◈ Episode 132

4:40 PM.

A rented luxury car sped toward the center of Cilicia. Tightly packed buildings and neon lights flashing in all sorts of colors. It was a sight that made me think that this might be the Times Square of the future.

Looking up, the buildings are all steep, almost like your neck is about to get a sore throat. How many companies are in just one of those countless buildings? How much money do you have to spend to get a small office?

I realize anew the astronomical value of a city of people.

To the powerful people of this street, Dustborn and Kim Yi-hyun must be insignificant. Kim Yi-hyun's personal assets had already surpassed hundreds of millions, but it was an amount that had little meaning here.

I don't feel any disappointment about it.

'Is my gaze too crooked?'

To Kim Yi-hyeon, the appearance of the city center was neither grand nor oppressive. It simply looked precarious. Like a jewel castle built with broken pearls.

It could collapse overnight.

By disaster. By human malice.

"Hey, bro."

Assam's call broke his thoughts. Kim Yi-hyeon turned his head, resting his chin on the armrest of the passenger seat. The eyes that met his eyes were trembling slightly with anxiety.

"You know, what we're going to do from now on is, that."

"Isn't that a bad thing?"

"...."

It was a silence that meant affirmation. In Kavarati, the twins sold the identities of corpses. It was a struggle to make a living, but it was certainly an immoral act.

This time the outcome was similar.

Assam now knows that Kim Hyun is not an agent of the Shiran Empire. The truth does not disappoint. Dustborn, after all, is fond of the Cellbrox Lab.

On the one hand, he feels a sense of guilt. Since Rap embraced him and his family, he had to pay a proper price. Why did Kim Lee-hyun single out only three people from Kavarati?

It can't be pure goodwill.

Assam knew that society was not so kind. In order to maintain his current life, he had no choice but to listen obediently. However, his gruff feelings did not go away easily.

Assam's feelings were also clearly read by Kim I-hyeon.

'Good guy.'

He muttered to himself and said.

"It's not an honest thing to do. But let's look at the facts first."

"Fuck, facts?"

"The main charge Allen Iver was arrested on was drug trafficking."

When I turned my gaze, I saw Pep holding the steering wheel.

"Pep. How's the truth?"

"Why would a sheriff sell drugs? Unless he's crazy."

"Then it was a false accusation. Why did Johanna Feltner target Allen Iver?"

"You must have done that because it was annoying. You must have received a lot of bribes, so if an investigation were to come in, you'd be screwed."

"It's very dog."

"The problem is a powerful dog."

Asam, who was listening to the story, asked cautiously.

"So you're going to punish me?"

"No. Why would I punish someone else?"

It hasn't changed since the beginning. Kim Yi-hyeon has never once stood up as a judge. He was not the type of person who would have a sense of justice that would flare up when he saw a villain.

"I don't care about looking after my own interests. Of all people, you threw shit at us. I don't want to let my company go down the drain like this."

"...."

"And don't worry too much. No one will get hurt and no one will die. Well, one person's life will be tough from now on─"

Kim Lee-hyun spat it out calmly.

"You reap what you sow."

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

* * *

-PM 5:54.

Silenia Grand Palace.

A black sedan stopped at the main entrance of a 34-story hotel. As the bodyguard opened the back door, a middle-aged woman in an evening dress got out of the car.

So the secretary who had come down followed her.

"Sir, the second son of Chairman Perez of the City Group is said to be attending this party."

"Mario Perez? That punk?"

"It seems like the invitation that arrived for my younger brother was half-forcibly snatched away."

"You must be in quite a hurry, since you're reaching out here and there."

Johanna Feltner snorted. Mario Perez. A guy who was struggling with debt because he couldn't properly manage one of the affiliates he inherited. He looked like he would muddy the waters at parties.

'Chairman Perez won't leave it like this.'

The management rights will be passed on to Mario's younger brother. If possible, it would be better to establish a connection. She has been building her network by going to parties several times a week.

After the police chief was overthrown, Johanna felt day by day that her position had changed. It was time to row. She would push out the Paneros faction and rise to a higher position.

Even the minister was worthy of being targeted. Just imagining a bright future brought a smile to my face. In order to succeed, I could even refrain from my secret hobbies.

"Let's go."

Johanna headed to the hotel accompanied by her bodyguard and secretary.

Only after they entered the lobby did the driver take over the wheel again. Now he had to wait in the parking lot and wait for the call to arrive.

'I don't know what you're doing wandering around like this.'

It was a remark that shouldn't even be said in private. It was the moment when the driver let out a sigh.

dripping.

There was a knock on the car window. I looked up in surprise and saw a man standing on the road. He had a sad expression and was dressed in a luxurious suit.

Are you a young master somewhere? To be honest, I don't want to get involved. It's just annoying, but it's something I can't ignore.

I rolled down the window.

"What's going on?"

"Oh, it's nothing else."

Suddenly, a hand came into the car. The driver was about to point out the rudeness. He opened his mouth wide at the phenomenon that happened before his eyes.

A gun appeared in his bare hand.

"Uh, uh uh uh…!"

"Shh, shh! Don't show it."

The man gave instructions with a smile on his face.

"Open the door. Quietly."

-PM 6:41.

Drinks and food. Laughter and music.

Surrounded by values ​​that are precious to humans, capitalists with excellent values ​​are having valuable conversations. For Johanna Feltner, it was a time of business and love at the same time.

"Sir, you have done a great job."

"Yes, indeed. The recent actions of the security forces have clearly gone too far."

"What kind of city is Cilicia! Whether it's the Capitol or Metro City, there's no place that hasn't been touched by entrepreneurs like us. Even the league that the citizens love so much is run by corporate sponsorship. And yet, they ignore all that hard work and treat us like thieves. What a mess."

"You have forgotten your duty. If a chief of police is going to commit a crime, how rotten and corrupt must you be? You, the congressman, must correct this."

The size of the accumulated resentment was not small. It was the karma of the security forces and the Paneros faction. They had uncovered the corruption that had been kept quiet and sent several companies to the gallows. There was no way they would not have complaints.

"I'm just sticking to my beliefs."

Johanna recognized the necessity, even though their attitude was sometimes disgusting. The company's goodwill was a boon, not only to the city but to Johanna herself.

It is up to the individual to decide which one to prioritize more.

In the past, there were those who shouted that Cilicia had developed too much externally and that the growing gap between the rich and the poor needed to be resolved - but politicians' ideologies can change.

Isn't that what politics is like?

Since there is no right answer, anything can be right, and conversely, anything can be wrong. And right now, it is infinitely closer to the former. In the end, the key is influence.

"Haha! I used to think that politicians weren't trustworthy, but after seeing you, Congressman...."

The routine greetings never ended.

─Clang!

A sharp sound of destruction erupted. Johanna and the other guests' heads turned sharply. A relatively remote location. The champagne tower had collapsed and the glasses were smashed.

"What, what is it!"

Fortunately, there were no casualties as there was no one nearby. The VIPs were startled and moved away from the glass window. The music stopped and tension rose in the audience.

Wow!

"Gyaaaah!"

"Te, it's terrorism! Call the police!"

Chandeliers and glasses broke one after another.

The bullet marks on the window increased one by one.

The commotion didn't stop there. The fire alarm inside the hotel started blaring loudly. The security guards who were monitoring the situation came running.

"Sir, you must evacuate!"

"Yeah, yeah. What about the car?"

"I'll contact you right away. Follow me."

The bodyguard took the lead, giving some instructions through the communicator. Only then did my startled heart calm down a little. The other VIPs were also leaving the party hall, each receiving security.

Same time.

Chelsea, who had been sniping from a building far away from the hotel, lowered her gun. The semi-automatic rifle [Galland] that Kim I-Hyun had handed her. She looked back and forth between the gun and her hands.

My hands were shaking slightly.

"Wow, I feel so down…."

At first, I definitely didn't want to do it. Even if it doesn't hurt anyone, a crime is a crime. But now that I've gotten used to it, I didn't complain anymore and just followed the instructions. But when I actually did it, what do you know?

It couldn't be more refreshing. The sight of the beasts that reign supreme in a capitalist society making a fuss. It was a day when I faced the dark desire that had sprouted in my heart without me even knowing it.

-PM 6:54.

The secretary protected Johanna as if she were the cannon fodder, and the bodyguard walked around cautiously. Thanks to their efforts, Johanna was able to escape the hotel safely.

There was no need to look for it, as the car was parked on the road without delay. As soon as the secretary opened the door, Johanna hastily threw herself into the seat.

"Hoo, haaah."

A sigh of relief escaped me.

In fact, it was extremely sloppy for a terrorist attack. Even the purpose was unclear. However, the word terrorism itself had the ability to paralyze people's thinking.

therefore.

Everyone was saying that their thoughts were stiff. If they were in a normal state, they might have noticed something strange. As expected, the bodyguard in the car narrowed his eyes at the driver's seat.

A slimmer physique. An unnatural color that seemed to have been dyed in a hurry. The length of the hair had gotten a bit longer. Upon closer inspection, there was not a single thing that was the same except for the facial features.

It was a realization that came too late.

"Damn it, Senator…!"

Wa-da-da-daak!

Suddenly, an electric current was released from the needle stuck in the bodyguard's body. The large body convulsed and then fell limply. Johanna and the secretary's eyes widened at the unexpected situation.

Click, click!

Of course, the door did not open.

"Who are you? No, do you know who I am and do this?"

Instead of answering, the driver rummaged through the seat. The object he found in his hand was a gas mask. He put the mask over his head and immediately began to spray gas into the car.

"T, t… How dare you…."

An irresistible swarm of water swept over Johanna. In an instant, her vision became blurry as her focus wavered. In her hazy mind, she heard a sound for the last time.

"Hmm, hmm. Ehhhhhh."

A cheerful humming sound.

-AM 03:11.

The police were dispatched in the middle of the night after receiving an urgent report. It was a back alley considered a hotbed of crime. It was reported that drugs were being dealt in a dark warehouse.

"Security forces! Drop your weapons and surrender!"

The police raided the underground warehouse with searchlights and Riot guns. The intense light drove away the darkness. When they saw what was inside, shock spread like poison among the police officers.

"Yes, sir?"

"...Hmm?"

Johanna Feltner.

The member of the council who had accused the sheriff stood up. She stared blankly at the sheriff who had stormed into the warehouse - then dropped her gaze to follow the direction of the searchlight.

"Huh…?"

There were a lot of suspicious looking medicine bags rolling around at my feet.