NOVEL NEXT Chapter 188 - Taskforce Dagger
Chapter 188 – Taskforce Dagger
On a late, clear autumn dawn under the moonlight, without a single dark cloud in the sky, a man in casual clothes was walking on the asphalt ground inside a nameless camp, protected as one of the most classified secrets in the world.
It was a vast facility, larger than most university campuses. Watchtowers were erected everywhere, with external personnel standing guard. The night in mid-October was cool. The temperature fluctuated between single and double digits, and one could feel the chilly night air on their exposed hands.
At the end of his sight, he spotted an old warehouse. It was his destination. A dimly lit place with not a single light. He quietly opened the door, leading his weary body forward. Numerous tightly closed doors and the dust piled on the floor hinted at its age.
However, amidst the darkness, there was a newly installed keypad faintly glowing.
He brought his fingers to it.
And the door opened.
───Beep.
Light poured out.
Inside the basketball court-sized space, over a dozen people were discussing, looking at the screens floating in the air.
For a brief moment, there was an exchange of glances. A quick scan from head to toe took place instantly. Almost all of them had familiar faces. It was impossible not to recognize them. A quick dive into his memory would reveal the answer immediately – though it wasn’t just memories of this place.
These were Delta agents who had operated across not just the United States but the entire world, encompassing both the present, the past, and even another world.
“Ah, Senior Owens.”
“Here, it’s Sergeant. By the way, is it alright for you to be here, Logan?”
“I already got permission, so don’t worry. Yoo Jin even gets medals, how could I not get in here?”
Automatically, his eyes turned toward the voice.
Their gazes met. A familiar yet still unfamiliar woman stood there. It was strange to adapt to her appearance in reality rather than VR. Her eyes resembled sky-blue topaz, and her long, milky white hair flowed down.
However, the large bear ears on her head… were not something to be familiar with. Thanks to his memories of New York, where not only the Omega Virus but also events beyond human understanding occasionally occurred, he could barely accept the sight.
His gaze flicked to the side. A burly man lay on the floor, seemingly unconscious, while others watched the screen as if it were nothing.
“Why is Kevin like that?”
“Since we met today, he hasn’t called me Logan even once. Even though I changed my name back, the bastard.”
“Serves him right.”
Swallowing the word ‘Laura’ that almost slipped from his mouth, he took a suitable seat as guided. The screen was displaying a message, translated into English, indicating that the fifth game would start in 10 minutes. He nudged Kevin on the floor with his foot and Laura sat beside him.
Their gazes met briefly, and she waved a Blue Badger card – indicating a permanent employee – that she had recently received, with a grin. Her milky white skin shone vividly under the white light from the ceiling.
She added quietly.
“What have you been up to? This isn’t a place that grants permission quickly.”
“I was working as a 1st SAC contractor. Even before I regained my memories, I was doing this, so maybe I knew something deep down.”
“What an incredible coincidence.”
She nodded slightly and manipulated the screen a few times.
A new screen appeared in front of his eyes, flashing. It was a familiar sight. Blue eyes flickering beneath long hair, a vest over a bulletproof vest, and a submachine gun in hand. Even pointed ears sticking out from the sides of her head.
Such a person was navigating the battlefield. Charging through a hail of bullets, her determination to chase her target to the end of hell was clear. It was a very familiar sight.
There were many things to say, but in summary, it was this.
“Glad to see you’re alive. You’ve gotten even sharper.”
“I’ll be in the US at the end of December.”
“Should I hold a belated funeral? I burned all your personal items during the funeral, sorry about that.”
“What kind of joke is that?”
A small rebuke.
At the moment she was about to add something, Anthony Owens closed his mouth, hearing her grumble.
“Now, if it’s not VR, I can’t do that anymore. I thought I was living a tough life, but my body changed like this. When I came to my senses, the Delta badge was gone. Damn it.”
“There are many things Delta can do besides military operations. If you want, you can follow the formal procedure and come back. I have enough capacity to reassign you to my squad.”
“Well, if it’s Senior Owens, it’s the Assault Squadron. There’s definitely a spot for me.”
A brief silence followed.
Logan Blemis. He was a member of the task force he once operated, and at the same time, he was considered a rare victim of the Omega Virus, a unique case of widespread – and considered impossible – changes in gender or overall body structure.
In the past, instead of being headhunted by ICARUS, Yoo Jin would have been dissected in a research lab, which was accepted by society and ICARUS without much issue, precisely because of that.
Back then, New York was a labyrinth where anything could be understood – although later interrogation of Jordan Amherst revealed that the Omega Virus had no relation to physical changes, leaving the conclusion uncertain.
Meanwhile, she continued speaking.
“Still, that will have to wait until next year.”
“Is something going on?”
“I’m planning to compete in the main tournament.”
At the same time, a second pop-up appeared before his eyes. The content, consisting of dozens of characters and a few images, was easy to understand with basic intelligence and a certain level of knowledge.
Dark Zone – AP national player in North America.
The words floated in the air, accompanied by a photo. A laugh escaped in disbelief.
“You’re quick.”
“I applied without much thought, but it seems doable. I plan to send my regards to Yoo Jin later, so if you have anything to say, do it now. There’s no other chance.”
“If I say it here, you’ll surely forget, so I’d rather say it myself.”
“Who? Me?”
“Who else? Kevin? The unconscious guy can’t speak. He can’t even listen properly.”
“Oh, you…!”
Leaving the red-faced Laura in anger behind, he turned his eyes to the video about to start. He barely dodged the punch flying at his side.
Manifested people’s punches hurt.
After sitting down again, a personal conversation continued.
“Anyway, it’s good to see you’re doing well. Is there anything uncomfortable?”
“Here, I’ve been living like this for 29 years, so not really. My strength and stamina are much better than before. It’s just a bit awkward when I shower. I wanted to date a neat woman, but seeing that scene in the mirror is a bit annoying.”
“That’s a disaster. Did you have a girlfriend back then?”
“Well, I used what I had, but now that it’s changed, there’s probably no regret… Maybe. Why are you asking a woman such things?”
“Talking nonsense only when it’s disadvantageous is just like the old days.”
“…The game has started.”
Indeed.
Some things never change, no matter how the world changes.
Anyway, it was 5:03 AM. Due to the sudden nighttime regular test, tomorrow was nominally a day off. Fortunately or unfortunately, the physical distance from Yoo Jin was quite far, and the 13-hour time difference meant the game started early morning in the US.
However, none of the people gathered here took their eyes off the screen. Even if they were lying in bed, the conversation never stopped. The main topic was, of course, Yoo Jin. After all, the reason this space was prepared was precisely because of her.
Though their bodies were tired and their eyelids heavy from the sudden wake-up call and the test, these were people who could control their physical instincts better than anyone else.
The lights would not go out until all the games were over.
-Current results tallying…
-South Korea in the lead, Japan in second place, followed closely by Russia, China, and Taiwan.
“…Why?”
Meanwhile, Russia.
It had fallen to become South Korea’s point dispenser.
“Anyone who can solve this situation, or at least provide a clue, will immediately receive 50% of their annual salary as an incentive. Anyone got something to say?”
Silence.
Everyone was reading the room.
Despite being a situation where any suggestion was worth trying, no one spoke. Though glances were exchanged multiple times, no definitive answers emerged. It was an unprecedented experience for both coaches and players, which had completely stifled everyone’s reasoning and problem-solving abilities.
The best they could do was share their experiences and discuss where they had hit a wall. While individual data could be interpreted in various ways, when combined, it often pointed in a direction.
At least they were competent enough to do that.
Thus, they reached a conclusion.
“…Currently, none of us are able to utilize our strengths cultivated through the curriculum. The weaknesses inherent in our aggressive tactics are being precisely exploited, leading to frequent counterattacks and setbacks.”
“Only against Yoo Jin?”
“No. This is when encountering Korean users in general.”
“…Sigh.”
It sounded like they only had to avoid 20 out of 100 people, but those 20 were heavily represented at the top, making avoiding them akin to saying, “I’m content with a mid-tier ranking.”
In the end, they were back to square one. Fortunately, these individuals weren’t the type to fall into a negative spiral. However, the curiosity about ‘how on earth this was possible’ remained – and it was a natural curiosity since Korea seemed to act as if they knew Russia’s basic grand strategy.
In fact, it seemed more appropriate to say that everything from start to finish had been analyzed.
“…What about Japan?”
“They’re performing as expected.”
“As expected, huh.”
The mood brightened slightly.
This could be interpreted as Russia still having the capacity to break through Japan. Originally, it was supposed to be Russia, Japan, and South Korea vying for the top three spots. Last year, China had also entered this fray.
He exhaled lightly and continued speaking.
“…Since this is the fifth match, the data reliability can’t be certain, but I’ll briefly brief you on the analysis results so far.”
Simultaneously, multiple screens unfolded.
Although they displayed complex charts, graphs, photos, and movement paths, everything eventually compressed into a single point. The conclusions drawn were varied, but the head coach expressed them concisely and clearly.
The conclusion followed.
“───Based on this, it can be said that the overall play of Korean users has changed significantly compared to last year. The most noticeable change is in positioning, where its importance has relatively plummeted. However, this can’t be seen as an encouraging sign. Does anyone know why?”
“Because they have the physical ability to easily break through any good position the opponent takes?”
“Exactly.”
Suppressing the words “though I don’t want to admit it” from escaping his throat, he continued his explanation.
“As Zvezda said, for top-tier Korean users, positioning doesn’t matter much. It’s simple. They have the strength to push through disadvantageous situations with their individual skills, creating absurd scenarios.”
A brief silence.
A new, more concrete grand strategy began to form.
“But the core is clear. Take the best positions more quickly than anyone else. Use any method to wear down Japanese and Korean users first. It would be best to pit the two against each other….”
Multiple combat data screens spread out with a snap.
“As I said earlier, Korean users don’t particularly care about positions. In other words, they secure key terrain later than other countries. Theoretically, if we take those positions before Japan, the representatives of the Republic will be crushed between Russia and Korea.”
It was a theoretical approach.
Other users from different countries might have also thought of this, but Russia’s judgment had its own rationale.
The head coach added.
“Strategy is influenced by not only the flow of the game but also external circumstances. Japan, at this point, is solidifying its second place while seeking ways to reclaim the first spot. In other words, they’re in a fairly unstable state. If we don’t precisely strike their soft underbelly now, the gap will widen beyond control.”
Clap.
With that, the presentation ended.
It was a daring strategy reflecting the imbalance of the current situation… A bold strategy, to put it nicely, and a no-turning-back tactic, to put it bluntly. Despite the embellishments, the essence was still ‘take the best positions faster than anyone else.’
Whether this would work, no one knew. Even the coaching staff, who based their tactics on statistics and data, were unsure if this level of preparation would suffice in navigating the turbulent currents of the Asian preliminaries.
But maybe that’s how it was supposed to be. The essence of combat was inherently a chaotic struggle produced by the unpredictable efforts of people.
-[Notification: 60 seconds remaining until the fifth match.]
“I believe in everyone who has made it this far.”
There was nothing more to say.
The fifth match was about to start.
───Rat-a-tat-tat-tat!
“Damn it, who are those guys again!?”
And how long had it been since then?
It didn’t take long for users from many countries, including Japan, to curse while watching Russia, which had secured a good position and was reenacting Normandy from about a hundred years ago with their machine guns.