Mob No. 75: “Your pilots are incompetent. The pilots I hired could fly through this tremendous storm with barely any turbulence and land easily. Useless subordinates are truly useless.”
Honestly, I wonder what Professor Thesz is thinking.
There’s no way that guy would keep his promise.
The professor probably thinks so too, but she has no choice but to comply since her subordinates and students are being held hostage. At least, that’s what I’d like to think.
Moreover, the fact that they want me, the pilot, to come out too clearly means they’re coming to kill me.
However, if I ignore them and run away, we’d be the ones sued for breach of contract, so there’s nothing I can do.
Now, how to get out of this…
The enemy has two ships. One will probably wait in the air while the other lands.
Then, they’ll retrieve the professor, gain altitude, and open fire.
I shouldn’t stray too far from the ship. When they start ascending, I should immediately jump aboard and activate the barrier.
If the wind picks up again at higher altitudes, there might be a chance to escape.
As I was formulating this escape plan,
“Please, Uzoss. That man wouldn’t hesitate to commit murder… I know it’s selfish. But… the lives of my subordinates and students are at stake… Please…”
The professor was bowing deeply to me with a frustrated expression.
If there were any third parties here besides my acquaintances, I’d immediately be labeled as a scoundrel making a beautiful scholar bow.
Well, I suppose I can give her credit for pleading with me instead of arbitrarily removing the drive key.
[What’s taking so long? Follow the instructions already!]
Dr. Dazbrought, that bastard, was impatiently urging us through the screen monitor, but from his angle, he probably couldn’t see Professor Thesz bowing.
I turned off the engine, removed the drive key and the memory storage device, put both in my pilot suit pocket, and handed the professor a spare drive key.
The professor took the spare key and said,
“I’m sorry. Thank you.”
She left slowly without suspecting anything.
Maybe not attaching any unnecessary keychains paid off.
This way, I might be able to create the illusion that I handed over the drive key and use that opening to my advantage.
Anyway, I follow the professor out of the ship.
Outside, one ship was hovering about 50 meters high, while the other had landed on the ground.
There were several people who were clearly not researchers, armed with military assault rifles.
They were probably ex-military or mercenaries.
In the center was Dr. Dazbrought, that bastard.
“Now, Professor! Come over here with your research results and that ship’s drive key! You, the pilot, move away from the ship!”
With that order, all the assault rifle muzzles turned towards us at once.
This is impossible no matter how you look at it!
I have no choice but to obey quietly.
Moreover, I was forced to move to a distance where I couldn’t jump aboard even if I found an opening.
Meanwhile, Professor Thesz reached Dr. Dazbrought, that bastard.
“Good. Hand over the drive key and research data.”
The professor handed over the two items to the doctor with a reluctant expression.
“Alright. Get on board.”
As the professor, doctor, and ex-military types boarded the ship, one of the ex-military guys kept the door open and pointed his assault rifle at me as they began to ascend.
When they reached about half the height of the other ship, suddenly the other ship fired a beam, destroying my ship.
Not satisfied with just one shot, they fired several more.
It ended up just as I expected.
I ran desperately to survive.
Towards the entrance of a cave midway up the excavated, terraced ruins.
☆ ☆ ☆
[Side: Florina Thesz]
“Alright. Get on board.”
After I handed over the research results and Uzoss’ ship’s drive key, Dazbrought, that bastard, said that with a satisfied look.
“What are you planning to do with him?”
“We’ll drop the drive key for him once we’ve gained some altitude.”
Dazbrought, that bastard, showed me the drive key with a grin.
People who were clearly not researchers pointed their guns at Uzoss as the cargo ship began to ascend.
When we reached about 25 meters, the sound of a beam being fired echoed, followed by an explosion.
“You promised to guarantee his safety!”
I shouted at Dazbrought, that bastard.
“I intended to, but it seems my subordinates had other plans. Here, I’ll return the drive key.”
Dazbrought, that bastard, grinned as he tossed the drive key out of the ship.
“You…! Ugh!”
I tried to punch Dazbrought, that bastard, but one of the fake researcher thugs knocked me down, and Dazbrought pointed a gun at me.
“If you don’t behave, your entire research team will die too, you know?”
“Damn…”
I glared at Dazbrought, that bastard.
At the same time, I was restrained by the fake researcher thugs.
Just then,
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“That pilot is alive! He’s heading towards a cave!”
One of Dazbrought’s subordinates who wasn’t a fake researcher thug reported Uzoss’ survival.
“Tch… So he’s still alive… Chase him and kill… Whoa!”
Just as Dazbrought, that bastard, was about to give the order, the ship shook violently.
“The wind suddenly got stronger… We can’t control the ship! Landing is impossible!”
“Do something about it!”
“It’s impossible! At this rate, we’ll crash!”
The pilot’s voice conveyed his desperate struggle.
Because the cargo ship’s door was open, some of the fake researcher thugs were on the verge of falling out.
I wish they would fall.
“We have no choice! Fire at the entrance of the ruins and seal it off! We’ll come back to kill him after the weather improves!”
Dazbrought, that bastard, desperately clung to the wall while devising a plan to prevent Uzoss from escaping the cave.
Of course, they couldn’t hit it in one shot. Buffeted by the wind and struggling not to crash, they fired the beam multiple times.
Seeing this, I couldn’t help but laugh through my nose and said,
“Your pilots are incompetent. The pilots I hired could fly through this tremendous storm with barely any turbulence and land easily. Useless subordinates are truly useless.”
I couldn’t help but provoke Dazbrought, that bastard.
In response, Dazbrought, that bastard, hit my temple with the butt of his gun.
“How dare you speak so insolently… After I’ve taken all your research results, I’ll give you plenty of attention. You should be honored that a commoner like you gets to be embraced by a noble like me.”
Enduring the pain, I glared at Dazbrought, that bastard, who was grinning.
★ ★ ★
This is the worst.
Since this seemed to be the only entrance to the cave, I was planning to deal with the pursuers one by one inside the cave, but they sealed off the entrance.
The wind noise had increased before the entrance was sealed, so they probably couldn’t land and send pursuers.
They must have collapsed the entrance out of frustration.
Well, they had to fire multiple shots due to the wind.
If I remember correctly, according to Mr. Losweisse, there’s supposed to be a villa and a defense base here, right?
So what’s the deal with this cave?
I should ask if I make it back.
If there’s a villa or hangar deeper inside, there might be some kind of exit.
! Image
It would be even better if there was a map or floor plan.
There’s no point in just staying put.
First, let’s go deeper inside.
TLNOTE : If you enjoyed this novel and want to read more, I’ve started translating another work by the same author titled: “[Snail] – The Cargo-Passenger Ship Operations Log.” Please check it out!
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pricka gonna regret this big time