TL/ED: Hamsterminator

Jin also knew the name Albus.

A man from the Resistance who had helped with his illegal entry into Mute Town some time ago.

Their connection didn’t end there. While Jin spent ten days recovering from his injuries at the Resistance hideout, they had formed a decent bond.

So, Jin casually dismissed the Status Window.

He was going to go anyway, no need to show something like that.

“Mm. So if I input this number as it is into the nav?”

“J⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠in?”

As Jin copied the coordinates, Poe looked at him with a “no way” kind of expression.

“It would be wise to assess the situation first. Identify who sent the coordinates and then-”

“If I just... paste it here... There, done.”

In the meantime, Jin had brought up the destination on the navigation system and spoke as he rose from the sofa.

"Ah, this was sent by someone I know."

“...?”

Poe was momentarily speechless at his confident tone.

Jin bent dow⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠n and grabbed a cookie from the plate.

Then he waved his hand as he looked back.

“I’m heading out.”

And just like that, he casually left the store.

Left dumbfounded by the sudden situation, Poe stayed rooted in place. A click came from the briefing room door.

“Jin, I sorted out a few jobs that looked decent for you... Wait, where is he?”

At Khalifa’s question, as she peeked out from behind a stack of files, Poe kept his gaze straight ahead and spoke.

“...He went to Mute Town.”

*

Buaaaaang-!!!

Manticore sped down the road.

Jin leaned his upper body at an angle, bracing against the air resistance hitting and bursting against him.

The vehicle charged into the highway, picking up speed without hesitation.

As the needle on the dashboard spun clockwise in a circle,

Jin’s eyes, fixed ahead, briefly flicked to the top right of his helmet visor.

[Khalifa]

A familiar name appeared with a faint vibration.

It was a helmet with a wireless call function.

A call had come through to his terminal.

"Oh, what's up?"

As soon as he accepted the call, Khalifa’s voice came through clearly in the enclosed space.

[Jin? Where are you right now?]

“Ah, I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. I’m on the highway. On my way to Mute Town.”

[Why are you going there?]

"A friend I owe a debt to seems to be in danger."

There was no reply for a moment.

Thinking the call had been cut off, Jin glanced again at the upper right corner of the visor. The words [...Khalifa...] were still displayed.

So Jin spoke up.

“Khalifa?”

[You do know what the situation in Mute Town is like right now, right?]

“I do. I heard the civil war’s gotten worse.”

[It’s worse than just ‘gotten worse’. No exaggeration, it’s reached the point where it’s hard to even find a safe place anymore.]

“That bad?”

[TB has started a full-on purge of the Resistance. They’re ruthless. If the Resistance hides among the civilians, they don’t search them out. They just drop bombs on the area.]

“Is that a metaphor? Or are you serious?”

[I wish it were a metaphor. But no. It’s that bad. Even the civilians don’t protect the Resistance anymore. Doing so would put them in danger too.]

Another brief silence.

And a faint sigh.

[You’re still going, aren’t you?]

“Yeah, I have to.”

[I figured you would.]

There was something in her tone that made her expression easy to imagine.

Jin let out a short chuckle.

“Did you call just to say that?”

[Watch out for Taha. No matter what anyone says, that guy’s the real deal.]

Taha. TB’s leader.

The white lion Beastkin standing on top of the crushed tank.

Jin gave a nod.

“Got it.”

[Alright then. I’ll hang up. Good luck.]

Click.

The call ended, and the sound of wind whipped against his ears.

Jin pushed the speed even further.

*

Once again, Jin couldn’t enter Mute Town by normal means.

Technically, he was supposed to go through the gate, but it was obvious TB forces would be swarming the area.

He had seen it on the news.

The warlord faction had locked down the entire sector with force.

Martial law declared by what used to be just a gang?

It was an absurd situation, but what could be done? TB had grown powerful enough to pull it off.

So Jin took a back route.

Relying on memory, he pushed ahead through the narrow path.

Eventually, with a creeping stench, a worn-out sewer appeared in his line of sight.

Found it.

Jin had arrived at the rendezvous point where he had first met Albus. He parked his bike nearby.

As he took off his helmet, under the now darkened sky.

A stronger stench pricked at his nose...

What is that?

Jin frowned.

Bloated black sewage water carried corpses floating along its surface.

The eye-watering stench wasn't just from the waste, it was clearly something more.

When Jin got closer to check, it was even more horrific.

Their appearance in life?

Naturally, there was nothing left of it.

Most ordinary people don’t know, nor need to know, what drowned corpses look like.

The bloated and ruptured skin erases any sense of dignity for the dead.

Even if it were your own family, you’d instinctively cover your mouth. A nausea mixed with self-disgust. It’s the very reason why drowned corpses are never shown to the bereaved.

But Jin didn’t avert his eyes.

Not because he had a strong stomach, but because something about the floating lumps of flesh felt familiar.

Specifically, the brown-colored tactical vests were familiar.

Without needing to think long, Jin recalled that it was Resistance gear.

Had they been hiding in the sewer and got swept away by a discharge?

Or did TB throw them in here?

Either way, it didn’t matter.

“......”

Jin silently pulled his gaze away and looked back at Manticore.

From here on, the wheeled beast couldn’t pass.

He felt uneasy about leaving it behind, but there was no choice.

It’s not like there’s a single safe parking spot in this entire city anyway.

Still, since this sewer was located in the outskirts of the city, with hardly any people around, he could only hope for the best.

And so, Jin ventured into the sewer.

He pressed his helmet down tightly again.

It wasn’t a gas mask, and he didn’t expect it to help much, but still, it had to be better than facing it with a bare face.

He walked and walked down the stinking path, and when he finally found a ladder that led to the surface, Jin climbed up without hesitation.

Thunk! Drrrrrk-

With the sound of metal scraping across the ground, the manhole cover slid aside.

Jin, with only the area above his nose peeking out from below, quickly scanned left and right.

Seeing no one around, he pulled himself up like drawing out a rice cake from a mold.

On the quiet alleyway, he covered the manhole again and glanced at his terminal.

As he started moving in the direction the navigation system indicated, the device calculated his walking speed and estimated the time at 3 hours and 23 minutes.

It would take too long on foot.

Over 7 hours had already passed since he received the message.

Jin decided he couldn't afford to waste any more time and naturally widened his stride.

His feet began pushing against the ground faster and faster, and before long, Jin was sprinting through the nighttime streets.

Tatadadat!

His top speed far exceeded human limits.

The scenery around him blurred rapidly.

In an instant, he passed through a secluded alley,

Broke through the factory district responsible for dumping waste,

And sprinted along a road lined sparsely with streetlights.

With that, the estimated time on his navigation system began to drop exponentially.

[3 hours 23 minutes]

[2 hours 55 minutes]

[2 hours 11 minutes]

.........

......

...

---

A round beam of light swept in every direction.

Up, down, left, right.

As the beam slowly scanned the darkness, it eventually stopped in front of a worn and cracked outer wall.

Up and down again.

After confirming the tall, abandoned building, the soldier clenched his other hand into a fist.

Those following behind him stopped naturally.

Click. As the flashlight turned off, the soldiers lowered their night vision goggles attached to their helmets.

All of their helmet centers bore the same mark.

Three diagonal slashes, as if torn by a beast’s claw.

The Beast.

Step.

TB forces began to slowly enter the abandoned building.

At the rear of their formation stood a man, unlike the others, he looked up at the building with his bare eyes, not using night vision. A faint fluorescent glow flickered in his gaze.

"......They're here."

A small murmur.

The woman peeking out from behind a broken window quickly ducked her head.

At the same time, the gazes of the others lying down or leaning in the cramped room all turned toward her.

One of them asked,

“How many?”

“A whole unit. Problem is, a commander’s among them. I think we made eye contact... Fuck. I don’t know.”

If it was a TB officer, it was, of course, a Beastkin.

A human weapon born from injecting the Beast Serum,

And one of the original founding members who had created the current TB.

Naturally, everyone’s expressions darkened.

That included Albus, who had bandages wrapped around his stomach.

As he fidgeted with a terminal that had long since powered off, the woman beside him spoke.

“...Support’s not happening, is it?”

“Of course not. The base is wrecked. They won’t even have time to worry about us.”

“Fuck. This is fucking bullshit.”

The woman grabbed her hair, spitting the curse out through clenched teeth.

"If only Oren hadn't been killed by Taha. How did this happen..."

“It’s already over.”

Though he forced a calm reply, Albus felt a twist in his gut.

Oren Pa⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠lmer.

A core asset of the Resistance, and a Level 5 Solo-ranked psychic from the Superhuman category.

He lost to Taha.

The precarious balance had crumbled completely, it was only natural. Now, with everyone scattered, how many of the survivors could possibly remain?

Crushed under the weight of this hopeless situation, Albus unconsciously gnawed at his lower lip.

“Albus.”

At the sound of someone calling his name, Albus turned his head and caught something flying toward him.

Then he slowly opened his mouth.

“...A detonator? Why are you giving this to me?”

The bearded man who extended his hand gave a dry chuckle.

“Because you’re the most injured. If we all die, then you hit that. Make sure you get the timing right. We’ve got to take the officer with us.”

Albus didn’t respond right away. He just stared down at his palm.

Back when they had taken shelter in this building.

They had planted explosives, assuming the worst-case scenario. If it really came down to it, they’d blow everything up and die together.

Back then, when they made that agreement, he never actually thought he’d be the one to press it...

Fuck.

Letting out a bitter smile, he nodded.

“Alright.”

“Then, let’s move.”

Someone said that,

And the people in the room stood up in unison.

Then they started walking toward the positions they had coordinated in advance.

A short while later.

Left alone, Albus placed his hand over the bandage soaked in blood.

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat!!!

Gunfire rang out from beyond the hallway.

Shouts too, things like “Hold them back!” and “Kill them!”

Albus wasn’t shaken.

He had already accepted death.

He just happened to be the one with the last turn.

That’s why he could think clearly now, with a strange sense of relief.

Should he press it the moment they enter the room?

Or try to stall with conversation first?

Which officer could it be?

Then suddenly, he remembered, right before his terminal shut off, he had frantically logged into the Solo Intranet.

He had sent coordinates to two people he had some faint connection with. But now that he thought about it, he wondered if that had been a mistake.

But that thought was brief.

Albus shook off his doubts and gripped the detonator tight.

Now that the furious exchange of gunfire was gradually dying down.

His thumb began to slowly hover over the button.

BANG-!!

A shot rang out, sharp enough to split his eardrums.

“...Ugh!”

Albus flinched, his thumb nearly pressing the button without meaning to.

Then another BANG-!!

It got noisy outside the door. And then, with a loud slam, the door burst open and someone entered the room.

It was the woman and the bearded man.

The two comrades, pan⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠ting heavily, shouted out.

“Someone’s here!” “Something’s co⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌‌⁠⁠ming!”

For a moment, Albus’s mind went blank as he lifted his thumb off the button and asked,

“What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what I said. Someone’s here, but we can’t tell if they’re one of us. And on top of that, they’re wearing a helmet, so we can’t identify.”

Before the woman could even finish her sentence, another deafening gunshot rang out.

“Tch!”

The woman and the bearded man instinctively aimed their guns toward the open door, while Albus blinked between them.

Helmet? Who could it be?

If anyone was coming here now...

Meanwhile, the gunfire kept getting closer.

And before long, from the hallway where screams had vanished, a new kind of explosion erupted, something crashing into something else.

Shattering, cracking, smashing, obliterating, an unsettling barrage of destruction echoed out, and the faces of the three Resistance members began to stiffen.

“...What the hell is that?”

The bearded man, tense and alert, swallowed dryly.

Thud! The wall shook violently.

The impact was so strong that dust rained down from the ceiling, but the real problem was that it didn’t stop there.

Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!

With each successive tremor, the wall cracked, spreading with a crrrrack!, and just as Albus panicked and reached for the detonator again.

KWAANG─!!!!!

With a thunderous boom, the wall exploded into pieces.

In a moment that seemed to move in slow motion, someone cloaked in violet electric light slammed a hyena-headed enemy straight into the floor.

Like a massive hammer had been dropped, a crater was carved into the ground.

At the center of destruction, smeared with blood and flesh,

Jin slowly rose to his feet.