Forced Compliance (3)
I knew a lot about the Corvo Family, but there was far more I didn’t.
So right now, the only sensible move was to gather every scrap of information I possessed and act with maximum rationality—figure out exactly what kind of moves they were planning.
They were a massive mafia syndicate, after all, so they divided territory and assigned missions by sector.
Special operations or high-stakes jobs sometimes called in their own execution squads or their private hunting dogs as well.
The real headache was the list of those executioners.
The most troublesome was Capella herself, but she didn’t even exist in this world. Still, by pure destructive output, several of them ranked far above her.
“As I thought… this job is the one that calls her out.”
I sat in Märchen’s Paradise, scrolling through the fresh intel and photos I’d just received. The black scorch marks from molten steel and concrete, the precise incisions on the corpses—there was no doubt.
“Villain Name – Lilac”
“Age – 24”
“Awakener Grade – A”
“Classification – Agent → Villain”
“Description – Executioner of the Corvo Family.”
“Formerly a special agent assigned to monitor the Corvo Family in the Pleheim Federation. Captured during a hostage rescue, brainwashed, and turned into their living weapon. Ability pierces nearly all conventional armor; exercise extreme caution.”
“Notable features: striking purple hair, combat experience from elite special forces, and attack power that treats modern tank armor like paper in this world.”
“Can fire energy projectiles or snipe across a full kilometer with no effective cover. Short-range teleportation lets her evade even S-rank heroes. Top-tier combat capability among A-rank awakeners.”
Capella was strong—stronger than most A-rank awakeners I’d ever faced—but against this opponent there was still a workable counter.
“Good timing, too.”
Just as the plan came together, I was already positioned at the Pleheim Federation border.
Normally fighter jets would have been on my tail, but an awakener with her level of stealth could hide not just herself but every trace of her presence—radar, scanners, everything.
It was impressive. Even more so that they could keep entire transport aircraft in the air without detection.
“Yeah, everything’s already in place.”
“Then we’re good. Still, this is insane. How the hell did you get a transport plane in the air?”
“You wouldn’t believe the others, but you can trust me, Capella. The Corvo Family’s elite squad has their eyes on every high-value target.”
The Bartender, who had tagged along all the way here, was practically glowing with the extra income he expected from my work.
“Besides, you already know we’re not just couriers at Van Helsing, right?”
By information alone we outranked almost every intelligence agency on the planet. The organization that ran this front currency-exchange bar had its headquarters in the Western Continent and specialized in black-ops infiltration and concealment.
Just the fact that they could keep an entire transport aircraft airborne and invisible was enough proof.
Neutral ground was the safest place for me, and Van Helsing had always been the perfect spot.
“That’s true.”
While I was lost in thought, we were already close to the target. I rolled my shoulders and prepared.
“You really planning to do this? We’re eleven kilometers up. You don’t even have flight abilities.”
“That’s why I brought backup.”
“Even so, no parachute?”
“That just adds weight and serves no purpose.”
The landing zone was the train itself. There was no time to ease down like a parachute.
Plus parachutes were easy targets mid-air.
I needed speed and had brought the right gear.
“You’re truly insane. One of the craziest people I’ve ever seen.”
The Bartender wiped sweat from his brow. He was wrong. He hadn’t seen the real monster yet.
“The real madman is somewhere else. I’m just normal.”
The stretching done, I slipped into my wingsuit for the first time in a while. It had been months since I last used it.
I waited for the pilot’s signal.
The wind died down. The target was approaching.
I stepped out of the aircraft and dove.
Cold air whipped across my face.
…Hold on, Lena. No matter what happens to me, I’ll make sure you’re protected. At least you.
“Ugh… the Federation guys must be seething after this.”
Inside the speeding snow train, Ethylene took a long sip of wine.
BOOM!
A bomb detonated right beside the tracks and he didn’t even flinch.
Lilac’s lips parted in disbelief.
“You’re taking this rather calmly. The Federation won’t let you go if they catch you.”
I knew he was a genius ranked in the world’s top three, but coolheadedness under gunfire and explosives wasn’t the same thing as genius.
Ethylene smiled and kept sipping.
The purple wine matched Lilac’s hair color perfectly.
“Or maybe they’ll just blow the whole train to pieces. You’re drinking while knowing that, Doctor?”
To anyone watching, it looked like he had already given up.
“That’s impossible. The Federation is greedy; they wouldn’t sacrifice the train for a clever trap.”
With that, he opened a small case.
Inside lay the medicine the Federation had been desperate to possess.
“Even if the cost of developing this drug burns a hole in my wallet, the Federation would still have to take me alive.”
Right now, dozens of armored vehicles were trailing the train, ready to threaten or board but not destroy it. They didn’t want to damage the medicine or the doctor inside.
Yet even that was risky.
The train was under Corvo control, and B-rank plus awakeners inside were blocking every Federation attempt to enter.
“Besides, the Corvo Family would never let anything happen to me, even if they had to use force.”
“…If things go badly, you could still retrieve the medicine and leave. Of course, that would also mean recovering Doctor Ethylene’s life.”
They could kill him and just bring back the drug.
But his expression didn’t change as he drank.
“Ah, don’t try any tricks. This case can only be opened by me. If you force it, it’ll explode.”
“…I see.”
They had already prepared everything. The Federation couldn’t afford to blow the train up; the Corvo Family couldn’t afford to lose him. Taking the tracks was an option too, but they had already secured that route as well.
He would slip through the Federation territory without incident.
“And they won’t give up on me either.”
Ethylene raised his glass to the red eyes hidden behind the raven mask.
Night had fallen.
When Lilac nodded in agreement, she turned to leave.
“Where do you think you’re going? You’re my bodyguard.”
“I’m heading out to complete the mission. I’ll assign another subordinate to guard the Doctor. No need for you to worry.”
“Hmm, would you like a drink?”
“I don’t drink on duty.”
“Typical. Then I’ll ask you to take care of yourself.”
Ethylene finished his wine with obvious regret.
Lilac stepped off the passenger car and climbed onto the roof of the train.
The Federation soldiers chasing behind were stunned by her sudden appearance.
Of course, they immediately opened fire.
“…Retreat!”
Too late. The moment she sealed the train’s interior with her subordinates, the battle was over.
Lilac pointed at the armored vehicles behind her. Red arrows were already nocked behind her back.
“What the—?!”
“Why are you doing this?!”
“If you want to live, jump! Now!”
Soldiers who recognized the arrows scrambled off their vehicles in panic.
Even awakeners at this speed would be injured, but most had no idea.
“What is she doing?!”
“I don’t know, but that red light—”
The unaware soldiers kept chasing the train, unaware it was their last pursuit.
KWAAAAAANG!
Red light swallowed the entire formation of armored vehicles.
Shrapnel rained down on the train. Windows shattered. The vehicle lurched violently.
Ethylene had already expected this. He had set the wine aside.
“I’ll take care of the remaining pursuers. Stay with the Doctor on the train.”
Lilac didn’t miss the soldiers who had been knocked off either.
Even the outdated Federation was full of awakeners inside. If they realized who was on board, they would send S-rank operatives and slowly tighten the noose.
First, eliminate the witnesses.
Then devour the corpses too.
That was the Corvo way.
But even she hadn’t expected what happened next.
[Hidden trigger in the pursuit route—Corvo ambush protocol engaged. Executioner Lilac now faces a counter that bypasses her teleportation and energy projection. Risk level: EXTREME.]