Coming to you as a fresh blue frost (2)
A suburban area with only roads lined up with city blocks. In the distance, a motorcycle roared as it sped by.
Recently, with the appearance of mutant creatures, this area was reclassified as a Level 2 Crisis Zone, leading to the cancellation of the planned new town development. Those who had built commercial buildings here and there near the residential area, capitalizing on the development's potential, were unable to sell them or even live there, leaving them empty. These half-built buildings now stand empty, like a ghost town. In the distance, a fast food restaurant, once a company-owned branch, stands atop a hill, shining like a lighthouse in the vast ocean.
. . .
Twenty years ago, with the first appearance of creatures, humanity also underwent a profound change: the emergence of Sentinels and Guides. Initially, Sentinels and Guides were mistaken for similar mutants and were even persecuted. However, the government actively formed a defense force comprised of Sentinels and Guides to safeguard the city, and they became indispensable heroes. Sentinels, possessing unique offensive abilities, and Guides, who restored their abilities, worked as teams. Teams were divided into ranks based on their abilities, with higher ranks assigned to more difficult missions.
In particular, recently, teams with powerful abilities above S-rank, outstanding appearances, and unique personalities have emerged, forming fandoms around them, much like celebrities. The government has also begun utilizing them for promotional activities. Anti-government forces have also been utilizing Sentinels and Guides that have emerged in their territories as cultural artifacts, competing with each other to promote their respective systems and ideologies. Both sides have been utilizing Sentinels and Guides as a form of competition.
Seokjin was originally one of the guides with a strong fandom. Until that incident...
From then on, Seokjin had one goal: to join the Riders, the only neutral faction not affiliated with either the anti-government or the government forces. The Riders served as a bridge between the anti-government faction, which occupied a region rich in underground resources, and the government faction, which had developed industry. While C and B ranks literally served as couriers for the region, things were different for A ranks and above. Both sides, needing stable logistics for their mutual needs, recognized extraterritoriality for those above A rank and helped them establish stable exchanges. Once a Rider reached A rank or higher, their regional citizenship was revoked and all their data was incinerated. They became citizens of a new neutral nation called the Riders.
Seokjin was sick of the government forces. He wanted to be someone unrelated to the government.
Squeak...
Seokjin roughly stopped his motorcycle. Dressed in shiny black leather pants, a matching black leather jacket, and a dark motorcycle helmet, perhaps hoping no one would recognize him, he seemed to merge with the darkness.
I have no idea why this fast food joint is still in operation, but it's an area that no one but riders would dare venture into, and the simple task of delivering this box was worth a whopping 20 points.
Yay... If I just fill this score, I'll get an A grade...
Seokjin smiled with satisfaction as he carried the box from the motorcycle.
But before opening the fast-food restaurant door, Seokjin sensed something unusual and took a deep breath. Upon closer inspection, the atmosphere inside the restaurant felt off. Something about it didn't seem to be going to be easy...
Bang, bang!!!
A loud noise came through the door.
A gun.... Seokjin opened the door while muttering to himself.
"Don't move, don't move...!!!"
A man holding a large rifle at the counter shouted loudly.
"Oh, is that what you mean...?"
Seokjin answered naturally, flashing his Rider ID, and walked through the crowd to the counter. Fortunately, seeing that no one was injured, Seokjin's pace quickened slightly. He was determined to leave the box behind and leave before things got too serious.
"I'm sorry, but I was asked to deliver this to the counter. I'll just leave the item and leave right away."
Seokjin leisurely walked up to the counter and quietly put down the box. Behind him, facing the entrance, four people stood on the left and two on the right. The four seemed to be family: two adults and two children. The two on the right were two strangers, seemingly unrelated to the family. Seokjin, having been on countless battlefields, was a guide far removed from direct combat, but he possessed a knack for sensing presence and assessing the situation.
It looks like the two men at the counter are having a standoff, and the family of four is eating at the table, so it looks like they were unlucky enough to get caught up in this.And there's someone hiding in the kitchen behind the counter. Is he related to those weirdos?Seokjin, who was wondering if there was a sentinel among them, quietly released the radiation guiding as he walked.
"Hurry up and get out!!!"
The man at the counter, who seemed to be the manager, shouted urgently at Seokjin, who was moving slowly.
"Yes, yes... Yes, yes... Just process the delivery as completed..."
Seokjin continued to unravel the radiation guide while leisurely taking photos. The guiding aura was indescribable to ordinary people. Judging by the silence amidst the tension, everyone in the hall seemed to be ordinary people.
After shamelessly sending the photo, Seokjin turned around and pressed the "mission complete" button. As he slowly walked away, the family, who seemed to have been taken hostage, gave him sorrowful looks, but Seokjin decided not to get involved.
I need to complete this mission quickly and get promoted to A-class...!
Seokjin, ignoring the scene and closing the door, got on his motorcycle and took a deep breath.
Someone in the kitchen seemed to be a Sentinel, no matter how I looked at them. I could feel the radiation guiding slowly being absorbed.Could they be government troops? If they were, it would be ominous. Or could it be that anti-government forces are hiding here?But since he hadn't revealed his identity first, Seokjin decided he should just move on. He didn't want to get caught up in any more government or anti-government affairs.
One of the Riders' duties is to remain unaware of other matters while on duty. Therefore, in a situation like the one just mentioned, presenting their Rider ID also signified a refusal to intervene. This also served as a condition for the Riders' free movement between government and anti-government camps.
Boohoo....
Seokjin sighed deeply again and roughly started the motorcycle.