◈ Episode 185

Kim Lee-Hyeon of Dustborne Corporation.

The person commonly referred to as 'Hyeon' is quite well known in the city. He naturally became famous as Dustborn grew. He may not be a famous person known to everyone, but those who know him know him.

However, there is an information gap between classes.

First, in the general public's perception, Kim Lee-hyun is just a representative of Dustborne. Although there are photos taken by paparazzi circulating on the network, at best, it is just a face, a name, and a title.

As for public recognition, Asterike and Echidna are the two biggest mountains. One is a former professional athlete, and the other is a director who is active both domestically and internationally. They are also outstanding in appearance, so they are bound to be famous.

On the other hand, when you enter the city's back world, the story is different.

A bounty hunter who still works underground where Outlaws lurk. A company that walks a tightrope between legal and illegal. An errand boy with mafia roots who has flowed in from overseas.

They know the rumors of 'Hyeon' in more detail.

We are aware of what the representative of Dustborn has done in Cilicia, what past events he was involved in, and the fact that the city has changed drastically as a result of those events.

In the same vein, the same goes for the police.

"You're staring at me too obviously, kid."

Fernando Romero, a member of the police force, suddenly came to his senses at the sound of a voice. Before he knew it, a senior officer had come up to him and was tapping his shoulder.

"Is he that amazing?"

"I should say it's amazing. I've only heard about it, but this is my first time seeing it."

"Ah. That could be possible."

The intersection of the jobs themselves is quite large. For example, when arresting criminals in Dustborne, you also receive new recruits from the police. If you're an office worker, you might not notice, but you'll encounter them often in the field.

However, there were some exceptions, including Kim I-hyeon.

"Because he's such a busy person. He's usually not in the city for long."

There are many rumors that he has a wanderlust. Furthermore, even when Kim Yi-hyun is in the city, he rarely encounters ordinary members of the police force. It's not like there are always serious incidents that require him to step in.

In other words, this is a serious situation.

'The remnants of the Legion.'

It was difficult for Fernando to understand the gravity of the situation. He was a newcomer who had never experienced the defense of Metro City. He only knew about the Legion through his own knowledge.

He took this sortie as a sortie to eliminate terrorists.

I met the representative of Dustborne, about whom there were many rumors, for the first time.

"If you're curious, just ask."

"Is that okay?"

"Is there anything wrong? I don't think you'll be uncomfortable."

The senior shrugged.

"There are quite a few crazy people among the bounty hunters, but this guy is more ordinary than I thought. Of course, I mean that in a good way. You must have been through a lot there."

He then added, lowering his volume.

"But just in case, don't dig."

"You're saying that it's digging?"

"Don't act like a jerk."

It was the first time I saw the serious face of my senior, who was always light-hearted.

"There are times when you can get screwed without anyone knowing, really."

Fernando ended up not saying anything to Kim I-Hyeon.

After 45 minutes, he sincerely thanked his senior for warning him.

Toodoodoodoo!

Bullet casings and drops of blood splattered.

The 15 security guards did nothing. There was no need to do anything. Kim I-Hyeon used a strange drone to search for the enemy and subdued them with guns, swords, and grenades.

"Thank you all for your hard work. I will hand over the captured remnants to the police."

He handled the task of clearing out the terrorist stronghold as if it were a morning routine. He cleared the hideout in less than an hour and leisurely left.

"...What are we here for?"

"How would I understand? Are you just trying to make a show out of it?"

The mission, which ended blandly, made headlines the next day.

The battle that Kim Yi-hyeon ended alone was a fierce and bloody battle, and the security guards who had been a screen were portrayed as heroes of the city. The terrorists who were swept away like fallen autumn leaves were portrayed as demons who could have easily destroyed the city.

It was all true.

Once blood was spilled, it was a clot.

The police officers are always heroes,

Because the terrorists actually aimed to overthrow the city.

There was just some hidden intention that the public was unaware of.

* * *

Work progressed quickly behind the scenes.

Of course, Clara Silvas's crimes were not covered up. She was able to divert public attention for a while, but she was still an infected person and a criminal who attacked civilians.

Instead, other punishments were imposed, not execution.

"Thank you very much. I will never forget this favor."

"You can forget it. Your younger brother will repay the favor."

Clara Silvas was expelled from the city. Aluminum also accompanied her as her younger brother's guardian. Aluminum's long league career also came to an end here.

'I don't know what will become of Clara.'

Perhaps it could really be of decisive help in developing a vaccine. Or, on the contrary, it could be disposed of because it fails to suppress mutations. Either way, it was a problem that was now out of Kim Lee-hyun's hands.

"…What kind of place is Cellbrox Lab?"

"It's a place where people live. There's nothing to worry about or expect too much."

There is only a strong sense of purpose. If you look at each person individually, there are only a handful of people who are that special. Even they know how to love someone and hate someone equally.

Until they adapt, the Silvas siblings will be exposed to wary eyes. Clara is a monster no matter how you look at it. It is expected that she will be ostracized more than Kim Yi-hyun in the past, but not less.

"But if it's rap, I'm sure there's a way to suppress mutations to some extent. It's much more effective and stable than something crazy like chewing up city disinfectant."

"That alone should be reason enough to come visit."

"From then on, you can judge for yourself."

Aluminum has become a thing that must be attached to the wrap, but the mind is different. Not everyone can be influenced by the wrap unless they are brainwashed.

Even Albatross completely cut ties with Lab right after the Great Disaster. It was Vice-Captain Anima's decision. It was not surprising since he heard the truth about the disaster directly from Kushan.

'… … I doubt if I'll even be given time to adapt.'

I have a feeling that the episode will start soon. I can't pinpoint the exact time, but I can make an intuitive prediction. It's not like it's an event that will fall apart due to the butterfly effect without me knowing.

"Well then, Team Leader, I'll see you again in a month."

Turkam said after finishing checking the supplies such as medicine and food. He had been going to the lab regularly from the beginning. So he naturally took on the role of taking the Silvas siblings.

Two vehicles were used. One was for Turkam, the other was for his younger brother, and Aluminum took the wheel. The personnel distribution was in case they mutated while on the move.

"I feel like I say this every time, but you can take your time."

"I told you there's nothing to do there."

"There are two people who have been hanging out together before."

"Oh, them."

Turkam rubbed his neck awkwardly.

"Actually, I should say I feel a bit distant…."

"Oh my. You're cutting ties with your colleagues just because you became a regular agent?"

"What kind of cut-off is this? Cut-off? And that wasn't the original motive."

The reaction was immediate, as if he had been thinking about it.

"Tatalia and Shaydo are supposed to be reserve agents, but it seems like they're being dragged around here and there because there's a shortage of manpower these days. The days when we used to train together are over. Since we do different things, we don't even communicate well."

Do you feel like you're growing apart from your friends after becoming a working adult? I know.

"That's true. I like the outside better."

"Do whatever you want. We'll be here for a while too."

"Yes. I will come back and hear about the latest news, including 'that thing' you requested before."

"Yes, please."

Soon the car started to drive away, belching smoke.

Kim Yi-hyeon saw the three off with his usual indifferent eyes. He stayed until the car was completely out of sight. Just like at Snowfield and the godmother, a strong sense of foreboding enveloped him.

As the car that had just left crossed the border of Cilicia again.

Turkam and Selbrox Labs will return with a problem.

* * *

It's been three weeks since Aluminum's sudden retirement rocked the league industry.

As the various issues that had erupted in a chain gradually died down, the city became considerably more stable. Several infected people who had consumed the larvae were caught, but not a single one of them was adapted.

'I guess that means Clara was a special case.'

The source and status of the larvae released into the market have been clarified. Not only the sewage treatment plant workers who smuggled them in, but also the brokers have all been arrested. This was the result of public officials working day and night, regardless of their affiliation.

The incident that would have determined the existence of the city if the response had been delayed just a little ended like that. Although it may not have been known to the public, Dustborn's name was once again deeply engraved in the hearts of those involved.

As a side note, there was a strange rumor going around.

"People's imagination is amazing. There are also funny rumors, like that Aluminum player decided to retire after being completely destroyed by Mr. Asterike, or that Dustborn put pressure on the company?"

"which?"

"Didn't you get scolded for talking to Mr. Asterike?"

Kim Yi-hyeon couldn't help but laugh at the story Chelsea told him. It was a plausible public opinion, even if the source was unclear. As expected, it's the same no matter where people live in the world.

"Anyway, it's fortunate that it didn't go in a bad mood."

"I mean, there was a time when I wondered what would happen."

Phew, he lets out a sigh.

"When I saw it, I thought there was something in this damn city. It was really disturbing. To put it bluntly, if it weren't for us, it would have collapsed two or three times already. How can you forget when crazy people pop up?"

Self-praise aside, it wasn't a wrong statement.

'It was a fucking city to begin with… .'

In fact, it is a structure that is bound to have many problems. Excessive population density relative to the area, the number of immigrants increasing every year, etc. It is less likely to be hit by a disaster, but it is vulnerable to chaos.

"Where is there a place without problems? Even Harrenhal was like that."

"By the way, wasn't Bastet in good shape?"

"If we only look at the infection rate, it's almost like a clean area…."

The Pecatum race in Polaris has extremely deceptive settings. They have a high-performance body and innate combat instincts. They even have strong resistance to pollution, which is a key factor in the latter half.

The nation that has suffered the least damage from the catastrophe on the continent so far is Bastet. This is ironic in many ways, considering that the game is divided before the second half.

But even there, it cannot be completely free from the aftermath.

"Rather, it's the mutants other than humans that are causing trouble over there."

"Oh, that makes sense."

There are so many unexplored areas in the territory. If you leave the city center just a little bit, monsters run rampant. Even before the catastrophe, hunters were dying every day in the outskirts. What must it be like now?

"The siblings there must have had a very hard time."

"Are you going to go? It's been a while since I've shown my face."

"I wonder if I'll stop by soon."

"If you have anything to do, let me know in advance."

"What's going on? I thought you'd find it annoying."

"I realized. Avoiding things doesn't reduce the amount of work."

Chelsea smiled sadly.

"And this place is both good and bad. It's overflowing with evil desires…."

The Gambling Quit Challenge still seemed to be going smoothly.

"You should think of it as taking Sarah on a trip. We'll be state guests there, right? It'll be worth all the hard work we've done in the past. You can even show her around the castle."

"I've lost all my money in the meantime."

Of course, it won't be an entirely leisurely journey.

There will be business separate from the current state of Bastitera. There is a character there that can be used in future events. That is, if he or she did not die a violent death without you knowing.

But it's not like I can't make time at all.

'I should visit Asterike's hometown at least once.'

The trip to Bastitera has already been decided long ago. The timing is still undecided. There are issues that need to be dealt with first, and they will come crashing down on us before long.

Main episode.

The time to run again is just around the corner.