SS1 10.3 – Bad News
In the side yard of detention center, I took out the HMV from Inventory, and Bae In-nu immediately made a quick inspection on it, starting from the dashboard, to the engine, and finally the rear section.
“This is a good car,” Bae In-nu concluded.
“Yeah.”
“Where do we go?”
“A small healing quarter, near the north guard post.”
Bae In-nu nodded and said. “I know that place. Let me drive the car.”
“As you wish.”
I immediately hopped up to passenger seat, while Ariel went up to rear section and sat behind me. Then, we put on our sunglasses almost at the same time.
After looking at me and Ariel in turn Bae In-nu said, “Give me your sunglasses.”
Without delay I took out a box of new safety glass from my inventory. When I bought it for Kara, I bought additional pieces after learning that if I bought it in pair of clear glass and black glass, I would get a discount and nice box to store it. Now, I had three pairs in my Inventory.
“Here,” I said as I handed over the safety glass to Bae In-nu.
“Thanks.” Bae In-nu immediately put the black glasses on, and stored the clear one in her Inventory.
As Bae In-nu started the engine I asked her, “Can I ask something personal?”
“As long as you don’t ask me how many patrician bastards have fucked me for the last few years,” Bae In-nu said as she stepped on the gas and drove the HMV. “You can.”
“Do you have plastic surgery?” I casually asked.
“No,” Bae In-nu casually said. “When I was still living and kicking in earth, I invest my money on something else.”
“Is ‘Bae In-nu’ your real name?”
“No,” Bae In-nu gave me another casual reply. “It is name of puppy in my parent story. This puppy lives in a small isolate courtyard, under shitty master. For the whole life, she tries her best to figure out a way to escape.
She fails many times and faces countless challenge, but in the end she manages to free herself and escape. My parent told me this stories since I was a toddler. It is part of the escape plan they built to get me out of North fucking Korea.”
“May I know its meaning?”
“Bae is word for inspired in Korean. Innu means dog in Japanese. Other than that, it’s a roundabout away to remember my parent’s root.”
“I see.” I lightly nodded while muttered, ‘So, literally, she is Doggie-chan.’
“Anything else?”
“Nope.”
After a moment of silence Bae In-nu resumed our conversation. “Did you serve?”
“Yeah, IDF sapper officer.”
“What was your last rank?”
“First Lieutenant.”
“Did you graduate from military academy?”
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“No, I took enlistment route. Then, right after my first combat deployment, the chain of commands sent me to officer prep academy. This course added additional 16 months to my mandatory service.”
“I see.” After a short pause Bae In-nu said, “Just so you know, I graduated from military academy as 1st place. Taking commando course after that, and then went to best flight school in Switzerland as Japanese student.
After that I became private pilot while sometimes carrying out assassination, VVIP escort, or mercenary task in West Europe and North Africa.”
“I see. You were Black ops operator back then.”
“Yeah.”
“What aircraft you can handle?”
“Other than C-1-30, I can fly any fixed small turboprop.”
“That’s impressive.”
I didn’t know how good military academy in North Korea, but entering best flight school in Switzerland was not easy. I had lots of high school friends with excellent grades who failed at their first attempt. Bae In-nu clearly had the brain, the strength, and the skill to be top hunter. She also had a great look. Kara really picked me a good one.
“What is your last rank?” I curiously asked.
“Major.”
After a moment of silence I asked Bae In-nu another question “North Korea has lots of MD-500, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Can you fly it?”
“Before going to the flight school, I already became specialist in maintaining and flying armed MD-500.”
“I see.”
Well, I also knew how to fly the military version of MD-500, but for now I would keep it to myself. A moment later, we arrived at the healing quarter. I immediately finished the last piece of my burger while Bae In-nu parked the HMV in the side yard, in front of terrace with stone table and chairs.
---
Ariel asked if she could come along to healing quarter. Bae In-nu told her to wait in the HMV with her, but I decided to take her along. Then, we just about to enter the side door when an old nurse stopped us.
“You can’t go in with her,” The old nurse sternly said while pointing her finger at Ariel’s face.
“I see.”
Ariel instantly bit her lower lips, while trying her best to hold her sob. She was seasoned hunter, but in the end of the day she was only a kid. The sudden rejection must have hit her very hard. Unfortunately, I could do nothing about it. I should have listened to Bae In-nu earlier.
“Damnable customs!”
A heavy cursed was suddenly echoed from the back room, and a moment later the healer I wanted to meet exited from there.
“Just let them in,” The healer sternly said.
“Healer Melker.” Panic instantly filled the old nurse’s face to the brim. “If you let a demi-human enter this place, no one will come here to seek your service ever again.”
“Fuck!” Healer Melker cursed one more time before turning her gaze to me, “Mr. Berg, please follow me, and I’m so sorry you have to receive a rude treatment.”
“Honestly, it’s my mistake,” I said as I followed Healer Melker to the side yard. “I should pay more attention to local customs.”
“It’s just damnable customs,” Healer Melker said while taking out a pot of tea and a plate of short bread from his Inventory and arranged it on stone table in the terrace, next to the HMV where Bae In-nu casually sat. Then, he politely signaled me and Ariel to sit. “Please.”
“I guess you come to takes the remaining of nursing money for Tamar,” Healer Melker said while pouring tea for both Ariel and me. “But before that, let me treat you with some tea.”
“Actually, I come to ask if the money I left is not enough.”
Healer Melker’s hands immediately stopped pouring the tea, and then he turned his gaze to me. “It seems you have not heard it yet.”
“The next day after I brought Tamar here, I went for a hunt and just return a few hours ago,” I said as I prepared myself for bad news. “After submitting a direct report in House of Hunter, I go here right away.”
“I see. You really have not heard about it yet.”
“Healer Melker, what’s happen?”
After letting out a deep sigh Healer Melker told me. The night after she lost her kids, Tamar had a dream her kids return to her and while loudly crying they asked her why she didn’t save them from Old Jack. After that, she cried for the whole night and the old nursed accompanied her.
In the morning, she fell asleep and the old nurse left to make breakfast for her. When she returns to deliver the breakfast, the old nurse found Tamar had hung herself to the death.
“I’m sorry,” Healer Melker said while deeply bowing to me. “I should have given her more attention and precaution.”
“Healer Melker, it’s not your fault,” I said after taking a deep breath.
Actually, I also came to tell Tamar that I had killed Old Jack to avenge her kids, but it was too late so I kept it to myself. After telling Healer Melker that I would put the remaining money for Tamar’s nursing as donation for his healing quarter, I and Ariel then left.
The journey to our living quarter went in total silence. It seemed Ariel and Bae In-nu realized my foul mood. A few minutes later, we already arrived at our living quarter.
“Bergstard,” Bae In-nu said while turned the HMV’s engine off. “As long as you don’t screw me without my consent, I will give you monster kill beyond your wildest imagination.”
“Got it.”
I had no mood for long conversation, so I just gave Bae In-nu a brief reply. After that, I stored the HMV in my Inventory and let Ariel and Bae In-nu to choose their room. I really needed a good rest.
*****
