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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Zaped
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I pedaled on.
Even on a bicycle, my approach remained the same. Observe the surroundings, and only move when it’s safe.
Conserve energy for unexpected situations, no need to rush.
Meanwhile, the messages continued.
8qawsed8:
「Lambert Village is a living hell. It’s a chaotic mess of armed gangs on motorcycles and zombies drawn by the noise, all fighting over scraps. I wouldn’t recommend it. Do you really need to go there? 」
Of course I do.
First, there would be hardly any zombies left.
The gang would have shot them all.
And gangs were parasites, living off others.
They would be raiding the surrounding areas regularly, meaning all the good loot would be gone.
A place with few zombies, overflowing with valuable goods, and filled with bad guys I could kill without remorse? Why wouldn’t I go?
‘Raid the gang’s territory and secure the foundation for my independence.’
This wasn’t a time for chaos. The various factions were, however clumsily, solidifying their positions. In this situation, it was better to take what you wanted by force than to try and squeeze in.
Taking on a whole gang by myself was impossible?
Then let someone else fight for me.
I couldn’t possibly handle all the loot in there anyway.
I’d give them what they wanted and take what I needed.
Besides, the thing I needed most was in Lambert Village.
V:
「I need to get something. I have no choice. 」
I needed a car.
I wasn’t expecting a camper van. Even a tiny two-seater would do.
A car meant storage space, a somewhat safe place to sleep.
Even if it ran out of gas, it could still serve as shelter.
And what better car than one owned by a gang?
Well-maintained, full tank of gas, and if I was lucky, maybe even weapons, ammo, and food.
Just thinking about it made my stomach growl.
8qawsed8:
「…So, you’re saying I have to go to Lambert Village or the outskirts of Hampton City to get the briefcase. Correct? 」
V:
「Correct. 」
8qawsed8:
「I’d prefer to make the exchange somewhere safe. Wouldn’t that be better for both of us? For example, there’s a large reservoir east of your current location. 」
V:
「I can’t go that far. You want me to dodge biker gangs and run through the wilderness? 」
Back at the intelligence department, Leticia bit her lip.
The old Leticia would have been more composed.
But after her confrontation with the new Commander this morning, she couldn’t back down.
The latest report from the Control Officer only added to her frustration.
「A convoy transporting medical supplies and personnel to Hampton City was attacked by a biker gang. The escort appears to have been killed, and those with severe injuries were left behind, likely turning into zombies. No survivors confirmed. 」
「Update – Intelligence suggests a human auction is being held in Lambert Village. The government has denied a request for a mission to recover medical supplies and rescue medical personnel from Lambert Village. The risks outweigh the benefits. 」
A human auction.
A major event that attracted all sorts of criminals from the surrounding areas.
They would be heavily armed. And this V wanted to go there? This was insane.
“…Can’t we convince them to go somewhere other than the outskirts of Hampton City?”
One of the officers, unable to bear the tension, offered a suggestion, but Leticia shook her head.
“They won’t listen. They’re trying to pit us against each other.”
“Pit us against each other…?”
“They want us to take down the gang in Lambert Village. And they deliberately mentioned that Hans, the terrorist, might be listening in. It’s a ploy to draw both sides in. They’re subtly implying that if one side doesn’t go, the other will benefit.”
At the same time, the Elza Liberation Front operatives reached the same conclusion.
“Hans, what the hell is going on?”
“…They’re trying to play both sides.”
Hans growled.
“Look at that ridiculous nickname. It’s practically screaming ‘I’m from the 8th Gendarmerie.’ They’re trying to lure both the Gendarmerie and us to Lambert Village. They’ve created a situation where we have no choice but to go. Who the hell is this guy?”
It was clear this wasn’t your average information broker.
They wouldn’t have the skills or the guts to pull off something like this.
It wasn’t another liberation faction either. They had spent the past two days making inquiries, only to be met with indignant responses like, “That’s your territory, why are you asking us?”
Could it be an agent from the Elza puppet government or the Eastern Dictatorship?
That didn’t make sense either.
If that were the case, they would have simply handed over the briefcase without all this elaborate charade.
“Let’s keep observing for now.”
8qawsed8:
「Alright. I suppose we have no choice. Then I’ll see you near Lambert Village. But how will we recognize each other? And how should I identify myself? 」
Finally, they were getting somewhere.
But he wouldn’t give them an answer right away.
He pedaled on, a smug smile on his face.
Let them sweat a little.
It was time to negotiate the price.
V:
「I’ll leave the briefcase on top of the tower at Lambert Village Hall. You can just take it. No need to see me, right? 」
The underlying message was clear: ‘Clear out Lambert Village and make way for me.’ And if this 8qawsed8 didn’t have the capability and the deal fell through? If he had to sell it to Hans?
It didn’t matter. He’d take the phone and leave the briefcase behind. And if the phone became a brick? he’d sell it as a spare parts phone. He had no intention of meeting Hans anyway.
If this briefcase was truly important to Hans, he would have come to retrieve it himself, no matter the cost. But he hadn’t. He had asked him to transport it.
A precious item he couldn’t touch himself, containing a bomb with a 50-meter blast radius, equipped with a mini cell tower, a satellite tracking device, and a remote detonator, and he wanted him to take it to a densely populated area?
There was no way this was a legitimate item.
What Hans really wanted was for him to become a suicide bomber. Once he reached the outskirts of Hampton City with the briefcase, he’d press the button and boom. It was obvious.
It was better to sell it off cheaply and find a way to survive.
Honestly, he wanted to throw it away right now. It was heavy and useless.
The intelligence personnel were buzzing with excitement when they finally received a reply.
“Lambert Village Hall? That’s right in the heart of their territory! It’s heavily fortified! This is insane!”
Leticia sent a message.
8qawsed8:
「I’m sorry, but it’s too dangerous to go there. How about the industrial area instead? There’s a set of three chimneys that are taller and more distinctive than the others, making them easy to find. It’s also easier to access than the village center. 」
The reply came sooner than expected.
V:
「Alright. But only if you answer my questions. How is the zombie virus transmitted? What do people know about the virus, and how are they protecting themselves? If you answer these questions, I’ll leave the briefcase at the factory chimneys. I already know about zoonotic transmission. 」
“…Virus transmission? Why would they care about that?”
This was absurd. Why was he suddenly asking about the virus? Leticia thought carefully before offering a standard response.
8qawsed8:
「I’m not sure what your intentions are, but I’ll answer your questions. As you already know, the virus is zoonotic.
To be clear, zoonotic transmission is confirmed. It can be spread through bodily fluids and skin contact. The risk of infection is higher if there are open wounds. This means avoiding bites and scratches.
The virus does not appear to be airborne or waterborne, and there have been no confirmed cases of insect transmission.
Droplet transmission, through sneezing or talking, is suspected, but further research is needed. Contact transmission through objects is still being investigated, but the likelihood is low. However, it’s best to avoid wearing zombie clothing or handling their belongings.
The Elza government has established human unprotected zones to isolate the infected and protect the healthy. The official guidelines are to wash your hands three times a day, avoid unnecessary contact, stay informed through news broadcasts, and comply with government regulations. 」
V:
「What about the hunger? 」
8qawsed8:
「Excuse me? 」
V:
「The abnormal hunger. Feeling hungrier while eating isn’t normal. Is there any information related to this? 」
“…Hunger?”
Everyone exchanged puzzled glances. Leticia was just as confused. Strangely, she never felt particularly hungry when she was at the base. But whenever she was on a mission, she felt an insatiable hunger. It was even worse in the human unprotected zones.
But the government had a convenient explanation for this as well. ‘Trust the government. And you shall be saved.’
8qawsed8:
「The government’s official stance is that it’s a psychological effect. Like an urban legend. The more you think about it, the more you become aware of it. There are no health concerns. 」
V:
「I see. That’s enough. One last question. Are you going to buy the briefcase? 」
She had no choice.
8qawsed8:
「Yes. When can we retrieve it? 」
V:
「Let’s say three days from now. Send me a message if anything comes up. But I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to reply. 」
8qawsed8:
「Understood. 」
The conversation ended there.
Leticia leaned back in her chair, but not for long. She turned to her team. The signal tracking team reported first.
“We detected an unusual signal near the Transmission Tower Forest. But the pattern is fluctuating too rapidly to track accurately. However, the overall characteristics are similar to those used by the Elza independence terrorists. And it’s not a cell phone signal.”
“According to Hoot, the briefcase contains a satellite tracking device and a cell phone repeater. He wasn’t told how they work. They’re encrypted, and we haven’t been able to crack the code yet.”
The intelligence officer added.
“Does that mean Hans can pinpoint their location?”
“He said he couldn’t. The encryption is too complex, and the signal is too weak, resulting in a large margin of error. He can only get a rough estimate of their location, not their exact coordinates.”
It was a small relief, but they couldn’t let their guard down. Hans had seen their entire conversation, and he would definitely make a move. He would either attack the gang as soon as possible or plan some kind of terrorist attack… The possibilities were endless, and it made her head spin.
No. This wasn’t the time to worry about that. She had to report this to her superiors. And she had to focus on V. What was their objective? How did they know about the situation in the village, and why were they trying to draw her and Hans in? And why were they so interested in the virus…
“Huh?”
A gasp escaped her lips. Everyone turned to Leticia. She slumped back in her chair, her legs suddenly weak. She frantically grabbed paper and a pencil, scribbling lines and notes.
“Officer?”
Leticia’s frantic scribbling, her eyes glazed over, was a strange sight. But no one dared to interrupt her. They could all sense her intense focus, a state that demanded absolute silence.
“I think I know.”
Leticia looked up, her eyes unfocused. The intelligence officer, thinking, ‘Our Officer has finally lost it, she’s been through too much,’ was about to say something, but Leticia was faster.
“Intelligence Officer. Prepare a detailed report on the current situation as soon as possible. I’m going to give a verbal report. Prioritize the report.”
“W-where are you going?”
“To the Special Task Force Commander.”
A wide smile spread across Leticia’s face.
“…I think I know who this V works for.”
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Haha, that’s clever. It’s like a fork in chess. They both know they’re being used, but they’ll suffer whether they take action or hang back, so better to take the lesser pain. I’m curious how the MC intends to drop off the suitcase though. If they act too quickly, then one of them will have already secured Lambert before he arrives and he’ll be walking into a death trap.