The superhumans quickly began to dash in each direction as Yu Jitae also hurriedly carried his feet.
Oscar Brzenk had disappeared. With quite an exquisite method at that.
Exquisite here was exquisite in Yu Jitae’s standard.
Such a thing was impossible for a human, and it meant there was an involvement of something that was not human.
Finally, Yu Jitae could somewhat understand this whole situation. The reason Oscar Brzenk suddenly attacked the Association like a madman, the reason Oscar targeted him of all people as well as the reason Oscar Brzenk disappeared after becoming imprisoned.
If Yu Jitae’s intuition was correct, this was a type of ‘fishing’. Although it was possible to stay still without biting the bait, he currently had to take the bait no matter what.
It was because he had to find the Vintage Clock, and the Vintage Clock was unable to be found anywhere underwater. However, there was still a problem even if he wanted to take the bait. The four days he had spent standing blankly, unable to kill Myu, was coming back to bite him.
There would most certainly be not enough time.
He used his watch to call someone.
– Hello.
A sluggish voice resonated along with a gulp. The one on the other side of the call was the Witch, Valentine, so it was probably a strong alcohol that she was gulping.
“This is an urgent matter. Look up for me if there has been a trace of an outer-dimensional fissure related to ‘Providence’ and ‘light’ being forced open on Earth.”
– …
Even though he suddenly started it off with a command, she had already decided to cooperate with Yu Jitae. The mana surrounding the Association wavered for a bit as a reply came back through the watch.
– There is one.
“Location?”
– I don’t know. It’s been veiled.
“How long has it been open for, and how long will it stay open.”
– Looks like it’s been around 10 days since it has opened and…
That was similar to Oscar Brzenk’s time of appearance. He carefully listened to the next words because he knew fissures related to the Temple of Providence would usually be closed after around 10 days.
– …It will close in 1 hour.
But fortunately, he wasn’t late yet.
[Temporary Pursuit Team 1 reporting. Currently we are headed to [Brzenk Family’s 1st branch].]
[Temporary Pursuit Team 2 reporting. We are currently headed to [Brzenk Family’s 4th branch].]
Various reports came in at the same time. Around 13 pursuing teams had been temporarily arranged and had just departed. Riding the warp station, they would now attack each branch of Brzenk Family’s troops located across the world.
This was something that had to be done a lot earlier but was postponed because Oscar Brzenk was the Sovereign of humanity, and because Chaliovan had fallen asleep at the same time.
Even though it was a correct decision in a realistic sense, it was nonetheless very deplorable in Yu Jitae’s eyes.
A closer inspection would have allowed rankers to find the trace. So all they had to do was ask the Witch immediately after receiving the report to jump through dimensions.
In any case, he travelled to the [17th branch], located in the northern regions of Africa.
Even though it was the smallest and the most insignificant branch, it actually had Oscar Brzenk’s [Safe] located inside it.
A month ago, after meeting with Oscar, he had sent Kang Ahjin to that branch in case something were to happen.
He checked her message – it seemed that the door to the [Safe] had been opened around 3 days ago.
Yu Jitae gave a call to Kang Ahjin.
***
“Uhihi,”
Kang Ahjin laughed.
The salty scent unique to deep-fried food permeated far and wide. The warmth being conveyed up the plastic bag made it even better.
Smelling the lean scent of well-fried chicken after smelling the dry desert dust the whole time lifted the corners of her lips.
It was a rare smell in the northern regions of Africa. Kang Ahjin had even used a thermos container to keep it warm while using the portals all the way from Korea.
And the name of that food, was chicken!
Did she bring it here to eat by herself? No – Kang Ahjin was going to give this to someone as a present.
North Africa. Brzenk Family mercenary group’s 17th branch.
It had been close to a month since she had been dispatched to this place.
Unlike the troops of other branches, this 17th branch was made by employing the war refugees of Africa. Oscar Brzenk had gathered the people who had been living with neither food nor water to this place, and provided them with clothes, food and a house for their families to live in.
Because they had been granted a new life from their desperate situations, their mentality was different from other soldiers.
They did everything by the book.
Some would call that a proper soldier mentality and that was what Kang Ahjin thought as well. They put their due diligence in every task and never cut corners no matter how simple their given orders were.
That was why Kang Ahjin, who was always affectionate and could easily befriend anyone, was finding it difficult to get close to the soldiers of this place.
Then was she supposed to stay distant?
When Season was sending her to this place, he told her it was an indefinite dispatch. She was to stay in this place, identify the situation and report anything unusual until there was an order to return.
It wasn’t her style to stay distant and unfamiliar with them when her returning date wasn’t even clear. That was why she had prepared this.
“Hello good sirs?”
With a curt greeting, Kang Ahjin approached the four soldiers that were standing on guard. There were 2 male and 2 female soldiers.
“What a great afternoon.”
They treated her like they didn’t even see her.
Observing the far and barren African desert, they couldn’t even spare the time to throw a glance at Kang Ahjin. It was remarkable even after seeing it on repeat for a couple of days. As long as there was nothing hindering their work, they would only focus on their task without greeting anyone even if their family members were to come by.
However, Kang Ahjin was certain that they would be able to get a little bit closer today. She had already tried a conversation a few days ago using chocolate.
The white smoke was spreading the scent.
This is impossible to withstand! With a smile, Kang Ahjin placed the bag of chicken next to them.
“You are standing on guard for 12 hours a day. Don’t you think you can take it a bit easier?”
“…”
“…”
They didn’t reply.
She might be crossing the line here. However, the troop’s work was very intense due to their lacking numbers, and the schedules were even suffocating so there was no other option than this for her to get closer to them.
In any case, the smell of chicken ruled.
When the rising scent touched one of their noses, the soldier who had a weak breakfast stealthily turned his head. And Kang Ahjin did not miss it.
“Come here and have food one by one! I can be on the lookout instead.”
“Miss Dispatcher. Please stop…”
“Huhu. Why?”
“Don’t you know the captain regularly comes out on a stroll. If we get caught out by the captain, we will be in great trouble.”
“Of course I know that. I sneaked a peek at today’s schedule just then, and I confirmed how both the captain and the 1st vice captain will only return by 8 at night today from an external delegation!”
Really? One of the other soldiers glanced back with doubt in their eyes. Kang Ahjin smiled like a puppy with a nod.
“Hurry up! This won’t be as tasty when it gets cold.”
“But still, it’s okay. Miss Kang.”
“It will be super delicious if you have it now!”
“Kang. Please just stop.”
Grrrl… The sound was coming from the stomach of the female soldier who had just rebuked Kang Ahjin. Her words were no longer as persuasive.
“Did I hear something just then?”
“…”
Unwillingly, the soldier turned her head.
She had actually been extremely hungry from early in the morning. In the desert, the procurement of supplies wasn’t always smooth and there tended to be days with little distributions of food. Today was one of those days.
In other words, all four of them were in a similar situation.
“…Is the captain really not coming?”
“I’m telling you, trust me. Come on.”
“……Hmm, what is this?”
“It’s chicken. Deep fried chicken.”
“Ah, I know these. Oh wow. It smells absolutely insane…”
“Right right…! Have some. I can be on the lookout.”
They changed positions as the soldier hurriedly opened the plastic bag and began ripping through a drumstick.
‘…’
She started eating without even breathing but the crispy sound of fried chicken was still unable to be hidden. The other soldiers watched with eyes flickering from jealousy as the soldier opened her mouth while stuffing chicken into it.
“I gave the chocolates you gave me to my kids the other day.”
“Oh wow, really?”
“Such supplies are very uncommon in this place. They all loved it. Thank you…”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing that great.”
“As a thanks, my girl brought some green vines from somewhere, dried it and made a bracelet out of the vine.”
“Wow, really?”
“Yes… I was actually going to give it to you after the work was over but,”
With an awkward smile, the soldier handed something to Kang Ahjin. It was a thin bracelet made of dried vines.
“Oh my. So pretty.”
Kang Ahjin was satisfied. She started conversations with them whenever possible, asked if there was anything they needed, gave chocolates and helped with the missions. It felt as if all that hard work was finally paying off.
She put it around her wrist but it was slightly too big.
“Ah, she didn’t know Kang was a female. It’s a bit too big right?”
“Not at all! It’s perfect and I love it.”
“Thanks for saying that. The child will be very happy.”
After finishing her share, the soldier stood up as another soldier stealthily walked away and traded positions with her while mumbling, “Aww, this smell. Damn it…”
Yes. It’s impossible to resist! Thinking that, Kang Ahjin chuckled.
That was when she received an international call from someone.
“Grade 4 agent, Kang Ahjin speaking.”
– It’s me.
It was Season. Kang Ahjin happily greeted him.
“Is this concerning my return, by any chance sir?” She asked with a tiny bit of sorrow in her voice.
However, the words that soon came to her through the watch, were somewhat strange
– I am headed to the 17th branch right now. There is a mission – the door to the [Safe] has to be opened within 5 minutes. How is the current situation looking?
He asked with a normal tone of voice, but there was something off about the question.
[Safe] was something that was being protected by the 17th branch. It was the biggest and the most powerful armoury owned by Oscar Brzenk, so under what authority could Season open this?
Despite feeling doubtful for a little while, Kang Ahjin stayed faithful to her role.
“It is currently peaceful sir.”
– Alright. Leave the area ahead of time. You’ll be a nuisance.
“Leave… the area, sir?”
– Yeah. Let’s meet at around Eo1-13.
She thought about the tone of his voice, and the hidden context. Kang Ahjin had to rethink time after time whether her interpretation of the situation was correct or not. It was because his words were way too strange.
Leave the area ahead of time?
…You’ll be a nuisance?
A strange feeling struck her mind.
It can’t be.
There’s no way.
Despite thinking that, she had to move her feet and follow the command to leave the area. Anxiously, Kang Ahjin touched the bracelet around her wrist.
That can’t be… Even though Season is scary, he’s not that type of person was he?
“Sorry. I have a different mission so I’ll be on the way.”
“That is okay. We will just have the rest of them eat together.”
“The chicken was so nice. Thank you, Kang.”
She waved back,
With a forced smile on her face.
It happened when she was waiting at the designated area.
Kang Ahjin’s watch began to ring.
+++
[(!) Urgent News]
– Danger Level: [R3]
– Time: 7 days ago. 8:12 pm. (UTC+02:00)
– Content: Oscar Brzenk, terrorist attack on the Association.
– Casualties: 595 confirmed in total.
+++
At last, the restriction on information was lifted, revealing the Association’s conflict with Oscar Brzenk.
For a second, Kang Ahjin felt her breath coming to a stop.