Chapter 125
Call an ambulance already
“It must have been frustrating for him.”
Jin Geon, who had approached from behind at so point, spoke with difficulty. To him, Nick had been both a bad companion and a colleague. Sharp-tongued, yet still soone he could trust enough to leave his back to. There had even been a ti when he had looked forward to the day they would run on the sa field together soday.
But to think it would end like this.
Jin Geon was about to fall into thought for a mont, but Ga-on shattered those musings as if unwilling to wait.
“No, he’s not dead yet. To be precise, I should say he’s in the process of dying.”
“What do you an…….”
After hearing that and taking a closer look, it really did seem like Nick’s chest was moving ever so slightly. Had he rely fainted after failing to withstand the imnse shock?
“There’s sothing you want to ask him, isn’t there?”
Ga-on smiled at the startled Jin Geon as he turned around.
He never mistook priorities. That too was one of a fixer’s virtues.
Moreover, Nick still had value. Specifically, the fact that he had once belonged to the Mars Defense Force. Nick, who had crossed over to the ta-human side, would leave a preconception in Jin Geon’s mind.
That approaching Amal Kam directly would not be easy.
That they would have to take the long way around.
“I can leave him to you, right?”
“Yes.”
After leaving Jin Geon behind and walking a few steps, Ga-on suddenly stopped and pressed a hand to his forehead.
“Ah, and…….”
He had tried to hold it in, but this one thing needed to be said.
“Call an ambulance already.”
***
“You really need to take better care of your body. If the younger brother who barely managed to return ho dies before even lasting a month, what do you think people will say?”
“Well, they’d probably think you quietly disposed of .”
“Our little brother says such interesting things. I suppose that ans you’ve grown that comfortable around ?”
Baek Seol’s nagging, along with Im Sol’s silent glare from behind her, felt particularly piercing today. So Ga-on decided to humbly accept all complaints. Within Baekdu, he could only stand in the weaker position.
After all, wasn’t it Baek Seol who had urgently secured this VIP special room—hospital room—for him?
Though apparently even that had not satisfied her, considering she had replaced everything from the curtains to the flowerpots.
Ti healed all wounds, and silence was golden.
Once he adopted a closed-door policy, the storm-like montum quickly subsided.
“And another thing…….”
However, it seed her anger still had not fully settled, because she redirected her target toward soone else. The one who beca Baek Seol’s target was Jin Geon, who had been standing blankly like a servant in a noble household since earlier.
“You got given a re advisor position and you’re already working people this hard?”
As the flas reached the hem of his own clothes, Jin Geon admitted fault cleanly without adding excuses.
“It is entirely my negligence. I am deeply reflecting on it.”
“So you do feel apologetic after all?”
“He is my advisor.”
“Fufu, yes. Unlike soone else, your manners aren’t bad. I’ll let this one slide in consideration of your sincerity.”
Baek Seol rose from her seat in a pleasant mood, but—
“However, if we et like this again next ti, your life in Public Enforcent will beco very enjoyable.”
She did not forget to issue a subtle warning.
“I will always keep it in mind.”
And so, as Baek Seol disappeared together with Im Sol, Ga-on rely waved them off with a gesture of his hand. In so ways, she was a woman even stormier than the storm Nick had created.
It was then that Jin Geon, letting out a relieved sigh, sat across from him.
“Is your body alright?”
“Yeah.”
On the day he collapsed after that desperate battle—
Ga-on, who had been transferred to a hospital partnered with the gacorp Baekdu, received a freshly cultured eyeball transplant on the spot and entered and exited a dical pod to treat his multiple fractures.
It had already been six Sols since intensive recovery managent began.
With such an overprotective older sister around, it was certain he would remain bedridden for quite so ti.
Since the dical staff made rounds every hour, there was no opportunity for him to make use of the regenerative abilities unique to immortality.
Being unable to recover properly because he was in a hospital sounded quite contradictory, but that was the situation nonetheless. Still, it was not all drawbacks. He had gained the leisure to clear his mind and organize the enlightennt he had obtained this ti.
Flutter—,
Ga-on lightly raised his index finger toward a flower petal that suddenly fell from a flowerpot.
[Arhat Second Form Muwi Nature]
Several arbitrary axes blood apart like flower buds, surrounding the petal and forcing it into stillness.
The flower petal, preserved in midair, rely remained at the tip of his finger while defying gravity.
“That’s incredible.”
“Well, it’s still only at the crawling stage.”
The mont he blew softly, the flower petal spun like a propeller before falling.
“So, did you ask Nick everything you wanted to ask?”
“We proceeded according to protocol. It concluded yesterday.”
There was no need to hear that the end of that protocol was disposal by incineration. Even if Nick had reflected midway and begged forgiveness, the policy would not have changed.
Because he was a ta-human.
“It was revealed that he had close ties with Ryungyeong. Judging from the circumstances, it is certain he was treated as an executive-level mber.”
“So a soldier colluded with an underworld faction.”
“I think I now understand why the flas never reached Ryungyeong during the Eden Park drug factory incident.”
“You an the Mars Defense Force was covering for them.”
A triangle connecting Ryungyeong, the ta-humans, and the Mars Defense Force.
It seed clear that factions from each side were forming a kind of cartel and cooperating together.
However—
“The problem is that outsiders can’t know the internal circumstances…….”
“This incident made it clear that reckless approaches could instead get us struck down.”
It might have been bad news for Jin Geon, but for Ga-on it was favorable. He had managed to redirect his attention elsewhere.
That too had been intentional.
“Looks like the Ergency Disaster Response Unit should conduct an ideological inspection of its own as well.”
“I was already expecting things to get busy because of that. It seems the ta-humans within the Seed Colony are firmly united. And there’s no guarantee that Nick was the only impurity mixed in.”
A completely different situation from the Dos, where infections were uprooted the mont they appeared. Unlike Earth, where people had to remain confined to one place, Mars allowed movent anywhere. Yes, if they wanted, even beyond the distant horizon untouched by civilization.
“What about Raphaela?”
According to what Jin Geon had heard, Raphaela’s ability was Imprinting. The power to dig into the hearts of listeners and persuade them.
Unlike Nick, it did not display direct destructive power, but in modern society, it was dangerous. There was no tool more suitable for incitent.
As a wanted criminal, she likely would not hold a high enough position to influence society on a large scale, but judging by Peter Pan’s example, there was a high possibility she would resort to dirty tactics.
“We swept away her support base, so she won’t be able to move recklessly for a while. In the anti, we’ll continue tracking her. One way or another, we’ll catch her tail.”
“That would be ideal.”
“However…….”
Trailing off, Jin Geon glanced toward Ga-on before letting out a dry cough.
“Do you really believe what I say?”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“I could have hidden important matters.”
“That falls within the realm of trust. By leaving Nick entirely to you, I showed that I trust you. How you choose to repay that goodwill is entirely your decision.”
“The realm of trust, huh. So you had thought that far ahead.”
Jin Geon fell silent and rested his chin on his hand. His expression looked slightly moved, or perhaps deeply conflicted. Since he constantly maintained composure in a theatrical manner, even such subtle changes felt all the more vivid.
‘But what should I do about this.’
In truth, it was all nonsense.
Whether trust ford or shattered did not matter much to him. Even so, he had steadily built up a sense of debt in Jin Geon’s heart for the sake of this one line.
“So anyway, you owe a bit, don’t you? From last ti and this ti.”
“I…… suppose so?”
“As it happens, I just thought of a suitable favor. You can do it for , right?”
Although it felt as though sothing was stopping him, Jin Geon unconsciously found himself nodding.
***
“It’s been a while, Father.”
[Since you’re using a secure line, this can’t be personal business. Call Unit Chief.]
No response asking whether he had been well ca back. There was only the instruction to prioritize organizational relations over familial duty.
A strict distinction sharp enough to cut between public and private matters.
“Understood, Unit Chief.”
To Jin Geon, his father, Jin Saryang, was not soone he could treat carelessly. It was not because of his strict personality. What truly pressured Jin Geon was his standing.
From his youth, Jin Saryang had written countless legends.
If there was one achievent that stood out above all others, it was spreading breathing techniques throughout the Ergency Disaster Response Unit and exponentially increasing the agents’ survival rate.
That was also why he had walked such a legendary path.
It was an open secret that he had rejected the chance to belong to the municipal governnt of Do No.1. So praised him for leading by example, while others belittled him, saying he surely had ulterior motives.
Even so, Jin Geon alone believed in Jin Saryang’s true intentions.
Yet, as though drawn in by such thoughts—
‘You seem to trust your father, but don’t. He’s the kind of man who won’t go easy on you just because you’re his son.’
Nick’s words resurfaced in his mind.
Yes, Nick’s betrayal had certainly been shocking, but there had been a rational cause underlying it. Of course, it was also possible that he had fabricated those words rely to justify his own deviation.
There was no need to look far. He could simply ask Jin Saryang directly.
‘But what if it’s really true?’
Would he really be able to gouge out the bloodstained artificial eye?
[Team 3 Leader?]
At the leisurely yet sohow reproachful voice, Jin Geon snapped back to his senses.
“My apologies. I haven’t properly slept lately.”
[I heard the Mars Defense Force has been uncooperative. Are you asking for support?]
“No.”
Since he needed to secure a lifeline that could reach Yang Hu, this was a bridge he would have to cross eventually anyway.
“More importantly, there’s sothing I’d like to request.”
After carefully reviewing each item Ga-on had requested, Jin Geon finally opened his mouth with difficulty.
“Could you provide support for a piece of equipnt?”
***
“Huff.”
After moving the last of the luggage inside, Ga-on wiped the sweat from his forehead. The place he was in was no longer District 32. Unfortunately, after Johwang and his gang had rampaged through the area, the repair costs had turned out far higher than expected.
To the point where moving costs were actually cheaper.
So, he ended up relocating.
Since he needed a larger space to expand Veda’s cognition, it was tily in a way.
However, what Ga-on had miscalculated was the location.
Originally, he had intended to find a place sowhere in the twenties districts, but everything had gone completely off track once Baek Seol intervened. Following her recomndation, he had ended up moving to District 42.
Yes, the region famous for being an affluent neighborhood.
Needless to say, security there was far stricter than elsewhere. More than anything, what pleased him was the mansion equipped with three underground floors.
Naturally, it had been remodeled so it could serve as a bunker in ergencies.
He briefly indulged in happy fantasies about how to cram rack cabinets into the space to perfectly maximize Veda’s performance, but the thought only lasted a mont.
“Miss Siri, the furniture…….”
Ever since that day, a familiar shadow had no longer appeared.
The android who used to visit three tis a week, volunteering as a housekeeper and keeping him company in conversation.
For so reason, he felt strangely empty. Well, considering how their last eting had ended, it was only natural for him to feel anxious.
It was then, as if reading his inner thoughts, that the probe he always carried trembled slightly.
[Ga-on?]
“I’m listening.”
[I think I have so bad news.]
A chilling premonition brushed down his spine. Sure enough, that feeling soon materialized through Dobby’s mouth.
[It’s Sera. She’s dead.]
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