LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 45
As the meeting concluded, the investigators lined up to exit the conference room.
With fewer than ten members present, the room quickly emptied.
“Hey, over there. Request a warrant from headquarters and bring it back.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Ah, thank you for your hard work.”
The sub-team leader, while giving one investigator a pat on the shoulder to send him off, glanced around the room and closed the door with a nod.
-Click.
“….”
Silence filled the air. The quiet conference room gradually transformed into a small, secluded space.
“Colonel.”
“Yes.”
“Could we talk for a moment?”
Episode 3 – A Fantastic Vacation
I expected we would be discussing something serious in this weighty situation, but instead, the conversation unfolded in a relaxed atmosphere.
“Go ahead and have some.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The team leader offered a cup of mixed coffee before taking a seat.
As I sipped the steaming coffee, I suddenly realized that it originated from the Magic Tower.
It was somewhat comical that those who capture spies use items crafted by the Magic Tower itself.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Oh, don’t mention it….”
“With the labor shortage we’re facing, your help in delivering information is greatly appreciated.”
Remarking on the cloying sentiment, I calmly sipped the coffee mixture while the team leader stroked his chin in silence.
Slurp. The coffee remained as tasteless as ever, void of any sweetness.
But what could be so important that he was stalling? I had a vague idea but continued to fidget with the disposable cup as I waited.
How long had I been waiting?
As the bottom of the cup came into view,
“Colonel.”
“Yes, team leader.”
The team leader broke the silence and spoke.
“Could I ask you for a favor?”
“Sure, go ahead.”
“If it’s not too much trouble, I’d like you to take on the role of surveillance officer for this operation.”
This was a request I had anticipated.
*
Even though we are in the dazzling 21st century, the core of human activities remains unchanged.
Every year, new espionage equipment and technologies developed by support departments and research institutes emerge, yet tasks such as covert operations, counterintelligence investigations, and information gathering remain consistent. More specifically, the methods haven’t truly evolved.
No matter how advanced the filming equipment becomes or how often the director and actors change, the image of Sean Connery handling a gun like a seasoned pro—or Daniel Craig, seducing women—doesn’t differ.
The same applies to intelligence agencies.
A prime example would be surveillance (尾監).
“Are you referring to tailing and observation?”
“Yes.”
Tailing and observing, commonly known as surveillance, is frequently employed by not only intelligence agencies but also investigative bodies.
It is mainly conducted to track suspects’ movements and interactions with others, often without requiring a warrant, making it somewhat convenient compared to wiretapping or searching.
“Well, convenience is a loaded term; it feels like heading into a pit headfirst. It’s a nightmare from an investigator’s standpoint.”
“Haha….”
I interpreted that simply as “It’s a dead-end job.”
“You are asking me to take on the surveillance role?”
“Yes, exactly.”
Tailing is something agents often do abroad, so I was relatively familiar with it.
The investigator who captures spies would certainly know that as well, which is why he made the request.
However, what puzzled me was…
“But I’m not an investigator.”
Why did he think to ask me?
In intelligence work, even if responsibilities are divided, overlaps often occur. When a spy being pursued in the country suddenly leaves for abroad, or when intelligence comes in about technical leaks from local companies, departments work under the control of the support department to carry out missions collectively.
In this case, information officers abroad provided data about the spy suspect to investigators at home, while related agencies passed on investigation-related intelligence to the Military Intelligence Agency.
However,
“I’m not an investigator.”
This was a different case.
“As you know, my role involves communication duties and providing investigative support, not like you or your team members who are actual investigators.”
“….”
There’s a meticulous difference between directly enforcing investigations and supporting them.
In short, taking on the role of a tailing officer was not under my jurisdiction.
“While there are command hierarchies and performance issues, there are also liability concerns, right?”
“….”
“If anything happens, who will bear the consequences?”
Unfortunately, intelligence agency personnel are, at the end of the day, public servants with families to support.
If something goes awry, facing disciplinary action would mar their evaluations, leading to failures in promotion assessments and a descent into lesser roles.
Given how public servants can’t flaunt their experiences easily, the chance for re-employment would be nonexistent, leading many to rely solely on their pensions for life.
Naturally, in a world where the remnants of a hierarchical system still prevail, nobles wouldn’t worry about their families starving if they retired. But wouldn’t they feel the weight of their family’s gaze if they just lounged at home while friends prospered?
There are countless tales of those who failed while trying to start businesses post-retirement, or worse, incidents where individuals fell into the hands of foreign intelligence agencies during their desperate search for financial stability.
Thus, we tend to handle responsibility matters with a degree of sensitivity.
No one wants to be ousted from a steady job.
“It would be better to request additional personnel or collaborate with related agencies—”
“No, no, that’s not it,” the team leader interrupted, waving his hands dismissively.
“Excuse me?”
“It’s not a matter of accountability.”
“Then…?”
“It’s a bit of a political issue.”
*
There exists a subtle tension among intelligence agencies in every country.
Most maintain close cooperation for national interests, but often, as tasks progress, overlapping responsibilities lead to friction.
Legally, comprehensive intelligence agencies with ‘planning-coordinating rights’ for information and security operations hold supremacy over sector-specific agencies, yet in reality, this supremacy is often absent.
When organizations engage in specialized work, the heightened emphasis on security leads to greater secrecy and exclusivity, which in turn nurtures an environment of elitism. And intelligence agencies are the most secretive and exclusive of all institutions.
Thus, their self-esteem is extraordinarily high.
Even administrative officials in any department tend to carry an inflated sense of importance. Those striving for recognition in the shadows hardly have reasons to feel low about themselves. As a secret agent, I understood that; yet, it felt remarkable.
But when you gather these self-important members of intelligence agencies to collaborate, problems sometimes arise.
They primarily clash over jurisdictional boundaries.
Of course, performance and accountability come into play, but the so-called ‘atmosphere’ can become a battleground.
That’s why the FBI and CIA are perpetually at odds. For reference, South Korea has similar dynamics at play.
“Colonel, how much do you know about counterintelligence?”
“I know a bit.”
The team leader from the Counterintelligence Department of the Military Intelligence Agency took a sip of his coffee.
“Due to the nature of counterintelligence work, you’ll often encounter not only soldiers but also civilians. You frequently meet people from defense contractors, banks, and private enterprises.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“In those instances, we collaborate with police or other companies for investigations.”
Other companies, you say?
“You mean competitors?”
“Exactly.”
Most nations today possess multiple intelligence agencies.
The United States has merged 16 of them into a unified intelligence community, while countries like the UK, France, Germany, Israel, China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea typically maintain at least a few.
Naturally, each of these intelligence agencies exists in a state of nuanced, under-the-surface tension.
“The Royal Intelligence Department and the Cabinet Security Office, as well as the Special Investigation Bureau, seem to be sniffing around.”
We were no exception.
“They proposed conducting a joint investigation instead of a solo effort for this spy case.”
“…A joint effort?”
“Yes.”
The counterintelligence investigator from the Military Intelligence Agency said.
“Though you might not know this due to your time with the cult, the headquarters initially planned to wrap up this investigation quietly. The headquarters bears some responsibility too.”
Hmm. I had somewhat anticipated this.
A spy from the Magic Tower had infiltrated the Advanced Military Magic Research Institute.
This indicated a failure in the personnel management system. While the primary responsibility falls on the personnel and inspection departments of the Advanced Military Magic Research Institute, the Military Intelligence Agency cannot escape its accountability either.
The Military Intelligence Agency is responsible for conducting background checks on the research institute’s employees.
“But doesn’t that primarily involve security checks at military bases?”
“While field units are indeed the main focus for security inspections, the Advanced Military Magic Research Institute and defense contractors also fall under the jurisdiction of security affairs. They’re associated with the military.”
“Uh-huh….”
The picture was becoming clearer.
Whether it was negligence on the part of the security division or a mistake from one of their employees remained unknown, but the security division bore responsibility in some capacity.
If this fact reaches the media, the issue won’t just be one of accountability for the security division but for the entire Military Intelligence Agency.
People generally have little interest in the intricacies of internal affairs, and the media has to sell newspapers to the public, so the complex inner workings will unlikely receive in-depth coverage.
If the image of the Military Intelligence Agency suffers, the credibility of the military will inevitably decline too. The Military Intelligence Agency is, after all, a military-affiliated intelligence organization. It’s clear that they will face criticism for poor organizational management.
What then?
Without honor, a soldier is but a corpse, and since the honor of the entire military is at stake, how can high-ranking officials remain idle? It’s inevitable that the numerous individuals will be ousted through reprimanding personnel actions, and it’s no stretch to envision the commanders of the Military Intelligence Agency facing intense scrutiny in the military commanders’ meetings.
In that scenario, everything just falls apart.
Morale among agents would plummet, their operational drive would dissipate, and Colonel Clevenz would certainly face a tumultuous first day in office. Moreover, other intelligence agencies would likely take advantage of the upheaval in the Military Intelligence Agency.
We don’t casually refer to other intelligence agencies as ‘competitors’ without good reason.
“But isn’t the Advanced Military Magic Research Institute a part of the Military Intelligence Agency? Why would a competitor care about our matters?”
“Do you truly not understand?”
The team leader looked at me with a peculiar gaze.
His eyes seemed to poke at something in my heart, causing me to flinch and respond.
“Why’s that?”
“Because the Hero is currently at the research institute.”
“….”
The reason was Camila Lowell.
*
Though I was affiliated with the military, Camila Lowell wasn’t a soldier.
Although she lacked nationality (there was no UK in the mix), her special status as a Hero allowed her to undergo inspection at the Advanced Military Magic Research Institute.
The problem is that there is a spy present at that very institute.
According to regulations, investigations pertaining to the Advanced Military Magic Research Institute fall under the purview of the Military Intelligence Agency. While cooperation with other intelligence agencies is possible if necessary, no such need currently exists. It should be that straightforward.
However, Camila Lowell was now at the research institute.
From the intelligence department’s perspective, this is a cause for panic. They’ve kept all intelligence regarding Camila Lowell classified as top secret, and now crucial information concerning her physical well-being and abilities is about to be snatched by a spy.
In that context, a joint investigation seemed like a reasonable proposal.
Regardless of how dominant the Military Intelligence Agency might appear, it is still a sector-specific agency, and they must comply if a comprehensive intelligence agency like the Royal Intelligence Department orders a joint investigation.
But should the Military Intelligence Agency suffer damages from this spy incident, it would be a disaster for me.
I am an operative of the Military Intelligence Agency, and the level of support I receive varies depending on how strong the agency is. If the Military Intelligence Agency collapses, it means my situation deteriorates as well. Just as I was starting to get the hang of being an operative, if the headquarters stumbles, I’d end up on the streets.
I’m not exaggerating; it’s the truth. That’s happened to me before.
Thus, ensuring this matter concluded swiftly was imperative. Before higher-ups come in to nab a case and wreak havoc.
Of course, all this could very well be a self-serving and rotten notion, and perhaps entirely ridiculous.
Thus, I was stuck in thought.
Could I genuinely conduct surveillance without drawing attention?
Would I be able to catch the spy in one go?
Am I making the right judgment call?
But one thing was certain…
“A spy is currently lurking around the research institute and is right next to the Hero.”
“….”
A rogue spy is gallivanting next to Camila Lowell.
“What will you do, Colonel?”
“…I will do it.”
That alone seemed to provide more than ample reason to catch that rogue spy.