Chapter 7: Free Evacuation and Paid Entrustment

The familiar tune lingered in Renault's ears.

He turned his gaze to M1911, finding a similar expression of confusion on her face.

After pressing the call button on his communicator, a holographic image materialized, depicting a woman with monocle and long grey hair. Her sharp gaze narrowed at Renault who stood before the device.

"S13 District Commander, report the situation," she demanded.

"Excuse me?" Renault tilted his head in confusion.

The woman resembled someone he vaguely recognized from a Gacha game, though he couldn't recall her name or specific role. However, he was certain he wasn't a Griffin commander.

"Do I bear a resemblance to your commander?" he inquired, glancing down at his crimson coat. While dyed red, it retained a slight resemblance to the G&K Commander coat upon closer inspection.

The holographic woman seemingly realized her error, redirecting her gaze to M1911 placed on the table by Renault.

"M1911, where is your commander? Where are Adjutant Nagant's evolver and P38's body?"

M1911 awkwardly attempted to stand upright and salute, her arms shaking unnaturally. Recalling her inability to do so, she slumped back onto the table.

Even the usually stoic Heliantus couldn't help but frown upon witnessing M1911 with its legs broken and two neural cores lying beside it.

"Then, who is this?" Heliantus inquired with a hint of confusion, her gaze shifting to Renault who had stepped aside.

"Don't worry, I'm merely a concerned passerby. Please continue your conversation. I'll return shortly.....Interestingly, it seems your commander hasn't forgotten his responsibilities despite his transformation."

As Renault prepared to depart and allow M1911 and Heliantus to talk uninterrupted, the sound of footsteps resonated from outside the stronghold. He had already secured the area around the Griffin stronghold, and the earlier gunfire had likely attracted most nearby infected individuals. Therefore, the only remaining infected…

The only remaining infected was likely the recently fallen Griffin commander, now residing in the Mayor's Mansion courtyard.

Unsurprisingly, this individual had managed to bypass the mansion's entrance barriers, designed solely to impede infected from the outside, not contain those within.

A guttural roar echoed from the door, followed by the appearance of the Griffin commander's distorted face before Heliantus.

"Has the situation in S13 District deteriorated to such a degree?" she questioned.

The headquarters had just received a request for assistance from the S13 District commander less than two hours ago. Now, the individual was infected. Transforming so rapidly categorized the area as a red zone, rendering it uninhabitable for humans.

The cost of Anti-Collapse Radiation consumables alone posed a significant financial burden, even for a single individual. For Griffin, a security contractor, the resources necessary to operate in a red zone were scarce and expensive. They couldn't afford to waste such precious equipment.

Area S13 could only be declared abandoned, devoid of any future human habitation and therefore, devoid of business opportunities. As a security contractor, Griffin wouldn't have a reason to remain.

"That...refers to...Sir! Behind you! The door!" M1911 subconsciously instinctively meant to call out to Renault, intending to address him as "Commander."

However, seeing that her original commander was now an infected individual, and not knowing Renault's name, she faltered.

"Got it," Renault declared before M1911 could finish speaking. He swiftly retrieved the M30 from the table, chambered a round, and began loading the weapon.

Heliantus, observing Renault's actions through the holographic image, easily surmised what would transpire. However, she couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for the commander, who had met his demise within his own jurisdiction a mere two days after assuming the role.

A resounding boom echoed as flames erupted from the M30's muzzle, instantly vaporizing the newly infected Griffin commander's head. Unlike the old mayor, whose augmented body offered some resistance, this individual was no match for the weapon's power.

Heliantus sighed within the image, uttering, "This..."

"Renault."

"Mr. Renault, would you like Griffin's assistance in evacuating the area?" she inquired.

"Oh? Is that an offer? And at no cost?" Renault raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement playing on his lips. His pockets were currently devoid of funds, a stark contrast to the pristine, wrinkle-free face of a humanoid. He doubted Griffin would use a helicopter for a random individual's evacuation.

Heliantus felt a twitch in her eye, questioning the rationality of the man before her. Not only was he completely lacking protective equipment in a heavily polluted zone, but when offered evacuation – a matter of life and death – his first concern was the cost.

"Don't you understand the gravity of the situation? You're in danger!" Heliantus thought to herself, her frustration mounting.

Then she realized something.

Heliantus's bewilderment intensified.

"He doesn't have any protective equipment on?" she thought, her frustration morphing into a torrent of doubts. How could this seemingly ordinary man survive in the red zone?

"Free! Absolutely free!" Heliantus reiterated, despite her confusion. "Furthermore, Griffin can offer you a generous reward if you're willing to complete a small task."

"A reward, huh? What is it? I don't mind simple tasks," Renault replied, recognizing that money, though not his top priority, was a necessity in the Green Zone.

"We require a thorough assessment of the current situation at the nearby Sangvis Ferri Manufacturing Plant. If possible, retrieving the hard drive from the plant's control center would be highly beneficial."

"Sangvis Ferri Manufacturing Plant, huh? Sounds doable. When can we evacuate?"

"The evacuation team will arrive in three hours. I'll dispatch a few humanoids to assist you shortly..."

"No need to wait," Renault interjected. "The sooner we get started, the better. The factory seems large, so let's move."

With that, he casually tossed the gun back to M1911, grabbed a crowbar, and marched off, leaving Heliantus speechless in the holographic image.