High School Soldier
Inner war: magic tricks

Nio wondered why he was sneaking in a place like this, but he trusted his premonition. He went through the broken buildings to get to the police car. The city died like a horror movie setting, and there was no sign of anyone after the police arrival here.

Squatting down as he had reached the police car, Nio peeked inside. But when he suspected it, the boy and the two policemen were not in the car. He remained unable to feel relieved, and turned his attention to the radio tower then moved there. Passing through the iron fence of the damaged building, he heard a voice like a person in a hurry.

Nio peeked slowly from the corner of the building, he saw the backs of the two policemen. Not far from them was the boy who was forced to lean against the wall and could do nothing. She must have known what was going to happen to her, and her face was pale and trembling uneasily.

But, the two policemen calmly looked at the boy in front of them, and Nio gulped with an uncomfortable atmosphere. As he wondered what was going to happen next, silence was suddenly broken by the sound of gunfire.

Blood flowed from the boy's right shoulder, and he did not move for a moment. He slowly moved his head, and saw blood flowing from his shoulder. The boy seemed to be trying to understand what had just happened, yet he could only cry and ask for help. Then, like a brutal battle shot, came the next shot to the boy's stomach, chest, arms, and legs. His body twitched, and sprawled to the ground after receiving a barrage of gunfire.

“He is dead. Shit, what a pussy!” a policeman approached the boy, then kicked the body of the child he had shot. He really didn't move.

Nio narrowed his left eye, with his mouth open after seeing the heartbreaking sight in front of him.

The two policemen seemed content to do their job, then monitored around, and quickly fled the scene.

“We return to Bacem Village?”

“Sure.”

With a slow step, Nio walked up to the boy, then knelt in front of him. Damn it, Nio cursed in the heart. Raising the child's body, Nio hugged him and paid no heed to his dirty clothes. He felt the child's body cold with blood loss, and Nio's body trembled with overflowing anger within him.

“Isn't protecting innocent people the duty of the army? That way, the title of hero will be obtained. Damn, why can I just watch?! I did nothing when a child was killed before my eyes! Who is right?! Who is wrong?! Who is the enemy I have to defeat?!”

Nio questioned whether he was still sane, whether his mind was still functioning, and others. As Nio gave up that he no longer had a conscience, the boy in his arms choked, and coughed up blood. Nio felt like he was getting a little hope. The boy is miraculously still alive. He can still be saved. Nio immediately ran, bringing to the place where the boy would get his life back.

On a cold night, Nio walked his motorcycle home in slow steps. He did not know if it was due to exhaustion or something else, but he felt an unbearable thirst and a great headache. Many things happened which caused him to put on an expression like an undead.

He thought about whether the boy would really be saved.

After she arrived at the hospital, the surgeon took her and disappeared into the operating room. As the operation progressed, Nio sat in a chair in the hallway and was questioned by another doctor. The doctor showed an unpleasant expression when he heard that the boy was from the suburbs and had no parents. Sometimes, if the hospital serves orphans from the suburbs who do not have families, let alone insurance, hospitals and doctors will not get operating costs from anyone, he said, and the hospital has to bear the cost. If he does not say he will bear all the expenses, he will most likely accept the lie that the hospital has no surgeons available.

After 6 hours of surgery, the boy escaped death. The fact that Nio received was an embedded projectile of small caliber, about 4mm. Police used to carry weapons other than pistols as primary self-defense tools with small-caliber projectiles, with the effect of disabling the target. The unaffordable price of the original pistol led many to turn to the small, widespread pistol for civilians when the security situation was unstable after the war. However, the 4mm projectile was able to give a death effect if it hit a vital area, strangely the boy survived even though his lungs were injured by flakes of projectiles.

Nio was really happy that the boy had been saved, but he could not fully rejoice when he thought of the people who wanted to seize the possessions of the suburban children. On the highway at midnight, Nio carefully stops when the traffic lights are red, of course there are not many pedestrians or motorists at 1 am.

After a half-hour drive, he finally saw his house with the living room lights on. Of course Arunika will not wake up before 6am, but she hopes to meet her brother before parting ways with him.

“You seem tired, sister-in-law.”

Nio pulled the gun reflexively and pointed it at the source of the sound. Looking slowly at the back of his body, there was a gun pointed at his forehead as well.

“I thought you were part of the Bacem Village people who did the terror, Major Darsono. By the way, you have a good gun,” Nio said with an unhappy expression.

Darsono laughed and said, “This is my beloved gun. For your words that offended Bacem Village, do you know about those rumors?”

“What do you want?” Nio asked coldly.

“Actually, I came to talk to you. Can you lower your gun?”

“Emoh (no).”

“Hei,” Darsono heard calling someone. He then continued, “Edelweis, make the dog padlocked it has no hands.”

“Good.”

As Nio leaped reflexively backwards, a slashing sound with the speed of sound split where Nio was standing before. Nio imagined his body being split apart due to the super-fast slash from the mysterious figure. As he realized it, a girl wearing a tight gym suit was standing next to Darsono. The girl by the nickname ‘Edelweis’ looked at Nio hatefully, and it seemed like she was going to do something to the man.

“Do not dodge. Mr. Darsono has summoned his death angel.”

Nio's feathers rose, but not because of the cold night wind.

“Sial, I can't see the slash. Where does he attack..”.

Once again, Edelweis did not let Nio read the direction of his attack. The woman disappeared from view without a long time. Nio could not keep up with his movements. Thinking the time had come, Nio closed his left eye.

When Nio accepted that Edelweis was the angel of death who was about to cut off his head, there was a clinking sound like two swords clashing together. Surprise came from both sides.

“I can only hold it?” said one voice.

“I can't cut that sword?” edelweis.

“Nio, who are they?” Zefanya.

“...Enemy,” Nio replied without hesitation.

Edelweis stood with both hands clasping his sword, his duty being the protector of Darsono.

“Master, be careful with the woman. He may be a warrior, just like Nio.”

“Oh,” Darsono respond.

“You should choose a bodyguard from the military, not an athlete like him,” Zefanya insinuates the Edelweis style of dress that should be worn during vehicle-free days or such public sporting events, not the cold early morning.

“Be quiet, ugly!”

Lucky for Edelweis when he said such mockery, because the weapon Zefanya carried was not a sniper rifle. Nio can make sure his lover is holding back his upset, and he codes her to stay calm. Neighbors may wake up, and keep an eye on the four of them so that Nio chooses to try to do something that does not interfere with general comfort.

“Master, can I kill the ugly one? I'll leave his head, so can I do it?” edelweis said in pleading tone.

“How many times do I have to tell you, don't do that now. Your sword will soon get a victim.”

“I hate to keep waiting, Mr.”

When Darsono and Edelweis were having a debate, Nio raised his voice after not being able to stand it, “It looks like the situation will become a rumour. Do you want to fight with us?”

Nio watched Darsono without letting his eyesight decline and monitored the surroundings. They were in a residential neighborhood, and if there was a fight between the two sides, there was a possibility of stray bullet victims. Nio lowered his gun and said, “Just tell me what you want. I'm so tired and sleepy, and still have to do the job.”

Darsono chuckled and put his gun back in his scabbard. With a dim background of street lights, Darsono said his wish, “Light to the point only. Nio, will you work with me?”

“You mean?!” it was clear why Nio responded to Darsono's request in an annoyed tone. Other than one of the people he hated the most, Arunika would be his.

“I thought it was a waste if you were depressed after Arunika married me. I want your power. Besides, you know a little bit about Bacem Village, right?”

“I don't know anything about that, and I don't want to be your subordinate anymore.”

“What kind of reason is that? Unfortunately, everyone who knew Bacem Village had to vanish. But I don't know why I'm interested in you. Right now I have a big job. If you work with me, you'll get a lot of money, women, power. I'll give you whatever you want.”.

Nio did not respond with a word.

A memory of an unknown boy reappears. The boy's blood dripped slowly, and was absorbed by the ground. The boy's eyes showed that he refused to give up on life, yet he had no fighting power. The two policemen that Nio believed in ‘gadungan’ pulled the trigger of the small gun with delighted expressions, as if the boy was a death row inmate. But, a ‘hero’ turned out to be too cowardly to save the boy, because he was afraid of not getting information about Bacem Village.

Seeing Nio's hesitation, Darsono pulled out a suitcase that had appeared out of nowhere. Maybe he did a magic trick. When Nio and Zefanya were surprised by the black suitcase that suddenly appeared, Darsono opened the lid, “This is just a small gift for a prospective sister-in-law.”

“Heard you were planning to conduct an investigation into Bacem Village? Why would you want to do that? You know that everyone who knows the secret of Bacem Village will be wiped out, right? But, I assume you don't know anything about joining me, Nio.”

Darsono put the suitcase in front of Nio, then walked five steps. Nio stared at the pile of banknotes without moving a single bit. Combined with his wealth after profiting from the sale of one of his Valiki, the money Darsono promised is worth 8 percent of his total property now.

Nio still looked at the 100 thousand denomination with the number of thousands cold, and shot him three times using his gun. The money in the suitcase was scattered and pitted.

Darsono and Edelweis looked at the suitcase full of holes for a few seconds, then said, “You've made a big mistake, Nio.”

“Error? If I make a mistake, it's if I take the money you gave me. Why do I enjoy your gifts that you get from unjustly depriving others of their rights?!”

“No matter how hard you work, they will only continue to utilize your strength like slaves. Do you want to finish your work to the end at the risk of losing everything you have?”

Nio looked at Darsono. Darsono returned Nio's gaze. Nio wasn't sure how long this would take. But, after a while, they could hear the sound of the engines of the Company's 406-32 tactical vehicles coming to investigate the source of the gunfire.

Darsono sighed, and said, “We will talk about this again later, Nio. I don't like bullies at important times. I give you one piece of advice; you have to see reality.” After that, Darsono and Edelweis melted into the darkness.

Gazing towards Darsono and Edelweis disappearing, Nio asked Zefanya, “The woman protecting Darsono seems to be the subject of ‘Super’ Army Project. What say?”

“He is strong, I can feel ‘Those Super’ soldiers have mysterious powers.”

“Can we defeat him without the help of the great power of Hevaz?”

“I don't know,” replied Zefanya with a restless expression.

With the same feeling, Nio responded, “So..”.

Words “You should see the reality” Darsono for him burdening Nio's mind. There was a chance that the people he knew would get involved in this matter.