Black Badger - Chapter 383



Only Noblemtl

383. Infinite Wait (2)

Do I have to wear a gas mask?

His face hardened as he looked at the gas masks neatly placed on the floor.

It wasn’t just me. As soon as I got back, my seniors realized the seriousness of the situation and their faces hardened.

Yoon was the first to bow.

“It seems like the incubation period is long.”

The shooter said after skillfully putting on his mask.

“I think they figured out that we might have gone to Antarctica infected.”

What the hell is going on?

I pulled on the string and put on the mask. After it was completely sealed against my skin, I frowned.

Use your senses to understand the situation.

The portal zone looks no different than usual.

The ceiling was still high and there were no people, and there was a conveyor belt for unloading weapons that had been brought in to be disinfected.

There was also a booth for changing clothes. Each person had their own clothes to change into.

There was no one.

Originally, people didn’t come here… .

[Please enter the booth and change into your uniform!]

After changing clothes as instructed and coming out, I was then instructed to go to the scanner.

Originally, there was no procedure to pass through a body scanner.

We passed through the body scanner in the order of the people who changed their clothes. There was no particular sound. All the weapons were placed on the sterilization belt, but this time, strangely, they did not want to return the weapons.

I looked up at the control room and protested.

“I want my sword back.”

The staff was in a difficult position.

[The principle is that all belongings of those who return from the portal must be sterilized and stored in a sterilization room for two weeks…]

“We went to Antarctica, where there are no germs. We also sterilized it, so it should be fine, right?”

A sterilization room for two weeks.

I didn’t even know where the sterilization room was. I didn’t want to hand my sword over to someone else, and I didn’t want to leave it somewhere I didn’t know.

If that doesn’t work out, I’d rather stay in the sterilization room with the sword for two weeks.

As I was about to protest further with that determination, Yoon approached me.

“I don’t think it matters to us. Report it to the higher-ups and have them check.”

The man spoke in a cold voice.

“Ask the leadership directly in my name.”

[Ah… I’m sorry, but it will take a while for me to reply.]

The staff answered.

The tone of voice was more awkward than overbearing.

[You may not be aware, but headquarters is currently semi-paralyzed.]

“Did the leadership get caught too?”

[It’s been two days since the head of the personnel department was sick.]

“The Commander-in-Chief and his aides?”

[uh….]

A hesitant opponent.

Other badgers also flocked to Yun and Woori.

Hesitation conveyed through the speaker.

I guess you can’t tell how much you can say.

Yoon helped the staff make a decision.

“Choi Ami and I live in the same house as the Commander-in-Chief, so how could there be a security leak? If I get reprimanded for it, I’ll take responsibility, so tell me the current situation as it is.”

[The two aides are working separately.]

“What about Yehyun?”

I called the child’s name without realizing it.

Fortunately, the staff didn’t seem to think anything was strange.

[He was fine until this morning. He said he felt like he had symptoms an hour ago and went to get tested.]

ah.

[I believe you haven’t come back yet.]

“Are there any casualties?”

Ricardo asked, putting one hand in his pocket.

[yes.]

A heavy reply comes back.

[There are 3 people in total so far.]

oh my god.

I was speechless.

Silence fell over the portal zone. People remained silent for a while, not moving from their seats. I was no exception. I stood frozen in place, slightly shocked.

It’s been exactly a week since we heard about the spread of the epidemic.

In the meantime, three people with enhanced bodies died?

They’re not elderly, but they’re part of a special force that fights creatures?

“Ask Assistant Scar for permission.”

Yoon broke the silence.

“Can I return Hildebert’s sword to Hildebert? It won’t take long for me to answer.”

That’s actually the case.

Scar gave permission right away. The staff sitting in the control room couldn’t hide their surprise. The one who had said he would inquire in a reluctant voice soon returned and relayed Scar’s order in a voice full of surprise.

I will return Hildebert’s sword and Ricardo’s shape-shifting weapon.

After receiving the weapon, all TF members will wash and finish their personal maintenance, then come to where he is staying.

Scar Owen said he was currently on the floor where the executive lounge was located.

He said he was working in the conference room there.

[He asked us to wear our masks tightly after washing.]

The employee who had spoken up to that point hesitated for a moment and then added this.

[And… Hildebert and Jack Black can take off their masks, but they asked us to wear them if possible because there will be eyes watching us.]

We don’t get caught.

I understood as soon as I heard the order.

I exchanged a glance with Kairos. A fellow compatriot wearing the black Black Badger windbreaker and black pants they had prepared.

You reminded me of that.

He’s been working with the leadership at the Black Badger building lately.

You didn’t get caught, but the others seemed to get caught.

“Let’s go out.”

I was thinking of checking my phone as soon as I got out of there, but Yoon said.

“Wash up in 15 minutes and gather in front of the elevator.”

I took a really good shower for the first time in a long time.

After taking a shower, I put on the clothes I was given. After drying my hair and doing some other things, I stood in front of the elevator and waited for people to come.

As soon as we all arrived, we boarded the elevator in silence.

To get to the executive lounge, we had to change elevators along the way.

The route was naturally restricted. We were not allowed to get off in the lobby, but were told to get off on the second floor, walk down the hallway, and then take the elevator for executives.

Kairos pressing the second floor button covered in plastic.

The elevator, which had arrived on the second floor, opened with a swoosh.

“omg.”

The second floor of the headquarters unfolded before my eyes.

“There’s no one… .”

There really was no one.

There was no sign of life on the entire floor. The spacious space was empty. The main headquarters building was always crowded. Except for the area where the executives worked, all floors were always swarming with general staff, part-time workers, and badgers of special positions.

But there was no one there, as if the whole scene was a dream.

Only white fluorescent lights illuminate the empty hallway.

The air was so chilling that it was almost creepy.

It felt like I was looking at a city where only the people I occasionally encountered in my dreams had completely disappeared.

“83 Badgers are currently infected and quarantined….”

Ricardo muttered, looking down at his phone.

“There are those whose symptoms have been greatly alleviated, but none have been completely cured….”

There’s a dragon beyond the dragon.

We crossed the hallway in silence. Our footsteps echoed sadly in the cool space.

No one said a word until we got on the elevator and got off at the floor where the executive lounge was.

Everyone lowered their heads and looked at their phones.

[Rose: Captain. I guess we won’t get caught. That’s really fortunate!]

[Yow: It’s all screwed up. The badgers are falling down one by one right now.]

[Yow: Whether this was an intentional biochemical attack or a badly-timed plague, it shouldn’t have reached Kyle’s ears. But that’s doomed, too. We haven’t caught the spy in the core yet. We can’t keep the plague a secret any longer, even if it means requesting antibiotic development!]

[Igor: I looked into it under the instructions of the bookkeeper. It seems like we really can’t get caught. I kept checking up on my people, but not a single one got caught.]

[Deltey: I tried it, but it doesn’t work on divine power. It’s definitely not a curse type. It’s like a real virus.]

[San: Hilde!! Is Hilde okay?!]

After replying to San, I got off the elevator.

I passed through the empty lobby and entered the conference room inside.

When Yoon, who was leading the way, knocked, Scar answered from inside, telling him to come in.

I pushed open the translucent door and went inside.

A man sitting at his desk looking at his laptop raises his head.

The conference room was divided into two by a transparent window. It was said that Ska was working behind a transparent wall with a small space for pushing in documents, similar to a window for passport control.

It looks like a makeshift quarantine booth.

A man wearing a regular mask smiled with his eyes as he looked at the badgers standing in a line.

“I heard you recovered safely. Congratulations.”

“thank you.”

He greeted me politely.

“I am embarrassed to have been away from Center Core during this busy time due to my own issues.”

“So that was a good thing.”

Scar pushed the laptop aside.

Then he scanned the badgers lined up neatly against the conference room wall.

“You are one of the core forces. Since you were in Antarctica, there is almost no chance of you being infected.”

A boss who explains the situation concisely.

We listened quietly to Scar’s explanation.

The situation was more serious than expected. It is believed to be transmitted through droplets, but it is said that those who are infected can still catch it even if they wear a mask. It is said that Badger, who had not been in contact with an infected person, fell ill because of the long incubation period, and that there were also people who showed symptoms while they were outside the core.

There was a shortage of manpower.

The reclamation work was temporarily suspended.

“It’s not time to go out.”

Scar said darkly.

“We’re moving all the Badgers to patrol duty. We’ve abolished the patrol partner system. We’ve divided the patrol areas into smaller areas and changed the system so that one person is responsible for each area.”

“Are we also assigned to patrol duty?”

“Starting tomorrow.”

I see.

“I’m sorry I can’t give you the password. We are short on manpower.”

It’s an emergency, so there’s nothing we can do.

Scar distributed the missions. He sent Ami, Sophia, and Carl to the outskirts of the core with repeated apologies. He wanted them to leave for the train station at dawn tomorrow. He said that the news had leaked out and the influx of creatures had increased.

“I want Yoon to stay at headquarters and help the doctors with their research. I know you’re not a medical major, but you never know where you might find a clue to making antibiotics.”

“All right.”

“Ricardo, help Jonathan with the center core patrol. The area Jonathan is covering alone is too large right now.”

“Yes~.”

“Finally, Hilde and Jack.”

The minister and I both answered “yes” at the same time, holding our bags.

Scar looked at us for a moment.

The words that followed were heavy.

“I’m sorry, but I have to ask you for a little more.”

“yes.”

“I’m going to ask Jack to transport patients arriving from outside the core, and Hilde to subdue creatures that appear in places not covered by patrols.”

Because even those who show the slightest symptoms are put into quarantine, it is said that although there are officially about 80 patients, many more Badgers are tied up.

And so the center core became empty in many places.

The idea was that I would be there to respond when a creature appears there.

“Stay on standby at headquarters, and if a dangerous creature appears, take the portal and deal with it.”

The aide showed fatigue on his face for the first time.

The refined gaze suddenly collapsed and a heavy aura of sleep emerged.

“It’s really tiring to be on constant standby. I’m sorry to have to give you this mission. I don’t want to keep the Badgers at headquarters, and you’re the only one who can destroy all the creatures that appear…”

“it’s okay.”

It wasn’t a difficult mission at all.

I looked Scar in the eye and spoke coolly.

“I will wait at headquarters after changing my clothes.”

“thanks.”

The aide sighed.

“If you want, you can use the bedroom here. I’m using room 1, so you can choose any bedroom you like except that.”

I was about to answer that I would do that.

dripping

A knock on the closed conference room door catches your attention.

People’s heads turned.

Kairos, who was standing next to the door, looked back at Scar and asked if he could open it.

Scar looked like he knew who it was.

“I have an outsider I’m meeting with soon. The timing is good. Everyone, go inside and take a short break.”

“yes.”

“And since there are civilians outside, you can open the door with peace of mind.”

Kairos did just that.

After nodding, he pulled the conference room door open.

The man standing outside the door wearing a suit.

He gave a brief bow to Kairos and then came inside.

As I was getting ready to go out, I saw someone coming in without thinking much about it.

Actually, half of my thoughts were elsewhere. I was worried about the condition of people I knew, including Ye-Hyeon.

So I recognized the one who came in a little late.

Flawless attire.

A familiar face.

“heath?!”

I shouted reflexively.

“Why are you here?!”

Heath Claire looked at me blankly.