◈ Episode 160

His entire body was covered in gunshot wounds, perhaps for a confirmation kill. That was the source of the gunshots that had just occurred. Just by looking at the flowing blue blood, you could tell that he had been dead for a short time.

"Ha, you bitch."

Kim Yi-Hyeon had foreseen this situation since he heard that his godmother was in Howland. He was able to deal with his godmother somehow, but he was ultimately unable to stop her.

The godmother deliberately killed Marcus shortly after the operation team arrived.

Regardless of winning or losing, this was probably the plan from the beginning.

To scorch the continent with hatred and anger.

To make Kim Lee-Hyeon feel frustrated and lost.

'It's not something to be frustrated about since it was going to happen anyway…'

There was no doubt that he had eaten a lot of taffy.

Soon, the strange things began to happen.

Crrr!

A ground quake shook the entirety of Howland. Along with it, Marcus's body began to disintegrate. A huge amount of particles poured out explosively and swirled around.

"Damn it! We have to retreat, we have to get out of here immediately!"

"Cow, sir?"

"There's no time to explain."

Kushan made his statement as if he had foreseen the future or looked back on the past.

"A great disaster will occur…!"

Marcus's body continued to spew out particles.

A storm of particles swept across the area. The soldier holding the gun was helplessly caught up in the storm, leaving only his last words behind.

The pipe burst and spewed out an unknown liquid. The mechanical device shattered and parts fell out, adding to the shock. The ceiling cracked and a hole appeared.

The particles soared into the sky.

The clear, sunny weather suddenly became cloudy. The world turned a dark purple, creating an ominous atmosphere. Strange grains fell from the sky like hail.

"Ha, this is crazy."

"Get back! Hurry up!"

The operation team quickly turned back.

Whatever the catastrophe, he had to escape from the basement before the ceiling collapsed. Kim Yi-hyeon looked back, moving his heavy legs.

"Professor, professor! Come to your senses!"

"Ah, ahhhhhh…!"

The professor was groaning, holding her head. Ghost must have thought her condition was serious, so he immediately carried her on his back. He held onto her flailing body and started to run.

'That role is played by Ghost. It was originally Edwin.'

A similar situation occurred in the game.

Marcus dies without any relation to his godmother, and the professor complains of a headache due to flooding memories and falls into a coma for a while.

And when he woke up again, the world was in the grip of a great disaster.

'The professor will be fine.'

Next I saw Kushan.

Instead of running away first, Kushan took the lead and encouraged the agents. On the surface, he appeared to be a leader who took the lead.

However, his gaze followed Marcus. The sinners who had caused the great disaster twice. Kim Ihyeon could not guess what Kushan was feeling.

'Leila... ... .'

I rolled my eyes and just in time I saw it.

The sight of some of the particles being absorbed by Leila.

That is a toxic substance that cannot be compared to Helixivir. If the blue water, the main ingredient of Helixivir, is likened to the blood of a parasite, then that particle is the very existence of a parasite.

Despite this, no unusual signs were found on Leila. Crystals began to grow on her skin, but they quickly fell off and oxidized.

This is a sight I've also seen in games.

'You're crazy.'

But the weight was completely different. This must be because he had used Helixivir himself. Kim Yi-hyeon also had a resistance to mutations, but not as much as Leila.

If it was natural, then it was natural.

Because Leila's genetic information is more than 70% identical to the original Parasite.

'Is Leila a 5 star now?'

After gathering his thoughts, he looked at Marcus one last time. Despite spewing out an absurd amount of particles, more than 70% of his body still remained. As expected of a god worshipped by the Legion.

Suddenly, a random thought occurred to me.

'Why did you send Minimi to me?'

Raid in St. Kitts.

Since then, I have had no contact with Marcus. It may be because various incidents occurred one after another without any time for contact. I have always wondered why he approached me at that time.

It was still an unresolved question. The only thing that was certain was that Marcus's intentions at the time were focused in a different direction than assassination.

'If you were trying to test me, why did you do it? Did you need someone to stop the godmother? If not… … .'

The thoughts continued to follow one another. Kim Yi-hyeon sighed and broke the chains. Unless he came back to life and told me, all guesses were nothing more than a leap of faith.

I looked straight ahead again.

"Listen up straight, wounded people. We will take them all without exception!"

"There may be remaining troops. Stay alert."

"Chief! Stop it and come here quickly!"

The operation team hurried their steps, carrying not only the wounded but also the dead. It cannot be said that there were few casualties, but more people survived than that.

"Hyeon, please stay alive. If you die here, I will be punished by Lady Ainoa."

"If the boss really disappears, it's your fault."

"Both of you stop talking nonsense! Hyun, are you okay?"

"If it's really hard, I'll carry you and run."

Kim Lee-hyun smiled brightly.

"Just shut up and run."

It will survive in the future.

* * *

The operation team safely escaped from the underground. Fortunately, no fighting broke out. Everyone was able to board the helicopter without any interference, as there were no remnants.

There was no time to waste. We had to leave immediately due to the unexpected bad weather. As soon as everyone got on board, the helicopters began taking off.

Howland's figure quickly disappeared into the distance.

Lightning struck the small island we had just been on. A beautiful yet ominous aurora was spreading across the sky above the island.

Inside the hatch, Kim Hyun spoke to Leila.

"How's the professor?"

"It didn't look good."

The professor was currently on another helicopter with the injured. Since he wasn't injured, there was no way to treat him.

"I think something came to mind. It's not a good memory, I guess."

Leila smiled faintly. It was a dark smile, unlike her usual smile.

"I know it's confusing, but I'm sure you'll be able to overcome it, Professor."

"Yeah, that's what a professor would do."

There was a moment of silence. Soon she looked at Kim Yi-Hyeon again.

"You're not asking anything."

"It's not something I should ask you. Maybe Kushan wouldn't know."

"That's not all, is it?"

It wasn't an inquiry.

Rather, Leila's face was covered with a terrible sense of guilt. She hated herself and rap, for not saying anything despite receiving help from Kim Yi-hyun.

But that was a secret that Leila couldn't just reveal. It was something she had to hear from Kushan, or if not from the professor who had regained his memories someday.

Above all else.

'How much do you know?'

Kim Yi-hyeon seemed to have figured everything out already. I looked at him with a question, but all I got in return was a polite smile.

The reaction was really not different from what I expected.

Leila turned her head to the window with a bitter smile. Howland. Particles were rising from the underground cistern where the ops team had been moments ago, piercing the sky.

It was the end of the legion.

"What will the world be like in the future?"

"Well."

Kim Lee-hyun also looked out at that place.

Letters were wedged between the retina and the landscape.

[ERROR!]

[An unexpected error occurred.]

[Confirmation of death of character 'Markus Dresner']

[Calculate the damage rate of the scenario.]

[Now Loading....]

Even when the body was witnessed, the message that had remained silent was only now appearing. This must mean that Marcus' entire body has been destroyed.

It was pointing to some future.

"Won't it become a little more difficult to live?"

* * *

Historically, disasters have been observed for over 200 years. Until about 50 years ago, disasters occurred infrequently, and even those that did were not large enough to threaten human life.

"Things have changed dramatically since exactly 2000."

The Director's Office. Immediately after returning to the lab, Kushan began explaining the story of history.

"It was the aftermath of the death of the parasite that Shiran and Shalem were jointly researching. The particles that made up the parasite dissolved into the world. That's how disasters became more frequent and intense."

"What is a parasite…?"

Kushan answered Anima's question.

"The first 'alien life form' discovered by Cellbrotics Lab in 1977."

"Yeah? Well, um."

"That's literally what it means. The Parasite's genetic information does not match any life form on this planet. Despite repeated studies, we have not been able to determine where the Parasite came from."

However, he continues speaking.

"Similarly, there were substances whose details were unknown."

"Are you talking about the elixir?"

"Yes. Fireweed, Elixir, Panax… It's a blue liquid that goes by many names, but no one knows what it is. It didn't take long for us to take notice of it."

Kushan held out a folder.

Kim Yi-hyeon and Anima each took the documents and looked through them. It was data from a study that Cellbrox Lab had conducted in the past.

"I was able to make a surprising discovery. Even though I administered the elixir to the parasite, there was no rejection reaction. It was as if it had been a part of my body from the beginning."

"...I think the elixir first appeared around 1800."

"You can see the connection."

Elixirs and parasites. And disaster.

Although they may seem separate at first glance, they are deeply interconnected.

It was obvious what Rap was thinking at the time.

"We were arrogant."

Kushan spoke as if spitting blood.

"I had no doubt that I would be able to uncover the truth about the disaster. I conducted inhumane experiments over and over again, and even used the researchers' bodies as test subjects. Parasite cells are alive and breathing in my body."

Immortality was a byproduct of the experiment.

Several people involved in the study achieved eternal youth.

"In 2000, the problem broke out."

"Is this the first time the parasite has died?"

Kushan nodded at Kim Yi-hyeon's words.

"Our conclusion is this. In the distant past, an intersection with another world arose, and it steadily grew larger. Then, with the death of the Parasite, the balance was suddenly destroyed…."

"…That's what I said."

Wood crack!

The armrest of the chair Anima was holding broke.

"So Cellbrox Lab… caused all this?"

"It may be a stretch to say that it was introduced, but I cannot deny that it advanced the process by hundreds of years."

"You guys...!"

His whole body was expressing anger and contempt. His eyes glaring at Kushan were overflowing with murderous intent. His usual bright and polite appearance was nowhere to be found.

Kim Lee-Hyeon didn't bother to interfere.

'It's your responsibility to take responsibility.'

There were various stories about the influence of the Shiran Empire in the study, but they were not important. No matter what noble intentions he had, he was a great sinner, as Kushan himself thought.

"...We, I want to atone. Marcus would have done the same. He would have tried to parasitize his own body to overcome the cracks. Or cut off the connection with the other world. He would have needed many specimens for that."

"specimen?"

"Do you know the truth about monsters and spells?"

The voice was laid low.

"After 2000, the rate at which spells are activated and the frequency of monsters appearing have increased dramatically. This is the result of the increased contamination index across the continent, and the adaptation of living things to it. And it can be said that the executives of the Legion were particularly evolved individuals among them."

Anima's face turned pale. Truths that were too difficult for an individual to bear poured out and pressured him. The spell that was placed on him felt uneasy.

"But the Legion failed. It carried out acts of terror unrelated to the organization's purpose... and in the end, the Matriarch murdered Marcus. With this, it is safe to say that the Legion completely collapsed."

After a long explanation, Kushan sighed.

"Now we must brace ourselves for the shock."

When the story was settled, Anima remained silent. As if he was chewing over the worries that filled his head. After a while, he left without saying anything else.

When only the two were left, Kim Yi-hyeon opened his mouth.

"Isn't it scary? It would be a problem if an albatross rushes at you like it's crazy."

"But it's not something that can be glossed over."

Unlike before, the tone was bitter.

"Hyeon, aren't you resentful?"

"Resentment? Me, you?"

"I figured out that you had a strong obsession with the Legion. But the fundamental reason for the Legion's establishment was the Cellbrox Lab. I thought it wouldn't be strange for you to take out a gun."

"You really think I'm crazy."

Kim Lee-hyun snorted.

"I didn't really hold a grudge against the Legion. It's just that, well, I noticed their nonsense. I wasn't the kind of optimistic person who could just let it go and live comfortably."

It wasn't a lie.

Up until now, the 'villain' in the scenario was Legion, so I just responded to them. In order to get through the second half, I eliminated strong enemies early and saved people who would have died.

'The problem is timing.'

With Marcus dying earlier than planned, all the remaining episodes were brought forward. The time saved by finishing the episodes in advance was lost.

'Is this how you spread shit?'

Now that there is no time to rest, you have to run until the end.

The only consolation is that the situation itself isn't that bad.

"Oh, right."

Kim Yi-hyun rolled up his sleeves and showed his right arm. Crystals protruded like scales on his forearm. They weren't that many thanks to previous surgeries, but now even these are becoming flaws.

"Please remove this. It can be done here too."

Kushan is an unrivaled expert in mutation. Before the Professor regained his full memory, no one could compare.

You probably knew about the decision from the beginning.

"...Let's make a schedule."

"I would appreciate it if you could clean it up."

The conversation ended here. I was about to get up and leave.

"I'm sorry, sincerely."

There was no response.

* * *

January 1, 2045.

A massive disaster has struck the area, starting in Howland, near Shiran.

Thanks to the quick response of the Shiran Imperial Family, casualties were minimal, but the outlying areas that suffered from the disaster became irreparably contaminated zones.

From that day on, diseases broke out simultaneously in various countries.

It was a symptom of a living organism being contaminated and mutated. The mutant thus created was named 'Parasite' by Cellbrox Lab, which gained credibility at the Ivory Tower of Ishrad and the Summit.

The world is one step closer to its end,

[Agent 'Kim Lee-Hyeon's' rank increases.]

[Agent Record Update]

[Agent Name: Kim Lee-Hyeon]

[Rating: ★★★★★]

Kim Lee-Hyeon reached 5 stars.

The scenario moves into its second half.