Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Ambush (2)
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"Brace for impact, everyone!"
No sooner had I shouted than the vehicle shook violently and soared into the air with a deafening roar.
Boom!
The world flipped upside down in an instant.
A tremendous shock sent my body flying through the air before slamming into something. Dull thuds mixed with the team's pained groans.
"Ugh..."
How much time had passed? My consciousness faded back in amid the ringing in my ears. I checked my body first—no major injuries.
Fortunately, I felt no real pain. The airbag that had burst in front of my face had absorbed most of the impact.
'But this airbag... it feels incredibly soft and squishy...'
Wait a second. Did the military vehicle I was riding even have airbags?
I lifted my head. And that's when I saw the true nature of the 'airbag' I'd been buried in.
When I came to, I was face-deep in Lea's massive breasts, my face and both hands sunk right into them.
Her voluptuous chest had perfectly cushioned the impact, leaving me unscratched and intact.
"...Are you done? Mind getting off now?"
Lea glared down at me with eyes so cold they carried a hint of murderous intent. I flinched involuntarily at her icy stare and pulled away from her.
"Ah. Sorry."
I apologized in a hurry.
"Ow, ow. What the hell happened?"
A quick look around showed the vehicle interior in total chaos. The military truck had flipped completely, and the team members were groaning as they pushed themselves up one by one.
'Thank God no one got seriously hurt.'
I silently thanked Lea's ample breasts in my mind.
"Damn it, no idea if Marcus is okay."
Sera, having snapped out of it, cursed as she unlatched the troop compartment door on the overturned vehicle. The crash must have damaged it—it wouldn't budge right away.
"Tch. Wanna go?"
Sera kicked the door hard. After a few solid impacts, the dented metal flew off with a thunderous clang.
Bang! Bang! Crash!
The heavy iron door swung open, flooding the interior with outside light. But in that moment, I sensed something off.
The world through my eyes was drenched in blood-red. Like viewing everything through a thin, transparent crimson cellophane film.
And in that red-tinted world, two vivid red lines glowed sharply, slicing through the air like laser pointers.
'...What is this? No one else can see it?'
I glanced around. The team was busy tending to the injured and assessing the situation. No one mentioned the bizarre sight I was witnessing.
"I'll check outside. Lea, just in case, get ready for emergency aid on Marcus."
"Got it."
Sera was the first to stand and head for the open door.
Right then.
I watched one of the two red lines aimed at the air shift precisely toward Sera's forehead.
That's when I realized what the lines meant. It was unmistakable targeting.
"Get down!"
I yelled and yanked Sera back inside by her collar with rough force.
"Ack! What the—?!"
Sera's protest cut off with a sharp gunshot.
Bang!
The bullet grazed the space where her head had been a second ago. The ricocheting round sparked off the vehicle's interior armor.
"...Gasp!"
Sera realized what happened, her face draining white as she swallowed hard.
If I hadn't pulled her, her head would've exploded like a watermelon by now.
"...Sniper."
Carlson, now alert, muttered in a low voice.
"Joo-hyuk, how'd you know?"
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Carlson's sharp question drew everyone's eyes to me.
"Come to think of it, you warned us to brace before the crash too. Care to explain that as well?"
Carlson added. His tone was calm, but it carried unspoken pressure—he'd act on my answer accordingly.
'He's a battlefield veteran. No way a simple bluff fools him.'
I didn't make excuses. I told the truth.
Of course, no way was I mentioning my ability.
"First was instinct, second was deduction."
I answered nonchalantly.
"Instinct and deduction."
Carlson raised one eyebrow, his expression screaming, Are you kidding me?
"Yes. The first was pure gut feeling."
I met his gaze head-on without flinching.
"After countless battlefields, you develop senses logic can't explain. I trust my 'instincts.' And they've never let me down. Same here—I had a strong premonition something was wrong right before the crash."
Carlson fell silent. He stared into my eyes, weighing my words.
Among mercenaries, there's a kind of myth around unexplainable 'instincts.'
Veterans who've survived death countless times always have such stories. If so, he'd know my claim wasn't total nonsense.
"...And the deduction?"
When Carlson spoke again, his tone had softened a bit.
"Simple. The crash couldn't have been internal. No way a skilled driver suddenly wrecks, and maintenance would've caught any vehicle faults before departure. Leaves just one answer: external attack."
I shrugged and continued.
"The ambush aims to neutralize us. Most effective way? Flip the vehicle, trap us in tight quarters, and pick us off as we exit. In that scenario, the optimal attack is a long-range sniper shot. Anyone who thinks it through sees the first out the door is prime target."
As I finished, a smirk tugged at Carlson's lips.
"...Absurd story. But your instinct and deduction hit the mark."
"Just lucky."
Instead of pressing further, Carlson clapped my shoulder and said something unexpected.
"C-Team's got itself a real lucky charm."
A faint laugh colored his voice. Like a predator acknowledging a new strong contender in its territory.
"No way, Squad Leader! You're letting that slide? Instinct? Deduction? Bullshit!"
Predictably, Sera jumped in, fuming. She clearly thought my explanation was ridiculous. Fair enough—she'd nearly died.
Carlson gave her a faint smile.
"Sera. Sometimes the world defies explanation. Especially in our line of work. Whether Joo-hyuk's got real instinct or something else, what's key is you survived because of it."
His words carried subtle weight. He'd decided not to probe my ability's nature, just accept the result. Then he added,
"And Sera, he's your lifesaver anyway. Shouldn't you thank him?"
"Ugh..."
Sera's face flushed at his nudge. She hesitated, then approached and murmured softly,
"...Joo-hyuk, thanks."
Her voice trembled faintly. The fire from moments ago was gone. I found her like this oddly cute and replied offhandedly,
"Save the thanks. We're squadmates."
Sera stared, momentarily speechless, then nodded slightly and returned to her spot.
Watching her back, I started to understand why this world's 'Kim Joo-hyuk' had been so hung up on her.
"So, Joo-hyuk, what's next?"
Carlson asked me. His tone held trust, not doubt—ready to heed my judgment.
Finally, he'd acknowledged my edge and started treating me as an equal partner.
'Would've preferred a woman saying it, but...'
"That's what I want to ask you. Any leads, Squad Leader Carlson?"
He was still the team's commander. Me jumping ahead would overstep and bruise his pride.
Besides, this body's original owner had no info on our situation.
Getting my intent, Carlson pondered before speaking.
"Two groups know our mission. First: Titan Security. But killing us gains them nothing—pure loss. Failed VIP rescue would tank the company's rep."
His analysis was ice-cold and spot-on.
"That leaves the second option."
"Right. Yuseong Group, who hired us."