Chapter 158
Whether she was pondering or simply trying to put pressure on the people in the secret passage, the blonde girl in red gently tapped the damaged wall with her fingertips, which were adorned with clear nail polish... In the silent underground, where only faint breathing could be heard, Nana's mind wandered during the standoff.
The apartment's owner and Mrs. Wilson were acquaintances; they were both pioneers in the city during the Laisenton pioneer era.
Although, according to Nana's information, the elderly man with a large family will probably be taken to live in the city center by his children, the disappearance of familiar people and the unfamiliarity of familiar things and environment... it would be a lie to say that he is not affected at all.
Although Nana didn't think it was something that warranted such serious advice from someone of Kal'tsit's caliber... she clearly had a strong urge to grab those guys below and beat them up, and this thought only intensified as yet another of her properties was reimbursed.
[According to Typhon's description, the police will arrive in less than fifteen minutes... Are you really going to send that Mike back to Atlas?]
Takina's voice in the earphones was urgent and deep, and even without Empathy with her, one could sense the hidden killing intent in her words.
[Leaving aside whether he'll be subjected to a second round of torture by Atlas upon his return, since he betrayed us because we had control over his family, wouldn't it be perfectly reasonable for him to betray us again after we've subjected him to such exhausting torture, once Atlas has 'taken back' his loved ones?]
"Well... what do you want, Takina?"
[... They're trapped in the basement now. I don't believe they can break through your defenses in that kind of terrain... as long as you keep stuffing grenades and other explosives underground...]
"That might not work. After all, that used to be my safe house. Not only was there food, water, and medicine stored there beforehand, but even the door was blast-proof."
[... So what were you thinking, putting the 'bait' into such a safe cage?]
"The original plan was to arrest a few more people and interrogate them to slowly piece together the whole picture of Atlas... However, that was for the situation of the four-person elite squad... Now they are a full-strength team, and they've even called the police..."
With a sigh, Nana's gaze towards the cave entrance unexpectedly held a hint of pity:
"Isn't this forcing me to play by their rules?"
[... Their rules?]
"A fair and square confrontation, a contest of firepower, manpower, and politics... Obviously, the agent doesn't want that. After all, her instructions to me have always been precise and elegant; involving innocent people is a sign of incompetence... But now the enemy is deliberately trying to drag everyone into this. Although I don't know if they're doing it on purpose, or if Atlas is doing it to protect themselves... In any case, things have developed this way. What should we do?"
What should we do?
Listening to Typhon's blank recitation coming through the earphones, Nana smiled and picked up her M4 Shotgun:
"There's nothing we can do, they've already gone this far, we can only go along with them... It's like going along with those guys who give them political power... They want to see a big show? Then let's give them a big show."
To the surprise of the underground combat force, just as the Shieldguards and guards were being urged forward by the cat-eared man, the red figure leaped down, and a shotgun was immediately pressed against the only gap in the shield used to see the outside world.
A deafening roar, leaving everyone in the room momentarily stunned, followed as the first shield-wielder collapsed, bewildered. At the same time, Nana's sweet yet ruthless voice slowly entered everyone's ears:
"Just a heads-up, the place you came out of is a safe house. Its door has 35 centimeters of hardened armor inside, which is basically immune to Etch Rounds bullets with a velocity of 500 meters per second or less and a non-high-hardness alloy core."
As she spoke, Nana drew her Silver Dancer with her right hand, and three shots with silencers silently brought the charging guards to their knees, unable to get up. At the same time, her left hand seemed to be wielding not an expensive Firearms Arts but some kind of cold weapon, a short pistol. The girl thrust fiercely, and with a twisting sound of steel, she pierced through the shield in the hand of the second heavily armed man, and then pulled the trigger.
Another unsettling roar followed. As the obstruction ahead was cleared, the Firearms Operator had been anxiously waiting at the rear picked up their pistols and began unleashing a torrent of bullets forward...
Normally, there shouldn't be any cover in this kind of corridor, but seeing the floating... no, the shield that had been pierced by another Firearms Arts and was pointing back at them, completely blocking their target, Atlas's Firearms Operator could only curse and continue to suppress them, and during this time, another person turned into a headless monster.
"Damn it! The door... this is it, right?! Come in, all of you!!"
As the cat-eared uncle patted his companions on the shoulder, the Firearms Operator, one by one, patted each other on the shoulder as if they were falling backward and scrambling back into the so-called 'safe house'.
After their voices were blocked by the heavy security door, Nana raised an eyebrow, tore off her makeshift 'gun shield,' and activated the communicator. With a slight crackling sound, Nana quickly retreated through the secret passage of the safe house while asking:
"Takina, report the situation."
[The police have indicated they've arrived at the scene and are now calling out to me... Thirty ordinary people have arrived, and the Rapid Response Force hasn't even been deployed. It seems they mistake us for ordinary Mercenaries...]
Looking at the tense police officers in front of her, Takina, thinking about Nana's so-called 'big scene,' excitedly wiped the enemy's blood off her gloves onto her heavy bulletproof vest, then asked:
"What's next? Should I fire...? I've switched to a full ammunition belt. Even vehicle armor can't stop heavy steel-core Firearms Arts ammunition. I can wipe them out..."
[No, no, no, how could you think that? Those police officers are just ordinary people. Takina, aren't you being a bit too extreme?]
"Huh? Even if you say that..."
Seeing that the police had been there for a while but then another ten or so reinforcements arrived, completely blocking the intersection, Takina swallowed nervously.
"The original plan was simply to provide cover for Mike and then gather intelligence for Lady Eternal Constant again... But if the police arrive and the situation isn't resolved, Lycoris's existence will be..."
[We'll be exposed, didn't you say so before? Since that cat-eared man is alive, we've definitely been exposed long ago... Besides, the original plan was based on the premise that the police were late, we and Atlas could escape smoothly, and then Mike would be brought back without any problem...]
"So now, not only me, but that group of people are underground too, right?"
[Yes, perfect... You guys go to jail together so I can check on things.]
Hearing Nana's seemingly casual instructions, Takina's blood pressure immediately spiked. Before Takina could say anything, as police officers with shields and weapons slowly surrounded her, Takina listened to Nana's final instructions:
Ultimately, what kind of guy Mike is doesn't matter. What matters is my need for Atlas and the government's reaction... Who's supporting them, who's escalating the war, and who's holding onto the agent... Words can lie, but actions don't... I need them to take action.
"... Does this kind of thing really require me to go to prison too?"
[No... but if no one is watching over them in prison, and these people are secretly released, who will know?]
Just as Takina was contemplating that she and the other person probably wouldn't be locked up together, and even if they were released, she wouldn't know, the lead officer, who was close enough, made a gesture behind him, pointed his gun at the ground, and then shouted to Takina:
"Hey! Kid, put down your weapon, okay... There's something we can help you with, there's no need to resist so violently... Or have you already done what you were supposed to do?"
As the beautiful high school girl with long, straight black hair turned around, this pretty girl, who seemed to have nothing to do with crime, frowned slightly and looked at the police team. Following the instructions of another person in her earpiece, Takina raised her hand and let the police snatch away the machine gun, her spoils from her last mission. Then, she obediently revealed the safe house where Atlas was hiding.
"Take some men and go check it out... Also, have a female officer do a body search, be careful there are people filming nearby, don't give them any ammunition... Then, you, take off your headphones..."
As Takina was asked to take off her headphones, the long-haired black-haired girl, knowing she would be temporarily cut off from Nana, muttered something under her breath with curiosity:
"Senior, where are you now?"
"I'm right here with you~"
The sound beside her startled the girl. She turned her head and saw a blonde policewoman wink at her before beginning to grope her.
"Honest behavior will get you lenient treatment, but you'll be imprisoned for life; resistance will result in severe punishment, and you might as well go home for the New Year!"
Just as Takina was speechless, a police officer who was also on guard nearby frowned and looked at the blonde policewoman:
"Hey, what nonsense are you talking about?"
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to make things easier for her..."
While talking, he helped Takina remove her heavy bulletproof vest and other protective gear. Then Nana lowered her head and adjusted her hat. In the distance... the members of Atlas were led out dejectedly.
Four bodies were also brought out, along with the twelve people killed by Takina's machine on the street and the six people buried on the roof in the distance. The total death toll of twenty-two will undoubtedly become the talk of the town for the Raisington City today.
As the blonde policewoman pointed to the bustling scene in the distance—where Takina were being stopped but whose cameras were flashing rapidly—the policewoman smiled and said to Takina:
"Look, the real excitement is about to begin."
PS: Government forces have entered the battlefield... but the mastermind behind the scenes, while hinted at, is merely a sign of their existence... don't worry too much about it.
PS2: Meow Meow Cat
5th Laytonson's Ghost Assassin: 171 Infiltrating the Interior
Compared to the barrage of gunfire and artillery fire in the preceding minutes, the clicking of cameras by Columbia journalists created a pressure no less intense than that of actual combat.
Even with additional manpower forming a human wall, the RSPD (Laisenton Police Department) couldn't stop reporters from handing out microphones; those recording devices were like death knells to the sheriff forced to work overtime.
"Sheriff! A year has passed since the Wilson Apartments collapsed. The once peaceful old town is now known as 'Black Street' on the Intercity Network. Now that armed men have been apprehended, does the police department still consider the various explosions in the area to be mere 'gas accidents'?"
"I have no comment before the investigation results are released; that depends on the judgment of the special investigation team..."
Before he could finish speaking, the reporter was pushed aside by his colleagues behind him. The sheriff dreaded seeing that person because he belonged to an entertainment media outlet that tended to exaggerate facts.
"Sir, we've discovered a minor among those arrested. Is she connected to the rumored city cleaners—?"
"Nonsense! The RSPD is doing its job diligently, Raisington City live in peace and contentment. There are no third-party employees... Even if there were, that's not within the RSPD's jurisdiction."
To prevent similar individuals from causing trouble again, the sheriff began proactively selecting suitable media outlets for early announcements. He quickly identified a government journalist in the crowd whose expression wasn't overly enthusiastic.
"Miss reporter from Raisington TV, what would you like to ask?"
"... Sir, we have noticed that in this armed conflict, both sides not only used repeating heavy Firearms Arts, but also bombarded a civilian house with heavy firepower imbued with Originium Arts. Regardless of the identities and motives of those arrested... I am speaking on behalf of the government, and I would like to ask if the police department still has the capability to protect the lives and property of the people of Raisington City?"
"... As you can see, when the conflict broke out, the RSPD immediately dispatched officers to the scene and successfully prevented the situation from escalating..."
"But we heard from the police officers at the scene that it was only because the armed girl voluntarily put down her weapon!"
Ignoring the reporter who jumped out as if eager to stir up trouble, the sheriff seemed not to hear him at all... As elite officers in dark power armor, wielding large Firearms Arts, took over the prison van, accompanied by another round of rapid camera shutter clicks, the sheriff, his eyes twitching, continued rambling on:
"With the deployment of the Rapid Response Force, I believe the situation will surely be brought under control... and the escalating gang warfare will certainly be punished!"
Takina didn't see the sheriff's resolute expression on camera at the end, but even if she had, she would probably have scoffed. Judging from the sheriff's tone, those Atlas members guarded by the power armored officers might actually be being used as a weak point for the criminal organization.
However, as a fellow arrested suspect, Takina was transported in a separate police car due to her special attributes as a woman and a minor.
The driver was a man Liberi, the same one who had scolded Nana for not watching her words earlier... As the 'temporary and only female police officer who arrived at the scene the fastest,' a certain blonde, eye-catching police officer also naturally got into the car.
Although it was initially claimed to be an attempt to avoid reporters, upon closer examination, it still left the male officer in the front passenger seat somewhat puzzled.
"Speaking of which, you're a complete stranger... and you've already gotten into my car? What about your police car?"
"It's okay~ My partner will handle it."
While speaking, Nana flashed a friendly, business-like smile and announced an identity that... couldn't be verified in a short time:
"I'm a patrol officer responsible for the flight path along the District Seventeen's boarding road. I was on my way home to prepare for Christmas, but then I received an emergency call from the dispatch center..."
"The District Seventeen flight path? Ah, you really have bad luck... I've complained to my colleagues about this before. Isn't it enough to just have the Catastrophe Messengers regularly monitor the flight paths of Mobile Landmass? Why do we have to use the bureau's manpower..."
"That's not quite right. The Catastrophe Messengers are, after all, observing over a very large area over a long period of time... while our own Catastrophes observation station, of course, needs to be watched over by our own people... we can't expect those spineless cowards in the municipal government to stand guard."
"Hahaha~ That's right, relying on those office workers in the municipal government is truly a recipe for disaster~"
Seeing the police officer driving suddenly join the conversation and laugh along with his 'senior', Takina, still handcuffed in the back seat, was covered in cold sweat and felt like her heart was about to jump out of her chest.
Appearing and disappearing unpredictably, like a shadow... Although she hadn't seen him before, Takina knew that this person didn't carry any disguises when he went out... So the question is, where did this police uniform, which doesn't look brand new, come from? Will it pass the police station's investigation later?
Takina wasn't even sure if she should expect her senior to pass the test, since passing the registration investigation seemed to make things even more complicated.
Either the police system itself is riddled with problems, or... there really is a patrol officer on the flight path of the District Seventeen's pier... She really did follow orders and came to the vicinity of the battlefield... The thought that such a loyal and dutiful police officer had become a victim of her mission made Takina feel a dull ache in her heart.
Of course, her identity was fake, but Takina never even considered the possibility of clearing the level.
After all, this is not the time thirty years ago when the Originium Revolution had just begun... Back then, there was no systematic record retrieval mechanism, data archiving costs were extremely high, and identity fraud, such as wearing civil servant clothes to sneak into the canteen, was commonplace.
But things are different now. State, city, and local databases are archived in the cloud, and the cost of using Intercity Network is very low... Whether or not someone can really find out just by typing a few keys... can't exactly expect our predecessors to go to prisons and keep an eye on those people, can they?
While Takina was still lost in thought, Nana had already dealt with the somewhat puzzled police officer and adjusted herself into a more comfortable sitting position... It looked like she was controlling Takina's movements, but in reality, she was just leaning on the arm of the other person and lying down on the chair.
It has to be said that the agent initially considered that many police officers sit in their cars all day long, so a considerable budget was allocated to the car seats. Nana didn't know much about ergonomics or six-way locking; as long as they were comfortable, that was fine.
As for the issues that Takina is worried about, Nana isn't worried at all.
Although her identity is fake, it was data injected by Anna using her special agent privileges. The police will only see a real identity that they can't find any problems with, unless a high-ranking agent of the same level as Nana stands up to contradict her. Otherwise, this identity will definitely not cause any problems.
The police uniform was even more authentic than Nana's identity, since the surrounding area was sealed off, making it quite difficult to sneak out.
Fortunately, Nana's height of 1.6 meters is quite average, so she could easily find a female police officer and use her clothes... Let's skip the part about using special bullets to eliminate the sound of the gunshot, but the final explosion of the bullet separated the two people on guard duty, and Nana quickly changed into a police disguise.
The Ghost of Laisenton will strip you of your clothes and disguise yourself as someone else... You only realize how outrageous these ghost stories are when you experience them firsthand, but at least Nana left her own clothes with her.
Of course, this person wasn't one of the rare Route Patrol, just an ordinary patrolman... and because of the sensitive connotations of his distinctive Lycoris red uniform jacket, Nana put it away.
Even considering only the fabric and craftsmanship of the shirt, the policewoman would likely make a fortune reselling it at a secondhand dress shop.
As for whether the police will actually confiscate Nana's clothes and skirt as evidence after she reports it... that's none of Nana's business.
After all, patrol officers are still police officers, and given the current state of the police station, they'd practically borrow a cat's paw to use... Nana is certain that even if she actually applied for leave according to her established persona, it probably wouldn't be approved.
After all, there really is a cat here.
Haha, so the black cat disguised itself as an orange cat, got Halo, and went to the police station to freeload, huh?
With a light laugh, the girl amused herself with her own lame joke, creating a stark contrast with Takina, whose face was ashen with worry for the future.
Upon arriving at the police station, just as Nana had expected, even though she politely said, "Then I'll go back on vacation," to avoid suspicion, the sheriff's deputy, after a brief investigation of Nana's forged badge number and past records, immediately stopped her.
"Do you think we can still take a vacation now? The best way to have a proper Christmas is to close this case as soon as possible... The higher-ups are still making a fuss, let's send the suspect to jail first... Even though it's a so-called serious violent incident, the procedure is still the same."
With a sigh, the sheriff's deputy led Nana towards the interrogation room. Meanwhile, on the other side, also handcuffed and led to the cell alongside his power armor, were Atlas and his gang... oh, and perhaps Old Mike as well.
He probably never imagined that his undercover work would lead him to the police station... but he's taking it all in stride; at least he's safe there, and if he cooperates, he won't get beaten up.
As their view was blocked by a one-way explosion-proof glass door with iron bars, the sheriff's deputy unceremoniously pulled out a stool and sat down, while Nana pretended to handcuff Takina to a chair fixed to the ground.
"Alright... Next is a simple routine question... Name?"
Seeing her deputy's impatient look, Takina's gaze shifted to Nana... Her mind was filled with the question, 'How could this guy get in so easily?!'
However, the deputy saw this action as a provocation, and he sighed as he put down his pen and paper.
"I know, it's the same old story again, isn't it? The tale of Mercenaries hired by the government fighting against what was originally under the government but has now become a private army? I've handled quite a few of the former, and most of them start by shouting things like 'Atlas's lawyer will come to see you'... You're different from them, so... you're one of those private armies?"
The term "private militia" does indeed touch a nerve with Takina to some extent, especially since Lycoris was still cleaning up Atlas's mess in the city this morning... Any department in Columbia might call Lycoris an evil private militia that uses vigilante justice, but it's inappropriate for the Laisenton Police Department government, to say that!