NOVEL NEXT Chapter 173
First time is always tough, but after that, it’s a breeze.
Once I caught a random person, I quickly fell from grace.
Thus I’m known as the Corrupt Police. There are corrupt officers at this checkpoint.
– Hey, what are you doing up front? Move aside.
“Ahh, a criminal is catching the police! Get the police!”
You know, like demanding protection money after purposely colliding with a moving car.
– Is this going to work…?
“Uh huh. Do it secretly. Like this, behind. Out of sight.”
Receiving bribes from drug dealers and turning a blind eye to them is just the norm here.
They truly embodied the ultimate image of a corrupt police officer.
[Wow, seriously fallen from grace ㅋㅋㅋㅋ]
[Blackmail and bribery… this is really serious]
[Mollru realized she couldn’t make money honestly]
[You have to skillfully accept backdoor payments and protection money to buy a house, a car, and get married]
[How long are you going to live in a dump like this?]
[I had no choice to get ahead…]
[Truth is, there are cops like that in some parts of Earth right now]
[It’s common for traffic officers to blatantly accept bribes and let cars cut ahead ㅇㅇ]
I wasn’t always like this. At first, I honestly checked for IDs, arrested criminals, and didn’t take bribes at all.
But whether it was intentional by the game or not, if I played that way, I kept running low on money, leading to bankruptcy endings. Or I’d get killed by a prisoner escaping from jail.
Still, I haven’t completely fallen. I didn’t blindly take bribes, falsely imprison innocents, or demand protection money. Too much of anything is worse than none at all. Balance is key.
If I acted like a corrupt police officer in every single action, that would also lead to a game over.
I took this as the game company encouraging me to play with some flexibility. The result of my gameplay so far reflects just that.
In fact, playing like a corrupt officer has led to my longest survival yet. Unlike before when I couldn’t last a month, I’m now on day 35. During this time, I managed to save some money, upgraded my place, and stocked up on weapons.
Even if another gang fight broke out like last time, I wouldn’t be so powerless this time. I’ve spent quite a bit on bullets.
And true to my efforts, an incident occurred.
Wheeeeee-!
It was dawn after sunset. The sirens inside the checkpoint blared, signaling the beginning of trouble.
– It’s an attack!
– The gangsters are invading!
It was the same gang from last time.
Fully armed with all sorts of weapons and gear, they stormed into the checkpoint at dawn with explosive sounds.
[Revenge of the Gang!]
– The Red Hood Gang, who controls this area, is furious about losing one of their members in the last battle.
They aim to crush this checkpoint that obstructs their revenge and take control of the region.
Block the gang’s attack and protect the people at the checkpoint!
Winning Conditions: Eliminate all gangsters, (Lose if more than half of the checkpoint staff are killed)
“I’ve been waiting for this day…”
[Aah.. time to go back from a regular corrupt cop to a western gunslinger]
[A long period of humiliation and oppression has passed]
[I don’t really feel like I was oppressed though]
[For real ㅋㅋ I was thoroughly enjoying the corrupt police life]
[Anyway, since I died once at the hands of the gang, I need to exact revenge ㅇㅇ]
I check my weapons. The handgun tucked in my chest gives me a subtle sense of security.
As soon as I stepped outside, bullets started raining down. I quickly ducked to avoid the line of fire.
I tried to shoot while just barely peeking out, but it didn’t reach. Because of the weak range of the pistol.
No matter what happens, this game doesn’t allow for long-range combat with a handgun. While I only have that kind of pistol, the enemies are wearing bulletproof vests and carrying assault rifles. A fair fight is impossible.
“What kind of gang has this much money? Isn’t it ridiculous that the gang is better armed than the police?”
[Ah ㅋㅋ the teacher should’ve bought a bulletproof vest and a rifle]
[Can’t, the salary is way too low]
[Rent is tight too, you know]
[This is why everyone becomes a corrupt cop]
[A world where gangs have more money than the police… that doesn’t sound unfamiliar]
This gang may seem small, but it’s a little bigger than that. Still, I need to take them down quickly. Our checkpoint’s staff are falling as we speak.
To do that, I need to get closer since my gun can’t reach them. But if I just walk over, I’ll be a pin cushion like last time.
However, there was something different this time. My trusty police truck, Maximus, was right beside me.
“Maximus, are you ready?”
[What the heck is Maximus, you nerd?]
[Don’t you know Maximus? You must be living under a rock!]
[For real ㅋㅋ if you don’t know Maximus, you better leave!]
[So what’s Maximus then?]
[That’s the name of the police truck ㅇㅇ]
[Is there really someone who names their police car?]
[That just shows how much I love it]
That’s right, Maximus is the police truck I ride every time I go out to catch criminals. It’s a big fellow, to be exact.
Having wiped out numerous criminals together, it was ready to join me in this battle against the gang.
With Maximus, I could approach the gang without becoming a pin cushion!
[But Maximus might become a pin cushion instead]
[Ah ㅋㅋ Maximus is tough so it’ll be okay]
[The teacher can’t become a pin cushion, right?]
[The truck will end up full of holes though]
[Shouldn’t we ask Maximus how he feels about this?]
“Maximus says he’s okay with it.”
Maximus is as righteous as I am. There’s no way he’d shy away from taking a few bullets in this kind of situation. If Maximus could talk, he would probably shout at me to charge at the gang right now.
Don’t worry, Maximus, your spirit has been duly noted.
I charged toward the gang, who were still preoccupied with shooting. I didn’t turn on the sirens to take advantage of the surprise.
No matter how swift the gangsters were, they couldn’t dodge a truck that suddenly appeared by breaking through the checkpoint barricade.
One shot, one kill. The gangster lost his life to the truck barreling toward him.
[PLOUGHING THROUGH!]
[Here comes the monster truck!]
[Maximus’s power was astonishing]
[This is the lawless force on the road, you know]
The rest of them were too busy shooting at Maximus’s sides and back. Ultimately, crashing into them was just a one-time strategy. Maximus might be tough, but the gang’s bullets blew out all of his tires.
Still, Maximus had done his part. I’d have to take him to the repair shop later. That’s if he’s broken only to the extent he can still be salvaged. Otherwise, we might need to send off Maximus and find a new friend.
While paying my respects to Maximus, I jumped out of the driver’s seat. From here on, I had to rely on my own body.
But it was sufficient. I had already accomplished my primary goal of approaching the gang without any damage.
I got out and calmly began to take them down, one by one. Every time my pistol fired, another enemy fell one by one.
[Achievement Unlocked!]
– Sharpshooter: Eliminate an enemy with 5 consecutive headshots.
[Wow!]
[That aim though]
[Where did those fools go who said Mollru was a one-trick EOW!]
[The controls must be different, but I’m shooting incredibly well]
[It’s just because I’m good at gaming]
I wiped out all the gang members, leaving only a man who seemed to be the boss.
I came to realize the bloody truth of the incident.
– Hey, Bullard! Help me! I’m gonna die here! You think you’ll be safe if I die?
– Damn it…
At the boss’s shout emerged a familiar face behind him.
“Yeonggam-nim?”
[Yeonggam-nim was the culprit?]
[This is a Sixth Sense level twist ㄷㄷㄷㄷ]
[The inspector who constantly nagged us was in league with the gang after all]
It was the inspector Yeonggam, who had constantly been nagging me and giving me work-related orders. Looking weary, Yeonggam aimed a gun at me and spoke.
– This is where it ends, buddy. Everyone’s been hurt, so let me and this guy go.
It turned out that both the boss of the gang and the chief at this checkpoint were in cahoots. All the pieces fell into place. Everything from the gang’s well-armed nature to how they could breach the checkpoint at dawn now made sense.
The truly corrupt police were different altogether.
In the end, only the remnants of the gang were left as Yeonggam and the boss fled. Our side had taken heavy losses, so it was unavoidable. It was a bit much for me to take them both on alone.
And so, my police life at the checkpoint ended, betrayed by the chief I trusted.
*
It was late in the evening after the show that I heard news I never expected.
– We’re getting married.
“Married?”
It was news I had never anticipated hearing around me.