Surrender in the Blue Mist
"Aigoo, you stubborn idiot. You dragged all these people here?"
"Well, what was I supposed to do? Let them die? I already X-rayed everyone, so no worries about parasites hiding in the bunch."
"That's not what I'm worried about... Haa..."
Cheol-woo let out a deep sigh, swallowing his anger in front of his sister, who was snapping back at him shamelessly. Why was someone whose body wasn't even fully healed trying to save everyone else? With parasites swarming and survivors turning into mutants left and right, it was hard enough just looking after yourself—yet she'd gone and evacuated all these people too. What if she'd gotten hurt in the process?
He wanted to give her a piece of his mind, but he couldn't bring himself to say something asshole-ish like you should've just let them all die. His words caught in his throat.
"How's your body holding up?"
"Not a scratch. I'm fine."
"Like hell you are. You were running around everywhere with your ribs not even fully healed."
"I told you, I'm really okay."
"Come with me."
"Hey!?"
Cheol-woo glanced around before grabbing the thick arm of the NewTontonMan suit and dragging her along. What's gotten into him all of a sudden? Yuri let herself be pulled along—drag, drag, drag.
Once they reached an empty alley with no eyes on them, Cheol-woo silently jerked his chin. What now? Her expression asked as much, and he grew frustrated, parting his lips.
"Take it off."
"What?"
"Take off the hazmat suit."
"Why all of a sudden?"
"Just do it."
"Shiiit..."
His tone was firm, his gaze cold as ice—like there'd be no next warning. When he ordered her again, Yuri grudgingly removed her helmet. Grunting as she peeled off the suit, a whoosh of white steam billowed out. Cheol-woo pinched his nose and grimaced, then grabbed the hem of her sweat-soaked shirt and yanked it up.
Yuri froze in shock, too startled to resist.
"Hey, Min Cheol-woo!?"
"Huh. You really are fine."
"I told you I was...!"
He'd expected bruises everywhere and shattered ribs, but her skin was surprisingly pristine. Cheol-woo's eyes went wide. No—pristine didn't even cover it. Just three days ago, it had been black-and-blue and swollen, yet now there wasn't a single trace of bruising. Clean as could be.
Blinking in disbelief, he carefully prodded her ribs, watching her reaction. Wondering if he wasn't pressing hard enough, he pushed a bit firmer—squeeze—but Yuri just flushed red and huffed. No sign of pain at all.
"You're not my sister. You're a parasite, aren't you?"
"What the hell?! Shut up and put my shirt down!"
"No, this doesn't make sense. How do broken, cracked, black-and-blue ribs heal this fast? Sis, are you a monster?"
"You gonna talk!?"
"..."
Cheol-woo was at a loss for words at her retort. Fair point—most of what had happened lately didn't make a lick of sense. With all the weird drugs, monsters, and ability users running around, super-fast healing felt like small potatoes. She'd probably chugged some Blue Drug and it kicked her recovery into overdrive; looked like she'd healed up completely in just hours.
"Good thing. Whew."
"Why... why are you staring like that?"
He pulled her shirt back down and wiped his sweaty hands on the hazmat suit. But Yuri caught the odd glint in his eyes and let out a startled hic.
The worry in his gaze had flipped in an instant to the ecstatic look of someone eyeing prime A-grade slave material.
"You said you liked tanking for the team, right Sis?"
"Wh-when did I say that?"
"Guess you can tank more often now. Bones break? Suck down some Blue Drug and heal right up. Right?"
"Uh? Huh? Y-yeah...?"
What the actual fuck? Yuri's pupils shook uncontrollably. Wasn't this the same guy who just bitched me out for pushing too hard and getting bruised up? And now? Telling her to tank more? The sudden 180 left her dumbfounded.
"Suit up again. That fertilizer plant making the Blue Drug is right over there. We're gonna smash it now."
"You mean that one?"
"Yeah. That's the one."
Spotting the factories with their smokestacks in the distance, Cheol-woo reloaded his pistol. Instead of smoke, they belched insane clouds of blue mist. The culprits behind this whole mess.
...
Jason groaned as he read the incoming texts one after another. He'd planned to send troops to the fertilizer plant the moment he secured the military, but David Min had beaten him to it. All civilians rescued, so bomb it... Anyone else, and he'd dismiss it as bullshit—how could one guy search the whole site and evacuate everyone? But Jason knew there wasn't a shred of lie in this message.
Still, greenlighting a bombing on a civilian's word? No credentials whatsoever. He'd have no defense if indicted later.
"Get me the Acting Prime Minister. Need to request an airstrike urgently."
"Yes, sir."
Fuck it—if they're indicting, let 'em. Jason shoved aside all the complicated thoughts. He'd crossed the line between legal and illegal dozens of times in the last three days. One more charge wouldn't kill him. What mattered now was obliterating that endless Blue Drug-spewing factory—not his position.
"Connected."
"Ah, Acting PM. I need approval for an airstrike opera—"
[Yes, yes! Delegating operational authority to you, Deputy Director! Do whatever! I'm busy!]
"...Pardon?"
The line went dead after that curt dump. Handing me air force command? Stunned for a second, but hey—good outcome was good. He immediately called Canberra Air Base.
[Canberra Air Base Commander speaking. Go ahead.]
"Mobilize all available forces and strike the Darwin fertilizer plant site. Make sure the factory's inoperable."
[Copy that. Launching F/A-18s immediately for operation.]
Jason set down the receiver with a sigh of relief—only for it to be short-lived.
"Deputy Director! Federal Police report engagement!"
"Sydney team found massive Blue Drug stash in a subway storage room. Need support for incineration and mopping up remnants."
"Deputy Director...!"
"Got it! I'm going! Move!"
Reports poured in from everywhere; Jason shot back up and headed to the ops room again. No time for even a breather.
***
Took less time than I thought.
Less than two hours after requesting airstrikes, jets screamed across the sky. He'd figured they'd grill him on civilian presence or insist on verification, dragging things out. But the fertilizer plant must've been top priority—the response was swift and decisive.
Or maybe they trust me that much?
Cheol-woo had helped the Secret Intelligence Agency big-time over the last three days, but he was still just a contractor. Ordering a strike on his report? Straight-up against regs; the deputy director could lose his job. But what if he wasn't just a contractor anymore? The thought sent chills down his spine, making him shudder.
This deputy director bastard... he wouldn't be trying to recruit me as a full agent, would he? Fine with everything else, but that? Hard pass. I've done plenty for this country already. Time to call it quits on the heroism. Don't wanna spend the rest of my life slaving for the agency.
"Bombs incoming. Plug your ears."
"Okay...!"
The fighter formation reeee—d past, explosions rocking the factory. Boom—KABOOM—bombs slammed into buildings one by one, collapsing them. Drop one round, then another on the rubble, confirmation kills and all. No need to stick around watching. Cheol-woo headed back to the bunker with Yuri.
Didn't notice at first, but inside? Packed. Easily over a hundred—hell, close to three hundred?
Ha— A hollow laugh escaped him. She'd saved a ton amid the chaos.
"Got about two days' food from raiding a nearby mart... gas masks for everyone too..."
"Haa..."
Deep sigh. Yuri flinched.
"Guess we'll request air-dropped supplies from the air force."
"Y-you're not mad?"
"Why would I be mad at you for saving people? You did good."
"Hee—"
Ignoring her dopey grin, Cheol-woo grabbed tools to reinforce the blasted entrance. Couldn't make people wear gas masks indoors forever—needed to seal it and fire up the air purifiers. Set up defenses for parasite attacks outside, get food resupplied... With hundreds now under his wing, the to-do list exploded.
"This is insane. Sis, Sis!"
"Huh?"
"Suit up and come out. We're about to get hit."
"What!?"
Shadows flickered through the mist; Cheol-woo tensed, gripping the machine gun. Parasites launching a full assault? Mutants he could mulch easy, but parasites? They'd come prepped with every dirty trick to breach the bunker.
Thumb teasing the trigger, he waited for them to close in—but something felt off about their approach. His eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"We surrender! We surrender! Just let us live, please!"
"...What the."
Everyone emerging from the blue haze had hands raised high in surrender gestures.