Earth Dungeon 126.1

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Chapter 126.1. Dictator

The command center was an elegant building. Clean glass windows, and glass doors on white walls. It didn't seem to be more than 10 years old. Was it built when the city was covered with walls?

There were several soldiers in the command center, doing office work on computers. The room got illuminated by electric lights, and the computers were powered on. It was a scene that gave a strong sense of incongruity.

Huh? Why is the facility so well-equipped? Hasn't it been abandoned for three years? Even if they were using a large generator, I think they would have run out of fuel by now.

Turning on lights and using computers even during the day is unusual.

Guided by Masamune, as they passed through the room, the office workers would approach, looking at us, and Masamune and the others would explain each time. There was even a water dispenser. And there was clean water in it. The environment here seemed to be significantly different from the ruined city.

Electricity, of course, but obtaining clean water is extremely difficult. Oh, I wonder if they have military-grade filters or something?

[Do you think they receive occasional support? What do you think?]

[Hmm... To be so delighted with fried bread, they must have been hungry. Isn't it strange to only provide fuel?]

Shizuku also found my words curious and tilted her head cutely with a questioning look.

Yeah, it does seem like a twisted environment. Well, I should listen to their story.

Without being guided to a reception room, Masamune and the others moved to the office where the reception set was placed. It was for dealing with simple clients, with a long sofa and a table.

It's not like we're being looked down upon. We've done a lot of things. And then, perhaps to make the conversation sound open, they casually looked around, and the office workers watched us while working. Even though it's still cool, Masamune deliberately opened the window, and people who noticed gathered near the window.

[Rather than having hidden information in secret talks, it's better to make it open and calm the chaos. Masamune, you seem to be thinking about various things with that stern and tough look.]

[Because it's Masamune... Probably, he's a smart and handsome young manager who's a stalker. Good at sniping.]

What do you mean by manager? Shizuku said her usual incomprehensible line. She probably doesn't take things too seriously. It's too early to judge with just the information we have.

"Now, have a seat."

"Yeah. Thanks."

Masamune sat heavily. Nanbu and Soma brought chairs and sat down nearby. Without hesitation, I sat down facing them.

"Let's formally introduce ourselves. I'm Date Masamune, former Army Lieutenant and current commander of the Tsukuba Line Fortress."

"A commander as a lieutenant? Isn't that too low a rank?"

Isn't it usually the rank of a colonel or something? Isn't it strange?

"The original commander left when the decision to abandon was made! So, Soma and Nanbu, who are majors, are the commanders, but these guys ran away because they didn't want the responsibilities of a commander!"

"We were being looked down upon from above. It would be troublesome if they came back, right?"

"It's not troublesome at all, young ones!"

The old men laughed heartily, and Masamune, holding his head as he looked at them, couldn't help but smile. He's been through a lot.

"I am Tenma Amano, the president of the Tenmagahara Corporation, located to the west of here. I came to this area to do business!"

I answered a little louder to make sure it could be heard outside. It's a troublesome exchange, but it can't be helped. After finishing the reintroduction, I decide to listen to their story.

Masamune started the conversation. He raised an eyebrow, rubbed his chin with a stubble, and asked,

"You don't look like a merchant at all, but was it okay to hand over all the items you brought?"

"Don't say that after receiving them. It's okay; I brought everything as a trial sample. If the trade is possible, I plan to bring more by truck later."

It wasn't really all trial samples, but this base seems bigger than expected, so it's fine. Improving the favorability of the residents is important.

"In that case, we appreciate it. But do you still need money for the transaction?"

"To do volunteer work, we are too small. Just donating small change at the convenience store."

He asks as if testing the waters, but of course. Money is the lifeblood of a company.

"Yeah, I understand... But we don't have money here!"

Masamune, who puffed out his chest and answered clearly, couldn't help but smile at the difficulty.

"How was this base created? I understand that there's no money."

"Well, it's a military secret, but we haven't been paid anymore. You can ask the residents around here; it's something they know. But we won't get into trouble even if they come back!"

Masamune shows a hesitant expression, but leaking confidential information like this isn't it. We don't need that kind of performance.

"This fortress was built around the railway near Tsukuba. It became a restricted area due to the poison gas incident, right?"

"The gas was a lie, right? It didn't get exposed at the time?"

A big fuss was made when many tourists and researchers died. Opposition parties blamed the government and the families of the deceased... I see.