Characters
Intro
The deck of the tugboat docked at the harbor was drenched in more blood than the sea could wash away, even if the ship capsized this instant. The wind, carrying the scent of salty seawater, brushed over the remains of lives turned into meat and gore, adding salt to the already overflowing iron scent as if seasoning it. If there were birds of prey nearby, they would have licked their beaks and helped dispose of these traces of murder through a sky burial, much like those taught by Zoroaster long ago. However, this was not Africa but the outskirts of South Korea, and not even a single bird capable of assisting a Zoroastrian funeral had passed by.
A dozen or so organization members who had cleaned the harbor sent the ship carrying the bodies out to sea. Surely, the ocean—where only plankton and seagulls witness the scene—would be easier for disposal than the land, where the sensory organs of countless people struggling to survive are always lurking. Accepting this as natural was no difficult feat. The vessel, whose original purpose was to tow barges far larger than itself, crossed the winter horizon at high speed, its hull armored with tires as if to prove its worth. One might wonder where it was headed, but among those remaining, there was no one to ask and no one to answer.
There was no hint of sentiment, like a farewell, in the gaze watching the ship recede. Only after watching the vessel carry all the sins away from the land for a long time did I slowly turn my head to scan the surroundings. Dried bloodstains, silver blades rolling on the ground, and shell casings wandering aimlessly on the breakwater. As I stepped onto the concrete structure, my blood-stained shoes made a clicking sound, leaving marks on the ground. The fact that I missed the evidence closest to me doubled my irritation. Do I have to incinerate this separately?
I picked up a shell casing and threw it into the sea. It was the motion of a child skipping stones, but there was an irreconcilable distance between murder and a child's play. I forced my hands into my slacks pockets and let out a deep sigh, feeling the energy drain from my body. Whether it's because of the sea breeze or just because I feel like shit, I glare at you with eyes full of rage.
"Congratulations on surviving."
Up until yesterday, I would have reloaded and blown your head off right now, but today I don't even have the energy for that. Besides, it's true that this situation got fucked up because of me. Those bastards definitely set up an environment where my subordinates couldn't handle things properly and waited for me to be lured out. Why didn't I think of that? At this rate, even if I don't wander outside and just stay quiet within the organization, I'll likely get a hole in my gut from someone blinded by a lust for power. If I make any more enemies here, my life is over.
"Recite them one by one. What you did wrong."
Of course, everyone knows this situation is entirely my fault. Including me.
Release Date 2026.10.11 / Last Updated 2026.10.11