Chapter 12 - You're a Bug, and I'm an Operator (2)
The entrance to the checkpoint was firmly shut with a retractable barrier. The truck shuddered to a stop right in front of it.
“Hey there, thanks for your hard work.”
Soone called out in a friendly, sociable tone.
The guard furrowed his brow. He had been engrossed in a horse race, and the interruption had broken his concentration.
But under the brim of his cap, when he saw the broad smile on the other man's face, he imdiately shrank back.
“Uh, where are you from?”
The guard asked cautiously. The other man pushed up the brim of his cap with his thumb, revealing his face. It was Kang Hyunseong.
“We're from the telecom company TKF's main office. Today's the regular inspection day for the internet network.”
“Hmm, that's right. Today is the day, but–.”
The guard put away the calendar he had been flipping through.
“You'll have to turn back for today. An order just ca down from above.”
“What kind of order?”
“They said not to let any external vehicles in unless they're absolutely necessary. And even if we do let them in, they can only go as far as District 6. Too bad, since you ca all this way.”
Kang Hyunseong's eyes narrowed.
“Sir, by any chance, have you heard what the criteria are for an 'absolutely necessary' external vehicle?”
“Well... I just got the call myself, so I'm not too sure.”
“Sir, listen. In this Lake City, what is more important than the internet?”
“...Money?”
“That's right! There's nothing more important than money in Lake City!”
As Kang Hyunseong enthusiastically agreed, the guard scratched the back of his neck. A warm atmosphere ford between them.
“And in the end, isn't the internet the path through which that money flows? Just like your secret little hobby, sir.”
Kang Hyunseong gestured with his eyes toward the TV. Racehorses were aggressively running on the track. It was a horse race.
“Ah, no. This is just because I was a little bored!”
“I dabble in it from ti to ti when I'm bored, too. Anyway, if the factory's internet network were to go down today of all days, who do you think the higher-ups would hold responsible?”
It was a veiled threat. Kang Hyunseong had shed his friendly sheep's clothing and transford into his true wolf-like self.
“You know it well, don't you? That the people at the top pin the bla on those below them, like us.”
“Th-Th-Th-That's.”
“Don't be scared. What I'm saying is, our TKF vehicle is an 'absolutely necessary external vehicle'!”
And once again, Kang Hyunseong's face was bright and cheerful.
'He's a truly terrifying bastard.'
If the guard had shown even a lukewarm attitude, he would have cut the internet connection right on the spot.
Lee Taebaek shook his head, dumbfounded.
This was the inside story.
They had already coordinated a plan where a Resistance mber planted inside the factory would cut the power, and in that instant, Yoo Da-hee would attempt to hack the system from the outside.
The reason they were taking this troubleso route instead of the easier one was due to Kang Hyunseong's personality. He disliked unnecessary bloodshed.
However, that was all premised on things not going wrong.
If things had gone even slightly off-course, the guard would not have escaped becoming a ghost.
Kang Hyunseong was the type to avoid killing if possible, but if necessary, he would shed blood without hesitation. Even if the victim was innocent.
“Ahem- hm.”
The guard brought a fist to his mouth and cleared his throat.
“But we have procedures, you see. I think I'll have to contact my superiors and get permission.”
“'Yeongmin', which horse do you think will win today? If it were , I'd bet on number 8. You're the horse racing expert. Give your opinion.”
Kang Hyunseong changed the subject, turning his eyes to Lee Taebaek. 'Yeongmin' was an alias Kang Hyunseong had just made up.
'He wants to play along.'
Understanding the hidden aning, he pretended to think for a mont before speaking seriously. The very words the other man was dying to hear.
“I think it's number 8, too.”
“Hey now, I appreciate the sentint… but that horse has been in last place the whole ti, how could it possibly-.”
Just then, sothing incredible happened on the screen. The racehorses, which had been running just fine, suddenly tripped and fell in a heap as if their legs had been caught by an invisible rope, their bodies tangling together. The sound of their snorting seed to burst from the screen, adding to the urgency.
What was even more dumbfounding was that horse number 8, as if separate from the incident, had sohow avoided the strange phenonon. Number 8 gracefully leaped over its fallen competitors. Then, as if it had been saving its strength for this very mont, it squeezed every ounce from its muscles and accelerated.
And then, unbelievably, it crossed the finish line. A movie-like reversal. Astonishnt filled the eyes of both the guard and Kang Hyunseong. Lee Taebaek was no different.
—Hee-hee-hee-heeigh!
Horse number 8 threw its head back and let out a roar of victory. Its mane fanned out beautifully. Beads of sweat glistened like pearls, marking the grand finale of the saga.
—Yaaaaaaaaaaay!
The crowd on the screen cheered in unison. Did that thunderous roar sohow affect the world outside the screen?
“Son of a biiiiitch–!”
The cheap curse word assaulted their ears. The guard shot up like a mole from its hole and threw his hands in the air.
“Wow– crazy. I can't believe it actually happened! E-heeheehee, I'm feeling generous! If it's people who carry luck like you guys, what could possibly go wrong at the factory? I should let you through right away!!”
The barrier folded away, opening the path. Kang Hyunseong, schooling his dumbfounded expression, pressed the accelerator.
Kang Hyunseong tipped his cap to the guard in farewell, and the guard laughed so heartily his uvula was visible.
'Sothing's strange.’
For so reason, Lee Taebaek kept tilting his head, feeling that sothing was off. Though it was only for a mont.
“It must be my imagination.”
He put it out of his mind and stared ahead. A factory building, with smokestacks and pipes clinging to it like blood vessels and spewing murky breath, slowly ate away at his field of vision.
'Looks like it's about to pour.'
Looking at the gloomy sky made him desperately think of the Para-Blade. When, where, and how Fumito would get it... Lee Taebaek was more anxious about it than anyone.
'I need to get the Para-Blade as soon as possible to sohow compensate for my lack of martial strength.'
The special gimmick of the Para-Blade, which would eventually transform Fumito from an ordinary psychopath into Shohei the Human Butcher. It was the only way for Lee Taebaek to rapidly increase his fighting power in a short ti.
“The weather's so gloomy, it'd be great if it just happened to appear on a day like today.”
He idly muttered his foolish wish.
......
[#1 Small-Scale] 1.4 Patch Notes
◈ Main Patch
· The acquisition date of the Pa□ Bl□□e is being ad◐sted—.
〉〉 Au◆o Sav§.......
〉〉 Applyi◎g patㄷh
BEEP–!!
[※The providence of the universe has been excessively distorted※]
[※Due to the deviation, a 'Bug' has occurred※]
[※Additional EXP will be awarded upon deleting the Bug※]
......
Inside the premises. Kang Hyunseong parked the truck in a quiet, empty lot. When the headlights turned off, darkness fell all around.
Tap, tap.
He tapped the steering wheel with his fingertips, pondering for a mont. Then his fingers stopped, as if he had made a decision.
“Let's get out first. It'll be better to talk with the team.”
Lee Taebaek nodded without a word. They went around to the back of the truck and pulled open the double doors. Yoo Da-hee, Fumito, and Rock were waiting inside, fully equipped.
“Alright guys, we're here.”
The mbers hopped out of the back of the truck one by one. The disguised 9th Battalion stood in a circular formation.
“......”
“......”
“......”
An unusual silence flowed. The other mbers had also heard the conversation between Kang Hyunseong and the guard through the wall.
“Here's the plan.”
Kang Hyunseong, who had a serious expression, began to speak.
“Listen up, everyone. In any case, we have to investigate Districts 1 through 6. That's the core of the factory's network. But as you all heard, it seems like sothing is about to go down in District 7. I have a feeling. So how about we split into two groups, a two and a three.”
“Team composition as usual?”
Yoo Da-hee said. It was her job as the deputy to add flesh to the bones of a plan that had not yet taken shape.
“Yoo Da-hee and I will sweep through Districts 1 to 6 as quickly as possible. In the anti, the three of you will keep an eye on District 7. If a situation arises, act first and report later. The more sudden the situation, the more flexibly you need to respond.”
“Right, if it's the Commander and Yoo Da-hee, they can finish in thirty minutes. I get it, how about you, Rock?”
Fumito shifted his gaze. Rock's mask glowed a couple of tis, indicating her agreent.
“Okay, Rock's good. What about you, Taebaek?”
“That sounds more efficient. Let's do that.”
“Alright. It's 19:31 now. Let's et in District 7 at 20:01. Rock will send the exact location to Yoo Da-hee every five minutes. There's no ti to waste. Dismissed, see you at the rendezvous point.”
With that, the 9th Battalion mbers shouldered their respective gear and set off. Lee Taebaek also moved toward District 7 with his team mbers. Only the lonely sound of footsteps followed.
Thump, thump.
Lee Taebaek looked at Rock, who was walking in the lead. At the sa ti, Rock turned her head halfway, and their eyes t.
A mont later, Rock coolly averted her gaze.
'As I thought, it's awkward.'
Lee Taebaek hadn't even properly introduced himself to Rock. Because she had been politely refusing to.
'Looks like she really took a disliking to after yesterday's incident. Right. It's probably more comfortable for both of us to maintain a certain distance.'
He didn't feel the need to try and improve their relationship. There was sothing else on his mind more important than nding fences...
Clank, clank.
...The whole ti they were moving, the sound of tal clanging against tal kept coming from the cello case on Fumito's back.
Lee Taebaek's only armant was the Colt Python. Fumito, in contrast, carried his things around like a traveling rchant. The tallic sounds grated on his eardrums with every step.
'Ugh, so annoying.'
As if to show that Lee Taebaek wasn't the only one bothered by it, Rock's brow also twitched. But for now, she endured it. She didn't want to cause an unnecessary fuss.
They arrived at their destination. They took up positions behind a shipping container. It was a spot from which they could see all of District 7 between the containers.
So far, there were no signs of anyone. Only a moon halo, wrapped in clouds like velvet, looked down indifferently. Rock tapped the area around her eyes with her fingertips.
Vreee.
A golden ring of light rotated on her retina, and a mont later, it projected a holographic window. It was a chart that neatly organized the path they had taken so far into a 3D blueprint.
Rock transmitted it to Yoo Da-hee. Lee Taebaek, watching the scene straight out of a science fiction movie, was impressed in spite of himself.
'It's surprising to the point where saying "once again" feels like a chore.'
Rock, having finished her periter check and report, finally let out a sigh of relief. Then, she glared at Fumito, who was humming a tune.
Glare.
As if feeling the sharp gaze piercing his cheek, Fumito quickly put down the case he had been leaning against.
Fumito moved his lips silently, protesting.
– This is all necessary stuff!
As if to prove it, Fumito flipped open the case lid. It was packed with long objects.
– See? It's all necessary, right?
“......”
From Japanese swords to chopsticks, a cane, a golf club, and even a magic wand(?). If it could be called a stick, it was in there. It was simply amazing how so many items could fit inside a cello case.
Is he Do-X-aemon?
“It doesn't seem like anything is really necessary other than the swor-.”
Lee Taebaek's eyes suddenly flew open. It was because he had spotted an old umbrella among the jumble of sticks.
The umbrella's fabric was crumpled from neglect. But he clearly saw the logo 'T.B'.
“This… umbrella, where did you get it…?”
Lee Taebaek asked, pointing with his index finger.
“Uhm, where was it? Ah, right!”
Fumito smacked his fist into his palm.
“I was at a landfill for a mission a while back, and it looked like it was in good condition, so I picked it up.”
His masterpiece, into which he had even carved his own initials, had been buried in a pile of trash. And that wasn't all.
“But maybe because the design isn't great, I never had a reason to use it. Why? Do you like it? You can have it then.”
Trash, he says.
The design sucks, he says.
And so he'll just give it to .
'Dammit.'
When Lee Taebaek said nothing, Fumito pressed it firmly into his hands. He should have been jumping for joy, but sohow, he felt sad.
'To think he already had it.'
First the horse race at the checkpoint, and now this. It seed the heavens were helping Lee Taebaek. Albeit in a slightly skewed way.
'It hasn't been maintained well, so I'll have to check its condition. But not right now, of course.'
Just as he was about to brush the dust off the umbrella, Lee Taebaek's group suddenly snapped their heads in the sa direction.
Step, step.
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed. It was a lot of people, enough to be called a crowd. And it wasn't one group, but two.
“Who the hell are they…?”
On the right were office workers dressed neatly in suits. The left side, in contrast, had an opposing vibe. They had pictures on their skin, advertising 'I'm in a gang'.
The two forces that divided District 7 sward in, tightening around the open lot. From the right and left wings, which had now ford ranks, two n who appeared to be the leaders stepped forward.
Finally, they ca to a halt twenty paces apart. Lee Taebaek held his breath and strained his eyes. His hand reflexively dropped to the handle of the umbrella.
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