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Chapter 81. 10 Million Volts In The Wilderness

"Hah, seriously, when will our job become easier?" 

Soldier A sighs outside the iron bars.

"Well, prisoners are overflowing like crazy, but there's no increase in manpower." 

Soldier B responds to the complaint. Both are equipped with seasoned leather armor and swords.

By the way, A and B are just names I came up with.

"The cells are overcrowded, and even feeding them feels risky."

"They all claim to be innocent anyway."

Soldier B leans against the wall.

"Do we really know? Prisoners keep coming in one after another, but are they all truly guilty?"

"I wouldn't know. Even if they were innocent, what can we do about it? Demand their release?"

"Of course not, but it would be a sickening story if that were the case," Soldier B grimaces.

"Yeah, I'm not exactly thrilled about this job either... but since we've been assigned, there's no choice." 

"Yeah... how many more years of conscription for you?"

"8 months left for me. And you?"

"I've got a little over a year. It's unbearable. Spending another year in this place, I'll rot."

"If only I had pursued a regular commission..."

"Even regular soldiers don't get paid much, it seems?"

"But at least the job would be a bit better, like patrolling the city streets."

"Don't be foolish, that job has its own set of problems. They were complaining about it at the tavern, saying there was hardly any time to sleep. And the security around the slums has worsened lately."

"Is that so? I don't go out much since I live in the barracks."

"Yeah, it's gotten really bad. If you walk out at night, you're almost guaranteed to get caught up in some crime."

"That's awful... but then, aren't all the ones being brought in criminals?"

"The real troublemakers don't end up here."

"Oh, the prisons outside the city walls..."

"Hah... I wish this conscription would end soon..."

Both soldiers sigh heavily.

"Why not volunteer for buffalo hunting during the hunting season? It's said to shorten the service period a bit."

"Is that just a rumor? Besides, there are always casualties in buffalo hunting. Can we handle that?"

"Well, it's supposedly the first trial for regular soldiers." 

"We never received proper training like regular soldiers."

"Idiot, don't say that here. What if someone overhears and a rebellion breaks out?"

"Don't worry, we're the furthest back, and that guy is asleep anyway." 

Soldier A gestures vaguely in our direction, but I'm curled up facing the wall on my straw mat, so I can't see.

"Hmph. Well, let it be. Let them sleep as much as they want on their last day. Tomorrow's the day, anyway." 

"Is it true about the public execution?"

"Yeah, no doubt about it. I thought it was a joke at first."

"Totally. I never thought I'd talk to a minister."

"You only gave him directions, though."

"That's true, but I was nervous..."

"Oh yeah, Minister Soar said more prisoners were coming today."

"For real?"

"Yeah, I overheard the captain talking about it."

"Ugh, what's happening now..."

At that moment, another voice is heard from the back.

"Hey! You two! Give me a hand over here!"

"Here we go..."

Soldier A mutters under his breath.

"What's wrong, Captain?"

"A gang of thieves was brought in earlier, and we're trying to move prisoners around for them, but it's a hassle. I need your help too."

"While we'd love to help, Minister Soa specifically told us to watch over these prisoners directly..."

"I know that, but it won't take long."

"But..."

"The minister doesn't understand the situation on the ground. If those on the scene don't adapt, the country won't function,"

"Alright, alright. One of you can come. You,"

"Understood."

Soldier B responds.

"Let's go."

The clinking of metal and footsteps gradually fade into the distance.

"We were ordered to watch over them together during the day..."

Soldier A murmurs.

――――

Is this a chance?

I ponder. Could it be an invitation?

No, there's no point in framing someone who's going to be executed tomorrow.

So they must really be struggling to accommodate the thieves.

Since there's no noise, the soldiers must have gathered in separate underground cells.

From the soldiers' murmurs, I can tell it's daytime.

Originally, I planned to move at night. But is this an opportunity of a lifetime?

Fortunately, I'm in good shape.

After some contemplation, I decide.

Alright, let's do it.

I equip the "weapon" stealthily, so as not to appear as a soldier.

This might be my chance to buy some time if things go well initially.

If it fails, it's a forced breakthrough.

Either way, it's going to be a show of force. I grip the weapon tightly and begin my plan.

"Ugh... ugh... uuuugh..."

I groan in agony.

"Hmm?"

After feigning discomfort for a while, the soldier finally notices.

"Ugh... ahh... aggh... my stomach... aggh... hurts... I'm... dying..."

I clutch my stomach, trembling slightly as I groan.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

Please, take the bait!

"My stomach... my stomach... I'm dying... dying..."

"Hey, seriously, what should I do? If this guy dies, it'll be bad. It's a public execution, so if he dies... it'll be my responsibility, right?"

"It hurts... it hurts... I'm dying... help me..."

"What? No, don't die! This is trouble!"

"It hurts... I'm dying... dyi...ng..."

"Hey? Hey! Answer me! Hey!"

"..."

"Hey? Seriously! This isn't a joke! Did he really die?!"

"..."

"Oh crap, what should I do... D-did he really die?"

The soldier panics for a while.

What the hell are you doing?! Come on, come over here! Check if he's dead or not!

It's a cliché move in stories, but it might work in a world where books aren't circulated, right?!

"The captain... no, it's three sections now... Did he really die?"

The soldier peers in our direction, but I'm in the dark corner, so he shouldn't see me clearly from over there.

"Hey, answer me. Are you alive?"

After confirming that there's no response despite shaking my body several times, the soldier slowly takes out the keys from his belt and cautiously opens the cell door.

Alright, come closer.

The soldier enters slowly, nudging my back with the tips of his toes.

"Hey. Answer me. Are you alive?"

When he reaches out to shake my shoulders, I reverse and press the "weapon" against him.

"What?!"

"Take this! 10 million volts!"

Zap! With a thunderous sound, the weapon momentarily takes the soldier's consciousness away.

"Oh, crap, that was close. I missed the neck and hit his clothes... "

I readjust the stun gun in my hand and press the switch again against the fallen soldier's neck. His body twitches once and then lies still.

"Even if I die... don't resent me."

I laid out all the equipment I had prepared on the floor.

Stun Gun: 21,900 yen

Lethal Bullets x100: 600,000 yen

Rifle: 224,000 yen

Handgun: 129,000 yen

Bullets x50: 1,600 yen

US Military Equipment Set: 68,000 yen

Magazine x2: 39,600 yen

Stun Grenade x10: 260,000 yen

These were the equipment I bought for almost 1.3 million yen.

First, I changed into the US military equipment set clothes, and put on the jacket with magazine pouches.

Then, I load the magazine with non-lethal bullets into the jacket. In other words, the magazine was filled with non-lethal ammunition.

I equip four stun grenades on the jacket and store the rest in the container.

I take out the rifle. I'm not very familiar with it, but it appeared when I wished for a rifle. According to the shop list, it was as follows:

M4A1 Carbine: 224,000 yen

As for the stun grenade...

M84 Stun Grenade: 26,000 yen

I know about the M16A1, but I'm clueless about the latest guns. However, seeing the real thing, I remembered it was the successor to the M16. There are probably many better carbines available, but... No, I'll stop thinking about it for now.

I load the magazine with lethal bullets into the M4.

I also bought a handgun:

SIG SAUER P229: 129,000 yen

I specified this one. I've fired a real gun in America before, and it was easy to use. I equip it with live 9mm ammunition. This is for emergencies. I'd rather not use it if possible. Wait, a 9mm version? Seriously.

Who would've thought that the day would come when my experience accompanying my gun-loving boss to a shooting range in Hawaii would come in handy?

I put it in the holster on my belt. I sling the M4 over my shoulder with a belt and hold the stun gun in my hand.

The gloves are bulky.

But the boots are nice.

Equipment complete.

Next, I remove the keys and sword from the fallen soldier and store them in the container.

As expected, the shop list had increased.

Key bundle for the Pilatus Castle dungeon: 12,630 yen

Pilatus Kingdom General Soldier's Long Sword: 36,200 yen

Alright, alright!

I quickly buy ten sets of key bundles and hang them on my jacket.

My remaining balance is 8,404,901 yen.

Alright. Let's go.

I finally leap out of the cell.