Dirty Sweet Baby Chapter 12

The Center.

Its official name is the Central Crisis Management Special Strategy Headquarters, but it is a military organization under the new government, commonly called the Center.

It is located in the southeastern part of the special residential district and is largely divided into 3 sectors.

The Central Hall, the Research and Development Hall, and the Education and Living Hall.

The largest and most magnificent building rising in the center is the Central Hall. This is the military headquarters where official awakened individuals who have completed the regular training course work. Combat training, meetings, mission reports, treatment, and guiding take place here. Most of the tasks related to the awakened, such as materiel management, unit deployment, disciplinary actions or audits, and accounting, are carried out in the Central Hall.

The Research and Development Hall occupies the right sector of the Central Hall and conducts in-depth research on the functions and properties of Espers and Guides, as well as the yet-to-be-clearly-identified structure of the core. It also conducts parallel research on creatures and gates, making it a specialized institution that oversees a wide and diverse range of fields, such as the dissection of creature carcasses and the study of resources within gates. All information handled here is treated as top secret, and even official awakened individuals are restricted from access unless they are affiliated with the Research and Development Hall.

Finally, the Education and Living Hall, which occupies the left sector of the Central Hall, is a training facility where trainees undergoing the regular training course reside. Since a typical awakened individual is judged to be an Esper or a Guide in the first mandatory awakening examination they undergo at birth, they live and grow up in the dormitories of this Education and Living Hall from a young age. They receive systematic training until they can become an awakened individual who can pull their own weight.

Of course, there are also late-bloomers like Baek Heeheon or Cha Moogyul, but they are treated as exceptions because they are extremely rare.

‘This brings back memories. For no reason.’

Heeheon stared blankly at the Center building that was gradually approaching beyond the window. He did not know why he was feeling a sense of novelty when it had not been that long since he left the dormitories here to live with Cha Moogyul. Perhaps because he had been tense to his limit the entire time he was with Cha Moogyul, the past few days felt like several months.

‘It feels like I’ve returned after a long time.’

The vehicle that had passed through the gate advanced slowly at the restricted speed. And inside, it passed several more partition walls. The trench area, the guard area, the supply area, the airfield area, and so on; it was truly vast.

Looking at it this way, the Center was a military facility so extensive that it could be called a single bustling city.

“We have arrived.”

Once again, the driver, who was the first to get out nimbly, opened the back door. Cha Moogyul got out of the car, and Baek Heeheon followed suit. The outside was, as expected, hot and humid.

“Then I will be on standby. Please give me a call when you are finished with your business.”

Leaving behind the driver who was giving a crisp salute, they walked up the stairs of the Central Hall, where a protocol officer who had come out to greet him was waiting at the entrance. Surprisingly, Brigadier General Kang Joongmo, whose face he had seen before, was also with them.

“You’ve arrived early. Please come in, Director. Second Lieutenant Baek, you too. You can go straight up to the 15th floor.”

When Brigadier General Kang gestured with his eyes to the soldier standing next to him, the soldier stepped forward and began to guide Cha Moogyul. Instead, he scanned their identification tags and provided protocol without a hitch, entering the main entrance of the Central Hall and all the way to the elevator.

By the way, it is somewhat puzzling that the destination is the 15th floor.

‘The 15th floor… isn’t that the main conference hall.’

It is a place used for purposes such as strategy meetings or broadcast reporting, so to have business there. He had guessed that this time too, it would be a meeting with Brigadier General Kang or another military official, but the main conference hall….

‘If only I hadn’t been kicked out while he was taking a business call, I would have checked with Cha Moogyul beforehand.’

He considered bringing it up now, but there was no suitable opportunity. This was because as soon as they boarded the elevator, Brigadier General Kang was busy asking Cha Moogyul how he was doing.

“Director Cha. How has your life in the special district been? Was it alright for you to adjust?”

Seeing him trying to get in a word with Cha Moogyul however he could, he wondered if Brigadier General Kang was trying to pull some strings.

‘To come out and wait at the main entrance in this hot weather.’

Cha Moogyul replied impassively without even looking at Brigadier General Kang Joongmo.

“There were no particular difficulties.”

“Haha, that is a relief. I imagine you and your brother must have had a chance to catch up after a long time. If any other inconveniences arise, please feel free to contact me on my personal line at any time. I will pay special attention.”

“Yes. By all means.”

The elevator arrived on the 15th floor. Before entering the main conference hall, they were first guided to a preparation room. As they entered, three or four administrative soldiers were waiting for the group.

“Please wait here for a moment. Ah, and here is the prepared statement. Please review it before you go in.”

‘A statement?’

The administrative soldiers turned on a tablet and handed it to Cha Moogyul. A few lines of text were written on the tablet screen. As Cha Moogyul took it, the administrative soldiers began to move busily and send out radio communications.

“Director Cha Moogyul has arrived.”

“Yes, the setup is complete.”

“The review is complete.”

No way….

No, that can’t be….

An ominous premonition crept up the back of his neck. At this point, he could not help but ask. Heeheon lowered his voice and spoke so that only Cha Moogyul could hear.

“What is this all about, right now.”

His calm, black eyes scanned the contents of the statement on the tablet diagonally. He replied as he checked.

“An official announcement.”

“…What?”

“It’s been a while since the articles were published. We’ve put up enough of a smokescreen, so we have to make an official announcement at the right time. Now is the most effective time.”

Cha Moogyul let out a scoff. His gaze fell from the tablet and lingered on Heeheon for a moment. It was a fleeting moment, not even a second long, but the instant he received his gaze, Heeheon felt his mind go completely blank.

“No, wait a minute, then… you mean you’re going to make a press announcement.”

Was this the reason Cha Moogyul had come to the Center dressed in a suit? He should have felt uneasy sooner when he saw his neat appearance, with the sleek suit that hugged his body falling in a straight line. He should have noticed it from his neatly combed hairstyle as well.

An official announcement.

“Right now?”

Heeheon’s wide-open eyelids did not know how to close. He wanted to kick this place up and run away right now. Cha Moogyul put down the tablet and lifted his head. Unlike the flustered Baek Heeheon, he was, as always, perfectly prepared.

“Your expression has hardened again. You must be nervous.”

“Hey, Cha Moogyul…. I told you I can’t be your guide anymore.”

“You did? So.”

“What do you mean, so. How can you be so confident.”

“Hah… fine. If it’s really that difficult, then tell them to cancel the announcement and everything. The person in charge is Brigadier General Kang Joongmo over there, so go and tell him that yourself.”

“What did you say…?”

“Why. You had no trouble telling me, but is it a bit difficult to deal with Brigadier General Kang?”

“……”

“It’s done. Just give up.”

Cha Moogyul stood up, propping himself up with one arm on the table. He stood up straight, buttoned his suit jacket one by one, and then gave an ominous eye-smile, like a flame flickering in a winter wind.

His beautiful face seemed to be casting a curse on Baek Heeheon. It was as if it was sucking up and swallowing every last drop of Heeheon’s blood, taking Heeheon’s body and flesh, and even seizing his soul in its grasp.

“All you have to do is stand still next to me, hyung.”

The color drained from Heeheon’s face. His deathly pale face trembled minutely. And at that moment, one of the administrative soldiers approached Cha Moogyul and Baek Heeheon.

“Director. They said the broadcast preparations are complete. I will escort you to the main conference hall. This way, please.”

Cha Moogyul followed him, walking ahead. His broad back grew more and more distant, leaving behind the blankly frozen Heeheon. From behind, Brigadier General Kang Joongmo urged Heeheon.

“Second Lieutenant Baek, what are you doing. You have to go too.”

“…Brigadier General.”

“You’ve probably heard a hint, but this matter was ordered directly from the Minister’s hands. Right now, not only the Ministry of National Defense but also the high-ranking military officials are in an uproar….”

“……”

“If we can just wrap this up safely and well, I might even be able to aim for a big position at the Ministry of National Defense after I retire…. In any case, you just go and stand there confidently.”

Heeheon lowered his head and clenched his fists.

After being frozen like an old tree for a long time, he moved his stiff body and took a step forward. His legs were heavy. He felt like he was walking into a swamp of his own free will. Guided by the administrative soldier, they arrived at the main conference hall, and the large double doors opened slowly. He wondered if the gates of hell were opening.

The large and magnificent interior of the main conference hall unfolded before Heeheon. The huge new government flag, the Ministry of National Defense flag, and the Center flag attached to the front wall showed off their splendid dignity. Bright lights shone down from all sides, and on one side, a holographic video transmitter was placed. And along the walls of the conference room, administrative soldiers stood packed together, watching them.

“Hyung.”

Cha Moogyul, standing on the elegant platform, called out to Baek Heeheon.

“Come here.”

Heeheon walked to his side like a ghost. His chest, from which his soul had departed, was completely empty.

Soon after, the video transmitter activated, and Brigadier General Kang began to state the Center’s official position.

“Good afternoon. This is Brigadier General Kang Joongmo of the Central Crisis Management Special Strategy Headquarters. I will now deliver a statement to the public regarding the new project.”

On the giant screen attached to the front, the video being filmed right now was playing. It was obvious that it would be reported as a news scoop.