Chapter 43: UCDS

"Hey! Your butt is touching my butt, No. 5! Move!"

"I am afraid that is not possible, No. 2. As you are already aware of, we have no space anymore."

"We will have more space if you just go on a diet! And why are you even sitting beside me!? Go to the back and just let the new guy ride shotgun!"

"I am afraid that is also not possible. I'll lose too much energy if I even miss a single meal."

"Bitch, you have like 10 years worth of food in you!"

"..."

Rhys was wondering what type of vehicle the Faceless crew had, seeing as they were called a Special Tactical unit by Commander Hera herself. He was expecting some sort of armored vehicle by how much excitement No. 2 had…

…but this was just an old repurposed steel jeep, without even a roof, giving Rhys a clear view of the vast field of copper. With canyons, cliffs, and hills on the close horizon.

Once they passed the forest that covered their base, the sudden shift of ecosystem caused Rhys to slightly feel nauseous. But with his training of diving up and down the Surface and the Underworld, it wasn't really something to complain about. One could get a full view of the entirety of the Underworld just by slightly looking up, and even with the fog covering most of it due to the distance, Rhys could still make out the different regions. It is… fascinating.

Fortunately, even with how bright the Helios is, it did not really give off that much heat at all. It was still hot, but not one would expect from a world without night.

It was barren too, they barely even passed by monsters and when they did, the beasts quickly hid away. And so, Rhys could really only check out the vehicle to spend his time.

"We… don't get that much of a budget compared to the other branches. Politics."

No. 1 seemed to have noticed Rhys checking out their dilapidated vehicle, as he caught his attention by shaking his leg, which was already sticking to Rhys's leg as they truly could not fit comfortably in their so-called 4x4.

"Oh," Rhys quickly strayed his eyes away from the rusted parts of the jeep as he looked at No. 1, "If it gets us to and back from our destination, that's all that matters."

"A practical man, I like it," No. 1 chuckled, "You must have truly done something to pique the Commander's interest, for her to personally put you in her old team."

"...The Commander was part of the Faceless crew?"

"Yes," No. 1 nodded, "I think it was 20 years ago, the only girl in the Faceless crew."

"I see…" Rhys could really only let out a breath of amazement. Soon, however, he glanced at No. 2.

"Bwahahaha!" No. 2 looked at Rhys through the rearview mirror.

"You thought I was a girl!?" No. 2 said as his bubbly bobcat hair bounced while she laughed. His frilly dress, shifting each time he steps on the brakes; his voice, still euphonious and completely feminine, "Ha… this is funny."

No one was laughing, however. Even No. 1 was just sighing as he gestured to Riley to just let No. 2 be.

"Oh, and I'm not fucking homo, No. 6. Not that I have anything against them," No. 2 turned around to look at Rhys, causing No. 5 to hastily take over the wheel as their small jeep swayed to the side, "So, don't get any ideas."

"I'm… not," Rhys nodded.

"By the gods, that was a joke, No. 6. Even with the mask on, I know you haven't even smiled even once."

"..." Rhys once again nodded, not really knowing how to respond to that. Smiling… is something he still was not used to doing. And as silence and peace finally blanketed them, Rhys felt a tap on his arm.

It was No. 4, signing something to him.

"He's saying—"

'No. 2 is the oldest…?'

And to No. 4's surprise, before No. 1 could translate his sign… Rhys signed back to him — and not slow too, perhaps even more expertly than No. 4.

'You know sign language?' No. 4 excitedly sign.

'I guess so, No. 4,' Rhys nodded, 'Is No. 2 really the oldest among you 5?'

'By a decade,' No. 4 also nodded several times.

"Alright, alright! Before you ninja boys jack each other off with all that hand waving," No. 2 stuck out his tongue as he stepped on the brakes, causing everyone in the car to almost lose balance, with No. 1 making sure No. 3 does not fall off the jeep. No. 2 then stood on top of his seat,

"Our destination's a mile ahead."

Rhys quickly turned to where No. 2 was pointing, only to see a trail of smoke right behind a hill.

"You boys ready?" No. 2 leaped out of the jeep,

"Because we need to walk the rest of the way or they'll spot us."

***

"What… are those?"

"You haven't seen a Hissyr before?"

The mile ahead was completely uneventful, but as soon as they reached their destination and hid atop a nearby boulder, Rhys's eyes slightly widened as he saw a camp of people… and not exactly human. More than a dozen of them.

"They're not humans?" Rhys asked as he looked at the nearest hissyr who was carrying a wooden box and loading it onto what seemed to be a military truck. The hissyr had scales on the side of its face—no.

Perhaps it was better to say that the only part of the hissyr that was not covered in scales was the front of its face. But aside from its scales and the long rat-like tail protruding from its behind, it looked completely human.

"They're one of the races that live in the Underworld," No. 1 explained.

"...I thought the other races were a myth?" Rhys breathed out as he once again focused at the camp, and they truly did not look like monsters at all. Rhys even noticed 2 children.

"The World Government and the people of the Underworld kind of have an understanding. As I said, a lot of politics involved," No. 1 sighed,

"But that doesn't involve us. We're just here to do our mission."

And as soon as he said that, No. 2, who was just hiding behind Rhys, suddenly disappeared into the ground — only to appear near the camp where his shadow was already waiting.

No. 2 did not really hide, however, as he just casually hopped her way into the camp with his frilly bubble dress and revealed himself to everyone there. And of course, the hissyrs quickly collected themselves and carefully started to approach No. 2.

"...You still have not briefed me about the mission, No. 1," Rhys curiously watched as No. 2 started waving his hand at the hissyrs, "Are we here to escort them?"

"Well, we kill them all."

And as soon as he said that, No. 2 suddenly stabbed the person closest to her.

"What…?" Rhys could really only blink as he stared at the camp, "But…

…there are children."

"It doesn't matter, No. 6," No. 1 stood up and no longer hid himself, "We have orders. The Faceless crew…

…we are the Underworld Corps' death squad."