Chapter 90

Episode 90. Siege of Jeju Naval Base (3)

****

I stared at the keypad’s camera.

[Please identify yourself.]

“Kim Bari. Doctor. Director.”

[Confirmed. Enjoy your visit.]

Squeak. The door to the naval base command center opened.

****

“Popo, go through the ventilation shaft. Find the command center’s top brass. If possible, bite their ankles. If not, just leave them.”

The Popos scattered in all directions. I wonder if they can even follow such a complex order. I stepped into the building with my gun leading the way.

Bang!

The facility security team rushed out, but there was nothing they could do. They probably couldn’t even see me clearly. In an instant, three security members were down.

“Hey! If you want to live, stay down.”

I slowly walked down the stairs. This time, I’ll kill them all. Whether it’s Admiral Furani or anyone else trying to kill me.

I’ll kill them all without leaving a single one alive.

“Dr. Kim!”

Again, that metallic female voice. The voice was coming up the narrow staircase. Seems like they’ve figured out I’m on the stairs.

“Go, Wilson!”

Clang, clang, clang.

A red bowling ball rolled down the stairs. The owner of the voice is probably Dr. Chloe. My guess is that the security team refused to mobilize, so Dr. Chloe stepped in herself.

Useless cowards.

If it were me, I’d have chased them in a helicopter.

“Dr. Chloe. What do you want?”

“Let’s talk, Doctor!”

“No!”

Dr. Chloe, I remember she was wearing a mask. Let’s assume she’s not human. Who knows what kind of supernatural phenomenon she’s got.

“Dr. Chloe.”

“Changed your mind about talking?”

“Nope.”

“Dr. Kim! Surrender. This is a camera that traps subjects. You have no chance of winning. Once you’re caught by the camera, now—”

Bang!

The sound of something tumbling down. Seems like Wilson found Dr. Chloe. Bang! Bang! The Popos’ barks echoed through the stairs.

“Ah! My leg!”

This… sounds like Dr. Chloe tumbling down the stairs. Was she not a superhuman after all?

I thought she had an instant-kill move.

“Popo, finish her off.”

“Ah! Ah! Aaaaaah!”

The screams went on for a while.

A moment later. Silence.

Dead? She must be dead.

I carefully descended the stairs with my gun leading the way. Dr. Chloe’s mask was shattered on the floor. The floor was soaked in blood, but Dr. Chloe’s body was nowhere to be seen.

That’s it. I confirmed Dr. Chloe’s death, then turned back up the stairs and headed into the corridor. The command center of this base is right in front of me.

****

The command center was empty. Admiral Furani must have fled already. Well, I didn’t come here just for Admiral Furani.

If the command center has a similar structure to the Director’s Office, there should be a phone somewhere that connects to the Foundation Headquarters. I need to find that first.

“Hey—”

Bang!

Admiral Furani’s aide was still alive. The aide clutched his shoulder and collapsed from the gunshot.

I pressed the Gauss Musket against the aide’s face. This guy, for a man, he’s got such a delicate face, it’s annoying.

“Any last words?”

“I-I’ll cooperate.”

“Popo, grab him.”

I threw a bandage at the aide. The Popos rushed over and each grabbed a limb.

“Who gave the order to attack me?”

“It was Admiral Furani.”

The Foundation doesn’t teach resistance during interrogations if captured. No need to volunteer information, but they don’t teach resistance against torture either.

It’s not like it’s possible anyway.

“What’s the objective?”

“To, uh, recover the results of Project Blue Rose, I heard.”

“Methods?”

“After one recovery team was wiped out, we mobilized all available resources. Due to the Foundation Headquarters’ stance, we couldn’t deploy ships.”

“I see.”

“I just followed orders, Director. Please, spare me. I’ll accept any punishment.”

“Stay still. Did the bullet go through?”

“It’s a high-caliber round. It went through my shoulder.”

“Alright. Go to the hospital now.”

I’m not interested in small fry. I cleared Admiral Furani’s aide from my sight and picked up the phone connected to the Foundation Headquarters.

“This is Director Kim Bari from the Foundation Jeju Naval Base. I have obtained evidence that Admiral Furani and his subordinates have committed treason against the Foundation. I request intervention from the Foundation Headquarters.”

[Hello, Director. You’re calling from Admiral Furani’s command center.]

“Yes.”

[If the command center is under your control, does that mean Dr. Kim has secured the Jeju Naval Base?]

Why ask when you already know…

“That’s correct.”

[Aside from Admiral Furani’s aide and Dr. Chloe, it seems you haven’t captured any of Admiral Furani’s other commanders.]

“……”

[I’m sorry, Director Kim. Without capturing Admiral Furani, there will be no direct intervention.]

Damn them.

****

I grabbed the microphone in the command center.

“Attention all Foundation personnel at Jeju Naval Base. Admiral Furani has betrayed the Foundation. The command center is under our control, and Admiral Furani’s command staff are either dead or have fled.”

“The Special Forces of this facility have been neutralized. The Recovery Department of this facility has also been neutralized. Further resistance is neither possible nor meaningful.”

“Drop your weapons and surrender.”

****

Time for some looting. I searched the command center floor for any useful supernatural phenomena. Nothing seems useful. Maybe just the camera.

“Dr. Lee. Where do you think the Admiral fled?”

[He’s an Admiral. Probably fled to the sea.]

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

If he fled to land, there’s no way he’d survive. Wherever he is, Nanami or Dr. Chae would have no trouble stopping him.

It’s reasonable to assume he fled to the sea.

“Is there any way to chase him?”

The Crystal Clock ticked again.

[We’ll have to chase him by ship. We don’t have the resources to deploy aircraft from enemy territory. But I’m not sure if we have a suitable ship to chase him.]

“We’ll just get a ship. We’ll leave the ship’s defense to Dr. Chae. With the storm still raging, it shouldn’t be too hard.”

[If it’s a destroyer, the Admiral’s ship would be going over 50 kilometers per hour. Unless it’s a racing boat, we can’t catch up.]

“How about a hovercraft?”

[That would be faster than a destroyer. But how are you going to operate a hovercraft?]

I pulled out a USB from my pocket.

[What’s that?]

“Ganymede.”

We can’t use aircraft, and stealing a ship won’t let us catch up to the Admiral’s ship. My plan is to steal a hovercraft and overtake Admiral Furani’s ship.

****

Finding the hovercraft wasn’t hard. Most of the facility’s security team had already abandoned their posts and fled.

I found a USB port and plugged it in.

This is the moment of truth.

[……]

“……”

[Greetings, Director. This is Ganymede. What brings you here today?]

Whew. Seems like it’s working.

“Ganymede. Find Admiral Furani’s ship. Can you locate it?”

[I’ll start the pursuit.]

The storm was still raging, but the Foundation hovercraft’s engine started up. A moment later, the hovercraft rose about three spans.

[Launching.]

Bang!

The hovercraft roared as it took off.

It rose above the sea—

The massive rear fan started spinning. It quickly surpassed 100 kilometers per hour. Though tossed like a leaf in the storm, it was moving at an incredible speed in a zigzag pattern.

“Dr. Kim! If you get thrown off, it’s instant death!”

I nodded and fastened my seatbelt.

“Dr. Chae! Cover this thing up!”

“In this weather?!”

Dr. Chae kept shouting something, but the waves and thunder drowned out her voice. Unless it’s a megaphone, there’s no way to hear anything.

The hovercraft had no roof, so the storm hit my helmet directly. I gritted my teeth. I’ve been in helicopters and rappelled before, but this is the first time I’ve experienced such a terrifying mode of transportation.