Chapter 112
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Aerial Fortress Apophis
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Aerial Fortress Apophis.
Something about the name felt ominous right off the bat, but first things first—Jin needed to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. He rubbed them vigorously with his index finger, like polishing a fogged-up lens.
Then he checked the status window again.
33,000 XP
(Not 3,300)
Jin squeezed his eyes shut.
The experience points felt like hush money from the status window itself.
Is this normal?
They convert all that hardship into numbers, slap on a white camellia, package it neatly in a black box, and call it a "reward," huh.
With that, Jin drew a deep sigh from his dantian.
Whether that mournful sound reached the other end or not, the colonel's voice came through the communicator.
[What'll you do?]
"Do I have to decide right now?"
[I can give you until tomorrow.]
"Got it. I'll call you."
After hanging up, Jin felt like he'd just had his nose slit wide open while wide awake.
Dazed, he sat back down with a dazed expression on his face. The two Linkers watched him in dazed silence.
"What's up?"
Kalifa asked. She'd been huddled with Dr. Andre, mapping out the drug lord's whereabouts and simulating post-op scenarios. It was only natural she couldn't follow Jin's words right away.
"You know Apophis? It's an aerial fortress."
"...Apophis?"
Kalifa tilted her head, unable to grasp how the conversation had drifted from "drug lord assassination contract" to "aerial fortress."
"Why an aerial fortress? Andre's not hiding out there."
Dr. Andre tossed out the question. He scooted his chair closer to Jin, lifting his hips.
It was meant to be a casual move born of curiosity, but coming from a gravel-voiced Black giant, it carried the vibe of a third-rate Solo demanding "Big bro!" respect.
Like, the charisma from sheer presence.
Of course, Dr. Andre was purely curious.
"You remember that colonel I mentioned? The one who agreed to escort Elina last time. Anyway, I called him up and—"
Jin hadn't gotten far into his explanation when the briefing room door opened. In walked a Solo, followed by Poh.
Wishing you luck.
The Solo, a gentle voice trailing behind him as he left the shop, spotted Jin and bowed in surprise. Jin paused his story and waved back.
Of course, he had no idea who the guy was.
Jin just wasn't the type to get cocky with a higher level, sticking his neck out all stiff-like. So the Solo, surprised twice over by the friendly response, clenched his fist triumphantly and headed out.
The Anecdote was empty of customers today.
Now with Poh joining, the group of four gathered at the center as Jin carefully recounted his call with the colonel.
And now.
"Oh ho."
Poh wore an intrigued expression.
As he poured cola into Jin's empty glass, bubbles popping with a fizz, he continued.
"Looks like the colonel's really taken a shine to you. A collaboration, no less."
"Collaboration, my ass. He's been nagging me to enlist nonstop. Even when I say no, he keeps at it."
"Must be 'cause you're such a good guy."
Poh replied offhandedly.
Thinking back, during his military days, Jin had been the unit star—beloved by all, superiors and subordinates alike, thanks to his affable nature and knack for getting things done. Even passing soldiers from other units greeted him warmly.
Yet the specialist sergeant (now warrant officer) had gritted his teeth and refused reenlistment.
No matter what, don't cross that line. Got it? What specialist sergeant? You're the specialist.
Thus, Jin had buried his soldier life in the frozen soil of Cheorwon after 21 months of service.
"Investigating an aerial fortress... That's a big ask."
Kalifa muttered, adding a questioning lilt.
"So what's this aerial fortress thing, anyway?"
"Exactly what it sounds like—a massive structure flying through the sky. More precisely, the dwarves' last ark from a thousand years ago."
"...Last ark?"
Jin quirked an eyebrow.
Ark brought to mind old man Noah.
Back when humanity had fallen, festering the earth with rot. The pious, righteous one who'd gotten a heads-up from God about the end times.
Were there dwarves like that?
His unbiased thoughts reached that point.
"It's the grandest relic of the long-extinct dwarves. It crosses the city's skies every 84 years, like it's in orbit. You might only see it once in your lifetime...!"
Dr. Andre said it with an oddly excited face.
"It's a living piece of history in itself."
Poh added succinctly.
Even from the description, the scale was extraordinary. Jin blinked.
"So, a massive architecture that's been flying for over 1,000 years? That's even possible?"
No way—infinite energy? Perpetual motion? That stuff directly violates thermodynamics. Pure fantasy in a universe bound by physics.
Had the dwarves overcome even that?!
Jin startled, but Poh's follow-up suggested otherwise.
"Rumor has it the ancient texts say it uses a dragon heart for power, but nothing confirmed."
"Dragon heart or infinite energy... Same impossibility."
Jin barely swallowed the words and chugged the cola in front of him. He slammed the empty glass down.
"Phew. So Apophis has crossed over the city at least 10 times by now. The city government assembles an investigation team every time?"
"Not every time. Tech issues, turbulent politics—no spare resources sometimes. And our info might not even be accurate. Needs more verification."
Jin crossed his arms at Kalifa's response.
What to do.
Dwarves.
The name echoed in his ears whenever he forgot about them.
Presumably, they'd perished with the elves in God's absence, now revered as lost technology incarnate.
A chance to board a masterpiece forged by master craftsmen(?).
Miss this, and it's 84 years.
Like a Uranus resident facing Black Friday.
Not that you have to buy, but miss it now, and you'll never see prices like this again. Psychological pressure.
Aaah, impulse buy, impulse buy me.
Jin unconsciously jiggled his thigh, and Dr. Andre, watching, spoke up.
"I'd love to help somehow, but no precedents for this op. Guess it all hinges on you, Jin..."
His mouth corner twitched upward—alone.
For the record, Dr. Andre had no intention of making his "one-time contract" with Jin eternal.
A Solo content to shine at the top of his own squad. If Jin investigated Apophis and returned?
His fame might skyrocket. His grin ascended uncontrollably at the thought.
But Dr. Andre wasn't obsessed with Jin's rep.
The moment he heard about the apostle crashing the Rotation, he'd gone berserk: "I'm going to save Jin!" Hooker and Greg had broken a sweat holding him back.
Anyway.
No matter what anyone said, Kalifa and Poh acknowledged Jin held the final say. A not-short deliberation followed.
Finally, Jin's decision!
"Screw it. Let's do it!"
"Whoa!"
Dr. Andre reflexively shot his hand up, then sneaked it down, eyeing the other two.
Jin whipped out his communicator and called the colonel.
"Hello? It's me—"
Downtown undeveloped landfill.
A transport ship touched down on land rarely trodden by humans—unless scavengers huddled around a burning drum barrel, scheming "How do we raid the city and escape this time?" or some petty plot.
Whoosh!
Gusts scattered trash with noisy flurries.
First to catch the eye: a symbol of a fist clenched around a hammer, circled.
The door bearing that emblem hissed open.
Someone leaped out almost simultaneously.
"...!"
Silver-gray hair whipped as her head swiveled.
The next instant.
Her pale green eyes locked on a man watching from a distance away from the transport.
Brief eye contact. Elina was already running.
Her strides unladylike, as if chasing her heart that had surged ahead.
"Jin—!"
She shouted joyfully and leaped straight into a full-body hug.
Jin lightly patted Elina's back. She's gotten so much brighter since I last saw her, he thought.
"Long time no see."
"58 days! You been good? Oh, I saw you in the Rotation. If not for that apostle, you'd have won for sure. So disappointing, right? Oh yeah—did you use the hotel card I gave you? It covers 10 years' fees upfront, so no worries going forward..."
Jin responded with dazed "Uh, uh-huhs" to Elina's machine-gun chatter.
He tilted his head back to look at Q approaching leisurely from afar.
Man, why won't she let go?
Elina had locked her long legs around his waist, arms around his neck.
Like a fighter from a judo wasteland homeland—maybe called boring, but who'd climbed to world No. 6 welterweight.
"Enough."
If not for Q's stern voice, Elina's reverse body triangle might've held indefinitely.
With that in mind, Jin caught his breath and spoke.
"You too—long time."
"Move. We'll talk en route."
Q jerked his chin toward the transport, face as impassive as ever.
Jin had no desire to chat amid the trash-strewn ground either, so he boarded the prepping ship.
There sat a familiar face.
"You made it?"
The colonel, sprawled beltless, waved a bottle.
"Huh? Didn't expect you personally."
"Told you—I'm Elina's probation officer. She threw such a fit about seeing you. I gave in once."
"Wh-when did I?!"
Elina fidgeted.
Q, fingers dancing over the touchscreen like piano keys, turned.
"Belts on. Departing."
No sooner said than engines roared earthward.
In the shaking cabin, Jin buckled into an empty seat.
"So, where we headed?"
"Outside city limits. Op base is there."
"Huh?"
Jin's eyes widened.
Outside the city?
Unthought-of destination.
"To prep for contingencies, we approach before Apophis enters city airspace,"
Elina said, now beside him.
"About three hours. Plenty of time to talk, right?"
"Self-control, Elina. This isn't a vacation."
Q's usual strict tone.
Issuing commands to the ship's AI, he eyed the colonel chugging booze and Elina chattering. Jin worried if the Law Enforcer functioned without Q.
"Decided quick, huh. Hic. Thought you'd stew longer."
"84-year chance. Miss it, regret forever."
"Fair."
The colonel nodded, fished a chocolate from his pocket, tossed it.
Jin caught, unwrapped it.
"Anyway, shouldn't you brief me? I said yes, but no details on pay or op."
This echoed Kalifa verbatim.
Don't just accept without basics! Lecture included.
The colonel continued.
"Fee's 300 million. Your price tag's shot up."
Gasp.
Jin's mouth inhaled deeply at the sum.
Hot dogs: 200,000!
Meatball spaghetti: 150,000 plates!
Fried chicken: 100,000 birds!
Rum Pump Pump!
Lightning boom boom boom in his head, best value for 300 mil.
Jin shivered sans XP as Elina slyly gripped his pinky.
"O-okay. S-so, rough plan? The plan?"
Tongue-twisted, Jin pressed politely.
The colonel sloshed his bottle.
"Simple: slow Apophis down. Then board it."
"Riiight... Huh?"
Jin's mind snapped back.
The plan was absurd.
"Slow it down?"
"Yeah."
"Possible?"
Colonel smirked knowingly.
Wet lips parted.
"Possible. Omega-grade psyker joining us."