Chapter 2139 – 2139. Eternal Eden
By the time I arrived at Seongak Elementary School, the situation was already over.
Seongak Elementary School wasn’t so weak that it would fall to mere raiders, even without me. Just having a technologist raised the overall level of the force, and there were also the awakened Choi Hye-jin and the armed security team.
‘I put so much effort into its development, how could it fall to some raiders?’
Looking at the entrance, it was clear that there had been a battle. It seemed the raiders had fought recklessly, ramming their modified trucks into the school.
I listened to Son Tae-hyung’s report. Na Chae-young had led the security team with combat drones, and Choi Hye-jin had dealt with the awakened. By the time Son Tae-hyung had circled around Seongak Elementary School using the back door to attack the raiders from behind, the battle was already clearly won. As a result, Son Tae-hyung had blocked their retreat, and the raiders had surrendered.
“What about the ones who surrendered?”
“They’re in the detention room. The awakened, Noh Woo-shik, is restrained in the special detention room.”
I nodded.
The special detention room wasn’t easy to escape from, even for an awakened.
“Interrogate the raiders.”
“We’ve already done a light interrogation. They immediately begged for their lives. It was Ilwoo Group that sponsored and ordered the raiders.”
“They’re acting unlike a corporation.”
I scratched my head, recalling the memories of the worlds I’d experienced so far. Especially the Vampire Detective world. In that world, corporations might use gangs as private soldiers, but they didn’t openly support them. They did it as secretly as possible, so that the corporation’s name wouldn’t spread among the gangs. At most, only the gang’s executives or higher would know about the corporation’s sponsorship.
But these raiders knew about Ilwoo Group’s sponsorship, even down to the lowest ranks?
‘These bastards are going wild.’
Is it because the media isn’t working properly in Korea right now, so they don’t care? No. They must be confident.
“Do you have the video footage? I need to see Choi Hye-jin’s fight. Bring it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Soon, Son Tae-hyung brought a tablet. He played the video.
The guy named Noh Woo-shik was an awakened with the ability to turn his body into steel. The sight of him advancing despite being hit by a barrage of bullets was quite impressive. Until he got smacked and sent flying by Choi Hye-jin.
‘She’s mostly mastered what I taught her. Strength, speed, technique. She’s overwhelming in all of them, so she can’t lose.’
The opponent was weak too. With his steel transformation ability, he should be a physical enhancement type, but all he did was use his body mindlessly.
“I should meet Noh Woo-shik with Doctor Park. Execute the rest of the raiders. Keeping them alive will only waste food.”
Now that the world had been lightly destroyed, food was scarce. What was given to prisoners was said to be feed and food scraps, but even that was precious in this era.
‘They’re useless, not helping at all. It’s better to get rid of them as soon as possible.’
“Yes, sir. I will follow your orders.”
“Okay.”
“Sir, I realized something during this battle. We need more personal guards.”
“We have the security team. Just take them.”
“The security team isn’t enough. They don’t have the resolve and loyalty to give their lives for you. Please give me the authority to choose the personal guards.”
He wants personnel authority?
I intended to use the personal guards for important tasks. To handle all sorts of annoying and dirty work. That’s why it was important that they were tight-lipped and wouldn’t betray me.
“…What kind of people are you going to fill the personal guard with?”
“I will fill it with people like me, people who need salvation. Then, you will bestow a miracle upon them. They will be armed with faith, and they will give everything for that faith.”
What Son Tae-hyung was talking about was a fanatic unit.
There was no need to explain how terrifying yet efficient fanaticism could be. Even in distant countries, there were people who massacred others for their faith or carried out suicide bombings without hesitation. And I could control such a unit as I pleased? That was very good.
“I’ll leave the personal guard to you.”
“Thank you, sir.”
• • •
I entered the special detention room with Na Chae-young.
Noh Woo-shik was sitting restrained in a special chair.
“W-what are you going to do to me?!”
Despite his huge physique and menacing face, his voice was filled with fear.
Na Chae-young moved. She lightly touched Noh Woo-shik’s shoulder. He couldn’t help but feel bad. She had to make contact to see the awakened’s information.
Na Chae-young spoke the information.
「Individual Name: Noh Woo-shik
Potential: ★
Awakened Ability: Steel Transformation.
Trait: Late Bloomer」
“Late bloomer? Is that good?”
“It’s weak at first, but it gets stronger later on.”
“How much stronger?”
“Well, it varies from person to person. This person has a one-star potential, so he won’t get that strong. To make the late bloomer trait blossom quickly, you need various investments. What are you going to do?”
An uncommon awakened. With his steel transformation ability, he could be used as a meat shield. I had been thinking of trying to persuade Noh Woo-shik since we were short on usable manpower, but… after checking his potential and trait, he didn’t seem that useful. He also looked stupid, which I didn’t like.
“Let’s kill him. With his steel transformation ability, even putting a bomb collar on him wouldn’t mean much.”
Besides, he was a raider.
He might be groveling before me now, but he’d come at me like a shot if he got the chance.
If my forces grew larger and there were more managers, I might be able to use someone like him. But not now. It was also annoying to keep him imprisoned until then.
“Okay.”
Na Chae-young left the detention room without any regrets, as if she had expected my answer. I approached the guy.
“Y-you’re going to kill me? This is Korea! The law! Let’s go by the law!”
“A guy who shoots guns in Korea is talking about the law.”
“Damn it! I didn’t want to attack this place! It’s a famous place in Korea, how could someone like me attack it? Ilwoo Group! It was all Ilwoo Group’s doing, I had no choice!”
“Try asking Ilwoo Group to save you.”
He was a disposable pawn. Even if he died, Ilwoo Group wouldn’t bat an eye.
“I’ll give you a special electric massage, so be grateful.”
Zzzzzzzzt.
As the current flowed through him, his body stiffened.
“……!!”
Noh Woo-shik couldn’t move a single finger. It was as if his whole body was paralyzed. When I took my hand away, a scream burst from his mouth.
“Kkkkkkkkkkkkk!”
“It must feel like your whole body is being torn apart and burning.”
“D-damn it….”
Noh Woo-shik used his ability. His whole body turned into gray steel. I sent a current through his body again, just like before. Noh Woo-shik smirked.
“My body is steel. That kind of electricity won’t work anymore.”
“It doesn’t work? Then there’s nothing I can do. I’ll just wait until you turn back to normal.”
“…….”
Even abilities have limits. Noh Woo-shik wouldn’t be able to maintain it for even 10 minutes, let alone an hour.
My prediction was correct. Three minutes. That was the maximum time Noh Woo-shik could maintain his steel transformation.
“W-wait a minute. I-I’ll work under you. I can do anything you tell me! Please, spare me!”
“Where did your earlier attitude go?”
“I-I was wrong! Please!”
“If you want to die quickly, answer my questions. You attacked Seongak Elementary School knowing I wasn’t here. How did you know I wasn’t here?”
“A-are you not going to spare me?”
“Do you think I’d spare a bastard who tried to take what’s mine?”
“…….”
Pzzzzzt.
Blue sparks flew from my hand. Noh Woo-shik’s face turned black. He spoke hastily before my hand touched his body.
“It was Ilwoo Group! Ilwoo Group told us over the phone! They said that Seongak Elementary School’s Zeus had left, so we should attack and occupy it right away!”
“What about Choi Hye-jin? It seems like you didn’t know about her existence.”
“We didn’t hear anything about a crazy bitch like that! Ilwoo Group tricked us! It’s all Ilwoo Group’s fault!”
Noh Woo-shik blamed everything on Ilwoo Group, cursing them. He had no loyalty or anything. What he was saying now was probably not a lie.
“Just die.”
Pzzzzzt.
Noh Woo-shik died from electrocution. There was no reason to revive him, so his corpse would be put into the decomposer to be reborn as resources.
I left the corpse behind and went outside, lost in thought.
‘There are less than 10 people who know that I left Seongak Elementary School to hunt the Blader.’
There was no need to inform the lower ranks about my movements. They were all managers of the ruling class.
Na Chae-young was practically my partner in destiny, and Choi Hye-jin had directly confronted Noh Woo-shik. If Son Tae-hyung had betrayed me and joined Ilwoo Group, he wouldn’t have planned such a clumsy attack.
‘If the other managers betrayed me… they wouldn’t not know about Choi Hye-jin.’
They didn’t pass on information about the awakened Choi Hye-jin? Top-level information?
‘Is it not an internal spy? Then….’
They got the information from outside Seongak Elementary School. Then, a person came to mind. An organization that knew I was leaving Seongak Elementary School.
‘The NIS.’
I sent a text to Lee Yeon-hee.
Depending on how Lee Yeon-hee reacted, my relationship with the NIS would be established.
• • •
Lee Yeon-hee came to Seongak Elementary School herself an hour later and bowed her head.
“Yujin, I’m truly sorry. One of my subordinates passed on your information to an executive of Ilwoo Group. The information that was passed on included your abilities, basic information, and information about this Blader operation.”
“What happened to that guy?”
“He’s still alive. I didn’t touch him on purpose. I brought him as a gift.”
Lee Yeon-hee pointed behind her. A man was dragged from a transport vehicle, his hands and feet bound and a gag in his mouth.
“It turns out he’s been consistently trading with Ilwoo Group for the past six months. He was promised an executive position in a small to medium-sized company in Busan in exchange for passing on your information this time.”
“A bit disappointing. Can’t you even manage one of your subordinates properly?”
“It’s my fault, so I have nothing to say.”
Lee Yeon-hee said softly. But her gaze towards the bound man was icy cold.
“You’re not just apologizing with words, are you?”
If she gave me a piece of her, I was willing to forgive her cleanly.
“Of course not. I brought information about Ilwoo Group here. Don’t you need it?”
“Hmm. I do need it.”
I received the documents Lee Yeon-hee handed me.
“I came after finishing up internal matters, so I’ll be going now.”
I could feel the killing intent in Lee Yeon-hee’s voice. I didn’t know for sure, but it seemed like a bloodbath was about to happen within the NIS.
