Echoes of the Reverse Planet

Chapter 100: Solo Operation Authority

‘As expected.’

Baek Woohyun nodded slightly with an expression that said he had expected this.

In the current situation, the only reason Kim Cheol, the Team 1 leader, would suddenly call him to the meeting room would be because of the invader, so he had guessed this even before arriving.

After all, even to him, who directly faced it, it seemed like something was off with that thing. It was unthinkable that the Otherworld Management Bureau wouldn’t find anything strange upon proper investigation.

“Upon examining the corpse, we found it was very different from previously discovered invaders. Different enough to be considered essentially a different species.”

Kim Cheol’s following words were also as Baek Woohyun expected.

“That’s why I wanted to hear about the situation when you dealt with the invader. Was there anything strange? Even something very minor is fine.”

“There were strange points. First, when the boss entity—”

Baek Woohyun calmly explained from the elimination of the boss entity that left the Reverse World, to the invader watching that, and the subsequent fight.

He also mentioned the points where the invader didn’t fight alongside the boss entity but only watched from behind, and that during the fight, he felt no sense of fear of death at all.

Since he had already experienced ordinary invaders ‘over there’, it was easy to subtly say ‘Isn’t this strange?’.

However, he had to gloss over the fact that the invader mimicked him. He only said it imitated his fighting style.

Because, strictly speaking, what the invader mimicked was not him in PvE, but him in PvP.

That wasn’t something he could tell Kim Cheol, an NPC appearing in PvE. Even if he did, it was doubtful if it would be accepted.

No matter how much of a Fully Responsive AI it is, it probably couldn’t properly respond to the fact that this world is the game Reverse Planet.

Moreover, even if it were possible, he didn’t feel the need to go that far.

“It tried to mimic you…?”

But that alone seemed enough for Kim Cheol to make a serious expression.

Frowning, he looked at Baek Woohyun with heavily sunken eyes.

It was a look as if asking if that statement was fact without an inch of falsehood, and Baek Woohyun answered that it was clear fact by not avoiding his gaze.

– Hackphysical also knew the invader was mimicking him.

– He fought it directly, so he couldn’t not know, yep yep.

– But why is Kim Cheol’s reaction like that?

– What is it? Why such a serious expression? Is it something to react that strongly to?

“Right? Why such a strong reaction?”

“It seems the point that the invader tried to mimic is more important than we think.”

– Could it be leading to a new storyline?

– Oh, that sounds plausible?

– Can’t predict because I don’t know where it’ll go.

– That’s what makes it more exciting lol.

“…The invaders we’ve killed so far have never even attempted anything resembling mimicking a human.”

After a brief silence, Kim Cheol laid out in a heavy tone why he had made such a serious expression.

“They merely appeared as purely otherworldly beings and fought to the death. However, if the one discovered this time is a sign that their strategy is changing…”

“···!”

“If they don’t stop at mimicking fighting, but mimic people, and act as people… a terrible thing will happen.”

Except for the horns on their heads and skin color, invaders had an appearance almost identical to humans.

Meaning, if they just solved those two things—horns and skin color—it would be too easy and simple for an invader to disguise as a human.

If that were to happen, it would be safe to say the Otherworld Management Bureau effectively has no way to prevent invaders from infiltrating the human world.

Kim Cheol had sighed because he read such a future from the invader’s unusual behavior.

“······.”

Baek Woohyun’s expression also hardened stiffly in turn.

Because when he envisioned a future where invaders act as humans and hide on Earth, he thought it was truly terrible.

Humans already fight among themselves for all sorts of reasons; if invaders secretly acted, an uncontrollable result might ensue.

‘With the corporate bastards involved too.’

Especially, the synergy between the Corporate Alliance running the research facility and invaders infiltrating the modern era was unimaginable.

Would those who wouldn’t hesitate to commit taboo human experiments for their own gain really not join hands with invaders?

The common sense that only ruin remains at the end of joining hands with otherworldly beings meant nothing to corporations.

Even if they knew, it was obvious that for the sake of immediate profit, they wouldn’t care.

‘And they’ll optimistically think someone will somehow fix it later.’

This wasn’t a conclusion drawn from mere disgust towards corporations, but a speculation based on reality.

Baek Woohyun clearly saw what the organization called the Corporate Alliance would do for their own profit ‘over there’.

From the point they sent hunting dogs to forcibly secure him, the Corporate Alliance in Reverse Planet would likely be no different.

“We’ll have to check this separately. Anyway, good work. Like last time, I heard you performed solidly during this rampage incident too.”

“It was nothing.”

“If what you did is ‘nothing’, then what are the others? No need to be humble even at a time like this. You should boast when it’s time to boast.”

Adding “Be proud of your achievements,” Kim Cheol took something out of a drawer and placed it on the desk.

It was a badge with the Otherworld Management Bureau’s logo intricately made. Designed to be attached to a combat uniform collar.

It was a very familiar item, as of course ‘over there’, and also within Reverse Planet, other Otherworld Management Bureau agents always wore it.

In fact, Baek Woohyun had also worn one before. Not officially received like now, of course, but taken from a dead agent.

“As for the detailed contents of a formal agent’s authority… you can hear from the agents outside. You can go now. As you can see, I’m very busy.”

“Yes. I’ll take my leave then. Thank you for your hard work.”

Baek Woohyun bowed his head to Kim Cheol, who shrugged and muttered self-deprecatingly.

He didn’t particularly feel offended by being told to come and go as he pleased.

Seeing as the man started looking at documents again even before he left the meeting room, as a subordinate, he could at least do that much.

“It’s noisy, and your junior is coming out.”

“Junior-nim! Long time no see!”

The ones who greeted Baek Woohyun as he came out of the meeting room following Kim Cheol’s order to leave were Kim Hana and Lee Yujin.

Unlike Kim Hana, who seemed somewhat tired but fine, Lee Yujin still seemed not fully recovered, her arm in a cast.

Yet, welcoming him with a bright face waving her uninjured hand, Kim Hana let out a sigh, going “Ugh—”.

“Now you’re a formal agent too, right junior-nim? I look forward to working with you from now on!”

“Yes, I look forward to it, senior-nim.”

Kim Hana boldly extended her hand to Baek Woohyun, who was exchanging greetings.

“You got the badge from the team leader, right? Give it to me. Originally, the mentor is supposed to attach it directly, but since she’s in this state, I’ll do it instead.”

“Ah— understood.”

“I had a feeling from when I got injured that I wouldn’t be able to do the badge presentation ceremony, and it turned out like this. Ugh, what a shame.”

Kim Hana neatly ignored Lee Yujin grumbling beside her and attached the badge received from Baek Woohyun to the collar of his combat uniform.

It was the Otherworld Management Bureau’s unique badge presentation ceremony, where a senior agent directly attaches it when a probationary agent is promoted to a formal agent.

Originally, as Lee Yujin said, it was her job, but being in a cast made it difficult, so Kim Hana stepped in as proxy.

Having tidied up his appearance, Kim Hana suddenly asked as if remembering something.

“Ah, right. By any chance, did you hear an explanation about a formal agent’s authority from Team Leader Kim Cheol?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Just as I thought.”

Kim Hana chuckled as if she knew it.

Lee Yujin, who had been waiting with a beaming smile, quickly interjected.

“If it’s the team leader, he definitely said ‘Hear from the agents outside.’ and sent you out, right? Am I right, junior-nim?”

“That’s correct, senior-nim. You know well.”

“I got to know after being on the same team for a long time!”

“…Well, he’s a busy person, so it can’t be helped.”

– Jealous of the two flowers.

– The route Hackphysical got is really enviable.

– In the normal story, he hardly even smiled.

– You can really see him drawing a clear line;

“As a fellow man, it’s an enviable scene. Haha.”

“······.”

“—Nayeon-ssi?”

“Yes, well. That could be.”

If even Kim Hana said this, it seemed Kim Cheol being swamped with work was famous even within the Otherworld Management Bureau.

Clicking her tongue lightly, she met Baek Woohyun’s eyes and continued.

“There are various things about a formal agent’s authority, but the one you need to remember right now, junior-nim, is one thing.”

“What is it?”

“Solo Operation Authority.”

The moment Kim Hana uttered the words ‘Solo Operation Authority’, the gazes of Team 1 agents passing by the meeting room gathered.

It was a sight that proved just how highly Solo Operation Authority was regarded within the Otherworld Management Bureau.

It made even those who were indifferent to the fact that Lee Yujin, the goddess of Team 1, and Kim Hana, the goddess of Team 2, had gathered with Baek Woohyun between them, look.

“Solo Operation Authority.”

Generally, agents belonging to the Otherworld Management Bureau don’t just go to any Reverse World and clear it recklessly. Quite a lot of procedures were needed before an agent went out on a mission.

First, the Support · Auxiliary team needed to collect information like the danger level of the Reverse World through preliminary surveys, and based on this, a mission grade had to be set.

Only after the grading was finished and the mission passed to the Reverse World Management team was it classified by priority based on danger level, location, rampage possibility, etc.

Only after this process were Reverse World clearing missions delivered to agents under the name of ‘work’. It was only after that that agents headed to Reverse Worlds.

Solo Operation Authority was the authority to skip all these troublesome processes and freely take any mission one wanted.

While completely unsurveyed Reverse Worlds were out of reach, it meant one could choose any Reverse World that had been investigated and turned into a mission.

If one wished, one could even take missions that had been assigned as work to other agents, saying they would handle it themselves!

Moreover, befitting the name ‘Solo’, one could also undertake Reverse World clearing missions alone. Without moving together with a senior acting as a mentor like before.

“Solo Operation Authority doesn’t come out often. Especially right after promotion.”

“I got it when I was in my second year! Hana, you got it in your second year too, right?”

“Yeah. Got it when I entered my second year.”

“Is it okay for me to receive that now?”

At Baek Woohyun’s question, Kim Hana smiled slyly.

A smile that seemed to say, if not you, then who would receive it?

“Yes, it is. That’s why it came out.”

“Actually, I thought it might not come out? Of course, I know your abilities well, junior-nim! But because your active period as an agent is short!”

“It certainly is short.”

“But as I explained to you before, junior-nim, the Otherworld Management Bureau’s manpower isn’t in a very comfortable situation right now.”

“Ah…”

“Think of it as authority given with the meaning that capable people need to briskly run missions! It’s encouragement for the future!”

Upon hearing the blatant revelation, Baek Woohyun nodded. To him, it wasn’t a bad story at all.

For him, who wanted to regain his strength from ‘over there’ and uncover the secrets hidden in Reverse Planet, frequent missions for growth were actually what he desired.

Since he was someone who needed to perform more missions even if his mentor Lee Yujin or Kim Hana tried to stop him, Solo Operation Authority was even somewhat welcome.

“By the way, already getting Solo Operation Authority… I’ve only been on one mission with you, junior-nim…”

“And even there, you got injured and were laid up.”

Kim Hana gave a nonchalant jab to the dejected Lee Yujin.

“Th-that was due to circumstances!”

“Sure. I believe you.”

“It’s true! Really!”

“Who’s saying anything?”

“Haha…”

Baek Woohyun smiled awkwardly between Kim Hana and Lee Yujin, who were bickering.

It was a natural reaction since neither of them seemed particularly serious, and he couldn’t take either side.

They also seemed to know that, soon stopping their teasing conversation and returning to the original topic.

“But still, junior-nim. If you need my help later, tell me anytime.”

“Yujin is right. Even if you have Solo Operation Authority, junior-nim, it doesn’t mean you absolutely have to go on missions alone.”

“Yes, understood.”

In short, you could think of it as being given the option of Solo Operation Authority in Reverse Planet.

The option to choose whether to clear Reverse Worlds alone as you wish, or to go with seniors acting as mentors like before.

“So, junior-nim who just got Solo Operation Authority, what will you do now? Rest? Or a mission?”