Chapter 86: Ambiguous (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 86: Ambiguous (2)
In the Seoul Branch of the Earth Defense Union, Team Hunter Killer is considered the best, with Team Special Force ranked at an equal level. But while these two are hailed as the elite, they aren't exactly famous.
Twenty years have passed since the war with Spacetro began. The world, once thrown into chaos by the alien invasion two decades ago, regained stability at a rapid pace due to the invaders' surprisingly peaceful methods.
Naturally, public interest shifted away from Superhumans. The media focused more on celebrities and current events than the weekly duels. In truth, there was nothing inherently wrong with this. Even if Superhumans were fighting to protect the Earth, the situation had remained stagnant for twenty years. It was only natural for people to lose interest.
However, in this climate, a few Superhumans committed acts so atrocious they rendered the hard work of others meaningless. Their behavior worsened the public perception of Superhumans, who were already being framed as tax-wasters who failed to produce results.
Furthermore, there were Superhumans even within the Seoul Branch who repeatedly engaged in behavior that earned them public scorn, yet received only a slap on the wrist due to manpower shortages.
In terms of notoriety, no other team could compare to the infamous Team Guerrilla of the Seoul Branch.
The moment I saw him, I had a nagging feeling of uncertainty. I couldn't quite place where or when I had met him. But his reckless behavior instantly dragged a memory from the depths of my mind, and I realized who he was.
It was the day I first met Hayoung. He was the man who had been hurling abuse and violence at an employee in the restaurant where we’d gone for a quick lunch.
"Everyone, stay still."
Then, as now, he was causing trouble for the table I was sitting at, but the circumstances were different. Unlike that time when I was alone and could handle things quietly, I was now out with my colleagues. If I acted rashly here, there was no telling how much the situation would escalate.
If this were deemed a duel outside of the scheduled timeframe, we would be disciplined for breaking the rules. Since we would be violating regulations currently prioritized by Spacetro, we wouldn't be able to protest even if we were reassigned to another branch.
Some of my colleagues might find it unfair, but we knew we had no choice. No matter how much time had passed or how much the world's interest had waned, the fact remained that we were invaders. Therefore, even if the Superhumans acted indiscriminately, we had to be the ones to exercise more caution and care.
The sudden intrusion at our table soured my colleagues' moods instantly, their eyes flashing with murderous intent. But upon hearing my words, their reason returned, and they smoothed out the hardened expressions they had directed at the man approaching us.
"Ah, sorry. Were we being too loud?"
Kruger gave an awkward smile and reached out a hand to calm him down, but the man brushed it aside and glared at Kruger with eyes full of drunken malice.
"Sorry? Fuck, you've got to be kidding me. These bastards..."
I didn't know why he was being so aggressive and hurling verbal abuse at us. I didn't think there was a specific reason. He probably just had a bad day, got drunk, and we became his target.
People who turn violent after drinking are usually like that. There is no logical reason behind their actions or anger. Trying to understand him would be foolish, and even if I tried, I knew I wouldn't be able to.
"Indigo. Knock it off. They look like they're about to piss themselves."
Indigo. I felt like I’d heard that name when I ran into him before. It was likely a codename rather than a real name, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that, with the previous incident added to this one, the perception of the superhuman Indigo was now firmly etched into my mind.
"If you want to gather in a group and giggle like idiots, go rent a private room. Why are you being so goddamn annoying?"
I don't go to team dinners often, but I'm not ignorant of the atmosphere. Whether back on our homeworld, during the invasion of other planets, or out in space—I've been to enough gatherings to know that a pub or a drinking party is supposed to be cheerful and lively.
As expected, there was no logical reason for his anger or his actions.
And frankly, we weren't even being that loud. Knowing we had to keep a low profile, we never did anything to stand out, even during team dinners.
We had simply caught Indigo's eye while he was drinking. Since his superhuman physical abilities meant taking on several ordinary men was nothing to him, he had picked a fight, intoxicated by a sense of useless bravado.
"It's just that it's been a while since we've had a team dinner. We'll be a bit quieter."
"Hey."
Kruger tried his best to calm Indigo down as our representative, but Indigo, seemingly offended by the perceived lecture, grabbed Kruger by the collar and became even more aggressive. The other colleagues nearby rushed to stop him, but Kruger shot them a look telling them not to interfere.
If several of us got involved at once, this could spiral out of control. I had to wrap this situation up somehow, so I stepped forward, signaling my colleagues to move back.
"I think it would be best if you calmed down for a moment. There are many other customers in the shop..."
Before I could even register the pain in my abdomen, I was rolling across the floor, knocking aside the blue plastic chairs scattered throughout the pub.
"!"
Only then did I realize Indigo had kicked me in the stomach. The pain itself wasn't unbearable, but the delayed shock of the impact and the fact that I hadn't expected him to resort to violence like this made my thoughts grind to a halt.
We were already the center of attention. My colleagues, unable to call out my name easily, hesitated before helping me to my feet.
"Calm down? Customers? I'm telling you I'm pissed off because of you lot, and you think that shit matters?"
He was even more impossible to talk to than I’d imagined. Spending time with the Hunter Killer members had made me forget that not all Superhumans are good. No, perhaps all Superhumans are good. Who could call those who fight desperately every week to protect their planet "evil"?
Being an invader myself, I knew all too well that an invader is evil to the inhabitants of a planet. But Indigo and his teammates were definitely "evil" Superhumans.
Even as their comrade hurled abuse and violence at people who might just be civilians, they sat there drinking and snickering at the spectacle. Even if they weren't directly involved, they were clearly cut from the same cloth.
"Sir. You can't do this."
Amidst the grim atmosphere, the owner came out to try and stop Indigo, but Indigo didn't even listen. He grabbed the owner by the collar and lifted him up. The tall Kruger had remained still while being grabbed, but the owner, being lifted off the ground, struggled for breath and batted at the arm holding him.
"Ha—fuck. Every single one of you thinks you can look down on a superhuman."
I had to stop him. Things had already escalated too far, and my first thought was that we couldn't allow any more damage. But even with that thought, the fact that there was nothing we could do remained unchanged.
"Everyone, don't do anything."
I strictly warned my colleagues who were supporting me not to act rashly. Using force to escape this situation wouldn't be difficult at all. It might even look like self-defense, but the weight of Indigo's actions—not knowing we were Spacetro—and our actions—knowing Indigo was a superhuman—was different.
Above all, I felt that if I used force here, I would become the same kind of person as him.
Meanwhile, Kruger's expression had been dark ever since I was kicked. He was a man with a strong sense of camaraderie and leadership. Having traveled through various units with him for a long time, I knew his personality well.
I could see him clenching his fists as if he were about to unleash his strength on Indigo at any moment, despite suppressing his rage to the limit. Ignoring the eyes around us, I called out to him.
"Kruger!"
At my loud voice, both Kruger and Indigo turned their gaze toward me. Indigo was looking at me too, but his gaze wasn't the one I needed to worry about.
"Calm down."
Just as I knew Kruger, Kruger knew me. I didn't know exactly what he thought of me, but at the very least, he must have realized that I was trying to act more rationally than anyone else in this situation.
His stiff expression relaxed, but the problem was Indigo.
"Calm down? Calm down? Did you just tell me to fucking calm down?"
He threw the owner to the floor, shoved Kruger aside, and approached me.
Thinking my colleagues supporting me might get dragged into it, I shook off their hands. Understanding that I wanted them to keep their distance, they took a step back.
The solution to the current situation was clear: don't respond to whatever Indigo does and hope he gets bored and leaves. I knew it was a lukewarm response.
There's a saying among Korean soldiers: if a fight breaks out while you're drinking, avoid it at all costs.
Positions exist for a reason. Just because you have power and ability doesn't mean you should ignore your position. Spacetro considers invading through more peaceful methods as a rule that forms the very root of the organization.
We were just average soldiers with mediocre strength and abilities, but we could have responded to Indigo's actions. However, our position and the current setting dictated that we shouldn't.
Suppose we suppressed him with force and ended the situation. Looking at this incident alone, it would be self-defense and acceptable behavior. But looking at Spacetro as a whole, a single small action of ours would turn us into outlaws.
"Go ahead, try and make me calm down. Try it!"
He threw a bowl of sauce from a nearby table onto my clothes and slapped me across the face. It wasn't just a light tap; he hit me hard enough to send me reeling—the word "slapped" was perfectly apt.
But I didn't waver. I was angry about being slapped, and I was angry about being treated so unfairly. Still, I had to endure. If I acted rashly here, it would make things difficult for our team leader, Luche, who I knew was probably enjoying her own dinner.
She was handed a defeat every single time, including today. I couldn't place any more burden on Luche, who never blamed us for those losses.
My colleagues felt the same. Kruger, seemingly unable to contain his rage the moment I was slapped, tried to move toward Indigo but was kicked to the ground by one of Indigo's teammates who flew in.
I looked at Kruger with steady, unwavering eyes, and he regained his composure as our eyes met once more. We had to endure. That was all we, as mere soldiers, could do. I never imagined the team dinner we’d come to enjoy after finishing our hard training would turn out like this. It was the worst dinner ever.
"Pathetic bastards, making me lose my temper."
By the time some more time had passed, all the other customers had fled the shop, and my colleagues and I were sprawled on the floor. Indigo, looking down at us with a contemptuous gaze, spat on my clothes.
Our clothes were filthy and the shop was a mess, but we had endured.
There's a saying that enduring is winning, but that didn't apply here. Above all, it wasn't a matter of winning or losing. By enduring, we were able to prevent a potential catastrophe.
After venting their frustration on us to their heart's content, Indigo and his group left the shop.
I slowly approached the owner, who was weeping in despair as he looked at his ruined shop.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes. Are you... are you okay, sir?"
"Yes. Don't worry about us."
Strangely, the police hadn't arrived, but perhaps that was for the best for us.
"Did you report it?"
"Yes. But since those guys were Superhumans..."
It seemed the police were intentionally avoiding an immediate response because the perpetrators were Superhumans.
Though I hadn't wanted to, I felt like I’d caught a glimpse of why Earthlings viewed Superhumans unfavorably, and the feeling was wretched.
After helping the owner up and assisting with a rough cleanup of the shop, we stepped outside. A lot of time had passed, and we were in a sorry state. No one spoke, but we all knew what we had to do.
Just then, a smartphone rang. Pulling it out of my pocket, I saw a video call from Luche. My colleagues, seeing the screen, let out short sighs.
"Hey. Everyone, act drunk."
Then, I answered Luche's call.
— Huh? What? Why do you guys look like that?
Luche's surprised face was clearly visible on the screen as she saw our appearance.
"Ah! Luche! We just took a bit of a tumble while playing around after drinking!"
I'm not the type to get high-strung when drunk, but I forced myself to act wasted, telling Luche it was no big deal. My colleagues joined in, making drunken noises beside me.
— If you're going to drink, do it properly and get home safely. You're not hurt, are you?
"We're fine! You know how sturdy we are, don't you?"
Kruger, whose face had been grim the whole time, put his arm around my shoulder and shouted toward the screen. Luche shook her head as if she were fed up with us idiots.
— Good grief, I called just in case... Is the dinner over?
"Yes! we're heading home now!"
Ban, Jack, and Rondo—all looking like a mess—spoke with the bravado of people who’d caused trouble while drunk. Luche smiled, seemingly convinced we’d had a fun time.
— All right. Everyone get home safely, and make sure you show up for next week's duel.
"Understood! See you then!"
"Sleep well, Team Leader!"
"We love you, Team Leader!"
The call ended amidst a series of shouts. As the screen went black, our expressions hardened again.
"Sigh... what a load of shit."
"Do we have to report this? Luche will be so worried."
"This is a headache."
Following the sigh from Ban, who had been acting drunk right next to me, Jack and Rondo added their own comments. Just as they said, I wondered if reporting this was the right thing to do. It wasn't an official event by any means; it was just a scuffle at a pub. And we had stayed still to prevent any potential fallout.
"Let's keep our mouths shut for now. We'll report it if things get bigger."
Everyone understood the intent behind Kruger's words. I agreed with him as well. Even so, one thing weighed on my mind.
"Is that really the right call?"
Ban raised the question. Everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing as their eyes turned to Kruger. I spoke up in his stead.
"Does 'right' or 'wrong' even matter?"
In the context of a war movie, we were just common soldiers who appear in one frame and die without anyone knowing when. As I said before, we, who failed to grasp victory every time, couldn't let Luche shoulder any more burdens.
After parting ways with my colleagues and arriving at my front door, I remembered that Yubin was waiting inside. It was the first time she was seeing me in a while after her trip, and I hated showing her this side of me. I was angry that I’d ended up like this.
As I checked my battered appearance one more time, the dirty T-shirt caught my eye.
I bought this on our first date.
It was one of the shirts Yubin had picked out for me when we first went shopping and went on a date together, and now it was so filthy I could hardly look at it.
Knowing that agonizing over it wouldn't change anything, I punched in the door lock code and stepped inside.
"Oppa!"
Yubin, who had approached with a bright voice, froze when she saw me. Without a word, I took off my shoes, walked into the house, and leaned down into her arms. Yubin held me, despite my disheveled state.
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
I nodded silently at her gentle question.
I hated that Yubin had to see me like this, and I felt a surge of rage at the thought that the actions of Indigo and his group were ruining all the hard work of the Hunter Killer members.