49
Chapter 49
Gurgle gurgle-
Plop!
Parang's head popped up above the water's surface.
This is definitely the right place.
She looked around.
Mountains, mountains, mountains, mountains.
Well, it is the Korean Peninsula. It seems she came quite a long way down the river.
There was nothing but lush mountains all around, with a river flowing between them.
Adding the thick water fog to the mix, the atmosphere was truly imposing.
Anyway, why on earth was she called out to a place like this?
It was a suspicious place no matter how you looked at it. It was also far from Parang's home.
Did they really think Parang would come?
......That was what she thought, but if it weren't for what she had been through recently, Parang would have come here completely clueless.
Thinking, 'Ah, so it's a secret scout, or something like that.'
It was so blatantly suspicious that it actually had the effect of not looking suspicious at all.
The name value of the World Government also played a part.
No matter how shady or unpleasant they seemed, they were still the government.
It was a move that exquisitely dug into the loophole of perfectly normal thinking: 'There's no way the government would call me out just to assassinate me, right?'
However, a brilliant move that digs into such a loophole is completely useless if the opponent is perfectly aware of it.
Just knowing that the government was trying to kill her meant Parang was entering the game one step ahead.
She dreaded to think what would have happened if Cylo hadn't contacted her first.
Anyway.
Parang stepped onto dry land and looked around again.
There was nothing particularly suspicious.
From now on, Parang planned to put on an act for the World Government.
A naive B-Rank Hunter who knew absolutely nothing.
She would become Yoo Parang, an ordinary, everyday Hunter who was excited to get a chance to build a connection with the World Government after hitting it big.
She repeated to herself.
'I am a loser....... I am a loser.......'
"Everyone, she is a total loser. She trips if you stick out your leg, and gets all depressed if you steal her food."
Ugh, why did that suddenly come to mind?
Feeling like an actual loser, Parang shook her head and changed into her suit.
Hmm, there is nothing special here, so the meeting place is.......
"Nice to meet you."
"Uwaaaaaaah!!!!"
A voice suddenly came from behind!
Parang was so startled she nearly flipped over.
Seriously, where did this person come from?
Barely succeeding in holding back the activation of Departure, Parang glared at the person in front of her.
An officer-like uniform with the World Government insignia. Her face was covered by an entirely white Mask without even an eye Hole, making it impossible to identify her. With long black hair and her physique, she seemed to be a woman.......
Above all, medals, so many medals. On her shoulders, chest, and arms. She practically screamed that she was a high-ranking official at first glance.
For now, she's a Government lackey. A bad person. A dangerous person.
While raising her guard to the maximum, Parang continued her act of being a loser.
"Wh-who are you?!"
"Are you Hunter Yoo Parang?"
A monotonous voice without highs or lows, like the ones you often hear at a bank counter. It seemed slightly modulated, as a faint mechanical sound mixed into the androgynous tone.
A person who clearly looked high-ranking and secretive.
"Are you Hunter Yoo Parang?"
The exact same tone as before. Because her thoughts were chasing their own Tail, she had forgotten to answer.
Act as flustered as possible, just act. If they found out about the information Parang had, they would try to kill her immediately. Then the information and everything else would be utterly useless.
Besides, I asked a question first, so what's with the sudden interrogation. It rubbed her the wrong way a bit.
So she deliberately gave a crappy answer.
"Ah, yes. I am."
"......Confirmed."
She wasn't entirely sure since she couldn't see the woman's eyes due to the Mask, but Parang definitely felt it.
This woman had just performed a Ritual directed at the river behind Parang.
"Please follow me."
Does this mean she won't launch a surprise attack here?
That gave Parang a bit of breathing room.
"Um, excuse me, who are you? Are you really from the Government?"
"That is correct."
"Aha....... Could I at least get a brief explanation of why you called me here today? I haven't heard a single word about it. It's not something bad, right?"
"No. Hunter Yoo Parang. We simply want to cooperate with you. On a personal note, I also enjoy watching your broadcasts."
Ah, cooperation. Sure you do.
Do you send a Strike Team to someone you want to cooperate with?
Of course you enjoy the broadcasts. You must be watching with glaring eyes to find Parang's weaknesses.
Parang snorted inwardly.
The Mini Yoo Parangs inside Parang's Head were already fully prepared to crush the Government with all their might.
In a desolate field, countless mini Parangs held torches, farming tools, and cooking utensils, strengthening their resolve.
Still, she learned one hopeful fact from that answer.
The Government still didn't know that Parang had noticed their malice.
Confidence +1 for Parang.
But she still hated the Government all the same. The title of the woman standing before her was downgraded to 'Government Bitch' in Parang's mind.
Still, she had to do what she had to do. She answered earnestly.
"Wow, really! I'm honored!"
"The honor is mine. It is difficult to talk here, so could you follow me?"
She must be in a rush to ask her to follow twice. Well, it was understandable.
Since they lacked information on Parang, it was much better to lure her to their solid home ground.
From here, she could think of the number of possible things that could happen to Parang.
They could be divided broadly into three.
I had ended up seeing that number again.
First, a case where the World Government attempts assassination.
Second, a case where the World Government attempts capture, kidnapping, or incapacitation.
Third. A case where the World Government attempts appeasement.
The lower down the list, the lower the probability of it happening, and the greater the benefits Parang could reap.
Having already made plans for each scenario, Parang obediently trudged along.
A little tense, she followed the Government bitch in front of her.
And so she trudged endlessly up the mountain path.
Because she swam for six hours a day, Parang's Stamina basically far exceeded that of an ordinary person.
While guarding her surroundings just in case a sniper shot came flying, she couldn't let it show, so she kept watch using her peripheral vision, hearing, and sixth sense.
At the same time, she climbed a steep mountain path that didn't even show signs of being maintained.
After walking up for some time, something that looked man-made finally appeared before Parang's eyes.
Surrounding Barbed Wire, thick-looking Exterior Walls, and an exterior painted gray for some reason even though it was camouflaged in the mountains.
It was the absolute epitome and standard of a 'Secret Base in the mountains'.
It felt like if you grabbed a passing bad guy and shook him down, he would instantly spill the location of this place.
Since there had been no gunshots on the way here, the probability of 'assassination' among the three possibilities Parang thought of went down slightly.
"Please wait a moment."
The Government bitch walked up to the Barbed Wire and touched something.
Parang peeked over her shoulder and saw her open something that looked like a fuse box with a clank, pressing the buttons inside click, clack.
Eventually, a cold male voice flowed out from the Speaker inside.
"Blood, Tears."
The Government bitch answered.
"Poison, water."
Beep- clank.
The door opened after the alarm sounded once. It seemed to be a passcode.
Parang carefully went inside. The teleportation device in her Suit Pouch was ready at any moment. Of course, Departure hidden in her hair was as well.
"Technology that blocks or distorts a warp does not exist yet."
This was the definite answer she had received from Cylo.
If it was impossible with Cylo's technology, then it would be impossible for anyone on Earth.
There was no worry about Parang's escape being blocked.
The station Parang planned to warp to would be occupied by Cylo in advance, so there was zero chance of her getting into trouble right after arriving.
One Warp Device within arm's reach, and another deep inside her clothes. She had brought two.
It was to minimize the situations where a problem arose with Parang's safety.
Tense, she headed inside the Barbed Wire gate.
She couldn't see it properly earlier because it was hidden by the bushes and trees, but the inside was slightly different from Parang's imagination.
What she saw as she entered was a scene just like a US military base in a Movie she had seen in her past life.
Muscular men and women doing push-ups in rows and columns in one corner, and well-maintained, gleaming giant military Weapons on the other side.
For Parang, who didn't know much about the military, her impression was just that the thing with wheels was a tank and the pointy thing was... a missile?
Tents were pitched here and there, casting shadows, and a few equally burly men and women were taking a break while fanning themselves with their hands.
Seeing how they didn't pay any attention to Parang at all, they seemed to have been briefed in advance.
Parang carefully scanned their eyes and expressions.
'They don't seem particularly possessed or anything.'
Anyone could tell they were robust Soldiers.
Parang continued to follow the Government bitch while pretending to be suitably impressed.
Then, in front of the Bunker in question.
This time, the Government bitch took out a Card Key from her clothes and placed it against the Keypad next to the door.
Then she stood right up close, staring intently at the Keypad.
It felt like it was probably an iris scan or something like that.
"Turmeric powder."
"Let There Be Light."
The passcode, one more time.
Then, with a clank, rumble, and a whir, the door opened, and Parang was able to enter the World Government's incredibly secretive and shady Secret Base in the forest.
Inside was a dull, gray Hallway with not a single person in sight.
Even though it split off occasionally and formed crossroads, there were no signs whatsoever to guide the way.
And yet, the Government bitch navigated the paths without a moment of hesitation.
Parang followed her, trying her best to memorize the route.
Trudging along like that for quite a while again.
Finally, Parang and the Government bitch arrived in front of an Iron Door.
An Iron Door that looked thick even at a glance.
"Please enter."
Because the structure bent into an L-shape as soon as the door opened, the inside couldn't be seen.
Parang followed the Government bitch inside.
The passage that she thought was an L-shape was actually zigzagged, designed so that the inside could never be seen from the outside.
And finally. Parang passed through the passage following the Government bitch and confirmed the appearance of the room.
Inside the entirely gray room, various machines welcomed Parang.
A chair that looked like an operating table with several pointy arms attached, a bed with an Iron Chain, and a Brazier heating up on one side.
One Bathtub, and one toilet.
A surveillance Camera in each corner, making a total of four.
The walls were full of bizarre-looking pieces of metal.
'Aha.'
Only then did Parang realize the World Government's intentions.
Why they had called her out to this remote place, and why they hadn't shot her dead immediately.
What they wanted from Parang.
After all, one look at this space made it obvious.
'This is my first time in a Torture Room.'
What would I have done if I hadn't brought Departure.
Clank.
From beyond the passage Parang had walked through, the sound of the Iron Door locking could be heard.