Chapter 16

“Though the situation won’t be easy with increased security and additional guards deployed after the previous strike team’s failure, for the future of our country and people…”

One tends to get used to anything with time.

Despite the sudden change, Yuseong maintained his composure and quietly surveyed the situation by moving just his eyes while keeping his original posture.

In a narrow, dimly lit space, six men including himself were staring intently at a map laid out on a desk while listening to a middle-aged man speaking in a heavily cracked voice.

‘Are they doing a briefing before the operation starts?’

Like the saying about not knowing even basic letters, all Yuseong could understand was that they needed to retrieve or if not possible destroy some target stored in a facility, as he knew nothing about strategy, tactics, or the current situation.

“That’s all. If anyone has questions or comments, speak now.”

“……”

“Good. Then let’s do one final equipment check before starting the operation.”

As soon as the order came, everyone began checking their equipment with practiced movements, and Yuseong started clumsily imitating them while watching from the corner of his eye.

Thwack!

“What are you doing? Still half asleep?”

“I…”

Just as Yuseong was about to speak reflexively at the heavy sensation on the back of his head, he saw a message appear before his eyes and caught himself.

[Synchronization with ‘Philip’ is complete]

[You can now use ‘Philip’s’ skills]

-Q-quick, apologize! The commander hates slow people the most!

“…I apologize. I’m nervous since this is my first mission.”

Click! Click!

Once synchronization finished, his hands started moving before his mind could think, skillfully maintaining unfamiliar equipment and firearms he’d never seen before.

Seeing this, the commander spoke in a somewhat softer voice.

“Given it’s your first mission, some nerves are unavoidable, but be careful as excessive tension negatively affects movement. Once maintenance is complete, move to your designated points in sequence and prepare to start the operation on time. Good luck.”

Click!

Having started maintenance last, Yuseong was naturally the last to leave.

And when he opened the door and saw the scene outside, he couldn’t help but exclaim in amazement.

“…What is this place?”

A cityscape filled with streetlights, shops, skyscrapers, the shouts of people, and the noise of cars.

At first he thought he might have landed in some city on Earth, but looking carefully at the view beyond the window, Yuseong realized his assumption was wrong.

‘Though it’s a science-based civilization, both the building styles and people’s clothing are different from Earth’s. This isn’t Earth.’

-What are you thinking about? Hurry to your designated point! What if this delays the operation!

‘There’s still over 20 minutes until operation time, we can move a bit more leisurely.’

-Leisurely?! This is your first mission, be a little tense!

Letting Philip’s complaints go in one ear and out the other, Yuseong checked his status window.

Name: Philip

Class: Trainee Agent

Level: 59

Title: Nervous Wreck in Real Situations

Strength: 41

Agility: 57

Wisdom: 66

Constitution: 65

Mana: 3

Skills: Shadow Moon Style 16(C), Firearms Knowledge(D), Marksmanship(D), Stealth(D), Acting(D), Tracking(E), Machine Maintenance(E), Hand-to-Hand Combat(E), Code Breaking(E), Body Understanding(E).

‘Except for wisdom and mana, his stats are two to three times higher than mine, and his skills are exactly what you’d expect from an agent.’

Bang! Bang!

-What are you doing?

“Testing.”

Though he could instinctively understand and use Philip’s skills and experience once synchronization completed, knowing something in your head and actually knowing it are different things.

Moreover, since Yuseong had no accurate baseline for ability scores, this process was essential.

If he could understand what level of strength and speed someone with these stats could demonstrate, he could roughly estimate what his real body was capable of.

‘If strength 41 is this much, then half would be about this… agility 27 would be roughly this…’

After repeating shadow boxing and sprinting in the empty hallway, Yuseong seemed to have gotten a feel for it and addressed Philip.

‘I have some questions, if that’s okay?’

-O-of course. But I’m nervous, so could you maybe ask while moving to the point?

‘Okay. Guide me.’

-…Pardon? Guide you?

‘That bald guy earlier said something but I only half listened. You know the plan, right?’

-Ah, I understand. Hmm. You’re quite different from what I expected.

‘Different from what you expected? How?’

-I thought all users were serious beings.

Hearing Philip casually mention the word “user”, Yuseong narrowed his eyes as he realized something.

‘This isn’t his first time.’

Normally when someone experiences having their body freely controlled by another, they would react like Alice did.

However, Philip showed no surprise at all, remaining completely calm.

Seeing this reaction that would be impossible without knowledge of quests and users, Yuseong decided to ask a few more questions.

‘Do you know about users?’

-Aren’t they divine apostles who help when humans face impossibly difficult trials?

‘……’

-Huh? Is, is that not right? Could I be wrong? But that person definitely said so…

‘That person?’

-The first user I met. Did I misunderstand something?

‘…No. You understand correctly.’

It seemed the previous user who found explaining details bothersome had made up a convenient explanation.

Well, it would be much easier to gloss over everything with something like “divine apostle” rather than explaining about goggles, other worlds, karma, and so on.

‘How did you meet the first user? And how did you call me?’

-It just worked when I wished desperately?

‘Like if you wish desperately the universe will help you? That kind of thing?’

-Oh? That’s exactly what the first user told me. That if you wish desperately, you can meet users.

“…Don’t tell me that first one was Korean?”

-Ko-Korean? What’s that?

He accidentally spoke out loud upon hearing something he never expected to hear in another world.

Though he tried to figure out the quest generation mechanism and how to make requests to users, Philip didn’t know anything about that either.

Just that if you wish desperately, truly desperately, text appears before your eyes asking you to write what help you want and what equivalent compensation you’ll offer.

-And right after I finished writing, a user started controlling my body. That’s all I know.

“You really don’t know anything.”

-I-I’m sorry for not knowing more.

“No need to apologize. Why are you so timid?”

-Well, I’m just a nervous wreck… I do well with memorization and training, but once I enter real situations my heart races and my body freezes up and I can’t do anything properly. That’s why I’ve been stuck as a trainee agent for over ten years.

Philip explained that though he thought he’d remain a trainee agent forever, fortunately or unfortunately, agents recently suffered heavy casualties during a mission, and due to the shortage of field agents for deployment, he finally got his chance.

-I don’t mind being mocked myself, but I absolutely cannot bear having the mission fail and causing harm to my colleagues and country because of me. Please help me!

“You do well in training?”

-Yes. I always achieved top ranks in sparring and training. But once I enter real situations, my body just won’t move as I want…

“…Did I hit the jackpot?”

-J-jackpot?

While he’d need to test it directly, if Philip’s words were true, this quest was a jackpot.

Having finally reached the first floor after climbing long stairs, Yuseong opened the firmly closed door and stepped out onto the street.

“……”

Though he’d seen it through the window, seeing it up close left him speechless again.

Skyscrapers reaching high into the sky and cars with bulky, beetle-like designs.

All sorts of people wearing clothes similar to but different from Earth’s, fighting, linking arms, lining up in front of stores.

While feeling strange emotions comparing this city scene that felt like falling into a movie set in the early 20th century with Earth’s cities turned to ruins by monster invasion, Yuseong started walking at Philip’s urging.

‘Over there?’

A building easily half again as large and far more magnificent than the others.

-That’s right. Neptune, Brant’s largest pharmaceutical company’s building.

‘Wait. Brant? Isn’t that your country’s name? Why are secret organization agents targeting a company from your own country? If I remember correctly, this was quite an aggressive operation?’

Despite the operation taking place in a building in the heart of downtown, there hadn’t been any warnings to be careful.

They were only told to move quietly without being caught if possible, but if not possible, to thoroughly eliminate obstacles and achieve the objective without holding back on weapon use or methods – it didn’t seem like an operation one would conduct against their own country’s major corporation.

-As just a trainee agent, I don’t know the details, but if I had to guess, Neptune probably has an Out-of-Place Artifact. No, not a guess, it’s almost certain. A small company like Neptune suddenly releasing world-changing new drugs one after another and becoming a mega-corporation in less than ten years would be impossible without an Out-of-Place Artifact.

‘Out-of-Place Artifact?’

-We’re here! Please focus on the operation now!

Though he wanted to ask more about this concerning term, he decided to focus on the given mission for now at Philip’s urging.

People decked out in fancy, expensive-looking clothes and accessories lined up in front of the building.

-Today there’s a party for Neptune’s executives and people in cooperative relationships. Today is the only day Neptune’s security level is somewhat reduced. My role is…

‘I know that much. It was drawing attention, right?’

Whether due to the manpower shortage or judging that someone who couldn’t perform in real situations couldn’t be trusted with important tasks, Philip’s primary mission was to cause a disturbance to draw attention.

-Yes. There’s a flask at my waist, so using that…

Opening the flask’s cap released a sharp alcohol smell.

He kept half the contents in his mouth and swished it around before spitting it out, then lightly sprinkled the other half on his collar and sleeves before messing up his hair with both hands.

Swaying arms, unfocused eyes, and occasional meaningless mumbling.

Having instantly transformed into a perfect drunk, Yuseong pretended to trip while walking slightly away from the crowd and threw himself toward the people in line.

“Oops!”