Chapter 9- Contact
Rein snuck around the block as he headed toward the headquarters from the other side. There were still many Undead all around him, but this path was far more open, and using his speed and nimble feet, he was able to pass them.
At the same time, he could hear the gunshots and cries echoing in the distance.
"Retreat! Retreat!! AGHHHH!!!"
The cries were agonizing and terrifying, to say the least. They felt like they came from the depths of hell. Rein didn't look back as he continued moving.
'The massacre has begun.' He mused to himself as he sliced the head of an Undead and continued running. Reaching the other side of the block, he peeked at the plaza entrance.
Luckily, since the soldiers attracted their attention, the horde started to move toward them, drawn to their victims. There was a small opportunity to pass.
So, without wasting time, Rein emerged from his hiding spot as he ran toward the entrance on the other side. As he ran, the Undead at the back noticed him and were drawn toward him.
Ignoring their horde, they rushed toward Rein. Dozens and dozens of them ran after him as the man crossed the street, side-stepping their hands and dodging their attacks.
'I'm almost there!'
The monster clustered all around him, trying to close the path. Using his Gravity Manipulation, Rein increased his speed even more. He had to cut through before he got trapped within this deadly circle.
*Swish*
Like a flash, Rein emerged from the heart of this trap as he sliced through the Undead, opening the path to the entrance. Then, he continued running as the rest of the horde chased him.
Reaching the entrance, Rein ran inside and quickly kicked the door closed. At the same time, the Undead slammed into the glass doors as they growled and cried.
Rein looked around him and then quickly pushed all the furniture he could find to block the entrance. Piling the sofas and tables against the door, he eventually was able to completely close it.
*TAP* *TAP*
Meanwhile, the Undead kept hitting the glass, trying to break it. Even though it was fortified glass, Rein was certain it won't last for a long time at this rate.
'I should get this over with rapidly before they barge in.' He exhaled as he turned around and stared around him. "This place wasn't spared either…"
The agency, arguably one of the strongest organizations in the world with its extremely advanced headquarters, had turned into a graveyard. All around him, he saw blood, destruction, corpses, and signs of a brutal battle with bullet holes everywhere.
'This must've been a gruesome fight.' He muttered as he started walking through the wreckage, hearing the sound of shattered glass under his feet. All the corpses around him were dead, indicating that they were Undead that the agents were able to kill.
'This is the first time I've seen one of these things killed properly. A bullet to the head… Either someone had gained the system, and they're out there somewhere, or I'm truly the only one who got it.'
After examining the corpse, Rein turned around and continued walking toward the stairs. On the way, he found several Undead that he swiftly killed before they could even react.
Staring at their bodies, they were familiar faces. People he had seen before when he visited the headquarters. They were mainly office workers and not agents, so he didn't really know them well.
'As for the agents, I've seen a couple who bit the dust. But… They were very low-ranked ones. The high-ranking ones aren't anywhere to be seen for now.' He thought to himself.
In the agency, there was a secret ranking system for agents based on their abilities and achievements. The strongest are considered the most important assets of the agency, capable of fulfilling any mission, no matter how hard it is.
Right at the top of that list was Rein himself. He was the most precious asset and the only hitman with a perfect record of success. He had never failed a single mission in his life, and that was an achievement no hitman before or possibly after him could ever dream of achieving.
Walking up the stairs, Rein saw more and more destruction everywhere, and even more dead corpses riddling the entire building. Floor by floor, he explored the abandoned building, searching for anything useful or people he could talk to.
However, all he found were Undead he had to kill. They were all very weak and pathetic, so he didn't really even bother to look at what they gave him.
'At this point, Level 1 and 2 Undead are basically useless. They don't even give experience points anymore. Killing them is pointless.' He sighed as he climbed to the next floor.
This was the floor he was aiming for since the start. The floor where Violet worked. So far, Rein hadn't found her corpse, so he was hopeful she survived.
'I did tell her to grab her gun and escape. I wonder if she did really do that.'
Walking through the large floor, Rein eventually stopped at a particular office door that was blasted open. Peeking inside, he found nothing. So, he walked in.
'It doesn't seem much struggle happened here. Looks intact.' As he looked around silently, Rein reached the table and noticed something.
"Hm?"
On the table was a notebook with a pen inside it. He frowned and then slowly opened the book note. Inside, Rein found a communication device and words written.
"Contact me as soon as you find this. -Violet." It said.
"..." Rein blinked before he smiled. 'Smart.'
Putting the earpiece in his ear, he was about to contact Violet when…
*Click*
"D-Don't move!"
He heard the sound of a gun clicking and a hesitant voice speaking.
"R-Raise your hands up where I can see them!" The voice said.
Rein didn't move as he looked up and then over his shoulder. There, he saw a familiar man. One in his early 30s, short, with a small stature and a timid look on his face as he held the gun shakingly. His glasses were loosely hanging off his face, with signs of cracking.
"If it isn't Teo," Rein said coldly as he lifted his hands up. "Don't shoot now. I'm not one of those monsters."
"... Wait…" The man took a second to understand before his eyes widened. "M-Mr X?! Is that you?!"
"In the flesh."
"... You're alive!!" The man said with a wide smile on his face.
"What did you expect? I won't die so easily," Rein said as he turned around. "Now, drop the damn gun before I break it on your head."
"Huh? Oh! Right, I-I'm sorry! I genuinely thought you were one of those nasty things or even an intruder trying to take advantage of Miss Violet's work."
"Well, I doubt anyone has the time for that now. Everyone is trying to make it out alive. Why are you still in this building and didn't escape?" Rein asked.
"I wanted to… B-But, I was stuck inside, and those monsters chased me around. I hid in one of the offices and waited for help… Is the situation really that bad outside?"
"Hmmm, well, it depends, do you consider hundreds of millions of people potentially dying in less than an hour bad?" Rein asked.
"... Y-Yeah?"
"Then yeah, it is pretty fucked outside," Rein said as he tapped the earpiece. "Anyway…"
Letting the communication device connect, Rein waited. A few seconds later, he heard a ringing sound as a voice spoke in the communication device.
"Rein!!" A worried female voice called for him. "I-Is that you?"
"Yeah."
"Oh, thank God! Thank God! I was so worried when we lost contact earlier. Are you ok? Did anything happen?"
"It's a long story. Where are you?" He asked.
"I'm… Well, I did do what you asked me to do and… What is even this, Rein? What the hell are these floating boxes?" Violet asked.
'So she did get a system.' His eyes flickered with a mysterious glint. "I will explain what they are when we meet. Where did you go?"
"I escaped with a group of agents and headed to the northern part of the city. The military has established a base here, and we are in it currently."
'A base, huh?' Rein frowned.
"Ok, I'm on my way." He said.
"Please be careful, Rein. Don't hurt yourself."
"I-Is that Miss Violet that you contacted?"
"Yeah."
"Oh my… I'm so glad she's fine." Teo said as he wiped his face. "What are you going to do now, Mr. X?"
"I'm leaving."
"Wait, what?! What about me?"
"Do whatever you want. You can wait for help here." Rein said as he looked around the office and then picked a few things he deemed might be useful before he walked toward the door. Teo chased after him panickedly.
"But, but, Mr. X! I can't stay here, I will die! Please take me with you!"
"No," Rein replied.
"Please! Please! I promise I can be useful!"
"..." Rein stopped as he looked over his shoulder at the man begging him. He squinted. 'Teo is an extremely good technician and a coder. Hmmm, he might be useful in the future if I need his skills.'
"One condition," Rein said as he turned around and walked to Teo, towering over him easily as he glared into his very soul. The man shuddered and stepped back.
"Don't be a dead weight. Understood?"
"Y-Yes!"
"If you can't keep up, then you'd better give up and throw yourself to the Undead to consume."