Chapter 272 – Selection of Police Project Contract Recipients
The day after I slept at my own ryokan.
When I woke up, I felt refreshed and not only relieved of my fatigue, but also ominous.
I reflexively checked my watch and realized that it was already a little past the morning situation reporting time. I overslept.
The other two of the three secrets of tardiness for office workers were the sound of birds chirping and the bright light between the curtains.
This is because this area is only for me, the manager. When I’m sleeping, all lights turn off regardless of the time.
I got up and opened the paper door. Natural lighting detects my mood and shines.
The area where my bedroom is located is comprised of four large accommodations surrounding a medium-sized garden and pond.
“As expected, it’s good.”
Waking up in the morning and feeling the cold wooden floor against my bare feet. I can never get sick of this.
Artificial wind blows, pleasantly stimulating the skin and hearing. The wind passed through the grass and trees in the center, carrying a lot of freshness.
With the sound of water flowing from the artificial pond and the sounds of birds chirping from the speakers, you can’t help but feel like you’re in an underground world.
I walked down the hallway, took off my pajamas, and jumped into the hot springs.
Plop!
I always feel this way, but being able to soak myself in warm water as soon as I wake up. This greatly improves the quality of life.
Cheek!
Especially if it comes with a dedicated refrigerator, so you can have a cool drink in the bath!
I dived after drinking half of the lemon carbonated water.
It twirled its body side to side like a dolphin or swam like a child in the bathhouse.
As you move your body in the warm water, your clammy limbs instantly relax. Well, my current body only has a few muscles that need to be relaxed.
After that, I washed my hair and washed my body in the open shower booth next to me.
“Still, I gained some weight.”
The muscle lines of my naked body reflected in the mirror are gradually coming back to life.
As I underwent various strengthening procedures, my vital activity system became different from that of a typical human.
There is no preferential accumulation of fat in the abdomen of the body. It is stored as muscles evenly throughout the body.
Thanks to this, although my torso was still thin, my arms, legs, and chest began to regain their strength. Although the speed is very slow.
“I’m sick of chocolate, what else is there?”
While searching through the snack section of the refrigerator, I took out a few financiers and put them in my mouth. This is because of Artemis’ strong request to eat snacks frequently.
As I checked my body condition here and there in front of the mirror, my gaze naturally stopped at the center of my lower body.
It’s morning, and it’s in warm water, so it’s showing off like a boiled sweet potato.
The only thing that hasn’t changed since just before departure from Tanis. It is an autonomous region in my body that is not controlled by the central government.
Because they allocate their own budget, they ignored even nanosuit reduction orders and maintained a healthy financial status.
This is indeed a fortunate thing. To defeat the evil female queen named Artemis, you will need a great sword, not a rapier.
Finally, I put on my robe and went outside, dragging my slippers on.
My appearance now is no different from a person wandering around the neighborhood with nothing to do.
That’s what Artemis wants most from me.
Nodding.
Nymphs I often encountered bowed their heads politely.
“Excuse me, manager.”
One of them, a nymph, stood in front of me. She is a beautiful girl with short blue hair.
Most of the androids displayed here are adult-type, but there are quite a few of these minor body types as well. The child in front of me was so thin that even the wind blew away.
“What’s going on?”
“Uh… Over there.”
She clenched her dainty fists in front of her chest and swallowed her saliva.
“The manager’s hair is wet. If you continue to do so, it will not be good for your health. “I want to stop you, so please allow me.”
She bowed politely and asked.
“I’m fine. Why are you so nervous about such a difficult request?”
I sat down on a nearby bench. The nymph girl grabs my hair from behind as if she is in awe.
“But how are you going to stop me?”
“It’s like this.”
Her fingers holding my hair radiated heat.
The moisture in her hair slowly evaporates in the warmth. On the other hand, the tips of her fingers were cold.
Squeeze.
“It’s cool.”
Her warm fingers were drying her hair while her cold fingertips were massaging her scalp.
It’s a skillful gesture that doesn’t suit his young appearance. My eyes naturally close, and I sigh.
But this was just the beginning of a special dry massage. I felt a strange breath that could not be compared to human breath.
“Oh…”
It’s as warm as a hair dryer, but has a coziness that doesn’t exist.
They penetrate my hair, one by one. Not only that, but when it brushed my neck and earlobes, the tickling sensation gave me goosebumps. There was a function like this?!
“Aren’t you hot?”
“Not at all.”
I couldn’t keep my mouth shut about this novel experience.
* * *
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“You did the hard work.”
When I stroked her head, the girl greeted me with a sigh and walked away.
She headed toward her destination, her fluffy hair flowing.
Unlike the middle and lower areas where many things have changed, nothing has changed in the upper VIP residential area.
“Because I wanted to welcome you as you were when you came back.”
Artemis preserved it intact with that single thought.
Keying.
The door opened and the interior of the central control room, which felt as cozy as my own room, appeared.
Four pairs of eyes are looking at me from the table in the corner.
“Sorry for being late.”
I washed up quickly and came back, but they made me wait for almost 30 minutes. But no one is offended.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Welcome, Manager.”
“There should be days like this where you can rest well. “You faced something difficult yesterday.”
They were more satisfied with the fact that I slept soundly rather than waiting for them.
If it were Artemis, she might have scolded her, but she is generous because the promise of returning from the Tanis expedition is still valid.
However, her generosity is limited only to me.
[Town! Town!]
While everyone was giving welcome greetings, only Kiz was speechless. The mouth of the three-headed hologram was zippered.
“What is this?”
“I’m being punished.”
Artemis, with her arms crossed, spoke coldly.
“When you called me yesterday, it was as if I had become an external inspection attendant. But you weren’t able to help me properly, right? “The manager was trying to do something dangerous, but I couldn’t stop him, so I was just clapping.”
“Oh my.”
Was the Super Dogeza landing not enough to appease Artemis’ anger?
Kids, who are usually fussy, are everywhere and are watching Artemis.
Like a retriever who made his owner’s favorite Air Jordan sneakers into a rag.
It is unlikely that only the voice chat function has been blocked. There are probably also restrictions operating in cyberspace.
It pricked my conscience to just watch that. It’s me who caused the accident, and I’m the one who called the guy who was resting and used him as a guide.
“I guess that’s how much you trust me. I’m sure my body will be in good health.”
“You can think like that, but you can’t do that to the things below. Giving sound advice is the basic responsibility of a counselor.”
“If a project doesn’t go well, it’s the boss who takes responsibility. I think kids have a weak sense of responsibility.”
“Your relationship with Kids is not that of subordinate and superior. It’s a master-servant relationship.”
My protest was corrected like a sword.
“In the past, if a master made a mistake, it was common for the servant to be whipped instead. “It doesn’t matter if the owner falls off the horse while riding alone and gets hurt, or if he or she is unable to follow the tutor’s lessons.”
“I think that’s a bit too much.”
“It’s a sentiment that’s hard to understand in modern employment relationships, isn’t it? I understand that. “It is a logic that would only work in the past when the caste system and the relationship between military and god existed.”
Artemis smiled strangely.
“But I like that sentiment.”
Rose and Chrollo, who had done nothing wrong, listened calmly, but I could sense that they were also a bit nervous.
At first glance, it feels like it is bringing a chill to a harmonious family.
However, it is also true that this attitude of Artemis is essential for healthy organizational management.
A large family can run healthily when there is a firm hierarchy and a military leader.
“Still, my heart aches just watching Kids get scolded. “As the owner, I will share the punishment.”
I remembered the ecstatic kick from last night.
Small, soft feel and moderate impact force. This was an area of reward rather than punishment.
“You look disgusting right now.”
But it seems like it was seen right away.
“Aren’t we supposed to have a morning assembly anyway? “I hope they release it at this point.”
“Hmph.”
Artemis’s golden eyes blinked momentarily along with a snort.
Then, a handle appeared on the zipper attached to her kid’s mouth.
“…”
She looked at me earnestly, not even daring to touch it.
Ji-Ik.
When she stretched out her hand and opened it, her mouth was finally freed with a strange sound.
[Thank you! Administrator!]
The morning situation report to the command center began with Kids giving a belly bow.
* * *
While I was sleeping, there was a commotion in the center of the polis.
This is because the strike force raided organizations related to the arena.
It is said that the raid was easy because the people arrested at the scene I was at gave out information about alcohol.
The name of the organization run by the arena boss was Morning Glory.
“What kind of gang name is this…”
It makes me laugh to use the name of a model company that was popular across the country.
“Are you saying it’s made up of former Morning Glory salespeople or something?”
Cases like this were common.
This is the case when a person who had held a position in a company or social club before the infection war leads a small gang.
In a situation where the world is ruined, strangers are a risk factor that can stab a knife in the back at any time.
Working together with people you have known from the past is a good way to build trust and get along well.
“It has nothing to do with that company. Those who were just active as a group of explorers grew in power and started tinkering here and there, turning into an organization. The initial name of the organization was Chunsikpa, named after the leader.”
Mug shots of the arena boss, Chun-sik, and his executives were printed on the electronic table in front of me.
“When I entered the police force and started running an arena, I changed the name of the organization to Morning Glory.”
“Is it because it is an arena that operates from late at night until dawn?”
“That’s right.”
Since ancient times, the modifier always attached to martial arts clubs, coliseums, etc. Has been glory.
“You were talking about it being your own land and all, but it was joint management, right?”
Looking at the report, I saw that the party hall building I entered was occupied by several organizations. The guard I bribed at the entrance is also from another organization.
Morning Glory, the arena management team, was the most powerful, but it was not enough to do anything self-righteously.
“After questioning Jinsu, it seems like he was talking quite arrogantly to you.”
Artemis chuckled and played the recording. That was Chun-sik’s interview video when he entered the police force.
[The moment I saw this city, my heart warmed. How can we make this brilliant city even more special? Can visitors from outside have the best fun and memories? I came here with only that one thought!]
Chun-sik was sitting in a neat posture, wearing a suit and combing his hair in a 2:8 part.
There is not a single ring hanging on the passionately clenched fist.
[That’s Kim Chun-sik! And my men! I will do my best to make this city’s night beautiful! If you accept us…]
I can’t even imagine the bastard pointing a pistol at me and messing with me.
As the report progressed, I learned additional information.
It is said that the arena has been operated according to common sense. There was a reason for the recent strengthening of sadism and the sudden move to introduce bears.
“There was a struggle for influence with a competing organization we were co-managing.”
Rose, who conducted the interrogation, said.
The polis is outside her jurisdiction, but that only speaks to her duties. It’s not like you don’t have control.
Artemis did not like the chore of dealing with each and every human, so Rose was in charge of this.
“Feeling a sense of crisis, leader Kim Chun-sik tried to turn the situation around by increasing the popularity of the arena.”
“Did in the process come up with a plan to pit humans against bears?”
“That’s right. The bear was captured by an organization called Miryang, made up of ethnic Chinese. They said it was caught near the border of Mt. Baekdu in North Korea. “These are people who have a connection, albeit a weak one, with China.”
A mug shot of a noble lady sitting on the sofa at the table was printed.
In the morning, there was discussion about the treatment of the arena and related organizations.
To conclude, I plan to maintain the arena itself in the future.
“In times of chaos like these, we can’t just run the city like a scholar.”
The arena was a business that was very helpful in networking and information exchange in the underworld. It is also true that it is too wasteful to just close it down.
Miryang, which distributed the bear, was not punished because it was only an intermediate distributor and was useful.
Instead, Morning Glory, the arena management team, replaced the higher-ups. I plan to select a new organization to handle the management of the subordinates and the arena.
Artemis selected and recommended five candidates.
“Choose according to your taste. If you don’t like everything, feel free to talk about it. Because it is a place flowing with milk and honey, people are lining up.”
“Why are there so many gangs?”
“Not all of them are criminal organizations. These days, it is difficult to distinguish between searchers, distributors, merchants, and gangsters.”
Well, it is a world where even teenagers know how to use weapons and the boundaries between clean and dirty work are blurred.
It’s the same as how it’s difficult to distinguish between factions and gangsters that appear in martial arts magazines.
“Why are the organizations named like this?”
When I looked at each profile, I immediately laughed.
“It’s a trend these days to do things like that. This is an age where there are no cell phones to store things, and it is difficult to get business cards, so it must be easy to remember at once. “It’s difficult to get new employees because you feel like a criminal.”
‘Smart Friends’, a group of deserters.
‘Truck Meteor’ formed by transporters.
‘The Hawk of Love’ where teachers gather.
‘Mandarin’ comprised of former fishermen.
‘Amaterasu Gumi’, the Yakuza who came over from Japan.
Naturally, I was interested in the fifth candidate, the only foreign organization.
“Amaterasu? “It’s an unusual organization name for a Yakuza.”
Usually, names of regions or people are used, but characters from myths are not used.
“She is the most revered sun goddess in Japanese folk religion.”
For some reason, Artemis was embarrassed and hesitated, so Chrollo responded.
When I gestured for her to continue explaining, she continued with a more relaxed look.
“There were yakuza who were abandoned within the organization and came to Korea. We recruited them as a springboard for our search in Japan. But I think the Yakuza were very impressed.”
“It’s worth it since it’s Donga-jul that came down from a foreign land in the era of destruction, unable to communicate and going through a lot of hardship.”
“It’s not that bad.”
Chrollo shook her head.
“I was worshiped by Artemis, who provided abundant food and supplies and led thorough planning in perfect Japanese.”
Artemis’ face grew redder as she listened in silence.
“They began to overlap Artemis with Amaterasu in their native beliefs. “Because we happened to have similar names.”
“Did you know that this young lady is an artificial intelligence?”
I pointed at Artemis with my thumb.
“Of course. In fact, that’s why I reacted even more enthusiastically. The Japanese government abandoned its people and ran away, and was also betrayed by an organization it trusted. At that time, the Yakuza had a distrust of humanity.”
“But why is it the Amaterasu Gumi and not the Artemis Gumi?”
“The leader there was a former salesman. “It was intentionally named that way as localization was necessary to serve as an information source in Japan.”
“Wow, you’re quite an intelligent friend, aren’t you?”
It’s a very interesting story.
Unlike me, who was admiring him by holding his chin, Artemis covered his face with both hands. Is it really that embarrassing?
“The world is the world, so I expected that someday people like this would appear.”
When life becomes difficult, all kinds of pseudo-religions become popular.
A supercomputer that manages a huge city with intelligence that far surpasses that of humans. It is enough to become an object of worship in the last days.
“I will think more about selecting a contracting company.”
“There’s no need to rush, so you can take your time.”
Artemis thought he had a fever, so she fanned his hand and stroked his face.
I was so flattered, but now that I have real believers, I am embarrassed.
I ended the morning status report by looking through the profiles of the candidate organizations.
