Chapter 14
Chapter 14
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 014
Chapter Title: Mayday
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The very next day, as soon as dawn broke, I was summoned by Captain Joseph Howard and headed back to his office.
"This is a keycard with upgraded prisoner access privileges."
Joseph handed me a new keycard.
"It'll get you up to the central hallway on the fourth floor. Use it anytime you need to see me."
"Oh, thank you."
Regular prisoners were strictly confined to their assigned floor except during exercise or walks.
Giving something like this to me had to be a special exception among exceptions.
'Must be thanks to my performance.'
I'd felt it ever since just before being deployed on the Ron Dito capture op—somehow, the way they treated me kept getting better.
"And this... is the reward I promised."
What he held out was a small hologram check card.
"Couldn't tie it to a legit system account, so I went through a broker to set up a shadow account temporarily. Check the balance."
Most folks in the 8th Special District were non-citizens or illegals without citizenship, so only a tiny fraction could access formal financial services.
But that didn't mean there was no financial market here. That'd be a big mistake.
Where there's demand, supply follows.
A few megacorps got involved, forming an underground shadow banking network in the 8th Special District that tons of non-citizens relied on.
These banks skirted current financial laws left and right, with massive sums still being laundered through the district even now.
I placed my hand on the card, and a holographic number displayed the account balance.
"...Ten million credits?"
The amount was way more than I'd expected. My jaw dropped without thinking.
"It wasn't an official unit op, and the risk level was high. You earned this much at least."
Still, I was just a prisoner.
Yet here he was treating me this well. Looked like Captain Joseph thought pretty highly of me.
'But this raises some questions.'
I eyed Joseph.
'Cops aren't exactly rolling in cash. Where'd he get funds like this...?'
Made me wonder if he had some connections.
'Whatever. Good is good.'
On top of that, the sentence reduction was a generous six weeks—more than before.
Couldn't ask for sweeter.
"Keep this up, and I'll even get you a day pass."
"A day pass?"
"Yeah. Time to visit your sister sometime, right?"
"......"
I pictured her in that rundown cyber columbarium.
It was the best I could do back then, with no money or time.
In the 8th Special District, even securing a spot in an offline columbarium—let alone a proper grave—took big money and luck.
'...Someday, maybe I can move her to a real grave.'
I wanted that. No, I had to.
It'd be my way of repaying her grace, even a little.
"Alright, go get some rest."
I said goodbye to Joseph and stepped out of the office. The guards posted there glanced at me.
But they didn't cuff me or escort me on both sides this time.
"Head straight back to the third floor. No detours."
That was it—they figured I'd behave and lost interest.
'Captain Joseph's doing too, huh.'
I was probably the freest prisoner around here.
On the way back to the third floor, I mulled things over.
'Anyway, time to decide.'
It was about my Reinforcement Skill Point.
I currently had four skill trees unlocked: Fire Magic, Curse Magic, Lightning Magic, and Wereking Fist.
Reinforcement points enhanced skills, so I had to be careful with the first investment.
'Which tree should I pick to build a solid rep?'
I started by checking the newly unlocked ones.
First up, Lightning Magic.
Like the others, the upper parts were blurred out, with only the bottom skill visible.
'This seems better for takedowns and arrests.'
Would be handy against enemies loaded with implants.
Machines hate electricity, after all.
The other new one was Wereking Fist.
This differed from the others.
Unlike the branching magic trees, it was a single straight line—short, too, so probably easier to master.
I checked the bottom skill.
The description was brutally vicious.
Probably the same attack that werewolf hit me with.
I'd survived thanks to my toughness, but my guts were shredded like rags.
Honestly, for immediate help, Fist Punch seemed best.
I desperately needed more raw attack power right now.
Which put Curse Magic skills like [Belial's Withering Minor Curse]—that debuffed enemies—out of consideration for now.
[Basic Fire Magic] was similar.
'The old man said people die from bullets...'
But that assumed they were human.
The werewolf proved it.
That day, I'd glimpsed the abyss lurking in the 8th Special District.
'Might run into more bulletproof freaks from here on.'
Against those, forget sentence reductions—hiding my Immortality would be tough enough.
I needed to get stronger, fast.
[Internal Force Fist Punch] appealed because it hit internals directly, no matter how tough the outside.
'Magic'll get strong later, sure...'
But right now? Looked weak.
I smacked my lips silently.
'Wish I could level magic too.'
Skill points were painfully scarce.
'No way to farm more?'
Felt like there had to be something.
After agonizing, I chose [Internal Force Fist Punch].
'Magic can wait for another shot.'
[Acquired 'Internal Force Fist Punch.'] [Understanding of Fist Punch has increased.]
[Reinforcement Skill Point effect enhances 'Internal Force Fist Punch.']
'Next one's a speed skill, huh.'
I remembered that 3-meter brute closing in instantly.
'Master this, and it'd be fun.'
But that could wait.
'Right now, I wanna test the new skill.'
Back in the room with those thoughts, Walter looked up from his bunk.
"What, another trip to see Captain Joseph?"
"Yeah, something like that."
"Damn. You're cozying up good."
Walter said, reading his paper.
"Word is, platoon's getting reinforcements tomorrow."
"Ah, finally?"
"Yeah. Half newbies, half transfers from other platoons."
"Why? Because of the mentoring?"
Walter shrugged.
"Efficiency, probably. Need some vets mixed in so the rookies don't drop like flies. Though the doomed ones'll still bite it."
He cackled and flipped the page.
"Lively with reinforcements, at least."
"Lively my ass. Means more deployments."
"...? We deployed with just two before."
"True. Fuck."
"Can't avoid it anyway. Might as well enjoy the fresh air."
"You're the only one here who thinks like that."
Walter shook his head in exasperation.
Time passed, and the next afternoon rolled around.
"Everyone, stand straight!!"
"Line up in order and head up!"
I was sipping a drink in the modest break area when I heard a commotion by the stairs.
Walter, reading a mag across the way, chimed in.
"They're here."
"Reinforcements?"
"Yep."
Then—bang!—the security door flew open, and six prisoners in cuffs filed up one by one.
All of 'em had sourpuss faces like they'd eaten shit.
I scanned them carefully.
"Looking for someone you know?"
"Nah. Hoping for a hot chick."
Walter perked up at that.
"Knew a guy's gotta guy."
"Old man, I've realized something in my short time here."
"What?"
I said dead seriously.
"Getting tangled with beauties here? Nothing good comes of it."
"...What kinda bullshit is that?"
"Just remember it if you wanna live long."
"No clue what you're on about."
"At least these platoonmates are all dudes. Lucky."
"How's that lucky, dumbass? Gonna be a gloomy bunch."
Mid-chat, my eyes met one prisoner's. I gave a quick wave.
"Hey?"
He stared like I'd lost my mind.
...Déjà vu, much?
"Head to your assigned rooms!"
Watching them, I asked Walter.
"We're all platoon now. No intros or anything?"
"You introduce yourself when you joined?"
"Uh... no?"
"Told you before—most'll croak soon. Don't get attached."
That was when it hit.
WEE-OO-WEE-OO-WEE-OO-!!
The blaring alarm jolted us to our feet.
"Whoa, talk about timing!"
The escorting officers switched to combat mode instantly.
"Shit!"
"Change into gear and hit the hallway! Now!!"
"Hurry!!"
Chaos erupted in seconds.
Walter and I rushed back, swapping into combat uniforms fast.
"Fuck, right off the bat...!"
"Ch-change? Into what?!"
"Newbie! Open the locker, quick!"
"Locker?!"
"3rd Platoon, assemble!!!"
We scrambled into formation in the hallway and followed the officers down to the parade ground fast.
The usual transport chopper waited, prepped.
"Move! Faster!!"
"Board quick! No time!"
I took my familiar seat as the other prisoners piled in frantically.
"3rd Platoon all aboard!! Take off!!"
"Fuck... fuck... fuck..."
Up front, one of the newbies was pale and shaking.
"He's from another platoon,"
Walter said, buckling in beside me.
"...Only those who've been through it know the real terror."
Rookies usually overestimated themselves or underestimated the danger.
That tanked first-deployment survival rates hard.
The chopper lifted off amid the shakes.
A scrawny officer stepped forward, as always.
[Quick briefing before arrival.]
After a rundown of engagement rules, he continued.
[Site's a housing complex on the edge of Sector 12. Alchemists massacred residents and seized buildings, but motives and internals are unknown.]
"Alchemists? Damn it."
Walter grimaced.
"Probably crawling with chimeras."
[Insertion via rooftop some distance from site. Ground approach after drop-off, focus on recon.]
The officer paused, then added.
[High civilian risk due to incident. But per rules, prioritize mission over non-citizens. However...]
'However?'
He held up a photo for us to see clearly.
A woman in a white coat.
[If you spot this woman, her protection is top priority. Got it?]
Walter peered closer.
"She's a looker."
"......"
What was this sudden bad vibe?
[Two minutes to arrival!!]
[Platoon, check body cams.]
Officers came around, inspecting cams like usual.
[Standouts get special reductions again. Good luck. Out.]
A prisoner opposite muttered.
"Fuck the reductions..."
[Landing!]
[Platoon, prep to disembark!!]
As prisoners stood, the familiar rumble hit and the light went green—
The officer's comms crackled suddenly.
But the hatch had already blasted open—bang!
Freezing wind whipped the hold—and something huge streaked past us.
Then—splatter!—blood rained down.
"?!"
I whipped around to see an officer bisected top to bottom, collapsing.
Splat.
"What the hell...?"
Someone recognized the thing piercing the officer, voice quaking.
"Claws...?"
The scrawny officer yelled.
[Fuck, turn the chopper—!]
That instant, massive talons ripped through like AA fire.
KABOOM-KABOOM-KABOOM!!
The chopper interior turned hellish in a blink.
"Aaaagh!!"
"M-my arm!!"
[Crazy, we're going down!!]
"Grab hold!!"
I clicked my tongue briefly.
'Figures.'
That bad feeling earlier.
Soon, the chopper plummeted into the complex.
KRAAAA-BOOOM!!