Chapter 2231 – 2231. Gyeongseong 2033
The situation at this sports center is being broadcast to media outlets worldwide due to a hack. Unfortunately, the time the hack can be maintained has been drastically reduced.
[Hacking maintenance time remaining: 3 minutes 12 seconds.]
Hacking into the internet-connected media of the entire world for three minutes. It was more time than I expected. I guess it was worth leveling up my hacking skills.
The reaction of people worldwide is one of question marks. It was so sudden that even after hearing my words, they didn’t immediately grasp the situation. Most people think it’s an event someone prepared. Or maybe some kind of malicious drama advertisement.
I understand. If such a video suddenly appeared on my computer, I would think the same thing.
So, I decided to help people understand the situation.
The cameras installed in the sports center move according to my will.
This sports center is a state-of-the-art facility that hosts world-class volleyball and basketball tournaments. And, as a bonus, combat matches for the Hwajo. In other words, it is perfectly equipped with the latest facilities for live broadcasts.
The sports center’s AI focused on a middle-aged man.
I don’t know his name. I chose him because I didn’t like his face, and he seemed to be a central figure among the Hwajo. When the cameras focused on him, his face turned pale. Perhaps because he was intelligent, he sensed his future.
“P-please, spare me. I am the chairman of the Suzuki Group! If I am gone, the distribution network of the Japanese Empire will be paralyzed!”
“Oh, come on. Surely the company won’t collapse just because you die. Your son or subordinates will take care of it.”
Weeeeeeeng.
The automatic turrets installed on the ceiling and walls aimed at the man. The man trembled like an aspen. His tone became even more polite.
“L-let’s talk. What do you want? If it’s money, I’ll give it to you!”
“Long live Korean independence.”
I flick my finger. The automatic turrets fired. Bullets rained down on the man’s body along with the gunshots. His body was a rag. No, it was worse than a rag.
The automatic turret’s bullets were 12.7mm. They are the same bullets used in machine guns and anti-material sniper rifles, bullets that even enhanced exoskeleton suits can’t withstand for long. Shredding a human body is nothing.
“Kyaaaaaaaah!”
“Hwaaaaaaaah!”
“A-ah, ah…!”
The Hwajo are in a panic. These guys who enjoy brutal combat matches are now screaming in terror as guns are pointed at them. The quiet ones froze, and some were on the verge of fainting after falling to the floor. Only a few maintained their composure.
“Uwaaaaaaaah!”
A Hwajo brat mixed among the adults also burst into tears.
“Shut up.”
The automatic turrets moved, aiming at the Hwajo. The Hwajo, except for the brat, shut their mouths. I approached the brat who was still crying. As I approached, the crying of the brat, who looked about 10 years old, grew louder.
“I told you to shut up. Do you think my words are a joke?”
“Hic, hic…!”
Even as a child, he wasn’t oblivious. When I pointed a gun at him, the child desperately covered his mouth with his small hands.
“Too late, you little shit.”
Bang!
A bullet pierced the child’s forehead.
Thud.
The parents next to him slumped down. I was planning to shoot them if they said anything. Fortunately, they didn’t do anything. They just stared at me with fearful eyes. There were more Hwajo brats. They were being forcibly held by their parents, remaining silent.
‘Do they bring brats to a kill-or-be-killed combat match? The Japanese Empire’s early education classes are something else.’
I killed two as an example. With this, neither the guys inside nor the guys outside will be able to ignore me.
[Hacking maintenance time remaining: 1 minute 55 seconds.]
In two minutes, I will lose control of the media. That would not do.
“Santo TV. You will not cut the broadcast and continue to relay the current situation. The moment the relay is cut, you will all die.”
I mentioned one of the famous broadcasting stations in the Japanese Empire. The viewership will probably explode. Broadcasting stations in other countries will immediately cut this violent broadcast. It didn’t matter. My goal is the Prime Minister of the Japanese Empire.
‘One or two Hwajo would be one thing. But 114 people are hostages. All of these guys have an enormous influence on Japanese society. They can’t just sit still with things in this state.’
I walked towards the Hwajo’s party area. The Hwajo froze. Ignoring them, I put a decent-looking piece of food from the table into my mouth. Tuna belly sushi.
‘Delicious.’
The ingredients were top-notch, and the chef was definitely a master. The other food was also to my liking. Of course, these dishes must have been made somewhere in the sports center.
“AI. Kill everyone in the sports center except for the people here.”
-Understood. Murakano Katsuna-nim.
Those who were not Hwajo had little value as hostages. But it was also unsettling to leave them alive. They might stab me in the back, even if they were few.
After filling my stomach, I sat down on a suitable chair. I dumped the food on the table and put my feet up. The temperature was just right, and my stomach was full. Looking at the time, it was 1 PM. The perfect time to feel drowsy after a meal.
‘Should I have sex and take a nap?’
I scanned the Hwajo. 30% of the hostages were women. There were no women to my liking, but… a few women who were above average caught my eye.
-Murakano Katsuna-nim. 15 minutes have passed.
“Oh, really? Kill one.”
=Please provide a specific command.
“The AI is stupid. Kill that guy.”
I pointed at a man nearby. Bang! A bullet fired from the turret blew the man’s head apart. The remaining hostages were 113.
-Murakano Katsuna-nim. The sports center has been surrounded.
“Connect the screen. There are outdoor cameras, right?”
There were monitors for the audience on the ceiling. The screen of the monitor turned on, showing the situation outside the sports center. Police armored vehicles rushed in and blocked the entrance to the sports center. The screen changed. It showed the back door and side of the sports center, and even the helicopters in the sky.
“They’ve gathered quite a lot.”
-This is the SAT counter-terrorism unit. Snipers have been deployed in the surrounding buildings. If they launch a raid, this sports center will be neutralized in 7 minutes.
“They’ll last 7 minutes?”
I was genuinely surprised. Each soldier was an elite, fully armed with enhanced exoskeleton suits. With armored vehicles, helicopters, and unseen weapons, they were at a level that could quickly overthrow a small city. It was amazing that a single sports center could last 7 minutes.
“How much money did they pour into this sports center?”
The security level was obsessive. Since they were the leading figures of the Japanese Empire, it was natural, one might say.
‘They probably never predicted that they would be neutralized by a single hack and become hostages.’
The counter-terrorism unit cannot launch a raid. The hostages here are not the dogs of the Japanese Empire.
-A communication request has come from the Metropolitan Police Department.
“They’re late. Connect it. If there’s a hacking attempt, kill the hostages.”
The hacking duration ended a little while ago. I won’t be able to use the hack for the next two hours. The most concerning thing is the main system being hacked. That situation must be avoided.
-Murakano Katsuna-ssi. My name is Takehara Takeshi.
It was a man with a calm voice. A negotiator prepared by the Japanese Empire. In other words, a negotiator.
I frowned and asked.
“Where’s the Prime Minister? It’s been 15 minutes, why isn’t he here?”
-The Prime Minister has been informed, and he is on his way here now, as per Murakano-ssi’s request.
“Really?”
My frown relaxed.
The Prime Minister is coming.
That was what I wanted to hear.
-Murakano-ssi. Things are going as you want. Please stop killing the hostages.
“I declared to the world that I would kill a hostage every 15 minutes. But now you’re telling me to change my words? The whole world, the people of the Japanese Empire, will see me as a liar. That won’t do. Liars are bad, right? Right?”
-N-no, that will never happen. All Japanese people will understand you! You know the Japanese people’s national character well!
“Shit! I’m not Japanese!!!”
Bang bang bang bang bang bang bang!
I killed a hostage nearby. I riddled his body with bullet holes. The hostages trembled. There were still 112 hostages left.
-I-I was wrong! Murakano-ssi! Please, please… calm down! I apologize!
“Okay. I’m calm. Hmm. Sorry. My emotions have been fluctuating lately. I don’t think I used to be like this… Is it because I don’t have an absolute mind?”
-W-what is an absolute mind?
“This guy asks so many annoying questions. It’s irritating.”
-I’m sorry! It was a slip of the tongue! You don’t have to answer!
I was about to change the magazine when I realized that the spare magazines were in the waiting room. I threw away the pistol and picked up the rifle that the armed escort was using. It was a Japanese Empire firearm that didn’t exist in reality. But since firearms were all similar, it wasn’t difficult to operate.
“I’ve acquired a new firearm… and it’s almost 15 minutes, so I can test how well it kills people. Negotiator. Who should I kill?”
-…Huh?
“Hey, hey. Are your ears already blocked! I asked who should I kill. I’ll give you a special choice. Choose, choose. The people here are the core of the Japanese Empire! There must be one or two guys you didn’t like, right? I’ll kill one according to the negotiator’s wishes. Choose within 3 minutes.”
-……
“You don’t have to choose. But then three will die.”
Silence.
The negotiator closed his mouth.
Feeling bored, I looked around at the hostages.
“Ah, come to think of it, I didn’t give the hostages a chance. You, you, and you. Come forward.”
When I pointed the gun at them, three middle-aged men trembled and came forward.
“Negotiator. Are you watching? If you don’t choose, these three will die. Now, you guys, appeal so that the negotiator can choose easily. You don’t have to if you want to die.”
