The Special Envoy
The sudden barrage of artillery fire, followed by waves of magical blue flames, plunged the area into stunned silence. Black armored soldiers and helmeted mystery men arrayed in formation at the hotel entrance. Jin-cheol's group, who had halted their tank and truck. And the mutants encircling them all.
Perhaps because the mutants had struck first, they and Jin-cheol's crew seemed to be jointly surrounding the armored soldiers. The mutants sniffed the air but didn't attack Jin-cheol's group. Their targets appeared to be solely those armored soldiers and mystery men standing there.
The gunfire ceased, and silence reigned for a moment. Then one of the mystery men standing with the armored soldiers stepped forward boldly.
He was clearly looking right at Jin-cheol as he spoke.
"Who the hell are you?"
"…"
The voice pierced Jin-cheol's ears clearly, despite the distance. It wasn't because of his sharp hearing—the words were meant only for him.
Jin-cheol just stared back silently from the truck bed. Not for any special reason, but because the language the man used felt strangely familiar yet alien.
The bastard was speaking English.
"Can't understand? Then…"
The man followed up with what sounded like a Spanish greeting. No reaction. Then he rattled off short phrases in languages from various countries.
Jin-cheol let out a disbelieving chuckle. The guy's reaction was more friendly than expected.
Misinterpreting the laugh, the man continued in whatever language he'd been using.
Jin-cheol shook his head. "Cut the unintelligible crap and speak something we all understand."
"…"
The man tilted his head at Jin-cheol speaking in Lavito.
Then he took another step forward.
"You don't know Divine Tongue?"
"Divine Tongue? What bullshit. If ancient languages are divine, were those people all gods?"
"…Hmm."
The man's foot stepped back this time. At the same moment, the muzzles of the armored soldiers' guns—trained on the mutants—swung toward Jin-cheol's group.
The crew, watching tensely, flinched. Then one Lavito leaped from the truck.
"Wait! It's me! Rahiman! Don't shoot!"
Rahiman, jumping down, bolted toward the armored soldiers and helmeted man before anyone could stop him. As he closed the distance, his face lit up. He even spread his arms wide and shouted at the armored soldiers.
"My soldiers! I've come all the way to these deep underground depths to rescue you!"
"…"
"First Special Forces! It's Rahiman! Your general! Salute already—what are you waiting for?!"
Rahiman's beaming, joyful face hardened. His excited sprint slowed, then stopped dead.
His eyes took in the armored soldiers, standing utterly motionless like inanimate objects under their helmets.
"…Special Forces?"
His gaze shifted to the helmeted man. Rahiman screamed hysterically.
"Special Envoy! What have you done to my soldiers?!"
"What have I done? You're the one who injected ordinary Lavitos with silver blood and slapped armor on them. They're no different from before."
"…What?"
At the Special Envoy's—yes, the 'Special Envoy'—response, Rahiman hesitantly approached an armored soldier. Even as he neared, they stood stock-still like statues.
They didn't twitch even when Rahiman grabbed the helmet visor and lifted it to check the face.
"Wh-what?!"
Rahiman made a dumb noise upon seeing the face. It was definitely Lavito. But it was twisted in agony, as if under torture.
The wide-open eyes were bloodshot red, teeth bared in a clenched grimace. Veins bulged unevenly across the face, wriggling like crawling bugs.
"…Ge… general…"
The face whispered faintly.
Startled, Rahiman said, "What happened? You okay? Can you hear me?"
"…Th-that bastard… tricked… the… general…"
At that moment, the Special Envoy raised his left hand and flicked it like a conductor. The armored soldiers' formation—aimed at Jin-cheol's group and the mutants—shifted with a rumble.
From defensive to aggressively offensive. Like puppets on strings.
"Special Envoy! What the fuck have you done to my Special Forces?!"
The soldier he'd been facing pulled away too, face still contorted. Rahiman screamed at the Envoy.
"Do I have to say it twice? You injected them with silver blood and armored them up."
"Why won't my Special Forces obey me?!"
"Their loyalty must've worn thin."
"You idiot!"
That moron. Before anyone could stop him—hell, Jin-cheol's group was too far anyway—Rahiman charged the Special Envoy.
But even as Rahiman lunged and grabbed his throat, the Envoy didn't budge. Rahiman flailed, but the man stood like an iron tower, unshakable.
Rahiman snarled, squeezing the throat. "Give my soldiers back! They're Urata's finest patriots, the continent's strongest warriors! Not for the likes of you…"
"Such a nuisance, Rahiman."
The Special Envoy twitched his left hand again. Blue light leaked from his forearm, and Rahiman's body floated up as if seized by an invisible hand.
"Gack!"
Rahiman clawed at his own throat, choking soundlessly—like gripped by that unseen force.
Gazing at him, the Envoy said,
"Pretending to care about your men now? How many Lavitos got shredded in the war you started without a second thought? So selfish and stupid."
His fist clenched in midair. Rahiman's strangled eyes reflected the mirror-like helmet—and his own distorted face within it.
"A slave-blooded race can't be helped, it seems. When their commander died, they whined to leave this underground hell. So I gave their cowardly blood a little courage. With silver blood's power."
"Guhk… guh…"
The Envoy glared at Rahiman via the smooth helmet surface for a moment, then shook out his left hand like discarding trash.
Rahiman's body flew sideways, tumbling across the ground.
The Special Envoy's gaze shifted back to Jin-cheol, as if his business with Rahiman was done—no more words needed.
Or more precisely, Rahiman was no longer in his field of view. Just another worthless roadside pebble.
The Envoy addressed Jin-cheol.
"Clearly of sacred bloodline. A face I've never seen among envoys—or even in the Colony. I'll ask again. Who the hell are you?"
Jin-cheol hopped down from the truck bed and strode forward steadily.
He glanced at Rahiman—sprawled and twitching on the ground. Not dead, at least.
His eyes turned to the Envoy's helmet. Still looked like a cheap Daft Punk knockoff.
"You don't know basic manners, huh? Introduce yourself first, then maybe I'll answer."
"…"
Perhaps due to Jin-cheol's bold attitude, the Envoy tilted his head again. But he soon spoke.
"…William. William Lambert. Special Ground Exploration Team member."
"Kang Jin-cheol. Retired soldier."
"Kang Jin-cheol… Right. I've seen reports. They called you an Esai mutant… Bunch of idiots. How the hell is that an Esai mutant? When Esai are the real mutants and subhumans."
He raised his right hand to fiddle with his chin guard.
Watching him, Jin-cheol crossed his arms. "I've got a ton of questions. And you seem to have a lot of answers."
"Curiosity, eh? Seeing you stirs up plenty of questions for me too."
"Yeah? Then how about we take turns asking and answering?"
The Envoy slowly shook his head.
"No. No need for that hassle."
"Why? You said you were curious."
"Easier way."
"Ah. Think I know what you mean."
"You do?"
Jin-cheol's lips curled into a smirk.
"Beat it outta me till I spill everything, right?"
"…Seems you thought the same."
"Bingo."
The Envoy twitched his left hand.
"Underdeveloped brain? Standing barehanded in front of guns, talking like that…"
Jin-cheol's right hand held the white sword. With a shing, the blade extended.
Seeing it, the Envoy tilted his head in evident confusion.
"…How do you have a Royal Guard sword?"
"Quit muttering shit to yourself and tilting your head. Trying to act cute?"
"You, where did you get that sword—"
Then Rahiman, sprawled to the side, roared back to his feet, drawing all eyes.
He bellowed,
"Urata's soldiers! We! Lavitos! And I! Are not slave races! We are great! Lions who devoured our masters and ascended to the surface!"
His hand whipped to his waist, pulling something from his coat. A pistol—stolen sometime during the truck descent.
He aimed at the Envoy and pulled the trigger.
Bang! Sparks flew off the Envoy's faceplate.
"…Pathetic slave."
Everyone there—including Jin-cheol—froze at Rahiman's shout and shot. The Envoy, unscratched helmet gleaming, raised his left hand toward Rahiman.
In that instant, intense current surged from his left forearm. With a bizarre crackle, lightning speared Rahiman.
He didn't even scream—burst into a splatter of blood and gore.
It looked so casual, like a prank or simple trick, that everyone forgot to speak.
Simultaneously, the Envoy's gaze shifted behind Jin-cheol. To Dol Jumeok's tank, the one that had been firing earlier.
"Only need this one."
Before anyone could react, lightning shot out again, slamming the tank.
A thunderous boom—the tank spun like paper, flying backward before crashing upside down in a wreck of metal.
The Envoy's eyes turned to the truck and its passengers.
Aiman, snapping to first, yelled, "Everyone, scatter!"
In that split second, motions synced: Lightning brewed in the Envoy's left arm; Aiman and Haeta leaped from the truck; Snow grabbed Lamien and another Lavito, hurling herself away; Jin-cheol charged the Envoy, slamming a full-power kick into his chest.
The missed bolt whipped the truck's cab. Simultaneously, the Envoy rocketed backward like a shell, smashing into the hotel lobby.
Truck explosion and collapsing lobby roared together.
Jin-cheol—who'd kicked without holding back—raced to the erupting truck.
"You okay?!"
"Y-yeah, I'm fine…"
Aiman, Haeta, Snow, Lamien, and the one revolutionary Snow had grabbed survived. The driver and other Lavitos perished in the blast.
Jin-cheol bolted to the overturned tank next. He jammed fingers under the armored plating, ripping it free, and peered inside.
"Oh. You made it."
"…Fuckin' bastard."
Dol Jumeok lay crumpled upside down in the cramped interior. Maro clutched in his arms too.
Jin-cheol felt relief but couldn't smile big. Another revolutionary inside dangled limp, neck snapped.
"GRRAAAAAH!"
Mutant howls echoed. Jin-cheol turned—swarms of mutant Lavitos crept toward the armored soldiers' formation.
Ignoring Jin-cheol's group.
Then, from the dust-choked, ruined hotel lobby, a blue orb streaked out—whoosh—landing amid the mutants.
Blinding flash. Dozens vaporized to ash instantly.
Fuck. What the hell. This future guy's insanely strong.
Stunned by the blast, Jin-cheol eyed the lobby. The Special Envoy strode out steadily.
Glared at Jin-cheol again.
But Jin-cheol grinned despite sensing that gaze. A clear bootprint dent marred the Envoy's reinforced suit—right in the chest.
"Not unkillable, huh."
As if hearing the mutter, the Envoy raised his left arm. Blue light seeped from the suit's forearm gap.
But his stance sagged slightly.
"…What?"
"What else? A gift from the crazy bitch."
Yellow flames erupted from Jin-cheol's left arm too. They raced along his fist, forming a blade.