Chapter 182
The operatives of the Red Wave within the academy have been uncovered. A mid-level officer, previously undetected, surrendered voluntarily. We fed false information to the hidden leaders of the Red Wave, leading them into a trap where the Masked Unit awaited, sharpening their swords.
Everything is perfect. Unless Enen has been compromised by the Red Wave, failure in this operation is not an option.
‘All set.’
Somehow, the phrase ‘all set’ feels ominously like a bad flag, but I reminded myself that this was just my personal anxiety.
“Did you catch them?”
– Yes. We captured 13 individuals, including their leader, and killed 24 of them. There were no escapees.
So, the entire operation ended without any issue.
‘What is happening?’
Just as I was about to lie down and sleep, my communication device suddenly lit up. I answered, wondering what the fuss was about, and it was the 4th Manager.
At her report, I was momentarily at a loss for words. The result was good, but the execution of the operation was bizarre beyond comprehension.
‘Once again…’
Once again, I did nothing. Not only did I just command from the back, but I was completely clueless and only heard the report afterward.
I was living the dream of a relaxed payday, yet experiencing it brought an odd discomfort. It felt less like a victory and more like incompetence. How could rebels be prowling nearby without my knowledge?
“I thought it would happen in two days.”
Suppressing my anxiety and self-reproach, I cautiously expressed this. The Red Wave’s assault on the academy was supposed to be in two days. Surely, Robin had assured us of that timeline.
Did I get it wrong? Or did I let my guard down so much that I didn’t notice two days had already passed?
Even so, if that were the case, I should resign for being incompetent. The worst-case scenario would be if Robin had deceived us and was truly a triple agent.
– We are still confirming, but it appears to be a unilateral decision made by their leader.
“Ah.”
I felt a wave of relief wash over me. So they proceeded with the attack without even telling Robin.
‘Has he lost his mind?’
Going forward without communicating with the field officer? That clearly wasn’t the actions of an ordinary person.
Then again, someone who becomes the leader of the Red Wave is unlikely to be sane to begin with.
“I’ll be there shortly. I need to see things for myself.”
– Yes, Executive Manager.
With that, the communication ended as the 4th Manager bowed.
I was still feeling disturbed. I expected this would be a smooth wrap-up, but I never imagined it would be over so swiftly.
It felt like walking into the boss room fully armed and buffed, only to be greeted by a dialogue event and nothing else. Comfortable, yet so hollow. What was even happening?
“Hey.”
– …Huh? Executive Manager?
In a rush, I contacted the 1st Manager, who sounded dazed, perhaps still asleep.
“We caught the Red Wave. You just need to go.”
Just those two sentences were enough to make her eyes widen like a full moon.
I gathered Robin, who we needed to identify their leader and higher-ups, and the 2nd Manager, who had been grumbling in Gerhardt’s lab, before heading toward the forest. I didn’t bother asking why he was in the lab at such a late hour.
“Executive Manager.”
“Oh, you’ve worked really hard.”
As we approached the forest, a member of the Masked Unit greeted us.
After a few pats on the shoulder, the 1st Manager quietly spoke to me.
“They look fine. It seems like it was a one-sided beating.”
“Right.”
The Masked Unit member we passed looked perfectly fine, both in their uniform and expression. Maybe they sent him on purpose to guard, but if there had been a fight or casualties, he wouldn’t look so relaxed.
As the 1st Manager noted, it seemed the Red Wave was completely crushed before they could even fight back. What were they doing arriving two days early?
“Damn those idiots. I was almost done organizing data because they said it would be in two days.”
I pretended not to hear the 2nd Manager’s frustrated mumbling. In the meantime, he had practically become a graduate student.
Despite all their failures, the Red Wave somehow managed to get on the 2nd Manager’s nerves. Perhaps the 2nd Manager’s and the Red Wave’s traits just didn’t mix well.
“Executive Manager, over there.”
I turned my gaze where the 1st Manager pointed and saw a group of individuals kneeling by the side, closely monitored.
Just as the 4th Manager reported, there were indeed 13 of them.
“Ah, Executive Manager.”
“Executive Manager has arrived! Stand up!”
Upon hearing the 1st Manager’s voice, all eyes from the Masked Unit snapped towards us.
I waved my hand for those seated to continue lounging. After all, a salary thief like me didn’t deserve such a grand reception.
“Penelia!”
As I walked towards the 4th Manager, the 1st Manager dashed ahead.
“Wow, you caught quite a few, huh?”
Her excitement seemed less about seeing an old friend and more about the new toys she had just received.
“A surprising number died. Is that alright?”
“That’s more than fine! As long as it’s not below five!”
Her words drew my gaze towards the presumed Red Wave members. The number was 2.6 times more than five, and it seemed the 1st Manager’s joy was also 2.6 times.
“Executive Manager.”
The 4th Manager approached while being clung to by the 1st Manager. They weren’t even Yeti and Pepe, yet they stuck together like bees to honey.
The 4th Manager’s slightly furrowed brow suggested a bit of discomfort, but she didn’t push her friend away. What a heartwarming friendship.
“You’ve worked hard. I should have helped.”
“Not at all. Thanks to the information you provided, we managed quite easily.”
That comment made my embarrassment even greater. To be honest, that information wouldn’t have happened without Robin’s voluntary surrender.
I awkwardly smiled, then turned to Robin, who had been silent throughout.
“Is that them?”
“Ah, yes. That’s them.”
Robin’s expression was complicated. Was he burdened by guilt for betraying his old comrades? No, that softness didn’t fit his expression.
‘He must also be perplexed.’
His face screamed, ‘What are they doing here? They shouldn’t be here right now. I definitely told them to come in two days. So why now?’
My announcement of capturing the Red Wave had turned his face pale. He suddenly found himself suspected of being a triple agent.
Honestly, I even wondered if the Red Wave had caught on to Robin’s betrayal and was taking advantage of our carelessness to target Robin for elimination.
“—!”
But the sight of the Red Wave struggling with gags around their mouths indicated they had charged in blindly.
…Which made it even stranger. Did they actually pull this off without realizing there was a traitor among them?
‘What are they doing, really?’
No matter how you slice it, it was hard to understand the actions of these rebels, but come on, this was next level stupidity.
“—! —!!”
“Release him.”
“Yes.”
At the 4th Manager’s instruction, a nearby Masked Unit member rushed in to remove the gag from one of them.
“Ro—!”
Thump!
The Red Wave member who tried to speak the moment his gag was removed was cut off by the swift punch of a Masked Unit member.
Typical Masked Unit efficiency. Their quickness, even in minor matters, was impressive. Even this minor detail was enough to lift my mood, weighing down with the burdens of being an Executive Manager.
“Who’s the leader?”
“The one who just got hit.”
Robin’s answer boosted my spirits even more. Perfect.
Nodding in satisfaction, the Masked Unit member began to remove the gags from the other Red Wave members. Perhaps after seeing their leader get slapped the moment he spoke, everyone else remained quiet this time.
*
I settled down on a stump and watched the Executive Manager grill the Red Wave members.
“Are you okay not joining them, 2nd Manager?”
While I was observing, a Masked Unit member handed me a water bottle. How timely, as I was feeling parched.
“What’s the point of getting in the middle of that? It’s the 1st Manager’s job.”
I replied after taking the water bottle. I prefer to be proactive before the situation escalates; whatever happens afterward falls under the 1st Manager’s jurisdiction.
As for the 4th Manager… well, she had that personality of sticking close to the Executive Manager.
“Those idiots must have rushed here eager to meet their end.”
“Maybe they moved early because they were concerned about information leaks,” the Masked Unit member replied to my mumbling.
That was a plausible explanation. For significant operations, they often prepare separate official and unofficial documents, and only a select few higher-ups get to know the real mission.
Even so, it’s crucial to handle such matters with proper caution. If an operation requires the cooperation of the field officer, then proceeding without them knowing is just absurd.
‘Half-baked fools.’
That’s the impression that stuck with me as I dealt with the Red Wave. They showed hints of cleverness and conviction, yet something always went awry at crucial moments.
It’s probably because they indulge in their delusions rather than focusing on legitimate success.
‘Idiots.’
I too have my red-blooded history. I became entrenched in the blue-blooded society only because my father received a title after I was born.
Having witnessed that red-blooded individuals could achieve success has made it impossible for me to see the Red Wave in a positive light. What if the empire began to tighten their grip on red-blooded progeny because of those fools?
“They’ve died more than expected—”
“Son of a—!”
Whack!
“—What? Are they dead…?”
I was comparing the number of captured individuals to the corpses when a loud shout rang out, followed by a crashing noise.
‘What the hell?’
I saw the Executive Manager swing a punch at the captive in front of him. The unfortunate prisoner’s head disappeared, leaving the 1st and 4th Managers in stunned silence behind him.
“The Third Honor member just mentioned the North in front of the Executive Manager!”
In that moment, a memory of the 1st Manager’s words after the Third Honor subjugation struck me.
No way. No, it can’t be!
Please, let it not be true.
*
The interrogation began, but the leader of the Red Wave wouldn’t utter a word.
Well, he opened his mouth, but only for mindless drivel.
‘Should I just kill them all?’
After all, the leader and the mid-level officers were all right here. If I dispatched them, this point organization known as the Red Wave would inevitably crumble.
Yet, it would be inappropriate to execute prisoners taken during an operation. The Empire’s policy emphasizes how to make the most of captured enemies.
Last time, the 4th Manager had to deal with the mess after killing the dead leader, so I couldn’t afford to repeat that.
“You’re also dissatisfied with the current system, aren’t you?”
While I contemplated that, the leader of the Red Wave—let’s just call him the boss—began to speak to me.
Dissatisfied? Sure, I had grievances about how civil servants were treated like dogs.
“I know it. You are a comrade who could join us.”
“What nonsense are you spouting?”
I grimaced at his absurdity. Why on earth would I align myself with them?
The boss chuckled at my reaction before continuing.
“You’ve accomplished even greater deeds. Who would be foolish enough to harm those who wear the purple crown?”
For a moment, I struggled to grasp his meaning. Or more accurately, I refused to understand it.
Purple crown. It referred to individuals above the noble blue-blooded—the royalty or the imperial family.
“I heard from Robin. During the inter-class competition, in front of everyone, you—”
“Son of a—!”
By the time I regained my senses, my fist had already swung forward.
Damn it, this bastard dared to drag up a dark chapter from my past!
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