Chapter 152
Chapter 152
The Impossible
***
A vortex had burrowed through Muryong's abdomen as he lay sprawled on his back.
So completely that the other side was clearly visible.
Yet not a trace of regret remained on his face.
Perhaps it was because, as a martial artist, he had found enlightenment.
His violent temperament had prevented him from prolonging his life, however.
Even so—
“You made a wise decision, Mr. Dae Gwanmu.”
As if drawn by that voice, a man stepped out from one corner. He had the fierce, sturdy presence of a tiger.
“It's Dae Gwanmu.”
“Right, Dae Gwanjeol. Judging by the look of it, you've given up on avenging your master?”
The question sounded as though he were asking why Dae Gwanmu wasn't attacking him instead, sending an involuntary chill down Dae Gwanmu's spine. Even at a young age, he had been talented enough to be considered a candidate for strike force leader.
If things continued this way, he could even rise to the rank of executive.
But Dae Gwanmu knew his limits. No matter how much he improved, the best he could ever become was the ruler of a single district. Even if he trained for the rest of his life, he would never become a true grandmaster.
Yes, he had talent. Talent.
Just enough to glimpse, from beyond the wall, what lay in the realm beyond the heavens.
That was precisely why, unlike Muryong, he had immediately exposed his belly in surrender before Ga-on. If you lacked strength, then at the very least you had to abandon your pride.
“Our relationship wasn't like that of an ordinary master and disciple. It's true that I resent what happened because I did receive his teachings, but it wasn't a bond deep enough for me to repay his kindness with my life.”
To explain the whole story behind it would take more than a single night, so Dae Gwanmu simply summed up his situation that way.
Ga-on wasn't so naïve that he didn't understand how the underworld worked.
“Ah, I see.”
Instead of asking further, he simply nodded.
“You're not going to kill me?”
“Hey, don't make me sound like some evil grown-up. I don't hurt good kids who don't attack first.”
With nothing more than the words, 'Still, don't run away. Stay here and wait,' Ga-on bound Dae Gwanmu in place before heading deeper into the bunker.
***
“So, it's finally coming out...? Hmm, this is different from what I expected. Just whaat exactly...?”
As soon as Croft checked the contents of the package, a series of question marks practically appeared over his head.
To state only the result, the experiment had succeeded.
Exactly halfway.
It was true that it had reached the deepest layer of consciousness, but it hadn't produced any kind of transformation.
Every indicator pointed to a single conclusion.
“You already had an ability?”
Which meant he had already awakened and had long since become aware of himself as a Meta-human.
The procedure had been nothing more than a meaningless formality for Ga-on.
He must have realized that the moment he woke up.
Then why had he allowed Muryong to approach him? The instant Croft realized the answer, he shot to his feet.
His instincts were sounding the alarm.
He hurriedly tried to gather the data inside the bunker and escape—
“Where are you in such a hurry to go?”
At the voice from behind him, he had no choice but to squeeze his eyes shut.
He cast a quick glance toward the table, but the weapon Ga-on habitually carried was already gone.
Sure enough, the sword hilt was now in Ga-on's hand. Despite having faced one of Dragon Shadow Ryungyeong's executives, he didn't even have a scratch on him.
“You're an utterly absurd monster.”
“And yet you're the one who picked a fight with that monster.”
Without a doubt, if Croft had known Ga-on's true intentions, he never would have drawn him in. Then again, as a Meta-human, there was no way Ga-on hadn't understood the essence of the experiment, so this situation would have remained unchanged regardless.
This meeting had been doomed from the very beginning.
“What is it that you want?”
“Do you know anything about the Consultant?”
“You mean that man who drifts around like duckweed? All I got from him was inspiration for my experiments. We aren't exactly close.”
“Ah, so that's why you used Eden.”
“...So you know even that.”
“Don't underestimate megacorps.”
In truth, Baekdu had no connection to it whatsoever, but wasn't taking advantage of information asymmetry to bluff with borrowed authority one of the fundamentals?
However, Ga-on wasn't the only one capable of making that kind of judgment.
“You're different from the Meta-humans who come and go from Ryungyeong. If you really knew about me, you wouldn't interfere like this. Or... do you want to conduct research independently?”
“...”
To be honest, it was something Ga-on had been contemplating even before coming here.
Croft's ability and intuition were unquestionably top-class. He had instantly deduced that Ga-on had taken Nuclase, and he had even installed a homemade fusion reactor in his own residence.
He would probably distinguish himself in no time even if he joined a megacorp.
To Ga-on, who had realized he could one day be devoured by the Black Beast, Croft was indispensable talent.
The problem, however, was where his allegiance lay.
He belonged to one of the Four Great Underworld factions.
“It almost feels like I'm taking a job interview. No, is that actually what this is? But if you're going to tell me to betray Ryungyeong, then I won't listen. I joined them because there's something I want to accomplish as well.”
Something he wanted to accomplish.
Ga-on had a fairly good idea what that was.
After all, he had already completed an extensive investigation into Croft from every angle.
“What if helping me became the path to curing your older brother?”
Like a single stone thrown into still water.
The composure Croft had been feigning cracked for an instant before disappearing. The change had lasted only a fleeting moment, but Ga-on's eyes didn't miss it.
“Yes, I'm talking about your older brother, who's fallen into a state that no medical technology can restore.”
It was one of Croft's unexpected sides.
As could be seen from the fact that he had joined Orametic Bionics to assist his father, Daniel Shen, he was a man who cherished his family above all else.
That devotion had reached its peak in the way he had dedicated himself all this time to his older brother, Craig, who had suddenly collapsed one day.
That was probably also why it was so difficult for him to leave Ryungyeong. Their surveillance would follow him wherever he went. Perhaps he endured that inconvenience of his own accord.
After all, there was only a fine line between surveillance and protection.
“Think of it as a side job. There are plenty of situations where connections come in handy, right? You process the data I provide, and I'll support you as a second-generation chaebol. It shouldn't be such a difficult deal.”
To Ga-on, it was the greatest concession he could offer, but to Croft, it was utterly unacceptable. To him, the word family was no different from a dragon's reverse scale.
Moreover, the name Craig alone was enough to provoke him. Officially, his older brother had been declared dead.
“So the idea is that I should be moved by your mercy and join you as a companion? What exactly can you do? Report me to the Public Enforcement Corps? Turn me in to another of the Four Great Underworld factions? Or force me into submission through violence?”
“Are you sure about that? If word gets out that you laid a hand on a member of a megacorp, it'll make things difficult for you in more ways than one.”
“The same goes for you, Mr. Ga-on. Are you really okay with the world finding out you're a Meta-human?”
He had barely been given any time, yet he had already figured out that much. As expected, Croft's insight was truly innate. But the more impressed Ga-on was, the more killing intent welled up within him.
“If that happens, your entire family will die. I can promise you that.”
“Are you saying you'll kill innocent civilians now? You're the one who willingly participated in human experimentation, and now you're using that as leverage to exploit someone else's weakness... Have you ever heard the term hypocrisy?”
“I don't know what kind of person you think I am, but I'm far from a saint.”
At the end of the day, he was merely an ordinary man who wished to bear only the good deeds and sins he could handle.
That was why he neither tried to portray himself as a saint nor transformed into a rampaging devil.
He had experienced firsthand that those kinds of people were the first to die.
It was then that Croft, as though suffering a seizure, pulled out a detonator.
“Oh dear, don't come any closer. If you take even one more step, I'll immediately collapse the fusion reactor. Then we're all going down together.”
He leaned backward, widening the distance between them.
A meltdown was a phenomenon that occurred in nuclear fission, but he had made it possible with the fusion reactor he had built as well. Thanks to painstaking modifications, it was capable of releasing plasma outside.
If flames reaching one hundred million degrees erupted, the entire area would be incinerated without leaving even ashes behind.
“So you're asking me to tame you.”
“I'm telling you to shut up and leave. I'll admit my mistake, and I won't reveal the truth about your origins. Let's just pretend none of this ever happened and go our separate ways.”
The two of them had no choice but to seize each other's leash.
They now stood under the principle of mutually assured destruction.
“So, what do you think of my proposed compromise?”
“Impossible.”
“Urgh...”
As his battle with Muryong had already demonstrated, Ga-on had mastered most of the martial arts that existed throughout human history.
But the discipline he had devoted himself to the most was swordsmanship.
He drew a complete bird's-eye view of the bunker in his mind and made his estimate.
The distance—
'About 38 meters.'
The moment Ga-on swung Polar Night without hesitation, an ink-black blade shot forward, racing as though it would pierce Croft's throat at any moment. Yet the sharpened slash wasn't aimed at flesh.
Its destination was merely the midpoint.
The blade barely grazed his skin before tracing a horizontal half-moon arc, piercing through the wall and disappearing into the distance.
The instant its seemingly endless length reached 38 meters, Ga-on felt a heavy sensation transmitted to his fingertips.
It was the vibration caused by the Tokamak being severed in two.
He could almost hear Dae Gwanmu's startled cry at the sudden disaster that had befallen them.
“...ing.”
Unaware of what had happened, Croft had already pressed the button and stepped beyond the blast door, only then realizing something was wrong.
And what kind of impossible feat Ga-on had just performed.
“So, is there anything else you'd like to try?”
“You really are one crazy bastard.”
Muttering words that could have been either the highest praise or a curse, Croft raised both hands in surrender.
***
After emerging from the agricultural warehouse, Dae Gwanmu and Croft exchanged awkward glances.
Their reactions were similar, but for entirely different reasons.
Dae Gwanmu was ashamed that he had survived by abandoning his master, while Croft simply couldn't hide the pale complexion that had overtaken his face.
Dae Gwanmu was the first to speak.
“I can guess what you're planning, but even if you silence us, you won't be able to hide the commotion that happened here. Ryungyeong will investigate Master's disappearance on its own.”
“I agwee...”
“You don't need to worry.”
He had plenty of options.
As a second-generation chaebol, he could make use of Baekdu's services. As a Grade 9 Advisor, he could call in the Emergency Disaster Response Unit. Or he could present his Grade 4 Aide identification and request assistance from the Public Enforcement Corps.
However, the more effective the option, the greater the risk that came with it.
If he chose the first, a report would inevitably reach Baek Seol.
If he chose the second, Jin Geon might discover Croft's research.
As for the third, District 35 had the fundamental flaw of being Pioneer Party territory.
Which choice would be the most advantageous?
As Ga-on pondered the matter, a fourth option suddenly came to mind.
Right.
Hadn't all of these problems originated from one person in the first place?
Hiiragi Alice.
He would dump it all on her.