Chapter 295

Anguis Regina's concert was approaching.  

"They still don’t know that Son Seok-jae is dead."  

Anguis Regina muttered to us as she sent a message to a Sonsu Industries employee through her terminal.  

"Will the concert proceed as planned?"  

At my question, Anguis Regina nodded.  

"We’ll manage somehow. The stage is ready, and Lapis is here."  

As she said that, she glanced at Lapis, as if seeking confirmation. Lapis hesitated for a moment before nodding.  

"How ridiculous. My intervention meant nothing… Did I only make things worse?"  

I sat down and took a sip of water. My overheated mind was starting to cool.  

"If it’s any consolation, it wasn’t entirely meaningless. If Ragnata had failed the assassination… then I would have had to rely on you."  

Anguis Regina’s words didn’t bring much comfort.  

In the end, Ragnata had succeeded in the assassination. My involvement had led to En’s death, and beyond that… I had committed unnecessary killings.  

‘It’s been a while since I felt this kind of self-loathing.’  

A hollow laugh escaped me. I was an outsider to Border City. An outsider without influence.  

That meant I couldn't change the course of events in Border City.  

I wasn’t the head of a corporation, nor was I someone like Anguis Regina, who had sway over the city's public. I didn’t hold power like a federal government official.  

"Is there no way to track the Equessian mercenaries?"  

"I had Ragnata hack Son Seok-jae’s terminal, but for now, extracting any information will be difficult."  

Anguis Regina only knew that Son Seok-jae’s target was Ismael La. She had no details about the plan or the situation.  

‘The Equessian mercenaries are going to attack Deputy Minister Ismael La.’  

I was certain it would happen today.  

Son Seok-jae had lobbied federal officials with whom he had close ties and used the concert to divert attention. It was all arranged for the attack.  

But I had no idea where the attack on Ismael would take place. It was a classified mission entrusted to the mercenaries. For all I knew, it might have already been carried out.  

‘Son Seok-jae would have wanted the assault to be swift and discreet. He must have baited Ismael with an offer too tempting to refuse.’  

As things stood, all I could do was watch as Ismael La was attacked.  

‘But… it’s not as if I’m desperate to save him.’  

Ismael and I had a strategic partnership. Even if I were in danger, he would weigh the gains and losses before deciding whether to act.

‘Ismael and Jafa are different…’  

Between Jafa and me, there was an emotional connection—a sense of closeness. As much as I hated to admit it, it was the truth.  

If I ever found myself in danger, Jafa would help me, as long as the cost was within what she could bear.  

That was why I moved to help Jafa as well—within the limits of what I could afford.  

"At the concert, I’m going to announce that I’ve become Son Seok-jae’s adopted daughter."  

"While claiming that Sergeant Jafa abused you?"  

I smirked and looked at Anguis Regina. She was checking her stage outfit in front of a full-length mirror.  

"Of course not. I’m going to declare a truce between Sergeant Jafa and Sonsu Industries. I’ll be a kind of hostage—a symbol of the ceasefire. I’ve even prepared a fitting script."  

Anguis Regina flicked the script toward me.  

I only rolled my eyes over the text, skimming through it. It was filled with rhetoric about interspecies unity and harmony. Predictable words, but coming from Anguis Regina, they would have impact and credibility.  

"The federal government will be pleased. It’s exactly what they’d want to hear."  

"It’ll temporarily put a lid on Border City’s conflicts and disputes. A stopgap measure, but effective for now."  

I narrowed my eyes slightly, predicting how the situation would unfold.  

‘Son Seok-jae’s death will be quietly buried. He made enemies everywhere, so it’s not surprising he ended up dead.’  

To the federal government, Son Seok-jae himself wasn’t important—his legacy was. The real issue was who would take control of Sonsu Industries, which had led the design and development of combat MAUs.  

‘The survival of Deputy Minister Ismael La is what really matters now.’  

If Ismael died, the chaos would only intensify. Even if evidence surfaced linking Son Seok-jae to his assassination… there was no one left to be punished. Son Seok-jae was already dead.  

‘It would be better in many ways for Ismael to survive. He’s even taken charge of Boyan in my place.’  

I lowered my gaze to the ground, thinking deeply.  

Ismael was a key figure in the Strategic Weapons Research Department. His absence would only accelerate the power struggle over MAU development.  

Wooong.  

I activated my retinal display. A virtual clock appeared in the corner of my vision.  

"I’m going to get some air."  

I stepped out to the back of the building and leaned against the emergency stairs. The sea breeze was blowing.  

With the concert approaching, the harbor was bustling.  

‘Jin Gaw wasn’t lying when he said he liked me.’  

My retinal display had been installed by Director Jin Gaw, and it contained additional embedded data.

One of the pieces of data stored in my retinal display was the transmission cycle of Mokgap.  

"Ivan, I’d appreciate it if you could send me Deputy Minister Ismael La’s location. Consider it a debt you owe me."  

I looked up at the sky just before transmitting the request.  

I didn’t even bother asking if it was possible.  

If an imperial military satellite were allocated, finding Ismael would be easy. Normally, no one would waste a high-performance military satellite just to track down a single person. There were more pressing matters to attend to.  

‘Still, Ismael La is one of the Federation’s key officials.’  

The Empire would have access to his personal information. If the Emperor willed it, they could track Ismael down through his terminal or other means.  

‘This isn’t for Ismael’s sake. It’s for everyone else.’  

Ismael was a rational man—someone I could communicate with. More importantly, politically speaking, he was directly opposed to the racial supremacists. If he were removed, greater chaos would ensue, and the downfall of Border City would only accelerate.  

Jafa, Anguis Regina, Lapis Lazuli, Boyan… Keeping Ismael alive was the right choice for their sake.  

‘I just hope I’m not too late…’  

I looked up at the darkening sky and waited. A deep sigh escaped me, my breath curling in the cold air.  

Chhk. Chik.  

An encrypted message flickered onto my terminal, as if hacking its way in. The unstable signal trembled, threatening to vanish at any moment. At first glance, it seemed like random stray signals drifting from Planet Novus. But when arranged in a specific pattern, it carried meaning.  

Burning letters and numbers appeared on the screen. I memorized the coordinates before entering them into the terminal’s map.  

"…I’ll remember this debt."  

Muttering to myself, I stepped back inside. Anguis Regina and Lapis Lazuli turned their gazes toward me.  

"I’m going to find Ismael. Lapis, help Anguis Regina get ready for the concert."  

"How do you know where Ismael is?"  

Anguis Regina’s eyes widened.  

This was one of those explanations I couldn’t be bothered to give.  

Luckily, I had a convenient excuse.  

"It’s the intuition of Akies Victima."  

I tapped my forehead lightly as I spoke. Then, without hesitation, I activated my earpiece and called Lars.  

-BOOM! KABOOM! KRRRNG!  

Explosions echoed in the background. Lars was still in the middle of his escape.  

"Hey, Lars. Enough playing cops and robbers—just grab an air vehicle and come pick me up."  

-Argh! Damn these bastards! Why the hell are these androids so damn tough?! Ah—apologies, Luka-nim. What did you say again?

Hearing him curse and scream meant he still had room to breathe.  

"I told you to get an air vehicle. Don’t make me say it twice."  

- Right now?  

"Yeah. Don’t you want to prove how competent you are? If you can’t do it, just say so. I’ll understand."  

A brief silence followed.  

- Ha, haha! No problem! Of course! I’ll get an air vehicle right away!  

Lars and I quickly set up a rendezvous plan.  

After ending the call, I raised a hand toward Anguis Regina and Lapis in a silent farewell.  

"Then, I’ll be going."  

Lapis hurriedly grabbed my sleeve.  

"Come back later for maintenance. Your prosthetic is my work, after all."  

I gave a faint smile. I didn’t want to answer. If I gave a definite response, it would be a lie.  

Lapis didn’t push me for an answer either. She simply let go of my collar and stepped back.  

I stopped.  

Just before stepping outside, I turned around.  

Anguis Regina’s face came into view. She was staring straight at me.  

‘Queen of Serpents, Anguis Regina. Real name, Elize Kwan.’  

If my life had been even a little simpler, if I had been flexible enough to compromise with the world, if the tangled threads in my mind had unraveled just a little more…  

Countless possibilities flashed through my head.  

I would be lying if I said I had never wanted her. There were moments when I felt something for her—when I wondered what a future with her might look like.  

Pleasure, joy, happiness…  

Even with such a sweet choice right in front of me, I pretended not to see it.  

Instead, I reached out for a pale hand extending from a darkness so deep it sent chills down my spine. Those fingers strangely resembled Giselle’s.  

Wooong.  

Another version of myself rose behind me like a shadow. The obsessive, relentless hunting dog that was Luka pushed me forward.  

I pursued Kinuan. I wandered through the darkness, searching for Giselle.  

Yeah, this must be a sickness too. If someone willingly seeks out misery and throws themselves into the abyss, what else could you call it but insanity?  

Slowly, I parted my lips.  

"…Your stage makeup is smudged, Elize Kwan."  

"It’s because of you."  

"My apologies, for many things."  

I turned my back and left.  

Thud.  

The door closed behind me. I leaned against it for a moment.  

Creak.  

My prosthetic fingers gripped the doorknob. The metal bent, molding to the shape of my hand.  

…Maybe my nervous system was malfunctioning because of lingering regret. Yeah, what a pathetic excuse. I knew it too.  

Screech.  

I pushed away from the door and moved.  

Lars would be here soon.

*         *         *

I was clinging to the harbor’s communications tower with nothing but my bare hands.  

Wooong.  

A tingling sensation spread through my arms as I held onto the tower. The electrical currents were strong enough that, if my prosthetic’s electromagnetic shielding had been any weaker, it would have malfunctioned.  

A short-range transmission from Lars crackled into my ear.  

- I’m almost there! Argh! Damn these drones! Hahaha! The Federation’s drones have really stepped up their game!  

I waited, wondering if Lars was actually going to make it out in one piece.  

Narrowing my eyes, I stared into the distance. A series of bright flashes flickered across the night sky.  

‘He’s coming.’  

A high-speed chase was cutting through the night.  

Of all the vehicles he could have stolen, Lars had chosen a police air vehicle. Then again, there probably hadn’t been many other options nearby.  

"Don’t slow down. I’ll get on myself."  

- Not like I could slow down even if I wanted to!  

"Yeah, yeah. Don’t make it easy for me."  

I let out a fierce grin. The moment of life and death was closing in fast.  

Combat instincts flared up, clearing my mind of all unnecessary thoughts. Everything sharpened into focus.  

Kiieeeeng!  

Lars’ air vehicle tore through the sky toward me. The two-seater was a maneuverable model, built for high-speed chases.  

Srrk.  

Pulling my hood down tightly, I steadied my breathing.  

As the air vehicle skimmed past the communications tower, I accelerated my thought process.  

Woooooo…  

The roar of the engine stretched into a slow, drawn-out echo in my ears.  

I leaped.  

Landing perfectly atop the air vehicle, I released the tension in my mind and let time resume its normal flow.  

The world sped up. As I slid forward, I dug my fingers into the vehicle’s surface.  

Screeeech!  

My left fingers pierced through the metal plating, sinking in up to the second joint before stopping.  

With my body secured, I drew my shock pistol, Ruina, with my right hand and aimed.  

Wooooooong!  

Ruina’s energy conduit hummed as it warmed up, glowing faintly.  

Weeeoooo! Weeeooooo!  

Police drones trailed us, their sirens wailing loudly.  

- Just get inside! I’m about to start some crazy maneuvering!  

Lars’ urgent voice came through. The side door of the vehicle slid open, inviting me in.  

Thud!  

I slammed the rising door back down with my forearm.  

"I want some fresh air. Just keep going!"  

I shouted as I pulled the trigger, drowning out Lars’ complaints with the deafening blast of the shock round.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.