Leaving the disastrous locomotive crash site, the environment's setting changed. Flames erupted violently and raged throughout, and with no end of ruined infrastructure and property in sight, this territory became a war-torn one.

A younger Zack strolled across the land, passing numerous corpses. His blue overalls were stained with dirt and mud, indicating he didn't arrive only when everything was annihilated.

"Dammit...did we have to decimate this district just to take out some rival organization...?" Zack questioned in a low tone. He held his head down as he strolled, and his cold demeanor and bags under his eyes were rather telling of his current mental state. "It's not like I have a choice anyway. I'm just a damn dog to the director. This still beats the life I had with my parents, though..."

"Cough, cough...ugh,"

The faint coughing immediately grasped Zack's attention as he shifted his gaze. He observed a bloody, tattered, and dirtied clothing woman feebly crawling toward his direction.

"P...Please...help," The woman muttered, causing Zack's expression to brighten with bewilderment.

What!? There's a survivor!? Zack thought. She's near all the wreckage, too! She must have been near when the 'war' unfolded! How the hell?

"H-Help...me...I'm begging...you," The woman weakly pleaded. Her desperate pleas for him to liberate this poor woman from her near-death state sparked something in this younger Zack. His expression quickly morphed from shock to resolve.

"...I will."

*

After blacking out, Zack finally roused to consciousness. He found himself lying in a bed in a medical-like room.

"...Where the hell am I?" Zack muttered as he stared blankly at the ceiling. "What the hell was I even dreaming about?"

As he sat upright, Zack immediately noticed his current state. He wasn't donning his overalls and only a pair of blue patient trousers. From the sides of his face to his upper body, Zack was wrapped in bandages.

"Urgh...ouch!" Zack grunted as he clenched the back of his head and chest. The pummeling he received from the super soldiers left apparent aches on Zack's body. Damn...I feel like shit right now, but where even am I? Did I fail the mission? I have so many questions...

"Tch, those super soldiers... hit hard," Zack muttered as he clenched his body. "I could use some--"

"Painkillers?"

Octavius entered the room and finished his sentence, garnering the injured Zack's attention. He had entered with a glass of water and a transparent bottle of pills in hand.

"Octavius? What the hell happened?" Zack frantically questioned. "How did I--ugh!"

"Calm down, you're just agitating your wounds, bro," Octavius stated. "Just take some of these first. I got some cataflam pills."

"...Alright," Zack relented. I shouldn't be taking all these drugs, but I don't have the doctor NPC right now. I have no choice.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Like a thirsty horse witnessing a lake, Zack grabbed a large handful of pills to subside his pain's intensity. He of course used the water to ingest the painkillers easier, and his friend stood there and observed.

Damn, he's taking a lot, huh? Octavius pondered. If he were a regular human, he'd have overdosed with that amount.

"Ugh, I think it's working already. Maybe it's because I took a lot," Zack stated. "My pain feels like it's going away a bit."

"That's good."

"So, you going to tell me what happened now?" Zack questioned.

Damn, why are you rushing me? Octavius internally questioned. Can't you at least let the painkillers settle?

"Well, you were found unconscious at the train wreck. You're lucky I persuaded the boss to check on you, and you didn't get found by the military or something," Octavius explained. "But damn, you caused a freaking disaster. Destroyed a train, and you killed many military troops, including super soldiers...nice!"

"Tsk, those super soldiers were a pain in the ass!" Zack retorted. "But what about the serums? Did you recover them?"

"Well, about that--"

"Yeah, we recovered them! The whole forty percent that remained intact from the destruction you caused!" Rose, who marched inside, sarcastically exclaimed. Her presence immediately instilled shock and fear in Zack. "Well done on failing to do it properly!"

"Wait! I'm sorry! Please don't hurt me!" Zack pleaded as he reflexively put his arms in front of his face and turned his gaze from her in fear. "I already got my ass beat from the super soldiers! Just give me a break!"

"...What the hell are you talking about?" Rose questioned with a raised eyebrow. Octavius covered his mouth to hide his clear laughter. "I'm not going to attack you..."

"Huh? You're not?"

"...Just be quiet. Even though most of them were destroyed, you still managed to retrieve some," Rose said. "I suppose you've got some use."

"R-Really!? Y-You think I'm useful?" Zack questioned with sincere eyes, surprising Rose. A-Am I useful?

"W-What's with that face?" Rose stuttered as she turned her gaze from Zack. "Don't look at me like that..."

"Huh?" Octavius uttered.

"Ah, so I see you finally woke up, Zack," The director said as he walked in. All heads turned in his direction as the director's presence garnered their attention. "How are you feeling?"

"Oh, director. I'm feeling better after getting some painkillers," Zack responded. I'm the center of attention all of a sudden. Everyone's just coming to see me...

"Great. Although you weren't perfect, you still accomplished the mission. You even got rid of two pesky super soldiers, too!" The director commended. "You did a great job, Zack."

"...Thank you, boss," Zack responded. I'm getting commended even by the director. I must be getting better. Zack thought. But it feels weird hearing the man who treated me like a soldier...a dog previously, commending me. I hate it.

"As you can see, Rose, Zack has proved himself deserving of being a member of the Blueblood Corps," The director stated. "I hope you'll treat him like one from now on."

"...I understand."

Sigh, I barely did it, but I managed to get accepted now. The developer would probably like this since he pursued me into returning to this hellhole. Zack pondered. But I wonder how Ada feels about this incident...considering she's the president.

*

Speaking of Ada, she occupied her usual presidential office in the White House. Contrasting with the significant responsibilities accompanying the president's role, Ada lounged around in her office-like chair with her legs on her desk and watched her wall-mounted television.

There were no limits to Ada's manipulative and narcissistic nature, as other black-suited agents were doing paperwork; they were doing her work for her.

KNOCK, KNOCK!

"Come in!" Ada stated brightly after hearing the audible knocking on her doors. Receiving permission, John Walker suddenly marched into the room.

"What's up, John! What do you need?" Ada greeted, although she kept her gaze on the television.

"You remember the stock of super soldier serum that was supposed to be shipped to us via a freight train?" John suddenly asked.

"Yeah? Why?" Ada responded. "Has it arrived?"

"No...quite the opposite. The train met with a horrific accident, and the serums were destroyed! Some even got stolen!" John exclaimed in anger, shocking the agents in the room. "Some bastard must have attacked the train! The serum that I invented got snatched, and the useless super soldiers who were supposed to guard them got themselves killed!"

"...Huh?"