Chapter 41: Bombs Are Not Art (3)
Grind.
The man clenched his teeth.
Informant.
That word made his head spin.
He went out to meet them when he heard support was coming.
The moment he was about to greet them, his stomach churned as soon as he saw they were Team 3.
As far as he knew, there was no one in Team 3 capable of disarming bombs.
As the possibility of it being the newbie grew, resentment surged.
Wasn't it all because of that guy?
Even if the informant had been there before, nothing had happened until that guy showed up.
Even if it was bound to happen eventually, why now of all times?
Why did such a problem occur in his team?
Did he even know how horribly everyone looked at him, at his team?
"If you have nothing more to say, let's move on to the mission. Are there any other bombs besides the ones shown on the map?"
Despite my question, the man didn't answer, merely staring while swallowing his rising anger.
"Answer me."
As I pressed, the man squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them.
First, he had to focus on the mission.
"...There aren't any."
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
"Check again. There might be additional bombs."
"We already checked several times before you arrived."
"Who checked?"
"My team member checked."
"Was it a magician?"
At my words and gaze, the man clenched his fists tightly.
He felt like he'd been looked down upon since earlier.
"Why? Is it so surprising that a magician who can't even defuse bombs is a team member?"
At the sarcastic remark, I felt a scoff wanting to escape.
I already knew there were additional magic bombs, so saying there weren't any sounded like an admission of incompetence.
"We are currently on a mission. You should put aside your personal feelings."
I pointed out the basics.
No emotion, no fact, could take precedence over the mission.
If the mission failed, wouldn't that be admitting his own incompetence?
That man might be okay with it, but I wasn't.
"I told you repeatedly that we checked for bombs and there weren't any, yet you still asked."
The man's words left me dumbfounded.
What kind of childish remark was this?
"We must ask repeatedly. Bomb disposal is the core of this mission. Not a single one can be left behind."
"Are you a magician?"
"I am not."
"Seeing as you came even though you're not, I suppose you learn things like that over there?"
Over there.
Did you learn it when you were a villain?
It was full of sarcasm.
"Yes. We do."
I answered without hesitation.
It was the man who was flustered.
To admit it so readily.
"If you understand, contact your team member again and confirm. Don't neglect the mission, blinded by petty pride."
I turned away just like that.
The mention of a Bomb Disposal Team inside meant there was likely a part of them outside as well.
Team 5 might have magicians, but they weren't as specialized as the Bomb Disposal Team.
It was much better to go to them and request cooperation.
‘Team 5 was only sent to protect the Bomb Disposal Team.’
I quickly finished assessing the situation.
The important ones were the Bomb Disposal Team.
‘At least they'll be easier to talk to than that guy.’
"...Petty, pride? Our team instantly became branded as informants... Is that petty?"
The man's voice was heard.
But I didn't retort and looked straight ahead.
—No matter what that team asks you to do, Hyeon-yul, don't do it. Just remove the bombs.
It was time to follow Hae-ryeon's words.
Whatever I said would be useless anyway.
"Why... do we have to end up like this? All we did was catch villains for the sake of the people. Why... Why is our team leader an informant?"
People were coming towards me.
They looked quite rushed.
‘Is there a time limit, unlike what was stated in the mission details?’
I guessed, watching their actions.
That perhaps they weren't just bombs, but time bombs.
"If only you, no, if only you hadn't shown up, this wouldn't have happened! A villain... Do you think becoming a Black Eagle now absolves your sins? How many people died because of scum like you! How many people shed tears because of you...!"
Yes.
It was all because of that guy.
Ever since the team leader was revealed as an informant, he had given up his days off and worked longer than usual to clear up misunderstandings.
The stares became terrifying, and he couldn't sleep properly.
Could there be a day more dreadful than this?
Waking up tomorrow couldn't be more painful, more frightening.
"Hey!"
The man grabbed me by the collar.
"Why are you ignoring me? Can't you hear me......"
At my chilling gaze, the man shut his mouth.
Death.
As that thought flashed through his mind, his entire body froze.
Was he even human?
Was he really human?
His breath hitched from the overwhelming fear.
What on earth was that?
"What do you think you're doing right now!"
Hearing the voice, the Team 5 man flinched in surprise.
People came running.
As soon as they saw me, the word 'Team 3' on me allowed them to immediately understand the situation.
The Team 5 leader was an informant, and the catalyst and reason for that fact being revealed was none other than the Team 3 newbie.
That man was probably the rumored Team 3 newbie.
Team 5 could understandably be sensitive.
But this was not acceptable.
"Are you crazy?"
The arrows of reproach and criticism were aimed at the Team 5 man.
In a situation where a bomb could explode at any moment, was this the time to fight?
"What is this behavior towards someone who came to provide support?"
People immediately pulled me and the man apart.
"Are you okay?"
Hearing the question, I saw 'Bomb Disposal Team' written on their clothes.
They belonged to the Black Eagle, but they were different.
I raised my gaze and met their eyes.
Unlike others, no particular emotion could be glimpsed.
"Thank you."
Only then did I greet them and bow my head.
"We... know this isn't a problem we should intervene in, but we will intervene this time. We'll apologize later."
A woman from the Bomb Disposal Team spoke up.
Before I could even ask what that meant, the woman approached the Team 5 man.
"Team 5 member, could you please move towards the outer perimeter?"
"...Do you know what you're saying right now?"
The Team 5 man reacted with disbelief at the pouring gazes and the woman's words.
Wasn't she saying he was being excluded from the mission?
"I know very well. Let me be more direct. You are hindering the mission."
"......"
The Team 5 man was about to say something but even unclasped his clenched fist.
As the number of chilling gazes increased one by one, he snapped back to his senses.
‘......I made a mistake.’
He soon lowered his gaze.
"...I apologize."
The Team 5 man apologized.
"If you don't want to see this place explode, could you please leave far away?"
The woman spoke again, and the Team 5 man hesitated before looking at me.
"...Yes. I will come to apologize later."
The Team 5 man bowed his head and left the place.
As I watched, the woman approached and spoke.
"I apologize if my meddling was unpleasant."
"Not at all. Thank you."
"...Hmm, that person seemed out of his mind earlier. I should have told him to stop and go back sooner, but I was too late again."
"It's alright."
"I hope you don't take it to heart. We are just grateful that you came to help us like this."
The woman smiled.
Having someone with knowledge related to bombs here felt incredibly reassuring.
"You all seemed rushed, are they perhaps time bombs?"
When I asked, the woman shook her head.
"No. That's not it. However, as time got delayed, we became worried about the students trapped inside, and we were also glad for the support, so we ran over. Support isn't common, you see."
"Then, have you checked for additional bombs?"
"We've finished the secondary check. We were checking carefully because we didn't know what might be a bomb."
"If I were to tell you there are additional bombs, would you beli—"
"Where are they?"
The woman's eyes were filled only with boundless seriousness.
"Please tell us the location of the additional bombs. Right now!"
Her voice gradually rose.
At the mention of bombs, other Bomb Disposal Team members approached.
"Is that really true?"
"Where is it? We won't ask how you know, just please tell us."
"You're a Black Eagle, everyone has some kind of amazing power, right? You must know through something like that, so please, just tell us!"
My eyes widened at the pleading words.
Something was different from what I expected.
I thought they wouldn't believe me, but instead, their eyes were intensely focused.
At their actions, gradually closing in on me, I stepped back.
"Everyone, just a moment."
A man from the Bomb Disposal Team spoke up.
At his words, everyone, as if familiar with it, covered their mouths and stepped back.
"You can speak now."
The man spoke with a good-natured face.
It felt like he might even offer something like, 'Shall I bring out some tea?'
"...Do you believe what I'm saying?"
I asked, finding it hard to believe.
"We have to believe you. Our fields may be different, but we're both Black Eagle, aren't we?"
"We can't get a handle on it inside. We've already failed twice. The formulas are too complex. We have to succeed next time, so the pressure is really getting to us."
Among them, some laughed, while others seriously confessed their inner thoughts.
It was strange.
The reaction the Team 5 man showed earlier should have been the typical one.
I temporarily put aside my thoughts, took out the map, noted them down one by one, and shared it.
"The locations I've found are here."
As soon as they received the locations, the Bomb Disposal Team immediately touched their wireless earphones and mouthed words.
Watching them move in perfect order, I thought about what came next.
The bomber might also be watching this way.
Having played a prank, it was natural for them to be curious about how things were unfolding.
"Just a moment, I'll go check other places too."
"Alright."
Hearing the reply, I quickly moved away.
Entering the space between buildings where people couldn't see me, I covered one eye.
There were several buildings.
It took time to check.
Moving my sight through the darkness, I checked each one and marked it on the map.
Kkeudeuk kkeudeuk.
Just then, laughter was heard.
Just as I was drawing my dagger, something was thrown out from inside.
Before swinging the dagger, I stopped and caught it.
It was a person.
Team 5.
It was the man from earlier.
He was asleep without any signs of a fight, with bombs wrapped around his body.
For this to happen in such a short time.
‘They were watching? From where?’
I moved my eyes.
It was terribly quiet.
I put the Team 5 man down and looked towards the direction he had fallen from.
‘...It's a psychic power.’
Faint traces were visible, like a long scratch mark.
The power whose presence was hardest to sense was precisely psychic power.
‘Looks like they're hiding nearby.’
Could it be a power that makes the body transparent like a chameleon?
I walked quietly.
My pupils gradually darkened.
As the wind blew, a shimmer appeared in the empty air.
‘There it is.’
I didn't miss that fleeting moment.
I took a step forward.
In that spot, I disappeared, enveloped in black smoke, and my dagger emerged from the empty air first.
Kwaak!
"......Aaaaaargh!"
A scream erupted.
The villain revealed himself.
His shoulder was pierced.
As light flickered in the guy's eyes, I ruthlessly slashed his neck.
I looked at the fallen enemy.
He was probably just a disposable card anyway.
‘How many more of them are there?’
I thought for a moment.
<…Do you know?>
A voice came from the limp corpse.
<That the most beautiful art is explosion.>
As soon as the words ended, the thick smell of gunpowder arose.
Black smoke spread out from my body.
Peoeoeoeoeong!
The corpse exploded, letting out a harsh sound.
As I walked out through the dense smoke, even the smoke seeped into the darkness.
‘……It stings.’
I covered my mouth.
Just because the darkness swallowed everything didn't mean I was fine.
My insides felt hot.
Looking at my hand, it was stained with blood.
‘I'm going to get an earful from the doctor.’
But what could I do?
This was a way to get hurt less than the pain of my body exploding.
<Too simple, wasn't it? From now on, time will start ticking.>
A voice came from behind.
I vanished from the spot.
I had seen the bombs wrapped around the Team 5 man's body earlier.
<I'll give you 30 minutes. Tick-tock.>
I grabbed just one of the several bombs wrapped around the Team 5 man's body.
Only one sound rang out.
There was no time to defuse it.
Just as I threw it upwards, people came running.
Kwaaaaaang!
It exploded in mid-air.
I looked up, but nothing reached the ground.
I could just feel several powers blocking the debris.
I lowered my gaze.
It was the power of those people.
"Are you okay?"
"Are you sure you're okay? You're... bleeding?"
People were there, looking at me and asking.
Why were they saying such things?
I swallowed the small question and looked ahead.
Someone ran up and said.
"......A time limit has been set."
A despairing voice flowed out.
The 30 minutes the bomber mentioned.
That time would just tick away.
"It's alright."
I got up from my spot.
There was one more bastard to kill.
The bomber.
"We can defuse them within the time limit."
I didn't make empty promises.