Chapter 67
Chapter 67
As Expected, Miss Phytoncide
***
Whirr.
I pressed the built-in power and preheated the coil.
The information of Qiongqi, linked to the device, surfaced intuitively at that moment.
[Set up. System all green]
[Charge……, 75%]
The fact that it required prior preparation could be fatal, but the firepower was overwhelming enough to more than make up for it.
Just like this.
Boom!
The instant I pulled the trigger, the wall, overheated to a blazing red, melted down.
The metal projectile, once accelerated, did not stop.
Not until it reached the target Ga-on had aimed at.
“Ugh!”
The beam of light vanished almost at the same time as the scream rang out.
Using the ventilation hole as an endoscope, Ga-on examined the other side, then placed Qiongqi back into his arms.
It was that man from before.
Except that he was now clutching his melted leg and crawling.
“About three, I guess.”
Ga-on smashed through the obstructing wall with his bare fists and arrived in front of him without hesitation.
Having watched the entire process, the man could not help but let his genuine emotions spill out.
“You monster bastard.”
“That’s a line better suited for someone who blew up a laboratory with civilians inside.”
“……Who the hell are you? There’s no one like you among the people I know.”
“Hey, stop stealing my lines.”
Ga-on kicked the man and sat on top of him.
“Who ordered you?”
“Like I’d tell you.”
Crunch.
As Ga-on applied force, the man’s finger bent like a twig.
“Kh.”
“Next is your neck. Honestly, even if you die, your corpse will give me more than enough answers.”
“You’re going to commit murder in a place under the jurisdiction of the Lucchesia Family?”
“Thanks for worrying about me, but you should take care of your own body first.”
At the hand brushing the back of his neck, the man bit down on his molars. There had been no scenario in his plans where he would be captured so futilely. Of course, it wasn’t as if he had no one to rely on.
“Take it.”
As if on cue, a call from an unknown sender came through the device. Ga-on let out a low groan. It was obvious that it was related to the man in front of him.
As expected, the moment he accepted, a rough voice sounded in his ear.
[I only ordered him to erase the traces. So stop tormenting an innocent person and talk to me.]
I knew that, just as he said, the explosion radius had been finely controlled to prevent casualties. But that did not mean I had to back down.
“Is that all you wanted to say?”
“Ghk.”
Creak.
The moment I twisted the man’s elbow, the reaction came immediately.
[There seems to be a misunderstanding. You’re venting your anger on the wrong person. Professor Preston merely paid the price he deserved.]
“You’re saying you can judge other people’s merits and sins as you please. Just who are you people to spout such arrogant words?”
[Node Tech.]
It was a corporation famous as a military-industrial complex.
Since its primary field was related to armed force, it boasted a scale distinct even among megacorps. Above all, it had close ties with the municipal government.
Yes, Node Tech was well known as the company that directly manufactured and distributed devices.
To the point that it would be mismatched in stature to target a mere professor.
[Was that answer sufficient? Fixer, Baek Ga-on.]
***
Although part of the Black Market’s facilities had been destroyed, Ga-on had Owen backing him. Just saying that it was related to a request was enough to quell the Lucchesia Family’s dissatisfaction.
For this particular case, it was no different from a magic phrase.
After tossing the man aside in a suitable place, Ga-on immediately returned to the laboratory to assess the situation.
Fortunately, the flames had subsided.
The burned sections were being swiftly repaired by androids.
Judging by the progress, it seemed likely to be completed within today in Nesol.
“Did you catch the culprit?”
“Unfortunately, he got away.”
It was too early to reveal anything about Node Tech.
So Ga-on deliberately avoided Ray’s gaze.
“Investigators and firefighters stopped by earlier. They said it was a simple short-circuit accident. Even though there are this many witnesses.”
It was not unreasonable. If it was Node Tech, they had that kind of power.
The important question was why they had intervened.
That, without a doubt, was also connected to the karma Preston had accumulated.
The problem was—
“Can’t the cloud server be restored?”
“It’s impossible. Even the ones my father personally used have all been erased.”
The trail had been completely cut off.
At that moment, Noah, who had been quietly listening, raised her hand.
“If it’s about that, it’s fine. I told you, I came to this lab to carry on Professor Preston’s will.”
Tapping her head, Noah added,
“If it’s records, they’re all in here.”
***
For now, we decided to move locations. The chaotic laboratory was not suitable for conversation.
As it happened, we needed to investigate the house where Preston had lived, so the destination was naturally decided.
“Please, come in.”
Ray, as if accustomed to receiving guests from frequent visits, disappeared into the kitchen.
As I sat on the sofa taking a brief rest, Ray soon reappeared carrying a tray.
Noah, staring blankly at the teacup placed before her, opened her mouth.
“So what kind of information do you need?”
There was no doubt that some sort of exchange had taken place between Node Tech and Preston.
If there was an intersection between a military-industrial complex and a professor—
“Among the research related to devices, what did Professor Preston delve into most deeply?”
“Control and activation of cranial nerves through electrical stimulation. And infinite fibrillation using bioelectricity.”
At the answer that came without a moment’s hesitation, Ga-on felt almost relieved.
“As expected, Miss Phytoncide.”
“I feel like one letter is wrong.”
“That just means I’m that satisfied.”
Ray, who had been listening quietly, added,
“Come to think of it, three years ago my father was invited by Node Tech and participated in designing the device operating system. They said they had reviewed the research results you mentioned, Mr. Ga-on.”
“So that’s how it was.”
The device had been invented in the year 2199. That was 120 years ago.
Then a question would naturally arise.
Was the device implanted in someone 50 years ago the same model as the one implanted in a child born this year?
To give the conclusion first, yes.
The hardware was no different from back then. Any lacking performance could be supplemented through the cloud computing platform.
That was also the reason why, when communication was cut off, the device’s functions became somewhat limited.
However, if there was something that changed each time, it was the software.
As Ray had said, Node Tech periodically received assistance from leading scholars to improve the device’s operating system.
“Come to think of it, you said he received a large sum of money a few months ago, right?”
“To be exact, it was about seven months ago.”
I tapped the portable projector, the probe, that I had previously received from Sera.
Once short, twice long.
It was a signal arranged in advance with Dobby, so that even if someone else found it, they wouldn’t be able to handle it carelessly. It might cross signals, but there was no need to worry.
He was always connected to Lost Saga.
Except for when he was sleeping, I could summon him anytime.
Sure enough, the mischievous face appeared above the probe the moment I called.
“Wow, there are two beauties here.”
Both Noah and Ray seemed curious about who this Dobby was who had suddenly appeared, but I answered in their stead by shaking my head.
“It’s your turn.”
“Ah, so you need some information!”
“I want to look through one person’s movements. The name is Preston Calyx. Start from three years ago up to seven months ago. Exclude activities within Isabella Public University, and only tell me anything unusual.”
A scholar devoted solely to research would not have had a wide range of activity. Just setting a few restrictions would change the quality of the extracted information.
Moreover, Dobby’s processing speed far surpassed that of any ordinary Diver. Even information sorting that would normally take several sols could be completed in seconds.
“Let’s see. The most noticeable period is from Pioneering Power Year 64, Month 14, Sol 22 to Month 15, Sol 10.”
At that, Ray added as if something felt off.
“That was when my father left for Earth to attend a seminar.”
“That’s both correct and incorrect.”
A new hologram appeared beside Dobby.
The footage, shown from a CCTV perspective, was precisely focused on Ort NO.9.
The route the vehicle took was utterly ordinary. From departing the house to entering the space airport.
“Isn’t there anything unusual?”
When Ray tilted her head, not understanding, Dobby turned to look at Ga-on.
“Ga-on, I think you’d know.”
“The intersection.”
“I knew you’d catch it.”
When Dobby snapped his fingers, the previous footage replayed.
More slowly.
Just as Ga-on had pointed out, the anomaly occurred the moment Ort NO.9 stopped at the intersection.
At the location with the heaviest traffic, the recorded footage lagged by milliseconds, and before we knew it, another Ort NO.9 appeared in the distance.
This was something that could only be obtained through careful analysis over time.
“What is this……?”
The transition was so natural that, if one had not been watching closely, the sense of incongruity would have gone unnoticed. It was camouflage executed with meticulous precision.
Only after seeing the other Ort NO.9 enter a repair shop located in District 16 did Ray manage to tear her gaze away from the hologram.
“What happened?”
“The one that entered the space airport was a different car.”
“Couldn’t it be a mistake? Ort NO.9 isn’t common, but if you look for it, there should still be quite a few. If we assume their routes just happened to overlap……”
“Professor Ray.”
Calling out to the flustered Ray, Ga-on spoke with firm finality.
“There’s no need to doubt it. We have the investigation records you brought last time. You can distinguish it by the gap between the rear door and the C-pillar captured there.”
She could not even bring herself to ask how he had identified that. Instead of going to Earth, he had spent three weeks at a shabby repair shop. What he had done there was obvious.
“Don’t look away. The incident began right there.”
“Ah.”
She had harbored doubts, but when presented with direct evidence before her eyes, Ray did not know how to respond. To her, Preston had been the very embodiment of an upright and incorruptible scholar.
“Then was my father involved in a crime? And of his own will?”
“That’s what we need to find out now.”
Rising from his seat, Ga-on turned his back. At the same time, the sound of quiet sobbing came from behind him, but he did not speak carelessly. They had not even known each other for a full day. If he stepped in now, it would be nothing more than hypocrisy.
Besides, wasn’t there someone far more suited to comfort Ray by her side?
Leaving Ray to Noah, Ga-on stepped out of the house.
“Hoo.”
The sigh that had been lingering in the back of my throat finally escaped.
I had told Ray that I didn’t know, but in truth, I had a rough idea.
The common denominator between Professor Preston and the Mafia Hiro.
One had participated in designing the device operating system. The other had distributed a new type of electronic drug using devices.
And in that process, the megacorp Node Tech, which manufactured the devices, had intervened.
There might be logical leaps, but the core was only one.
Eden.
Preston had undoubtedly participated in the development of the new electronic drug.
And X was slaughtering everyone involved.