Chapter 470: Brewing Riot [Part 2]
Immediately as Shin entered the metal fortress, his ears were greeted by the clanging of metal and the rhythmic sound of drills, mingling with the distant thud of artillery testing and the sharp bark of orders.
The structure itself loomed large, an intimidating monolith of steel and concrete, its exterior marked by the relentless pace of military efficiency.
The air inside was filled with the tang of oil and metal, punctuated by the whirring of machines and the distant rumble of tanks rolling across the yard.
The interior was a hive of activity: protectors in uniform moved with purpose, their boots echoing on the polished floors.
Offices lined the long corridors, each door marked with the rank and title of the occupants within.
The walls were bare, save for the occasional motivational poster or a map detailing current or past sea subjugation operations.
Shin passed by a bustling mess hall, filled with the clatter of trays and the low hum of
conversation, and a training hall where recruit protectors were put through their paces, sweat and shouts filling the air.
The heart of the fortress was the Commander's meeting room, set deep within the structure, away from the noise and distractions.
As Shin neared it, the atmosphere grew more subdued, the chatter of the troops giving way to the quiet efficiency of the officers.
The room itself was guarded by a pair of imposing protectors, their presence a clear reminder of the importance of what lay beyond.
They recognized and placed their hands on their chest as Shin approached.
Shin responded with his right hand on his chest, after which they pushed the heavy steel door open for him.
This was not his first time in the Commander's office, but every time he stepped into the place, the air of authority and command was ever domineering.
The room was spacious but stark, dominated by a long, polished metal table that reflected the cool, harsh light from the overhead lamps.
Around the table, high-backed chairs were arranged in a precise, orderly manner, each one tailored to the rank of the officer it hosted-right now, they were filled with unfamiliar faces, most of which were young and roughened.
'The returnees?'
Shin had to take a brief pause at the shock of the people inside the Commander's office.
At the far end of the room, a large digital screen that usually displayed tactical maps was blank white.
The Commander looked at Shin from his seat at the head of the table and welcomed him with a warm smile, quite befitting of his wrinkled face.
"Shin. We were waiting for you, please have a seat."
Before Shin could have a seat, someone suddenly rushed to him before any of the soldiers could react.
The frail-looking, black-haired boy with timid eyes bowed ninety degrees to Shin, shouting his greetings.
"I heard you are Northern's father! Nice to meet you, sir! I am Northern's friend!! My name is Ellis, and I am the only friend he has. Please let no one else deceive you. I am the only friend Northern has."
He was almost frowning at the end of his statement.
Shin, confused and not exactly sure how to respond to this, let out an awkward smile.
"Oh, ah ah, nice to meet you Ellis. Thank you for being Northern's friend."
"And me too!"
Shin's eyes drifted to the dark-skinned lady that suddenly shot up from her seat.
"We were not close enough to be called friends, but I really respect him!"
Shin raised a brow, 'Respect? Northern?'
Annette smiled proudly and also looked into his eyes-not standing up though.
"Well, you did raise him to be a real pain in the ass, but I can tell he grew up with lots of love from his parents. His resilience and determination to come back to his mother and father is what brought us this far... of course, not only his..." her voice went a little bit somber. Shin didn't know how to take this; a lot of emotions were mixing up inside of him.
'His resilience and determination to come back to his mother and father...'
That part especially rang in his head and made his chest churn with heartbreak. "Your son is a strong man," the old man amongst them said with a small nod of approval.
The atmosphere in the room seemed really elated as they all sang praises of his son. And Shin just found it unbelievable; his mind couldn't help but question what exactly Northern had done. And his heart broke at every word that concerned his mother.
Finally, the Commander's voice broke in, "Please, we will love to save time. I have called Shin because while he might not be a sanctioned officer, he is as important as every officer seated at this table. Does anyone have an objection to his presence?"
The officers all seated on the left side of the table shook their heads.
Then the Commander looked at Shin and with a face gesture, presented him the single seat at the end of the officers' row.
Shin settled down, calmly observing every other person in the room.
The returnees were seated opposite the officers; some were even standing behind. They looked different, barbaric if he'd say, but there was an undoubtable air of power and intelligence wafting across every single one of them.
Some, more obvious than others.
He could already instantly make out the key figures.
'The brunette-haired lady, the vermilion-haired lady, the old man, the green-haired boy, the blonde-haired boy too...' His thoughts trailed away but suddenly came back.
'The old man, I've seen him before...' he narrowed his eyes for a second.
The Commander's voice interrupted before Shin could think any further.
"We were talking about some certain things. They have shared their experiences in brief as to how they ended up on the dark continent, and I have compiled a detailed report to the government. The government themselves say they will start a comprehensive investigation of what this matter truly is about, and no one will be spared."
The Commander paused, riding an authoritative look across everyone in the room before he continued.
"But today, I have arranged this meeting so that we together as the Protectors of the Border can make a decision as one, as regards the optimal route of safety for these guys."
Annette's voice interrupted; she started with a soft scoff then said, "Not to be rude or anything Commander. It is quite naive of you to say 'optimal route of safety' for us, who have spent the past few months, perhaps years? In the darkest heart of monster and rift-infested
continent."