Chapter 48
Chapter 48
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Vampire Uproar #4
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Of all places, these bastards show up here!
I never imagined the Fake Management Bureau would appear. But it wasn't that strange. Strange guys showing up where strange things happen isn't strange at all.
I'd heard explanations that we might run into them like this. We're at war from the start, after all.
What was their goal?
Were they wiping out the vampires? They might be fakes, but they'd shown they could fight anomalies pretty effectively. Then why burn the civilians?
"Fake Management Bureau Incineration Squad!"
Hearing Jamtree's words made me recognize them more clearly.
Suits and sunglasses were standard issue. But their gear was unusual. Some had oil tanks strapped to their backs, flamethrowers in hand. Others were armed with submachine guns.
They advanced cautiously, scanning all four directions.
"Incineration Squad...!"
Seeing those flamethrowers confirmed it!
These fuckers were the ones who burned people alive!
"Why would they kill civilians...!"
"Isn't the reason obvious?"
Spandal said.
"It's easier to eliminate survivors than manage them. And corpses don't turn into ghouls. Better to take them out first. If you let them live, who knows when they'll turn?"
Crazy bastards!
They incinerated civilians for efficiency!
"Open fire. Engage."
The moment Jaaldi gave the order.
Bang!
I nailed one guy's oil tank.
Boom!
An explosion erupted, flames shooting up.
"Gasp!"
"Enemy attack!"
The suited men dove for cover. But before they could fully hide, my bullet pierced another one's head. The guy with the hole in his skull collapsed limply, and the next shot dropped another. Shame it was a body shot—not an instant kill.
"Sh-shit! Fake Management Bureau's Kurosna?!"
"These outsider fucks...! Kill them all!"
"Multiple anomalies overlapping! Requesting backup! Vampires and Fake Management Bureau at the same time!"
Their shouts echoed. I kept eyes on their cover, waiting for my next shot.
Bang!
The moment a gun poked over the wall, I smashed it. Don't think you can beat me in a shootout. I didn't just fight skinwalkers. I've battled raider groups too.
"Spandal. Get ready. Reinforcements will come."
"Yes."
"We wear down their forces here. Grong. Keep focusing fire from this spot. Jamtree. You'll sync well with Grong. Focus on marking targets."
"Got it."
Jaaldi drew her pistol and moved. Spandal vanished at the same time. So it was just me and Jamtree holding them off here.
Thump thump.
With just us two, my heart pounded harder.
Ah, was this like back then? When allies dwindled, my morale dropped fast. In that world, you couldn't survive without comrades.
"Grong. I'll guide your position. Now that combat's started, reinforcements will come. We tie them down here."
"Yes. I trust you, Senior Jamtree."
"Short-range eavesdropping. Starting now."
Short-range eavesdropping?
-Throw the grenade!
-Got it!
These fuckers had grenades?!
"Grong! Grenade incoming!"
"Got it!"
My focus peaked. The instant the grenade arced from behind the wall, I shot it down.
KABOOM!
Nice shot!
"Good job, Grong!"
"This is child's play!"
Even for me, popping a grenade was a first!
-No way! Crazy outsider fuck! Shot the grenade with a gun!
-Kurosna, that motherfucker!
-We need something else!
My heart felt like bursting. Even so, this stunt worked only because I knew the grenade was coming.
-Damn...! Min-su's still alive! We have to save him!
-Stop! We can't! Give it up! That's Fake Management Bureau's Kurosna! Move and your head gets pierced!
Their voices blared from the pad.
"Looks like they mistook you for Kurosna, Grong. This works in our favor."
"That Senior Kurosna must be really amazing!"
"He's a master marksman."
I wanted to meet him sometime.
-B-But we can't abandon Min-su!
-Hey! You! Get down! Get down! Can't you hear me?!
-I'll drag him somehow, so save at least Min-su! Long live the Management Bureau! For humanity!
Suddenly, Jamtree shouted.
"He's up! Grong! Crawling left!"
"Got it!"
As I re-aimed left, one guy sprang up like he was diving.
I'd anticipated it.
Bang!
His head exploded.
-Fuck!
-One shot!
-Kurosna, you son of a bitch!
They yelled.
"Reloading. Cover me, Senior Jamtree."
During those few seconds of reload, I thought.
Fake Management Bureau bastards... willing to risk it all for a comrade? They had some humanity after all. Similar to what I'd felt talking to Section Chief Jo Seong-chun.
My mission didn't change, though.
I kept aiming, firing suppressive shots sporadically to pin them.
Then.
"Reinforcements!"
Engine noise rumbled from afar.
Their backup had arrived.
"Senior Jamtree. When do we retreat? If their reinforcements bring heavy firepower, we're toast!"
"Wait a bit."
Cool voice.
Extreme situation, but Jamtree never panicked. She seemed office-specialized, yet handled combat like a pro.
-Gwak Seong-ju Section Chief! Over there! Fake Management Bureau's Kurosna!
-Kurosna, you bastard...! How many have you killed?! Crush him! Fire when I fire!
-Got it!
Gwak Seong-ju Section Chief?
Click.
Something emerged from the fog.
A hulking figure covered head to toe in black ballistic plates like full plate armor. Twin machine guns in his hands... dual miniguns!
Rrratatatata!
Rrratatatata!
The miniguns spat fire!
Crazy Rambo fucker!
"Eek!"
"Senior Jamtree!"
"Down!"
I was already down!
-Bring the bazooka! Dump everything on him! Take down Kurosna and it's our Management Bureau's victory!
-Long live the Management Bureau!
-For humanity!
-Kurosna dies today!
Bazooka? Now it was seriously dangerous!
"Senior Jamtree!"
"Now's good."
"Yes...?"
Next instant.
-Huh?!
-W-What!
-Gwak Seong-ju Section Chief...!
The Fake Management Bureau agents screamed. Jamtree slowly raised her head. I looked up too.
Ahead stood Gwak Seong-ju Section Chief, armored in ballistic plates and dual miniguns.
Motionless.
Because...
Spandal was behind him.
Crack.
Her finger to his temple. That's what stopped him. Dozens of black thorns protruded from his body.
Like a thorn bomb exploded inside, turning him into a sea urchin.
Not just him.
Nearby Fake Management Bureau agents were thorn-riddled too.
-Sp-Spandal... It's Spandal...
-H-Headquarters... Spandal's here...
-Spandal got the Section Chief...
More like paralyzed, forced to stand. The agents rasped their last words.
Thud.
They collapsed like rotten logs.
-Spandal, mission complete. Took down a section chief?
Her voice came over comms.
"J-Jamtree Senior. What was that...?"
"Spandal's power. She's especially strong against Fake Management Bureau. Taking out a section chief like that? Great result."
Senior Spandal.
Not just a klutz, huh?
While we fought, she'd slipped behind like an assassin, thorned them all to death.
Spandal walked over casually, having slaughtered the reinforcements too. Nothing impeded her.
Truly...
A bizarre, terrifying superpower.
Was that really a superpower?
"You pinned them well, Grong. Them mistaking you for Kurosna was perfect."
"Yes..."
Jamtree patted my head.
"Impressed by your senior's power?"
"Senior Spandal. You're not mad about the garlic earlier, right?"
"Who knows?"
Shink.
The black thorns on her hand retracted.
So this was thorn-wielder Spandal.
"Operation over. Fake Management Bureau squad repelled. Everyone did great. Got Gwak Seong-ju Section Chief too."
Jaaldi returned now that it was done.
"Team Leader Jaaldi? Where'd you go?"
"Kept their inspection squad in check. They don't show on thermal, so had to watch closely."
"Inspection squad?"
"Lee Do-hyung Section Chief's disciples. A pack of lunatics."
Lee Do-hyung Section Chief!
"Very dangerous. Lucky he's dead."
"Team Leader Jaaldi. What if Lee Do-hyung Section Chief showed up here?"
"We'd retreat, obviously. Can't handle him now."
No way.
Good he's dead.
"Anyway. Fake Management Bureau recognized the vampire incident and joined in. Looks like they struck first."
"So the vampires and ghouls lost command and fell into chaos?"
"Probably."
Fake Management Bureau got here first and took out the vampires.
"And conveniently eliminated everyone inside too."
"That's the scary part of Fake Management Bureau. To them, people are the anomaly."
I got the meaning.
They killed people.
Coldly, literally.
"Got it. Team Leader Jaaldi. Did these fakes take out the pureblood too?"
"Hmm... Not sure. But she's not the type to go down easy. Without Lee Do-hyung, no big threat for now. We'll sweep vampires and Fake Management Bureau together this time."
"Killing two birds with one stone."
Taking out vampires and Fake Management Bureau. Mission difficulty doubled suddenly.
But seeing everyone's power boosted my confidence. Lee Do-hyung Section Chief? Fuck off. With Senior Spandal, these suit bastards get shredded in seconds.
"Let's go... Sigh. Always leaves a bitter taste."
Jaaldi sighed.
Her eyes showed regret more than anger.
"With Fake Management Bureau striking first, civilian survivors are probably hopeless."
"They see anomaly-exposed survivors as threats. Easier to execute on site. The incinerated bodies were likely that."
"...Tragic."
I nodded at Jaaldi and Jamtree's words.
"Isn't it horrific? Posing as government agents. 'We're here to save you, follow orders,' then execute and burn... Total deception."
Spandal whispered to me.
"..."
What was fake, what real?
Click.
I shook off stray thoughts and moved.
Operation wasn't over.
At least...
I needed to slaughter these vampire bastards here to catch my breath.
The city was already in chaos.
Ratatata!
"Grraaak!"
Deeper in, more gunshots rang out. Fake Management Bureau agents fought ghouls. Ghoul corpses littered everywhere. Scarier were the civilian-looking bodies too.
Real Management Bureau vs. Fake Management Bureau vs. Vampires.
A three-way war I never imagined.
Vrooom!
Then something appeared in the sky.
"What’s that?"
I instinctively aimed, identifying the flying object.
A familiar mechanized armor.
"Gorgodio!"
Gorgodio, already transformed, soared!
He plummeted like a meteor. A boom echoed from ahead. Deep strike right into enemy lines.
Was that allowed?
Wouldn't he get torn apart in the middle?
"Oho! Comprehensive Response Team backup!"
"Senior Quras?"
Quras appeared from behind.
"Th-There's Senior Spandal too."
"Hey, Quras?"
Spandal approached, and Quras paled.
Jaaldi stepped in.
"Quras. Situation?"
"Y-Yes. Fighting ghouls when Fake Management Bureau showed. Gorgodio's infiltrated their formation now."
"Others?"
"Zeltouma will support him. And Kalehyu..."
Zeltouma and Kalehyu?
"H-Hey, Spandal."
Turning at the voice, a flashy blonde woman waved.
"What. Kalehyu?"
"That's the newbie? Quras raved about him."
Senior, so greet first.
"Hello, Senior Kalehyu. I'm rookie agent Grong."
"Grong? Like Pororo's Crong? Adorbs."
Kalehyu grinned, thumping my shoulder.
"Ah, keeps coming up."
"With that codename, you'll hear it forever. But sensor type, right? Wanna see your skills."
"Kalehyu. Grong's an amazing shot? Better than Kurosna, even?"
Jamtree chimed in. Was my rep spreading to Suppression Team, boosting my stock?
"What? This kid outshoots Kurosna? Bullshit. Lying?"
"No lie. Amazing. Took down 30 charging ghouls with one mag."
"For real? No way... If true, he's Suppression Team material for sure."
Kalehyu's eyes widened.
"Enough chit-chat. Kalehyu. Joining up now."
"Got it. For now."
Right then.
"Huh?!"
Quras yelled.
"Th-There!"
Panic on his face.
Eyes followed his point naturally.
"Huh?"
Far off.
Black suit, sunglasses.
White hair tied back.
Sword in hand.
A man leading agents.
"That's not Lee Do-hyung Section Chief?!"
What?!
Lee Do-hyung Section Chief was definitely dead...!
"Grong... Didn't he die?"
Jaaldi looked at me.
First time seeing her rattled!