath sending shivers down her spine.
"Tora, wait. Why are you suddenly so worked up..."
Tora rubbed her lips against the spot behind Jain's ear and murmured.
"Don't shower in the unit's communal showers. If there are any lesbians around, they might come after you."
"Who would go after... Ah..."
Tora nipped at her earlobe.
Her fingertips trailed down Jain's stomach and slipped under the waistband of her pants. Jain flinched.
"Whoever it is, they might have imagined it. Water droplets sliding down the lieutenant's firm, flawless body..."
"Don't imagine weird stuff..."
Jain trembled as she spoke, but Tora seemed not to hear.
Without any effort, Tora lifted Jain onto the table. Then, she tore Jain's T-shirt away like it was a scrap of tissue paper, her lips following the path downward.
"But Jain is mine."
Tora spat the words like venom.
"Only I can touch you."
"You're jealous of some imaginary lesbian... Tora, no marks... I have training..."
No matter how much Tora conjured up some fantasy lesbian to get jealous over, training was still training, and that meant using the communal showers.
But Tora wasn't listening. She left marks under Jain's breasts, on her solar plexus, and down to her stomach.
Yesterday, even in the heat of passion, she'd been careful not to leave any marks out of habit. Today, though, she seemed dead set on it.
"Tora, I really can't anymore..."
She lifted Jain's thigh, licking along the lines of her muscles to leave another mark, then whispered with lips as red as her eyes from all the teasing.
"Really?"
Tora rose languidly and asked.
Jain had once thought, watching Tora, that her voice could make a nun of a hundred years' devotion leap from her seat.
"You really can't do more?"
This time, it was a voice that could make a serpent on the verge of ascension after a thousand years of cultivation bolt from its spot.
Jain pulled Tora into an embrace and growled fiercely.
"You stay away from women. I might just shoot them all."
Then she kissed her.
Tora's lips curved into what might have been a smile, but it was hard to tell.
***
Rato opened the fridge door and spotted Tora on the sofa, deep in a phone call. She looked exactly the same as she had two hours ago—like a teenage girl reveling in her first boyfriend.
"You hang up first."
Tora said, then waited quietly before laughing and asking.
"Why haven't you hung up?"
She repeated this back-and-forth several times before finally ending the call.
Rato pulled out some floss from the fridge and asked.
"You like Summer Lieutenant that much?"
"She's the best. First woman I can actually picture hunting with."
Tora replied almost ecstatically. Rato stared at her intently before asking.
"What if I said I like the lieutenant too?"
Tora froze. Rato didn't look away and pressed.
"I'm your blood brother. Does that mean we don't share everything anymore?"
They stared at each other in silence.
Truth be told, if it weren't for the tribal tradition that brothers don't marry the same woman, Rato never would have married Nika. He wasn't even sure about his feelings for her.
So Tora knew this was just Rato testing the waters, probing her feelings for no real reason.
"The problem is socialism."
Tora suddenly stood up from the sofa and declared.
"What?"
Rato blinked in confusion. Tora shrugged dramatically as she passed by him.
"Socialism doesn't make sense from the start. Humans are inherently selfish, individualistic creatures. They love to monopolize things. That's why no socialist country survives."
"That's one hell of a way to dodge the question."
Rato looked exasperated.
"Jain is off-limits."
Tora said clearly.
"She's mine."
With that, Tora left the house.
She was sincere about Jain, at least, but it was a relief that Rato seemed to be returning to his usual self bit by bit.
As she walked down the street, Tora spotted Gamal standing in the garden of her house and approached.
"Thanks, Marty."
"Yeah, me too. For what?"
Gamal replied out of habit before asking back. Tora said.
"For locking the door last time."
"What door?"
"You know, with Jain."
Even then, Gamal looked utterly confused. Tora frowned.
"Wasn't it you?"
"What?"
"You gave her the note too."
Gamal looked baffled.
"Someone asked me to pass it on."
"Who?"
"Some stranger."
Tora studied Gamal and realized it probably wasn't him.
"Nah, nothing."
She started walking again, then suddenly glanced toward the house she was staying at.
'No way...'
It was ridiculous to even think it, but she couldn't help chuckling.
Rato seemed fine, at least. If he was meddling in her love life like this.
***
"Any changes in your state of mind?"
The doctor asked.
"I haven't noticed any changes myself."
Do-yeong, seated across the desk, leaned back in his chair with his arms draped over the armrests, fingers lightly steepled as he replied. The doctor asked again.
"What about anxiety or aversion to changes in your body or diet? Please be completely honest."
"I've been around Luas squadmates for so long that nothing feels particularly unfamiliar. And I had plenty of time to mentally prepare for the possibility of successful infection."
"And how about reactions from those around you? Do you feel any hostility from people close to you?"
Do-yeong shook his head.
"If anything, sometimes I wonder if I really turned Luas myself."
The transformation was that subtle.
The doctor glanced at Kartel and said.
"That injury you sustained was quite severe. You're not uncomfortable with things approaching your neck... or anything like that, it seems."
The doctor had noticed the tattoo on his neck and adjusted his words. He studied Kartel for a moment before finally looking up.
"You should be fine for redeployment on missions."
"Thank you."
Do-yeong meant it sincerely.
Mission bans during observation periods had left him itching for action. He understood the necessity, but since he hadn't noticed any major changes himself, it frustrated him even more.
The doctor said.
"The specialist evaluation will be forwarded automatically. You're free to go."
"Thank you for your time."
Do-yeong stood and headed for the door. Just then, the doctor added as if it had just occurred to him.
"Nice tattoo."
"Thanks."
Do-yeong replied and left the room.
The doctor finished organizing his files, stood, and stepped out. On his way back from lunch, he ran into a TASIL Project affiliate. The affiliate said to him.
"Take a look at this."
Since it involved classified matters, they went into a room to talk.
The affiliate asked.
"Did you interview Major Dufère?"
"Finished this morning. He seems ready for mission deployment."
The doctor added.
"It really is efficient, turning original squad members into Luas."
The affiliate nodded.
"With Luas born in different eras, each with their own unique traits, molding them into a unified military framework is a headache."
"True."
"But when it's an existing squad member who turns, they can deploy after a short observation period."
"For the government, it's a high value-add no matter how you slice it."
It saved the massive cost of training a new soldier, too.
"Now that we've got our first success case, the future looks bright."
***
One sergeant gaped.
"Damn, Major, you look insanely strong. Gonna piss myself thinking about you at night."
Do-yeong, who had wrapped his neck in a geometric tattoo to cover the scar, gave off the vibe of an ancient tribal warrior. He radiated an aura that said he'd chew up any enemy and spit out the bones.
But Do-yeong had never been one for vanity, even as a human—he paid little attention to dressing up.
So the sergeant could guess why he'd suddenly gotten a tattoo in such a conspicuous spot like his neck. He asked.
"Is it because Gamal couldn't stand looking at it?"
"No."
But Do-yeong answered.
"Then?"
"I didn't like how they were fixating on the scar instead of focusing on me."
"Huh?"
The sergeant blurted without thinking. He turned to watch Do-yeong casually pass by and open his locker. Had Do-yeong always been the type to say things like that?
Do-yeong changed into his combat gear and zipped it up. He closed the locker door and turned around. For some reason, people were staring at him.
Do-yeong frowned in confusion.
"What is it?"
"Nothing..."
The sergeant trailed off vaguely.
It was strange—even fully covered, Do-yeong exuded an intimidating presence.
He wore a functional high-neck thermal shirt underneath, so only the edge of the tattoo peeked out, but his eyes, his overall vibe—it had changed.
Especially the primal glint deep in his eyes, the kind that made any human freeze on sight.
"Let's move."
Do-yeong grabbed his helmet.
***
Do-yeong cautiously peered around the corner. The sergeant beside him whispered.
"Security's tight as expected."
That's when it happened. An enemy appeared from the far side, gun trained on them.
It looked like an oddly slow shadow.
He glanced back at his team—they hadn't noticed yet.
No time to think. Do-yeong instinctively launched forward.
Bang, bang-bang!
Gunfire rang out in succession.
The team cried out in shock.
"Seven!"
Ting.
A ricocheted bullet clattered to the ground.
He hadn't consciously registered that his body could now stop bullets. It was pure instinct.
And it felt strange. An unfamiliar power surged through his entire body.
He hadn't felt this during training, but facing the enemy made his blood boil.
Do-yeong grabbed the lower edge of his helmet—its visor shattered, blocking his view—and yanked it off.
Thunk.
The helmet bounced off the floor. His pale blue-gray eyes flashed with a red glow, like embers. His low exhale almost looked black.
The terrorist froze like a man facing a snarling tiger, then snapped to and shouted.
"The leader's a Luas...!"
He didn't finish. He flew backward with a sickening thud.
"Seven!"
The team shouted again, this time with a different kind of shock.
Crash.
Another terrorist sailed through the air like a cannonball, smashing through glass. The team watched in stunned silence.
***
"You got excited."
The handler said.
Do-yeong stood with arms crossed, hand over his mouth. As the guy who'd thrown tactics and teamwork out the window to turn the site into a warzone, he had no defense.
This wasn't his first time seeing something like this. Until now, though, Do-yeong had usually been the one reining in rookies who pulled stunts like that.
He'd thought he'd handled them with flexibility back then. At least more than this socially awkward handler.
"You've got years of team experience and top-notch mission skills, so I thought you'd be fine, but you'll need to complete the Luas adaptation program after all."
Do-yeong rolled his eyes as if pleading for leniency.
"I'm not pulling rank, but I am a major. You think it's fair to lump me in with the rookies?"