Rust - Chapter 218



Only Krnovel

RUST -218

Want to see the breaking news?

What if Chief Dan Brown himself sent you a text message?

When I turned on the TV, there was a nervous-looking anchor talking to experts.

Bold letters scrolled across the bottom of the screen.

[Russia. Signs of nuclear facility operation. Fueling nuclear missiles?]

[China. People’s Liberation Army Northern Brigade. Troops concentrated in the Yalu River basin of North Korea.]

[Texas hints at possible secession from the Union.]

There were not one, but three.

What they said as breaking news is that the situation is serious.

If Russia’s nuclear facilities are operational, does that mean we’ll have to use nuclear weapons? No way?

China deploys troops along North Korea border?

Why Texas?

[···North Korea has suffered enormous damage from this mutant virus outbreak. In addition, this winter, there was less snow than usual, so not only was the winter drought severe, but the spring drought is also expected to continue.]

[North Korea had a poor harvest last year. On top of that, the conflict between Ukraine and Russia has made grain supply unstable, and the grain market in China was also unstable last year due to heavy rain, right?]

[···Currently, Chinese grain production has decreased significantly due to last year’s floods, and Russian grain is doing well, but is subject to trade restrictions··· It seems that the situation is very difficult for North Korea.]

[Why do you think China is concentrating its People’s Liberation Army on its border with North Korea?]

I changed the channel and this was breaking news too.

[The state of Texas has come out strongly criticizing the federal government’s policies. They say the federal government is not coming up with a proper solution to the current abnormal situation···]

[Is the problem serious enough to warrant secession?]

[There is strong criticism of the federal government’s ability to respond to the crisis. It seems that there was a lot of dissatisfaction with the way the economic problems caused by the coronavirus were resolved. In addition, there are growing voices saying that the response to the spread of this variant virus was below expectations, and that the freedom and safety of Texas residents were not guaranteed.]

[In fact, some say that this mutant virus has been dealt with better than in other countries, but why is it said that Texas has not?]

[The tip that the federal government was hiding information about the recent indiscriminate forced detention of people infected with the mutant coronavirus was crucial.]

[Is it true that the federal government is hiding important information?]

[The White House press secretary issued an official statement, saying that in today’s society, where the Internet and social media are developed, it is impossible to hide information, and that the Texas government’s withdrawal statement is a very dangerous and regrettable claim.]

[The federal government has nothing to hide.]

[Yes. However, the Texas government strongly refuted the White House spokesperson’s words. They said that the era of lying and deception is over, and if the federal government cannot guarantee the freedom and safety of Texans, the Texas government has no choice but to make a decision for the freedom and safety of its residents, and they once again demanded transparent information disclosure.]

this.

It would be bad if it exploded like this in a situation where there were already too many problems. And the hidden information that Texas claimed. It seemed like a story about people infected with the mutant virus.

After the anger management disorder, memory and intelligence gradually deteriorate. Symptoms that change like a dementia patient. After the mutation begins, it begins to explore the brain and heart. The more it eats, the stronger it becomes and regains its reason. However, it does not return to being human.

What if the incident had occurred in a detention center where mutant viruses were forcibly confined? If the mutant had caused trouble and the Texas state government had been informed anonymously, it would not have been strange for them to react like that.

Anyway, with the help of the Department of Homeland Security, we were going to quietly kick out the people who needed to be kicked out and ask for new residents, but then things blew up.

“What is it?”

What 123? Ms. Kim sat down on the seat next to her, dripping water.

“The news is that there are problems here and there.”

So, are you saying that you really don’t know how the world will change?

“Aren’t you eating?”

Then Maru laughed in vain.

“Do you have the Korean beef tuna that you bought in Korea? The people at the restaurant here said they finished it.”

“?”

Now despair.

Kim Yang tilted her head toward Maru, who had been expecting her to look desperate.

“I cut it in half and put it in my refrigerator?”

Yeah. Half of it is mine. I already cut it a week ago.

What if I go to work and come back without meat? I need to prepare some in advance.

“I will eat meat.”

I ate Hanwoo tuna, but what about Baekjeong?

Maru took on a solemn expression at Kim Yang’s gaze.

Let’s eat together.

Cheeeeeeek-

The delicious sound of dancing over charcoal.

Why is it that even the sound is so delicious? Ms. Kim quietly looked at the meat. It must be because it is Korean beef and truly tender. Ms. Kim nodded slightly.

There was a lot of delicious meat. Black Angus was not bad, and Prime grade was good. As expected from a country where guns and meat are the foundation, the meat was good.

Even so, Korean beef was the best for Kim Yang’s taste. Maybe it’s a natural food? I don’t know why, but eating Korean beef made my whole body feel stronger. Even if I ate a lot, it seemed like I could digest it well.

By the way,

I did agree to eat with you, though.

The price of the meat was paid by the Baekjeong, and it was also brought in by the Baekjeong.

It’s against the rules to eat two at a time.

Kim Yang’s eyes narrowed. Kim Yang’s gaze was fixed on the two points. She was looking back and forth between the chopsticks and the floor.

Foul? Two points? Really?

Big- um-

Maru, who pretended not to know, swallowed the rice cake and ate white kimchi.

“I have to classify the residents and kick out those who need to be kicked out. I have to eat quickly and get up.”

excuse?

Cook- Kim Yang picked up three points at once. Ang- Umnumnum

‘This is···.’

Flash.

Eyes that grow rounder. Three times the juice, six times the satisfaction.

indeed.

So that’s why you ate multiple pieces at once.

Why did I live without knowing about this new world?

Kim Yang’s eyes darkened as she felt like she had wasted her life.

So, up until now, you’ve been eating 2 or 3 points by yourself?

Are you saying that you did that without telling me to eat it?

Something like that?

Regardless of whether Kim Yang said so or not, Maru, who had been diligently filling his stomach, ended up getting up first.

“Thanks to you, I ate well. You’ll be very busy from now on. Get some rest.”

“!”

No, you’re saying you’re going to roll it outside again?

It was Maru who left before Kim Yang’s protest began.

Cheeeeeeek—

oh!

======

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After a big breakfast/lunch, Maru headed to the control room. The entrance hallway to the control room was guarded by an unmanned turret.

Originally, it was built inside the walls and ceilings, but after the spies were sorted out, some of it was exposed. It was necessary to conduct a pilot operation in advance to see if it was possible without people.

Wow-

The turret, which is linked to a motion sensor, automatically aims its gun. Maru waved his arm, which was wearing a smartwatch, towards the CCTV and took a step forward.

They said they would later change it to work with facial recognition and iris recognition, but until then, they decided to use it like this. After all, the only people who would be coming and going from the control room were Hood, Maru, and Kim Yang.

The unmanned turret released its aim and returned to standby after confirming the password on its smartwatch. It was a movement that did not seem to be a warning sign.

Certainly, machines were cautious in this regard. People or animals could prepare for the atmosphere or the danger in advance, but machines had no such thing.

Inside the control room, a hood with a straw in a mixture of some sort was working. Looking at the monitor, it seemed as if they were checking detailed information about what was being reported in the news.

Hood, who was typing briskly on the keyboard, discovered the floor while sucking up the mixture. He raised his mask, which he had lowered slightly to drink the beverage.

“When did you come?”

“Just now. I looked at the residents’ information carefully, but there were fewer people with specialized skills than I thought.”

“I see. Is that so? What are you planning to do?”

“I’m going to send most of them out for now. I need to recruit mainly technicians.”

Yesterday he was being polite, but today he was being polite. He didn’t do this to nurses or Kim, but he seemed to be doing this only to himself. Hood glanced at the person who was codenamed Blade, Swordmaster, or Butcher in various organizations of Vladimir Maru.

Unlike her grim codename, she had a pretty appearance. Her appearance didn’t match at all, but just thinking about the scene I saw on CCTV, where she was creating a sea of ​​blood, made my whole body tremble.

Hood was glad that the voice changer filtered out his slightly trembling voice.

“Even if we advertise, there probably won’t be many applicants.”

The biggest downside was having to live in a virtually closed space.

Above all, the United States is a country where labor values ​​are maintained better than expected. That means that people like plumbers, welders, painters, tilers, and carpenters are satisfied with their jobs and make a living.

I was living well, so there was no reason to give up my freedom to live and move into a building. Until now.

“This is difficult.”

We needed to have 2-3 people in each essential field so that things could run smoothly later when things broke out. We tried to recruit people through the Department of Homeland Security line, but they were in a difficult situation right now, so it was a waste to get help.

If a truly dangerous situation arises, people will overflow. But what will happen if, after the incident, they only accept those with the necessary skills?

“How about doing it this way?”

In any case, those without skills had to be let go. Instead of making excuses about other organizations, why don’t we just say outright that we’re letting them go because they don’t have the skills? Then, any organization interested in this place would surely try to get the technicians in there.

“I’m sure we’ll be able to secure human resources, but I’m worried that it’ll be even more tiring if someone with important skills causes problems.”

“Yeah. I guess so?”

Hood’s thoughts weren’t bad. Maru was thinking about it too.

“Let’s do this. Let’s start by sending people out and then advertise on the broadcasting station.”

The agency will push them in, but these days, the situation is so unstable that who knows? Technicians with nowhere to go might flock in.

dinner.

As expected, Maru started a conversation with the residents. He said outright that since the building construction was finished, those who wanted to leave should leave.

“Those whose names are written here are requested to vacate their residence within 3 days.”

“You’re telling me to leave all of a sudden? This isn’t right.”

“The construction is finished and the security system is operating normally. In this situation, there is no reason to keep unnecessary personnel in my building. Isn’t it natural? Once the construction is finished, the accommodations should be vacated.”

If Maru, the building owner, told me to leave, I had no choice but to leave. We hadn’t exchanged any deposits or signed a lease.

Although the Strategic Command and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly opposed the move, they kept quiet after hearing that unmanned security with automatic turrets would attack anyone who entered without permission.

The reshuffle of residents began with the expulsion of people from the Strategic Command, who were supposed to be in charge of security and inspection of the modular nuclear power plant, and people from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who were supposed to be in charge of monitoring and controlling biochemical experiments and the manufacture of new drugs.

Problems arose in unexpected places. While people from other agencies left relatively easily, there was noise in cases such as retired Homeland Security agents and employees of partner companies.

They saw the building being converted into a fortress and knew that they were in for a rough time. They had no special skills other than their connections to the Department of Homeland Security, so they began to resist leaving.

“I came here after tidying up the house, so what should I do if you just tell me to leave?”

“The kids are adjusting now, but they can’t go out.”

“No technology? Security is also a technology.”

“Warehouse management is also important. Do you know if it is easy to keep track of inventory?”

“Just a simple delivery? I am a logistics and distribution expert.”

Maru would say something when he saw the screaming people.

so

“whatever.”

This is where the modular nuclear power plant is. Not only that, it’s an emergency building with emergency servers and even a supercomputer, which is a strategic resource. So unauthorized people with no technology are going to sit there and rub their butts?

Do you want to die?

The people who had been screaming at the chilling murderous intent became quiet. The child who had been crying loudly seemed to be gasping for breath.

Maru glared at the woman using the child as a shield and let out his murderous gaze.

“Three days. Get out in three days.”