Chapter 988
Expert: You're really letting me go?!
In the TV studio, Matsumoto, the expert under the spotlight, was still talking eloquently to the camera, his eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses full of pride: "According to my research, although the putrid gas from these monster corpses is pungent, it is harmless to the human body. The public only needs to keep the ventilation open and there is no need to panic excessively..." Just as he was about to continue showing off his "academic achievements," the side door of the studio was suddenly pushed open, and three figures wearing dark gray combat uniforms strode in, the "EDF" logo on their shoulder patches particularly eye-catching under the lights.
Before Matsumoto could react, two EDF team members stood on either side of him, their movements precise yet imposing—one gently supporting his arm, the other making a "pause" gesture to the live broadcast director, his tone calm but unquestionable: "Mr. Matsumoto, we are the EDF action team, ordered by Mr. Storm One, please move to the shallows and guide us in handling the monster's corpse."
"Guidance?" Matsumoto's smug expression froze instantly. He adjusted his glasses, which had slipped down to the tip of his nose, and his voice began to tremble. "I...I just do analysis at the TV station. Handling the situation on-site is your job, I..."
“Mr. Storm One believes that your research on the monster is very in-depth, and your on-site guidance can make the handling work more efficient.” The team member who held his arm spoke politely, but the pressure on his arm subtly increased. “We have prepared protective clothing and transportation for you. Now we need you to come with us immediately.”
Matsumoto belatedly panicked—what did he know about on-site handling? His earlier claim of "harmlessness" was all a fabrication to grab attention. If he really went to that shallow beach full of rotting stench and monster corpses, he probably wouldn't even be able to stand, let alone provide guidance! "No! I'm not going! I'm still live streaming, I..." He tried to break free from his teammates' hands, but the EDF team members' grips were as firm as iron clamps, and he couldn't break free at all.
The live broadcast director was sweating profusely, wanting to step forward to stop them but not daring to—the EDF was a well-known name in Japan, a special force that directly obeyed Choi's orders and even the government had to give them special treatment. He could only watch helplessly as the team members half-supported, half-carried Matsumoto towards the door. Matsumoto's tie was pulled crooked, and his gold-rimmed glasses had slipped down to his chin; his previous composure and dignity were completely gone.
"This is kidnapping! I'm calling the police!" Matsumoto shouted as he struggled, his voice filled with terror. The team leader stopped, took a document stamped with the EDF seal from his pocket, and handed it to him: "Mr. Matsumoto, this is a temporary mobilization document. Your 'on-site guidance' is an urgent matter, and the police are already aware of it." He paused, his tone still calm, but with a hint of barely perceptible coldness, "Furthermore, Mr. Storm One said that since you were able to determine 'harmless' on television, you will definitely be able to provide more professional advice on-site. We are all looking forward to it."
Matsumoto's face turned deathly pale as he stared at the signature "Cui Ming" on the document—he should have known better. Storm One was a notorious action-taker, and hated those who only talked the talk. Now, he had to personally pay the price for his boasting at the shallows. As his team members helped him out of the TV station, he saw a black SUV parked at the entrance, bearing the EDF logo. The windows were closed, but he could almost smell the stench wafting from the shallows.
“I’m not going… I really don’t know how to handle this…” Matsumoto’s voice trembled with tears, and his struggles grew weaker and weaker. His teammates, however, didn’t waste any more words with him. They simply opened the car door and half-helped, half-pushed him inside. The moment the car started moving, Matsumoto watched the street scenes rushing past the window, and only one thought remained in his mind: This is it, this time I’m really going to be “guided” to the point of collapse by that suffocating stench.
Meanwhile, in the command center, Cui Mingzheng watched the monitor screen as Matsumoto was carried away and nodded. He picked up the communicator and said to the team members on the shallows, "When the expert arrives, first ask him to 'observe the monster's corpse up close,' and then ask him how he determined that it was 'harmless'."
Laughter came from the other end of the communicator. Cui Ming turned off the communicator and looked back at the image on the shallows—the best way to deal with this kind of "expert" who only spouts nonsense is to let him experience firsthand just how absurd his words are.
The off-road vehicle drove smoothly along the road leading to the shallows, but the atmosphere inside was oppressive and suffocating. Matsumoto, the expert, sat in the back, his previously askew tie straightened, and his gold-rimmed glasses were back on his nose, but his fingertips still trembled uncontrollably. He glanced furtively at the EDF team members in the driver's and passenger's seats—both stared straight ahead, their faces expressionless, their combat uniforms still faintly smelling of gunpowder; they were clearly ruthless characters who had spent years on frontline missions.
Matsumoto swallowed hard, then spoke cautiously, his voice deliberately ingratiating: "This...this comrade, could we talk? I see you're reasonable people. Actually, I'm just a theoretical researcher; on-site handling isn't really my forte. If I go and can't help, and instead delay your work, that wouldn't be good..."
The team member in the driver's seat didn't even lift his eyelids, his tone flat and without a ripple: "Mr. Matsumoto, we are just following orders. You can speak to Mr. Storm One when we get there."
"No!" Matsumoto exclaimed anxiously, leaning forward. "Mr. Storm One is so busy, how could he have time to argue with a nobody like me? I know what I said on TV before might have been a little... a little inaccurate, but I was just trying to reassure the public! Look, if you let me go now, I promise I'll never talk nonsense again, and I can even help you promote EDF's hard work on TV. What do you say?"
The co-pilot finally turned around, his gaze falling on Matsumoto's face. There was no anger in his eyes, only pure indifference, as if he were looking at something insignificant: "Stabilize public morale? With lies like 'the stench is harmless'? Mr. Matsumoto, when you were spouting nonsense on television, did you ever think about those people who wouldn't listen to advice and insisted on going to the shoals to watch? They're being choked by the stench so badly they can barely stand, and you're here talking to us about 'putting them back'?"
Matsumoto's face flushed red and then paled as he spoke, opening his mouth to defend himself but finding no reason to do so. What he didn't know was that these two EDF members had just finished dealing with monster residue contamination with Choi Myeong last week, witnessing firsthand how people were hospitalized after mistakenly consuming contaminated seafood based on the "expert's" erroneous advice—they were already seething with anger at these "experts" who only sat in air-conditioned rooms spouting nonsense and completely disregarded the lives of ordinary people. (End of Chapter)