A Dark Fantasy Spy

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Without a tiger around, the fox struts like a king, while a pack of wolves loiters at the front door.

When there’s no stronger predator, animals tend to go wild, and humans are not much different.

Amid the Empire-Magic Realm conflict, countless citizens in the North have committed crimes over the past four years.

Some have pillaged their neighbors, others have set homes on fire, and there were no hesitations when it came to rape and murder.

I don’t necessarily believe that those noble souls were born criminals or that they acted out of a lack of morals.

Compassion arises from abundance, and it’s only when one’s circumstances are prosperous that one can afford to share kindness.

Those who have no grain to eat today are often seen brawling over a handful of crops, a scene frequently witnessed in Central Africa.

Unlike North Africa, Central Africa lacks proper industry, leaving military enlistment and robbery as the only means of survival in the area.

But we can’t blame those people. Who would they blame for being born into such a town?

The same goes for the people in the North. With their homeland suddenly turning into a battlefield and their families on the brink of starvation, how could they simply sit back? They need to survive, even if it means resorting to robbery.

Yet, despite the sympathy we may feel for them, crime is behavior that can never be tolerated.

And more unforgivable than the criminals are the little brats who dare to sprinkle ash over my carefully laid table.

“Pippin! Jake! Get ready for the fieldwork.”

—

Episode 12 – The Strongest Magician in History

Commander Mikhail has favorably considered my request. Several big and small meetings have taken place in the office overlooking the Duke’s mansion located in the heart of Novo Nikolayevsk.

And a few days later.

At last, I got to see the fruits of that labor firsthand.

“According to the orders from the Military Government Commander, our Squad 13 will now be deployed for the operation to eliminate criminal organizations.”

“Over 30 rounds of anti-tank ammo, confirmed.”

“1st squad, 2nd squad, board the vehicles!”

The Military Government Headquarters has dispatched military police from the rear areas for the operation. The mission’s objective is maintaining public order. In other words, it’s an operation to apprehend ‘serious criminals’ disrupting the economic order and security in the North.

So it means a cleanup operation.

The military police responsible for the North spread out in vehicles to execute the cleanup operation. Trucks quickly entered the city, unloading heavily armed troops.

And those troops immediately stormed the buildings.

“Military police!”

“Hands up over your head!”

As one military police officer kicked down the door, three or four others rushed into the office to arrest the criminals.

“Weapons! The suspect’s armed!”

“The firing order has been given. Shoot!”

As the sergeant shouted, the soldier pulled the trigger of his rifle. The blast shook the surroundings, and before several gunshots could even be counted, the criminal dropped the knife he was holding and collapsed in the alley.

– rat-a-tat-tat-tat!

– bang! bang! bang!

“Those bastards in military uniform!”

“Why are the military police coming here?!”

The criminals, who were scavenging crumbs from the black market, faced an unexpected calamity that day. It was indeed a moment that perfectly fit the phrase “caught off guard.”

“Damn it… Hey, let’s get out of here!”

Abandoning their gathered goods, the criminals attempted to grab the money and flee. They tried to escape through the back door to avoid the military police charging in through the front.

However, as they opened the thoroughly covered back door, what awaited them was the gloomy northern sky and the business ends of military police rifles.

In the blink of an eye, the machine guns mounted in the vehicles began firing.

The military police pulled the triggers, and the sound of the gunfire echoed as shell casings struck the asphalt. In an instant, the criminals attempting to escape through the back door transformed from something human into something unrecognizable.

“Cease fire! Cease fire!”

“We’re entering the buildings. Gather all potential evidence.”

The military police’s operation was relentless. True to the name of a cleanup, the Imperial military police mercilessly subdued the criminals, and those who survived were dragged out to the streets in handcuffs.

What was once a den of crime was now stained with the blood of the criminals.

The bright red blood gushed out from those shot, and the flames burst forth from the muzzles, also glowing red.

It was a ruthless cleanup.

The citizens of the North witnessed every bit of that scene.

Investigators loading bags full of evidence into vehicles, a military police officer pressing down on the head of a handcuffed criminal with his foot, and the bodies lined up, dragged out from alleys and buildings.

The citizens of the Empire absorbed those moments one by one.

And as always, this time too, they chose silence.

“Dad.”

“…Misha. Close the window. Draw the curtains.”

The blizzard swirled in the gloomy, ash-gray sky.

The thunderous gunfire echoed high into the sky until the sun set.

On a day in December, the military police’s cleanup operation carried out in the northern regions of the Empire was thus etched in the memories of the people.

—

The military police’s cleanup operation was conducted under the command of the Military Government Headquarters.

Commander Mikhail sent signed documents to the relevant personnel, and his orders were communicated to the various military units, forming the basis for the military operations.

As soon as the tiger appeared, the foxes that had been acting like kings were swiftly swept away.

The cleanup by the military police was daring and, at the same time, merciless.

“…Tsk.”

Honestly, no one knows if this operation will truly restore order in the North. Not even me.

But the issues of restoring security in the North or normalizing the market economy are not matters I should concern myself with.

“Haah.”

After exhaling a long puff of smoke, I flicked my finger.

The flicked cigarette spun in the air, landing in a patch of snow.

Sizzle! The sound of the ember extinguishing reached my ears.

And then,

– bang!

A gunshot echoed from deep within the alley.

“Damn it… this is going to make my ears ring again… I should have gotten earplugs.”

I muttered with annoyance, recalling the time back in Venezuela when I had suffered from a ruptured eardrum after tussling with some reds.

I was mumbling in Abasian, but the people around me didn’t pay any attention or offer any warnings.

With a sense of entitlement, I carelessly tossed the cigarette butt and stuffed my hands in my pockets, leaning against a wall.

“Well then, my friend. Have you had enough time to think?”

“……”

“I’m only going to ask you one thing. I’d really appreciate a kind answer.”

The clumsy pronunciation of the Kien language rolled off my tongue, yet the man in front of me didn’t budge an inch.

He was kneeling in the snow. A middle-aged man, with another man of similar age sitting beside him, and next to them, a youthful-faced lad.

There were a few more still lingering around, but… well, I could think on that later.

I crouched down in the snowy alley and addressed the man.

“Have you seen any suspicious individuals in the North? You know, those who use magic or sorcery that makes your stomach churn just by looking at them, moving alone or in small groups without a clue where they came from.”

The goal of this operation is to pinpoint the source of the dark magic used in the department store terror incident.

So, I set up an operation to sweep the northern black market with Francesca at the forefront, and supported by the Military Government Headquarters, aimed to wipe out small criminal organizations to facilitate her smooth business.

The man kneeling before me was one of the many who earned a living within those small criminal organizations.

“A suspicious person, have you seen one?”

“…….”

“I would really appreciate it if you could tell me anything.”

Interrogating civilians without being a spy isn’t much of a hassle.

At least it wasn’t like the old days when I would board Middle Eastern or African airlines with fake passports.

But now I was out and about in an official capacity, not in some unofficial disguise. I couldn’t exactly threaten to poke their eyes out to extract information like before.

Yet,

– slap!

I could at least slap them across the face.

As soon as I delivered the slap, the man’s head jerked to the side.

The man who was slapped fell face-first into the snow, but the military police wouldn’t let him rest in comfort. They grabbed him roughly by the clothes, pulling him upright again to kneel in front of me.

Although my gloved hand didn’t hurt, I instinctively brushed my hand off.

It was a habit of mine.

I had done this a couple of times in urgent situations. Surely, I shouldn’t be slapping someone with gloves on every time; it had become a habit to always shake my hand after swinging a fist.

It’s a habit that should be broken, but even after 28 years, I still haven’t changed. That’s the scary thing about habits.

“Ugh….”

I lit a cigarette as I flicked the lighter open.

“If you keep your mouth shut like that, we’re both going to get tired of it. So, say something nice while you can.”

“……”

“Have you seen a person who looks suspicious, or perhaps a magician?”

Once again, no answer came. I slapped the man again, and the military police forced him back down into the snow.

After a few rounds of this, my patience reached its limit, and finally, the man spoke.

Of course,

“Phew!”

The answers I wanted didn’t come.

“……”

I wiped the spit off my face with my hand. Thanks to my glove, my hand didn’t get dirty, but the wet feeling sliding down my brow seemed like a problem that could only be solved by washing my face.

After wiping off the spit, I let out a slight sigh and looked at the military police. Receiving my signal, they stood the man up and dragged him away somewhere.

And a moment later.

– bang!

A gunshot echoed from a distance in the alley.

No one knew who fired it, but no one among the group didn’t recognize the sound. It could be explained easily since the military police dragging criminals always returned alone.

Confirming the military police returning with an unkempt rifle, I stubbed out my spit-stained cigarette with my shoe, and in a low voice, I began.

“Everyone, you must have had enough time to think, right?”

I scanned the criminals lined up and gestured towards one. The youngest looking lad among them.

The man who was seated before me by the military police. I took out a new cigarette and flicked my lighter.

“I’m only going to ask you one thing. If you kindly answer, I believe neither of us will end up being embarrassed.”

“…….”

“Have you seen a suspicious person?”

—

The cleanup operation by the Military Government Headquarters only concluded after the sun had set. Along with it, the comedic antics of my clumsy Kien language also finally came to an end.

I met with Pippin and Jake at a square located in the largest city among the areas where the cleanup operation occurred.

“Hey, everyone did well. Did you find out anything?”

Pippin and Jake had been independently moving around interrogating criminals, just like me.

Though they didn’t possess official investigative powers, I directly asked Commander Mikhail if I could gather information about the magician murder incidents occurring in the North, and he readily allowed it.

I had intended to use Lucia and Francesca’s names if needed. Surprising me, he allowed it without any extra conditions. I honestly hadn’t met someone so straightforward in my life.

In any case,

“No, we didn’t find anything.”

“Really?”

Roaming around the northern cities interrogating criminals yielded no significant results for Pippin and Jake either. Despite Pippin being somewhat fluent in Kien, and Jake undergoing specialized interrogation training (or rather, torture resistance training), there had been no gains.

Pippin spoke up, looking weary.

“We barely had any time to interrogate. We had to go through a translation officer, which took ages just to ask a question, and the military police kept pushing us to hastily deal with the criminals.”

“I don’t know what’s so urgent about it. Anyway, you both did well. Go back and rest.”

I sent Pippin and Jake back to the hotel. Then I met with Senior Lyudmila, who had served as our interpreter, and we chatted for a moment.

“Senior Lyudmila, are you doing okay?”

“I’m fine, Colonel. Your Kien is improving.”

Senior Lyudmila was the person assigned to me by the Imperial Ministry of Defense for translation purposes. She playfully remarked that I wouldn’t need an interpreter in a little while if I continued improving my Kien.

“It’s the pronunciation that’s the issue.”

“If you manage to fix that a bit, you should be fine. Well then, I shall take my leave.”

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Having wrapped up my chat with Pippin, Jake, and Senior Lyudmila, they each headed back to their respective places. However, I couldn’t return to my accommodation just yet as I had more to do.

Since the cleanup operation began, the military police had executed all captured criminals without a trial. After kneeling the criminals and securing their arms with handcuffs, an officer tasked with execution would place a gun against the back of their heads and pull the trigger.

I heard from a military police officer that around 40 individuals had been executed in such a manner.

Whether directed by the Military Government Headquarters or a judgement made independently by the commander, it left me with a strange feeling as I looked at the bodies stacked in the square.

“In the name of our merciful and loving Lord.”

Lucia’s voice echoed through the square.

“Please forgive the repentant. Show mercy and help us realize your boundless love. Wrap our wounds, and heal the injured as well as those who inflicted pain upon others.”

Dressed in white garb, Lucia was praying in front of the lined-up bodies of the executed criminals.

Personally, one could question the need to pray for those who committed crimes and were executed since they likely wouldn’t even reach heaven, but I had no desire to stop Lucia.

“Their suffering is not just theirs alone; it’s our shared responsibility, so please have compassion for the families mourning their loved ones. Share their pain with us, and grant eternal rest and complete peace to those who have repented.”

I leaned against a wall while watching Lucia and the clerics of the Cult praying.

Leaning against the wall, watching Lucia kneel in prayer, I suddenly muttered as I raised my head.

“…Those bastards didn’t look any remorseful when they were dying.”

It was a solitary thought.

However, someone replied to my muttering right beside me.

Francesca, who had been gazing at the square with her arms crossed, turned her attention towards me and asked.

“Did you see their deaths?”

“I did.”

“You saw a criminal being executed? It seems luck is not on your side today, Colonel.”

Without responding, I surveyed my surroundings before finally speaking up to Francesca.

“Anyway, I’ve eliminated the competition. There shouldn’t be any obstacles moving forward. Business should pose no problem, right?”

Francesca tapped her lips gently with her fingers, lost in thought.

“…Well, with the minor crime organizations gone, occupying their space shouldn’t be particularly difficult.”

This cleanup didn’t wipe out all criminal organizations in the North.

However, as the Military Government Headquarters demonstrated strength by mobilizing troops to sweep away the criminals—something the local authorities couldn’t compare to—any criminal organization would find their operational freedom significantly curtailed.

If the Military Government Headquarters was involved, it was a concern that could hardly be overstated.

At least for those without information.

“Do you think this cleanup operation by the military government would be the last? Since they’ve showcased their power, everyone will likely stay quiet for a while. Continuing cleanup operations until spring when an offensive might begin would be practically burdensome.”

“That could be the case. Or it might not.”

Her vague answer didn’t seem to bother Francesca.

Having grasped the Military Government Headquarters’ stance, she continued her calculations.

“If it had been a matter complicated by various factions and smuggling at a national level, that’d be one thing; but there’s really no proper distribution network at play here….”

Her eyes narrowed gently, and her violets vanished from view as they crinkled with a devilish smile. After a brief pause, she continued.

“We’ve pulled out the thorns under our nails, so now we have to go and deal with the competition, right?”

“Please don’t take too long. And don’t make any mistakes.”

As I pulled a cigarette from my pocket and stepped into the alley, Francesca followed me, and we moved deeper into the location.

While keeping an eye on our surroundings, Francesca casually said.

“It seems you have something to discuss?”

“I have something the Administrator should know.”

As soon as we found a suitable spot, I dove straight into the main subject. I shared the information I had gained from interrogating the criminals.

“There are other magicians visiting the black market besides us.”

“Other magicians…?”

“I’ve heard they’ve been active for quite some time. A mixed-gender group, ages roughly between their late teens to thirties.”

“…….”

“They visit the black market irregularly, buying and selling herbs and mountain plants. They resemble the magicians I’ve seen before, and they always move in threes.”

Francesca folded her arms and leaned her chin on one. She quietly closed her eyes in contemplation, then asked me a single question in a soft voice.

“Who did you hear this information from?”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I directed my gaze toward the direction from which we had come.

And at the end of that gaze were the bodies lying in the square.

“Oh, it might have been better not to know that.”

Feigning light-heartedness, Francesca began to organize the information with her fingers counted out.

“Males and females between their late teens to thirties. They visit the black market irregularly, sell herbs and mountain plants, and their group composition rarely changes, always moving in threes.”

Francesca gave me a nod.

“That’s methodical.”

“Indeed, it is.”

“How long have they been active, Colonel?”

“About three years. I’m not quite sure if it’s three or four years, but it seems certain that they’ve been active since the onset of the conflict.”

When I asked if they had seen any suspicious magicians, the criminal had shared insights about the magicians operating the black market for three to four years.

Though their identities remain unknown, they emit a rather suspicious aura.

I lit a cigarette.

“Those who have been spreading dark magic. They might be caught sooner than we initially thought.”

Francesca let out a slight laugh without further comment. She seemed to doubt whether it was too early to be counting our chickens before they hatched.

Anyhow, having eliminated obstacles and gained new information, there was only one thing left to do.

Pressure Hormoz.

That was the last remaining task.

Gazing at the smoke mingling with the gloomy sky, I shared my thoughts.

“It was a bold strike, so I expect a reaction soon enough.”

“And if there’s no reaction?”

“Then we’ll kill a few of his lackeys and burn a couple of warehouses.”

His reign over the North would come to an end.

“Let’s wait and see if his skin remains calm even when the fire ignites.”

As I began preparing for the next operation, planning various methods to pressure Hormoz, the plans I envisioned never materialized.

I received word through Francesca that Hormoz wished to meet briefly.

Though the methods differed, my wish had come true sooner than expected.