Chapter 97
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When planning an operation, there are times when you have no choice but to make sacrifices. Every time that happened, Adrien felt a kind of helplessness, as if her pride was crumbling into cheap cookie crumbs.
She knew in her head it was the best—sometimes the only—option, but that didn’t make it any easier to accept.
“It’s as Lieutenant Ricola said, ma’am. We’ve detected suspicious activity at Site Five, and our team has already infiltrated the area.”
“Alright. How many guides are assigned to that location?”
“Seven in total.”
“And their ranks?”
“Two ensigns, three lieutenants, two captains.”
“Anything unusual?”
“…There’s a rookie among them.”
Adrien, who had been moving briskly, came to an abrupt halt. She could hardly believe what she’d just heard.
“A rookie? There’s a rookie out there?”
This operation was a calculated trap, one that required exposing a vulnerable spot as bait. Just this morning, Lieutenant Ricola Alvard had come directly to Adrien, revealing that there were collaborators with the illegal enhancer ring even within their own unit.
The Security Guard had learned of the enemy’s presence, and even the plan to search five bars across the city had apparently already been leaked.
Ricola had volunteered to act as a double agent, and Adrien saw this as a rare chance to set a trap and catch everyone involved in one swoop.
“Of the five bars, only one is actually dealing in illegal enhancers, and the currency used in those transactions isn’t money.”
“Then what is it?”
“Guiding d***s, or… the guides themselves.”
The answer made her skin crawl.
It was one thing to smuggle out military supplies like enhancer d***s, but to traffic people? Even worse, some members of her own unit, blinded by their obsession with raising their own level, were actually considering selling out fellow guides. It was shocking.
Still, she had to use the situation to her advantage.
The Security Guard would carry out the investigation as if nothing was amiss, keeping all sensitive details tightly under wraps since it was impossible to know exactly who had already been compromised.
Even verifying Ricola Alvard’s loyalty had been a long and grueling process, they’d even brought her family into it, just in case they needed leverage.
Of all the target locations, Site Five was the most critical and dangerous.
“Didn’t I order you to consider experience when assigning personnel to the operation sites?”
“We only realized after the fact that rookies had been included in the reserve list, ma’am. Captain Linton was asked to approve a change, but he refused.”
“What was his reason?”
“He said there wasn’t time to reshuffle the assignments.”
“…”
“I’m sorry, Commander.”
Lieutenant Michelle lowered her head.
No time? That was such a flimsy excuse.
Someone like Linton knew exactly how dangerous this mission was, no one could be that ignorant. Even if a guide was inexperienced, that didn’t mean they had no field experience whatsoever.
But still, how could anyone justify sending a rookie, of all people, to the location most likely to be the enemy’s base?
“So who are the rookie guides assigned to Site Five?”
“Ensign Peter Rudd, and Ensign Samuel Norah. Both are rookies.”
For a moment, Adrien felt a fleeting sense of relief, only to plummet the next instant at Michelle’s next words. It was as if she could already see Samuel’s body lying broken on the battlefield—her chest and mind went cold and hollow.
She clenched her teeth, oblivious to how pale her face had become. Michelle shifted nervously at the sight.
“What about the Major who was supposed to be deployed to that site?”
“We sent someone to their residence, but we haven’t been able to confirm if they’re on site yet…”
“This is a disaster.”
Adrien muttered, grinding her teeth.
This wasn’t just another operation to subdue an out-of-control esper. There was no telling what kind of danger could befall the guides. And the only internal ally they had—Ensign Ricola—was herself just a rookie and only bronze-ranked.
If anything were to happen to Ensign Samuel…
Just imagining it made her feel like she was being strangled, her insides shriveling up like sunbaked earth.
“Lieutenant, go to that man’s house and make sure he gets the message: if he doesn’t show up immediately, I’ll make the woman he’s so desperate for as my personal guide.”
“Y-yes, understood… wait, what?”
“Go. Now.”
“R-right away, Major!”
Assured that Adrien was completely serious, Michelle took off at a run. Adrien headed out to the parade ground, where her waiting squad was assembled.
“Is teleportation ready?”
“Yes, Commander! We can send three teams of ten, starting now!”
“Good. Start with this group.”
The teleporter gathered his hands, closed his eyes, and in the next moment, a burst of light swallowed Adrien and her squad.
* * *
When Samuel finally opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the outline of Peter, lying across from him.
“…Peter.”
“…”
“Peter, wake up! Come on, Peter!”
But Peter didn’t stir. Samuel quickly checked his surroundings. It was so dark, he could barely make out anything, but he could tell that a few others were sprawled on the ground nearby.
They were all either civilians or guides. he confirmed that by feeling for pulses. Groping along the wall, he found that they were in a sealed, windowless space.
Which could only mean one thing: every single squadmate he’d met had been a traitor.
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