Chapter 68
An Impressive Self-Introduction
***
***
After organizing the information, my mind beca infinitely clear. And a new path ca into view.
Ga-on checked the call records on the device and soon contacted soone. At first, the call was rejected, but after repeated attempts, a conversation was established.
[What is it?]
“I understand now why you’re trying to erase Professor Preston’s traces.”
[Congratulations. Then I’ll be on my—.]
“Listen a little longer before you hang up. It’s just as troubleso for you, isn’t it? Instead of this, let’s et and share information.”
[There is no reason to do that.]
“Aren’t you curious where the ones who dragged Professor Preston into this are?”
The silence did not last long.
[I will send a vehicle.]
Not long after, a van arrived by the roadside. It looked ordinary on the outside, but it couldn’t deceive Ga-on’s eyes.
‘All military-grade specifications, huh.’
It looked ready to be deployed into urban warfare at a mont’s notice.
“Please get in.”
The man who had lowered the front door window halfway spoke curtly.
A tone that lacked even a speck of friendliness.
Since I hadn’t expected hospitality in the first place, I boarded without complaint.
The van slid into an underground tunnel and entered a designated vacuum tube, placing its wheels onto the track.
Soon the Hyperloop began operating, and the surrounding scenery transford entirely into streaking lines. There was no ti to grow bored of the repetitive view.
Just as I let out a slow yawn, the vehicle reached its destination and rose back to the surface.
There was no need to ask where we were headed.
District 2 was a strategic hub where major infrastructure was concentrated.
It was where Nodetech’s headquarters stood.
***
A skyscraper soaring high enough to seem intent on outrunning even the clouds.
In the particularly advanced district of the Seed Colony, vitality overflowed through the streets. Flying cars—rare in the outskirts—landed and took off repeatedly like sparrows.
A spatial design that utilized underground, ground level, and even the sky.
Nodetech’s headquarters was establishing itself as one of its key pillars.
Its heavy, angular exterior walls suited the word fortress. The frawork of the building seed focused solely on technology and efficiency. Aesthetic considerations were virtually nonexistent.
The company’s bleak philosophy extended to its corporate culture.
The inspections conducted inside were so relentless they were almost nauseating.
Especially toward outsiders.
tal detector, explosive detector, then X-ray scanner. There were four or five devices to pass through in total.
I felt like I understood, at least a little, how a component tossed onto a conveyor belt might feel.
But perhaps Nodetech trusted even that insufficiently, as they went so far as to conduct a physical check themselves.
A security agent approached and began a body search.
“Again? At this rate, you’ve got a sickness. A sickness.”
“Please spread your arms.”
It was a society where technology had advanced to the extre.
Since getting caught off guard by so outlandish trick was hardly uncommon, I could understand the vigilance.
“Fine.”
Soon, the security agent discovered a long, thick object between Ga-on’s legs and turned pale in shock.
It was a sensation far too familiar to any man.
Even while denying it, he had no choice but to ask.
“This is…?”
“My weapon. It’s folded, but still pretty big, right?”
In that instant, the security agent’s shoulders trembled slightly, unable to hide his agitation. As if he might explode at any mont, his colleagues one by one wiped the expressions from their faces and closed in.
“Relax, it’s a joke.”
Ga-on let out a faint chuckle as he pulled out the folding knife he had hidden and handed it over. He had specially acquired it for ergencies, but it seed he still couldn’t evade Nodetech’s scrutiny.
“You fall for it because you don’t have any sense of humor.”
“Please be precise from now on.”
Thus, completely disard, Ga-on went up to the upper floor.
“From here on, you may enter alone.”
The man who had acted as both driver and guide left those words behind and disappeared down the corridor.
Ga-on didn’t know who had given the man his orders, but it was clear the person was a heavyweight. The fact that he occupied the 62nd floor alone was proof enough.
The mont the door opened, eight beams of light shot toward him almost simultaneously.
He hesitated briefly at the sight of artificial eyes reminiscent of a spider, but only for a mont. A massive physique large enough to dominate the entire office desk filled his vision.
He hadn’t undergone enough surgeries to be called a cyborg, but it was easy to guess that the giant’s body had already drifted far from that of an ordinary human.
As expected of soone from a gacorp.
Judging by the traces of extre training carved into him, he seed capable of going toe-to-toe with Owen.
“Quit looking around. Sit down.”
At the rebuke, Ga-on ended his observation and sat across from the giant.
“No need for introductions, right? Judging by the look on your face, you already know who I am.”
“The Eastern Gate was impressive. Chairman Damian seed pleased as well.”
“Oh, really. What I’m curious about isn’t those trivial impressions, but your identity.”
Without a word, the giant flicked his wrist. At the sa ti, a plastic business card flew through the air like a throwing blade.
It moved at a threatening speed for sothing supposedly tossed lightly.
As if it were only natural, Ga-on caught it between two fingers and checked the identification tag.
[Nodetech Risk Managent Team 2 – Team Leader]
[Director Maximus Quite]
“That was an impressive self-introduction, Mr. Spider.”
“Unlike Team 1, Team 2 mainly handles external security.”
It sounded polite enough, but it was little different from intelligence work.
Though he bore the title of director, in an ergency his authority would likely surpass that of an executive.
He might not be the true power behind the scenes, but it was still a position with considerable influence.
From the looks of it, he was the type who wouldn’t hesitate to resort to direct violence. His upper arms and forearms, swollen as if ready to burst, were proof enough.
Moreover, Nodetech was part of the military-industrial complex.
It was a place that had access to cutting-edge technology even before it was applied to the military. There was no reason Maximus would be an exception.
No—considering he was in charge of security, the company might have even encouraged it.
“As soone responsible for protecting the company’s secrets from external threats, I handle various miscellaneous tasks.”
“Blowing up a university laboratory was one of them, I suppose?”
“Professor Preston violated his contract with Nodetech. While designing the device’s operating system, he leaked the source code we had provided.”
Source code referred to the foundational code of software. In other words, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it contained the very essence of the device’s operating system.
“This was not only an act that inflicted critical damage on Nodetech, but one that undermined a pillar of the system that makes up modern society.”
It wasn’t wrong. If the source code were abused, soone could peer into the device’s internal information. And if that happened? For all anyone knew, society would be forced into a period of anarchy.
But—
“If you understand how serious this matter is, hand over the information you have.”
That wasn’t what mattered to .
So despite Maximus’ pressure, I only sneered.
“Drop the act. You’ve got a fire at your feet right now.”
“What?”
“Judging by the fact that you only erased Professor Preston’s traces, you don’t want this incident to grow any bigger either, do you? You’re clearly eager to wrap this up as soon as possible.”
From Nodetech’s perspective as well, this must have been an unexpected incident.
There was more than enough evidence.
They hadn’t moved right after Eden was completed, but only after Preston was killed.
The implication was significant.
It ant they had only realized that a new type of electronic drug was circulating after Preston was murdered by X.
The chaos caused by X was under Jin Geon’s control. On the surface, no signs of forewarning could be detected. Even if soone sensed sothing amiss, X would only appear to be a deranged killer to any third party.
It wasn’t enough to draw the focused scrutiny of a gacorp like Nodetech.
And yet they were reacting sensitively—
“You know who the actor that killed Professor Preston is, don’t you? That’s why you’re being cautious and trying to cut off any links.”
I leaned closer to Maximus as I added,
“Let’s make a trade—the location of the ones who pressured Professor Preston.”
***
Grant Monium, the right-hand man of Nakamachi Hiro, was a textbook opportunist. Since he valued his own life above all else, it wasn’t surprising in the least that he had gone into hiding the mont Hiro died.
What Whitney focused on was precisely that aspect of his nature.
Prioritizing safety ant never going anywhere unfamiliar.
It wasn’t difficult to assu he was hiding inside a building purchased under a borrowed na. Even with a simple investigation, it would take several Sol to track down—but Whitney possessed special ears.
Ears that allowed him to grasp the internal situation just by approaching nearby.
Thanks to this talent, during his ti as a fixer, he had even been called by the alias Rabbit.
For that reason, it was no coincidence that Whitney, showcasing his skills after a long ti, made his way to District 16.
Nor was it a coincidence that he encountered Grant there.
“So a fixer is chasing us?”
“It was truly difficult. It was a dangerous situation, and then you suddenly disappeared.”
That one remark was enough to foster hostility toward Ga-on. His perspective had already narrowed after Hiro’s death.
Sure enough—
“Is he the one who killed hyungnim?”
With a subtle nudge, Grant jumped to his own conclusion.
“I’m not sure. The organization is still looking into that.”
But making a premature assertion would only invite suspicion, so Whitney maintained neutrality.
In truth, he was tracking Eden’s origin at Owen’s request. If he spoke honestly, he would imdiately beco a target for elimination—but that would prevent him from obtaining what he wanted.
Perhaps sensing so of that ulterior motive, Grant cautiously asked,
“You must want sothing if you ca all this way to tell .”
“I want to know the distribution route of Eden.”
“Hah.”
“Owen would be pleased as well.”
“As expected. You talk about wiping it out, but in the end, your own gain cos first.”
Grant shook his head, letting out a sigh laced with lant.
“Unfortunately, I don’t know anything either. Hyungnim personally managed everything related to Eden.”
“In that case…”
Then there was no further business.
Just as Whitney answered indifferently and began to rise, Grant hurriedly stopped him.
“But I do know a few places hyungnim frequented. It’s probably one of them.”
With things in this state, conducting an investigation wouldn’t be easy. The cards Grant could offer were limited, yet even as he handed over the information, he clung to a thread of hope.
“I hope you’ll convey this well to Owen. Everything stemd from a misunderstanding.”
At that mont, Whitney guessed there was more beneath the surface than he knew. The pounding of Grant’s heart echoed unusually loud.
It wasn’t the reaction of soone who had rely followed Hiro and distributed Eden as claid.
But he didn’t bother asking. Determining Eden’s source before Ga-on did was the priority.
Either way, Grant was destined to disappear soon enough. There was no reason to spare him any attention.
Perhaps that was why.
“Yes, leave it to .”
The lie slipped out without the slightest hesitation.
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