I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 153

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Episode 153

“D-don’t move!”

As I took one step forward.

The guys shouted with reddened faces.

‘These criminal bastards sure have loud voices.’

For now, I have to do as they say.

This kind of matter isn’t something I can decide on my own.

“Do as you wish.”

I stepped back one step as they wanted and waited for Colonel Raint and Lieutenant Eden to arrive.

About 10 minutes later.

All operation personnel had gathered in front of the dormitory.

“Lieutenant Eden, have all the other areas been cleared?”

“That’s right. It seems like this place was their last stronghold from the beginning if a situation arose.”

“It appears so.”

The moment we got caught at the main gate, this situation was bound to happen inevitably.

“But… what happened at the main gate.”

I asked Lieutenant Eden in a voice quiet enough that Colonel Raint wouldn’t hear.

However… the Colonel’s hearing was better than expected.

“Our operation personnel failed to properly confirm there was one more person inside the outpost. Sorry about that.”

“N-no! I think that could happen.”

I shook my head frantically as I answered.

Lieutenant Eden watched this scene with amusement.

“The Lieutenant can’t contain his curiosity.”

“Yes, I apologize.”

“Anyway, those guys are the problem.”

Lieutenant Eden turned his head to glare at the three men staging the hostage situation.

“First, let me try talking to them.”

Colonel Raint organized his thoughts and stepped to the front.

“That’s far enough! Don’t move any closer!”

Colonel Raint obediently stopped at the enemy’s demand, then opened his mouth.

“You guys, do you think anything will change by doing this? Think about how it’ll only make things worse.”

Delivering highly provocative facts to guys staging a hostage situation – something you should never do.

What the hell is he trying to accomplish?

‘Does he actually have a plan to resolve this situation…?’

I was thinking of a method where we’d listen to their conditions and gently coax them into compliance.

This is way too tough.

“If we’re going to die anyway once you bastards catch us, how could it get any worse?!”

“Hmm, so you do know.”

At the Colonel’s immediate acknowledgment, the three men’s faces stiffened as they stepped back.

‘Hey! You crazy bastard!!!’

The situation has completely crossed the point of no return.

Now even I don’t know what to do.

“This has become a difficult situation.”

Colonel Raint returned from the conversation and shook his head with a regretful expression.

‘Yes, it’s become difficult. Because of you.’

I thought there might be a possibility if we coaxed them well, like I did with Neck.

But now everything’s over.

‘I should have just stepped forward and handled it myself.’

I didn’t want to stand out and wasn’t the senior-most person, so I stayed quiet.

But now we’re in trouble.

“What do you plan to do?”

At Lieutenant Eden’s question, Colonel Raint pondered briefly before speaking.

“First, we’ll surround the building and maintain a standoff. They’ll have to give up eventually anyway, won’t they?”

“Understood.”

A simple operational direction.

In a situation where even negotiation attempts are difficult, this would be the best option.

‘But the question is whether giving up will actually be easy.’

With three people, they can rotate in shifts and be completely free from drowsiness.

‘This looks like it’ll drag on.’

An ominous feeling struck my head.

Unfortunately, these things always turned out to be true.

* * *

“Your Majesty, the hostage situation has been ongoing for three days now. Rumors are already spreading throughout the capital, drawing significant attention. We must resolve this quickly.”

The Emperor frowned at Minister Rosen’s words.

“This is maddening.”

A hostage situation involving as many as 70 people.

Naturally, it was reported directly to the Emperor.

From the second day, this shocking fact spread rapidly even to the citizens.

“Has Intelligence Command still not found a solution?”

At the Emperor’s question, General Calren, the Intelligence Commander, showed a troubled expression and bowed his head.

“We’re examining it from multiple angles, but the building itself was designed for containment purposes without even windows, making it difficult to execute operations.”

“The more I hear, the more infuriating it becomes.”

Each day was already a headache due to the war, and now problems were erupting from within.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t stressed.

“Since it’s become public knowledge, we must handle it firmly to calm the unrest.”

“That’s right.”

The Emperor nodded in agreement with Rosen’s words.

‘If we fail to resolve this properly and hostages die… it will put a brake on the war.’

Complaints about public safety were already exploding.

If the hostage situation succeeded, copycat crimes would surely flourish, and eventually the citizens’ patience would reach its limit.

“What do you think we should do, Minister?”

“Deploy the Imperial Knights.”

“Deployment is fine. But even if they leave now, it will take ten days. Won’t it be resolved before then?”

It had only been three days and rumors had already spread throughout the capital.

But ten days?

That was more than enough time to become a laughingstock for the Adits Empire and be used as fodder to boost enemy morale.

“We should see a resolution before then, but you never know, right?”

Of course, sending the Imperial Knights didn’t guarantee a solution.

However, if the Imperial Knights couldn’t handle it, no one in the Empire could.

Sending them was, in a way, the best action the Empire could take.

“Have the Imperial Knights select personnel and depart today.”

The Emperor spoke to empty air.

Anyone watching might think it strange.

But the eyes and ears of the Imperial Knights were always directed toward the Emperor, wherever and whenever.

“I’ll also inform the Imperial citizens of this fact.”

“Do that. Additionally, search for any other places engaging in similar behavior. I don’t want to experience a situation like this twice.”

“Yes! Your Majesty!”

If another similar hostage situation occurred in the current circumstances?

I guarantee that lord would need to prepare to lose their domain.

“And… tell the officers in the field to proceed with operations prioritizing the hostages’ safety above all. If it seems impossible, tell them to wait for the Imperial Knights.”

The Emperor spoke while looking at General Calren, who bowed his head with slightly wounded pride.

“Our agents are capable, so they’ll resolve it before the Knights arrive. You don’t need to worry too much.”

“I hope so.”

Words spoken with genuine sincerity, not mockery or sarcasm.

Probably everyone in the Imperial Palace was thinking the same thing.

* * *

“We must resolve this with our own hands no matter what.”

The factory office being used as a temporary command center.

Colonel Raint’s expression was more serious than ever.

“Why…”

“The moment the Imperial Knights arrive and resolve it themselves, our Intelligence Agency will become a laughingstock.”

What a magnificent reason.

Well, but it wasn’t wrong either.

‘It would significantly damage our reputation.’

Intelligence Agency wasn’t in a vertical relationship with Special Forces and the Imperial Knights.

Of course, they’d mostly comply if ordered, but there was still strong organizational pride in being the best.

“Is assassination difficult?”

At Lieutenant Eden’s words, Colonel Raint nodded.

“They say simultaneously assassinating three people without giving them time to press the switch has less than a 60% success rate.”

“Hmm.”

Sixty percent.

Normally, that would be a high enough probability to attempt.

But now there were hostages involved.

“Taking them outside… there’s no way they’d come out.”

Speaking, revising, and scrapping.

It’s just an endless cycle.

“Isn’t there any more information we could extract from that guy called Morphing?”

Lieutenant Colonel Orphia shook her head at Colonel Raint’s words.

“Even though we tortured him with the lowest impact, he went completely insane. His mind is gone and we can’t even have a conversation.”

“Tsk, what kind of thing is that.”

Factory owner Morphing, who we successfully arrested at the scene.

Naturally, we proceeded with torture to find a way to break through the current situation.

But they say he lost his mind.

‘Usually they’d control it delicately enough to not drive someone insane, just how weak was his mental strength.’

I don’t know how he pulled off such a bold act with that kind of mental strength.

“What about that subordinate guy?”

“He doesn’t know anything at all about the dormitory building. He says the factory owner managed everything about the system.”

“If the factory owner managed everything, how do those guys have the switch? Isn’t he lying?”

“That’s not it. He says he doesn’t know why they have that thing either…”

“Enough. There’s no point in arguing about it now.”

As the Colonel said, there really is no point at all.

‘At first I thought they might be bluffing with threats, but that’s not it either.’

By the way, I even burned points to verify the truth.

“We can’t meet their demands, so we’re stuck.”

By the way, their demands are simple yet bold.

‘Bring the Princess.’

So they want to do a kind of hostage exchange, and they did use their heads somewhat.

Since the Princess isn’t strong in combat, she’d be easy to handle, but no one would dare lay a hand on her carelessly.

‘A hostage situation using installed magic bombs.’

Actually, to be completely honest.

I do have one method in mind.

‘I could just go in and neutralize the magic bombs.’

For entry, there’s a chimney on the building’s rooftop, so I could go through there.

Then the problem here would be the location of the magic bombs.

‘The inner space of the 2nd floor material warehouse.’

Information I obtained by using the Eye of Truth three times.

‘The problem is I can’t explain this. And on top of that, if I say anything, I’ll definitely get dragged into it.’

It would be most comfortable to just stay put and let the Imperial Knights handle it.

Sorry to the people currently trapped inside, but when you think about it, they’ll be rescued eventually anyway, so this level of selfishness should be okay, right?

‘About a week left until they arrive, I guess.’

It’s tiring, but if I just stay like this…

“General Manager! This is terrible!!!”

Lieutenant Karian, who should be on surveillance duty in front of the dormitory at this time, burst into the command center.

“What’s wrong?”

“Th-those guys! They say they’re going to kill the hostages!”

Thud! Crash!

The cup in Colonel Raint’s hand fell helplessly to the ground and shattered into pieces.

“What on earth does that…”

“You need to come first! I’ll explain the details on the way…!”

“Quickly! Let’s go quickly!”

Had there ever been such an urgent moment?

All personnel in the command center rushed to the front of the dormitory.

And there, an unimaginable scene was unfolding.

“Finally the high-ranking officials have arrived! From now on, we’ll kill one hostage per day!”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————