NOVEL NEXT Chapter 21
“You’ve returned quickly? Hey, where are you sticking your hands right now!?”
“Don’t misunderstand.”
He picked up the two nuts jingling beneath the underwear.
As a bonus, a few wires as well.
“Take a good look.”
The biggest drawback of a Crafter is their poor physical ability.
Ironically, their weak physical abilities are also their strengths.
If ‘humans’ manage to get hold of a Crafter, humans don’t usually perceive early-stage Crafters as a significant threat.
During the early stages, since the battles were more focused on melee weapons like clubs and daggers rather than firearms, the chances of being wounded and becoming a prisoner or slave were quite high.
And once becoming a prisoner or slave, handcuffs or jail cells were practically meaningless to a Crafter.
Why is that so?
“Here.”
“What is… this?”
“It’s a makeshift key.”
“What does it open?”
“It opens everything that’s not locked electronically.”
Dieterich stared blankly at the makeshift key made by bending wires.
Then she asked:
“Did you hit your head or something?”
That expression was quite rude.
Hit the head, she said.
“Did you not see what I was doing outside earlier?”
“I was tidying up the room? Besides, I didn’t feel the need to leave here at all. Meeting the communication officer was burdensome enough, and the attention of other people….”
Ah.
It should have been Dieterich who saw me while I was welding the pipe, not Hans.
“Well then, could you give me any lock to try?”
“Hmm… here. This drawer has separate keyholes for each compartment. It’s where the medicine is stored.”
Her gaze filled with pity was something I didn’t like at all.
Well, but—luckily, there were three drawers.
Since this makeshift key’s durability is only 3…
—Chink.
—Chink.
—Chink.
“Huh?”
“See? I told you it could open anything.”
“But—how?”
The moment the key was pulled from the last drawer, it broke off completely like it was a lie.
After creating a new makeshift key by bending more wires, I handed it to Dieterich.
“As long as it’s not too thick or intricately crafted, it can open any lock.”
The key’s durability is 3.
It doesn’t work on locks with a durability higher than 3.
“…I see. Now I understand why Schultz assigned you as his direct technician. However…”
“However?”
“The problem isn’t the locks.”
“What are you talking about?”
“There are only two ways to enter or exit this place. Both are blocked by checkpoints.”
“Are the checkpoint personnel on standby 24 hours?”
“There was a time someone from the checkpoint was injured and came to me, so probably yes.”
“What about blocked passages or pipes?”
“I don’t know about those. I don’t think I could help much with that either. Of course, I could open and move around using my room’s lock at night—but this key might be useful only for that.”
Ultimately, am I going to have to run on foot?
Not to mention the three people I’ve promised Dieterich about… their whereabouts are also unknown.
Above all, since I have the choice to leave them behind, I must proceed with caution.
“I’ll have to aim for the coup.”
“That, I don’t know much about either. Surely, the special guard will safeguard us.”
“What if even they get distracted by some big happening?”
“Well… then I wouldn’t know either. Though I can’t even fathom how big an event Schultz would require for such a thing.”
Like opening the gates of the prisoner’s cells.
If there’s a facility studying the sudden mutations, perhaps releasing that side…
Since Hans mentioned the armory was heavily guarded to me personally, acquiring explosives would be a daunting task.
Then, maybe increasing the heating pipe pressure until it bursts, opening the prison cells wide, and escaping with Frau Dieterich could be effective.
Anyhow, all of these are nothing more than conjectures.
“So, can I consider you inclined toward escaping if the opportunity arises?”
“…I still think the plan is too risky. But… at least, yes. With the Nazis…”
I got a definitive answer from her.
Then, the matter at hand is to prepare for the escape—
[Frau Dieterich, is the treatment for technician Xuan Woo finished?]
“Ah, yes, the basic treatment is done.”
[Lieutenant Hans Schultz is calling for the technician.]
“Got it. Please tell him I’ll head up now.”
Hans.
How much is that guy planning to keep an eye on me?
***
“I saw that you resolved the pipe issues.”
“Though not entirely resolved yet.”
“I’ve heard. There’s a pressure problem, right? Are you confident in resolving that?”
“It’s necessary to dismantle the existing pipes, install new ones, and inspect the boiler room structure.”
“The more tasks I assign to you, the more astonished I become. We should have recruited more technicians of your caliber when setting up this bunker.”
While sitting, Hans, who had been clapping his hands lightly several times, suddenly leaned forward.
“However, I kindly request that you temporarily let the boiler room issue linger. Instead, I’m placing you in the task of making bullets. Of course, we can spin it as making parts for plumbing repairs on the surface.”
“We’ll need gunpowder, right?”
“We won’t need gunpowder.”
The whispers of a plan knitting together started echoing.
His grin, full of cunning, was far from pleasing.
“Once you tell me the exact amount of gunpowder, the soldiers under my command will assemble the rest.”
“If we don’t measure precisely, it could be dangerous.”
“Then you must provide the exact amount.”
“Once you know how to make bullets, you might decide to get rid of me?”
“Ah… That wasn’t my intention. Why would I let go of a skilled technician I already have?”
Still, his eyes darting away were clearly unsettling.
I’d better get out of here sooner.
“What about the item I mentioned earlier?”
“The inspection is ongoing. As soon as it’s ready, I’ll let you know.”
Does that mean the three are still safe?
Either my fortress hasn’t been breached yet or they’ve lost interest.
Still, Sarah must have caught Hans’s attention.
What are those three doing now?
If they had abandoned me and fled, Han’s soldiers would have already raided my workshop and more.
Or, have they secured everything and are now inspecting it?
“Anyway, to create an excuse for the pipe work, we should at least pretend to inspect the boiler room first.”
“Would you go check right away? How’s the ship’s condition?”
“It’s not bad.”
“Good. In that case, let me guide you to the boiler room right away. Soldier?”
“Alright, understood. Please follow me.”
I needed information.
To gain information, I’d have to move around more.
Even snippets from soldiers’ personal monologues or conversations.
Gossip among officers would do too.
It was definitely better than trying to befriend this deceptive liar and extract information from him.
-Tap tap tap, footstep sounds filled the place as I stepped out of the room.
Officers and soldiers alike avoided making eye contact with me, and those who were in conversations would abruptly stop and move away.
Incredibly,
“Uh… Heil Hitler.”
Some maids even bowed their heads to me.
At first, I thought it was because of the soldier escorting me, but by the third encounter, it became clear it wasn’t because of him.
“Why are they…?”
“Orders came directly from the lieutenant.”
Is it a situation where upper ranks don’t interfere?
I did hear that he got addicted to morphine, and the communications officer messed up important messages too.
“The boiler room is this way. If you need additional personnel, please request without hesitation.”
“Where’s the toolbox?”
“I’ll fetch it. Please wait a moment.”
Ahh, seemed like they were leaving, but spotting them talking into the radio, it’s clear they’re under surveillance.
I had no choice but to enter after opening the door.
“Whoa…”
Unlike me, the spacious room housed three water tanks.
Looking around the area reeking of oily smoke, I realized that steam heated the water instead of electricity or gas.
Of course, what I needed to see wasn’t this area.
“The pressure…as I expected.”
The pressure gauge needle pointed squarely at the red zone.
Issues with the piping design or excessive heating or old pipes were likely the causes.
Of course, I had no intention of solving it.
I was more interested in how to make the piping burst and cause chaos, as that was my real concern.
-Wwwrooom.
A loud explosion went off, and the lights flickered.
It was followed by the blare of sirens.
[Emergency, emergency, all personnel to combat positions. All personnel to combat positions.]
Is it a coup?
If it were, I would’ve already been warned.
What on earth…?
“Mr. Woo, you need to stop working and follow me.”
“What happened…?”
“We don’t know either. Let’s move quickly to a safe location—huh!?”
Her trembling hand reached back.
And from behind emerged a bloody dagger.
As her neck was struck multiple times, her body collapsed forward, blood spurting out in all directions.
The person who stabbed the soldier wore a steel helmet.
The uniform… green.
Could it be from the Wehrmacht…?
“Figured you’d be here.”
Miss Sarah?