Chapter 65: The Paradise to Be Completed (2)
“Hurry! We have to get out, now!”
Along with a blaring ergency alarm, red ergency lights illuminated the corridor.
Inside the facility, now plunged into darkness, researchers in white lab coats were moving about in chaos.
‘What on earth is this…….’
At the sudden upheaval, Kang Da-hee anxiously rolled her eyes.
She grabbed a passing employee and asked what was going on.
“Cheonrang has declared war on us! We’re in the middle of an ergency evacuation, so you should move right away too!”
After tossing out that single line, he hurriedly ran off sowhere.
‘W-war……?’
She was left dumbfounded by information she had never even imagined.
A war had broken out?
On the very day she was on a business trip, of all days?
The place Kang Da-hee was in was Podvig’s research institute located in Neo-Asadal.
A city ruled by the Cheonrang Group, the corporation that had now beco their enemy.
‘I need to get out too…….’
She turned her head toward the flashing red-lit exit.
Given that such an extre situation as war had erupted, she had to escape this place as quickly as possible.
Once a corporate war broke out, rely belonging to the opposing corporation ant you were no longer treated as a civilian.
‘So that’s it. Father had do this job knowing sothing like this would happen…….’
Only now did she understand that man’s intentions.
Along with that realization, the slender thread of hope—that he might still see her as his daughter—was rcilessly severed.
She stared blankly down the passage for a mont, then clenched her fist tightly.
‘Get a grip. I have to choose, now.’
Whether to join that evacuation line and save her life.
Or to throw herself in to carry out the orders she had been given.
Then a breath close to a scoff slipped out.
‘What choice do I even have.’
Without the slightest hesitation, she moved her feet.
To finish what she alone had to do.
〈Master. A strong Electrosphere signal is being detected ahead.〉
Moving discreetly through the city was easier than expected.
That was because Ar, an Electrosphere spirit with abilities far surpassing those of most hackers, was supporting its master.
〈The recomnded route is as follows.〉
〈Good. Keep guiding us.〉
Following the path the spirit indicated without a mont’s hesitation, a power plant soon began to co into view.
[As I said earlier, the plan is simple.]
[We’re infiltrating through the Podvig research institute, right?]
[Yeah.]
Although the city had not yet been fully completed, the sector nad the ‘Power Generation Complex’ already housed research institutes from various corporations.
Today, in particular, was the first day the mana power plant would be operational.
To analyze the data produced there, nurous researchers had already been on duty since early on.
Among them was Podvig’s research institute as well.
“What a ss.”
Matafil muttered as he looked at the procession of researchers trying to flee the city.
Figures who appeared to be Podvig agents were ard, directing the personnel.
To them, it must have felt like being struck by lightning out of a clear night sky.
“Do you think it’s possible?”
Though it wasn’t a fully ford sentence, Diesel knew what he was asking.
He was asking whether it seed possible to escape this city.
“Well.”
High-ranking employees who had known a war would break out would have already left the city long ago.
So those left here fell into one of two categories.
Either people on the opposing side who hadn’t received advance information.
Or unfortunate low-level employees who had been swept up in the incident.
Honestly speaking, if one were to weigh the odds, there weren’t many ways for them to get out of here safely.
Now that the war had already begun, the Cheonrang Group would detain them and try to extract everything they could.
Once soone resolved to wage war, casualties were inevitable.
Just like the Cheonrang soldiers who had lost their lives so futilely to Podvig’s orbital satellite strike.
But.
“It’s not our concern.”
Diesel had sothing else that mattered more right now.
“Let’s keep moving.”
“Yeah.”
“This is it.”
A tall wall stood between Podvig’s research institute and the mana power plant.
The employee who had guided Diesel’s group here spoke haltingly.
“T-this wall… beyond it is the power plant.”
“Thank you for your work.”
Diesel gave a brief word of thanks and turned around.
Then the employee urgently called out to him.
“E-excuse ……!”
“……?”
“D-did the Director perhaps say anything separately…….”
“What about?”
“Ah…… I an, sothing like having prepared a way for the employees to escape…….”
Anxious eyes swept over the Ghostcatchers.
“If we stay here, we’ll all die.”
But even at his question, the three Ghostcatchers paid him no heed.
Instead, Matafil was already preparing to send the team mbers over the wall.
[Pinkbit, I’ll boost you up first.]
As the Baekto Tribe Beastman lightly stepped on his hand, the cyborg swelled his artificial muscles and flung her up onto the high wall.
In her place, Diesel gave the employee a short answer.
“There was nothing like that.”
“Ah…… I see…….”
Had he sensed his own fate?
Despair settled over the man’s face.
For a mont, various possibilities about the ending awaiting him crossed Diesel’s mind.
This place would soon turn into a battlefield.
[Diesel, you’re next.]
At that thought, Diesel spoke to the employee.
“Head to the eastern gate.”
“……Pardon?”
“That area is still under construction, so the surveillance is relatively lax. If you’re lucky, you might be able to get out safely.”
“Ah…….”
After saying that, he stepped on Matafil’s hand.
“Hup……!”
As he soared over the wall and looked down from midair, the employee was standing there with his head bowed, a conflicted expression on his face.
Finally, Matafil himself vaulted over the wall with a Servant Jump of trendous output.
Once the entire team had crossed into the power plant, Diesel quickly scanned the surroundings.
‘I don’t feel any mana, so it seems they haven’t loaded the core into the reactor yet.’
That was at least so good news, but it wasn’t exactly a relaxed situation.
The destination was fairly close from here, but since they were deep in enemy territory, they had to move cautiously.
Keeping their presence as concealed as possible while crossing an alley, he asked Ar,
〈What’s the status of the surrounding forces?〉
〈There are far fewer than expected. At this level, it wouldn’t be wrong to say they’re practically unprepared.〉
Looking over the information the spirit displayed, all there was were a few autonomous turrets installed here and there and android guards patrolling the area.
After checking that, even Matafil muttered suspiciously.
[This is fishy. There’s no way that skull bastard didn’t prepare anything.]
No matter what, there was no other thod.
They had to get their hands on the spirit core as quickly as possible.
Only then would the operations that followed proceed smoothly.
〈Have you identified the location of the spirit core?〉
〈After retracing the route of the truck that just left the power plant, it seems, as expected, that both cores are inside the reactor room.〉
Then there truly wasn’t much ti left.
Just as Diesel increased his speed and infiltrated deeper into the power plant—
〈Master.〉
〈What.〉
〈Over there, to the right…….〉
Ar, who had suddenly tried to alert him to sothing, trailed off before finishing her sentence.
Since this was rare, he imdiately turned his head in the direction Ar had indicated.
Beyond a distant window, a familiar face ca into view.
‘…….’
A new employee of Podvig’s Magic Engineering Departnt, and the daughter of Sector Councilman Kang Leon—Kang Da-hee.
She was walking down the corridor of the mana power plant.
‘She wouldn’t not know that a war has broken out…….’
Could it just be soone who looked similar?
No. Even the mole beneath her right eye was in exactly the sa spot.
As he briefly sank into thought, Matafil asked,
[Diesel. Why did you stop?]
Diesel replied as if it were nothing.
[It’s nothing.]
[Don’t let your guard down. From here on out, nothing would be strange no matter what happens.]
[Yeah.]
At his words, Diesel turned his head away.
[Let’s move.]
At that, the spirit displayed the route.
〈The reactor room where the spirit core is located is this way. And…….〉
From within her master’s arms, Ar glanced lightly at Kang Da-hee.
〈The place Kang Da-hee is heading to is also that way.〉
〈…….〉
〈What will you do?〉
〈What do you think I’ll do.〉
For now, he had to focus on this task.
〈Work cos first.〉
Forcing himself to rein in his scattered thoughts, Diesel moved carefully.
‘It’s incredibly quiet here…….’
Cheonrang’s mana power plant.
Kang Da-hee was walking through a corridor steeped in an atmosphere completely different from before.
‘Is no one here? I can’t sense anyone at all.’
Not a single employee she should have run into was in sight.
Was this, too, all part of the preparations?
If anything, it worked in her favor.
‘I didn’t expect things to go this smoothly…….’
She had been worried because of the sudden outbreak of war.
If she had been subjected to a body search by Cheonrang corporate agents, things would have gotten complicated.
‘Still, just in case, I should hurry.’
After passing just one more corridor, she would reach the room containing the mana reactor—her destination.
As she hastened her steps—
“Welco.”
“……?”
A figure cloaked in a pitch-black robe appeared before her.
“W-who…….”
“Are you perhaps the young lady Kang Da-hee?”
“Ah……. Yes, that’s right.”
“To think Councilman Kang Leon’s daughter would be such a beautiful lady. It is an honor to et you.”
As he removed his robe, a gleaming visage was revealed.
“…….”
“I am called Heavyskull.”
A tallic skull rattled as he finished his introduction.
“I was told by the Councilman. That I just needed to deliver this…….”
“I like how quickly we get to the point. Then, let take a look.”
As Kang Da-hee handed over the data chip, Heavyskull inserted it into a port on his wrist.
“Hm. Podvig’s internal classified docunts……. I’ve confird them properly. You have my thanks.”
“Then, I’ll be going now…….”
Having finished her task, she bowed politely and turned around—
When the skull spoke in a slightly heavy voice.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“Yes……?”
“The work isn’t finished yet, is it?”
“If you an the work, that was everything just now…….”
“Ah, I see. It seems the Councilman didn’t explain that far.”
The skull pulled his robe back over himself.
“It was a task entrusted by your father. There’s no way it would end this easily.”
“…….”
At his words, Kang Da-hee replied firmly.
“I didn’t hear anything about that.”
“Hm……?”
“My role ends exactly here. Extracting Podvig’s internal information and delivering it.”
“You’re quite a bold young lady. Perhaps that’s sothing you inherited from your mother.”
“……In any case, I’ll be heading back now.”
When Kang Da-hee refused to move as he wished, Heavyskull spoke in a threatening tone.
“I hear you have an older sister.”
At those words, Kang Da-hee’s gaze changed.
“Oh, so you can make that kind of expression as well.”
“What do I need to do?”
“It’s not particularly complicated.”
Heavyskull continued in a voice that sounded like a snicker.
“All it takes is a small decision on your part.”
‘The fact that Kang Da-hee is here…….’
It must be for that reason, after all.
As Diesel walked down the corridor, muttering inwardly, Ar looked up at him intently and said,
〈Councilman Kang Leon must have ordered her to do sothing. Using her twin sister’s life as leverage.〉
After learning about Kang Da-hee’s circumstances in the matrix last ti, Ar had gathered information about her from sowhere.
What she uncovered was quite shocking.
The people who had attacked Kang Da-hee in the back alleys in the past and implanted the virus were, in fact, assassins sent by Kang Leon—and moreover, Kang Da-hee’s sister was already dead.
〈What a devil of a man. Ah, would that offend devils who live diligently?〉
Yet Kang Da-hee seed completely unaware of this fact.
Diesel had considered telling her this information.
But—
‘There’s no need…….’
He didn’t.
To do so, he would first have had to persuade her how he had obtained the information, and then prove that it was true.
‘I thought she’d realize it herself soday.’
Countless possibilities surfaced in Diesel’s mind.
Possibilities regarding why Kang Da-hee had co here now.
‘Heavyskull might be using Kang Da-hee.’
Over the past few weeks, while frequently coming and going from Kang Da-hee’s apartnt, Diesel had felt soone watching him from afar.
Perhaps Heavyskull had misunderstood the relationship between the two.
It was entirely possible he might take Kang Da-hee hostage and use her to threaten Diesel.
‘If that’s the case…….’
How should he step in?
The answer wasn’t hard to co by.
‘What else would I do.’
If the information Ar had brought him was correct.
And if what Diesel had confird while examining Kang Da-hee’s body was also correct, there was no reason to deliberate any longer.
Because—
‘Kang Da-hee is…….’
Soone who possessed the ability to kill the Ghost of Destruction.
She must be—
‘Seed.’
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