Chapter 45

“……It was a long and enduring time. Truly….”

The combat police have a bad temper.

The combat police are thugs.

The combat police are the type to throw punches before words.

Just a little incident and they rush over to shoot at the players first, an NPC, the subcontractors of companies.

While some of the preconceived notions I accumulated from long experience and external observation had some truth to them, I also realized that it is commendable for people to maintain a gentle demeanor even while working in such environments.

I recalled the month of grueling hardship that passed by like a flash.

Whether it was a hassle to find a broker or simply due to incompetence, there were many instances of homemade fake IDs that weren’t registered in the city system being caught.

A crazy person screamed as soon as the wheels of the truck they rode in locked up, proclaiming it to be a trap from Mega Cop, and then fell unconscious with ten bolts from a taser embedded all over their body.

A scavenger came in wearing a dust-covered coat, walking step by step, asking boldly where citizens could get their ID without a vehicle.

After sending a drone from a distance away from the barrier, a shadowy figure evaded the turret after being intercepted, causing the entire checkpoint patrol to suddenly mobilize right in the middle of the desert.

When I asked for them to submit the hardware or memory card hidden in their possession, they spat on the visor and got happily beaten with a baton.

Especially, the drone incident sent everyone into a panic, thinking it was some sort of air raid, and the last person was knocked unconscious with Helena swinging her sheath before the other members could even act.

…Despite scrubbing it to death, the front of the visor still looks a bit yellow. Damn it.

The data smuggler caught just yesterday was a delightful array of villains.

But that reward justifies all those hardships.

Recently, the chronic stiffness in my neck and headaches that wouldn’t go away, no matter how much I rested, just vanished with the good news that popped up right in front of me.

[1,850,000 Credits deposited from the Harvest Planet Social Order Maintenance Department. Thank you for your service!]

Along with my basic pay, there was also a massive bonus awarded to our team, which boasted the highest arrest rate. The cyberware alarm that everyone else would be happy about was displayed only to me, instantly loosening the previously tense workplace atmosphere.

To receive a deposit notification this early… It greatly helps with job motivation.

Thanks to this, the police who suddenly became much friendlier; it was clear from the camera that the departing people and the new checks were flabbergasted by the change in attitude.

Ah, don’t worry. There’s a festival going on right now!

“…Ah.”

I unconsciously turned to invite Anne to go shopping next to me, only to remember that she wasn’t there now.

I thought she was simply the only engineer in the DS3 shift before I came in… but in reality, she was directly under the command structure. Indeed, she is the chief engineer on the day shift.

It’s a position earned due to her adequate abilities, but it feels a bit awkward that she, who appears so frail, holds a higher position than Helena.

Regardless, being closest to the upper management and the top engineer, Anne frequently went on business trips.

Contrary to what I initially thought, she wasn’t going outside but rather moving around inside the checkpoint. This is far from my secluded lifestyle, which has limited my activity range to just the control room, Gate 3, the vending machine, and the restroom.

Thud thud…!!

The control room door bangs. Our senior has returned.

“Was everything okay?”

“No problems at all…!”

Someone threw on their visor and opened the control room door to check, only to be startled by a cold gust that rushed in, retracting their bare hands behind them.

Sometimes, when Anne returns from her business trips, a chill radiates from her body.

It’s not just a metaphorical way of saying she’s indifferent; the air around her and her uniform are genuinely cold.

I can’t understand why they’re running the AC so hard even as winter approaches. Is it because the physical police have higher body heat? It’s actually hard to feel the external temperature when wearing a full riot suit…

Anyway, it’s crack timing.

Although I had no luxury at all, pouring all credits into my secretly established “tin can savings” except for the minimum living expenses… I believed she would generously understand a purchase for a device.

“Um… Anne? If you don’t mind, could you help me choose a decent device after work today?”

Her body, which was hurriedly manipulating a device, paused as if there was unfinished business.

“…Is Helena coming too?”

“…No, just the two of us.”

I clearly conveyed my intention that I wouldn’t avoid it cowardly anymore, and if there were things to say, let’s finally lay them out frankly.

In truth, I wouldn’t have much to say, so I would likely ask more questions… No, this is also a selfish thought. Let’s resolve Anne’s interest first and then think about my own.

“I’m glad. It’s nice of Ahsa to come closer after always stepping back.”

“…I’m truly sorry about that.”

I felt sorry for her, who had always made it clear she wanted to face me, but I had also been busy in my own way.

Every time a new villain appeared in the Gate 3 zone I was responsible for, I’d suspect, ‘Is it because of this guy that trouble is brewing…?’

If signals outside the city suddenly got intercepted, what kind of ominous sign is this…? I’d investigate!

After a month of tense anticipation and trembling, I begrudgingly acknowledged…

That carelessly preparing for threats I have no timing or method to counter was beyond individual capacity… Wouldn’t it have been better to invest effort into mercenary work and save up for a Carebot to keep an eye on these threats in shifts?

I hope that my determination to seek change in the relationship that I had been procrastinating on will be understood now…

– …Control room? …DS3-CE2 engineer? Are there any abnormalities in the scanning results? –

“Ah?!”

Hearing Helena’s urgent communication, I quickly reattached myself to the keyboard and monitor.

Even though I learned through experience that excessive tension is nothing compared to ease, there can be no room for neglecting work.

Yet… The scan data from the cargo trailer that just came in shows an unsettling 3D model.

The length of the output modeling and the actual trailer seen beyond the monitor differ too much. This might be…

– …A discrepancy between the detected trailer length and the actual gap has been observed. Could you check the innermost inner wall? –

Police checking for the existence of a double wall, having thumped the side from outside with saws and welding machines, rush in.

At this point, I can’t help but wonder how much the smugglers earn. They would certainly be making more than my salary… Though it’s unlikely, are they possibly making more than mercenaries, which leads to them appearing one after another?

Creeeek… Creaking—

Clunk… Clunk…!

“……?”

The noise of pounding and tearing metal was within expected limits, but the sheer amount of footsteps shaking the plates was much larger than those who had entered. Even though no conflict had arised, it was rather tumultuous.

Soon, after the policemen who had entered returned outside and signaled… bare people began to emerge sequentially.

“……”

Are they truly illegal immigrants… or is it human trafficking?

It was hard to face their dark faces that embodied only despair and resignation. Criminals lacking the means to pay fines or earn an income will not be imprisoned but rather simply expelled. They will be quietly sent back after the investigation is concluded.

…It is a relief that detaining and imprisoning someone costs money.

But nearly twenty people were dragged out from that confining space.

“Haaah…”

Perhaps this time even Helena found it hard to maintain her police mentality, as she clutched her forehead and shook her head.

Naturally, the Gate 3 had to be closed again to organize the situation and escort the criminals. In the end, neither I nor the team leader was able to shake off the bitter feeling as we faced the clock for quitting time.

“Sorry. It’s a business trip order from command.”

“…Is it possible it’s another inspection of the heavy weapons depot? Handling people is really hard.”

Just as I was frantically trying to think of a logical excuse to prevent Helena from following along, Anne, who had already received a second call today, showed a troubled expression.

Throwing work at us just before the end of the shift? This is clearly harsh treatment.

If this place truly becomes exposed to a significant offensive, it’s understandable for the dominant corporate authorities to be concerned that their authority will be tarnished… But it seems a bit excessive to immediately call an engineer to check the equipment systems when something happens.

…Still, orders are orders.

Reluctantly deciding to avoid any private meeting this time and preparing for the shift, she unexpectedly threw out a suggestion.

“Or… Would you like to follow me, Ahsa, and learn about my work…?”

“…What?”

…Suddenly? Since I was going to exit the control room soon while handling my hair, my astonished face was well hidden… but I couldn’t understand how she reached that conclusion.

Moreover, I wanted to have a proper conversation in a properly arranged setting, not just while working and chatting.

I thought Anne would feel similarly, but it was unexpected.

Besides, if an engineer without authority or orders just appears and starts moving around, this would immediately violate several work rules and regulations that come to mind.

Dreyfus had also warned not to act rashly… I couldn’t afford to create further troubles after carefully putting out a recent disturbance.

“Let’s just meet another time. I’d be okay to go shopping together tomorrow if you’d like.”

“…Really? Got it.”

Perhaps I wasn’t the only one who felt like I missed a good opportunity, as Anne didn’t hide her disappointment and quickly left.

For now… Anastasia, belonging to the police, concludes service here. After deciding to check some simple mercenary requests I could perform at home, an unusual sight flickered across the external camera.

“Uh…?”

A vehicle that failed to enter the city and was expelled was retracing its steps, trudging back.

It was hard to recognize due to the dust, but as I looked closely, it was the human trafficking trailer that had caused a ruckus a few hours earlier.

However, as the trailer approached the almost end of the camera’s visibility, it began to wobble unsteadily from side to side, soon losing its balance and veering off the road into the wasteland.

Not just taking a brief detour, it completely rolled down the slope, overturning entirely.

Ignoring the uproar near my chest, I quickly transmitted the occurrence of the accident via communication channels.

– Observing a rollover accident within the Harvest Planet Gate 3 area! Significant human casualties are anticipated, so I will await the judgment of Team Leader DS3-1. –

As the police, bustling to tidy up their gear, cast dissatisfied glances towards the control room, they promptly shifted their target to our team leader.

And most, before even receiving an answer, turned to their supervisor and, after giving up, began preparing to mobilize…

– …Even if there’s no obligation for police to provide relief, there is a duty to clear obstructions formed around the road. Please request support from the Night Shift on standby via control room communication. –

…I’m thankful it’s Helena as the team leader.