Chapter 32 – #7 Department Store Terror (6)
Heo-eok… Heo-eok… Heo-eok….
“Wow… This one is really… It just got cold.”
■■ On the emergency stairway on the floor, number 13, who was sitting somewhere there, brushed her hair, calming her pounding heart from sprinting.
The woman, no way did she think she would shake off her brainwashing under that circumstance.
I expected a few patterns with the staff that Spade might not be brainwashed, but I didn’t expect her brainwashing her to be released at that moment.
No… According to Dorothy, in the case of 『Acting against one’s will』, The brainwashing might be released, so be careful.
I was relieved because most things were eaten, but it seems that the order to 『Attack my comrades』 Was still early.
Chijik…
[No. 13, are you okay?]
From the communication terminal plugged into my ear, I heard Apple’s voice.
Even in this situation, the voice that seems to be happy does not change.
Currently, all radio waves in this area are blocked, but only the radio waves connected to this terminal are alive due to Apple’s manipulation.
He replied that he was fine and asked how he was doing now.
[Anyway, it seems that Mr. Spade and Mr. Club want to continue tracking them.]
I heard such an answer.
The two of them probably think that Number 13 has no way to contact the outside world.
So it seemed that the staff were planning to find him and arrest him before they figured out something and let No. 13 escape.
‘I’m just running away. It’s possible, but….’
This terminal is also connected to the staff.
If you just want to run away, you can run away anytime.
Even her magic power was used up while repairing the wounds she suffered from the club’s attack a while ago.
Now, even if you get a fatal wound, you can’t continue.
While I was thinking about what to do, I heard a crackling sound from the terminal, and another voice this time.
It was a staff member.
[No. 13, I will warp you to the base right now. It would be better to return and prepare for the next operation!]
“Chief, wait a moment.”
[What are you talking about! I’ve watched everything, but with two fatal wounds, you’d have used up all your mana! Please be honest!]
What the staff said is true, and to be honest, it’s right to go back immediately if you think about safety.
In the beginning, even in the original plan, it was stated that “When magic power runs out, all plans will be discarded and escape will be the top priority”.
But if there is a problem.
If you run away from this situation, your future work will be difficult.
In addition, the club witnessed Number 13 controlling the spade right in front of their eyes.
Spade’s memory can later do something in a place where there is no club.
The same plan won’t work in the future, and the 7th Division’s vigilance will increase.
Then.
“Not good.”
[No. 13. Now is the time to step back. I’ll get you back right away. If you give me 3 minutes–]
“Wait, sergeant. Apple, can you hear me?”
[Yes~★]
“Where are the spades and clubs positioned? Let me know.”
[No. 13!]
[Yeah~★ Let’s see where the two of them are~★]
I heard a sound close to screaming from the staff, but I ignored it.
I gave the order, so I won’t bring it back on my own.
As if it didn’t matter what choice No. 13 made, Apple cheerfully answered No. 13’s questions.
Where the two of them are now, what strategy they are planning, what means they will use in the current situation, and so on.
“I’ll go to Plan ■. Apple, can you?”
[Yes, I will try.]
[No. 13!]
Ignoring the advice of the staff, No. 13 got up and opened the door to the emergency stairs.
Inside the shopping mall where the barriers against villain terrorism have come down, in a dark space where all the lights are turned off and the only lights are emergency lights.
Just in time, I found a cat toddling on the floor in front of the emergency stairway door.
There is still one more trump card left.
* * *
Thump… Thump…
Rattle! What a profit…
Spade opened the emergency stairway door and looked inside.
Todo Dot and two cats ran through the open door.
“Okay, I sent them in here too.”
“Thank you, senior. Next, I would like to ask for the emergency stairs in the area. I will show you the map now.”
A voice that echoes in my head.
Following that, a new vision suddenly appeared in front of my eyes as if it were overlapping.
The view the club was looking at was transmitted to the spade as it was.
【Sensory Attunement】 or 【Sensory Sharing】.
They shared their sights using that ability. The voice that echoed in my head was also an application of that ability.
Communication devices cannot be used in this building right now, but there is no way to prevent remote communication using abilities.
I don’t have to worry about eavesdropping, and I like that it’s easier to understand than verbal instructions.
“The barrier is down, so I can’t go the shortest distance. Shall we go downstairs first?”
“All right. Please take the two of them with you.”
“Okay.”
With the white and tabby cat in her arms her, Spade jumped lightly over the railing and came downstairs.
Just as the club instructed, I found another emergency stairway door and opened it.
――The two of them are still continuing to pursue Unit 13.
With only two people to track, the inevitable option is to use the club’s cat.
However, the passages for people to come in and out, such as emergency stairs, because cats can’t open it anyway, so Spade is stepping in to open the door.
Since the club has to manipulate numerous cats at the same time, they are separated for concentration.
And if there is distance, there is a way to counter it, even if the spades are dominated like a moment ago.
――In the first place, the club is a sniper.
It can be said that it is her duty to stand by her in a safe place, and if she identifies the location of her opponent, she will snipe them on the spot.
The location of the club is surrounded by barriers and walls on three sides, and cats are waiting in all the passages leading to it, so you can know it immediately if No. 13 approaches.
If you walk around the spade hole in that state and expand the field of view of the club like this…
I thought that one day I would find No. 13 without difficulty.
It was the safest, most reliable, and surest plan the two could come up with in the present situation.
“Thank you for listening to my insistence, senior.”
“Because it is. It’s really dangerous to force yourself on the spot.”
『Ehehe….』
“Do not laugh. Ugh.”
“Still, I’m really happy to be able to work with you. Do you know why I joined the 7th Division?』
“Wasn’t it randomly assigned?”
“I have some achievements. You made it easy for me.”
In addition, as it has quite useful abilities, it seems that the upper level hoped to deploy it in the metropolitan area where there are many possible incidents.
“I came here because I admired Spade-senpai. Ah, I respect Captain Rahe and Captain Check, too.”
“…… Is it really necessary to talk about that right now?”
No, when I hear something like longing directly like this… Are you saying you don’t know how to react?
Koreans are not accustomed to compliments.
I feel itchy.
『Spade-senpai worked as a hero since high school, right? As a special case. I also read the article several times.”
“Eww….”
The club’s voice echoed in my head, sounding slightly excited.
How did the club, who were middle school students at the time, feel when they saw the Knight of Spades, and how did they have longings in their young hearts?
“The reason I applied for enlistment right after graduation was because of my seniors.”
“Please, stop….”
This time it was mingled with giggles.
Although her admiration itself is not false, Club is essentially a troublesome woman who enjoys harassing others.
But at some point, the voice of the club in my head stopped unnaturally.
“Club?”
No answer.
For an instant, a feeling of uneasiness passed by. So let Spade call the name of the club several times.
『………… Oh, I was dazed for a moment.”
Again the voice of the club came back.
“I was surprised by the sudden silence. It’s ok?”
“That is… Magic power… I think it’s not enough. I guess I’m going to keep doing ‘Link’….』
“Okay? Then, should I cut off the link with me? Linking with cats doesn’t take much magic, does it?”
“Yes. Being with people consumes a lot of mana.”
The club used [Share Sight] To mark the location where Spade’s help was needed immediately.
After that, with the words that he would provide additional instructions later, the ‘link’ was cut off in a hurry.
In the moment of desolation, for some reason, I feel a sense of loneliness.
The cat that had been following cried her at her feet her ‘Meow ~’as if to let Spade know that he was there.
‘Well, then….’
Still, Spade just continues to search.
But she had gone this far and still hadn’t found it.
As expected, number 13 may have already run away…
Rather, I’m inclined to think that it won’t matter anyway.
Spade believes that the essence of being a hero is to protect “Citizen safety”.
The arrest of the villain is secondary. On top of that, he’s not a heinous villain who commits serious, irreversible crimes if he’s #13.
‘No, considering what I’m going to do today….’
Do you think you should fix that thought?
While thinking that in a daze, I tried to resume my search.
In case you didn’t know, you could still hear the crackle and mechanical sound from the 7th Division communication terminal that was still plugged into your ear.
[Mr. Spade, Mr. Spade. Can you hear me? Can you hear me?]
The welcome voice of Apple, which I had been waiting for, came to my ears.
