Chapter 129: Where the Hell Are Those Bastards?
On the top floor of the High Command Security Headquarters...
Colonel Ryan Rosevein sat behind his massive desk, glaring downward while grinding his teeth with a rage that nearly burst the veins in his face. Ryan was a man who possessed half a normal human face, while the other half consisted of cybernetic and ultra-technological parts, centered around an advanced robotic eye glowing with a bright, pulse-red beam radiating sheer danger.
Ryan was the man who had been recently promoted to the rank of Colonel in honor of his miraculous operation, during which he successfully arrested Darren—the last leader of the "Smile Organization"—without incurring a single casualty among his forces!
Because of this legendary achievement, Ryan had risen to his new rank. Yet now, he stood in his office staring viciously at the television screen mounted on the wall.
From the television screen echoed the voice of the female anchor holding a microphone as she continued her heated dialogue with a bald man wearing thick spectacles. Appearing elderly and dignified, the two sat inside the live broadcast studio:
"We are joined now by Professor Geoff Edmenhauer, a quantum physics scientist holding a doctorate in energy studies and modern phenomena... Tell us, Professor, is there any scientific or logical explanation within your field that can explain these strange and controversial phenomena we witnessed in the video footage captured by our reporters’ cameras a few hours ago?!"
Professor Geoff stuttered over his words, his features utterly consumed by shock following his examination of the terrifying scene’s recordings:
"I... I swear! Well, I am a scientist and I do not use that word lightly or casually at all... but I swear that throughout my entire professional and academic career, I have never seen anything performed in such a miraculous manner! I have listened to the people’s testimonies and their impressions of the energy sensation that radiated through the area... This feat transcends physics; it is akin to pure magic! It is a complete and explicit override of everything I have learned and taught in my life!"
The famous physicist’s words were no exaggeration or lie; they were the cold truth that shattered public opinion. The anchor attempted to push the conversation further to capitalize on the interview’s momentum and exploit the burning curiosity of the public.
Swallowing hard with effort, the anchor asked seriously: "It is rumored in certain political and popular circles that this video is merely another media propaganda and deception piece served by the government... and it is said that such supernatural powers do not exist at all in our reality. If this magical power truly exists... why is it appearing now specifically? And why is there no prior historical or scientific record of it? How do you respond to this skepticism, sir?"
Heavy moments of silence passed before Professor Geoff spoke in a tone filled with analytical weight:
"I too do not know the exact explanation for how this occurred... however... as humans, we did not know the nature of outer space nor the properties of stars prior to the invention of advanced telescopes! When we discovered the existence of impossible entities or phenomena like ’black holes,’ we did not deny their existence simply because we did not produce them with our own hands... rather, we conceded to their existence because we witnessed their direct and undeniable impact on everything surrounding them in this universe! I know fully well that it is extremely difficult for the human mind to believe in the existence of supernatural power... for I myself am still incapable of processing it!"
Meanwhile, the broadcast feed shifted toward a modern iPad displaying thousands of incoming messages arriving instantly from viewers and followers of the live stream. The network was picking messages at random and displaying them on the screen before millions!
One prominent message was written with stark boldness:
[Only now can we understand the true reason behind the sudden, leapfrogging technological advancement in the fields of robotics and high-density energy! The government has been monopolizing these secret sciences and hiding them from us publicly... Undoubtedly, this is the direct reason for the arrest of Cain, the leader of the Smile Organization; because he was seeking to distribute these high-tier sciences to the public, while the government wanted to hoard this absolute power for itself!]
The moment that shocking message was read on live air, the channel’s management rushed to delete it from the screen immediately!
At that instant, Colonel Ryan vented his built-up fury, grasping his hair tightly with his human hand while his robotic eye flashed rapid red bursts from intense agitation, looking as if he were on the verge of completely losing his mind!
Ryan shouted in a muffled, hysterical voice: "You wretched Ian family!... You corrupt bastards! No matter how deep you dig into the earth or where you hide, I will find you and crush every last one of you along with whatever remnants remain of that cursed Smile Organization!... Await your impending doom!"
The Colonel did not know how to control this downward spiral; the video had spread like wildfire across networks and websites, and no one could suppress it any longer. Even though his forces had already arrested all members of the Ian family present inside the main palace—and had fully pursued and detained those located in neighboring countries...
There remained a terrifying, massive question mark still haunting Colonel Ryan’s mind and challenging him in this catastrophic case:
Where in the hell had the limousine officers—the commander and the guards accompanying them—vanished to right in the middle of a crowded street?! How could a fully equipped officer disappear in the blink of an eye without leaving a single trace!
Ryan had immediately summoned one of the experts from the renowned "Haven Family" lineage—who were known to possess specialized magical transportation capabilities sanctioned by the government—only to be shocked when the experts confirmed that their limited magic could only transport objects over a maximum distance not exceeding five meters!
Yet the greatest disaster and the sharpest source of fury for Ryan... was his brother!
Ryan growled in rage: "What a foolish and reckless brother you are!... A man who cannot be relied upon for any crucial mission!"
His brother had been the designated officer tasked with leading the raid and arresting the Ian family on-site... yet he too had vanished completely from sight, as though he had never stepped foot in this world to begin with!
Colonel Ryan slammed his heavy cybernetic fist onto the desk before him amidst sheer chaos and raging fury!
"Raphael!..."
The solid office door flew open with lightning speed, and a young man wearing a neat military uniform entered, delivering a terrified military salute:
"Yes, Sir Colonel!"
Ryan screamed, his red eye glowing furiously: "Have those vanished bastards been found or their location identified?!"
Raphael broke into a cold sweat, racking his brain for a way to deliver the report without resulting in his immediate field execution at the hands of the enraged Colonel:
"I... In truth, sir... they have not been found anywhere inside or outside the borders... It is as if they evaporated into thin air!"
CRACK!
Under the weight of immense cybernetic pressure from Ryan’s fist, the luxurious wooden desk split cleanly into two halves, scattering onto the floor amidst Ryan’s hysterical roar:
"Get out of here immediately and search for them in every single inch!... Get out now!"
However, Raphael remained standing in his place without moving, trembling visibly yet gathering his courage to continue:
"C... Colonel, sir... In fact, there is another urgent matter! While we were arresting the members of the Ian family and cordoning off their properties, we detained two sanitation workers inside the facility... They are adamantly insisting on meeting you immediately, claiming they possess extremely sensitive and vital information regarding the case!"
Ryan’s brows knitted in astonishment and contempt, his enraged tone shifting into sharp suspicion: "Extremely vital and sensitive information?... From two sanitation workers?!"
Raphael nodded quickly in confirmation: "Yes, sir... They are standing with me in the outer corridor under guard... Shall I authorize them to enter?"
Ryan stared at Raphael for a few seconds, then gave a cold, cautious nod.
Indeed... the door opened once more, and the two sanitation workers entered slowly; one was a man possessing a calm and confident demeanor, while the other was an extraordinarily beautiful and elegant female, despite both wearing simple maintenance and cleaning uniforms.
They stood in the center of the shattered office before Colonel Ryan. The male worker took a step forward, a light, indifferent smile playing upon his lips, as he spoke in a steady, clear voice:
"Greetings, Colonel... My name is Cain, and this is my colleague Lucy... We possess information of vital importance that we would like to present to you personally."