Ransom!
“Hahahahahaha—!”
“What's up with her?”
Watching Mosco Bi Chacos laugh her ass off like a maniac from the side, I suddenly wanted some distance. Made me wonder if someone like her should really be raising five kids. Then again, maybe that's exactly why she betrays the world under the guise of doing it for the children. Either way, she was clearly not someone I wanted to get too close to.
What mattered was that I had to deliver her to the kids—and deal with that massive suit straight out of a blockbuster movie.
“Shoot!”
“Terrorist! Take him down!”
The Cyber City guards' muzzles swung toward the suit. A black suit resembling a rhinoceros, heat leaking from the cracks, glowing blue eyes.
Bang! Bang bang!
The bullets fired off ricocheted away with ridiculous ease, scattering in every direction.
“Gah!”
“Aaaagh!”
The deflected rounds ricocheted further, hitting evacuating civilians and spreading the damage.
The guards couldn't pull their triggers anymore amid the civilians' screams.
“I've heard of bulletproof, but forcing bullets to bounce back and collateral the surroundings? That's a new one.”
I muttered in quiet admiration, and Mosco Bi Chacos snapped out of it, approaching me.
“So what do I do now? They could cut the cells anytime.”
“Wait.”
No sooner had I spoken than Yu Ye-na landed from the sky. She'd pulled strings to get me here today, of course—and she was the sole force who'd greenlit Cyber City's involvement in this mess.
“Bi Chacos, the situation's urgent, so let's proceed right away. Here, take this.”
Yu Ye-na held out a thin headband-like device. The Tower Authority's ace in the hole for chasing layerists. No one could've predicted it'd end up on Mosco Bi Chacos's head.
Without hesitation, Bi Chacos slipped it on, and earpieces extended from the temples, snapping into place.
Hello! This is Axis!
“……!”
Bi Chacos's brow furrowed hard. The volume was cranked way up, leaking through the earpieces to me. But Yu Ye-na pressed on undeterred.
“Axis will now reverse-trace the cells attached to you and hack the targets to prevent disconnection—”
“Done.”
“Pardon?”
Yu Ye-na blinked. Bi Chacos tapped the headband matter-of-factly.
“It's Axis.”
“…….”
Faster than expected. No wonder it ran a whole city. That's why the Tower Authority neutered its aggression and repurposed it in secret.
“Kinda funny. Bi Chacos and Axis. Both traitors to humanity, now teamed up on our side.”
Enemies last time. Allies now. Felt weird.
“Shut up with the nonsense.”
“Don't talk to Juseon like that.”
Their gazes clashed suddenly. No clue why they were butting heads, but that wasn't the priority.
Pssshhhhh!
Blue flames erupted from the suit's back.
The fixer. He was charging.
Durability that deflected all attacks also made him the ultimate battering ram.
Blocking head-on was Yu Ye-na. She thrust both hands forward, shoving with telekinesis. It seemed clean at first—the guy slowed from a sprint to a crawl, pushed back inch by inch.
But only briefly. Telekinesis had endless uses but guzzled stamina, making it weak in prolonged fights. Especially against brute-force monsters like this.
“Ye-na, go smash them with Bi Chacos.”
Her eyes flicked to me, then she shook her head frantically.
“You? Holding that guy? No way. I'll do it.”
“Telekinesis gets you there fastest. Guards are here, Cyber Police incoming soon.”
Sirens wailed closer; air riders dotted the sky.
“Worst case, just use a bit of Law.”
Meant to reassure her, but Yu Ye-na paled, grabbing my arm.
“No!”
“Huh?”
“Juseon, no matter what—never use Law again.”
“…….”
Right on cue, Cyber Police dropped from air riders, subduing the fixer. Yu Ye-na released her telekinesis, chest heaving.
Anxiety. It hit me straight.
No way.
“The 7th Floor... stirring?”
I asked cautiously. She bit her lip, then—barely perceptibly—nodded once.
[Geomjipgwan, where are you going.]
A voice echoed in my skull like a migraine. Ghosts of my past with her tightened around me again.
The 7th Floor was moving. They'd sniffed me out alive.
She's coming.
“Juseon?!”
Yu Ye-na called worriedly. I stared blankly a moment, then forced a smile.
“I'm fine. No big deal.”
“…….”
“Go on. Cyber Police are here—no real worries now.”
Had to smile. Only way she'd leave without fretting.
Faking fine when you're not? Same as grinning through client meetings.
“Got it. Be careful.”
“…….”
Her telekinesis wrapped Bi Chacos, lifting them skyward. Bi Chacos stared at me till the end but said nothing more.
The problem was the fixer.
Cyber Police clocked the bullets bouncing fast. Pulse guns, restraint tape, EMP nets—everything poured out, but he didn't budge.
Like a game character with god mode on. Hits landed, scratches marred the suit. But barely wounds—insulting scratches.
Confirming his target Bi Chacos retreating, his blue eyes flashed.
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
Each step shook the ground. He bulldozed the encirclement, charging ahead.
The horn on his forehead was a siege ram. Anything blocking shattered.
Rammed vehicles tumbled sideways; debris crumpled like paper. His path exploded in wreckage and dust.
“Oversync awakening! Suspected high-risk fugitive!”
“Captain! ID confirmed! Fixer Rhino! Prime suspect in the Haran Heavy Industries massacre four years ago!”
“Request backup from HQ! We can't handle this alone!”
Radio chatter and yells. Explosions hammered home how dangerous he was.
His wake looked like a giant had forced a path.
And where it led was obvious.
Mosco Bi Chacos. He was chasing her.
A few Cyber Police vehicles revved to pursue—but flipped cars and crumbled walls blocked them.
“Air support!”
“Drones inbound.”
“3-block ahead, full road lockdown! Civilian evac first!”
Civilians first. Cyber Police stuck to duty.
Then I'll do mine.
Amid the chatter, I eyed the road's edge. Next to a flipped patrol bike, a folded airboard—ejected from storage—skidded across the pavement.
No time to hesitate. I snatched it, jammed my shoe toe into the slot. It synced to my foot, lifting skyward.
Vroooom!
Blue thrust glow; I crouched low against the backward pull, steadying.
“Whoa, shit—!”
Airboards I'd begged Ryu Seram to let me ride couldn't hit max speed. Fuel was pricey on the 3rd Floor.
I cranked it anyway, a petty thrill. Skimming low over the road.
Glass shards from his shockwaves, lingering heat singed my cheek.
Ahead, Rhino rammed another vehicle, hurling the bisected wreck at pursuing air riders.
Kaboom!
The air rider couldn't dodge, tumbling onto the road. Spilled fuel ignited, flames roaring.
Turning everywhere to inferno, yet his blue glare fixed skyward. Like a beast gulping air before the pounce.
Timing his leap for Bi Chacos and Yu Ye-na.
Now entering skyscraper canyon. Urban forest. As they slipped between towering buildings—
Crunch!
His foot crushed asphalt. Chunks flew; black suit legs coiled deep.
Leap prep. I slammed the airboard to max output, body low.
Blasting air closed the gap instantly.
Too late to intercept directly.
Airboard arcing diagonally. Aiming for his flight path.
“Ye-na—!”
She whipped around at my shout.
Crouched Rhino. Incoming me. She grasped it instantly, yanking me and the airboard with telekinesis.
And—
Kabooooom!
Rhino rocketed like a shell toward Bi Chacos. Compressed muscle and oversync thrust detonated; not a jump, a launch—air screamed.
Rhino hurtling at insane speed. I kicked free of the airboard's locks, using it as a springboard to vault up.
In the updraft, I drew my sheathed sword from my belt.
Brought from ancient murim, my half-assed attempt at style—
A chill blue blade slid free.
Dan-ya, Yu Ye-na's gift for helping nab Axis. Razor edge arcing between Rhino and Bi Chacos.
Impact imminent. Split-second—
Shlick!
The sound was weirdly short. No metal-rending roar, no flesh-tearing scream.
Sliced so clean, everything lagged a beat.
“Gr, aaargh—!”
Rhino twisted midair. Horn sheared first; then shoulder-to-chest gash spiderwebbed cracks.
Thrust failing, he tumbled down. Watching—
Nice.
Ten billion won blades were different. Clutching it tight, I curled fetal.
“What're you doing?”
Cold voice snapped my eyes open. Somehow, I floated midair, curled like a kid.
Two women stared down pitifully. Unlike Rhino, Ye-na had caught my fall.
“Thanks for the save, but why'd you curl up like that?”
Bi Chacos eyed me like I was dumb, so I mumbled awkwardly.
“I got insurance. Dan-ya doesn't.”
“…….”
“…….”
Cheap fix for me. Prioritize the ten billion first, right?