A War Hero With No Regrets – Chapter 22

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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It was over a month after the series of incidents that had occurred at the Eastern Army Command in Branberg came to an end.

Right after Werner Grimm decided to thoroughly crush the Revolutionary Front, the National Security Strategy Agency underwent quite a few changes.

The base, which had been as dull as it could be, was remodeled into a more modern form.

Satellite communication towers were erected, and a new unmanned aerial vehicle hangar was built to support active information gathering activities.

That wasn’t all.

The rooms that had simply been neglected were restructured into rooms with various purposes.

In addition to facilities related to combat and work, amenities such as a gym, lounge, and movie theater were also included.

It had progressed so much that it could now be called a place where people actually lived.

However, among them, the most notable change occurred in the personnel of the SSA.

The number of personnel in the National Security Strategy Agency, which was only 6 including the director, increased to 40.

Most of them were in administrative positions such as logistics, maintenance, information processing, and administration, but there were also personnel who would be deployed in the field, carefully selected by Werner himself at the request of Supreme Commander Arthur Philias.

After all, as an intelligence agency, it couldn’t be composed of 100% administrative staff.

The recruited personnel were placed under the newly appointed Security Platoon Leader Karin Maven, who had previously held the ambiguous position of Deputy Headquarters Commander.

At first, Karin, who had almost fled, avoiding the director, saying she couldn’t take on an important position, eventually gave in to Werner’s persuasion.

She had no choice but to accept it meekly since she couldn’t disobey anyway.

However, contrary to Karin’s mountain-like worries, the security platoon members didn’t have much of an opinion about her.

“Reaper? What’s the big deal about that?
I don’t particularly care.”

“I’ve heard of it before. I actually like it.
It’s not easy for a second lieutenant to get a nickname.”

“On the contrary, isn’t it because the platoon leader wasn’t with them that they all died?

If she’s with us, we won’t die.”

What should I say?

It was an attitude that was closer to negativity than positivity, but because of that, it surprisingly matched well with Karin.

Even she, who had been burdened at first, was able to open up her heart more easily than expected.

Of course, it was also thanks to Werner Grimm intentionally selecting and recruiting such people.

Since the war was over, the downsizing of the military was a foregone conclusion.

That meant that the era had come when it was not pure skill or war contributions that determined promotion, but rather connections.

Naturally, the first ones to be eliminated were those who had become outsiders in the military for various reasons.

No matter how bravely they fought or how many achievements they made, it didn’t matter.

If they drew attention for any reason, they had to submit a discharge application as is.

Sometimes they were even forced to submit it.

If they restarted the active duty unsuitability examination that had never been conducted even once during the war, that was enough said.

The reasons they were discharged could be insubordination.

It could be because they offended their superior’s mood.

It could be just because they didn’t like them.

It could be because they didn’t have any special relationships with those around them even normally.

Although the process was different, the result was the same.

Being driven out of the organization they had dedicated their entire lives to without having anything in their hands.

Naturally, they had to have a lot of complaints about the military organization.

Weren’t they perfect to become the new hunting dogs of the SSA and brutally tear apart their opponents?

“Director, all the personnel of the SSA have gathered.”

“I was just about to go out.”

And the alpha of those hunting dogs, Werner Grimm, said to Karin, who had come to get him.

***

“…With that, I will conclude the operation briefing.”

As First Lieutenant Dante Bay, the head of the Information Management Department, pressed the button on the remote control, the video that had filled the auditorium’s hologram screen disappeared.

It was a clean briefing without any extra fluff.

Based on the internal information from Dane, who had infiltrated the Revolutionary Front, and the information obtained from other places, they were preparing for another uprising.

Due to the failure of the last terror attack, they judged that it would be difficult to terrorize the Eastern Army Command or directly snipe the commander, Heinrich Rendal.

Their next targets were the supply hubs and estate manors located in the East.

By destroying the military factories, they would weaken the supply capabilities within the Eastern Army, and by destroying the estate manors, they would continue their show of force against the existing noble forces.

Werner evaluated it as a not-so-bad strategy.

They had already realized that the central power forces, including the President, were not fond of the Eastern Army, which was centered around the Imperial faction.

-It seems that His Excellency the President thinks there’s no need to provoke them.

Rather, he seemed to want the Eastern Army to be stirred up more.

The trial date for the main instigators of the terror attack, who were detained at the military police headquarters, had not even been set yet.

Constitutionally, national treason was punishable by death.

If they were dragging it out even though they could immediately sentence them and hang them, it meant only one thing.

‘They want mutual destruction.’

It was a thought befitting the President.

How could he miss the opportunity to benefit without lifting a finger?

Deepen the conflict between the Eastern Military District and the Revolutionary Front, watch for the right moment, and devour the victorious side.

It was a common strategy, but it was effective.

However, that was a thought the President could have because of his position.

A living bomb that would do anything to protect his throne.

If there were people who bothered him, he would mercilessly crush them into the ground.

Whether others were sacrificed or not, as long as he could achieve his goal, it was all good.

The President was such a person.

In fact, he had the power to do such things, so there were reasons why he was able to push aside the sane Emperor and stand tall as the number one.

But Werner had no intention of doing as the President wished.

In the first place, he himself was a guy as vicious as the President, if not more, so he never thought he was lenient.

“Are the weapons ready?”

“Perfect.”

The weapon that Werner had placed the most orders for exclusively for the SSA was firearms that came with a silencer as a basic specification.

Strike swiftly and withdraw covertly.

In such operations, the presence or absence of noise was an essential factor that determined the success or failure of the operation.

He didn’t forget the unmanned helicopters equipped with state-of-the-art stealth and silent engine functions.

The top priority of the National Security Strategy Agency was to eliminate high-ranking officials of the Revolutionary Front, including the secretary general.

While the Revolutionary Front, which had suddenly lost its leadership, was in chaos, they would use the forces of the cornerstones to completely make the Revolutionary Front the hands and feet of the SSA.

The reason for keeping Dane Schmidt alive.

Just by taking the Revolutionary Front into his own hands, he could weaken the power of the Eastern Military District.

No, he had already gained the favor of the commander Heinrich Rendal thanks to the merit of successfully preventing the previous terror attack.

The President wanted both sides to mutually destroy each other, but Werner judged that he could control both sides.

What he had gained through forty regressions was more than expected.

Combat skills, command methods, and even politics and collusion within the military.

Having declared to crush all the sprouts of unrest, the structure of each force was already drawn in Werner’s mind.

If he pulled out all the teeth of the Revolutionary Front that was running wild without knowing their place, the Eastern Military District and the Revolutionary Front would only growl at each other and not actually clash.

“As you said, Director, we have completed underwater infiltration and helicopter assault training, as well as covert infiltration training in the lake area.
All current personnel in the security platoon have completed the entire training process without any dropouts.”

Otto Bichan, the head of the Training and Education Department, reported in a sharp manner.

Indeed, it was the spirit befitting a former member of the Mobile Strike Force, which was considered the elite during the war.

Even though he had one artificial leg, it was worthwhile for Werner to entrust him with the important role of training director.

“Then all preparations are complete. The operation will start at 00:00 the day after tomorrow. Everyone will have two days of rest and maintenance time, and then gather by 21:00 tomorrow.”

All preparations were complete.

It was the perfect time to hunt.

***

Around the time the National Security Strategy Agency was planning the precision surgery of the Revolutionary Front.

There was one more person who was continuing to investigate the Revolutionary Front.

“…Unni, aren’t you going to sleep?”

“Yes, I’m going to do a little more and then sleep. There are some things that don’t quite add up.”

Arwen Orka still hadn’t returned to the Inspection Department.

She had handed over all the work she had been in charge of to the deputy director and department heads, and she had taken it upon herself to investigate this Eastern Military District terror incident.

Not only was Lea Gilliard, her cherished younger sister and comrade, directly involved in the incident.

But also because some suspicious circumstances had been discovered.

‘If the Revolutionary Front’s predecessor was the Revolutionary faction that had been suppressed in the past, it’s natural for them to have hostility towards the Eastern Military District.

But…

where did this National Security Strategy Agency pop out from?’

Lea was injured while trying to protect an officer of the National Security Strategy Agency who had been preparing for the scene.

That much was within the scope of understanding.

She already knew that His Excellency the President had newly established a department called the National Security Strategy Agency within the Supreme Command.

It was an abnormal institution under the Supreme Command, but also directly under the President.

Along with the Military Police Corps, Military Prosecutors Corps, Inspection Department, and Intelligence Command, it was also the fifth official investigative agency with its own investigative authority and information gathering authority.

Moreover, it was suspicious that even Arwen, who could conduct inspections on the Military Police Corps, Military Prosecutors, and Intelligence Command under military law, was the only one who couldn’t inspect them.

And above all, those corpses that had been found at the Eastern Army Command in Branberg.

After putting together all the circumstantial evidence, Arwen Orka was able to reach the conclusion that the National Security Strategy Agency ‘knew in advance that the terror attack would occur but condoned it.’

Why on earth?

If a terror attack occurred, countless people would surely die or be injured.

Then the best choice would have been to inform the Eastern Army Command of the fact, cancel the party, and arrest the terrorists.

That’s what it was when she thought about it in an extremely commonsensical way.

There was no need to track down and kill the scattered terrorists one by one.

‘There’s something more.

Another purpose for the National Security Strategy Agency’s visit to the Eastern Military District.’

Arwen’s eyes flashed.

If she slowly swept up from the bottom like that, at some point, she would be able to reach the truth.

Of course, the most certain method was to meet a member of the National Security Strategy Agency.

The officer named Karin Maven, with whom she had talked in the hospital room.

She had to find her first.

If that was impossible, at least the captain in question who Lea had protected.

It was then that Lea, who had been watching Arwen concentrating, opened her mouth.

“Unni, I have a favor to ask.”

“Hmm?”

“Can you find that captain I saved for me?”

It was a request she had never dared to expect.

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