Court Defense Battle -1-
Cheongang Tower. This colossal building rising proudly at the heart of Cheongang Special City stood as a symbol of the Cheongang Group's dominion over the city. An overwhelming tower whose silhouette could be seen even from the outskirts, it had originally been granted to Cheongang by Noah, the ruler of Minos City, as a kind of reward. After all, thanks to Cheongang's medical technology, humanity's drastically shortened lifespans following the disappearance of the sun had been partially restored.
"Damn it! Those bastards again!" Cheon Taewoo, CEO of the Cheongang Group, hurled the tablet he'd been reading. The screen displayed an article about an Enhanced Human rampage incident that had occurred at a department store in Cheongang's bustling district.
"Those rat-like first-generation scum! Where the hell are they hiding while pulling this kind of crap? Just let me catch them! I'll stuff nanobots into every hole in their brains!"
-Thud!
Unable to contain his rage, Cheon Taewoo slammed his desk this time. The reason for his fury was none other than the unidentified first-generation Enhanced Humans. The first-generation Enhanced Human experiments, rumored to have been conducted somewhere in Minos City. The public speculated that they were remnants of secret experiments Cheongang had run before perfecting Chromeware technology, but Cheon Taewoo swore to the heavens that he knew nothing about those experiments. All he had done was take a draft of the experiment he'd luckily obtained and use it to complete the current Chromeware technology.
However, in exchange for recognizing Cheongang's ownership of Chromeware technology, Noah had decided to hold Cheongang fully responsible for any future incidents involving first-generation Enhanced Humans. Even though the Noah Group, which monitored every move in Minos through invisible eyes, surely knew that Cheongang had merely utilized the byproducts of those experiments.
"We're the ones who recognized the value of a discarded stone and turned it into a gem! Why the hell do we have to clean up after this mess?"
"Father."
Cheon Yusil, who had been quietly watching her father's outburst from beside him, spoke softly.
"Please calm down for a moment and look at this."
"What now? Another article nitpicking the safety nanobots, I bet? The nanobots are functioning normally! Cheongang Group doesn't produce defective products like some people!"
"No, it's similar but different. This is a story you might actually like, Father."
At her words, Cheon Taewoo shot up and snatched the article from Cheon Yusil. It read as follows.
"A civilian caught an Enhanced Human? That doesn't make any sense... Wait a second."
Cheon Taewoo stroked his chin, deep in thought as he read the report.
"Has our company ever had technology stolen without our knowledge?"
"No."
"Fuck, then!"
Color returned to Cheon Taewoo's face.
"That's right, it must have been the work of a first-generation."
"Damn, of course! They can't stay hidden forever! Those rat bastards!"
Cheon Taewoo spoke with trembling excitement, eager to see the face of the troublemaker who had been gnawing away at the city day after day.
"Bring that bastard to me right now, even if you have to use the police!"
But things don't always go as planned.
"That's impossible, Father."
"What? Why now!"
"The number of civilians this person saved is too high. Hero stories about them are already spreading on social media. If we issue an arrest warrant in this situation, protests will break out."
"Over something so trivial?"
"That's not all."
With that, Cheon Yusil showed Cheon Taewoo a video. It clearly captured the entire progression of the rampage incident—from the Enhanced Human using a barrier to protect civilians while fighting, to the first-generation who appeared late and resolved the situation at a speed the camera couldn't even follow. And the platform where this video was uploaded was 'Ark,' the Noah Group's video platform that everyone in the city used.
"This fucking... The views are already over a million..."
Cheon Taewoo immediately ordered his people to take down the videos from the internet. Then, swallowing his anger, he downed the water on his desk in one gulp.
Emergency room at a university hospital near Cheongang's bustling district. There, a woman lay comfortably on a hard hospital bed, tapping away at an electronic terminal.
The moment I regained consciousness, the first thing I did was open the internet and upload the CCTV footage I'd secured through hacking onto social media. It was a race against time. If I'd been even a little late, Cheongang's public opinion campaign to leash Last would have struck first. Yeah, striking first was important. If it weren't for my ability's penalty, I wouldn't have needed to rush like this. I almost missed the golden window. Still, it was fortunate I wasn't too late. Reactions were coming in just as planned.
If things continued this way, I could improve public opinion on Enhanced Humans earlier than in the original story. That meant I wouldn't have to watch the frustrating early plot where Last gets nanobots implanted in his head and controlled by Cheongang's will.
Buoyed by anticipation, I pushed harder to spread the video.
"Oh, their response is faster than I expected."
Just then, an invisible force began swinging its blade. But it was already too late to take the videos down now. Because—
'Once something is spread on the internet, it never truly disappears.'
That was true in the world I came from, and it would be even more so in this damned high-tech city.
Look at that—variations were already appearing. Could Cheongang still wage a public opinion war against Last in this situation? Absolutely not. Recalling how Cheongang had leashed Last in the original story, I clenched my fist.
'Even ordinary Enhanced Humans cause this many casualties when they rampage!'
'How much worse would a first-generation be!'
'Even if he's a hero who saved countless people, for everyone's safety, he must receive nanobot implants!'
It was all bullshit just to obtain samples of the first-generation. Wasn't it those very nanobots that had deepened the conflict between humans and Enhanced Humans in the first place? I couldn't let it happen that way. Last would become a perfect hero.
"Patient!"
"Y-yes?"
My mind suddenly snapped back to reality. This kept happening lately. When I focused on one thing, I couldn't see anything else. Was it because my body had changed?
"Your acquaintances have come to visit."
"Acquaintances?"
What are you talking about, nurse? Where would I have acquaintances in this world? Come to think of it, who brought me to the emergency room when I have no money?
"It's me, sis."
As I thought that, someone pulled back the curtain and poked their head in.
"I'm here too."
It was the Han siblings, Han Yujin and Han Cheolho. So Last wasn't here. I thought the three of them came as a set. Suppressing my disappointment, I forced a bright smile.
"Yujin and Cheolho! And... huh? It looks like one person is missing?"
"Ah..."
The siblings' faces darkened instantly.
"Did something happen?"
"Well..."
Han Yujin trailed off. Unable to watch any longer, Han Cheolho spoke up.
"Hyun got taken away by the police."
The moment I heard those words, I could no longer keep smiling.
"...What do you mean?"
"They even brought a warrant, so there was no way to stop them. They're sending him to court tomorrow immediately."
It was an absurd piece of news. After all the rumors I'd spread, they still managed to arrest Last? How were they planning to handle the aftermath?