Paju Urban Warfare (1)
I finally understood why I'd found the northern Gyeonggi assignment so odd once I grasped the current state of the country. Gangwon Province, once a haven for the other races, had long since become a playground for the monsters and a lucrative hunting ground for hunters. The southern Gyeonggi and Chungnam regions, being close to Seoul and featuring wide plains, had become the new settlements for the other races. Naturally, Mobile Rescue Team 1, which specialized in the other races, was responsible for covering a wide area that extended to Chungnam in emergencies.
So why had Elite Team 4, which usually handled monster subjugation and rescue missions, suddenly been sent down to the relatively peaceful Chungnam where the other races gathered?
"So, would someone please explain?"
In the association's conference room, team leaders filled the back seats while the higher-ups sat clustered at the front table like witnesses at a hearing. When I cut straight to the point in that solemn atmosphere, every eye in the room turned to me at once.
"What? Isn't that a perfectly reasonable question?"
I shrugged shamelessly, and a familiar voice spoke up from the seat beside me.
"No... I was just surprised that Myungmin asked such a sharp question after so long."
It was the former Team 1 leader, now Team 4 leader. His silver-gray wolf ears perked up as he answered. I desperately wanted to reach over and squish those fluffy ears with both hands, but I was an elegant woman who knew her social standing and dignity, so I held back.
"By the way, what made you want to switch teams with me?"
When I pressed him pointedly, he drooped his wolf ears and gave an awkward smile.
"Me? I need to send my kid to daycare this time. So I begged the higher-ups to move me to Team 4, which has a relatively lighter workload outside of rescue missions."
'Well... I can't really complain about a patriot protecting his family's peace.'
If I nitpicked someone trying to maintain domestic harmony, I'd only look petty. That left only one target for my sharp, angry arrow—the association higher-ups sitting up front who had banished me to northern Gyeonggi.
"Ahem... Everyone, stop making faces and look at the screen first."
One of the old men on the stage cleared his throat, and a beam projector lit up the white screen at the front of the room. A newly reorganized map showing each team's jurisdiction appeared. The old man circled the red-painted northern Gyeonggi region with his laser pointer and began to speak.
"I'll start with Team 1, since you all look the most displeased."
"Yes, yes~ I'm dying to hear what brilliant excuse you'll come up with."
I crossed my arms and leaned back against my chair, shooting him a crooked look.
"Come on, Charon, don't put me on the spot. I mentioned it briefly on the phone last time, but the monsters coming out of northern Gyeonggi lately are really nasty..."
The old man sighed heavily and continued.
"So we're moving Team 4, which specializes in rescue missions, to the relatively safe south, while asking Team 1—with its combat power and... ahem, reliable healing ability—to handle the rough work in the north."
"Haa..."
I let out a long sigh.
"You're only saying things I can't argue with, so I have nothing left to say."
Honestly, arguing over territories when it came to saving lives was ridiculous. Besides, if the higher-ups had gathered all the busy team leaders just to give this briefing, they must have put serious thought into the decision themselves.
When I showed signs of acceptance, the old man smiled with relief.
"So don't feel too hard done by just because Team 1 is going to the dangerous area. Starting with this reorganization, we'll be rotating all teams' assigned regions on a regular cycle."
The moment those words left his mouth, groans erupted from the other team leaders behind me.
"Are we soldiers guarding the front lines or what? Now we're doing rotations too."
"If I'd known this would happen, I would've just stayed a hunter..."
As the room grew noisy, the other higher-ups tapped their desks to restore order.
"Now, now, quiet down! We stayed up for days and nights deliberating over this too. The government keeps asking what the association is doing, so what choice do we have? This affects everyone's livelihood, so please understand."
"Oh my, so you're saying the country forced you to send us into danger. How touching."
I twisted my lips and delivered a sharp retort. But the old men, long since immune to my spicy tongue, merely laughed it off good-naturedly. They brushed aside my barbed joke and began flipping through the projector slides, explaining the changed regions to the other team leaders...
The long, tedious briefing finally ended. Without hesitation, I kicked back my chair and stood up, then strode out of the conference room without a second glance.
"Haa... Sitting still and listening to armchair theories really isn't my style."
Muttering to myself, I headed toward the elevator. I was thinking I'd go down quickly and cleanse my eyes by looking at my kids in the waiting room when I realized I didn't need to bother. They had already come out into the hallway to meet me.
"What? Why are you all gathered here like a flock of clouds?"
When I asked with wide eyes, the cat demi-human Felis wagged her tail and answered brightly.
"Hehe~ Spica's combat uniform finally arrived! We all came together so she could show Mama first~"
'Is getting a combat uniform really something to brag about to everyone...?'
I recalled hearing that for people who worked in the field, combat uniforms were no different from suits or even shrouds. I clicked my tongue inwardly, but when I turned my gaze in the direction Felis pointed with her tail, an involuntary gasp escaped my lips.
"Oh..."
Mirae, dressed in a jet-black tactical uniform just like mine, was glancing at me shyly while fidgeting.
"Hehe... How do I look? Do I look like a hunter? Does it suit me?"
"Uh... Not bad. The fit's good too. Did you pack all your medic equipment?"
At my question, Mirae patted the tactical pouches at her waist like a fresh recruit standing at attention.
"Yes! From strong anesthetics to patient restraints and even a gag to bite down on! Packed everything perfectly!"
"Pfft... Those aren't patient tools, they're all dedicated equipment for Big Mama."
Just then, the Team 4 leader who had followed me out from the conference room slapped my back and ran off cackling toward the end of the hallway.
"That bastard...!"
I wanted to chase after him right away, grab those wolf ears, and shove in some painfully intense healing, but I forced down my rising killing intent. My Team 1 kids were standing right in front of me, eyes sparkling and tails wagging as they looked only at me.
'Yeah, an elegant mom can't lose face because of some beast. Hold it in, hold it in.'
Since all of Team 1 was gathered and Spica was already in her combat uniform, I thought we might as well head down to the training ground and test how well she had adapted to the team. But this damned world, as always, wouldn't grant us a peaceful moment for long.
[Mobile Rescue Team 1 on standby, Mobile Rescue Team 1 on standby.]
At the loud siren echoing throughout the building, I let out a small sigh.
"Haa... I wanted to ask if you guys used the cosmetics you bought at the department store earlier."
Sirius grinned at my words.
"Hehe~ We can talk about that while riding the helicopter, right?"
Belpe, standing beside him, calmly added,
"Yes. It's still standby, not deployment, so we might get lucky and the situation could resolve itself midway."
At times like this, Sirius with his tail and Belpe seemed far more mature than me. I chuckled at the kids' positive attitudes.
"Yeah. Let's hope so. Let's go for now."
"Yes! Mama!"
Spica answered in a loud, disciplined voice. The sound of "Mama" echoed down the hallway, and the remaining staff and team leaders nearby glanced over with smirks. I shot them a sharp glare.
'You want to call me Mama without getting cursed at? Then at least grow some animal ears and a tail. Or be as cute as our Spica.'
After giving the grinning bastards one last glare, I led my team and ran toward the deployment waiting room. We flew down the emergency stairs in one go. As always, we changed into our tactical black uniforms with efficient movements, received the heavy shotguns and shields Sirius handed us, and sat in the waiting room chairs to catch our breath.
But today was different from usual. Instead of our team's brain, Belpe, giving the briefing, an association staff member wearing a tie entered the waiting room with a stiff expression.
"Whenever the association sends someone down in person, it's always a headache-inducing, difficult mission..."
I made the joke to ease the tension slightly, pretending to be relaxed. But the staff member didn't seem in the mood to play along. He skipped the greetings and got straight to the point.
"The dispatch location is Paju. Specifically, the village where artists gather."
"Ha... Of all places, it's the northern area we just got assigned. It'll take quite a while to get there."
The staff member gave a short nod at my complaint.
"Yes. We'll conduct the detailed situation briefing inside the helicopter. Please prepare for immediate deployment."
There was no time left to make excuses and back out. I shot to my feet.
"Let's go."
I put on the black helmet beside my chair, securely strapped the large shield to my back, and finally gripped the shotgun's handle tightly with both hands.