There Is No World For ■■ - Chapter 798



Only Noblemtl

EP.798 Красная звезда (4)

***

Since the advent of smartphones, journalists have had to face a new competitor: ordinary citizens.

In a world where everyone has a personal camera, the reporter’s camera can no longer maintain the glory it once did.

But the reporter did not disappear. The camera is just a tool. Just as the painting did not disappear because of the photograph, the reporter was more than the camera.

And now, this moment.

At this very moment when the citizens were shocked by the murderous intent that had disappeared in the blink of an eye, and people who had been biting each other were regaining their senses and not paying attention to their smartphones-

A reporter was clearly proving that fact.

[I, the Red Star, as the successor to Stalin’s Gold Star Medal, hereby declare.]

The reporter picked up the camera and took a picture of Red Star. It was the same reporter who had just taken the picture of Red Star saving the child.

[I will succeed to the vacant office of Secretary General of the Soviet Union by virtue of my legitimate rights and qualifications.]

Late, other citizens took out their smartphones. Dozens and hundreds of cameras flashed at the one person who had turned his back on the dawn, but the reporter holding the camera was sure.

He said that the videos he took were what decorated a page of history.

[Come… prove yourself to your heart’s content.]

And the moment the declaration was over, the reporter clenched his fists. Like the other citizens who felt the shock, amazement, fear and confusion, he too felt a great thrill.

His hands were shaking so much that he was envious of a certain Korean reporter who was chosen by the Blue God. He didn’t put down his camera until the red star behind him disappeared.

And not long after the red star disappeared, a warning broadcast from soldiers who had come to their senses belatedly was heard.

[Attention everyone! An evacuation order has been issued. Citizens, please do not panic and gather at the dimensional gate!]

Just now? While the reporter was muttering to himself, one more thing was added.

[For security reasons, we will now be collecting your smartphones! Please cooperate so that no problems arise!]

What? The reporter was so shocked that he dropped his camera. Retrieving the smartphone?? Why was the military suddenly trying to retrieve the smartphone? There was no need to ask.

‘I’m trying to stop the video from spreading.’

The reporter was convinced as he saw the soldier approaching from afar. He twitched his hand holding the camera, then quickly made up his mind about something.

The advantage a reporter has over a citizen with a camera is that he can risk his life.

“Okay, hold on! Cameraman over there! Stop right now-”

He started running towards where the red star was, leaving behind the American soldiers who were pointing their guns at him.

***

Lvov, stripped of his will to live, lay on the floor of the air force base, looking at the red star descending from the sky.

Coming down with his back to the sunlight, he looked so calm that it was hard to believe he was the one who had just made the Secretary-General’s declaration.

And then – the red star that landed on the ground… no, these were the first words that Lvov spoke to the thousand people.

“Kill me.”

“… Don’t you intend to beg for your life?”

“does not exist.”

Lviv said, looking at the empty sky.

“A revolutionary can do all kinds of extreme things because the ends justify the means.”

“… .”

“In the same sense, a failed revolution cannot be justified in any words.”

Dawn did not object. He sank down between Neti and Lvov, who were covered in blood, and said,

“You don’t need to tell me what a revolutionary is. I’m not a communist.”

Neti still had a sour look on her face as if to say something like that, but Yeomyeong was sincere.

And Lviv gave an answer that surpassed even such sincerity.

“Not a communist… then a Dawnist… no, in this case a warrior-Marxist?”

“… .”

Whether or not Dawn’s brow furrowed, Lvov said with a blood-soaked smile.

“The Communist Party has created new ideas following its leaders. Lenin created Leninism, Trotsky created Trotskyism, Stalin created Stalinism under the name of Lenin-Marxism, Mao Zedong created Maoism, and Dubchek advocated socialism with a human face… .”

“… .”

“So it’s not that big of a deal that the new secretary-general isn’t an ‘ordinary’ communist.”

The dawn made a face as if it had been hit once. It can be done like this too.

Anyway, Lvov finished his explanation with his breathing becoming increasingly shallow.

“The name of the ideology… is not important. If you have the anger to change the world and the power to achieve it… whatever it is, it is enough to be called a revolution.”

“…That sounds like something that could cause a backlash.”

“My grandfather Trotsky was the greatest reactionary in the Union.”

“… .”

While Dawn was speechless, Trotsky’s descendants reached out to him.

“Finally, can you show me that?”

His slightly trembling hands were pointing to the object that Yeomyeong had shown him at the same time as the secretary’s declaration.

Venus Medal.

Dawn took off the gold star that she was wearing on her chest without saying anything and handed it to Lvov. Lvov, who accepted the Gold Star medal, looked at the gold star, or rather the hammer and sickle of the people engraved in its center, and said:

“The Hero of Socialist Labor Medal… It really belongs to him. Where on earth… have you seen him?”

“…How can you be sure that I have seen Stalin just by looking at the medal?”

Then, Lvov chuckled as if asking something so obvious, and then realized belatedly that Yeomyeong’s words were true.

He said with a serious expression.

“First of all, I should explain the difference between the regular Venus medal… the Hero of the Soviet Union medal and this Hero of Socialist Labor medal.”

“… .”

“Not all of them, but the Federation Hero Medal… The blank Gold Star Medal is a military decoration awarded to those who fought against the enemies of the Federation. You can tell by looking at the generals who received it: Zhukov, Chuikov, Budyonny, Aleksandr Min, the great Gagarin, and Mercader, who murdered my grandfather.”

Then Netty made another angry face. It was too nonchalant to say that the man who killed her grandfather had become a Federation hero.

Whether or not, Lvov continued to look at the Venus medal.

“In comparison, the Hero of Socialist Labor medal, this Gold Star with the sickle and hammer engraved on it… is awarded to those who have contributed to the economy and culture.”

Neti asked, leaning against Yeomyeong’s sly gaze.

“Well, I don’t understand it anymore. Why is a medal that has nothing to do with the military belonging to Stalin?”

“I will explain it from now on. Stalin… was awarded both medals. He was even the first recipient of this medal, the Hero of Labor. It is only natural. He was a leader who led the Great Patriotic War to victory, and he was also a hero who developed society…”

“Livov, with his tail extended, added, holding up the Venus medal to the sunlight.

“But instead of the Federal Hero Medal, he only wore this Hero of Effort Medal.”

“why?”

“I don’t know either. Maybe it was because of the early mistakes in the war, or maybe it was because he didn’t go to the front lines… There are many speculations, but only he knows the exact reason.”

“Uh… Anyway, so… Is this the only star that Stalin was wearing in his photos?”

“Yes, this is that star.”

An exclamation mark and a question mark appeared simultaneously above Netty’s head.

“I understand what this medal is. But Stalin isn’t the only Hero of Labor… How can you be sure that it’s Stalin’s medal?”

Levoff chuckled.

“You can tell just by looking at him. His symbol… the First Effort Hero Medal… If you can’t recognize this, you can’t be called a Federation revolutionary.”

“… .”

It was a good thing that he showed this instead of the Red Flag Medal. As Yeomyeong thought so, he suddenly remembered that Bykov had recognized this medal in the castle.

‘… those commies.’

Anyway, when Dawn felt that Rivov’s heartbeat was fading, she got up from her seat.

Even if they let go of their life now and regenerate their wounds, they could still live, but neither Yeomyeong nor Rivov bothered to mention that fact.

The offer of atonement was enough. Whatever the cause Lvov had cherished, he had to pay the price for the evil deed of revolution.

Watching the slowly rising Holy Sword of Annihilation, Levov smiled bitterly.

“My grandfather, Trotsky… was killed by an assassin sent by Stalin, with his head chopped off. It was a shame for my grandfather, for him… and for the Union.”

“… .”

“But I am executed by the Secretary himself… It cannot be anything but fortunate. Red… No, a thousand. The first ruler and the second ruler must be different. And please, I hope that my death will serve as proof that you and him are different.”

It was too classy to be small talk, and too unrelated to Lvov as a will. With the Holy Sword of Extermination trembling in his hand, Yeomyeong asked.

“What about the will?”

Realizing that this was the last mercy that Dawn would bestow, Lviv looked at the sun rising in the sky above Dawn’s head and said:

“When I saw the sunlight… I finally realized what my mistake was. Life is beautiful. Oh, may future generations live a life free from all evil and violence.”

No matter what Lviv had done so far, his will was sincere. He did not avoid the sword of destruction falling into his heart.

Blood spurted. Blood as red as revolution.

So a revolutionary died, and a new morning came.

***

Browning was confused.

First of all, the declaration of the Secretary of Dawn was like that. To him, who did not recognize the time that had stopped, the declaration of the Secretary of Dawn was absurd, if not out of the blue.

He barely managed to accept the situation with the mental strength of a 10-year-old, but soon, the confidential order that had been given to him hit him in the head once again.

The suddenly disarmed Delta Force, or the kneeling Dzhugashvili, are classified orders that are so trivial that they are not even noticeable.

At the same time, it was an order he could not refuse. Browning clutched his forehead.

‘If I had known this would happen, I would have stayed on a deserted island with those Navy guys.’

Just as he was beginning to miss the seal pups whose boats he had deliberately wrecked, dawn landed in front of him.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“… .”

“It’s all over. Lvov is dead, and Yevgeny’s connection is broken.”

Browning hesitated for a moment. Should he ask what had happened, or should he congratulate her?

His choice was neither of the two. As expected of an adult who had risen to the leadership of an organization, he first lightened the mood with a joke.

“I don’t mean to be rude, but isn’t the position of Secretary General not one of succession?”

“Oh, that… I don’t know either. No one has ever sat in the position of General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union except Stalin.”

“… .”

“Still, thanks to you, the communists will be quiet for a while. They will waste time trying to track down who I am or find a counterargument.”

It was an answer that could not come out of the mouth of a true communist. While Browning, whose mind was complicated for no reason, was wiping his face, Yeomyeong asked.

“What are you going to do now? If possible, I plan to clean up the remaining Jugashvili and then step down.”

“… .”

“Personally, I think I like the picture best where I’m being chased by Browning.”

Browning didn’t answer right away. He took a deep breath and fiddled with the communicator that had received the confidential order.

“Yeongmyeong, can I ask you one more thing before that?”

Dawn nodded as if to ask him anything. However, unlike him who expected that the question would naturally be related to the secretary, the question Browning asked was completely different.

“Those kids I saw in the basement earlier… Were they the CIA’s manure?”

I already knew the answer, but it was a question I asked to be sure. Yeomyeong nodded.

“…yes.”

“The other kids you rescued are over there, in that hotel?”

As Dawn nodded, Browning’s brow furrowed.

Why on earth are you doing this? Browning said, pointing in the direction of the dimensional gate while Dawn tilted her head.

“Hey, do you see the citizens evacuating through the dimensional gate?”

“Yes, it looks fine. But it seems a bit late. It’s already over…”

At that moment, Browning interrupted him.

“No, it’s not over. You’re still here.”

“…?”

As he said this, Browning lifted his communicator onto the rooftop railing. On the communicator screen, a simple command was written.

[Engage the Red Star and bombard the city. Don’t worry about civilian casualties.]

[Even if you can’t kill the red star, you must burn down the designated coordinates.]

After seeing the order, Yeomyeong asked back with a hopeful mind.

“The given coordinates are… the hotel and the CIA base?”

Browning nodded silently. Dawn, who had thought that there would be no more surprises for America, realized that was her own arrogance.

What can I do for you? Just as Dawn was about to ask, Browning spoke first.

“The Iron-Blooded Children’s Plan. Do you know about it?”

Although it was a sudden question, Yeomyeong answered without hesitation.

“… Yes. I know.”

“How much do you know?”

“I don’t know the details of the plan’s internal circumstances, but I do know that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the plan was leaked to various parts of the world.”

“So, you also know that the Soviet test subjects were annihilated?”

“… .”

Browning put a cigarette in his mouth, taking it out from somewhere unknown.

“Test subjects… I was the on-site commander for the operation to secure those children.”

“… .”

“I followed orders to rescue, no, secure, the children and hand them over to the government. At that time… George Kahn, my adjutant who is now an academy teacher, absolutely opposed it. But I… pushed aside his objections and obeyed the order. I was a soldier, not a hero.”

Dawn understood why Mr. George Kahn had left the military. The Iron Blood children who had been transferred to the government had all been ‘disposed of’.

Dawn asked.

“…Do you feel guilty?”

“I feel it. More than other people think.”

It was a sudden confession, but Dawn seemed to know what it was for. And Browning said exactly as he had expected.

“But today, I received an order to kill the children again. And an order to kill them myself.”

“… .”

“If you hadn’t told me I had kids, I would’ve just wiped them out. That would’ve been… shitty. Wouldn’t it?”

“Yeah, that’s a shitty thing.”

“What’s even more fucked up is that I’m in no position to refuse orders.”

“… .”

Browning, who had said so, blew out a puff of smoke and threw the cigarette butt on the floor. Crush! Whether the janitor’s instincts were stirred when he saw him step on the cigarette butt or not, Dawn waited for Browning’s next words.

And after a while, Browning said,

“Now that I think about it, there’s a way to ignore orders without disobeying them. Before I tell you how… I have to ask you one more question. Thousand-Myeong, do you think… you’re stronger than me?”

“… I don’t know.”

“Don’t be so picky. Think about it seriously.”

“… .”

Dawn looked down at his complex face and answered.

“If it’s a fight to the death, I’m stronger.”

“That’s a relief.”

The next moment, bang! Browning pulled out a massive Gatling gun from subspace.

“Let’s have a go. With all our might.”

“… .”

“Don’t even think about looking out for each other. I can’t deceive my country with my half-assed acting.”

Yeomyeong was about to question why the conclusion was like that, but then admitted that there was no better alternative.

“… Okay. Then when would you like to start?”

That was the moment when Dawn pulled out the Armament Serum instead of the Holy Sword of Annihilation.

“now.”

Browning’s Gatling opened fire.