Chapter 38: Maybell Pilgrim (1)

Bzzt, bzzt—

A voice came from the terminal.

["Did you find them?"]

["Not yet. It seems like they really intended to run away this time."]

["How old are they to be running away like this... Got it. Report back as soon as you find the director."]

["Understood."]

Bzzt—

The intercepted transmission was brief.

It was vague enough that it was hard to discern exactly what they were talking about.

The communication channel I had tapped into was Red-F004.

It was mainly used to relay confidential matters within the Red Line.

Though they called it "confidential," in reality, it was more like a primary channel through which all kinds of incidents within the Red Line passed.

'The director, huh...'

There were a few positions within the Ark referred to as such, but at this point in time, there weren't many impulsive enough to run away, even among the diverse bunch gathered in the Ark.

'The most likely candidate... is that person.'

Colonel Maybell Pilgrim, Director of the Red Line Special Purpose Weapon Research Institute.

Her talent and capabilities earned her the prestigious position of director of the Special Purpose Research Institute, but aside from that, she didn't have a particularly favorable reputation within the Ark.

This was because, despite her role and abilities, she was notoriously impulsive and spontaneous.

More importantly, she was the one who created the experimental round, GHOST-157, which I had obtained not long ago.

'The fact that she ran away now... could it be she's looking for the experimental round?'

No way. That's a bit far-fetched.

Obviously, when I played The Defense, I hardly ever failed the sub-scenario of retrieving the experimental round.

The scenario itself wasn't particularly difficult, and even if failed, it didn't cause much damage or loss.

That's why witnessing Maybell Pilgrim running away at this point was a first for me too.

'There's no way Maybell Pilgrim could have figured out my identity, but it's still something to keep in mind.'

Depending on how I handle her, she could become an immensely valuable ally or the very person who could bring down the Ark.

Rash moves were forbidden.

So, in the end, one more variable was added to the already numerous uncertainties.

It also meant I had one more reason to conceal the existence of my bone armor from anyone in the Ark.

However, I couldn't dwell on the thought for long.

Not because of any particular reason, but simply because I was too exhausted.

'It'll work out somehow.'

Already stressed enough about having to move my base, thinking about this too was making my head ache.

[Heh-heh...]

Today, that voice was particularly irritating.

*

Morning had come.

Maybe the effects of the medication were wearing off, or maybe it was just a restless night, but I didn't feel as refreshed as I used to.

'...Have I built up a tolerance?'

If that's the case, I only have two options left.

Increase the dosage, or switch to something stronger.

'Or, I could just overcome the insomnia itself.'

To do that, I needed to raise my ether sensitivity.

[Awake. Awake. Awake. Awake. Awake. Awake. Awake. Awake. Awake. Awake. Awake. Awake.]

Even now, those damn voices kept whispering in my ears.

Of course, it wasn't all bad news.

The fierce battle from yesterday hadn't killed me in the end, and that ordeal had made me stronger.

[You have rested!]

[Stamina stat has increased.]

[16 -> 17]

[You have shown resilience, refusing to succumb even in dreadful nightmares!]

[Tenacity stat has increased.]

[4 -> 5]

[You have faced nightmares and survived with incredible luck!]

[Luck stat has increased.]

[9 -> 10]

[You have acquired the trait, 'Beginner's Luck.']

──────────────

[Beginner's Luck]

—The goddess of luck smiles upon you.

—However, the trait vanishes when the sum of all stats exceeds 100.

"View Details"

──────────────

'Finally.'

[Beginner's Luck].

At first glance, it might seem like a trivial trait, but in reality, it was one of the most valuable early-game traits in The Defense.

Probability.

This damn rule that governs every game naturally dominates The Defense as well.

The probability of successfully upgrading a weapon, the chance of evading a monster's ambush by sheer luck, the odds of finding an abandoned supply truck on the road—chance, chance, chance...

[Beginner's Luck] is a trait that boosts those probabilities, but only in the early stages.

'Though with my absurdly high stats, I probably won't be able to keep it for long... but it's still useful.'

It's one of the most practical traits for the Red Line and Orange Line stages.

An advantage designed specifically for beginners.

Unfortunately, since my base stats already far exceed the Red Line standard, I wouldn't be able to enjoy its effects for long.

'A bit of a shame, but it can't be helped.'

Well, that's that...

I got up and started packing up my sleeping bag and compact CC-type tent.

It felt like it was time to move my hideout as planned.

After stepping out of the cave, I took down the clothes I had hung out to dry and put them on, moving busily to prepare for departure.

Of course, I wasn't planning to completely abandon the old hideout.

I could camouflage it moderately and use it later if I needed to handle something on the eastern front.

'For now, it's better to head to the western front to stay out of the Shadow Unit's sight.'

I packed up my gear.

Compared to when I first climbed up to Noah, my load had significantly increased, making it almost impossible to carry everything at once.

'Maybe it's better to use this chance to distribute my supplies.'

Like they say, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Rather than gathering all my supplies in one place, scattering them around seemed wiser.

'I can always come back and retrieve them when needed.'

It was essentially a risk management strategy.

'I'll leave these here.'

I dug a bit deeper into the original hideout cave and stashed some of the new supplies I'd obtained, including ammunition and protective gear.

It was hidden well enough that even if someone tried to find it, they'd struggle, so I could rest easy.

'Let's get going.'

Without any hesitation, I started the climb.

Finding a new hideout near a water source within Noah's territory adjacent to the western front wasn't too difficult.

I already knew the locations of suitable spots, and there were caves nearby that would work well as new shelters.

[Beginner's Luck] must have played a part in making this process smoother too.

'Was it around here?'

[Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you...]

[Carl, Marcus... Why are you here?]

[Heh heh...]

[Smell... I smell it. You can hear my voice, can't you? Right?]

As expected of a new territory—barely after I relocated, new voices greeted me.

Just when I thought I was getting used to the old voices, I started picking up on new ones on different frequencies, making my head throb once again.

'...Guess I'll get used to it eventually.'

I decided to take it easy as usual and grabbed my entrenching tool.

There was a lot of digging to do.

* * *

"Where on earth did it go?"

Tatiana Belov rummaged through her desk drawers for a long time.

No matter how hard she looked, the item she was searching for was nowhere to be found.

Whatever it was, it had to be something important—an object that her comrades and subordinates had risked their lives to deliver.

But to lose something like that so absurdly?

'No way...'

Had someone stolen it?

The thought that something in her office had been stolen never even crossed her mind, so Tatiana immediately summoned the soldiers from the barracks and asked if anyone had entered her office.

"Ah, yes, someone did."

"Someone did? Who?"

"Colonel Kalakin from the Command Headquarters stopped by. I believe he waited for you when you were absent and eventually left."

"...Colonel Kalakin from Command Headquarters?"

She had never heard that name before.

In fact, she had never even heard of anyone by that name working at Command Headquarters.

"I need to check the CCTV."

"Understood."

When they checked the footage, the man shamelessly walked right into Tatiana Belov's office.

And it wasn't just anywhere—it was inside the reconnaissance unit barracks.

Even as she watched it herself, it was a ridiculous sight.

'...Hacking? No, could that even be possible in such a short time? How did he open it?'

Tatiana's office was accessible only through a card key.

Yet the man who called himself Colonel Kalakin opened the door with shocking ease.

What was even more astonishing was how he moved so deliberately, as if he knew the exact locations of all the CCTV cameras in the reconnaissance barracks, skillfully keeping his face hidden at every angle.

It was hard to believe, even after watching it again.

"He avoided the camera angles completely, so his face isn't visible."

"But he wouldn't have avoided human eyes. Did anyone see his face?"

"Uh... I'm sorry, ma'am. His presence was so overwhelming that I couldn't look directly at him. All I remember is that he left a strong impression..."

"Tch."

Tatiana didn't want to admit that the security of the Navy Line's elite reconnaissance barracks had been breached so easily.

"Have you figured out the point of entry?"

"We found that the grating connected to the outer moat's sewer had been cut. It appears that's how the intruder got in."

"...An infiltration from outside?"

At those words, a man's image flashed through Tatiana's mind, but she quickly shook her head.

Carl Marcus—a barbarian from the outside world.

How could someone like him so easily breach her office's security system?

It made no sense.

'If not him, then who...'

White Line? Red Line?

Both were possibilities.

'Or... could it be the Blue Line?'

Unfortunately, there were too many potential suspects.

The Ark's enemies weren't just outside the Ark.

Enemies always lurked within as well.

"Sigh..."

Tatiana gave up thinking about it any further.

First, she needed to figure out what that missing totem actually was.

Once she knew what it was, the person who was after it would become clear.

'Maybe Karl Marcus knows something.'

It was just a baseless intuition.

Perhaps Tatiana was subconsciously hoping for it to be true.

Regardless, the urge to meet Carl Marcus again grew stronger.

But Carl Marcus was notoriously reluctant to have visitors at his hideout.

'Ah, right.'

Tatiana remembered the wireless communication device she had given him just in case of situations like this.

She picked up the device and hesitated, debating whether to initiate contact or not, but eventually stopped.

For some reason, she felt nervous.

'...Later. I'll do it later.'

Tatiana Belov barely managed to calm her strangely pounding heart.

* * *

A week had passed before I knew it.

Most of that time was spent setting up the new hideout.

Thanks to the effort, the new hideout had turned out to be an even more impressive spot than the previous one.

The hot spring was also much larger than before, and I had carved out a separate water channel next to it to use for laundry and other purposes without contaminating the spring itself.

Moreover, the cave adjacent to the hot spring was significantly bigger than the old one, allowing me to store not just my CC-type tent but also various supplies.

Thanks to all the grueling digging and labor, my Strength and Dexterity stats each increased by 1.

Since Strength is one of the most fundamental stats along with Stamina, every single point felt invaluable.

'With this much, I should be able to handle close combat to some extent.'

Even while setting up the hideout, I made a habit of listening in on the Ark's communication channels almost daily.

Most of the chatter was pointless gossip or information I already knew, but sometimes, I picked up on some interesting tidbits.

["The recruits from this batch are quite promising. Especially that guy named Kalakin—he's no ordinary one."]

["Ah, that guy. I heard he's been getting phenomenal results in nearly every training drill."]

["Yeah, there's even talk that he might be drafted straight to the Orange Line. They say other Lines are already eyeing him."]

["A recruit who's just joined? Impressive."]

["Oh, and that barbarian trainee... Kurilta, right? That one's a real headache. Dumb as a brick, but surprisingly reliable when it counts. Honestly, better than someone like Demetrius."]

["Really? I still think Demetrius is the better choice..."]

["Nah, that guy's too sly. Not fit to be a soldier—maybe an officer, at best."]

["Fair point."]

Hmm...

I wasn't surprised by the other recruits since I already knew about them, but hearing Kurilta's name was a bit—no, a lot—unexpected.

'Maybe... he might actually be useful later.'

To be honest, I didn't have high hopes for him, but surprisingly, the training instructors seemed to have a rather favorable opinion of Kurilta.

It seemed that his straightforward, simple-minded nature came across as a kind of charming clarity to them.

Despite his recklessness, Kurilta had been loyal enough to hand me a weapon without hesitation during that desperate situation.

One way or another, time passed, and the dark clouds gathering in the sky felt strangely ominous.

'...It's here.'

I knew.

Those weren't just ordinary storm clouds.

[It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. It's coming. It's coming.]

[They're coming... They're coming...]

[Hee-hee, hee-hee-hee... Come quickly. I want to see you...]

The ether was raging.

From afar, ghastly howls echoed through the air.

[Kieeeeeee!]

[Gehak, gehak!]

Bzzt—

["Level 1 danger alert! Level 1 danger alert! Repeating: A Level 1 danger situation has occurred!"]

The meaning of all these signs was crystal clear.

The Second Wave.

It had finally arrived.

But there was no need to worry.

I was fully prepared.

Click—

Gripping the Ark-15 automatic conversion rifle firmly, I slowly looked out toward the frontline.

Bzzt—

However, even I couldn't have foreseen this unexpected news.

["The director has disappeared again! It looks like they've left the Ark!"]

***

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