I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 141
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 141
“Oh, and I heard another one committed suicide yesterday. What were you doing not stopping it? That’s all labor force.”
“He seemed like someone who still had some attachment to life, so we assigned him to a place where he could use bladed tools, but he suddenly acted impulsively,” came the report.
Being a factory, they had no choice but to use equipment like knives.
So work involving blades was assigned to people who had just been kidnapped and still had attachment to life.
“Tsk tsk, can’t even screen that properly. If that manager bastard makes one more mistake, just bury him.”
“Understood.”
“Get out. I moved around too much after so long, I’m dying of sleepiness.”
“Yes, please rest.”
Neck bowed his head in greeting and left the room, heading toward the factory.
“You’ve arrived.”
Dember, one of the site managers, greeted Neck as he entered the factory.
“That pig bastard. Makes me sick to death.”
“Did he throw another fit?”
“Yeah, throwing a fit over one suicide. It’s not like it’s the first or second time.”
“That’s just how that bastard is. Can’t do anything except eat.”
“Tsk, I put up with it because he pays well. Anyway, how are the ones who came in this time?”
“They’re too young to use their strength properly.”
“Then just sit them down and make them sew or something. It’s hard to find people these days.”
Neck pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and put it in his mouth.
“Got a light?”
“Yes!”
Dember quickly pulled out a lighter and lit Neck’s cigarette.
“Phew, where do we have to drag more from now. Fucking annoying.”
“Aaaaah! I can’t! I can’t do it anymore! Let me rest!”
Just as Neck with the cigarette in his mouth let out a lamenting remark.
A man who had been moving leather in the factory threw the items on the floor and started screaming.
“That bastard…! I’ll handle it.”
“No, I’ll do it, so stay put.”
Neck stopped Dember who was about to rush toward the man, and approached step by step slowly.
“Hey, don’t want to work?”
“Let me out of here! Please! I can’t take it anymore!”
A haggard face that had cried so much that tears no longer came out.
Neck looked down at such a man for a moment, then dropped the cigarette he was smoking on the floor and…
Smack!
“Huh…?”
In just one moment.
The small man’s cheek turned completely to the left.
However, Neck’s beating didn’t end with just once.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
Two times, three times, mercilessly hitting the reddened cheeks.
At the end, he grabbed the man’s jaw and lifted it up.
“If you don’t have the strength to lift this properly, you should think about working hard. What? Too much?”
Neck spoke as if incredulous and released the face he was gripping as if throwing it away.
“Right, if you don’t want to work, there’s no helping it. What’s the use of forcing you.”
“Then… then.”
At Neck’s words that seemed like he might let him go, hope briefly returned to the man’s face.
But that was a mistake.
“You’re not handsome enough to sell to a brothel, and there’s no need to mention the mercenary side. Then there’s exactly one thing left. A place where you’d be useful.”
Neck turned his head to look at Dember.
“I hear corpses in good condition are traded at such high prices these days. Perfect timing. Get him ready right away.”
“Yes!”
“Make sure there’s minimal damage. That way we can get a bit more money.”
“Understood.”
Tremble tremble tremble tremble.
Only then realizing the future that would unfold for him, the man looked at Neck’s eyes while trembling all over.
“I’m… I’m sorry sorry sorry. I’ll work hard, so please.”
Grab.
He grabbed Neck’s arm with trembling hands.
As if that contact was disgusting, Neck brushed his arm away.
“Don’t need a bastard like you who can’t even earn his keep, so get ready. Why are you changing your words, you piece of shit.”
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I was… temporarily insane. Working is so enjoyable! Please, just once!”
The man prostrated himself flat on the floor and began pleading.
At that sight, Neck’s lips curled up.
“Actions speak louder than words…”
“I’ll work hard!”
Before Neck could even finish speaking, the man picked up the leather he had thrown down and moved swiftly.
And in his eyes, there was no longer any trace of life to be found.
* * *
“Manager, the Cambodia Factory just sent five pairs of winter gloves. From what I can see, they seem to be well-made without any problems.”
Sergeant Major Kairon placed the prototype winter gloves on the desk.
“They’re warm and well-made.”
Gloves that precisely met the guidelines.
When I tried them on myself, the padding was properly inserted too.
“Then I’ll call them right away to proceed with the contract.”
“Wait… just a moment.”
I urgently stopped Sergeant Major Kairon who was about to handle the work.
“Yes…?”
“Let’s hold off on that contract for now.”
“Is there some problem?”
Sergeant Major Kairon looked at me with an expression that showed he didn’t quite understand.
“There’s something I need to check.”
“If you say so, Manager, I understand. But considering the bidding that’s coming up, we need to finalize the winter gloves contract as soon as possible.”
“Yes, I’ll check quickly and let you know. In the meantime, please prepare for the next bidding.”
“Understood.”
Sergeant Major Kairon returned to his seat, and I let out a small breath while examining the gloves.
‘This feels ominous.’
Not just ominous, but terrifyingly ominous.
‘Because I saw it then.’
The hollow eyes of that child who had been looking at me.
Actually, calling them hollow is just my very abstract intuition.
‘Objectively thinking, I should just consider her as an employee’s daughter there. But why does this bother me so much?’
The feeling is unusually bad.
“Ugh.”
Since it would be awkward to go back and ask about this, I held my head and lowered it.
‘This won’t do.’
Standing up abruptly.
I couldn’t stay here feeling this uncomfortable, so I made a decision and got up from my seat.
“I’m going out for a bit. Everyone eat lunch on your own.”
“Yes…? Oh, yes. Understood.”
Leaving behind the department members who were confused by my sudden action, I grabbed my coat and left the building.
My destination.
The Western Investigation Unit under the Intelligence Command, my former department where I still have some connection.
‘I never thought I’d come here on my own feet.’
Fortunately, since it’s within the base, I don’t need to travel far.
“I’ll check your access card.”
Even within the military area, to enter the investigation unit building, I need to pass through one more checkpoint.
“I don’t have an access card here, but I have an agent ID instead.”
“Confirmed.”
Since I have an agent ID, no additional inspection is needed, so I passed through the iron gate and entered the building.
‘But now that I’m here, where should I go?’
What I want is information related to the Cambodia Factory.
Since I can’t just grab a random person and ask, the situation was quite awkward.
‘I should have thought this through before coming. Maybe I was too hasty.’
But I had to be hasty.
I can’t keep delaying the contract based solely on my simple anxiety.
“Oh? Lieutenant Paran.”
Just when I was wondering if I should barge into the unit commander’s office.
A very familiar voice reached my ears.
“Lieutenant Orpia… no, Lieutenant Colonel!”
A voice like salvation itself.
I had heard she was getting promoted soon, so when I looked at her rank insignia, the pattern had increased from one to two.
“What brings you here? Did you get assigned here? I didn’t hear anything about it.”
“That’s not it. I came because there’s some information I want to check.”
“Information? Well, let’s go upstairs first. It’s awkward to talk about it here.”
“Yes!”
I followed the incredibly reliable Lieutenant Colonel Orpia into her office on the second floor.
“Do you use a private office?”
“Yeah, it gets a bit distracting when someone’s around while I’m working.”
Looking at the nameplate, her title was Chief of the Magical Device Investigation Division.
“You came to your specialized field.”
“I’m only chief in title, but what I do now is pretty much the same as when I was a lieutenant.”
“I suppose so.”
Overwhelming knowledge and ability regarding circuits.
There probably isn’t anyone who could replace her work.
“So what kind of information are you curious about? Tell me and I’ll check it out.”
Lieutenant Colonel Orpia truly is the epitome of kindness.
She’s definitely different from that Eden whatever-his-name who told me to follow orders without question in exchange.
“I recently visited a guild for work…”
Since some explanation was needed, I slowly told her about the experience I had.
“That is a bit strange.”
“Yes, so I thought I needed to check before signing the contract.”
“Alright, I got it. I’ll go ask around.”
“Thank you so much!”
“Make yourself some coffee while you wait here.”
After hearing the whole story, Lieutenant Colonel Orpia showed me where the coffee beans were and left the room.
‘That really took ten years off my life.’
If I hadn’t met Lieutenant Colonel Orpia, I’d probably still be wandering around on the first floor.
‘More importantly, she moved to the investigation team.’
Well, since the situation at the Gork Mountains was wrapped up, there’s no reason to keep a high-level talent like Lieutenant Colonel Orpia there.
‘I wonder what Lieutenant Aisa is doing.’
A face that came to mind after a long time.
I thought I’d ask about her after hearing the information.
But that wasn’t up to me.
“They say there’s no information about the Cambodia Factory beyond basic details?”
“Is that so…?”
“Yeah, I asked if they could investigate it. But it’ll probably be difficult. The Intelligence Agency is short-staffed these days.”
A negative answer saying they can’t help.
This is the worst situation.
“Do they have absolutely no capacity?”
“Yeah, they’re having headaches investigating the supply corruption, and the Adits Empire side is also troubled. It’s not an exaggeration – it’s pretty serious.”
Lieutenant Colonel Orpia isn’t someone who talks nonsense, so this really means it can’t be done.
“And if something was definitely going to come out of it, I’d push harder for you. But that’s not the case.”
“That’s… true.”
Unfortunately, I don’t have enough power to pull resources for this.
“Either bring more concrete evidence, or investigate it yourself. You’re also an Intelligence Agency operative, aren’t you? One whose abilities have been recognized.”
“Ha… haha, alright, I understand. Thank you for taking the time to help me.”
I awkwardly smiled and put down the coffee cup.
“Leaving right away? It would be perfect if we had lunch together.”
“I think finding a solution to this should come first. I’ll come visit you once things are sorted out.”
“You seem quite concerned about it. Alright, see you next time. Take care.”
“Yes! Thank you!”
I bowed 90 degrees and then left the investigation team building.
‘Do I really have to do this myself?’
If I really investigate, I’d have no choice but to go inside the factory, and the risk is too great.
‘If I get caught…’
In the worst case scenario, I might not make it out alive.
‘The Intelligence Agency having no information means there are no obvious problems.’
Of course, this is also uncertain.
As Lieutenant Colonel Orpia said, the Intelligence Agency is incredibly busy with war-related matters right now.
“Ugh, this is giving me a headache. Is that really the only answer?”
Actually, I do know a clear way to resolve this anxiety.
‘Besinia.’
Of course, that’s not a magic solution, but unlike the military, they’ll definitely investigate if you pay the cost.
“The problem is the price.”
It’s all too obvious what they’re going to demand of me.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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