Jonathan looked back and forth between the silent streets and still visible traces of smoke in the sky. It was a day he wished he could forget. Armed warplanes still flew through the skies of New York, and all bridges and tunnels were closed. He had no way of getting out of New York and wondered if this was what it would be like during a war. He looked where the Twin Towers had been and wondered once more whether or not Sun had somehow predicted this…horror.
What Sunhoo had said a year and a half ago about Jonathan Investments starting a banking business fit in too well with this situation. He had said that a day would come when no one would pay attention to them and now was the time.
Jonathan opened his cell phone to call Jeffrey Kay.
**
Four days after 8.11, an airport customs officer looked back and forth between my face and my passport. Armed police officers were running somewhere nearby. I had told Yeonhee what the situation would be like in the airport. Still, she seemed sad at seeing a person with Middle Eastern features being dragged away at gunpoint. It was Yeonhee’s turn, and unlike many other Koreans who were refused entry due to their limited English skills, Yeonhee was able to pass.
She spoke to me only after we got out of the airport.
“I wonder if this is how people will respond to monsters in the future…”
Her voice was barely a whisper.
We dared not risk equipping the agents with firearms even hidden inside the van, and we headed straight to White Water.
Things were bustling there as I saw vehicles from the US Department of State. During this time, even official agencies of the United States Government would seek private contractors to supplement their security forces, a trend that would continue in the future. Not only them, but I also saw many self-proclaimed “Patriots”, easily discernible from the logos and patches on their clothing that I remembered from my previous life. In reality, they were all opportunists who had come to train, sensing opportunity in this disaster. While many of them would be criminals, White Water would accept anyone who wished to sign up for military training, as it was already obvious that the demand for mercenaries and “Privately Contracted” security would increase in the future.
The centre’s current manager was a board member of John’s group, and he now came alongside the car.
“Hello, Ethan.”
The man looked oily, and his attitude was condescending from the start.
“Where are the people from the State Department?”
“They are touring the training centre. If you came today to check the contracts…”
I knew that this was the moment I had to remind him who was the boss, and I reached forward and took off his sunglasses. While I could not replace him at this critical moment, I knew I had to keep him in line.
[You have used the Medallion of Restraint.]
The man’s eyes opened wide as he found he could not move. Yeonhee glanced at me, and she pulled out a dagger to place it under his chin. She asked with her eyes for orders. I saw him gulp.
“What is your name?”
“…It is Dagger.”
“Your real name.”
“Nicholas Lee.”
“Nicholas. While it is good that you’re working hard, don’t cross the line.”
“I…I’m sorry.”
After I removed the item effect, Nicholas partially collapsed and I spoke to him as he hunched over and breathed in deeply.
“I didn’t come about some State Department bigwigs, I came here today to retrieve our Cat.”
Yeonhee asked me a question after he left, with my instructions.
“Where is this place?”
“It’s a civilian security firm that trains mercenaries to send to places that need them.”
“Did you make this place for that day?”
It seemed that 8.11 had left a deep impression on Yeonhee, as she seemed to be unable to stop talking about the Day of Advent, seeing the two as the same thing in her mind. Leon arrived then, and he came with the light steps of someone who had just been released from jail. (EN: Chapter 119)
I had heard he had tried to run from the training centre, but the man now carried himself like a professional soldier, who could be sent anywhere. His eyes looked at me with resentment, as I had left him here for eighteen months to train.
“Let me ask one thing. Is our group mixed with terrorism?”
“That’s the first thing you ask? No, and I don’t want anyone to even joke about it from now on. We’re against an even bigger threat. Now, get in the car.”
The van started to move, and Leon yelped.
“Wait, where are we going?”
“A dungeon.”
Leon seemed like he was going to say something but instead looked at Yeonhee. His face went rigid like he was thinking about what happened in Las Vegas. Yeonhee spoke with a smile.
“I hope you’re ready.”
“What?”
“You may have thought things from a fantasy film from the word dungeon, but we’re in a horror film. You will have to follow my orders, as I understand the world you’re about to enter, and my words will keep you alive. Isn’t that right, leader?”
Yeonhee looked at me.
**
A van from White Water came to where we were. Mick came out of the passenger seat, and we were the only ones on the empty road. Mick opened the trunk after greeting me, and he opened a small safe. No operative in our group would dare touch it, and the items we had placed in it were secure. Yeonhee took out her favourite weapon, a D class knife called the Sinner’s Dagger with a bonus 200 attack. While she chose her backup weapons, Mick told me that the backpacks were in the backseat before looking at Leon.
They knew each other, as Mick had driven Leon to White Water. I had heard that Leon had to be properly ‘disciplined.’
“Hey, you!”
Leon came striding to Mick, and Mick glanced at me for a moment. I nodded my assent, and Mick’s punch landed on Leon’s nose.
“Remember that I am still your superior, Chip.”(EN: As in Casino Chip.)
Leon stood up after wiping his bleeding nose.
“Can somebody please explain the situation? Also, my name is not Chip.”
Other agents had exited out the van, and Leon froze as Mick opened his mouth.
“No, but it’s your codename. Forget everything in your past, as that’s your new name.”
Mick threw a backpack to Leon as “Chip” showed no signs of resisting, and Yeonhee and I also took a backpack as the operatives finished equipping themselves. We were moving when Yeonhee spoke.
“An E class?”
“No. We have to test him.”
“Can he bear it?”
“We will know that in the dungeon.”
“Isn’t there a way we can check his quests? If he has a bad one, we cannot have him with us.”
“I will kill him if he tries something funny.”
Yeonhee was implying that she did not want Leon with us, and I felt the same. However, I needed to bring other team members and train them before going into higher class dungeons. Leon looked astonished at seeing the dungeon entrance, but he was the only one. As usual, the agents divided themselves into three teams, and Yeonhee was looking at the entrance as I spoke to Leon.
“You have to follow my orders without question once we enter. Disobeying means your death, and you will know why once we go in.”
“What are we fighting?”
“Monsters.”
Leon looked at us like we were crazy, but we needed to know whether he would survive or crumble once we were inside. We entered.
[The quest ‘Declan extermination’ has begun.]
Yeonhee smiled at the quest notification.
“They’re mutts.”