Chapter 50

There are times when Atlanta is illuminated. It is destroyed by a catastrophe and the rise of the Dangerous Beast in an event story added around the middle of the game.

But until then, it was a peaceful country.

It was not swept away by the call of the Legion. No faction intervened in Atlanta’s destruction.

Then, out of nowhere, Legion swallowed up Atlanta. It was a bit disconcerting.

“Kilikia, yeah. It’s ideal for a base. It’s wealthy, geographically accessible, and there’s a lot of different races and stuff from all over the place.”

Not just a target you rolled the dice on. A prime location to influence a continent. A bridgehead for future actions.

So she was trying to protect it. I knew it was an important point that I couldn’t let go.

“Atlanta, on the other hand, I don’t understand. Isn’t it stuck on the edge of the southeast, and the shipping industry can’t even get going because of the kaiju?”

It’s too far from the center of the continent. It’s a disadvantage as a base. I can’t read the intent.

“I’m thinking the same thing, but I don’t know.”

Kushan let out an anguished sigh.

“This may be a double-edged sword. The real target is most likely the Republic of Salares.”

“Or maybe they’re trying to get something out of the harvest. Perhaps the failure in Kilikia has hurt the Legion more than we expected. More than we expected.”

Ghost had a good guess.

The deaths of Shadowdoor and Snowfield. A well-planned invasion goes awry. Perhaps you needed a victory to silence the noise in your organization.

“It’s not something we need to worry about right now. Now is the time to discuss what to do about it.”

Kushan dismissed it. He was right, so Kim nodded in agreement.

“We’ve got four, maybe five teams we can field at this point, and we can’t afford to split them up and send them out.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to rule one out?”

If we follow Pathfinder’s opinion, we naturally exclude Atlanta. It’s pretty obvious which is more important.

“It’s reasonable given the operational risk.

But Kim knew all too well. Cellbross Labs is not a group that follows rationality.

“You can’t do that.”

At the center of it all is Leila.

“The Legion are cruel people who don’t treat the disabled as human beings, and I’m sure civilians are suffering in Atlanta right now, and I… I can’t turn my back on them.”

……That’s not a good flow. I could just imagine what Leila would say.

“I’ll fly to Atlanta.”

I knew it.

Kim let out a long sigh. For better or worse, Leila was Leila.

‘Although this bullshit is also a strength.’

There are agents everywhere who are so moved by Leila’s ideas that they join the lab. Even if her goodness often gets in the way.

This backcountry is the identity of the lab.

“But not you.

The capture of Atlanta is an event that wouldn’t have happened otherwise. In the game, Celbrox Labs naturally focuses on the Republic of Salares.

This is not the time to get distracted. The professors should be focused on getting through the main episode.

So.

The person who could solve this problem was known from the beginning. A foreign body on Polaris, and the one who caused the scenario to twist.

“Get me an elite agent.”

“…… Mr. Hyun?”

Leila gave him a questioning glance. After exchanging glances, Kim turned to Kushan.

“Atlanta is on us.”

Clean up your own shit.

Whether it’s shit or not remains to be seen.

* * *

A helipad near a research center. In the center was a medium-sized transport helicopter. The thick blades on its rotors were imposing.

‘I’ve been in more helicopters in my life.

I’ve been on Polaris for half a year now, and after all the crazy things I’ve been through, I’m about to experience something new. It’s been a strange ride, to say the least.

“I don’t hate it, but.

I’m actually looking forward to it, like the walls have gotten bigger. I would have been terrified before, but now I feel like I’m looking at an attraction.

But not all people think alike. Kim looked at the two men boarding the helicopter.

“No! Aaaaahhhh!”

“Consider it a life experience and suck it up!”

Asterique has his right foot in the opening and is pulling Chelsea’s hand away. Chelsea struggled against the hold, but it was too much.

‘You pig, you’re just trying to be strong…!’

I was dragged inside.

It’s time for the next person to board. Kim patted the back of the reserve agent standing next to him like a gargoyle.

“What are you doing, I’m not going in.”

“Uh, why was I kicked out?”

“Didn’t you tell me that?”

There are five members of the team. Three from Dustborn and two from Lab. Of course, when I organized the team, I also informed myself.

“I’ve seen you drive before.”

Turkam looked at Kim with a shit-faced expression. Kim shrugged his shoulders as if to say, “What’s wrong?” and gestured at the helicopter.

It meant shut up and go away.

“Damn. How did I get…….”

Turkam sighed and started walking. He couldn’t help but think it was retribution. Payback for all of Kim’s gossip.

The last member of the team, Westcreek, was in the passenger seat. Peering through the window, he was in the middle of a conversation with the pilot.

“This would be the best arrangement.

I debated which of our elite agents to take, but ultimately chose Westcreek. Two reasons. One is that they specialize in combat.

And,

“Be careful where you go, Hyun.”

The professor spoke from nearby. At the airfield, in addition to the team members of the mission, the professor’s group was waiting to see them off.

“You too.”

They’ll have to carry the main episode. The absence of Westcreek shouldn’t be a problem.

“Because there are ghosts.

It will help more than just the pure combatants of Westcreek. He trusts Ghost and Leila to assist the Professor.

“Maybe things are better for me now.

Even so, Kim was hesitant to do the main episode herself. It would stunt her growth as a professor.

“It’s not just one professor.

Leila and the other agents. They have to go through scenarios and let their talents blossom.

Just as we did when we saved Ghost, we will continue to prevent tragedies, but we need to recognize where to intervene and where to leave it alone.

“This episode is fine.

This is a part of the game that doesn’t really matter. For a while, Rap fights the Legion, and his reputation grows as he saves several nations.

Of course, there are tragedies along the way. Civilians get killed, or the Legion’s airstrikes weaken the host nation’s security forces.

‘It’s mostly Leila who gives me a hard time, but….’

Wake up after every fight and everything will be fine. Polaris is not prepared for such wishful thinking. Agents grow through suffering.

It’s necessary, was all she could tell them.

“You’re in good hands, don’t make a mistake.”

“I’ll do as much as I can.”

“Do well, do well. Not hard.”

The professor chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he spoke nine percent sincerity and one percent joke.

Strange, Kim thought.

“Mr. Hyun, please come back safely.”

One by one, we said goodbye and boarded the helicopter. Back inside, the team was in pretty bad shape.

“Look at this! I don’t know what this button is… but it’s really cool. Can I press it?”

Asterique and I came out to play.

“I shouldn’t have been talking behind your back then, Ceebal….”

Turkam mumbles sullenly to himself.

“Hook, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!”

Even Chelsea, who is hyperventilating.

“……I wonder if you can stay put.”

My interest in the helicopter faded and my stomach churned. Apparently, they had explained the mission brief, but did they even understand it?

“Chelsea. What’s wrong with you?”

“My, I’m telling you, are you people crazy?”

“What.”

‘How does a person, whoa, how does a person fly…! In old dramas, you know, they crash the plane at the beginning, and then they’re stuck on a deserted island, and then cannibalistic natives show up, and we play battle royale…!’

What an imagination. Kim whistled in admiration.

“Wow, what a drama.”

“Do you understand me? Put me down!”

Chelsea screamed at the top of her lungs. Apparently, she’s afraid of heights. It was a backstory that was never revealed in the game.

It was none of my business.

Kim turned around. For the last time, she made eye contact with the professor. A brief unspoken exchange passed, and then the rear hatch closed.

Doo-doo-doo-doo!

Soon, the transport helicopter began to scatter its loud rotors in all directions. Over the deafening noise, Leila squinted at the professor.

The professor still didn’t take her eyes off the hatch, her face serious. As if she’d been kicked in the face with some sort of resolution.

“I think something’s changed.

The professor’s condition had changed recently. I asked the warden to go through the personnel files of the agents and pored over the footage of the operation.

It wasn’t a bad change.

The professor seemed to have a purpose, as opposed to just apologizing to the agents and asking them to leave him alone.

‘Just like my old professor….’

Little by little, the person I was before I lost my memory was coming back. It was obvious who was affected.

“Mr. Hyun only gets help from me.”

“Huh? Leila, what did you say?”

Her voice was barely audible over the sound of the rotors. When the professor listened, Leila smiled brightly.

“I said I’d take care of you, again.”

They had to fulfill their responsibilities, just as Kim has her own role.

* * *

“It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.”

“You’re great, too. Did you get tired of that?”

“You’ve been riding for two days.”

Asterike stretched as she stepped out of the helicopter. She took a few deep breaths. The air outside was exhilarating.

“It smells like the ocean.”

“You’re probably mistaken.”

The landing spot was the primary destination.

This is the safe house of the Celbrox Labs in a doomed city. You will be transferred to a vehicle and transported to Atlanta.

“It’s a hassle, but no big deal.

As opposed to Kilikia, this is the invading side. The helicopter can’t just walk in.

If it’s a good plan, you’ve already made it.

“I’ve said it once, but I’ll say it again.”

After the safe house was cleaned up, he reconvened the team and began briefing them on the details of the operation.

“We’re going in disguised as merchants. Get ‘set up’ in your head.”

Fake identities. Merchandise to distribute in Atlanta. I’ve been working with Kushan to organize everything. I’ve gotten so good at it that I’m starting to feel confident.

“And… I didn’t tell you this beforehand, but there’s one problem with leaving as we are.”

“What is it?”

Asterique asked. She shook her head, and Kim pointed at her with a glare.

“It’s you, Asterike.”

“……?”

I was dumbfounded. Westcreek took over the Chapter in my embarrassment.

“String. What does that mean?”

“Think about it. Asterike would have been a recognizable face in the Legion. He stood out too much during the defense of Kilikia, and he’s a well-known player.”

Not good for infiltration. I brought him along because I didn’t want to put an Asterisk on the professor’s side.

“Too many variables.

Without Kim, Asterique doesn’t have full control over her spells. If she accidentally triggers [Fire of Regeneration], things will go awry.

It’s a bomb. A bomb that could blow up the Professor and Leila.

So I dropped it from the lab for now.

“Kushan could just shoehorn himself into the professor’s team.

Even if the problem you’re worried about doesn’t happen. Asteriske’s growth will not be helped if she goes off on her own.

So far, so good.

“I’m not telling you to rest, Chelsea and Asterique, I need you to do something else.”

Kim looked around at the noodles and said.

“Infiltration is done in threes.”