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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Xrecker
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Two days had passed since I received Yu-ra’s message about continuing to work at the cafe. Thursday arrived, and we had our usual duel, which, as always, ended in our team’s defeat.
Getting beaten up every week while maintaining a false identity felt like developing a strange hobby, a thought I quickly dismissed. Back at headquarters, instead of going straight home, I sat down at a computer in the office.
“What was my password again?”
While I had an assigned workstation and computer, my primary work was remote, and with the surveillance missions, I rarely came to the office, so it had been a while since I’d even turned on a computer.
I entered my usual password, and it logged in without a problem, revealing a clean desktop.
“Let’s see.”
I muttered to myself, navigating the system and accessing the Spacetroe server. My account had limited access, but it was enough to find what I needed.
I was looking for information on superhumans. While I’d received and reviewed various reports, most of them were related to the Earth Defense Alliance, not superhumans.
Even the superhuman-related data I’d received was mostly analysis of their weapons and combat capabilities.
Logged into the server, I started browsing the superhuman archives. Most of it was information I already knew: how superhumans were created, their general capabilities, and their combat history.
To briefly summarize my existing knowledge, superhumans emerged after we arrived on Earth 20 years ago. They’d appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and we later learned they were created through genetic modification experiments.
“I wonder if there’s anything unusual.”
I didn’t know much about the early stages of the superhuman program. After arriving on Earth, I’d been stationed on the mothership in the Pacific for a while before being suddenly transferred to Seoul.
That was about 10 years after our arrival, so I first encountered superhumans 10 years after their initial appearance. Of course, I knew about their existence. I’d received numerous reports while working on the mothership and had to relay that information to my superiors, so I couldn’t avoid learning about them.
“The data…”
The superhuman data I could access was mostly related to their combat capabilities. While it was valuable information for our duels, and I’d often reviewed data and proposed strategies while working at the office before the shift to executive-led operations,
What I needed now wasn’t combat data, but information on public opinion and perception of superhumans.
“Combat data should be more classified. Is it an access issue?”
Lost in thought, I stretched, and my eyes met Ruche’s as she came out of her office. She looked around, then at me, tilting her head in confusion.
Seeing her puzzled look, I tilted my head, too.
“Aren’t you going home?”
“I’m looking for something.”
She seemed surprised to see me still at my workstation, since I usually chatted with my teammates or went straight home after duels, and walked over. She glanced at my monitor, seeing the data on the screen.
“Looking for something on superhumans?”
“Yes, but I don’t have access.”
“Why don’t you ask the intel team if you need data?”
“I’m looking for older data, not recent reports.”
I answered her question, still scrolling through the data on the screen.
“You should have access to combat-related data.”
“Yes, but I’m looking for something else.”
Ruche pulled over a chair and sat down next to me. I looked at her, wondering if something was wrong, but she just stared at the screen, saying nothing.
“I’m looking for information on public perception of superhumans, like old news articles or classified reports. I can’t find anything.”
“For your surveillance mission?”
“Yes. I’m just curious.”
It suddenly occurred to me that Ruche’s account probably had higher clearance, so I turned to her, and she blinked, sensing my gaze.
“Ruche, can I borrow your account?”
She looked at me, momentarily stunned by my blunt request, then shook her head.
“No, absolutely not.”
“Why? I just want to access some data. I won’t look at anything else.”
Our individual accounts, used to access the archives, also contained personal data, so sharing accounts wasn’t common. I’d asked just in case, but her refusal wasn’t surprising.
“Of course not.”
“I’m sure you have something embarrassing hidden in there.”
The moment I said that, Ruche smacked my shoulder.
“I don’t!”
“Aren’t you a little too quick to resort to violence?”
“You’re the one talking nonsense! You’re sturdy, so you can take a hit.”
“Being sturdy doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt!”
We bickered for a moment, then I turned back to the monitor, frustrated by my inability to access the data.
“…Did you get a girlfriend or something?”
Ruche’s sudden question as I was about to take a sip of water almost made me spit it out.
“Huh?!”
“Is it Team 4’s leader?”
“Why would you even mention her?! And I don’t have a girlfriend!”
I couldn’t tell her I was dating Red, whom I’d met on a surveillance mission, and had slept with Pink.
While I’d been lying left and right, digging myself deeper into a hole, there were still things I couldn’t say.
“Just wondering. You seem happy lately, and the only woman you’re close to is Team 4’s leader.”
“We’re not close. We just know each other from way back.”
Team 4’s leader, whom Ruche had mentioned, was a colleague from my batch, senior to Ruche in terms of joining Spacetroe.
While I was also senior to Ruche, I hadn’t been promoted to team leader or executive, so I was just a senior minion.
Anyway, I had no romantic interest in Team 4’s leader. We’d grown up in the same neighborhood and happened to be in the same batch, but that was it. I hadn’t even dated anyone before Yu-bin.
Had Ruche asked just because I seemed happy?
“Why did you even ask?”
She wasn’t suspicious; she was just curious.
“Just a feeling.”
Was this the infamous woman’s intuition? While Ruche called it a feeling, I might have been unconsciously giving off signs of being in a relationship. I’d have to be more careful.
“Speaking of Team 4’s leader, she doesn’t use her account for anything other than accessing data. Ask her if you want to borrow it.”
“Team 4’s leader?”
While we’d known each other for a long time, there was an awkwardness between us. Ironically, the awkwardness stemmed from our long history and shared batch. I was still an ordinary soldier, while she was a team leader. We were on completely different paths.
Her sharp personality also made things increasingly uncomfortable. The last time we’d spoken was a few months ago, right before I was assigned to monitor Red. I’d run into her after a duel, while I was on my way home. I couldn’t remember what we’d talked about.
But my desire to access the data outweighed my discomfort, so I considered it. Having witnessed the way Yu-ra was treated, I felt I needed to understand the situation, both as her friend and as an invader.
“Then I’ll be right back.”
“Okay.”
I made up my mind and stood up abruptly. Ruche just watched as I walked towards the elevator.
4th floor, Spacetroe Seoul Headquarters.
I rarely went to any floor other than the 3rd, where my team was, or the basement parking lot, but here I was, on the 4th floor.
“A, what brings you here?”
One of my colleagues, working in the 4th-floor office, called out to me.
“I’m here to see your team leader. Is she inside?”
“No, she went to the rooftop to meet with Team 1’s leader.”
“Team 1’s leader?!”
The situation had become even more awkward. While Team 4’s leader was awkward because of our different ranks, Team 1’s leader was the person I was most uncomfortable with in all of Spacetroe. Or rather, I needed to rephrase that.
Team 4’s leader was awkward, while Team 1’s leader was… terrifying.
“Yeah. Go up if it’s urgent.”
“…No, I’ll come back later.”
“Alright. Should I tell her you were here?”
If I left a message, she’d probably approach me with her usual condescending attitude. I just wanted to briefly access some articles using her account. I didn’t want to get into an argument.
I was an ordinary soldier, and she was a team leader, so I didn’t want to create a scene and raise my voice in front of her subordinates, even if we were from the same batch.
“No, I’ll contact her myself.”
“Okay.”
I had no intention of contacting her, of course, but saying this prevented them from relaying the message unnecessarily. It was a way of saying, I’ll handle it, so you don’t have to bother.
I went back down to the 3rd floor. I didn’t want to stare at inaccessible data, so I decided to get some fresh air and took the elevator to the first floor.
I stepped out of headquarters and started walking aimlessly. I did have a destination in mind. There was a park about a 15-minute walk from headquarters. It had benches in the shade and a pleasant atmosphere, perfect for clearing my head.
The only downside was the heat, but it wasn’t too humid this summer, so a short walk wouldn’t be too strenuous.
I bought a fruit juice from a convenience store and headed to the park. Children were playing, and adults in sun visors were exercising. Seeing the children enjoying their summer break brought back memories of my own childhood.
I briefly thought of Team 4’s leader, then quickly dismissed the thought.
I started thinking about accessing the data again.
Ruche had firmly refused to lend me her account, so the only person I could ask was Team 4’s leader. I knew Team 1 and Team 2’s leaders as well, but unlike Ruche and Team 4’s leader, they were much more senior, both in terms of joining Spacetroe and rank, so I couldn’t bring myself to ask them.
If Team 4’s leader also refused, I’d have no one else to ask and would have to resort to contacting colleagues in other regions.
While I thought I had a decent network after my long military service, I didn’t know anyone in the intel team.
When my thoughts became too complicated, I started fixating on things I normally wouldn’t.
Was it because of Ruche’s question about whether I had a girlfriend? I started thinking about my relationship with Yu-bin and how to navigate it.
An invader and an Earthling. Spacetroe and the Earth Defense Alliance.
And a relationship where neither of us had revealed our true identities.
Was there even a solution to this complicated mess?
Overthinking led to stress.
My initial plans had been thwarted. I’d tried to get help, but the person I needed to see wasn’t available. The frustrating start had dampened my spirits.
I opened my juice and gulped it down, trying to relieve the tension.
I sighed, frustrated, just as…
“Sigh…”
“Sigh…”
I heard a sigh beside me and turned my head, and the other person, also having sighed at the same time, turned to look at me.
While she was probably seeing me for the first time, I recognized her.
Voluminous green bob, refreshing light green eyes reminiscent of a meadow.
By some strange coincidence, I’d run into Green of Hunter Killer in the park where I’d come to relax.
“Oh, hello.”
Perhaps flustered by the sudden eye contact, she greeted me, and I instinctively nodded in response.
“Hello.”
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