Chapter 49
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: Summer Vacation Special Camp (3)
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Thrilling summer vacation.
While Yumi was playing frisbee and learning how to doggy paddle with her dad at the beach, and Hwayoung was off enjoying a lively trip back in Korea,
I hurled myself into a brutal scene filled with blood and screams, clutching my mission to save the world. Even during summer break, throwing myself into the fray without a moment's rest—maybe I actually had what it took to be a hero?
"I could handle this on my own just fine."
In the company parking lot, Carmen rolled her eyes at me after our long time apart, then let out a sigh and spat out her usual negative tone. She moved with fluid ease on her crutches, the weight barely registering, crossing her arms and shooting me a sidelong glare before clicking her tongue to provoke me.
While I'd taken a break from training, she clearly hadn't slacked off—her arms and legs looked even more muscled.
Carmen waggled the hand gripping her crutch as she eyed me, then turned to Dennis and spoke.
"So why'd the old lady have to come along? Where's Master Saburo?"
Carmen seemed to treat anyone but Saburo as the enemy. When she asked with open disdain, Dennis lifted her chin stiffly in a similarly indifferent response.
"Saburo's leading another assault team on this mission, so we're heading out first to prep what's needed. We'll deploy to the site based on his orders."
"Hmph."
Carmen snorted at Dennis's words and cocked her head to the side. Maintaining that pose, she crutched her way forward with sharp taps, then frowned at the stuff loaded in the car trunk.
"...This is the mission gear?"
Taking a fresh look at the mission van, it wasn't the beat-up old minivan from last time. This one was a sleekly painted luxury model. Peering through the windows, the cargo area brimmed with shiny fur balls, conical hats, balloons—pure party supplies.
The crowning glory was the colorful round signs, decked out in vibrant hues and heart stickers, proclaiming [Advanced Ability User Summer Vacation Special Camp].
Carmen jabbed a finger toward the window.
"These are just toys. How are they supposed to help on a mission? Give me a pistol at least."
Dennis ignored Carmen's griping, twitching an eyebrow without changing expression.
"They're essential for the cover story. We have to report to the tax office where the budget went later, and we can't exactly hand over photos of us beating the crap out of yakuza, right? Officially, it's a summer camp, so we need summer camp photos."
For some reason, Dennis looked a bit excited saying that.
Did she actually like camps? Carmen backed off with a sulky pout, clearly resigned. Dennis slid into the driver's seat.
"Alright, let's get going."
She really did look like a teacher like this.
"What is this?"
Driving through the city lights often brought back old memories. There were times when I'd suddenly find grown-ups' words oddly complicated.
For instance, hearing about a "reading camp" made me imagine a romantic night in a tent stuffed with books, but it turned out to be kids crammed in a stark white room, silently working through worksheets and recommended reads.
"...A camp? This is the city."
A minivan labeled [Advanced Ability User Summer Vacation Special Camp], heading straight into the urban sprawl.
"Oh? Were you looking forward to it? I figured you'd hate kid stuff like this."
Carmen had been sulking, but it seemed she was secretly excited about the camp. When Dennis teased her, her face flushed red, and she turned to stare out the window, grumbling again.
"...I wasn't expecting anything. It's just annoying 'cause it's not what I thought. I mean, I figured we'd be fighting in the mountains, so I planned strategies and everything. You should've told me ahead of time."
"Yeah, too bad."
She was extra chatty today, confirming she'd been looking forward to it. Dennis nodded along casually to humor her, but Carmen didn't like that, biting her lip and trembling before blurting out,
"...I really hate this."
Though it was billed as a camp, the company was a construction firm downtown, so naturally our "camp" site was smack in the middle of the city—a building. As we drove down the long road toward alleys pulsing with light, it felt like slipping into another world.
Neon signs flickered, upbeat music thumped from every direction. People in bizarre outfits roamed the streets, a guy in a purple glitter suit and bowtie hawking to passersby with a grin.
A stream ran down the street's center, crossed by a circular bridge visible in the distance. Yellow-haired punks and tattooed thugs bumped shoulders, hyping each other up; pale-faced folks with weird piercings lugged instruments around.
Less a bustling district, more a den of vice—decadent rather than fantastical.
And Carmen was taking it all in, eyes sparkling. She pressed her face to the window, mouth slightly agape, like she wanted to dive right in and explore. Had she never been to a place like this?
I'd assumed she'd been around plenty on missions, but apparently not.
I wanted to tease her more, but figured I'd actually get hit this time, so I held back.
Dennis handled the car with skill and spoke up.
"See the company over there? On the right."
Carmen blinked like she'd just woken up and turned to look the other way. I was staring at her absentmindedly when our eyes met.
Amid the blaze of lights all around, Carmen froze for a second when our gazes locked, then narrowed her brows.
"...What're you looking at?"
"Sorry."
I reclined my seatback so she could see out my window. She started to say something to me but turned to the window instead. I followed suit, spotting a dimly lit building amid the neon glow. The sign read [Sato-gumi].
It stood out awkwardly in isolation. Suited men out front smoked and chatted, casually spitting on the ground and flicking ashes.
Dennis muttered at the sight.
"That's our target—those lowlifes and their building. Scare 'em so bad they never cross us again, and mission accomplished."
Carmen's eyes flashed as she asked,
"By any means necessary?"
Dennis hesitated at the question, glancing between Carmen and me before answering softly.
"...By any means necessary. But try not to kill anyone if you can help it. The area's rough, but a death still stirs up trouble."
Carmen nodded eagerly, her eyes glinting with murderous intent.
We couldn't back down here. I nodded too, twisting my face into the meanest scowl I could muster.
They looked like bad guys anyway—no holding back on the beatdown.
Dennis glanced at us both, sighed, and said,
"Alright, off to the lodging then?"
Carmen's body tensed at "lodging."
Why the tension?
I puzzled it over, then realized.
Right. In setups like this, heading to lodging meant mission briefing—deciding targets, hashing out plans.
The most crucial part of the op, you could say.
A flawless strategy session leaving no room for failure.
Ideas clashing all night, strategies refined into perfection; executing the plan flawlessly amid surprises, improvising through crises—that's me.
The alpha and omega of a secret mission, right?
I couldn't just sit back.
Participating in the villains' secret op meant giving my all in the meeting too.
I nodded firmly, clenching my fist with resolve.
"...Okay, now strike a pose. You two stand there nicely and throw up a V-sign?"
And now.
We stood awkwardly holding hands under the garish glow of [Advanced Ability User Summer Vacation Special Camp], flashing V-signs. Dennis seemed to be enjoying the photo op, while Carmen's lips twitched as she asked in a voice thick with displeasure.
"...What the hell is this?"
"I told you—taking pictures."
"...I really hate this."
Carmen looked like she truly hated it.