– Squeak. Click.
The tape was wrapped around the gloves and boots time and again.
Her hair had been completely shaved off a long time ago.
Mr. James’s beard and hair were the same.
“….”
Ms. Angela, her cheek swollen bright red, received the gas mask from Sarah.
“No matter how today turns out, I can’t tolerate that kind of behavior.”
Still holding her chin up to the person who struck her, Ms. Angela calmly nodded.
At the sight, Sarah clenched her teeth in rising anger.
“I have nothing to say about the threats. But if we don’t do something like this….”
“Both of you, stop.”
It was a dispensable situation.
The choices had already tilted.
And the one who forced the decision was Ms. Angela, abusing her position as the sole doctor.
“Once this rescue mission is over, I will hold you accountable for the threats, no matter how the search turns out, good or bad.”
“Having sworn that there’s nothing more precious than saving lives… Yes, I am prepared.”
It was certain that this attitude would trip her up someday.
No matter how great the strength gained could be, even with the assumption of a successful rescue, it wouldn’t change things.
Especially if the ‘Spearhead’ members could be made part of my community.
If during all this playtime, the ‘Spearhead,’ which had never been recruited before, could move under my command…
That story, by itself, would be fine — still, Ms. Angela’s attitude was hard to accept.
“Haa.”
Perhaps the reason she wanted to leave with me was because her disposition and beliefs kept clashing in the 0th Empire, and she guessed she’d soon be replaced.
“I know I’m making an unreasonable request. If anything happens—”
“After already using your importance to threaten us.”
With a sigh and a glare, Angela Dieterich finally lowered her gaze to the floor.
“…Every action has consequences. And… ”
She jabbed her finger into the center of her chest and met my eyes as they slowly rose.
“Death will never be the way to take responsibility.”
With no more words to say, Ms. Angela simply nodded slowly.
We had started off in a good mood while analyzing the drugs.
Had I known she was this kind of person, should I have limited information as much as possible whenever dangerous situations arose?
No, it was probably my fault for not controlling her when I noticed her dissatisfaction after escaping the 0th Empire.
This was yet another moment where I realized that dealing with people was never easy.
“Mr. Curtis, how did the negotiation go?”
“They also said there are limits to what they can do, but here.”
A star marked the final rendezvous point on the map.
About 2 km away from the hotel.
If our estimated location was correct, it would save us 20 to 30 minutes.
“I’ve told you repeatedly, trust James’ instincts. Don’t let the doctor make arbitrary judgments.”
After hesitating for a moment, Mr. Curtis grabbed my shoulder and pulled me down.
Then he whispered in my ear.
“Medics always fail to distinguish between what they need to do and what they must do. They’re the ones who try to save enemies and get captured as hostages, or those who quote the Geneva Convention and get riddled with bullets… There was a hero named Desmond Doss in the Pacific theater, but there’s a reason why miracles remain miracles.”
“I already know—”
“You’re our miracle. The entire story since meeting you has been a miracle. We’ve already encountered three groups who kill people without hesitation. At least the rational ones were Americans praising Nazis. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
“I hope you do. You’re important. No matter the excuse, come back alive.”
After securely putting on the gas mask, Mr. James looked at me.
Ms. Angela, tightly strapped with a bag full of medical supplies, nodded at me.
And finally, Sarah grabbed and dragged me along.
“—Sorry for asking again, but…”
“The decision has been made.”
“I know, but wouldn’t it be better to find a doctor down here? He’s just a veterinarian, not a proper doctor.”
“…From the 0th Empire until now, he’s treated most of the serious injuries. But—”
Though her grip on my arm was firm, I barely felt the pain anymore.
I had to admit her skill at quickly and cleanly stitching wounds was impressive.
“It’s not that I’m saying you shouldn’t save people. It’s not.”
“Our goal is to return everyone safely. And… this might be a good opportunity for Ms. Angela.”
Angela Dieterich, who hadn’t yet encountered many monstrous creatures, remained idealistic.
Whether it was reality or ‘Concrete Under,’ they had one thing in common.
After experiencing life-threatening situations, people either became extremely corrupted or their beliefs grew stronger.
And idealism was one of the easiest beliefs to change.
Or die.
It was a good personality trait for recruiting people—but a belief that made death equally likely.
After putting on the gas mask, Sarah attached the purification tank for me.
Six each, two-hour portions, hung on the waist pouch.
Four spares on the backpack.
Prepared for 20 hours of activity.
We had to prepare for various situations: getting lost, waiting, or hiding.
[DE F01 2M 1FEM DEPART ETA 2 TO 4 HR AR]
—This is F01, two men, one woman departing. Estimated arrival time 2 to 4 hours.
[DE 75 F01 R 1 M DEPART ETA 30 MIN CU AGN]
—This is 75, message received from F01. One man departing. Estimated arrival time 30 minutes. Hopefully see you again.
After the radio transmission ended, we checked the equipment once more.
Emergency food and water, just in case.
Extra gas masks.
Ammo boxes filled with ammunition.
Shotgun.
Flashlight.
…I ran my hand through my shiny bald head.
“Are you ready?”
“Prioritize survival. If the rescue isn’t guaranteed, abandon and return.”
“No impulsive actions. Do not attempt risky rescues for separated personnel.”
Reiterating the promises in order, we lined up in front of the hatch entrance.
Mr. James at the front.
Ms. Angela in the middle.
And I at the rear, taking a deep breath.
“Departure.”
*
—Clunk, crunch.
—Crack, crack, crack-crack-crack.
The sound of the Geiger counter attached to my chest filled the quiet world.
“The temperature isn’t too cold compared to what we expected.”
“It’ll get terrible once night falls. We need to reach 75’s base camp before it gets dark.”
“First, we need to figure out exactly where we are.”
The flat area behind the entrance.
And the desolate city spreading out in front of the entrance.
Nothing special was visible yet.
“Not yet.”
“…Father was right. That building with a few missing digital billboards. Can you see it?”
[TH SUI E]
“The Suite. There’s a frozen wide river in front of it… confirmed. This is it.”
Thankfully, we weren’t at the farthest estimated point.
“If we’re late, it’ll take three hours. If we’re quick, two. Let’s set the timer for 1 hour and 50 minutes at 1400.”
“Are you talking about 2 PM?”
“…Let’s standardize everything from now on to 1400.”
Ms. Angela flinched momentarily at the cold tone but soon nodded in agreement.
We all knew this would happen.
“First, we’ll check the thickness of the frozen river. If it’s thick enough to walk on, we’ll proceed. If not, we’ll expect it to take three or more hours.”
“We also need to consider threats on the ground.”
“…Go ahead.”
“There are Zeitan church members active on the surface.”
“Damn.”
“The Zeitan church?”
“…They’re fanatics who perform human sacrifices.”
Mr. James’s voice was heavier than ever.
“…Continue. What else?”
“There are mutated crows called Screechers that have grown as tall as two-story buildings, feral animals near the zoo, packs of wild dogs that haven’t turned into Dogfoots, bats in dark places. And although the underground is sealed, the surface is open. In other words.”
“Did we walk straight into the enemy’s mouth?”
“Even so….”
If there were any threats, we would have been attacked by now.
Not to mention, there were no signs of Screecher shadows or bird shapes in the sky.
“It’s 1400 now, so if we can join them before it gets dark, we can escape quickly. Since we’re uninjured, the risk of being tracked is low.”
“In other words, if we get hurt—”
“We’ll be chased by all kinds of things.”
Ms. Angela briefly glanced at the tunnel we had exited.
Then she turned her head back to me.
“Shall we check the thickness of the ice first?”
Still, there was no thought of stopping.
Hadn’t the dice already been cast?
Moreover, since we had already sent a telegram saying we would go, the other side had promised to send someone as a guide.
How much of that could be trusted was uncertain.
—Crunch, crunch.
Stepping on the solid snow and approaching the river, we examined the ice.
Mr. James swept away the accumulated snow with his hand.
“Perfectly clear and…”
He picked up a rock nearby and slammed it hard onto the ice.
—BOOM.
Only slight grooves appeared on the ice.
There were no further signs.
“It seems we can cross, but…”
Surveying the open surroundings, Mr. James scanned the area for a moment and pointed to a distant bridge.
“Let’s move while hiding in the shadows under the bridge.”
That was clearly the better option.
If a Screecher appears and we try to hide, it would already be too late.
“…”
As we needed to follow Mr. James, Ms. Angela paused momentarily, staring blankly at the city.
Her hands trembled slightly for a moment, but she immediately clenched her fists and followed closely behind.
“I can do it. I can save them.”
Clouds began to gather in the sky.
At least it didn’t seem like the ice would melt anytime soon.
