A Dark Fantasy Spy

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The radio began to ring. A crackling noise emanated from the device.

“What the heck? Why is this thing going off now?”

The terrorist, looking flustered, tapped the radio and muttered.

“Who’s transmitting? Is it the kids in the broadcast room? Where are they right now?”

“They’re in the underground. Trying to talk to the police. I just checked on them, and they’re fine.”

As the confused terrorists murmured amongst themselves, a doctor carefully bandaged a wounded beastman, his blood-stained hands fidgeting as he stood up.

“What’s going on?”

“Oh, doc! The radio just suddenly started going off….”

“Radio…?”

The middle-aged doctor pushed his way through the huddled group to inspect the radio. It was one of the few devices he had obtained long ago from hunters for something several times its worth.

As the doctor delicately examined the radio like handling an orchid, he turned to the nearby terrorist and asked, “Who took the radio?”

“Uh… well, there’s one with the broadcast kids, and we have one… Ah! We also gave two to the ones who went outside earlier.”

“We only brought four, huh?”

“Well, they’re expensive. The hunters don’t come deep into No Man’s Land. Besides, we left all the important stuff back in town.”

“So, where are the friends who went outside now?”

“Of course, they’re moving cargo….”

He never finished his sentence. The terrorist stiffened, halting his words, and the other terrorists stared blankly at the radio wearing similar expressions.

The doctor wore a face that was hard to describe and slowly looked down at the radio.

At that moment, a voice they had never heard before flowed from the radio.

‘…Ah, ah, this is a blanket transmission to all personnel in standby. A Code 415 incident has occurred at the department store on Fridges Street. Repeat! Unidentified armed suspects are causing a disturbance at the Fridges Street department store. Anyone at the watchtower, please respond.’

Episode 8 – Say Hello To My Little Friend

As the peculiar male voice came through the radio, the terrorists erupted into chaos.

“Who’s that talking? Is it Victor? Sounds like him.”

“Victor is Kien! Dumbass! This guy’s babbling in Abas!”

“What the hell is he saying? Doesn’t anyone here know Abas?”

“I can understand a bit. Everyone be quiet! I can’t hear the transmission!”

The huddled terrorists started chiming in, and the area buzzed with commotion. Someone whispered to another, while someone else yelled for silence.

Amidst all this, the radio continued to transmit.

‘Damn it! If you can hear this, police or whoever, respond!’

Amidst the noise, the middle-aged doctor reached out his hand.

All the loud terrorists suddenly hushed. The noisy group fell silent, and the one trying to piece together the Abas was handing the radio to the doctor. No one spoke, but they all understood what the doctor intended to do.

Taking the radio, the doctor broke the awkward silence and spoke in a comprehensible Abas accent, posing a question to the other party.

“Who are you transmitting now? Identify yourself.”

The reply was immediate.

‘Who are you?’

“We are guests at this department store.”

‘What? Then you’re terrorists!’

A mocking sneer came through the radio. It was less of a taunt and more of an unconscious mumble from someone who knew they were in deep trouble, but that was neither here nor there.

Taken aback by the sudden mockery, the doctor paused before bringing the radio closer.

“That could be how it looks. Now that I’ve introduced myself, it’s your turn. What’s your name, sir, conversing with me?”

‘…I’m John from the Rockford Police Detective Division.’

A detective? A fleeting emotion of bewilderment passed through the doctor’s eyes.

Just as the doctor contemplated, a terrorist eavesdropping nearby spoke in a thick southern Kien accent.

“Doc, what’s this guy saying?”

“He says he’s the police.”

“Police? Shit, we’re in trouble. What’s a cop doing here?!”

While a third-year No Man’s Land terrorist cursed, a beastman raised his hand hesitantly.

“Uh… but what’s a police?”

“Like a sheriff, y’know. Not part of the community, but with the government.”

“A sheriff? Then… why’s such a person here?”

“That’s something we need to figure out.”

The doctor, having a conversation with the terrorist in Kien, returned to the radio.

“Alright, I have a couple of questions.”

The doctor closed his eyes for a moment and calmed his breathing. Then he recalled the trivial anecdotes his professors used to share during his overseas travels in college.

“You said you’re from Rockford. I remember Rockford is a city in western Abas, right? A harbor city with beaches. Am I correct?”

‘Right.’

“Quite a long way you’ve come. How did you happen to come to this department store at this hour?”

‘…I came to buy a gift.’

“Who was this gift for? A co-worker? Or maybe a girlfriend?”

‘…My fiancée.’

“Oh! An engagement! How romantic.”

The doctor let out a small gasp of excitement. Having been married once himself, he understood the meaning of an engagement well.

As he pondered over the memories of his ex-wife, forcibly divorced as soon as his medical license was revoked, he couldn’t help but worry that, many years later, the authorities were still circling around her and their children at night.

The doctor, lost in nostalgia for a moment, returned to reality.

He nodded towards the group to indicate everything was fine.

“So you came shopping and ended up trapped. We’ve unwittingly intruded, it seems. Coming to purchase an anniversary gift?”

‘Well, sort of.’

“What are your fiancée’s tastes?”

‘…Pretty average. She likes whatever I give her. Just nothing too expensive.’

“Sounds like she loves you very much.”

Just then, as the doctor was about to pose another question across the radio, a voice in the background interrupted.

“…That bastard.”

A pair of white hands, marked with calluses, grabbed the doctor’s hand holding the radio. It was a beastman.

“That’s the guy’s voice, the one who took the gun Franz’s dad left for him. I remember it clearly.”

“……”

“Doc, that guy is the one who killed Franz. He also killed Vicente and Victor, and Yauhen.”

The Morrian beastman stared straight at the doctor with brown eyes reminiscent of wheat fields.

The doctor silently regarded the beastman for a moment, before patting his shoulder as if to say he understood.

“I see, Morrian. Take a breather.”

“That guy’s not a cop. He’s definitely lying.”

“Hey, you furball. What do you know? You got expelled before graduating from the academy. You bitten a teacher’s ear off!”

“…You idiot. Marco, you want a death wish?”

The beastman and one of the terrorists began to squabble. The terrorist with a shotgun found it hard to approach the wounded beastman, despite the sharp fangs showing right in front of him. Of course, his chattering mouth kept firing insults.

Marco, the one who was joking around, moved closer when he saw the beastman suddenly wheezing, worried he might have worsened their condition.

The terrorist was grabbed by the neck and flailed his arms in an attempt to break free.

While some terrorists looked on disapprovingly at the duo who seemed to be performing a skit, one of the terrorists led the doctor away from the crowd.

“What should we do, Doc? If Morrian’s right, the guy we’re talking to is the one who killed our kids.”

“…What do you think we should do? You’re one of the elders in town after all.”

“I know what you think, but… it looks like if we keep him alive, the younger ones won’t view it positively. Not to mention, Victor’s friends might have some grievances too, especially Vicente and Franz.”

“So you’re suggesting we kill this guy?”

“Yeah.”

“That won’t do.”

The doctor firmly rejected the terrorist’s suggestion.

“No matter how many of our colleagues he may have killed, one cannot recklessly take a life. Do you think murder is easy?”

“I agree with you, Doc, about not harming innocent people. But this guy is different. He already killed six, no, seven of our kids.”

“Still not acceptable.”

The terrorist looked at the doctor with disappointment. But the doctor didn’t back down, locking eyes and continuing.

“The line between animals and humans is defined by rules. That is what distinguishes us from them. Without that, we are no different from beasts, and it is this rule that has allowed us to survive in No Man’s Land for so many years.”

“……”

“And isn’t that why we came here?”

“…Hah. I get it, Doc. I’ll try to talk them out of it.”

“Thanks. Really appreciate it.”

“What’s there to thank me for?”

The disappointed terrorist waved his hand and moved back to the group, trying to separate the squabbling beastman from the terrorist. The doctor watched the terrorist’s back, let out a faint sigh, and spoke into the radio.

“Detective, are you still there?”

‘Yeah.’

“Just had a little discussion with my friends. Sorry about that.”

‘Wow, so terrorists have friends now?’

“Everyone has friends. But there’s one thing I want to correct. You call me a terrorist, but the truth is, we are not terrorists.”

‘You burst into a department store with guns and act like this? How bold of you. So, what are you then? And why are you here?’

“We’re… something akin to petitioners. Petitioners here to protest against the Abas government.”

‘…So nowadays, petitioners come bearing arms? What sort of petitioners pull stunts like this?’

The doctor spoke towards the other side of the radio.

“A few months ago, the Abas Kingdom Army and the Kien Empire Army entered No Man’s Land and engaged in a battle. It was on a night when the crescent moon was out. As soon as both armies encountered each other, a shooting war broke out, and shortly after, a rain of shells fell from the sky, turning everything into ruins. The shells that fell crushed nearby homes, killing people.”

‘…….’

“I remember the flares lighting up the night sky as brightly as dawn, the sounds of gunfire piercing my ears, and the moment when a shell penetrated the roof of a house where an entire family resided. And, I always recall the soldiers who nonchalantly retreated from the scene, witnessing all that chaos. I have never forgotten a single moment.”

The doctor continued.

“Yes, you could say it was a tragic accident that occurred by chance. Stepping on a landmine, or getting bitten by a monster. Just filthy, unlucky disasters. But those kinds of events don’t only happen in No Man’s Land.”

‘…….’

“For years, various companies have been sending adventurers into No Man’s Land. Mining, construction, agriculture, security… Though the reasons differ, the aims are similar.”

Money.

Though the nationalities vary, corporations are just that—corporations. No matter how different the languages or cultures may be, there isn’t a single person in this world who despises money. In the end, both governments and corporations are run by people, not machines.

The doctor continued.

“At first glance, it may seem illogical for companies to have an interest in a monster-ridden No Man’s Land. However, the buried Parabites, Zerodynes, and fertile soil are all attractive prizes for both governments and corporations. To top it off, there’s no landowner to claim ownership of the lands, making it convenient! Furthermore, there are even places within No Man’s Land where monsters rarely roam, allowing for stable facilities to be maintained.”

‘…….’

“Of course, there are people who live there, but for corporations, those trivial details are no concern. Just throw some pocket change at them, scare them off with adventurers, or if that fails, they can always just take it by force with the military. Time is of the essence. If they don’t make money quickly, the shareholders will throw a fit when their stocks plummet.”

The doctor’s tone was calm and organized, yet strangely, one felt an oddness in each word of his, given the meaning conveyed.

But the doctor was far from an easy person to excite. As always, he spoke steadily into the radio.

“While to companies, this is just seen as a profitable business endeavor, it’s different for us. The moment we step outside of a relatively safe area, we risk being devoured by monsters at any time.”

‘…….’

“In short, this is a matter of survival rights. That’s why we’re here.”

When he finished speaking, a brief silence fell. It was a silence both short and long enough.

The first to break the silence was the man on the other end of the radio.

‘You’re from No Man’s Land?’

“Yeah.”

‘You’ve come quite a way.’

A small sigh drifted from the radio. Although the doctor was separated by the device, he could feel much from that sigh. This might have been a byproduct of dealing with patients and people over the years.

As the long sigh faded, a sound of lips parting was heard. The man on the other end of the radio began to speak.

‘Look, I get what you mean, but I’m sorry; that doesn’t concern me. I’m not high-ranking enough to resolve such issues. The people trapped here aren’t in a position to handle that either.’

“I see. However, the Abas government is in a position to handle this issue. All groups operating in No Man’s Land, be it corporations or military, are ultimately under government supervision.”

‘Sure, about Abas… but what about the other countries? It’s not just Abas companies operating in No Man’s Land.’

“Not just Abas people live in Abas land. Conveniently, there are foreign embassies located just two blocks away.”

‘The Abas government can’t dictate the actions of foreign governments. That’s called foreign interference.’

“That’s not something you should concern yourself with. It’s a matter for us and your government to resolve.”

The man on the radio replied to the doctor, making a suggestion.

‘If you’re looking to negotiate with the government, why not start by releasing some hostages? Given the situation, it doesn’t look like this will be sorted out in a day, so if you let a few hostages go, I’m sure the government will be more willing to engage with you.’

“That’s something we’ve already discussed with the government. We will release the hostages we decide upon, at our chosen time.”

‘The government…? You’re in contact with the outside…?’

For a moment, the doctor internally cursed himself. He had revealed too much.

He was briefly flustered but took a deep breath to calm himself. He closed his eyes for a moment to gather his voice before proposing into the radio.

“Yes, we are negotiating with the Abas government. That was our intention for coming here in the first place.”

‘……’

“How about you come here? I heard you’re injured. We also have a friend who was injured, and when we release the hostages, we’re planning to bring in medical supplies. You know wounds don’t heal well if left unattended.”

‘You want me to surrender? You must be out of your mind. Look, I have a gunshot wound. Bandaging it up won’t do. I need at least surgery at a hospital.’

“That’s no problem. Believe it or not, I’m a doctor.”

The doctor spoke softly into the radio. The truth was, he indeed was a doctor.

While he waited for an answer, the man on the other end of the radio suddenly asked.

‘A doctor…? You’re a doctor?’

“That’s right. I was a doctor once.”

‘Where did you work? Tell me your major and where you practiced.’

“I majored in emergency medicine at Sejonov Medical University. I practiced at the Imperial Hospital and served as a military doctor in the northern region for three years. Though a lot of time has passed, I still have enough experience treating gunshot wounds. Just need some tools.”

‘…Sejonov. So you’re an imperial citizen. It’s quite tragic to see someone who graduated from the imperial university turned into a terrorist in No Man’s Land. It’s no wonder your pronunciation seemed off.’

A chuckle escaped from the doctor at the response from the radio.

“Life can be like that, can’t it? Given you know Sejonov, I think my answer should suffice. So have you made a decision?”

‘Doc, I killed your friends. Do you think if I surrender, I’ll be safe?’

“Everyone dies eventually. Especially in this day and age, it’s an unavoidable reality. Death is something no human can escape.”

‘…….’

“However, I’m a doctor. I’m someone who understands courtesies. I assure you I won’t harm you.”

“I promise.”

‘…How can I trust that?’

“In my country, there’s a saying. Can you speak Kien?”

‘…No.’

“After the fight is over, one cannot swing a fist. It’s a proverb that highlights how it’s impossible to redo things that have already occurred.”

‘…….’

“I don’t wish to harm you. Also, there’s no reason for you to shed blood. I fully empathize with your situation as a police officer, but don’t you have someone waiting for your safe return outside?”

‘…….’

“I believe you are wise enough to understand what I’m trying to say.”

The doctor withdrew from the radio and calmly waited.

While he awaited a response, he addressed the terrorists surrounding him.

“Bring that detective to me. Keep him alive.”

“…Doc, does it really have to be this way?”

“Absolutely. We are not savages, but civilized people. And losing more lives here won’t benefit us.”

The doctor looked through the radio while ignoring the sour faces of the terrorists. Still no response.

After waiting for a while, worried there might be an issue, he took the initiative to speak.

“Detective, are you still there?”

‘Yeah. I’m still here.’

“Good. I’m glad there’s no problem. So, have you reached a decision? Let’s hear your answer.”

The doctor concluded with anticipation for a positive reply, while the surrounding terrorists also waited for a response from the radio.

After a brief silence.

The man on the other end of the radio replied.

‘Shut up, you motherfucker.’

*

The line went dead, and the doctor leaned back in his chair. He reached over and switched off the recorder that had been feverishly documenting the conversation.

“…Huh.”

He let out a sigh as if releasing a pent-up breath and smiled at the companions who had been huddled around the table listening to the radio transmission.

“Well then, it seems we’ve managed to gather almost all the information we needed.”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

“Why do you all look at me like that?”

“Well, Die Hard is a masterpiece, but to directly curse like that….”