A Dark Fantasy Spy

---

Sitting in a safe house, I stared at the map.

The map displayed all regions connecting Asen, Sanya, and Hassan. A red line crossed chaotically over the desert map.

I opened a water bottle, taking a gulp of the half-filled mineral water before wiping my mouth. Then I grabbed a chair and leaned back.

Looking up at the ceiling.

My gaze was fixed on the ceiling, but my mind drifted back to the past. I cautiously closed my eyes and searched through my memories.

“Cami, you said you wanted to become an information officer, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s talk about your career path.”

—

Episode 16 – The Six Million Dollar Man

—

The Abas Information Agency began to be engulfed by a storm.

High-ranking information officers gathered in the meeting room, assuming the worst scenarios, while headquarters analysts holed up in the office, collecting intelligence from the Empire.

Meanwhile, I stepped out of an immigration office thousands of kilometers away from Abas, wearing sunglasses.

To shield myself from the glaring sunshine of the Mauritania Continent. They were also a useful tool to hide my face.

“I’m here. Asud.”

“Ah, long time no see.”

The warlord duo greeted me cheerfully, shaking hands as they shoved my luggage into the trunk.

The duo, grabbing the wheel, shifted gears and pressed the accelerator, driving out of the parking lot. They began heading towards the territory of Warlord Hassan.

I returned to the field along the bumpy unpaved road.

To wrap up the conflict between Asen and Sanya.

—

At the time I returned to the field, the dispute had intensified.

Asen and Sanya were putting all their efforts into cutting each other’s throats.

“Asen has attacked Sanya’s cocaine production facility. This is interpreted as an attack aimed at cutting off cash flows.”

The first group of Asen, supporting Mauritania-centric policies, focused on destroying the infrastructure of the second group.

The cocaine production facility and marijuana farms, which funneled a significant amount of money into the second group, were just the beginning.

“Fire!”

The munitions production mines and ammunition factories also came under attack. The cause-and-effect nitrate mines that fueled the second group’s ability to continue fighting and had become the starting point for this conflict were included as well.

Asen’s attacks were primarily carried out through mortars, with first group soldiers employing hit-and-run tactics, moving mortars and shells to strike the targets before quickly retreating.

“What about Sanya?”

Sanya, having been attacked by Asen, immediately launched a counterattack.

“Sanya’s unit has raided Asen’s city. An elite force composed of small troops is moving like guerrillas in the urban area.”

“What were the attack targets?”

“Government offices, city halls, magic supply stations, transformers… The number of facilities destroyed on Asen’s side is countless.”

Sanya focused on unconventional warfare by mobilizing small elite forces. While the main troops pressured Asen’s main defensive line, rear infiltrating soldiers would annihilate facilities.

The reason Asen could operate mortars was due to the benefactors supporting the first group. Politicians and generals from foreign nations supporting Mauritania-centric policies were supplying shells to Asen.

On the other hand, Sanya, supported by the Kien Empire, actively utilized special forces.

When Asen’s mortars scorched the fields, Sanya’s special forces detonated their command centers. If Asen tried to chase them down, Sanya’s special forces would swiftly escape into urban and mountainous areas.

This was clearly the tactic of the Imperial Army.

—

Asen, supported by the Mauritania government.

Sanya, backed by the Kien Empire.

In the early stages of the conflict, the two warlords matched each other equally, but as the dispute prolonged, the tide began to turn towards Sanya.

The turning point was Sanya’s armored unit breaking through Asen’s main defense line.

—

The aging armored vehicle smashed through Asen’s defenses. It was armored equipment donated to the warlords by the Kien Empire’s Ministry of Defense 12 years ago.

Asen’s warlords pulled out their anti-tank rockets and counterattacked, but it was no match to fend off the Sanya armored units surging from all sides.

Moreover…

“A shaman! A shaman has appeared!”

“Kill that guy right now!”

Sanya began to fully deploy shamans into the battlefield.

Though it was common knowledge, the second group was the wealthiest warlord in the country. They received substantial funding from the Kien Empire, and the largest marijuana cultivation area belonged to the Sanya tribe.

Having poured unprecedented capital into it, Sanya gathered shamans from across the nation. They paid salaries that a regular person would earn in a year within a month.

The compensation that Sanya offered was far greater than what Asen promised, and shamans seeking to earn money began flocking to the second group.

The strength of shamans belonging to the warlords was lower than that of combat magicians from advanced nations, but still, a shaman was a shaman.

The moment they formed contracts, machine gun positions buried themselves underground, and when they recited spells, a dozen or so would soar over the buildings on the winds—how could one possibly stop that?

As Asen’s shamans began to exert pressure from the front and rear, Asen started to mobilize shamans as well, but it was inadequate to turn the tide.

Those shamans that remained indecisive about their allegiances began to join Sanya, lured by higher salaries.

Even Hassan was no exception.

“The desertion of shamans is accelerating.”

“I’ve heard that many people have left Asen.”

“That’s not the issue. Our Hassan’s shamans are starting to shift to Sanya.”

Moving mercenaries is driven by money, and shamans joining warlords are also mercenaries.

The shamans had hit an unprecedented boom due to the conflict between Asen and Sanya, cashing in while the chaos ensued.

“The shamans raised in this place mostly move according to their tribes, but those from outside are siding with Sanya.”

“It’s hard to stop people coming together for money. Is there no way to gather shamans?”

“We can hire shamans at the harbor of dead whales… but the shamans at the harbor have a tendency to crave money, making it hard to extend a hand.”

“……”

Nasir was wary of the phenomenon of his shamans deserting. If Sanya secured more shamans than Hassan, the balance of power would break.

However, what caught my attention was something else.

One by one, names were being erased from the list of Asen’s officials provided by the Hassan warlord.

Having witnessed the rapid deaths of commanders, I realized that the Reconnaissance Command’s two-man team was moving behind the scenes.

“I think the Imperial Intelligence Unit has intervened. Asen’s commanders are being assassinated.”

“I heard. It was said they got hit by a sniper.”

“Who would have obtained their movements? And who selected the targets? This must be the work of those reconnaissance guys.”

“Is it time for us to intervene?”

Nasir, who had been passive wishing to avoid losses, changed his stance around that time.

It could be to prevent Sanya from pushing Asen and absorbing its power, but Hassan’s shamans defecting to Sanya had also hurt his pride quite a bit.

Yet, that was not the case for me.

“No, now is not the time to intervene. Asen is still holding strong.”

“If that’s the case, what shall we do? Are you going to move in person like last time?”

There was no need for Nasir and me to take action in this dispute. This was a matter between Asen and Sanya.

That means,

“Is there really any reason for us to step in? The one opposing Sanya is Asen.”

We don’t have to get blood on our hands.

—

“Fighting against Sanya is Asen’s business, not Hassan or the government of Abas.”

“That may be true.”

“Normally, whether gambling or betting, it’s most fun to do it with someone else’s money. I’ll take care of it, so just watch.”

“Understood. If you need anything, just let me know.”

I began to actively engage to restrain Sanya’s pressure on Asen.

First, I needed information. I detected Sanya’s movements through informants and collected intelligence. Then, with Hassan’s help, I attempted to reach out to Asen’s warlords.

“To push back the winning Sanya, it’s necessary to collaborate with Asen. However, directly intervening in the dispute would negatively impact Hassan.”

Hassan had established a ceasefire agreement with both Asen and Sanya. Before entering the war, the two warlords demanded to withdraw from the dispute alongside huge benefits to cut off Hassan’s involvement.

If Hassan were to formally cooperate with Asen now, it would be equivalent to betraying Sanya. It would be a chance for Sanya to attack Hassan under the pretext of betrayal.

“To avoid giving Sanya a justification, we must support Asen unofficially. That means providing assistance without stepping into the battlefield alongside Asen.”

“What should we do?”

“First, we need to make contact with Asen’s high-ranking officials. Very discreetly.”

Nasir tried to arrange a meeting between me and high officials of the Asen tribe, but I declined his offer.

Unlike Asen, Sanya did not have an intelligence unit, but the overseas team of the Reconnaissance Command was lurking behind them. They would surely be on guard against any cooperation between Asen and Hassan, especially if Hassan’s leader made direct moves; their chances of getting caught in the intelligence net would be quite high.

In other words, it meant we had to meet in a way that wouldn’t attract attention.

I sought a collaborator within Hassan who could connect me with someone close to Asen.

After some searching, I finally found a suitable intermediary.

“Farid sir, you have a visitor.”

“A visitor? Who?”

“It’s Mr. Asud.”

Farid, the son of Nayan Al Bas, the leader of the Al Bas Tribe.

He was a talent that met all the conditions I had set. His father was Hassan’s accountant, so he knew many people in Asen, and he had distanced himself from the warlords due to studying abroad until recently, so Sanya wouldn’t be on alert.

A freeloader who had lounged around overseas and parachuted into this position. He had no accomplishments and little work, likely because he disliked being entangled with the warlords.

With this background, there was a high probability he would be outside the watchful eye of the reconnaissance command. Who would imagine that a freeloader would discuss important matters related to the warlords?

While imagination and creativity are qualities that intelligence agencies require from their employees, those presenting absurd possibilities tend to be treated like lunatics. Additionally, information officers, within a hierarchical and authoritarian structure like intelligence agencies, find it hard to possess creativity and cannot voice objections.

I quickly took advantage of the reconnaissance command’s pitfall, akin to a clogged toilet.

Having arranged a meeting through Farid, I found myself unexpectedly facing someone in the Asen warlord’s territory.

The niece of Sheikh Bint Al Asen, Jamila.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Asud, introduced by Farid.”

“Nice to meet you, Asud. My name is Jamila. I’m a friend of Farid.”

The niece of Bint, who ignited the flames of this current conflict, greeted me warmly, speaking in fluent language of the Mauritania Continent.

Like modern standard Arabic, the common language of the Mauritania Continent was only used in limited fields. The local dialect, an oral language, was used in daily life, while the common language was exclusively used in formal diplomatic documents or scriptures.

In that sense, Jamila was a remarkably knowledgeable person. In a place where the majority couldn’t even attend school, her mastery of the common language, which symbolized higher education, was commendable.

Thanks to that, we could quickly skip the preamble.

“Cutting to the chase, I’ll speak directly. There’s Imperial Information Agency behind Sanya.”

I provided information about Sanya that Asen hadn’t grasped. Though Asen operated intelligence units and knew much about Sanya, they had not obtained intelligence that the second group was being supported by the Imperial Information Agency.

This was not particularly surprising. No matter how proficient the warlord intelligence units were, they would never match up to intelligence agencies.

The Kien Empire is a great power, and its intelligence agency is a collective that doesn’t falter in intelligence wars between nations. No matter how much the Asen warlords seized the intelligence network, it was unlikely the reconnaissance command would easily get caught.

“That’s a unit referred to as the Reconnaissance Command in Kien. It’s a military intelligence agency supporting armed groups abroad that benefit the Empire. Right now, the friends over there are helping the Sanya tribe, which is clashing with Asen.”

“It’s well known that Sanya is receiving help from the Empire. But I hadn’t realized the intelligence agency had stepped in. But why are you telling me this, foreign gentleman?”

It’s obvious that Asen wouldn’t simply bite on the bait. No matter how urgent the situation, who would believe a foreigner—especially one who came through a warlord that had a ceasefire—with this kind of information?

Jamila concealed her intentions with a smile, trying to pry into mine. She was indirectly refusing cooperation.

Despite the turn of events, I remained unperturbed. Asen had the time, whereas time was on my side.

I cast out the bait and waited in Hassan’s territory for several days, like a fisherman casting a line into a reservoir, waiting for a fish to bite.

As time passed, the frontline situation began to worsen.

Asen, having lost commanders to snipers, could not handle Sanya’s onslaught led by armored units and shamans. The elite troops redirected to catch guerrillas were met with spellcasting in the urban area, leading to their near annihilation, while Sanya’s armored vehicles penetrated into Asen’s elite forces’ gaps.

As the situation progressed like this, the one in a pinch was not Sanya, but Asen. The Asen warlords, who were resisting against the heavily supported Sanya by the Imperial Information Unit, discreetly reached out for help within a week.

So I meeting again with Jamila. This time, the meeting location had changed to Hassan’s territory.

And there was another guest present.

“Nice to see you, Asud. I am Mukhtar, in charge of Asen’s intelligence.”

Mukhtar Al Noor. He was the head of the Asen intelligence unit.

Operating the Asen intelligence unit, he looked quite desperate, casting worried glances. Due to the significant losses of key commanders to the reconnaissance command, he appeared to be under considerable pressure.

Right then, I offered a proposal for cooperation to the head of the Asen intelligence unit. Unofficially, of course.

Though the head of the Asen intelligence unit was not thrilled with a foreigner’s offer, there seemed to be no other options available.

As Sanya was fiercely attacking, he requested Hassan’s assistance.

More precisely, he reached out for my help, who was supporting the warlords.

“The reason commanders are falling on the frontline is that the Imperial Reconnaissance Command has uncovered your intelligence. The dispatched intelligence officers may be few, but they’re good.”

“What do you suggest we do?”

I willingly made up my mind to utilize Asen.

“First, let’s extinguish the urgent fire.”

I laid out a plan to overturn the support of the reconnaissance command unit. By utilizing the intelligence that Asen’s intelligence had been keeping track of regarding Sanya.

Asen’s information unit had been surveilling a warehouse located in the northwest harbor for a few years. That place stored ammunition, drugs, and illegally captured monsters, all exported by Sanya.

The warehouse was usually managed by orcs, who had business dealings with Sanya, and according to the head of Asen’s intelligence unit, the orcs were the mafia of that location.

—

At that time.

The royal intelligence department’s operations team shared two pieces of useful intelligence.

-“A ship arrived at the northwest harbor. Weapons and ammunition dispatched by the Imperial Army are currently stored in the warehouse being traded with Sanya.”

The intelligence indicated the arrival of weapons and ammunition supplied to the second group by the reconnaissance command.

The intel didn’t stop there.

-“It seems Sanya has borrowed money from the orcs. The orcs managing the supplied military goods kept in the warehouse.”

“What exactly does it mean to borrow money?”

-“It means they advanced payment for goods to be traded, meow.”

Sanya had borrowed money from the orc mafia. They requested an upfront payment in exchange for providing more drugs than usual once the conflict was over.

Given the ongoing relationship, Sanya was able to borrow money because the orcs deemed them a reliable client.

This was quite interesting news. Sanya had borrowed immediate funds from the orc mafia, and the orcs were currently guarding weapons that the Empire had provided to Sanya. If things were tied up wisely, I could take down the warlords, mafia, and reconnaissance command all in one go.

Having acquired the intelligence, I contacted the head of the Asen intelligence unit.

“Burn everything! Don’t leave a single piece behind!”

“We need to get out before the ammunition explodes! Hurry!”

The Asen warlords, having received the intel, raided Sanya’s warehouse. The warlords’ soldiers killed the orcs and set fire to the goods.

Everything stored there, including drugs, monstrous items, and the gifts sent from the reconnaissance command to Sanya, went up in flames.

There was still time before the news about the warehouse being attacked reached Sanya. In that short period, I attacked Sanya’s marijuana cultivation area.

With Camila by my side.

—

-Whoosh!

“They burn well.”

In traditional attire covering her face, Camila quietly observed the burning marijuana fields. The sight of a vast farm blazing away, reminiscent of American agricultural estates, was a rare scene that one couldn’t pay to see.

The blazing marijuana field.

Watching the thick black smoke rise into the sky, I cracked a joke as I left the scene.

“It seems the skills of burning fields in Africa haven’t faded. Indeed, professionals are different.”

“Shut up!”

—

The attacks on the warehouse and marijuana fields were reported to be the work of Asen.

In a situation where the battlefield was turning unfavorably, Asen needed materials for propaganda. They had to appease the restless crowd and annoy Sanya in some form.

Then the news broke that the warehouse and marijuana fields had burned down.

The report reached the ears of the Asen intelligence unit, which had been closely monitoring Sanya’s movements. After hearing the report, Asen’s leader, Bint, ordered the news to be used for propaganda.

The Asen warlords stepped up to claim responsibility for burning down the warehouse and marijuana fields. They boisterously announced they had cut off Sanya’s financial lifeline.

This indicated that Asen had not neglected gathering intelligence on Sanya, and at the same time, it hinted that Sanya no longer had the capacity to pay the promised compensation to the shamans.

“Have you heard the news? The marijuana fields burned to the ground.”

“I heard it was Asen’s doing. I’ve heard it too.”

“All that massive drug supply vanished into thin air. Can we expect to get our money?”

“I don’t know, damn… if I had known it would turn out like this, I should have watched a bit longer.”

Having heard the propaganda from Asen, the shamans began to stir.

Propaganda is typically just a twisted version of the truth designed to suit one’s interests, but people have a tendency to see only what they want to see.

“Excuse me? Are you paying the promised compensation?”

“Please wait a moment, shaman. The compensation will be paid in due course…”

“How do you expect to prepare the funds?”

“…….”

It was information even passing children knew—Sanya relied on drug sales to fund their operations. No one would accept the news that their cash flow had turned to ashes.

The second group warlords boastfully claimed they had ample funds and would have no issues for at least a year. Most shamans trusted Sanya’s reputation, but some began to withdraw from the conflict.

However, agitation can sometimes work. A lie cannot outlast the truth.

Though Sanya managed to convince the shamans, they failed to persuade their creditors.

“I heard the news. Can we ensure that we will receive the promised goods?”

The news that their marijuana had been reduced to ash reached the orc mafia.

The orcs sought a clarification from Sanya. Although Sanya claimed they would recover the fields and quickly deliver the supplies once the dispute was over, the orcs did not believe them.

“Let’s consider the contract null and void.”

While they decided not to push for payment out of affection, they demanded more marijuana than previously contracted from Sanya.

Sanya managed to secure time as planned. However, the price was losing their trading partner.

Given their established trust, if the tribe’s situation improved, relations would likely resume soon. But the orcs could not simply wait for Sanya to recover.

The orc mafia, having lent significant sums to Sanya, sought new trading partners to fill the gaps in their accounts.

Hassan.

Hassan, which abstained from the conflict, held more marijuana compared to Asen and Sanya. Unlike the two warlords, whose facilities had suffered in the chaos, their facilities remained intact, too.

The orc mafia pointed to Hassan as their new business partner, and Nasir welcomed them with open arms.

Thus, Hassan succeeded in absorbing Sanya’s trading partners.

“This is the most valuable achievement Hassan has gained in this conflict.”

“Congratulations.”

Nasir smiled broadly with his newfound leeway. With his troublesome competitors in disarray and the prospect of profit, it could only lead to smiles.

“Thanks to you, Asud, I won’t forget this favor.”

“It was something someone had to do. Even without me, you would have profited, Nasir.”

“Still, your contribution is significant, right?”

“I merely relayed the information.”

That the orc mafia had broken the contract with Sanya was due not only to the marijuana fields burning down but also to the unbelievable news they had received.

—

‘Sanya attacked the mafia’s warehouse.’

‘Sanya had no intention of paying from the start.’

‘They attempted to seize goods and blame Asen but failed.’

—

This was the propaganda I had disseminated through informants over the course of several days.

The instigator of the raid was Asen, and while Camila was responsible for setting the marijuana fields ablaze, it was the orcs who suffered due to both incidents.

The furious orcs scoffed at the absurd propaganda, yet it was evident that it sparked doubts about Sanya’s capacity to meet their financial obligations.

The hastily crafted propaganda proved effective. Sanya’s cash flow dried completely. Nasir seemed to be genuinely taken aback, having not imagined such a day would come. He was in awe.

“I never expected such a situation could arise in such a short time. Were you planning this from the start?”

“No.”

“Even more amazing.”

As we shared drinks, reveling in the crisis faced by Asen and Sanya, the traditional liquor renowned across the continent was raised in a toast.

“Now the dispute won’t last much longer. With Sanya’s funding, their coffers will show empty in no more than three months. By then, Sanya will likely propose a ceasefire to Asen.”

After assessing Sanya’s financial situation through informants, Nasir predicted that the matter would be settled within three months. I planned to conclude the dispute within a shorter timeline of one month.

Having felt more relaxed after draining his cup, Nasir posed a question. It was about future plans.

“Is there a good plan to finish Sanya?”

“Well….”

I leaned back on the sofa, lost in thought.

The warlord’s advance against the first group was troubling, but the biggest concern was the state of the Emperor.

An emperor with dementia attempting to seize military power. The Prime Minister of Abas had been keenly monitoring the situation within the imperial family and demanding the intelligence agencies hasten to collect information.

Thus, the plan was revised.

“The higher-ups are hoping for a resolution to the dispute as early as possible. Of course, there’s no need for you to worry, Nasir. The overall operation framework hasn’t changed, and Hassan wouldn’t benefit from a prolonged conflict either.”

I tried assuring Nasir while proceeding with the details.

“Our objective remains to eliminate the reconnaissance command behind Sanya. We intend to sever the ties between Sanya and the Empire, ensuring the Empire can never exert influence over this land again.”

This was a point of agreement between Nasir and myself. More precisely, between the Military Intelligence Agency and Hassan’s warlords.

Leoni had an additional proposition at this juncture. It was to have the Abas government assimilate Sanya after cutting ties with the Empire. To eliminate associations with the Empire while changing trade partners to Abas. If possible, Asen warlords would be kept under control, too.

Of course, mentioning this in front of Nasir would be foolish. What Hassan wanted for the future was for Asen and Sanya to be resolved, gaining monopolistic benefits for Hassan. So I kept this to myself.

—

Suddenly, a story I once heard from Lucia came to mind. The devil that made alcohol as a means of corruption had enticed humans not with lies but with truths.

They would promise to mix only truths to reassure humans, but they wouldn’t reveal all the truths.

Whether that was true or false, I did not know.

Theology was Lucia’s domain, not something I needed to concern myself with.

But one thing I knew;

Some people promise to tell only the truth, yet withhold certain truths.

As I moistened my lips with drink, I turned to Nasir.

“So, prioritizing the elimination of the reconnaissance command is most important.”

—

Having taken a sizeable loss with the destruction of the marijuana fields, Sanya warlords, deprived of the donation’s benefits from the Emperor, requested further resources from the Imperial Army.

“The grace of His Majesty the Emperor Nikolai VI is needed. Please send materials and funds.”

His Majesty refers to Nikolai VI of the Kien Empire. The phrase indicates the Emperor’s abundance and is commonly expressed in historical dramas as “I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty’s grace.”

The Sanya warlords requested support in resources and finances from the reconnaissance command. Providing support to warlords had traditionally been the responsibility of the Empire’s intelligence units, so the Imperial Guard HQ didn’t intervene.

However, it seemed that the results were far from satisfactory.

“What? Another request for support? How can you suddenly come out like this?”

The information officers of the reconnaissance command expressed their bewilderment at the request. Their attitude was quite natural.

Asen, having received mortar support from their Mauritania-based sponsors, launched powerful bombardments from the outset of the war. Sanya, equipped with armored units and shamans, was no trivial opponent, but when it came to battlefield artillery, there was simply no contest.

Bombardments were occurring throughout the frontlines, and the mortars unleashed by the rear infiltration teams riding in vehicles alongside the shamans would terrify Sanya. If artillery shells suddenly rained down on their buildings from a clear sky, who could remain calm?

Sanya had immediately requested heavy weapon support once the conflict erupted. They were asking if any surplus mortars were available and pleading for them.

The Empire’s Ministry of Defense had no reason to refuse such a request.

With the northern issues settled, an excess of weapons remained. The five-year-long conflict had fattened the defense industry, and the Imperial Army’s armories were now stocked with brand-new weapons fresh off the assembly line.

Even if they gave away some outdated mortars, it would not impact the Empire’s Ministry of Defense at all, hence they generously provided heavy weapons to Sanya—mortars, field guns, explosives, even parts and oils to maintain armored vehicles.

Where were those gifts now?

“The warehouse burned down.”

They lost everything.

After losing the packages without even having a chance to unwrap them, Sanya fervently began pleading for help. The reconnaissance command, however, was reluctant.

While it wasn’t burdensome to provide weapons to warlords, arranging the ships and fabricating the proper documents for dispatching the weapons was no easy task. What if a foreign intelligence agency caught wind?

“Oh, people of the world! Come see! These damned bastards of the Kien Empire are causing chaos in the Mauritania Continent…!”

“What? Kien Empire, is that you again?”

“You’re as ruthless as ever. These bastards see international law as a laughingstock.”

“Our neighborhood warlord armed with imperial weapons? Damn! You all just stay put! I’m heading over with my troops to blow all your heads off…!”

—

I wasn’t telepathic, but I felt as if I could hear the thoughts of those two from the reconnaissance command.

Regardless of the circumstances, they still needed to maintain the reporting structure. The reconnaissance command two-man team sent that plan to headquarters. After reviewing the reports from the field, the reconnaissance command decided it was impossible to send items immediately, instead opting to procure weapons from the black market.

“So, what now, chief?”

“Given the situation, we’ll turn to the black market.”

From that day onward, the reconnaissance command duo began rummaging through the black market. They’d pay someone off in exchange for weapons just as I had.

I carefully began to shadow them.

“……”

Over the span of five days, I didn’t take my eyes off the duo. I awoke with their rising patterns and went to bed when they did, even matching them in the food I consumed.

Through aligning my daily patterns with the reconnaissance command duo, I managed to gather several pieces of intelligence—behavior patterns, negotiation tactics, evasion methods, and even trivial habits and preferences.

I acquired useful intelligence when rummaging through the trash bags they had carelessly discarded. Amongst the waste filled with food residue, I discovered a cigarette butt.

“Local cigarettes!”

By the time I had sensed it during the surveillance in Hassan’s territory, the reconnaissance command officers were smokers. Given the stress, they were heavily addicted to cigarettes.

What mattered was that they preferred to smoke indoors. The reconnaissance command duo had the habit of lighting up inside rather than outdoors.

The moment I realized that, I reached out to informants to inquire whether these guys smoked at the safe house.

“They’re lodging in a Sharjou Apartment, the finest apartment in Sanya’s territory. They’ve been paying rent in the name of Sanya tribesmen for five months on the top floor.”

“Ask the neighbors if they notice any cigarette odors.”

The informant, having probed the vicinity, relayed that cigarette smoke was wafting consistently from the room where they were staying.

At that moment, a great idea struck me. I sneaked into Sanya’s territory and infiltrated the room where the reconnaissance command duo was staying. I broke the lock on the gas supply line.

Using an informant’s name, I arranged for an office in a nearby business community and monitored the apartment until the date the reconnaissance command duo would return, while listening to the internal conversations through the installed listening device.

“…….”

A van rolled into the parking garage, and the targets disembarked. Climbing up the stairs, they unlocked the door and entered.

—

-Tap, tap.

The sound of heels hitting the floor echoed as Kien dialect mixed with muffled noises began flowing through the noise. I switched on the recorder and jotted down the conversations, quietly awaiting the right moment.

-‘It’s absurdly hot. Is there water?’

-‘It’s in the fridge. It’s still cold.’

-‘Give me one. At this rate, I’m going to die of thirst.’

—

Clunk, the sound of a water bottle opening followed. The intelligence officer gulped down some bottled water, wiped their mouth, and rustled as they pulled out a cigarette.

The flicking sound of a lighter mixed with the conversation. It was a sound I had heard a lot and anticipated, so it resonated clearly.

Removing the headset, I switched off the recorder and began packing up my equipment. Sounds bustling outside didn’t concern me.

After tidying up the office and loading the gear into the vehicle, I quietly moved to the rooftop and lit a cigarette.

Taking a drag, I glanced up at the sky.

In the clear desert sky, red rain was pouring down.

“…….”

I exhaled the smoke and threw the butt towards the burning apartment.

Even if they were the enemy, I could at least offer a single cigarette.

—

—

When I returned to the safe house, the sky was colored crimson.

I sat before the terminal drafting a report to send to the company.

—

[The reconnaissance command’s two-man unit has been eliminated. Local authorities concluded the cause as a fire from a gas leak. The targets were smokers who frequently smoked indoors, hence the surrounding residents’ testimonies have clarified the cause of the fire.

Even should counter-intelligence agencies begin investigations, there’d be no link to the deaths of the reconnaissance officers and the Military Intelligence Agency.]

—

The assassination was a success.

Assassination via arson can be disguised as an accident, hence it’s a method often used by intelligence agencies to cover their tracks. It allows for both murder and evidence destruction, making it an almost perfect assassination method.

“…….”

As I continued with the report, I suddenly pondered.

The reconnaissance command lost intelligence officers. They may suspect the possibility of assassination, but being unable to find evidence, they would likely conclude it was an accident due to personal carelessness.

Yet, the reconnaissance command didn’t just lose lives. The officer in charge of the region, which supported Sanya, was dead, resulting in operations being grounded temporarily unless a replacement could be dispatched.

How would the reconnaissance command react now?

Would they continue to be supportive of Sanya until the very end? Or would they attempt to cut ties?

Sanya had already lost much—its cash flow, its marijuana partner in the orc mafia. The shamans, upon hearing Asen’s propaganda, began to doubt Sanya’s viability, and some withdrew from the conflict.

After investing time and resources into supporting Sanya, the weaponry and ammunition had turned to ash. Though the attack was executed by Asen, the exposure of the warehouse location was due to a breach of Sanya’s security.

In that case.

What perspective would the reconnaissance command take regarding Sanya, having lost funding, reputation, weapons, and ammunition?

The only certainty was that the intelligence officers responsible for making judgments on the ground had died. Furthermore, there was no Emperor left to approve final operational support.

“……”

I figured that the reconnaissance command would likely abandon the affair and withdraw.

It was far better to invest resources in monitoring military exercises from neighboring countries occurring along the eastern borders than to pour resources into a warlord inept at making good use of their resources.

Intelligence agencies operate with priority lists, with budgets always being limited. What ultimately becomes of Sanya, shedding its priority status, was now something to watch.

Organizing my thoughts and continuing the reporting, Camila appeared.

She naturally took a position beside me and began to speak.

“Was your day safe?”

Nodding, I responded while typing away.

“Everything was fine.”

It seemed my answer pleased her, as Camila smiled widely. She glanced down slightly and licked her lips before continuing.

“Honestly… I thought I wouldn’t succeed.”

“What do you mean?”

“Getting permission. You know Fredrick didn’t like the idea of me working in the intelligence department.”

I leaned back in my chair and let out a faint sigh.

“Even if I told you not to do it, you would have done it anyway. If you were someone who listened to me, you wouldn’t have come back in the first place.”

“That’s true.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

“I know. Hehe.”

Despite not being a compliment…

Honestly, she was quite the character. How in the world would the UK intelligence agencies manage to handle such an outrageous personality? Their eccentricities abound, as they say, England produces the strangest representations of the world; this was a bit…

The future of Britain… Is it really okay like this?

While caught up in thought, a gentle touch began to caress my hand. As I turned my head, I met Camila’s gaze, her hand resting on top of mine.

“Thank you.”

“…….”

“For helping me. And for worrying about me.”

I silently gazed at her. Camila smiled broadly and tilted her eyes.

After observing her for a while, I readied to flick her forehead. As soon as I pinched together my thumb and index finger, the startled mage swiftly stepped back. That was a surprising maneuver.

What made her so quick? One could mistake her for a knight rather than a magician.

With a jump, Camila leaped and darted away, while I chased after her.

There’s one thing I can definitely be certain of in this moment pursuing Camila.