Chapter 167

Something is difficult when you decide to bring up a conversation, and that is uttering the first word. If everything was sorted out in advance about what story to share, it wouldn’t be an issue, but our situation wasn’t neatly organized enough to comfortably talk about it.

To talk about the future, we had to revisit the Olympic Bridge bombing incident. The memory of that day was not good for both my girlfriends and me, so everyone’s expressions turned slightly darker, and Yubin clapped loudly.

“If everyone stays silent, the story won’t progress. Although this isn’t official business, let’s consider it a meeting and share what needs to be said and listen.”

Though I’ve heard descriptions of HunterKiller meetings, I hadn’t been part of them, so I couldn’t gauge the specific atmosphere. But with Yubin’s one sentence, I could indirectly sense the tension dissipating from everyone’s faces.

“I’m curious about what happened at Spacystro. Can you tell me?”

If there’s information I can share without causing problems, I’ll do so, but unfortunately, I don’t have any information right now.

Due to the terrorist attack, I suffered direct injuries and was unconscious for two weeks. When I woke up, I knew there was a meeting between the Spacystro 6 Fleet leadership and the Earth Defense Union.

Of course, this information is known to the girlfriends too, and the meeting was officially announced worldwide.

However, after the meeting, Spacystro didn’t mention the incident again. The criticism for not releasing the results fell on the Earth Defense Union.

Actually, the excuse for not announcing the results was just that; people’s long-standing grievances erupted. Those who don’t know the internal affairs of the Earth Defense Union blamed even the hyper-humans, and since I also don’t know the internal situation, I couldn’t speak much about that part.

Waiting for orders from above is the same for Spacystro soldiers. Perhaps headquarters already received new instructions, but no additional information reached me, who was currently in a state of rest.

“If you know, you can say it, but unfortunately, I don’t have any information right now.”

I spoke openly, and the girlfriends seemed to believe me. Considering the time that had passed since the meeting and my injury and rehabilitation period, they probably expected me to have no information as well.

“Headquarters is moving, when should we go see?”

“I was planning to go back next week. I was thinking of going as soon as possible.”

I haven’t checked the new headquarters yet, and headquarters might have information I haven’t received. Above all, I need to visit headquarters because I have a lot to discuss with Luche.

“One thing I’m curious about.”

Hayang raised her hand quietly, and everyone’s attention turned to her.

“What if the conflict restarts? What will we do then?”

Even though it was already quiet, the silence after her words felt like there were no breaths left.

Currently, the conflicts happening every week in Seoul were not ongoing.

Spacystro was busy with headquarters relocation and personnel changes, and the Earth Defense Union was still handling the aftermath of the incident.

It’s a major event that won’t end in a day or two, especially one directly affected by law, requiring the Earth Defense Union to deal with many things.

“That’s a concern too.”

I leaned against the chair, looking at the ceiling. When I was hiding things from my girlfriends, there was no immediate problem if the conflict continued.

My girlfriends didn’t know my true identity, so they proceeded with the conflict as usual, and I knew I couldn’t fully attack even if I knew everything, so I always did my best in the conflicts.

But now, the situation has changed significantly. My girlfriends now know that one of the black-suited soldiers is me, and considering their various aspects, they would definitely be aware of me during the fight.

Although it might be a good time to bring up the topic of Spacystro’s defection that Hayang and SuA discussed, it seemed better to avoid causing unnecessary confusion by bringing it up before opinions were consolidated.

Regarding the conflict, I had been thinking about it since getting out of bed and regaining some sanity. Fortunately, my girlfriends accepted me rather than trying to hurt me, so it’s okay to talk positively about it.

“I thought about it.”

When I spoke louder, breaking the silence, my girlfriends looked at me, expecting me to propose a method.

They might not accept it immediately, but it’s a conclusion I arrived at after careful consideration.

“The conflict will surely resume.”

After Spacystro’s upper management issues new guidelines and makes an official announcement, the conflict will resume, and it might change completely from previous ones.

The reason for this prediction is that I looked over the list of new members joining Team 3. I didn’t check everyone, just a quick glance, but several familiar names stood out.

“It seems good to continue the conflict as usual.”

My girlfriends will certainly be aware of me. This isn’t an overreaction but a realistic conclusion. I am their boyfriend, and they possess superior physical abilities compared to me.

In a conflict, we become enemies and must attack each other. Even a rough look at the records shows that Team 3 has a high probability of losing. In other words, I have many days ahead where I will be hit by my girlfriends.

“But hitting A…”

“I don’t want to attack my older brother either.”

Yura trailed off reluctantly, and the Milky Way also opposed attacking me directly. Hayang shook her head, unwilling even to think about attacking me. Yubin, as the team leader, wanted the conflict to proceed smoothly but didn’t oppose attacking me, aligning with Yura and Milky Way’s stance.

“Though it may not seem so, our team has many perceptive members. So, if they notice me, they’ll definitely realize something is wrong.”

LuChe already knows, but it would be troublesome if other team members find out about my relationship with the girlfriends. I trust my teammates, but gossip can spread quickly.

“Moreover, if the team involved in the incident starts the conflict, people’s attention will surely be drawn. I think HunterKiller should show its usual appearance.”

With more eyes watching, more caution is needed. Contrary to my predictions, the world might not pay any attention to the conflict between Team 3 and HunterKiller. However, someone will start paying attention, unlike before.

While speaking seriously, SuA stared at me intensely, and I met her gaze.

“Why?”

“No, it’s just that we’re lovers, and by affiliation, we’re in an adversarial relationship.”

“That’s right.”

“But is it okay to give advice to hide our identities?”

Listening to her, I tilted my head curiously.

“There’s nothing different from before?”

“…That’s not the point.”

What I said wasn’t meant to provoke my girlfriends’ fighting spirit or reveal Team 3’s weaknesses. It was simply asking for the same as before.

While this might be a problem, if HunterKiller’s actions change externally when viewed from different angles, it could disrupt plans.

The conflict will still likely result in defeat, but externally, there would be no significant changes, which is advantageous in the long term.

“But is it okay for my boyfriend to be with us?”

“It’s not entirely without issues, but there are ways to make it okay.”

Everyone waited silently for my next words. Curious about the methods, I explained without hesitation.

“After becoming involved with everyone, I’ve been collecting a lot of information on hyper-humans.”

“…So, you’re not involved with us because of that?”

SuA frowned and asked, so I immediately shook my head in denial.

“At first, it was to investigate HunterKiller, but as time passed, I became curious about why people have negative views towards hyper-humans.”

There was no point in hiding it. Initially, I investigated hyper-humans to find the team’s weakness, but after genuinely falling in love with them, I became curious about the negative perceptions and gradually shifted focus to studying hyper-humans themselves.

The girlfriends listened silently.

“The excuses I can use if caught are plentiful. So, I hope you can help a bit with the investigation.”

Making such a request required considerable resolve. While it was just asking for help with my personal matters among friends, it was like a hyper-human protecting Earth from Spacystro, requesting assistance.

And if this became public, it could cause significant damage to them.

If Hayang and SuA, who expressed intentions to defect to Spacystro, and Yura, who granted me control over the suit, knew, they would likely help immediately, but since the team members weren’t aware of these matters, they cautiously observed each other.

I wanted to bring it up immediately, but Yura asked to keep it a secret, and I suggested delaying the discussion about the defection, so it wasn’t the right moment to bring it up.

The most attention was on the leader, Yubin. With many concerns, she crossed her arms and sat, then opened her mouth firmly.

“Why are you investigating hyper-humans?”

She wasn’t questioning or suspecting. For Spacystro, investigating hyper-humans is normal, but Yubin wasn’t asking this to a Spacystro soldier named A.

Yubin probably guessed my intention to investigate hyper-humans, understanding that it wasn’t malicious. She asked to hear directly from me because she knew this.

“I wish everyone could be happy.”

Smiling, I replied plainly, and Yubin sighed, smiled, and sighed again.

“Honestly, I can’t promise full assistance. I intend to help, but given my position, I need to be cautious.”

This was understandable. As a hyper-human protecting Earth and a team leader, Yubin bears significant responsibility.

But Yubin’s dissatisfaction with current welfare or policies for hyper-humans doesn’t mean she refuses to help. The process could lead to significant issues if mishandled.

As mentioned earlier, externally, this looks like hyper-humans assisting Spacystro in investigating hyper-humans. If anyone finds out and spreads the news, it could endanger their positions.

My goal is for my girlfriends to be happy, and that’s why I’m investigating hyper-humans. If during the investigation, my girlfriends help and face harm, I would refuse their help immediately.

“Yes. I won’t ask for much help right away. Just saying you’ll help is already very grateful.”

Suddenly, SuA’s words came to mind. SuA questioned why she should protect Earthlings. The idea of desperately fighting to protect Earth had vanished. Maybe all the girlfriends already had similar thoughts.

If so, it makes sense that Milky Way claims ownership, Yura grants control, and Hayang discusses defectors like SuA.

“How’s the atmosphere in the Earth Defense Union?”

“To be honest, we don’t know either. We haven’t been to headquarters in a month, and the director hasn’t responded to calls. There’s nothing particularly conveyed.”

From our conversation, I could infer, but clearly, the girlfriends also lack information about the current situation.

“What were you investigating? You need to tell me so I know what to help with later.”

“The last investigation was about the number of hyper-humans. There are many rogue teams causing incidents, and no replacements indicate a shortage of manpower. But looking at the numbers of hyper-humans who moved internally over the past 20 years, there shouldn’t be a shortage.”

Directly mentioning the investigation results heightened the girlfriends’ focus.

“Even if they retired, it’s not like there’s a shortage. So many people, where did they go? Do you know anything?”

The girlfriends pondered deeply, falling silent again. Former hyper-humans who moved internally were just people who went elsewhere, unrelated to them.

Focusing on the conflicts each week and hearing excuses about manpower shortages, they never considered the matter further.

“Come to think of it, where did they go?”

“We didn’t have time to exchange news.”

Hayang raised her hand, questioning where the hyper-humans who were replaced through internal transfers had gone.

“I heard once that when Red and Green joined HunterKiller, those being replaced first went to the research facility.”

“Sure, the data should be there.”

“The problem is we don’t know the location of the research facility.”

Hearing Hayang, I thought tracking the research facility would solve the issue, but Yubin shook her head.

“Haven’t you all visited the research facility once?”

From their stories, I learned that hyper-humans undergo various tests at the research facility for about a year to become hyper-humans.

When I mentioned visiting the research facility, everyone’s expressions darkened. They had the same expression when I talked about the research facility before, confirming something was amiss.

“I’ve been there. Stayed for a year, thinking others must have done the same. During that year, I never went outside.”

Everyone nodded, and I hesitated.

“I remember traveling in completely isolated vehicles, so I have no idea where the facility is or how to get there.”

An undisclosed research facility. Controlled environment. About a year of testing.

When the girlfriends talked about their past, mentioning the research facility was always brief. It was just a year at the facility.

Shaking off the bad thoughts, I tried to summarize.

Spacystro hasn’t made any further announcements, and I have no information about the incident. The girlfriends also haven’t received any separate communication from the Earth Defense Union.

We decided to proceed with the conflict without being conscious of me, and with everyone’s help, we could intensify the ongoing investigation.

“Oh! This is complicated.”

Other than the possibility of receiving help from the girlfriends, nothing had changed. Since it was a unilateral investigation, it made sense that nothing had changed.

“Speaking of which, I met Silver from SpecialForce at the hospital with you.”

“Right, that’s true.”

Hearing Yubin, I recalled meeting Silver from SpecialForce at the hospital. Given that I introduced him as my boyfriend, it might be best to be extra cautious if we meet again.

“What did he say?”

“I called him my boyfriend.”

SuA clicked her tongue, and Hayang’s pupils were shaking.

“Sweetheart. Why are you like this?”

“Well… White also knows that he’s dating me and you.”

After a long conversation, I tried to take a breather, but the news left me stunned.