I Became an Officer in Another World in Just 5 Minutes - Chapter 230
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 230
“The estimated enemy force is forty men, with the suspected escape route being a secret passage….”
Colonel Eden formulated a strategy and began the briefing the moment we obtained the intelligence.
Present here were not only the Intelligence Command personnel, but also a Special Forces company that had been stationed at Belzium Castle.
“We’ll position one of our platoons at the end of the passage to wait.”
“Excellent.”
Colonel Eden nodded with evident satisfaction at the words of Lieutenant Baian, the Special Forces company commander who had come to provide support.
‘One Special Forces platoon should be more than sufficient.’
It was unlikely all forty men would escape through the secret passage.
Even if they did, they wouldn’t stand a chance against Special Forces in such a chaotic situation.
“The enemy will undoubtedly position themselves around the base while disguised as ordinary civilians, maintaining vigilance.”
“Then should we proceed with a swift, decisive strike?”
Truly a remark befitting a Special Forces officer.
And regrettably, that very opinion was the first one I had proposed during our Intelligence Agency meeting earlier.
‘Completely ignored.’
What kind of extreme disrespect was this….
“A swift, decisive strike is certainly an excellent suggestion, but considering the enemy is from the Reconnaissance Command, I believe there are risks involved.”
Colonel Eden declined politely.
For a moment, I nearly let out a bitter laugh at the absurdity.
‘He asked if I had thoughts, yet he completely disregarded mine. This is truly disappointing.’
A person ought to maintain consistency.
Clearly, this man had nothing worth learning from.
“Risks, indeed. That does seem plausible. Then perhaps there’s another method….”
“What we’re currently considering is approaching the base using carriages.”
The method Colonel Eden had devised.
Looking at the map, the area surrounding the base was a commercial district with quite a few carriages moving about.
‘We go all the way in, then—surprise—we strike.’
A sort of, how should I put it.
The Trojan Horse?
Not entirely the same, but similar enough in concept.
“Hmm, I see.”
“Do you have any concerns?”
“None at all. It seems like a solid plan. I’ll proceed as you’ve outlined.”
Lieutenant Baian nodded, his expression showing no particular objections.
Well, that was only natural—despite their mutual use of formal speech, Colonel Eden held a higher rank and position in the operation.
‘He uses formal speech because he’s from a different department and there’s an age gap.’
As it is everywhere in society.
If one determines attitude based solely on rank or position, one becomes isolated.
“Then we’ll proceed with the carriage approach. Additionally….”
Since the broad framework was already established, the purpose now was to communicate the details.
The prepared personnel filed out of the building one by one.
* * *
“Assassination appears to be more difficult than anticipated.”
Robin sipped his coffee while observing Colonel Airen seated across from him.
“His personal security is far more rigorous than that of ordinary agents, making it impossible to predict his whereabouts.”
What is the fundamental principle of assassination?
Seize the advantageous position and strike in a single blow.
And to claim that position, one must know the enemy’s movement patterns or the moment they let their guard down.
“Given that he has recently accumulated successive achievements and has even caught the Emperor’s attention, it’s inevitable.”
“Has the Reconnaissance Command uncovered any additional information?”
“Nothing beyond what I mentioned before—that the individual in question was reassigned to the Intelligence Command. We haven’t had the luxury to focus on that matter.”
Robin spoke while studying a map of Belzium Castle.
“Take your time with this. There is no shortage of opportunity.”
“Yet you seem remarkably composed, despite this being a request from two noble families.”
Typically, when a noble family issues an order, most would scramble to resolve it in the fastest possible time to gain favor.
But from Airen’s perspective, Robin appeared perfectly at ease.
So much so that she questioned whether he truly intended to kill Paran Oclo at all.
“If we achieve victory in this coming battle, that man is already as good as dead. There’s no need to go through the trouble of assassination.”
And when that opportunity arrives.
Robin would personally draw his blade and charge at Paran.
“In the previous battles, he created unexpected variables. Wasn’t the order to eliminate him before the battle begins?”
“A variable, you say….”
Boom!
Just as Robin was contemplating the danger posed by the variable named Paran.
The door to the room burst open violently.
“Chief Inspector! Personnel believed to be from the Intelligence Command are currently raiding the first floor!”
“Tch.”
At Lieutenant Fedor’s report, Robin rose from his seat, his eyes narrowing.
“How many?”
“Approximately sixty. They’ll likely descend to this basement shortly.”
“Did those two talk?”
Aaron and Gerrit—captured by the enemy during the operation.
Though they possessed weaknesses and harbored loyalty to the organization, Robin had not been overly concerned.
But he had been thoroughly blindsided.
“Burn this entire place and escape through the corridor….”
Robin’s words halted mid-command as a critical realization struck him.
“Gerrit—that man knows the location of the corridor, doesn’t he?”
At Robin’s question, Lieutenant Fedor paused briefly before nodding.
“Yes, I’m uncertain about Lieutenant Aaron, but Captain Gerrit originally worked here, so he would know the location.”
“If Captain Gerrit has spoken, then the enemy will be waiting at the corridor’s exit as well.”
It was a risk bordering on insanity, yet the odds of success seemed surprisingly favorable.
“However, we don’t exactly have any other viable options, do we?”
This facility had never been a primary base to begin with.
It didn’t have multiple secret passages like Headquarters did.
“First, prepare the demolition charges. We can’t leave anything behind.”
The recent operation to eliminate the Aditus operatives.
Even if everyone here died, this operation had to remain buried at all costs.
“Understood.”
“How many agents do we currently have outside?”
“Seventeen.”
Fewer than I’d expected.
Robin turned his head to look down at Airen.
“What about the Assassin Squad?”
“All six members, excluding myself, are currently standing by outside.”
“Should we issue orders for a rear assault?”
Lieutenant Fedor asked, naturally assuming it was a diversionary tactic.
But Robin’s thinking diverged.
“With only this many people, any engagement will drag on, and reinforcements will definitely arrive.”
The situation was far too dire.
When it seemed our only gamble was the secret passage, Robin finally spoke.
“Tell the personnel outside to gather civilians immediately. Say the Lycans military is threatening and attacking the Aditus operatives.”
“I… what?”
“Don’t question it—move fast. We’re breaking through.”
“Y-yes, understood!”
With time running short as Robin said, Lieutenant Fedor moved with urgency.
Colonel Airen hesitated briefly before looking at Robin.
“What would you have us do?”
“That would be…”
A single possibility for success.
After turning the matter over in his mind repeatedly, Robin laid out the plan he’d conceived to Colonel Airen.
* * *
“There should be a passage leading down to the basement. Search for it and find it!”
At Eden’s command, the Reconnaissance Command agents began ransacking what appeared to be an ordinary dining hall.
The employees stood frozen, unsure what to make of the sudden intrusion.
Likely some of them were Reconnaissance Command operatives, while others were genuinely ordinary civilians.
“What is this about? I’ve been a regular here for thirty years.”
“Now even soldiers are coming out to kill innocent people. Tsk, tsk.”
With public sentiment at rock bottom lately, the dining patrons glared at us with expressions of contempt.
‘We came here to help you people. This is genuinely infuriating.’
It felt as though I were treading an unbearably difficult path.
Colonel Eden, standing at the very front, displayed not the slightest change in expression.
“From this moment forward, this location falls under military control pursuant to Imperial Law. Any movement whatsoever will result in immediate execution by law.”
Colonel Eden spoke in a voice so menacing it seemed capable of snuffing out a life.
That declaration applied not only to the employees working here, but to the customers as well.
“Wait, it’s lunchtime—what is the meaning of this sudden—”
Shing.
An unnamed man rose from his seat to lodge a protest.
A Special Forces soldier standing nearby drew his blade without a moment’s hesitation and pressed it against the man’s throat.
“Take one more step, and I will execute you.”
His voice carried a menace nearly equal to Colonel Eden’s own.
I could see the man’s trousers darkening visibly.
‘He’s lost control of himself.’
Even if we let him go, he wouldn’t be heading to work—he’d be going straight home.
He’d need to change his pants.
“I… I see. Ahem.”
Perhaps they sensed that we meant every word we said.
The Dining Hall fell into an oppressive silence.
‘That’s right. We can’t always play nice.’
Especially not when the Reconnaissance Command is involved in this matter.
We needed to be decisive.
‘It’s about time we start hearing something.’
Colonel Eden had ordered us to search for the path leading down to the basement, but truthfully, we all knew exactly where it was.
Our traitor Gerrit had handed over all the information.
“Found it! There’s a staircase leading down to the basement inside the Storage Warehouse.”
Upon Lieutenant Colonel Larsen’s report, we entered the warehouse and immediately spotted a staircase descending into darkness.
The problem, however—
“It’s rather narrow.”
This detail hadn’t been mentioned in anything Gerrit had told us.
“Indeed.”
Colonel Eden nodded in agreement.
‘Wasting time here works in our favor anyway.’
According to Gerrit, who had worked here for five years, there was only one secret passage.
And we were currently blocking it.
In other words, those trapped inside were completely sealed off.
“What will you do, sir?”
“The passage on the other side?”
“According to Lieutenant Gato’s reconnaissance, that passage is equally narrow—barely wide enough for a single person to move through.”
“Tsk. They’ve dug these tunnels like rats.”
Colonel Eden clicked his tongue in displeasure and turned away.
“We move to Plan Three. If they won’t come out, we’ll make them come out.”
“Yes!”
This was the third plan Colonel Eden had outlined.
It was somewhat brutal—burn toxic herbs and force the smoke into the space below.
‘It’s a method we use fairly often when breaching basements.’
I remembered learning it at the Training Camp; it was even in the textbooks.
“Team Leader 2, prepare yourself.”
Since Team 2 was responsible for executing the third plan.
He entered the Storage Warehouse with the toxic herbs in hand.
And then… a problem arose.
“Just leave us alone! What crime have these people committed?!”
“Another innocent person?! Damn it, show some restraint!”
“We know what kind of shop this is! Since our father’s time….”
Dozens—no, hundreds of voices echoing from outside.
Just hearing them, one could sense the raw intensity of their emotions.
“What’s happening all of a sudden?”
Eden asked, his expression betraying rare confusion.
Who could possibly know?
Why had they suddenly begun raising their voices before the Authorities as if they were freedom fighters?
‘But if even one of them crosses the line, won’t they just charge in?’
Humans gain courage they never possessed when there are two instead of one, and they commit madness.
Dozens? Hundreds?
That number was enough to make even lawlessness appear righteous, without exaggeration.
“Shouldn’t we control that crowd…?”
“Tsk, I should have brought more personnel if I’d known.”
Colonel Eden spoke with a tone of regret, but realistically, bringing more than we already had was impossible.
In any case, just as we were about to dispatch several Special Forces members outside to manage the crowd.
BOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!
An explosion erupted.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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