Chapter 143

However, Medic has a lead...

Since we've mentioned the so-called 'dark green'... the first thing Medic would naturally think of is the dark green Originium Crystals monster that Kal'tsit controlled in the Foresight.

Medic remembered that material quite clearly three years ago when he entered Kal'tsit's office. It was blocking the way in the middle of the room, so he remembered it very well.

So, after organizing his thoughts, Medic answered Typhon in this way:

"Wait a little longer... On one hand, you yourself are not prepared to 'judge' things. You don't even know what common sense is, let alone what the extraordinary is... And in the fight against Pollution, judging whether something is 'normal' or not will affect the rationality of the person involved... So don't rush, I will slowly tell you what I know about those things... But I also have a lot of questions to ask during this mission, so please give me some time, okay?"

Seeing that Medic answered his question very seriously, Typhon naturally followed suit.

Just as Typhon was about to ask Medic if they could sleep together that night because of her dream of being hunted, a special signal was suddenly transmitted to the bridge.

Upon hearing this unusual signal, Medic sat bolt upright in his seat.

Typhon had seen Kitty Teacher look like this before, but this time the signal was better and the image transmission quality was higher. Typhon quickly saw the emerald green appearance of Teacher Cat on the screen.

On the barren lands of Columbia, the TDD, which had been escorting ships for over a hundred kilometers, disappeared into the dust as its signal lights flashed. Then, another Landship, the Rhodes Island flagship, slowly came into view... At the same time, the bridge received a greeting from Kal'tsit.

[Everyone... thank you for your hard work... Could the action team please send me a statement? How did you all manage to get together like this?]

"PRTS, please send the navigation log to Rhodes Island."

With a sigh of relief, Medic slightly raised the corners of his mouth and said:

"We're home."

PS: This is just a transitional chapter, outlining the basic flow... It's not finished yet, and the next volume will probably still be a transitional one, but Nana has returned to the city she's loyal to, and the plot of the assassin girl returning to the scene is already set.

PS2: Meow Meow Cat

5th Laytonson's Ghost Assassin: 152 SWEEP

Arrived home, accompanied by a cold snap in the Columbia Wasteland known as December.

The Exploration Vehicle, which had been away from Rhodes Island for six months, arrived at one of the few specialized treatment facilities for the Infected in this land, carrying various scratches and bruises along the way and an overload of the Infected.

Along the way, the Rhodes Island members described a place like paradise compared to life in Ursus to the others. Even Medic could only say that Ursus's environment was unique... Among the named countries in this land, few places like Ursus directly excommunicate the Infected.

After arriving in Rhode Island, the previously shelved integration movement personnel could undergo in-depth treatment. At the same time, the Sakaz stepped onto the deck of the ship with nostalgia or emotion.

The people of Babel knew the ship's original form, from the moment the Kazdel Council's engineering team unearthed the first keel to the end of the Kazdel Civil War and the collapse of the ideal called Babel... All this complex history seemed like yesterday, and as they watched this Landship, which had played a significant role in their efforts, sail across this land, the people of Babel couldn't help but secretly wipe away tears.

Even though Theresa's towering ideals had crumbled, the ship that His Highness had promised to be a home for the lost and a salvation for the land... indeed stood tall on the earth, witnessed by all.

For the Rhodes Island members, led by Medic, there was no time to reminisce about the ideals they had realized after completing a difficult mission. They were already overwhelmed with tasks such as arranging follow-up medical treatment for personnel and writing mission reports with PRTS.

Even for a combatant as pure as Huang, who had never even paid attention to the navigation log, her combat report, printed on A4 paper, was a full 22 centimeters thick... It included a large amount of assessment of Ursus's military strength, as well as descriptions and records, mainly in voice, of the various strange things in this mission, such as the Inner Guards and even the Demons.

However troublesome the report may be, being back on the Rhodes Island main ship means that everyone is safe.

There is no Zima winter here, nor the burden of survival. Even without money, one can earn credit tokens by performing voluntary labor in the public areas. Although these tokens cannot buy even a single luxury item, some labor can be exchanged for daily necessities such as food, clothing, and shelter. This makes the Ursus people exclaim that Rhodes Island is here to do charity.

Despite Medic's repeated assertions that Rhodes Island has its own technology-based revenue streams and that the company does not need to profit from exploiting the remaining value of the Infected, and after much persuasion, finally managing to convince the well-meaning members of the Reunion Movement to return home, Medic is still unable to enjoy a vacation like ordinary members.

She still had a lot of work to do, such as helping Reunion Movement members apply for registration for subsequent Columbia Frontier Development Corps missions, investigating the truth behind the abduction of the young soldier Frostleaf, and arranging the process of sending Sister Mary back to the Laterano Church along the way.

Medic, who was so busy that she didn't even have time to check on the children's studies in the first few days after returning to Rhodes Island, felt a faint sense of being watched, even though she had clearly returned to Rhodes Island, to the proper office and living quarters of the Human Resources Department... The Little Cat, potted plants, and the equipment and consumables she brought with her were all being processed normally.

At first, Medic even thought it was just his imagination because he was used to being stared at by people after being away on business for so long, but soon... footprints, scent, traces of Originium Arts... everything proved that he wasn't being paranoid.

After observing for another day and discovering that the other party was merely monitoring and had no intention of doing anything else, Medic took advantage of the opportunity to collect other people's reports and went to Kal'tsit with the items.

After handing over the portable hard drive containing everyone's reports, Medic frowned and reminded his seemingly well-suited-to-caring, emerald-green superior about the possibility of fellow passengers on board.

"... The feeling of being watched... well, it's normal... firstly, as a public medical institution, Rhodes Island constantly receives a large number of the Infected seeking medical treatment; secondly... do you know about Theresa?"

Seeing Kal'tsit's utterly exhausted expression, her chin resting on the back of her hands, Medic put down the documents and tilted her head worriedly... Recalling all the information pointing to 'Kal'tsit' and 'Theresa' being close friends, and recalling the rumors she'd heard during her journey through the far north of Ursus about the end of the Kazdel Civil War, Medic didn't know what expression to wear, and could only respond with worried silence:

"Yes, I know..."

"You rescued her men... Did they tell you how the Babel failed...?"

"... It appears to be an attack by the Court Special Forces."

She nodded, then shook her head. Compared to the past, Kal'tsit, whom she hadn't seen for only half a year, was now very silent.

Kal'tsit, still dressed in her custom-made Originium radiation-proof uniform with its emerald and white color scheme, stared intently at Medic for a long time with a conflicted expression that seemed to see right through him. Finally, Kal'tsit sighed and continued:

"Perhaps... No one knows what happened back then. When Theresa was attacked, only our commander... only 'The Doctor' was with Theresa..."

"Doctor?"

Seeing Medic's puzzled expression, Kal'tsit continued, resting her chin on her interlaced fingers, and said:

"She was also seriously injured in the attack on Theresa, and I have arranged for her treatment... but her condition is not optimistic."

Seeing that Medic's expression turned serious but still showed no hostility, Kal'tsit simply abandoned her probing and spoke frankly:

"I suspect it was a meticulously planned assassination..."

"... What do you need me to do? Retaliation? Or to investigate security vulnerabilities in the ships?"

After a moment of silence, Kal'tsit knew that the person in front of her had an alibi... but as long as she thought that the person in front of her was one of the few master assassins in this land, and that the strange spells combined with seemingly accidental assassination methods made her absolutely capable of killing Theresa and seriously injuring the Doctor, Kal'tsit couldn't put her mind at ease no matter what.

Whether it's misplaced anger or a post-incident remedial investigation... Kal'tsit wasn't targeting Medic; she was thoroughly investigating all possible roles within the company during this period... The new department members weren't just monitoring Medic; everyone who might have been involved in the assassination was under investigation. Kal'tsit wouldn't allow such dangerous and uncontrollable personnel to remain on Rhodes Island.

In comparison, Medic, also a known killer, is actually quite controllable.

After all, the ICA has proven this over countless years, and this year's 'Eternal Constant' is also a very well-known agent for Medic... So without real, overwhelming evidence, Kal'tsit will never allow her suspicions to affect the loyal and capable operator in front of her.

"S·W·E·E·P..."

"'Remove'?"

"This is a department I recently established... specifically to prevent... a recurrence of something like Theresa's."

Nodding to indicate that he understood, Medic then tilted his head, looking at the silent Kal'tsit:

So... are you doubting me?

"... I doubt anyone capable of doing this..."

Seeing Kal'tsit's response, Medic blinked, then, to Kal'tsit's great surprise, offered the suggestion of a professional assassin:

"If the concern is about infiltrators, the best approach is to thoroughly search every single floor tile... preferably a surprise attack. Assassins and agents alike usually store their illicit items securely in containers to prevent loss and incriminating evidence... A thorough raid is the best way to deal with internal traitors... Most importantly, you have the authority on Rhodes Island to enforce your orders."

Watching Medic offer his advice methodically, Kal'tsit looked up in surprise:

"... I thought you were angry..."

Shaking his head in denial, Medic stroked his chin and continued:

"The inspection must be sudden, leaving no opportunity or time... a body search, a thorough search of the hideout, plus a follow-up search of any secret messages that might be hidden in their usual area of activity... unless the target is a master of Sarkaz spatial illusion magic, they will inevitably be exposed during the inspection..."

"... You know perfectly well we can't do this... A sudden military-style crackdown would severely damage the reputation we've worked so hard to build." Qi

Seeing that Kal'tsit was so angry about her friend's death that her dark circles were even worse than before she left, yet she was still trying to protect Rhodes Island's reputation... Medic merely frowned at this, then offered his solution:(

"Then instead of openly implementing military control, we can use the pretext of an infectious disease outbreak to control everyone and check them in batches. Before that, I think you should have already cleared out a completely problem-free cabin. And while those in quarantine are being isolated, disinfecting their personal belongings is perfectly normal and reasonable... This way, Rhodes Island's reputation won't be affected in any way."

As Medic's words became increasingly exaggerated, Kal'tsit's expression turned helpless.:)

"But the surrounding area will panic due to a mysterious infectious disease... Rhodes Island is no longer the insignificant organization it was three years ago. Every move we make will trigger a chain reaction... I can tell you're angry too, but don't panic, the SWEEP operators are already taking action."

Despite Kal'tsit's statement, Medic had little hope for the efficiency of that new department.

Leaving aside the question of whether the personnel are truly trustworthy, Medic's ability to observe traces is clearly hampered by the new department's insufficient manpower. If Kal'tsit were to investigate at her own pace, Medic felt it might take three years to uncover anything.

In order to clear himself of suspicion as quickly as possible, Medic needed to come up with a solution that Kal'tsit couldn't find fault with... This is why, even though he was suspected of being the murderer, Nana still went to such lengths to devise a plan.

She also really liked Rhodes Island, and with that potted plant that was still green after half a year, Nana wanted to help Kal'tsit as well.

The tired look on this green Feline even obscured her youthful, mature charm... as if she had aged thirty years in the past six months.

Nana disliked Kal'tsit's behavior and hoped her idea would quickly restore her sense of security.

"... They certainly have reason to panic... Kal'tsit, you can just tell us what we've been in contact with in northwestern Ursus..."

"What... did you contact? I'm sorry... I've been in charge of SWEEP, and I only had PRTS categorize your report by urgency..."

"... So you didn't see the documents that required your immediate attention... I understand... As for what happened, you can turn to my electronic report, specifically page sixty-five of the voyage log..."

As Kal'tsit quickly scanned the screen, the previously weary Emerald Feline instantly regained the powerful, independent look she had when Rhodes Island came to pick her up, without even an automated system.

"You... encountered Demons?! And even had a direct confrontation with the Inner Guards?!"

"Yes, 'Pollution'... this thing, as an infectious disease, is probably more dangerous than anything else... and the corresponding Pollution level assessment document... you can directly refer to the appendix..."

"No need, I understand what that is... In other words, Rhodes Island accepted a source of Pollution..."

Kal'tsit rubbed her eyes, feeling a headache coming on. Then, while instructing PRTS to expand Medic's plan into a collective Pollution monitoring operation... she hesitated slightly before adding the task requiring the SWEEP department to work overtime. Kal'tsit then gave Medic a sharp look:

"... You need to understand, even if this operation were arranged according to your suggestion, I wouldn't say I'd go easy on anyone... especially since your current situation is indeed more dangerous than a typical Class A infectious disease..."

"Yes, you are free to inspect... However, considering my remaining tasks, please allow the personnel who have finished their inspections to leave... I still have some... matters in Columbia to attend to."

Hearing Medic's explanation, Kal'tsit, who had been furiously typing away at her keyboard to finalize the 'shipwide inspection notice,' stopped typing with a strange expression.

Because this standstill was so bizarre, Medic first looked in the mirror, then glanced down at his Rhodes Island uniform. Finding nothing wrong, Medic even worried that there might be Pollution leak and took out his night-sky-colored butterfly knife to perform a self-check...

It turned out that Kal'tsit's unusual behavior wasn't Medic's problem. The emerald-green Feline then resumed typing, her voice carrying a hint of 'pity' that puzzled Medic.

"Columbia... you're going out to Columbia... are you going home?"

"Well, it's been over three years since Cole and the others died... I missed the funeral back then, and now that I'm back with Rosemary... I should probably finish up the work I didn't complete back then..."

Looking at Kal'tsit's strange expression, Medic tilted his head, full of doubt:

"You don't seem to want me to go back... Are you worried about the Pollution on me?"

"... No, that's not true... I know how resistant you are to that kind of thing... but, you seem unaware of what happened in Leytonson City? Hasn't your agent contacted you?"

Seeing Medic's bewildered head shake, Kal'tsit sighed... She then placed Medic and the people affiliated with Medic in the first batch of people to be examined.

"You can ask your agent for details... Perhaps I should just lock you up on Rhodes Island..."

At this point, Kal'tsit patted Medic on the shoulder with a serious expression:

"Handle this calmly and properly. Don't make me regret handing you over to that woman... Medic."

PS: There are many foreshadowing elements to resolve, which means there's a lot to explain in the transition chapters, resulting in more characters and plot points needing to be developed during the transition...

Hmm, I want to get to the point quickly... I'm trying to be as fast as I can.

PS2: Meow Meow Cat

↑Maybe it's the Rosemary gear from the previous volume lol, or maybe I'll use it as noise-canceling headphones for my Little Cat later...

The 5th Laytonson's Ghost Assassin: Chapter 153 - The Beginning and End

Medic originally intended to comfort Kal'tsit, but he never expected that his act of comforting Kal'tsit because of the 'death of the White Emperor's would end up with Kal'tsit comforting herself.

"Handle this calmly, proceed with caution..." Why would Kal'tsit is usually so efficient at responding to all the suffering of this land, react this way? What exactly happened in Columbia?

Curious yet filled with a sense of foreboding, Medic had to decline the Reunion Movement's invitation and had Folinic attend the Reunion Movement's celebration party in his place... This was originally part of a propaganda campaign launched by Talulah in the name of the Duke of Ursus, in cooperation with Rhodes Island, to demonstrate a shift in the Ursus the Infected strategy across the entire land and throughout Ursus.

As Rhodes Island's flagship organization within the Contingency Contract group, this kind of thing should normally be Medic's 'task,' but right now, the cat's attention is definitely not on this, so to others, it seems quite unusual for Medic to hand over his work to someone else.

Fortunately, although there wasn't much communication, everyone being busy with their own things is a common style among Rhodes Island's high-level elites.

The Reunion Movement... and the members of those strange departments within the Human Resources Department that seem like separate entities also need to learn how to handle related matters when Medic is not around.

For example, applying for a permanent position in the Welfare Department or the Disciplinary Department, or preparing materials to explain to Kal'tsit why the so-called 'Tutoring Department' exists.

The former might be related to Rhodes Island's organizational structure, while the latter... Kal'tsit surprisingly agreed very readily... She even immediately threw several people into the Tutoring Department after approving its existence.

"Adults have their own work, and for children, in addition to enjoying each day, learning survival skills is also very important... Ultimately, Rhodes Island schools are still subject to interference from teachers and staff from other organizations, so it is essential for us to have our own skills training organizations and facilities."

"But obviously, overly specialized and professional combat skills training would make outsiders suspect our purpose. Tutoring with a large number of minors is much better... It allows children to learn various skills together, while preventing a few skilled individuals from being caught off guard by the adult world and appearing so helpless."

"... Is this why you sent someone who can't do anything but kill to the Tutoring Department?"

Medic, who had been summoned by Eileen, stared speechlessly at the gray-haired girl in front of him, whose shoulders were being held down by Kal'tsit and who was making threatening noises at him with her throat... more like an animal than a person.

Me, a woman of eight years old, was speechless and tilted her head.

"You should know that I've already contacted the agent... I might not have time to look after this... child afterward."

"... Hong is an adult. Besides, she only acted this way towards you... your aura frightened her."

As Kal'tsit stroked the hair of the girl named 'Red' as if soothing a pet, the Lupo girl, who had just been baring her teeth at Medic, suddenly let out a pitiful whimper... Clearly, this child, who was like a wild beast, had also come to understand the fact that the 'strong one' in front of her was not an enemy.

But whenever Medic reached out, Red would still tremble and back away. This behavior, which almost completely devoid of human intelligence, made Medic frown deeply.