67 – Retribution Measures (2)
“Scene secured. This place is safe now.”
However, it still looked like a mess left behind.
Leaning against the wall as if collapsing, Illya, tossing the shield down like throwing it at the wall, embraced me with one hand.
It felt like the worries and exhaustion flooding into my body were shoving my consciousness aside.
Gunshots embedded in all directions, along with bloodstains and even corpses.
Moreover, the house had exploded, leaving them in a situation where they couldn’t go back.
“Even if we just settle it by compensating the landlady, now we have nowhere to live.”
“I will find a way.”
“…Find a way and sleep on it, but what should we do about the immediate problem?”
He discreetly reached for his gun and took off his sweaty helmet, wiping his nose with the back of his hand.
And then he leaned against that soft, yet resilient body that he had touched so many times before.
Taking a deep breath.
After taking off his helmet, he whispered something to me and then our lips met, but…
With a hazy mind, I couldn’t even focus on the sensations that were flowing in properly.
A fairly large group of nomads sent their members to kill me.
Even though I tried to ask, I couldn’t get any answers because Ilia kept blowing their heads off one by one, causing chaos,
It was obvious that they were trying to manage their power by killing me.
I had to make them realize how wrong of a choice that was –
“Ugh?!”
“I’m sorry. I got too close. Are you okay?”
“Cough – Ugh…”
As I wiped the blood from my lips, I looked into the eyes of the person gently supporting my injured arm.
I should move forward, but it seemed like my injured arm wouldn’t heal anytime soon.
Since the house was completely destroyed, they would have to move somewhere else, but it was uncertain if there would be a place for them –
But they couldn’t stay on the outskirts of the city either.
Once determined to attack me, it was clear that they would continue to pursue relentlessly.
“It won’t work. Use your hand as a shield -“
“No.”
With a resolute decision firmly made, Illya now confronted me with a decisive voice.
Just as Dayeon used to, with a furrowed face.
“You’ve already replaced both legs. If you replace your hand too, there’s a high chance of straining your brain.”
“Rather than continuously exposing vulnerabilities to these bastards, Illya, it’s better this way. You know there’s only one way to conclude this, right?”
The moment those words were heard, I saw the expression vanish.
A hand reaching for the pocket, and a small chip being pulled out.
This time, I might be able to block…
“No, if you collapse here right now…”
“TaeHyuk, you are reckless. Do you not care about your own safety? You told me to value myself, yet you keep putting yourself in danger.”
Even if I exerted my strength and tried to overcome Illya, it was an uphill battle.
“Do not resist.”
“Tae Hyuk, I didn’t make this decision to harm you.”
“I know, me neither. But… damn it—”
Thunk.
With that sound, strength drained from his legs.
Unable to withstand the force pressing down, he was pushed out into the corner like a crumpled piece of paper.
Exhaling a lump of gathered breath,
Even as he tried to see clearly through the blurred front.
“I, Ria—”
“I’ve recommended recovery countless times.
I’ve continuously asked you to take care of yourself.
But still, you persist in wanting to do something yourself.
I cannot tolerate it.”
“If not me, then who— Who will take care of me?
You, and me,
In this damn city…!
The company? My fallen comrades who bonded through business relationships?”
Even resisting with both hands and feet wasn’t enough,
With strength draining away, in the end, all that remained was his voice.
“NoMads will come again, Ilyas.
But, other than cutting off and reattaching this damn hand, what other way is there – for you -“
“I am here for Lord Taehyuk.”
However, even that was blocked from Ilyas’s gaze,
and something chilling enough to sting touched his hand.
– A sharp sound.
A familiar noise.
And the remaining marks.
“The handcuff story, Keq, seems to have been true…?”
“I will protect Lord Taehyuk.
Just as Lord Taehyuk has done for me, I will protect him.”
“Heh, heh heh, heh heh…”
He seemed to smile, clinking the handcuffs.
In the face of such unconvincing behavior and this situation, I could only lower my head.
“I told you, Ilyas, that protecting is not like this.”
“Lord Taehyuk tends to be irrational,
showing a tendency to keep hurting himself.
This is a very logical conclusion,
irrationally, even emotionally judging this situation –
I have no choice but to do this.”
Thunk, thunk.
The bound hands moved more roughly.
Though connected to the guy’s belt, causing the pants to ruffle slightly – there was no significant change.
Helpless.
…The body given to me to protect myself was now used to overwhelmingly restrain me.
“I will prepare the lodging.
And I will find a way to handle the NoMads’ issue.”
“How do you plan to do that? Are you going to sneak in like in the old days and sweep everything out?
Or maybe attach a silencer and carry out an infiltration mission?”
“I understand that Taehyuk-nim is expressing deep disappointment in me.
However, if Taehyuk-nim were to die, I wouldn’t be able to witness even that reaction.
If you understand, I would appreciate it.
I love Taehyuk-nim.”
I let out a deep sigh at the guy who spat out the word ‘love’ as if it were some kind of panacea.
…There was no other way that came to mind; then what should I do?
If I’m not willing to owe others, to use the money I’ve collected?
And if not that, could it be, am I thinking of going back to Mireasis?
“You know, Ilyah –
You probably know.
What happened every time I owed a debt to a company.
“Why is it that I don’t rely on others?
Why did I endure ten years of hardship to bring you here alone?”
Inside the arrived elevator, a corpse with its mouth agape and eyes unseeing was wedged in a corner.
I didn’t want to meet its gaze, but with it pressed against my back, there was no avoiding it.
With Illya, who showed no signs of movement, all I could do was open my mouth immediately and continue the story, keeping my eyes gently closed.
“In the end, what happened to us is entrusted to us until someone else comes along – it’s what we’ve been given.
So, the immediate thought is replacing my hand.
No worries about it breaking in the future – sturdier and…”
“I dislike hands that don’t hold warmth.”
As the door opened, a fragment fell from the wall, noisily shattering.
It felt like a bell ringing in my head, leaving me speechless.
“Since Lord Taehyuk replaced both legs, the sensation felt after that is very unnatural compared to before.
Also, it seemed that since that point, he became much more accepting of damage to his own body.
Therefore, I oppose the additional installation of implants.”
Entering the entrance that refused to close anymore, the guy who had covered himself with a black soot-stained curtain closed the makeshift curtain tightly and threw me onto the bed in the main room.
Then he closed the curtain, pulled the blanket over his body.
“Rest is the top priority.”
With just one word, the guy who was about to leave had his wrist grabbed.
All the corpses around, especially –
The stench of the guy who collapsed in front of the entrance vibrated, and it seemed strange to ignore it and try to go outside.
“Are you really going alone?”
“I contacted the city to resolve the situation.”
“Because those bastards might have something to do with this outskirts?”
“This attack is deemed extensive. I’ll provide you with a cellphone, please check the news. Meanwhile, I’ll organize the surroundings for transporting the bodies.”
The power came back on.
And once again, incoming call notifications.
It’s understandable that Dayeon and Matthew would miss calls, but why from the head of the Mirsis security team?
More importantly, confirming the situation was a priority.
[NoMads has indeed crossed the line. They claim responsibility for the attack on the Mirsis transport vehicles and have taken retaliatory measures against those responsible. -]
Fires were raging in various residential areas of the city, with people streaming out with their belongings.
Even the armor of the armed personnel moving with the emergency response teams didn’t look entirely intact.
A large-scale attack. And a massive one at that.
This wasn’t a precedent… it was terrorism.
[Meanwhile, attention is drawn to the statement NoMads representatives have issued on social media and various outlets. Shall I relay the contents?]
A face shrouded in darkness.
Wearing a mask, Inchon had no patience for fools claiming what wasn’t theirs.
But the incoming call now…
“Yes.”
[Ah, hahahaha, Mr. Gunslinger, I didn’t expect to contact you like this.]
[I’m your junior. I don’t know if you remember.]
[How about you… heh, are you okay?]
“You don’t seem okay at all.”
Even the security team leader got hit in this attack.
With no clear understanding of how big a mess has been made in this operation, she was breathing heavily.
[I might need some help. Will you come and assist?]
Why would someone not related to the corporation call me at this moment?
…I couldn’t figure it out, but at least.
I could tell that the person looking at me right now wasn’t pleased with my call.