＜ Episode 68 ＞
The meeting resumed, and the people gathered in the center of the room put their heads together.
“It’s a map provided by the butler.”
A hologram came to mind, followed by a precise aerial photograph centered on the mansion.
“Hmm.”
“There are too many routes.”
Everyone who looked at the map hardened their faces.
Armstrong’s mansion, located in the middle of the forest like an isolated island, had nothing within five kilometers in all directions.
In the first place, the 22nd district itself had a strong character as a residential space for the upper classes, and this forest is the most important district in the 22nd district.
There were mansions of the rich to enjoy a quiet life separated from others, and this mansion was one of them.
As John flicked his fingers, the hologram shrank to reveal a view of the forest.
“As you can see, there are a total of five mansions in this forest. Among them, this mansion is located in the center. In other words, it becomes a story that we have to block all parts of this mansion.”
You must be vigilant in all directions now that you do not know which path the enemy will attack.
It was clear that the work would be more tiring than imagined, so people’s expressions were not good.
“But doing so is inefficient.”
After sneaking a peek at the faces of those people, John opened his mouth, and everyone’s eyes gathered.
“The butler.”
“Speak. Mr. Doe.”
The butler, who bowed respectfully at John’s call, answered.
“This mansion is not going to be a typical mansion, and we need to know the exact history of the defense system and its users.”
At John’s words, several people, including the butler, lit up their eyes.
Some, including the wizards, knew that this mansion was built with great care, and that the servants managing the house were not ordinary.
“Mr. Armstrong is the owner of the mansion, but he is subject to security. And there are no idiots who leave their VIPs entirely in the hands of others. Isn’t it?”
“…foot.”
The butler’s expression strangely changed, and Fioren, who turned his face away, smiled slightly.
In order for the Armstrong family to not become idiots, it has become a situation where they have to actively open up their military power to John.
And Robin, the butler, didn’t want the Armstrongs to be perceived as idiots.
Robin, with a gentle smile on his lips, enlarged the mansion with his fingers.
“The mansion is made of materials comparable to those of a first-class air raid shelter. It can withstand most anti-tank firearms. By planting barrier magic, it is possible to defend against the attack of the skilled person to some extent. Underground, a bunker capable of withstanding a nuclear attack is prepared, and supplies sufficient to sustain 30 people for three years are stocked.”
At Robin’s calm words, everyone put on their faces.
“Originally, there were around 10 people residing in the mansion, but 31 people, including myself, are currently waiting in the mansion. All of them have completed military training and have gone through more than one real battle. Implants use the National Defense Force standard, and there are five people with abilities, including me.”
A look of astonishment flashed across the faces of everyone in the room.
If Robin’s story is true, this mansion is like a fortress.
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Moreover, judging from the confident attitude of the resident troops, it seemed that more than normal would be enough, and my heart filled with tension melted away.
“Whew.”
“… that’s great. Is it Armstrong after all?”
but.
“Are you expecting that you can barely stop it with this level of preparedness?”
Everyone’s faces hardened at the words of John, who was the only one who kept his expression.
“Yes. That’s right. The Armstrong family couldn’t deploy any more troops for some reason, and that’s why we’re here to serve you.”
Some knew why, some didn’t.
Robin’s hand brushed the hologram, and the map zoomed in, revealing a view of the forest.
“This is where the enemy’s base camp is expected. It is this mansion located six kilometers to the east.”
“The grounds?”
John asked as he inspected the modern building, unlike Armstrong’s mansion.
“Because it’s the Pavel family’s villa.”
“…Pavel?”
“That city councilor?”
Voices of astonishment echoed everywhere.
***
Looking at the group, where the atmosphere of concentration was broken and confusion descended, John looked at them with calm eyes.
Humans act unconsciously when emotions change.
Facial expression, mood, behavior, gaze, etc.
No matter how skillfully you try to hide your mind, there are things you can’t help, and in order to control them, you have no choice but to carve them into your body through professional training for a long time.
‘That guy, that guy, that guy.’
And this kind of training is very unfamiliar in Luna.
It is correct that you do not need to do these exercises.
Isn’t there a need to learn the wisdom of the weak in Luna, where not only developed science, but also many talented individuals surpass the group.
Although he identified the suspicious, John remained vigilant.
‘Conversely, it means that you can control your body without having to undergo such training.’
That’s why John couldn’t let go of the tension in his heart.
“fist.”
It was a calm word, but everyone who felt the power in it flinched.
Everyone in this seat is a talented person.
He felt that the power of the solver, which he thought was recruited from a tactical point of view, was unusual.
“There will be people who know the inside story and there will be people who don’t.”
The calm words raised questions in some eyes, and strange expressions on some faces.
“You can’t commit to the battlefield without knowing the background. I’ll put it simply. This commission is a proxy war between the City Council and the National Guard.”
“···What?”
“···Right. Although I thought it was a little strange.”
A few looked surprised, but most nodded.
Watching their reactions, John continued.
“If you talk about the inside story, it will be long, so I will omit it. There is no superhuman input. After all, we are hired bodies. There will be no retaliation.”
An eerie light emanated from John’s eyes.
“So just think about making the request a success.”
Everyone nodded their heads at the words that were planted with a strong will.
Among them, there will be those who have been recruited by the city councilor, and the player will also be hiding.
Didn’t John come here with a simple security mission right now?
It’s the same with John who has other thoughts.
Therefore, it was necessary to faithfully fulfill the superficial request.
And it was clear that he would be able to reach his true goal by fulfilling the request.
‘Armstrong was helpful.’
It seemed that he had the mansion’s troops in his hands before he knew it, and it could be attributed to Armstrong.
A solver who came upon a request from the National Guard.
It must have been an attempt to arouse envy among the hired people and stamp John, but it was rather a backwater, giving strength to John’s words.
I don’t know how the situation will change, but at least no one disputed John’s words in this place.
***
Luna is a place where many things are unfair, and among them are things that she deserves to enjoy.
As the number of zones increases, the sky becomes gloomy and the sun rarely shines.
So, on occasion, when the weather is nice, it is a daily routine for the citizens of Luna to ignore any appointments and go outside to bask in the sun.
Closing your eyes and tilting your head to enjoy the warm sunlight is one of the few luxuries afforded to citizens, and no company, no matter how vicious, has prevented such deviations.
But here in Area 22.
As if it were a separate city, the warm sun was always beating down on it, and this is an example of the extreme gap between rich and poor in Luna.
Clouds are driven away by weather control devices, and the air is purified by large-scale air filters and forests.
Replacing part of the bronchial tube with an implant is a no-brainer here because of the city’s environmental pollution.
I can’t even imagine getting skin cancer from too much sun and replacing it with artificial skin or treating it with expensive nanomachines.
Luna is a place where even the air and sunlight are thoroughly owned by those with money.
“I really don’t like it. Isn’t it?”
“I can’t see it as desirable.”
John answered Tyrone’s question with a cynical expression.
Indeed, the fresh air of the forest, which he hadn’t smelled in a long time, was an irrefutable proof of Tyrone’s opinion.
If he hadn’t become a person with this ability, it was clear that John would have had implants in his bronchial tubes with a high probability, so he didn’t even want to refute it.
In that way, Moo-in and the fixer looked at the lush forest and were lost in thought, and a moment of silence ensued.
“Tyron.”
“Well?”
Calm words flowed from the mouth of the fixer who closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling of the forest.
“Did you get a commission from the city council?”
However, the contents were not calm, and Tyrone’s expression, which had been relaxed a little, hardened terribly.
Tyrone’s mouth opened as he turned his head and stared into the eyes of the solver who met his gaze.
“How did know?”
“It’s a feeling. My senses are pretty good.”
It was a conclusion made by synthesizing Tyrone’s expressions, actions, and eyes in the conference room, but there was no need to tell him that.
Tyrone’s hand trembled as he met his calm eyes.
He could have pulled out his sword and cut the solver right in front of him.
A swordsman who has reached the stage of maturity, Tyrone’s specialty is the quick sword.
The moment the light-like sword was pulled out, the solver in front of him couldn’t resist and was almost going to split into pieces, but even so, Tyrone flinched and couldn’t pull out the sword.
Calm attitude, eyes, atmosphere, and.
‘You’ve gotten stronger. He’s a completely different person.’
It was because the senses of a warrior trained through countless chaos were shouting not to be hostile to the enemy in front of them.
It was an unbelievable improvement considering the last time I met John, but that’s what it means to be a person of ability in the first place.
If there is a chance, it is a person who can develop terrifyingly, and it is especially true if it is a person with this ability.
Above all, the solver John that Tyrone knows is strong enough even if he doesn’t have this ability.
“…just as I said. I got a request.”
It was a short time, but Tyrone, who made a decision after numerous conflicts, hung his hand.
In the end, what he trusted was his senses.
it saved him
“Can I know the contents?”
“…The first goal is to kill Armstrong. If it’s hard, it’ll deal a fatal blow. Maybe the latter is what you expect from me.”
I made a decision, so I just follow it.
Tyrone shrugged his shoulders and seemed lighthearted as if he was talking about what he ate for lunch today, but that wasn’t the case.
“I guess so.”
At Tyrone’s words, John nodded in agreement.
When you take on a request, it is natural to investigate the client.
Naturally, John researched Armstrong, and since he was a celebrity, there was quite a bit of information about him that was open to him, so he was able to get a good grasp of it.
An unofficial iron heart descended from the Armstrong family.
It was a martial art that changed the whole body to a strength higher than that of steel to give it an indomitable body, and its defensive ability was only for a moment, but it was said to be enough to stop a superman.
Although Tyrone is a master at handling Auras, killing Armstrong would be close to impossible.
“therefore.”
Tyrone opened his mouth to see John lost in thought, his voice filled with tension.
“What are you going to do with me?”
The gaze of the warrior and the solver met.
＜ Episode 68 ＞ End