Chapter 2223 – 2223. Gyeongseong 2033
The sensor urges me with a sharp gaze to explain.
Unfortunately, I have no intention of explaining hacking. Hacking is like a superpower in this world. Special abilities gained through the evolution serum, Jinka66? Those are based on physical abilities. There are clear limits. On the other hand, hacking is seen as a superpower itself.
‘If hacking becomes known, they’ll immediately realize the bomb necklace is meaningless.’
The Righteous Army trusts the bomb necklace, not me. The moment they realize the bomb necklace is useless, there’s a high chance they’ll try to kill me.
“Aren’t you moving? We don’t have time to keep doing this.”
I just won’t say anything. It’s hard to believe that a superpower exists that can hack any machine.
They’ll probably think I have another helper. That’s much better.
‘If things get dicey, I’ll have to escape from the Righteous Army with Widow.’
The sensor clicks her tongue and goes outside.
Bang, bang, bang, bang.
Gunshots ring out throughout the Eastern Prison. The guards must be fighting the automated turrets and the escaped prisoners. It was chaos. A perfect situation to escape.
“Follow me. We have to carry out the mission.”
“Aren’t we going back?”
“I found out where the target is. Now, while it’s chaotic, is the time to carry out the mission.”
The sensor ran off. I followed her without complaint. The sensor’s ability is like a map hack, so there’s no need to doubt it.
On the way, I encountered Widow wearing a spider mask. Widow, knowing things had gone wrong, limped into the prison.
‘Even with a leg injury, Widow is still helpful.’
And if my prediction is correct, there won’t be any additional fighting. The guards will be too busy suppressing the prisoners.
“Widow. Follow the sensor.”
“…What are you going to do?”
“I have to give the guys who set the trap a taste of bullets.”
“Widow! Come on! That bastard can take care of himself!”
• • •
The control room of the Eastern Prison was in a panic.
“All cameras are shut down!”
“All locks in the prison have been released! Prisoners are pouring out!”
“Automated turrets are out of control! They’re likely to attack our own forces!”
“Damn it! Request backup! Contact the counter-terrorism Gyeongseong Defense Force on standby! Something unexpected has happened!”
The prison warden barked. Most of the staff here were Korean, but they all communicated naturally in Japanese.
“The radios are also out!”
“You idiot! What are smartphones for?!”
“I-I don’t know the numbers!”
“Shit.”
“Uh, shit? Did you just speak in Korean?”
“What, you little punk?”
The prison warden, after hitting the back of the head of his clueless subordinate, took out his smartphone and contacted the special forces. He also contacted the police. With the prisoners released, it was impossible to suppress them with the prison’s manpower alone.
After finishing the call, the prison warden glared at one of the turned-off surveillance camera monitors. He saw one of the Hahoetal-masked Righteous Army killers easily killing his subordinate. Fear and anger surged within him.
‘Damn terrorists. Do they think they can live well just because Korea is now independent? This world is ruled by Germany and Japan. Independence is suicide. Japan will try to kill Korea economically and physically.’
Korea’s economy had developed due to Japan’s needs. Korea doesn’t even have an army. It has no defense capabilities. With nothing to its name, it will be destroyed the moment it becomes independent.
“The Righteous Army’s target is that guy we caught yesterday! Where is he?! Did he escape?”
“Kim Dok-rip is in the torture chamber! He’s so stubborn that he hasn’t given up any information even after 10 hours of torture! He’s been tortured continuously, so he won’t have the strength to escape!”
“Contact the guards and gather them at the torture chamber where Kim Dok-rip is! Since things have gone this wrong, we can’t avoid responsibility! The only way we can escape responsibility is to capture or kill the terrorists!”
“Yes, sir!”
The prison warden fiddled with his smartphone, his leg shaking.
“What about the main system? Can’t we still control it?”
“Access itself is denied.”
“What about forcibly shutting it down?”
“We can go to the system room and physically shut it down… but the automated turrets will also turn off.”
“The automated turrets are out of control anyway.”
“The automated turrets are at least suppressing the prisoners’ escape. If the automated turrets stop functioning…”
“The prisoners will have a field day and escape from the prison. Damn it. There’s nothing we can do.”
“……”
The option of taking up arms and fighting directly was not available. They valued their own lives. The Righteous Army killers were monsters who had been fighting against the Japanese Empire for over 10 years. It was said that the combat power of one killer was equal to one squad of special forces.
Bang!
With a loud crash, the control room door was shattered. The gazes of the prison warden and the guards turned towards the door. And they froze. There was a man wearing a Hahoetal mask, holding pistols in both hands.
The prison warden was the quickest to react. He snatched the revolver on the desk and aimed it at the Hahoetal.
Bang!
“Agh!”
A bullet pierced the hand holding the revolver. The revolver fell to the floor with a thud.
The guards hurriedly took out their weapons. But it was too late. The Hahoetal mercilessly unleashed a barrage of bullets from his dual pistols. It seemed like he was firing randomly, but not a single bullet missed. Almost all of them hit the guards’ bodies and heads.
Three seconds.
When that hellish moment ended, the only one relatively unscathed was the prison warden.
The Hahoetal approached the prison warden with leisurely steps. The prison warden pretended to fall to the floor and tried to pick up the revolver with his good hand.
Bang!
A bullet pierced his good hand as well.
“Long live Korean independence.”
The approaching Hahoetal spouted nonsense. The prison warden, who had seen many independence activists, could guarantee it. That crazy bastard had no interest in Korean independence. He had another purpose. Perhaps the act of slaughter itself was his purpose.
“How did you know we were coming today? Who’s the informant?”
The Hahoetal asked, pointing the gun at him. Not at his head, but at his thigh. The intention to inflict pain if he didn’t answer was palpable.
“…I don’t know either. We were just following orders from above!”
“Above? Where?”
“The Gyeongseong Governor-General’s Office. The order came directly from the Gyeongseong Governor, Lee Wan-nong!”
Gyeongseong Governor Lee Wan-nong. The grandson of the traitor Lee Wan-yong. The second on the Righteous Army’s list of people to kill. The first was, of course, the Prime Minister of the Japanese Empire.
“Okay. So you don’t know who the informant is.”
The Hahoetal nodded, accepting it.
He accepted it right away? Did he already know?
“I’ll instill the spirit of independence in you. Now, repeat after me. Long live Korean independence.”
“…You have no intention of letting me live. Just kill me. And you’ll die too. The Japanese Empire will try to kill a dangerous terrorist like you as a top priority.”
Bang.
A bullet pierced his thigh. The prison warden gritted his teeth. Blood flowed from his gums.
“Wrong. What you should have said was, ‘Long live Korean independence.’”
“You bastard!”
Bang.
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.
Every time the Hahoetal pulled the trigger, blood splattered from the prison warden’s body. Bullets kept piercing his thighs, calves, and torso. In his fading consciousness, the prison warden recognized the rhythm of the gunshots. A melody famous all over the world. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.
‘He’s killing people without any guilt… just like a game. He’s a real crazy bastard. This guy… is too dangerous.’
There was nothing he could do.
• • •
I killed the prison warden.
The interrogation was brief. I already knew about the existence of the traitor. However, I didn’t know the details about that traitor. In the original work, it was only mentioned in one speech bubble and that was it. A different traitor was given more importance.
I replaced the pistol’s magazine and went outside. Gunshots and shouts could be heard everywhere.
-The target is secured. Retreat.
I heard the sensor’s voice through the communicator. It was brighter than before.
Dudududududu.
I looked up at the sudden sound of a helicopter. Two armed helicopters were flying towards the Eastern Prison. I narrowed my eyes. I could see people clinging to the side of the helicopter, looking like they were about to jump down. They were armed with enhanced exoskeleton equipment.
‘Is that the counter-terrorism Gyeongseong something special forces?’
The distance was close. They would raid the prison before the sensor and Widow could escape. Even if they did escape, they would end up in a chase with the helicopters.
‘Hacking.’
Hacking was maintaining the prison’s main system. Since the hacking duration hadn’t ended, it was possible to hack again for revenge.
[Hacking successful.]
[You can hack the helicopters for 1 minute.]
One minute was enough. I turned one helicopter’s direction to collide with the other helicopter. The helicopter’s blades collided and broke, the tails tangled, and they lost balance and crashed to the ground.
Kwaaaang!
An explosion occurred. The special forces would also have bombs, so it was certain that a chain reaction had occurred.
‘I got lucky again.’
I joined the Hydrangea Team and returned to headquarters.
Mission success.
• • •
Kim Dok-rip, an independence fighter from the Azalea Team, was captured.
Of course, Kim Dok-rip was an alias. He said he chose the name Kim Dok-rip to never forget the will for independence… but in my opinion, it was clear that the author was too lazy to come up with a name.
Anyway, Kim Dok-rip was assigned to infiltrate the Gyeongseong Governor-General’s Office. The mission objectives were to steal information and assassinate Governor Lee Wan-nong. The assassination failed, but he was able to obtain valuable information.
After some time, Widow, the sensor, and I visited Kim Dok-rip’s hospital room.
“Are you the hunting dog? My comrades were making a fuss about a great new recruit.”
Kim Dok-rip was in his early 30s.
He was looking at me, but he was also conscious of Widow. I put my arm around Widow’s shoulder and squeezed her chest. Widow frowned. She couldn’t shake my hand off.
“…I heard rumors that you and Widow are dating. I guess it was true.”
Kim Dok-rip let out a small sigh. It was a sigh filled with complex emotions.
“Are you okay, mister?”
He shook his head at the sensor’s question.
“My nervous system is damaged, so I can’t move my right arm. I’m a reinforced human, so it’s impossible to attach a prosthetic arm. I can’t work in the execution team anymore. I’ve decided to work as a training instructor from now on. Since there’s no one left in the Azalea Team, it’ll probably be disbanded.”
“Well, cheer up, mister. At least you’re still alive.”
He gave a bitter smile.
