Chapter 110 – Evacuation (Part Three)

“Move out! Move out!”

As a man in a Defensive Coat waved his arm and shouted, the cargo trucks lined up on one side began to leave the facility one by one.

In the once-empty backyard, the tall chain-link fence had been cut wide open, and VTOL transport aircraft were lined up.

They were scheduled to depart a little later, as various items were still being loaded.

Once the large cargo trucks, filled with confiscated goods, had all left via the road, agents dragged several organization members with their wrists bound from inside the building and shoved them into black vans.

“How many are left, you said?”

“Five.”

“So many of them died.”

Jeong Jin-seong and Song Joon-ho spoke in front of a stopped vehicle.

All the organization members at this facility were individuals who had not undergone the Awakened procedure or brainwashing. Unlike the surgically created Awakened, they didn’t suddenly vomit blood and die upon capture.

Therefore, those who had surrendered or were defenseless were captured alive rather than killed, in an attempt to extract information.

Why would they cooperate with this madness while of sound mind, without being brainwashed? What was their objective?

Besides these questions, there was still much to uncover about these shrouded figures.

Of course, whether out of overflowing loyalty or fear of their organization, they kept their mouths shut, saying nothing. But with enough time, they could be made to talk.

However, a variable had emerged in their plan to simply transport the captured members to a secure location for interrogation.

Despite not having undergone the brainwashing procedure, they had suddenly chosen to take their own lives.

Initially, over fifty people had been disarmed and subdued, but most of them had ended their own lives in one way or another, leaving only five alive.

“It doesn’t change anything. In fact, it makes transport easier.”

“I suppose so, but…”

“This side is all ready for departure.”

Just then, an agent who had shoved the last member into the rearmost vehicle and closed the door approached and spoke to them.

The two nodded and got into the vehicle in the middle.

In the right rear seat, an organization member with an anxious look in his eyes held up his cuffed hands.

Jeong Jin-seong got in next to him, and Song Joon-ho sat in the front passenger seat.

The reason they, some of the world’s most important personnel, were personally accompanying the transport was simple.

Although they had launched a surprise attack, the enemy would have realized by now that the facility had fallen, and there was a possibility of being attacked during transport.

It wasn’t a great distance to their destination, but they couldn’t consider themselves safe until they crossed the Mexican border.

To prevent such a mishap, high-ranking Awakened Jeong Jin-seong and Song Joon-ho were in the transport vehicle, and given the large scale of the operation, which included both the raid and the transport, a large number of non-Awakened CIA agents were also participating.

“Right, I almost forgot this.”

Jeong Jin-seong said, noticing a sack lying on the back seat.

He pulled the sack over the organization member’s head to block his vision, and the vehicle departed.

They drove through the complex paths of a forest that had regained its lush, natural appearance, no longer corrupted by the monster’s toxic energy after the barrier was completely destroyed.

They passed through the forest’s border checkpoint without any interference and drove across the outskirts of the city.

As the line of identical black vans passed by, people nearby glanced at them for a moment but didn’t pay much attention.

Overall, there were no suspicious signs, but they all remained vigilant, scanning their surroundings as they moved.

Not knowing where an attack might come from, they had to check everything one by one—the rooftops and windows of nearby buildings, and even the vehicles driving in the adjacent lanes.

After some time had passed, Jeong Jin-seong spoke.

“It’s quiet so far.”

“The probability of an attack wasn’t high to begin with. Besides, if they were to attack, they’d do it near the border.”

Song Joon-ho replied, his gaze still fixed outside.

It was merely a matter of being cautious and fully prepared; it didn’t mean they were certain an attack would occur.

In fact, the likelihood of them not attacking was much higher.

They would need to pinpoint the exact time and location of their movement, and breaking through their defenses to rescue the captured members and equipment would be impossible with ordinary forces.

Moreover, once they crossed the Mexican border into the United States, the chances of being attacked were practically nil.

Within the U.S., support could arrive at any moment, so unless they were planning an all-out war, there was no reason to forgo an opportunity on this side of the border to attack on the other.

And so, the convoy of vehicles drew closer to the border.

-Watch the right, watch the right. Two vehicles are on us at our three o’clock.

-Red Elantra, black Corolla, confirmed.

-Can’t see inside the windows.

Suddenly, the radio traffic between the vehicles became frantic.

They had noticed the suspicious vehicles around them and had begun to identify them one by one.

Just as they were wondering if they were simply being tailed, Jeong Jin-seong spotted something.

“Wait… I see a gun barrel in the second car over on the left.”

“Left side, left side, weapon spotted in the green vehicle.”

-Understood. Currently confirming.

“WPB0734. The tint is dark, so a regular person wouldn’t see it.”

Jeong Jin-seong said, reading off the vehicle’s license plate.

The problem was that, aside from the vehicles just mentioned, they could feel another five or six cars unnaturally sticking to them.

The seats in the cars were all occupied, and the men inside were all in awkward positions, as if hiding weapons.

However, it was difficult for the escort vehicles to take the initiative and act decisively.

They were hitting traffic lights intermittently, and the road wasn’t suitable for the high speeds needed to shake off their pursuers.

They watched each other, and the uncomfortable journey continued for some time.

“This is dangerous… We need to take them down first.”

Jeong Jin-seong said, scanning the surroundings.

The suspicious vehicles were slowly closing the distance around them.

They weren’t approaching overtly but were maintaining a certain distance while their numbers gradually increased in a clear attempt to encircle them.

However, the response to taking the first shot was negative.

-They’re confirmed hostiles. Requesting permission to exit vehicles.

-Hold. Engage only after the targets exit their vehicles and their weapons are exposed.

-Stand by. Stand by.

“Damn it, what are they doing?”

They were trying to avoid a direct confrontation, not wanting to attack the suspicious individuals first.

There were risks involved in preemptively striking and subduing them.

From their perspective, it was best to avoid causing a commotion that could lead to unnecessary friction with the Mexican government.

Raiding a hidden facility in the forest was one thing, but initiating a gunfight on a downtown road and taking down superhumans presented a host of problems.

As the tense standoff continued, the border came into view, and the vehicles accelerated.

-Lane secured.

-No need for inspection. We’re going straight through.

Due to recent events, crossing the border usually required a complicated procedure, but the CIA had already made arrangements.

Furthermore, they had secured a dedicated lane, allowing them to pass through the checkpoint in one go without stopping.

At that, the vehicles that had been following them stopped for a moment, then turned and scattered in different directions.

The escort vehicles were crossing the border without any incident.

“What just happened? Did they give up?”

Jeong Jin-seong muttered, bewildered by their inexplicably passive behavior.

Perhaps they had considered the Awakened’s strength and decided an attack was too risky.

Added to that, the vehicle carrying Jeong Jin-seong and the agents was heavily armored, making it difficult to achieve much with a simple ambush.

“It’s for the best. No need to get held up dealing with small fry. It seems they’ve given up.”

“Right… I hope that’s the case.”

* * *

“Why is this building so gloomy? And everyone here gives you the creeps the way they stare.”

“Then why did you come along?”

Il-hyeon and Seo Jeong-hwa conversed in a corridor bathed in white light.

They were stretching their arms, putting on the long black coats provided to them—protective gear to shield their bodies from electromagnetic waves.

It looked similar to the special Defensive Coat Il-hyeon had received from Raven, and the principle of operation was the same.

However, unlike the Defensive Coat, it lacked any powerful protective functions or miscellaneous features like contamination purification.

Its sole purpose was to defend against the electromagnetic waves that neutralized the Awakened, and even that, they had been told, could be disabled from the control room at any time.

If the coat’s function were to be cut off inside, the electromagnetic waves filling the prison below would instantly overwhelm them.

It was a warning: no matter how strong or famous an Awakened you were on the outside, any suspicious activity in here would result in your immediate neutralization.

In any case, after donning the provided coats, the two looked at the guard who had been watching them silently, and he soon started walking.

As they walked through the building, the corridor’s height and width suddenly expanded, and they soon found themselves facing a massive steel door.

*Zeeeeeng! Clank!*

A red siren flashed, a sharp sound rang out, and the door was opened from the control room.

Following the guard inside, Il-hyeon and Seo Jeong-hwa looked around, taking in a sight they might never see again for the rest of their lives.

The corridor continued for a short distance, its cold gray walls and dim lighting leaving a strong impression.

At the end of the corridor, a massive circular shaft opened up above and below, with a spiral staircase winding around it, descending to an unknown depth.

A cool wind, carrying the sound of a cavern, blew past, scattering Seo Jeong-hwa’s red hair behind her.

“Hey… what if… what if someone other than you had caught me? Would I have been locked up here?”

“Probably, yeah.”

Il-hyeon replied after a moment’s thought.

Although she was nothing compared to him, a C-Rank Awakened was still a considerable force, whether in a criminal organization or a regular Awakened corporation.

Seo Jeong-hwa was unusually strong among the surgically created Awakened; when they first met at the terror incident, she had enough skill to hold her own against Il-hyeon for some time.

That alone was enough to establish her as a significant threat. Considering the severity of the crimes she had been brainwashed to commit and the notorious organization she belonged to, she most likely would have been imprisoned here if caught.

Seo Jeong-hwa, who had been gazing down into the abyss, sniffled once and murmured softly.

“What a relief.”