Jegyll was a young woman with a long history with Michelle.
She had the kind of sharp eyes that kept men away.
Even Colonel Gratham, who was twice her age, became uncomfortable under her stare.
“Yes! According to the report, they had currently formed a party to pursue them and to search for their base. As for the mysterious weapon, they have been told to capture it if possible.”
Michelle furrowed her eyebrows when she heard Colonel Gratham’s reply.
She wondered who they could have possiblity sent that could stand against an enemy that killed three Murder Dogs at once.
Michelle was against the use of soldiers as disposable objects, and there was no way that Colonel Gratham was not aware of it.
In that case, it would make sense to think that he had sent a sizable force…
“…Colonel Gratham. Did you perhaps send the armored troops led by Second Lieutenant Karman?”
Michelle said as she sat coolly in her chair.
Colonel Gratham looked a little surprised. But then he smiled confidently and answered her.
“Yes! You are very perceptive! Furthermore, First Lieutenant Hiragi is continuing the combat analysis, so they should be prepared for anything.”
Colonel Gratham said with a bow, but Michelle was even more angry now.
As the person who was the highest in command of the south security force, she knew well the names, abilities and personalities of her subordinates.
When she considered all of it together, the only thing that fit with Colonel Gratham’s ability to act, was the armored troops.
That being said, it was actually the worst possible action in Michelle’s mind.
Colonel Gratham had said that they were prepared, which was him hinting at the possibility of defeat, yet the problem went further back than that.
First Lieutenant Hiragi and Second Lieutenant Karman.
These two did not work well together at all.
It wasn’t that they didn’t like each other. If anything, it was the opposite.
They had very similar personalities and the success rate of an operation went up if they worked together.
It might seem like a favorable point then, but the problem was in the process.
Just as there had been a report of Second Lieutenant Hiragi using nuclear weapons without hesitation, the two of them did not act with any regard towards damage.
They only pursued results.
Of course, they did make an attempt to minimize casualties towards their own. However, there was no such regard for the enemy.
They did not think of the circumstances of others, and only cared about completing the task they were given.
First Lieutenant Hiragi was obsessed with research and had no mercy when it came to operations.
Second Lieutenant Karman was obsessed with battle and pursued victory alone.
It was said that when these two teamed up, the battlefield would grow increasingly brutal.
Perhaps these were not reprehensible traits for the military.
However, Michelle could not make herself like these two.
She would even go as far as to say she disliked them.
In general, Michelle was against murder.
As was clear from the name, Southern Security Force, their purpose was to maintain peace.
It wasn’t the annihilation of the resistance.
They were a part of humanity and may have been their comrades had things been a little different, or so Michelle thought.
It was just that their positions had ended up a little different…
Of course, as long as the cities had limited capacity, there was no question of letting them in.
They would not go down the same path as that city that had been destroyed.
And so, in spite of her feelings, Michelle had agreed to all of the operations that her subordinates had submitted.
Even if a report came that said nuclear weapons had been used, she did not complain that it was going too far.
While she didn’t see the resistance as an enemy, they were not friends or allies either.
It was only natural for them to prioritize the residents of the city and her subordinates.
And–while it was not public knowledge, there were informants within the resistance.
Indirectly offering them abandoned food processing plants, having them attack unarmed food storages…
They were roundabout ways, but Michelle had done what she could to give the resistance just enough to survive.
And now…
She sank into her chair and closed her eyes to think.
It was not possible that the resistance could have developed a new weapon.
There had been no reports from their informants, and the resistance did not have the resources.
In that case, could it be someone from the other cities…or…
(Was there a laboratory that had survived? It wasn’t impossible… But unlikely. No, perhaps…)
She stopped thinking about the abilities of the enemy and instead tried to predict what would happen from here.
First Lieutenant Hiragi was not likely to allow them to escape.
In that case, the resistance base might already have been discovered.
And with Second Lieutenant Karman there as well, the place would turn into a battlefield.
There were problems with Second Lieutenant Karman’s personality, but it was quite the opposite in terms of combat ability.
The armor unit consisted of five of their best soldiers who wore powered suits.
These cyborgs that had been altered through the power of science, were now even stronger with the help of the powered suits.
Among them, Karmen was exceptional. A genius.
Stronger even than the Murder Dogs.
It was very likely then that the powerless people in their hiding places would be murdered.
(I believe that nearly a thousand live in a single base. So it would not be hard for them to kill them all…)
Michelle came to a decision after a few seconds of thought.
“…Our biggest priority is understanding the abilities of the mystery enemy. While the resistance are not a threat, we cannot ignore them if they have something that is stronger than a Murder Dog. Tell First Lieutenant Hiragi to analyze it thoroughly. And tell Second Lieutenant Karman not to go further than what is necessary.”
Then Michelle paused for a moment before deciding to make it clear.
“Colonel Gratham. I will say that it was not wrong for you to send the strongest force at your disposal at the time. However, when going against an unknown enemy, it would have been better to send machine troops which can be replaced. I do not want to lose any more men. Is that understood?”