The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 53

#53. Construction: Bridge (1)

Early dawn.

“Shields!”

Clack, clack!

Police officers donned their protective gear and thrust their shields forward.

The leader of the arrest team for this terrorist suppression operation was Lee Cheong-chun.

They were about to head towards Dong-an District under the chief’s orders.

108 police officers.

213 honorary police officers.

A total force of 321.

It was the only combat unit within the police force, excluding those drafted for labor.

The chief shouted at them.

“You must capture the terrorists. Understood!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Yes, sir!”

The police officers, filled with military spirit, shouted.

A blizzard raged through the city, and the police officers, clad only in protective gear, endured the cold as they looked at the chief on the platform.

The chief continued to berate them.

“They are the terrorists who killed your comrades. Show no mercy! Move out.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Yes, sir!”

The police officers were easily moved by the mention of their fallen comrades.

They left the police station to head towards Dong-an District under the chief’s orders.

Lee Cheong-chun led them from the front, yet he was worried.

Would the police station be safe with this level of combat force deployed?

If a riot were to break out the moment they removed the forces maintaining internal order, their power would completely collapse.

As Lee Cheong-chun stepped onto the street, he looked up at the rooftop of a building adjacent to the police station.

There, laborers drafted by the administrator were building a ‘bridge.’

To safely navigate the ruined city, they were gathering various materials on the rooftops of buildings to construct bridges.

Dozens of people were moving about on the precarious buildings.

‘It’ll be alright since Sion is there.’

Since he already had the fervent trust of the citizens, order wouldn’t collapse in an instant.

However, Lee Cheong-chun, embarking on this expedition, did not know.

That Kang Sion, the very person the police trusted, was preparing a coup [a sudden, illegal seizure of power from a government].

And he didn’t know about his plan to take over the force after gaining the police’s fervent trust and dispelling any suspicion.

Lee Cheong-chun set out along the street.

Even with the arrest warrant issued, the road to Dong-an District in the snow-filled city was harsh.

* * *

The rooftop near the police station.

I quietly watched from the rooftop railing as the police force moved out.

The police force, along with the snow removal team, was clearing the road to Dong-an District.

They were trying to clear the way by mobilizing all the snow removal equipment.

I watched them and then turned my head.

There, laborers were using long iron plates and ladders to build bridges connecting the rooftops of buildings.

“Be careful there.”

“Pull it a little more this way. That’s it.”

The labor force that had been mobilized to operate the boilers was now mobilized to build bridges.

Building bridges was easier than expected.

The gaps between the rooftops were filled with sturdy iron plates or overlapping ladders, securely fixed to the railings.

There were also enough basic construction tools available.

Hammers, nails, saws, cable ties, and so on.

From the police station to Ilbeon Street.

If bridges were installed on the rooftops of the buildings leading up to that point, there would be no difficulty in moving around, no matter how high the snow piled up.

Above all, it was safe from the threat of Nepenthes [carnivorous pitcher plants] or alligator turtles.

The number of laborers mobilized to build the bridges was approximately 100.

Originally, 100 people weren’t necessary for the job, but I deliberately pulled out more manpower.

My presence here wasn’t just for the bridge construction work.

Preparation for the coup.

The rooftop of this building was being used as a secret base.

I gathered them to secure a map of the police station’s interior and to understand the public sentiment and the movements of the chief and the councilman.

The rooftop of the building at the bridge entrance had a clear view of the police station, and above all, the chief would only think we were building bridges.

The laborers and assault team members, united around me, gathered weapons collected from various places.

Hammers, knives, flashlights, and batteries.

“We don’t need these.”

I was in charge of managing and supervising their collection activities.

I picked up a hammer from the collected weapons and set it aside.

The hammer fell to the rooftop floor with a loud noise.

“The corridors of the police station are very narrow, so large weapons like hammers are unnecessary. Something like this is better.”

I explained, holding a screwdriver.

I had already experienced small-scale battles.

Large blunt weapons like hammers are actually a hindrance in narrow passages.

In indoor environments, weapons that can attack quickly and retreat quickly are important.

“The most important thing is to only inflict the necessary casualties. Once the ruling class of the force changes, the ruled class will eventually become valuable labor for the new force.”

Even as my explanation continued, the sounds of construction echoed from various places.

It was a sound I hadn’t heard in a while.

The kind of sounds you’d hear at a construction site before things turned out this way.

“But Administrator, even if we take over the force, how will you deal with the provocations from the Dong-an District forces?”

A middle-aged man sitting on the opposite side asked.

I put the screwdriver I was holding back into the pile of weapons and answered.

“Of course, I can’t tolerate it. The important thing is the safety of the members within this force. If there’s a force that threatens our safety, we must deal with them, no matter who they are. Either way, we need to grow our force to survive in this league.”

All the members gathered here nodded as if agreeing with my words.

“But Administrator, if Dong-an District is larger than us, wouldn’t we suffer more damage if we clash head-on?”

A young woman sitting on the left asked worriedly.

In response to the woman’s words, I looked at the bridge on the opposite side.

There, workers were still busily moving, hurrying to build the bridge.

At the earliest, it would be completed tomorrow, or the day after at the latest.

“We’ll carry out the operation before that. Before their force far surpasses ours.”

An incomplete force is like an egg.

It looks solid on the outside, but in reality, it crumbles with just a little force.

A sandcastle in front of the waves.

A lamp in front of the wind.

It’s easier to destroy a small-scale force than it is to form one.

Currently, the police station’s force consists of three groups.

The police force, the special forces, and the work crew made up of laborers.

Most of the special forces were people who had been imprisoned in the detention center and were liberated thanks to Sion.

As such, they had a strong antipathy towards the police.

Also, the labor group was a group united by me.

Mostly core youths with the most power within the force.

The plan is simple.

Seize the police station and control the internal citizens.

Eliminate all existing military power and remove the leaders.

And after gaining trust, be recognized by the system as the new ruler.

It was a plan that was entirely possible since the citizens’ trust had already shifted away from the police.

But this wasn’t enough.

‘More, I need more.’

I needed to shake the citizens more strongly.

I examined the roughly drawn map of the police station’s interior on the rooftop floor.

“Listen carefully. This is a strategy to defeat the police’s shield bearers.”

I began to explain the operation to the ‘special forces.’

* * *

Police station, 5th floor, internal office.

The chief’s office was the largest room in the police station.

But now, it had been completely transformed into the chief’s living space.

A thick mattress and cotton blankets.

Three heating devices were placed throughout the room.

Thanks to this, the temperature inside the room where the chief resided was so humid that it was reminiscent of midsummer.

The chief was enjoying playtime with his new lover on the same bed at the same time every day.

Councilman Gil In-ho sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the chief’s family photo.

A neatly taken photo of his wife and daughter was placed there.

Holding a cigarette pack, Gil In-ho turned his head and looked at the mattress.

There was Police Chief Park Geon-woo.

Gil In-ho didn’t show it, but he was very displeased right now.

It was because the chief had proceeded with things unilaterally.

But he didn’t show it.

Gil In-ho spoke in a languid voice.

“But Chief, if you organize an arrest team to Dong-an District, there might be problems maintaining internal order. You should have consulted with me. Why did you do it alone?”

The chief didn’t answer.

Gil In-ho took out a cigarette.

“I was wondering if it would be better to wait for communication with headquarters and take a defensive strategy.”

Chik-.

Gil In-ho lit the end of the cigarette and continued.

“In the first place, we have the weapon of legitimate execution of official duties. It’s clear that the terrorism is only happening within Anyang City, and before long, headquarters will form a special forces team, and if we just hold out until then……”

Whoosh-.

Gil In-ho exhaled cigarette smoke.

Now he didn’t hide his displeasure.

‘Ha…… this cop is climbing all over me.’

The chief wasn’t even listening to his words, too busy playing with the woman.

Gil In-ho had thought he had the chief completely in his grasp until now.

After the provocations from the Dong-an forces, the chief seemed to have changed.

Before he knew it, the chief had come down from the woman and was sitting on the edge of the mattress, breathing heavily.

His new lover was lying face down, quietly holding her breath.

“Haa…… whew…… it’s because I’m getting old…… if I were only 10 years younger.”

The chief took a few more breaths, then picked up a bottle of soju [Korean distilled rice liquor] nearby and gulped it down, asking.

“What was that? Councilman. Please say it again.”

“I’m saying, please refrain from unilateral actions. Isn’t it more than late enough to wait calmly for communication with headquarters and then take action?”

Gil In-ho said somewhat irritably.

Then the chief stared blankly at the councilman before smiling and answering.

“Haha. Goodness. There is no headquarters.”

“……What?”

And the chief’s following words were truly shocking.

The chief smiled as if he felt refreshed, wiping the sweat from his forehead with a towel.

Gil In-ho frowned and glared at the chief, saying.

“No headquarters? How am I supposed to take that? Police Chief?”

From Gil In-ho’s perspective, he couldn’t help but feel betrayed by the police chief’s words.

That’s because Gil In-ho was waiting for communication with headquarters along with the chief.

Gil In-ho’s thinking was simple.

The government is still valid, and the terrorist’s actions are limited to within Anyang City.

In other words, if that unidentified barrier on the outskirts is dealt with, they can return to 21st century South Korea.

But that was just Gil In-ho’s thought.

And the chief knew.

“How else would you take it, Councilman? If headquarters isn’t valid, then you’re nothing here~ You can take it as that.”

Thump-!

The chief grabbed the hair of the woman who was lying face down, holding her breath.

The woman’s head was lifted by the chief’s hand.

The woman only turned her eyes to look at the chief.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

The chief spoke gently to her.

“Honey, go out~ Let the adults talk.”

“…….”

The woman, with half-dead eyes, gathered her clothes and went out.

Squeak- Thud.

She carefully closed the door and left.

Now, only Councilman Gil In-ho and the police chief remained in the chief’s office.

From that moment, Gil In-ho’s heart began to pound like crazy.

Something had changed.

The police chief’s smile was completely reversing the atmosphere between them.

Chik, chik-.

The chief lit a cigarette and began to smoke.

Whoosh-.

The chief sat naked on the desk, looking at the councilman and saying.

“Councilman. The world has indeed ended, and the government you rely on has been annihilated. Of course, there’s no police headquarters either. I also tried to communicate with headquarters at first. But something was strange. No helicopters, the radio status was a mess…… Sss…… Whoosh-. What does that mean? What that means is. Your power, your status? City councilman? Here, it’s all worth less than dog hair.”

“Ch, Chief……! You, now!!”

Gil In-ho shouted in surprise, but the chief cut him off.

“You’re so stupid. You idiot.”

The chief flicked his cigarette ash and nonchalantly continued.

He scratched the inside of his crotch as if it was itchy, saying.

“Aigo~ Councilman. Do you know why I highly valued you and let you play the boss here? Because you’re a material for hope torture. You’re a tool for torturing people’s hope. Huh? I don’t believe the government is still intact…… but some police officers and citizens still believe the government is intact. To take good care of those people so they don’t riot, we need to use our great Councilman of South Korea a little, right? Huh?”

Scratch, scratch.

The police chief was still scratching the inside of his hairy crotch.

The police chief pointed at Gil In-ho with the cigarette between his fingers, saying.

Smoke came out from between his lips every time the chief spoke.

“You’re perfect for it, Gil In-ho. So, don’t climb too high from now on.”

At those words, Gil In-ho answered in a slightly trembling voice.

“D, do you. Ca, can you take responsibility? How can you do this to me and still……! Do you think you’ll be safe!!!! Do you know how many high-ranking officials I know in the National Police Agency?!?!!! I told you!!!”

Thump!

Gil In-ho got excited while speaking and stood up from his seat.

Then he walked over and started shouting in the face of the police chief sitting at the desk.

“If you just follow my words!!! I’ll get you promoted after this situation is over. Headquarters appointment? Executive level? Huh? I can do it all. You fool. If you just listen to me well~!!!……”

“Haa~ Our city councilman. Didn’t I just say not to climb too high? But you still haven’t come to your senses.”

The police chief stood up from his seat with a cigarette in his mouth.

Then he stood up from the desk and looked down at Councilman Gil In-ho.

The pupils of Councilman Gil In-ho, who was looking at the chief, were shaking wildly.

The chief quietly whispered to the city councilman.

“Here, I’m the king, the president, and God.”

And the chief smiled again with a good feeling, looking into the eyes of the city councilman and concluding.

“I’ll show you what happens if you disobey me.”

(To be continued in the next episode)