◈ Episode 149

He completely removed the tarpaulin he had used for cover. He opened his left hand while aiming the pistol in his right hand at Kamael. He counted the days by folding his fingers one by one.

"Kamael Losfer. Almost a week?"

Today is not the day of the battle. The incident at the border is secondary, but the terror attack at the Philstein prison has spread throughout the country.

Naturally, public opinion was in an uproar.

It was already a controversial facility in the city. There were many citizens who acknowledged its usefulness but were reluctant to use it. Needless to say, various non-profit organizations were picking on it.

In other words, if anything happened, there was no choice but to be beaten up. But then, a terrorist attack occurred. The high-ranking officials involved in the prison were put in a situation where they had to take off their clothes.

A thorough investigation was conducted.

I couldn't just turn a blind eye and ignore it. From the beginning, there were many suspicious parts to this incident. The route the Legion took to infiltrate. The method of opening the prison. The timing of the raid, etc.

The conclusion was simple.

"The city is in an uproar. There's a spy from the Legion inside, and in the upper echelons."

Kim Lee-hyeon pretended to look pitiful.

"The elders are stepping up to recover the lost public support. Because of this, we are having a hard time. It's really hard for a 60-year-old elder to bow his head and ask for a favor."

It's half true and half false.

It is true that the operation team is suffering under the dragging of the elders. Among them, Dustborn, unlike the agents of the lab, is seeking freedom.

It was decided from the beginning that external issues would be handled by the lab.

Dustbone was only a collaborator of the lab, and had no obligation to assist in any non-operational tasks. All he had to do was stop the border raid and the prison riot.

So everyone is enjoying an unseasonable vacation, you know.

Unfortunately, Kim Lee-hyun was a little busier than Geum-jok.

"But what are you doing here? While everyone else is making a fuss."

Kamael flinched at the sight of the gun being lightly waved. Kamael stared at the muzzle of the gun and then carefully moved his gaze. The body of his subordinate, who had died instantly, was lying on the ground.

My throat is parched.

"...How did you know about this place?"

"What? Aren't you going to make excuses? You could say you were kidnapped by that guy."

"If I made an excuse, would you listen to me seriously?"

Kim Lee-hyun snorted.

"no way."

As expected. Kamael thought to himself. He didn't know how far the investigation had progressed, but at least the man in front of him was certain. Certain that Kamael was the mastermind behind this incident.

Otherwise, how could he have just killed his subordinates without warning? It was a waste of time to ask and answer questions that were obvious to both parties. In order to survive, he needed to act more wisely.

"Wow. How could you have guessed that I would pass by here?"

"Your speech is back."

He must have been the natural enemy of the Legion, he shrugged.

"I told you, it was a coincidence."

"I'm a scientist by the way. I don't enjoy talking about luck or coincidence."

"You know what? I had no obligation to tell you the truth in the first place."

It was easy to guess what was missing.

Just one word: I'm going to die soon anyway.

Kamael instinctively realized that this was his last chance. He chose his words in his mind. He wondered if he had wasted his age. He could quickly think of a story that would be tempting to Kim Yi-hyun.

It was a secret history.

"...I'm sure you've been contributing to the Cellbrox Lab for quite some time."

"It's been about two years. It's not a short time."

"So, do you think you know the Cellbrox Lab well?"

The reply that was coming back immediately suddenly stopped. Silence. I took it as a green light.

"What is their origin? Why would a single research company form a private army and fight against the Legion? What is the true identity of the research institute director? Have you never once questioned this?"

"Do you know?"

He took the bait. Kamael desperately swallowed his laughter.

"I heard it from the leader."

"Markus Dresner."

"Yes, he once lived in the palace of Shalem."

He didn't intend to talk nonsense. He just wanted to tell the truth. In his opinion, Cellbrox Lab was definitely not a good organization.

"And the director of the CellbroLogics Lab. The leader called the man Heinz. He remembered him as a close friend and mentor."

"...."

"Because that was all, I don't know what their relationship really was like."

However, after doing so and reversing the situation.

"I'll tell you in advance. This much is the truth, beyond doubt."

Kamael, who had been in a grand hurry, revealed the truth.

A secret known only to a select few on the continent.

"44 years ago. Heinz's research was the starting point of a disaster that had previously occurred only locally and now swept the world. Of course, he didn't do it alone, but it's an undeniable fact."

He spat it out as if handing down a sentence.

"He is a great sinner. I don't know what kind of sweet talk he used to deceive you, but in reality, he is a hypocrite and a madman! If you search through the history books of the entire world, there is no murderer as vicious as him!"

Kim Yi-hyeon still kept silent. He listened to Kamael's words and tried to combine them with the game's settings. Although his perspective was biased, his words were not wrong.

Emperor of Shiran and Lord Protector Heinrich. Marcus and Heinz of Shalem. And even the professor. The evidence of their crimes is etched into their bodies.

Immortality.

"Hundreds of millions, billions of people died because of greed. I witnessed that hell with my own two eyes. I can never forgive that man…! My mother's body is still buried in my hometown that collapsed overnight. How could I not be angry…!"

Kamael clenched his skinny fists.

"The leader is different. He is repenting his sins by burning his entire body. The continent will soon face another great crisis, and we must prepare for that day…."

"Okay, I heard you."

Kim Yi-hyeon raised his left hand to signal a stop. Kamael, who had been arguing with his neck bloodshot, closed his mouth in a trembling manner. However, the ambiguous response only lasted for a moment.

"If by any chance you have changed your mind, or if you have any hesitation at all, please feel free to tell me. I can't turn back time, but I can understand, right?"

"There are probably a lot more guys who died to me than you think."

"It must be because Heinz clouded your vision. I will let go of any past favors."

"okay?"

A soft voice lingered.

"Shadow, Snowfield, Camellia, Mithril, Rags."

Kamael held his breath at the names that came out of nowhere. It was the first time he had heard that Kim I-Hyun was involved in the deaths of Shadow and Mithril. He didn't even know that Mithril was dead.

"I didn't directly use it, but I would say that Mantra and Lazuli are also my influences. And."

There was a short gap.

"You're next."

"this...!"

Kamael turned around in a hurry. He wanted to escape somehow. However, there was no way he could dodge the bullet with his aged body. Above all, his opponent was not a beginner, but a skilled hunter.

"커헉!"

A bullet fired from behind pierced his chest. Kamael stumbled and fell to the ground. His breathing became rapid due to the heat rising inside his body. On the other hand, the warmth in his hands and feet quickly cooled down.

The sound of footsteps was approaching.

Taang!

Smoke rose from the silencer attached to the barrel. The pistol then turned into a speck of light and disappeared. Kim Yi-hyeon caught the silencer as it fell to the floor and put it in his pocket.

[ERROR!]

The message didn't really interest me.

As I lowered my gaze, two corpses appeared right below me. As I looked at them, I sighed. It was quite depressing to have to deal with the corpses while everyone else was having fun.

"What can I do about my fate?"

Life is not easy.

* * *

Anyway, let's talk about it.

As a result of the investigation, numerous irregularities and corruptions related to Kamael were revealed to the surface. When one thing exploded, it exploded in a chain reaction like dominoes falling down.

The academy he was the head of was brought into disgrace. Since he was the one who should have taken responsibility, he went into hiding and ended up receiving more criticism than necessary.

However, it was not a case of feeling wronged. This was because various problems, such as the theft of papers and the fraudulent use of degrees, which had been kept quiet, were revealed one by one. It was a veritable hotbed of corruption.

The investigation continues even after more than a week has passed and more than a fortnight has passed. Unless Kamael's disappearance is dramatically solved, investigators will be busy for a long time.

'I'm sorry, but I hope you all have a good time.'

Perhaps it was something they had been longing for. It was like going through a prestigious academic institute that was no different from an ivory tower cartel. The investigators' authority was growing stronger by the day.

Of course, even so, the police agency will not be at the top of Ishrad. The core of Ishrad is the ivory tower. They will probably be satisfied with a moderate level.

It was a good problem for Kim Lee-hyun.

His interest was focused on the flasks before him.

"You got all this? Really?"

"Rather than saying I received it, they forced it into my hand."

The professor smiled shyly. Kim Yi-hyeon glanced at her and looked at the box on the table again. It was a square alloy bag filled with reagents. Each compartment was filled with a flask.

AP-116. A special solution that strengthens spells.

'Crazy, how many of these are there?'

It wasn't so rotten that I couldn't count them. A total of 12 bottles. If you think about the agents who will be deployed in the future, it's not enough, but it's a complaint that's not only full, but also out of conscience.

Each one boasts enormous value. The two bottles I got from Cilicia were the result of good luck. But twelve? Even if you stack up gold bars, wouldn't they be more valuable?

"My eyes are going to pop out, Hyun."

"Uh, uh. Hmm."

I came back to my senses at the sound of laughter.

"There are times when even Hyun-do is surprised."

"I think you're more easily surprised than you think."

I have had many experiences where I was surprised, mostly in a negative sense. I forcibly scattered the past scenes that were drawn in my mind. Sometimes it made me feel alert, but now it was an emotion that was unnecessary.

"You must have gotten it from the ivory tower, right?"

"응."

In the ivory tower, the operation team was treated not only as a state guest but as a national hero. There may have been some political intentions involved, but it was not something to be uncomfortable about. It was clear that they saved the country from a national crisis.

A dozen bottles of AP-116 were an intuitive expression of gratitude.

"So I have to talk about something a little uncomfortable…."

"Tell me first."

It's a discussion about ownership.

Rap and Dustbone are in a cooperative relationship, but they are fundamentally different groups. Since one side cannot monopolize everything, they had to find a compromise. This time, Kim Lee Hyun had no intention of letting it go.

Soon the professor spoke with difficulty.

"I honestly think it's okay to give in to everything."

"...뭐?"

"It's embarrassing, but we didn't do much."

I was dumbfounded.

What kind of idiot is this?

'This kid. Are you still not in your right mind?'

It was not something he could just accept as good. He was not a fool who believed that he and Dustborn could solve all crises alone.

The reinforcement of Rap's power was a matter of utmost urgency. Furthermore, there was even a concern that if Kushan heard about it, it would cause discord.

"But this isn't a matter that can be decided based on the mind alone. It's not a pretty picture. Since it's an item that was officially received, the quality has to be right. Do you understand?"

"Of course, who do you think is a thug?"

Kim Lee-hyun exhaled deeply.

"And by the way, you said you didn't do much, but I don't think so. I've been calling your names from the beginning, and more than anything, we hate being bothered."

"A bother?"

"It's like coordinating with the high-ranking officials. Look at our kids, one is a gambling addict, one is kind but a little stupid, one is just stupid, one is a woman whose mind is like a stray dog. What else do you do with them except fight?"

"Ah, um. Ahaha."

He scratches his cheek, perhaps because he finds it difficult to defend him.

"So how much do you want?"

"Well."

It is certainly a valuable item, but it is useless if it is left. If you sell it, you can make a lot of money, but it will be difficult to clean up the mess. If you are unlucky enough to get caught, you will be hated.

'I have no choice but to use it.'

Chelsea, who has blossomed her spell in a unique way, is on hold for now. We must be extremely careful because we do not know what side effects will follow. Even if we calculate the number of people we will bring in in the future, the required quantity is limited.

On the other hand, there are many people in the lab who can use the solution. Even in West Creek, the detection range using the spell is considerably widened.

After considering this and that, I gave my answer.

"half."

I decided to accept it gratefully.

* * *

I couldn't distribute the solution right away. Kushan is the head of the lab, so I have to talk to him as well. However, since I've already coordinated with the professor, the result won't change.

'If it's half, then what? I did something good for them too.'

I think it's a level that will satisfy both parties. Considering Kushan's picky personality, you might feel that it's a little lacking, but what can you do? You've owed Dustborn a lot so far.

Anyway, it was an unexpected harvest.

In the game, AP-116 is given as a reward for the Ishrad episode, but it wasn't enough for 12 bottles. It may have been given out more generously since the country had more money than before.

Thanks to this, I was able to check my plans with a much more relaxed feeling.

Today in particular was a quiet day, as Asterique went out with Chelsea. While I was getting lunch through room service, there was a knock on my room door.

"...I have a consultation. Do you have time?"

It was Echidna.

For a moment, he was suspicious of the unexpected visit. He could guess the purpose of the visit just by looking at the worried face. Kim Yi-hyeon swallowed a sigh and replied.

"Meal."

"I came back."

"I'm not there yet. Wait in the hallway."

"What? Why? Just wait inside."

"You're the one who says I eat rice all day long."

I left Echidna, who was looking bewildered, and closed the door.

"They say you don't even touch a dog while eating…."

Well, I'm not a dog.