Chapter 186
Chapter 186
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: First Clash (1)
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The high-quality mana processing trees loaded onto the logistics trucks.
Looking at the densely packed water tanks, I let out a whistle.
"Hmm, mm."
These were precious resources that Flower had been siphoning off for some purpose.
I didn't know how much capital they had. But I was satisfied with the blow I'd dealt them.
I ignited a flame on my fingertip.
-Whoosh.
A flame with properties similar to the one I'd seen Cistus wield before.
The purity of the mana was different, so it couldn't cause an explosion on the scale of Cistus's.
Still, there was only one reason I bothered to produce this flame.
Mana with properties similar to Cistus's could steer the police investigation in another direction.
It was a method I could use because a terrorist like Cistus, who directly led attacks, existed.
'Compared to the Heavenly Demon's power, the destructive force is lacking.'
Mana was versatile.
Depending on how it was used, it could fool a country or even change oneself.
There was a reason why presidents and politicians' grand deceptions of the public were mostly carried out through magic.
Because of that, some people made a living as detectives by tracing the mana residues left by spells. But the important thing was that such manipulations were child's play if you put your mind to it.
Hwangdo was too good-natured to think of such tricks, but I wasn't.
I spread the flame over the oil spilled on the ground.
-Roooar!
The fire clinging to the floor raced straight toward the mana processing trees.
-Boom!
The exploding truck. Sparks falling onto the corpses.
I teleported far away using spatial magic, then leisurely pulled out my phone.
-Ring ring ring.
While calling Star, I checked the clothes I was wearing.
One part of the hood had a hole burned through from the heat. Time to toss this.
-Click.
[Hello?]
"Hello. Star sis."
[Yeah, Si-heon~ What's up? But why does your voice sound like that? It's got this mechanical tone.]
Star's voice crackled over the phone.
The mana waves from the explosion were destabilizing the radio signals here too.
"Well... things have gotten pretty serious right now."
I took a deep breath and lowered my voice as much as possible.
[Huh?]
"Looks like a terrorist attack happened. They're looking for Flower folks, and it went down at the factory."
[......What? For real?]
"Yeah. I thought about checking it out, but it's too far, and seems like it's already over, so I called you."
[W-wait a sec. Right now.... Holy shit. How long ago?]
"Not long."
The Hunter Association, operated with support from the government and the World Foundation.
And the Korean Hunter Branch naturally had a responsibility and duty to protect the nation's peace and security.
When disasters like terrorism occurred, they had to report it first and handle it cleanly.
[......Hey. Uh. They've already contacted us? Check if it's true right away, put out the article, and prepare countermeasures fast.]
Star's irritated voice came through the phone.
The reason I'd gone to the trouble of causing property damage to fake a terrorist attack wasn't just to avoid becoming a criminal myself.
[Hey Si-heon, you okay?]
Once a terrorist attack happened, all related agencies would start cracking down heavily on that area.
Sections that big corporations' influence had kept untouched would now be directly policed by 'official agencies.'
Did that make sense? No business could stand against public opinion.
No matter how big the corporation, they couldn't refuse investigations under the public's watchful eyes.
Naturally, Flower would have to pull out of the city temporarily, and the resulting blow to their assets... would easily exceed the factory damage by dozens of times.
"Yeah... it'll be chaotic for a while again."
It wasn't their terrorist act.
But it would be treated as theirs.
How much trouble would that stir up for them? The thought made me grin.
A well-organized group typically wouldn't build any connections around a terrorist site, aside from minimal groundwork, to avoid leaving tracks. Even if not, they'd prepare to pull out quickly.
'...Whether they planned the terrorism from the start or not, I don't know.'
But I'd confirmed them extracting mana processing trees from the factory.
Their goal seemed more about securing resources than terrorism. Only after seeing that did I finalize the plan to blow up the factory.
'As an organization, all their economic activity in this city is finished.'
Retreating to avoid tracks was obvious.
And if they got caught erasing evidence, even better.
From a simplistic view, I was just the guy who bombed the factory.
But for tens of millions in damage, I'd gained tens—maybe hundreds—of billions in benefits.
Strictly speaking, I hadn't taken any losses.
Blown-up containers and logistics trucks?
They belonged to Flower anyway, or the factory contracted with them would foot the bill.
[Sigh. Just when we forget, those bastards show up again.]
"Haha..."
Star muttered in a voice thick with fatigue.
Right. There was damage on our side too.
If the Hunter Association's extra work counted as damage, then yes.
But I didn't like those association guys anyway, so it was using barbarians to control barbarians.
Star was the only pitiful one.
I'd have to take her to an amusement park later.
'If Flower has connections in the media or police... they might find the culprit.'
That's why I'd erased my traces long ago.
Even if it came out during the investigation that it wasn't Flower.
Between Flower and an unknown criminal, pinning it on the universally hated Flower was obvious.
'...In the end, the case closes as your fault.'
No matter the pressure on Flower, the ones gauging it were the police.
They'd watch the citizens and Flower.
And in the end, pick one side.
"Haa."
Refreshing. It felt like a weight had been lifted from my chest.
I placed my hand on the surface of my facial skin and peeled it off gently.
The mask clinging to my face came off, restoring my original features.
'The last thing I need to watch for.'
Is the chance they'll make a desperate last stand with a big incident.
As long as I didn't flounder in their thrashing, countering would be easy.
The Hunter Association dealing with Flower wasn't incompetent either.
So now was the time to wait for that moment.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Cistus's fifth house.
Tuberose grinned bitterly at the steadily appearing portal site articles.
"......They're picking a fight on purpose, huh."
The opponent's intent was obvious.
Because things had blown up like this—another big incident.
One of Cistus's bases had come to a complete halt, excluding the livestock pens.
Companies erasing their ties one by one.
Even trying to use the remaining resources out of regret, they were rejected for being too obvious in the ledgers.
It was understandable, but painful for them.
"......An organization."
I'd thought it was one person.
But I couldn't rule out the possibility of multiple people orchestrating it.
The incident had gone viral in the media awfully fast.
"No, could just be good luck."
A reckless lunatic got lucky and dealt a big blow.
In the current situation, it fit that some random factory was picked, Flower thugs beaten, and evidence burned.
Tuberose knew the revealed circumstances firsthand, having run around on foot.
'...The evidence and mana traces there. All point to impulsive actions.'
From the criminal's footprints to the combat site, one thing was clear.
It wasn't a covert kill. They really went all out, unable to contain their rage, smashing the bodies.
'A dumbass got lucky somehow.'
The evidence said so.
'......However.'
If it was all to make us think they got lucky?
Since it was made to look so plausible, the discrepancy would stand out instead.
"Annoying pest stuck to us."
-Crack.
The mouse he gripped split under his strength.
Irritating. The damage was bigger than expected.
Tuberose swept his brow in frustration, then looked up at the ceiling and laughed heartily.
"Kuh, ku ku. Hahaha!"
Since they'd gone this far, they had their own countermeasures.
No, it had been in motion for a while.
Tuberose immediately pulled a vial from his drawer and cackled at the purple liquid inside.
"Yeah. Can't trade there anymore anyway."
Using that city as a base... maybe try the experiment the boss handed over.
The Elixir of Eternal Life.
The worst drug ever, researched for centuries with Cornerus Family support, nearing completion.
Of course, if you weren't a Cornerus Family member, it would cause Ents to rampage.
Because nutrient absorption varies by bloodline.
'What an amazing drug.'
The shimmering purple elixir.
Rubbing the vial's surface, he grinned viciously.
The reason Flower spearheaded this drug's research was simple.
Flower wanted to exploit that non-family members rampaged upon injection.
Cornerus wanted completion.
Their interests aligned from the start.
"Heavenly Demon's heart. World Tree's root.... The magic stone of a Wood Dragon from centuries ago."
Each ingredient would cause a massive uproar if revealed.
Especially the Heavenly Demon... that old man's heart was procured by the Cornerus family head himself, they said.
"I don't get why they'd go that far for eternal life."
The family's long-held grand dream. Cornerus people lived for that alone.
Flower had decided to exploit that wealth freely.
"Shall we?"
In two days, the second clinical trial begins.
It was supposed to be months later on a large scale, but circumstances forced it ahead.
Well... the Cornerus family head would understand.
I'll go too then.
Tuberose tilted the sloshing vial.
One thought crossed his mind.
Once completed, who would receive the drug?
He'd heard there was one Wood Person raised on it from birth.
"......What was the name."
Didn't know.
If true immortality was achieved, he'd learn the name eventually.
He decided not to worry about it.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The purple drug seeps into the spine through a long tube.
"......"
The horrific pain wracking the whole body.
The agony like limbs being torn apart—no longer fazed him.
The day of the monthly injection.
-Sluuuurp.
No feeling.
Numb.
Just numb.
Not good or bad.
Pleasure never existed from the start.
Whether I had a heart or not, it had been ages since I'd felt its beat.
Nothing to do here. There is, but there isn't.
Just blankly looking around. White-clothed people surround me.
Talking in incomprehensible words about how this went wrong or that.
What were these people's names?
Can't remember well.
I don't remember people's names well.
Don't know why. It's just been that way.
Twenty years locked in a white room, getting injections and training.
According to him, injections started from birth to build immunity.
Drug. Drug.
Don't know what it's for, but it's a drug. Good for the body.
At first, the pain made me pass out.
Sleeping was good. Good dreams then.
Now, I feel nothing, so no dreams.
Too much time passed; I forgot if I was happy then.
Makes me wonder what happiness even is.
Too many unknown emotions.
Want to know, but can't.
Thinking leads to exhaustion and giving up.
But now I feel a little stimulation.
"......Ah."
Don't know.
I wonder if Si-heon is doing well now.
Staring at the black sun from inside the white capsule.
-Drip.
"What day... is it today."
Can't remember dates well. They keep track for me.
Fading memories and dulled senses.
Even like this, one thing I remembered clearly.
'...Cornus.'
The bright red fruit mother placed in my hand comes to mind.
I closed my eyes against the oncoming drowsiness.