Chapter 180: The Red Wave
Is this a dream?
I was so flabbergasted that the thought made its way into my mind. My hand instinctively twitched to pinch my cheek, but I managed to hold back, considering there were eyes on me.
However, the man in front of me interpreted my hand movement in his own quirky way and cowered even more, bowing his head lower.
What in the world?
Normally, I would’ve told him that it was okay to lift his head and that there was no need to be so submissive. Seeing someone older than me act so timid would make my inner sense of propriety scream in agony.
Of course, this dignified compassion only applies to good-hearted elders; unkind ones need not apply!
“You are with the Red Wave, is that correct?”
Yeah, the rebel in front of me definitely breaks the mold.
“Y-yes. I am Robin, a mid-level officer of the Red Wave,” he stammered, bowing even lower as if trying to show off just how submissive he could be.
I barely suppressed a laugh at the spectacle. Hearing it again felt utterly ridiculous.
A mid-level officer, huh?
An officer, and one of the mid-ranking ones! This position indicates a high rank within the Red Wave. Excluding the leader, who sits at the very top, and a select few seniors who assist him, this guy stood at the top of the food chain.
In other words, a real republican rebel just walked in and voluntarily surrendered…?
Isn’t this some sort of trick?
That thought crossed my mind. A sudden visit from a stranger paired with his unexpected confession felt too convenient and outright suspicious.
I know my luck too well. Good fortune like this doesn’t just stroll into my life uninvited. If a known spy managed to escape, I could understand, but the notion of an undetected spy just waltzing in was absurd.
This feels like a half-baked trick.
But calling it a trick felt strange. These folks, blinded by conviction, wouldn’t even hesitate for a moment to blow themselves up. They had no history of surrendering before.
And suddenly, a mid-level officer is offering to surrender? I should be skeptical given I’m the intended recipient of this charade.
“So, you—a rebel—are throwing down your weapons?”
After collecting my scattered thoughts, I spoke.
If I didn’t know his true intentions, I could just make him spill the beans. It didn’t matter whether it was a ruse or heartfelt; the essential fact remained that this rebel had come into my quarters on his own feet.
“Is there a place for those who defy the Heavenly Mandate?”
Interrogation wasn’t my strong suit, but I figured a little pressure might lead to some revelations.
The title of Executive Manager definitely carried some weight!
*
“Is there a place for those who defy the Heavenly Mandate?”
The words from the Executive Manager sent a chill running down my spine.
Simple words, but in this context, they were lethal. It was a declaration that he wouldn’t accept the surrender of a traitor.
Damn it!
The Empire is usually lenient with surrenderers. All one has to do is admit their wrongs and seek shelter under the Emperor’s mercy, and they would be more than willing to forgive. That’s the Empire’s motto.
But would that motto hold up in this situation?
It’s in the hands of the Executive Manager.
The current person in charge was none other than the Executive Manager. Hence, the Empire had no choice but to rely on his report. Whether he decided to spare the surrenderer or execute him ultimately rested on how he described it all.
Even if I were to be killed here, a report stating, ‘the rebel resisted and was executed’ would easily pass under the Empire’s radar. Unfortunately, it has become too common for members of the Red Wave to refuse surrender and meet their demise.
Moreover, they were the Prosecutor’s Office—the ones who have always been mercilessly hunting down the Red Wave. Even though the current Executive Manager hadn’t actively participated in that suppression, he was still part of the Prosecutor’s Office and likely harbored some grudge against us.
It appears I have no choice but to make the best of a bad deal.
In reality, I felt like biting my tongue over the fact that surrendering with a high chance of death was my best option.
Still, this was better than getting caught and executed while trying to flee or sitting here and waiting for my head to roll off.
At least this way, I’d have time to talk, to lay all my cards on the table—a chance to negotiate.
Guess that’s my karma!
I shouldn’t have gotten involved with this lunatic group in the first place.
“I truly regret my decisions and wish to pledge loyalty to His Majesty,” he professed.
“Well, anyone can call themselves loyal with just words.”
His nonchalant tone was, of course, expected. Nothing had been proven yet, so why would he be convinced?
“Of course, I don’t plan on escaping my sins just by talking.”
That was a fib. I was fully hoping to dodge my sins if I could—trading everything I knew, every sob story I could pull out of my hat to survive.
Fortunately, I had no history of bloodshed. I mostly worked behind the scenes or played the role of a nosy spy.
“I was foolish and misled by the rebels’ empty promises, but I have seen the light and discovered the right path.”
I kept rambling on, my life hanging by a thread with each word.
I admitted I was a sinner—a fool briefly entranced—but I hadn’t harmed any good citizens of the Empire, and as a mid-ranking officer, I had plenty of juicy information up my sleeve.
“I pride myself more on my life as a guard at the Academy than as a member of the Red Wave.”
I referred to my past as if it were trash, which, truth be told, it might as well have been.
At those words, the Executive Manager’s eyes shimmered with interest.
*
This officer… what was his name again? Robin? Anyway, I merely listened as he spelled everything out. He was so eager to talk that I hardly had to poke him twice.
Just as I predicted, the title of Executive Manager worked wonders, but it was also a tad bittersweet. My reputation as a fearsome enigma seemed to hold weight…
“I pride myself more on my life as a guard at the Academy than as a member of the Red Wave.”
That unexpected comment was like a lightning bolt clarifying my chaotic thoughts.
So that’s who this guy is!
He must have been complicit when the Red Wave tried to wreak havoc at the Academy back in the original storyline. The actual threat wasn’t some Eriko character or whatever—it was him!
A mid-level officer’s title and a security guard’s cover; what a perfect setup for creating trouble for our protagonist.
Damn, that was close!
With this thought came a wave of both relief and sheer panic. Things could have gone horribly awry.
This Robin character had been hiding in plain sight, so well that the 2nd Manager couldn’t even sniff him out. If we thought only Eriko was the spy and let our guard down, we would have faced a backstab at a critical moment.
And what about the original storyline?
Right now, the condition of the Academy from the original narrative had me worried. Getting targeted by five organizations was hair-raising enough, but a guard who was a republican spy too? What kind of circus was that?
I wouldn’t be surprised if many characters had met unfortunate ends as the story continued. Who knows? The principal might have faced some bleak fate too. Such a shame!
“That’s enough.”
I interrupted Robin’s rambling, shaking my head. I’d heard enough.
But perhaps my reaction came off like a death knell because his complexion turned an alarming shade of pale. Honestly, I had pondered a lot about how to deal with him until that guard talk.
This is a genuine surrender!
I grew certain. This wasn’t a trick; it was a desperate escape orchestrated by a cornered officer.
If they wanted to fool us, then staying silent until the opportune moment to betray us would have been far more effective. His coming toward me like this screamed surrender.
Sure, it was odd for someone who seemed essential in the original story to suddenly surrender. But, hey, the Five Pillars fell apart under the flamboyant self-destruction of the hawks. Maybe this is somewhat related.
“Realizing your mistakes late is better than never realizing them at all.”
My words appeared to uplift Robin’s spirits, signaling he was acknowledging both his wrongdoing and repentance.
Sure, it would’ve been a lot better if he’d never joined the Red Wave to begin with, but trying to escape midway isn’t something to scoff at—especially when everyone else was dying while clinging to their republican ideals.
“If your loyalty to His Majesty is true, then follow me.”
“Ah, yes!”
But a final verification was still necessary.
Like I said before, I wasn’t an interrogation expert. While Robin’s surrender felt genuine, it was always better to be careful.
So, I passed him off to an expert in the field.
“There’s no sign of the Red Wave’s usual madness. His surrender appears genuine.”
Upon hearing about another spy, the 2nd Manager sprang into action, his frustration clear since he hadn’t caught it himself.
In a reaction akin to a cat that’s accidentally knocked something off a shelf, the 2nd Manager meticulously interrogated Robin, confirming that it was indeed a sincere surrender.
That was when I finally felt a wave of ease wash over me. After all, the job wouldn’t be complete until I secured cross-verification.
“Wow, I didn’t think there would be another.”
The 1st Manager uttered softly, clearly impressed as she observed from the sidelines.
I was equally baffled. It was astounding that there were two members of the Red Wave functioning in the Academy, but even more shocking was that the 2nd Manager had let one slip right past him. He wasn’t known for being reckless!
“There’s not more of them, is there?”
I inquired nonchalantly, and the 2nd Manager shook his head firmly.
“There are none. This time, I’m confident.”
He then turned his gaze towards Robin, who nodded frantically under his scrutiny.
“Yes! There really aren’t! The only ones in the Academy are me and Eriko!”
I almost turned away at his desperate display. Why did he look so desperate when he hadn’t spilled a single drop of blood? It was astonishing…
“Unlike Eriko, I’m a big player with direct ties to the leadership.”
The 2nd Manager continued, fixing a fierce glare on Robin. It was true; he was a significant catch. We might have terminated officers before, but capturing one alive was a first.
“This will be enough for us to spread false intelligence.”
Capturing a mid-level officer like him was indeed promising. He wasn’t just receiving orders but was also at a level where he could communicate or relay information to lower ranks.
Therefore, we no longer needed to sit around waiting for the Red Wave. As the 2nd Manager stated, we could utilize Robin to leak information and bait them.
“Now we can wrap this up.”
We had the Masked Unit on standby, ready to roll in. Thank goodness, this tedious task was nearing its end.
“If you’d found him first, we would’ve finished sooner.”
“Damn it.”
Watching the 2nd Manager stew in frustration warmed a little corner of my heart.
Well, at least it brought me some joy to see him going through that!
This was definitely material I could use to tease the 2nd Manager for at least three months. Better give the Senior a heads up!
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