Chapter 138
Chapter 138
Even So, the One Who Won Was Me
“How many people do you think say things like that to me in a single day? Let me tell you in advance: the reason you're here isn't because you've piqued my interest, but because I trust my aide.”
A statement that went beyond arrogance and bordered on hubris. Despite his advanced age, his shoulders seemed poised to pierce the heavens.
“Even if it could determine the outcome of the election?”
“Determine the outcome? If you're that confident, then go ahead and tell me.”
—I'll at least hear you out.
Rouge refused to lower his head until the very end, but Ga-on paid it no mind. The matter was too urgent for him to waste time trampling through a politician's nature one step at a time.
“There's someone abusing cultivation technology...”
Leaving Wendy completely out of it, he focused solely on Hudson's crimes. Upon hearing the name, Rouge seemed to realize this wasn't an empty fabrication and straightened his posture.
He listened attentively for a while before—
“Yes, I understand the seriousness of the situation. But isn't that still insufficient? You're asking me to act without any tangible evidence. That means bearing the entire political burden myself...”
He gave an ambiguous answer.
As a bonus, he cast a glance at Ga-on as though asking him to provide an alternative.
Seeing him prioritize practical gains over justice to such a degree was almost endearing, causing a faint chuckle to escape Ga-on. Perhaps it was best described as someone who tapped even a stone bridge before crossing it.
“You're saying my testimony isn't enough? I even recorded everything on my device. With some proper editing, it could serve as valid evidence.”
“Even if that's true, we'd still be dragged into a lengthy legal battle. And considering who we're dealing with...”
Trian megacorp.
As one of the megacorps occupying a seat on the Board, they could manipulate the legal world as much as they pleased. Regardless of right or wrong, the matter could be delayed for ten years—or even fifty.
Moreover—
“You're asking us to expose our own disgrace with our own hands. That's absurd.”
From Rouge's perspective, it was only natural to be reluctant. The fate of whistleblowers had been the same throughout all of history.
Ga-on had anticipated this, and he had already prepared another option.
“If you refuse, I'll just take it to the Central Party.”
The Central Party.
A political party opposed to the Pioneer Party, to which Rouge belonged, and one of the two major factions dividing the legislature.
Even Ga-on, who hadn't been on Mars for long, could easily tell the two groups were sworn enemies. A few searches were enough to make the political landscape perfectly clear.
“If it ends up in their hands, you can consider this election lost. Rumors will spread that the Pioneer Party was complicit in Assemblyman Hudson's misconduct. I'm giving you a chance to correct things before that happens.”
In truth, he had simply chosen the person who was easiest to approach.
To contact a lawmaker from the Central Party, he would have had to go through this entire process all over again.
“And don't focus only on the disadvantages. There are clear advantages to be gained as well.”
An era where justice and virtue had disappeared.
The citizens knew that as well, and they were desperate to elect candidates without disqualifying flaws.
In such a climate, what if there was a politician willing to shoulder the burden and expose corruption? A veteran politician guaranteed reelection just by breathing?
“Becoming an overnight star wouldn't be difficult.”
At any other time it might have been different, but election season was right around the corner. Anyone wanting even a little publicity would join in tearing Trian apart. Megacorps that wanted to remove Trian from its seat on the Board would quietly lend their support as well.
No matter how gigantic a giant was, once its ankles were severed, it would inevitably fall.
“This is a festival.”
One that sounded an alarm against society's corruption.
One that warned of the dangers of technological advancement.
And one that rebuked the pitiful instincts of humanity standing before it all.
“Will you ride the tide? Or just watch?”
Ga-on extended his hand.
“Now that I think about it, my answer was already decided.”
Shrugging as though admitting defeat, Rouge took his hand. Concealing the unfocused tremor in his eyes.
***
After successfully concluding the negotiations, I stepped out into the street and began walking. By the time the road turned into an alley and silence settled over the surroundings, I received a call from Noah.
I had been waiting for it.
I had asked her to investigate a device.
Specifically, Hudson's device—the one belonging to a sitting assemblyman.
“Did you find anything?”
[Nothing unusual.]
Personal messages and political reports were all she found. She had checked other applications just in case, but there were no links connected to this incident.
Either all communications related to the gathering had been conducted verbally, or—
[I think he carried a separate smart device. Looking at the data stored on this one, there are holes everywhere, like Swiss cheese.]
“He wasn't the type to get caught easily.”
They might find a lead through call records or location tracking, but that wasn't something that could be done with a single device alone. It required accessing the servers connected to his communications, which carried a high risk of being detected.
“By the way.”
[Yes, go ahead.]
“You're not saying, ‘Eek, is this illegal again?’ this time.”
[Who says ‘Eek’? Who?!]
The situation was what it was.
I couldn't help but reconsider whether it was really right to involve an ordinary citizen like Noah. But surprisingly, this time she readily agreed and cooperated without hesitation.
“You know it'd be dangerous if the Public Enforcement Corps found out about this, right?”
[You told me there was a woman whose life was in danger because she became a clone human. How could I just ignore that after hearing it?]
“Very humanitarian of you. So you're on the side that supports the existence of clone humans?”
[I wouldn't call it support. What else can they do when they're born that way?]
“True, that's a fair point.”
In the end, it was all a tragedy born from humans who wanted to claim rights while avoiding responsibility.
[Anyway, getting back to the original topic, I didn't find anything that screamed 'this is it.' There were a few things that stood out simply because they appeared so often, though.]
“Stood out?”
[It looked like he frequently had private conversations with Assemblyman Rouge. Since they're in the same party and have similar seniority, I didn't think much of it, but with you, you never know.]
“Assemblyman Rouge...?”
[Yes, Assemblyman Rouge.]
The name of the man I had met just moments ago surfaced again.
What did that imply?
I didn't know.
But my instincts only told me one thing.
Something was terribly wrong.
My heart suddenly began pounding.
Ga-on stopped in place and turned around.
Something was coming.
The moment he realized that—
The world went dark.
***
“Damn, did he notice?”
The man who had blown apart the back of Ga-on's head while peering through a telescopic sight, Hadok, let out a sigh that lay somewhere between admiration and astonishment.
He thought he finally understood why Rouge had so insistently requested same-day express service instead of ordinary registered mail.
If his judgment had been delayed by even a single second, the mission would probably have failed.
“Still, I'm the one who won.”
Lovingly stroking his sniper rifle, Hadok drew the sign of the cross, grateful once again for the extraordinary luck that had kept him alive.
In truth, half of that luck came from his own skill.
When it came to long-range marksmanship, his talent was second to none.
Even with modified cybernetic eyes and a superior sniper rifle, threading a bullet through a dense forest of skyscrapers wasn't something ordinary courage could accomplish.
From pedestrians walking the streets, to vehicles speeding by, to the positions of standing buildings—
It was a feat that could only be attempted after perceiving an area spanning several kilometers.
The window during which all variables aligned and an opening appeared lasted only around 0.1 seconds.
Aiming and firing had to occur simultaneously within that instant.
Such was the qualification required to become a master marksman.
Though Hadok had been dishonorably discharged from the Mars Defense Force, this very background was what had allowed him to become an assemblyman's personal problem-solver, benefiting both sides.
As such, judging by today's results, Rouge would surely be impressed and raise his fee—
At least, that was what Hadok thought.
His satisfaction didn't last long.
The target rose back to its feet, as if refusing to permit escape.
***
Consciousness returned in an instant.
Brushing his blood-soaked bangs back, Ga-on pieced together the situation and drew a conclusion.
'10mm round.'
It had unquestionably been a sniper attack.
Using the Crack Thump that had occurred a moment earlier, he identified the shooter's position.
Direction: north-northeast.
Distance: within three kilometers.
The sniper would undoubtedly be shocked by his sudden revival.
Ga-on had to exploit that moment of confusion and close the distance by the shortest route possible.
If he didn't finish this immediately, he would be the one in danger.
His immortality had been exposed.
If rumors started spreading, everything he had built so far would come crashing down.
The instant he stood, Ga-on accelerated to top speed.
Kicking off a wall, he leaped into the air.
Using buildings as stepping stones, he sprinted across the city.
The deeper the traces left behind by the rotational principles extending from his feet, the more his speed increased without limit.
Soon, the figure visible to the naked eye became a streak crossing the urban landscape.
Launching himself from a high-rise toward a lower building, Ga-on landed with both hands on the ground and rolled forward.
Refusing to lose momentum, he sprang back up like a compressed spring.
Even that rebound became propulsion, allowing him to overcome differences in elevation with ease.
Whenever the gap between buildings became too wide to cross, he used passing delivery drones as footholds and continued onward.
Why had he been able to repel so many threats until now?
The answer was simple.
Because he was faster than anyone else.
That was when a supersonic bullet, leaving even sound behind, came flying toward him.
Drawing Polar Night from his waist, Ga-on swung.
The black blade that erupted from the hilt split the sniper round in half in an instant.
Though an exchange had occurred, his speed did not decrease in the slightest.
He simply continued narrowing the distance.
Perhaps growing desperate, the sniper fired several more shots.
Each time, Ga-on casually batted them aside.
He had already died once to a surprise attack.
But once he was aware of it, the situation was completely reversed.
As long as he knew the bullets were coming, dealing with them wasn't difficult.
'I see you.'
A commercial district in the distance.
Between the towering buildings at its center, he spotted the face of a man staring in horror.
As soon as they could see one another, the battle intensified.
Violently.
Beyond description.
The sniper attack had now entered the realm of ordinary gunfire.
Naturally, rapid-fire shots followed.
Bullets poured down like a torrential storm, but Ga-on reduced every single one to nothing.
Only a few hundred meters now separated the two men.
Judging that his opponent had entered range, Ga-on reversed his grip on Polar Night.
Then he drew his upper body back with all his strength.
At this moment, he was both bowstring and black arrow.
And when an arrow left the bowstring—
Boom!
It was only natural for it to strike the target.
Predicting a hit from the absence of any returning gunfire, Ga-on reached the rooftop in an instant.
As expected, his opponent hung limply from a wall, pinned in place.
“Cough... Skills befitting a Fighting Dog.”
“You know me?”
“Of course. Aren't you that mad dog who bites anyone caught in your sights, regardless of seniority or status?”
No, seriously.
How exactly were these rumors spreading?
Clicking his tongue briefly, Ga-on asked,
“Then who are you?”
“......”
“Hey. Don't be cheap and introduce only yourself. Let me introduce myself too.”