Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: The Yujin Patriarch
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Mega Corp doesn't officially have a capital city.
Once the entire nation corporatized, all terminology was replaced with company jargon. For instance, space marines are called the Crisis Management Team, and the Industrial Division overseeing all industries is known as the Resource Management Team.
Though they don't use the term "capital," Mega Corp does have a central hub worthy of the name.
That place is Earth. The spot they call their headquarters.
Earth is home to Mega Corp's core power structures.
The five corporations that founded Mega Corp—they are the kings of Earth.
Now known as the Five Great Families, the Yujin Family among them traces its roots to what was once called East Asia.
Starting as a commonplace business in a small nation called South Korea, Yujin Agriculture never forgot its origins even after becoming a galactic megacorporation dominating the stars.
The ancient capital of a long-vanished country had become the Yujin Family's estate. Not figuratively—the entire city was their living space.
Inside the massive dome-shaped "mansion" were maglev trains for transport, small aircraft, and even an artificial sun on the upper dome to sustain the internal ecosystem.
This place, a full century ahead of other planets technologically, housed the Yujin Family members and tens of millions of "tools" serving them.
Amid the high-tech wonders of the mansion stood a dilapidated cabin and garden.
This was the residence of the Yujin Family patriarch, Akira Yujin.
Akira Yujin.
The solar system's overlord, who had served three terms as Mega Corp's CEO.
And now, he was tending to a small vegetable patch.
Over two hundred years old, thanks to genetic enhancement procedures, he appeared no older than middle-aged.
Near the garden, two men in suits stood waiting. One was an elderly man with white hair slicked back, the other young.
It had been an hour since they arrived.
One might expect complaints, but they said nothing.
A well-trained dog doesn't bark until its master commands. They waited silently for Akira to finish his work.
Finally, Akira straightened up from hoeing the soil.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Come here."
At his words, the younger man approached.
"What is it?"
"It's about the young lady."
"Young lady?"
Akira tilted his head. The man added,
"Miss Kisaragi."
"Ah, my third daughter's girl."
Akira smiled as if the memory had just clicked. Watching silently, the old man's eye twitched faintly.
"So, what about Kisaragi?"
"Her signal beacon was destroyed."
The implication was clear. Kisaragi Yujin was dead.
Akira frowned.
"That can't be. I never burdened her with anything taxing."
"The last signal came from C-08. It's Space Dogs territory."
"Hmph."
Nodding as he listened, Akira raised the arm holding the hoe.
Then he brought it down on the man's head.
The hoe embedded in the man's skull; he collapsed without a scream. Undeterred, Akira yanked it free and smashed the man's face repeatedly.
The sound of flesh being pulverized filled the garden.
Covered in brains and blood, Akira tossed the hoe onto the corpse.
"Clean it up."
"Yes."
As if this were routine, the old man snapped his fingers. Black-suited men entered from outside, hauled the body away, and vanished.
"That hoe's no good. Our most vital asset is our tools. You know that, right?"
"Yes. I'll be more careful."
"Good."
The reason for the man's death was simple. He'd answered unasked questions twice.
"We poured 10 billion credits into raising Kisaragi. That's as much as developing a new battleship."
"......"
"Even gave her genetic enhancements for her frail body. Could mere pirates touch her?"
Akira pulled a cloth from his pocket and wiped his face.
"I'm curious who would dare harm the Yujin Family's prized flower."
"......"
"The ship Kisaragi was on—Captain Yuseong Samuel, right?"
"Yes."
"The Samuel family from Titan moon. Ezerton must be interested."
Ezerton was a Prime Capital with influence on Mars. A step below Noble Capital, but still a rival vying for Mega Corp dominance.
"Ezerton planning something? No. Their whelp is a coward. Wouldn't bare teeth at the Yujin Family."
The "whelp" was Ezerton's current patriarch, hailed as Mars's Tiger. Yet Akira dismissed him as a fool.
The butler knew Akira had ruled the Yujin Family while Ezerton's patriarchs were assassinated twice.
Thus, he could affirm the old monster before him had every right to say it.
"Not Ezerton, then who? Child, what do you think?"
"I suspect T&C involvement."
The butler answered promptly.
Akira's eyes curved like crescent moons, pleased.
"Heh, same thought as mine."
"......"
"T&C and Ezerton pretend to fight over Jupiter dominance, but they're in bed together. Ezerton's credits flow from T&C."
The butler hid his shock. He'd speculated, but not known of their actual pact.
The union of Earth's ruler T&C and Mars's nobles Ezerton was the utmost secret. Known only to the patriarchs.
Unfortunately for them, Akira was one who knew.
"That snake wants to seize initiative before the board meeting. You know, right?"
Akira handed the bloodied cloth to the butler.
"Yes. T&C Patriarch Saddam Chemberlin eyes the CEO seat—your position, sir."
"Indeed. That arrogant brat. Seeing him target me outright, I must scare him."
Finding the situation amusing, Akira burst into laughter. The butler waited impassively before the blood-soaked, grinning man.
Having witnessed Akira's eccentricities for decades, it stirred no emotion.
Suddenly, his laughter stopped. His face went blank, as if the mirth had been a lie.
"We have the justification, so we'll strike first. Inform the entire family."
"Yes."
"And."
For the first time, murderous intent flickered in Akira's expressionless eyes.
"Those who damage my assets deserve death. Yuseong Samuel, his crew, anyone connected—bring them all before me, not one spared."
"Yes."
"There's a Shadow infiltrated near C-08. Contact him and handle it."
"...Understood."
The word "Shadow" startled the butler.
"Shadows" were the patriarch's elite special forces. Mutated soldiers with extreme genetic mods, infamous for overwhelming power and brutality.
'A bloodbath is coming.'
With Shadows mobilized, Yuseong Samuel and his crew's fate was sealed.
Their end would be so horrific, death would seem merciful.
Sending silent pity to them somewhere beyond the stars, the butler withdrew quietly.
As colossal war and merciless slaughter were decreed somewhere on Earth.
Chaos erupted on Captain Yuseong Samuel's ship over an unforeseen disaster.
"What the hell is this shitshow?!"
Yuseong wanted to pass out.
Before him lay the morgue—or what was left of it. A sudden fire had reduced it to ashes.
The Crisis Management Team Leader summoned his patrolling subordinates.
"What happened?"
"W-Well..."
Under his sharp gaze, the soldiers tensed and stammered out their account.
"Smoke from inside? You checked, found fire?"
"Yes."
They'd smelled something odd and seen smoke during patrol.
Per protocol, only doctors could enter, so they waited for the shift doctor.
When smoke persisted, they opened the door.
Flames, not the doctor, greeted them.
"Doesn't make sense. Just bodies in there—how does fire start?"
"H-How did this happen?"
The late-arriving Medical Team Leader gaped at the scene.
The dazed captain couldn't explain, so the Crisis Management Team Leader summarized.
After hearing it, the Medical Team Leader's face hardened.
"Chemicals in the morgue could ignite, but a blaze this big is rare."
"Meaning?"
Glancing around, the Medical Team Leader clammed up.
'Arson.'
If a crew member was the arsonist, as implied, the situation was dire.
Especially targeting the Research Team Leader's body—highly suspicious.
"...Check the bodies first."
"Agreed."
After extinguishing the fire, soldiers pulled out the corpses. The Medical Team Leader examined the charred remains closely.
"This one's an overtime worker."
Upper body and head badly burned, but the ring identified him as the late-shift subordinate.
Bitter about the loss, the Medical Team Leader finished inspections and realized one was missing.
"These all the bodies?"
"Yes. Why?"
"......"
The Medical Team Leader pulled the captain and other leaders aside, out of earshot.
He revealed two bodies were gone.
"Guard and Research Team Leader missing?"
"Yes."
"Bodies don't walk off."
"Did you check properly?"
"Multiple times. Exactly two missing."
Research Team Leader's death followed by mysterious arson.
'Someone inside is attacking us.'
The thought flashed through everyone's minds.
"Not ghosts..."
"Maybe an unidentified alien aboard?"
"Hey! This a joke? Cut the nonsense!"
"Just a thought. Why's the Logistics Team Leader so worked up?"
"Ahem. N-Nothing."
"Bigger issue: no Research Team Leader body. Weren't we linking with pirates at C-08?"
At the reminder, Yuseong paled. Losing Kisaragi's body left him no cards.
He barked orders desperately.
"Find that body at all costs! Clear?"
"Catch the culprit first..."
"Damn it! This isn't just my problem. If you're worried about Noble Capital retaliation, cooperate fully!"
Yuseong was right. Kisaragi Yujin's death was unavoidable, but losing the body was indefensible.
They needed it intact, or a fate worse than death awaited.
"Crisis Management Team Leader."
"Yes, Captain."
"Contacted them?"
"Right after the meeting."
"Shit. Don't mention this—say the body's fine."
"You sure?"
"No way to handle it if we find it. Just find before rendezvous."
Risky gamble, but the Crisis Management Team Leader didn't object. Though Yuseong didn't know, he harbored other thoughts.
Like hiding a dagger, he bowed expressionlessly.
Next, Yuseong called the Security Team Leader.
Partly his fault, the man looked cowed.
Yuseong placed hands on his shoulders.
"You know? Must catch the culprit."
"W-We’re doing our best..."
"Best won't cut it. Search everyone if needed. Full authority delegated."
Despite total power, the Security Team Leader's face stayed grim.
'Can I even catch them?'
Unconfident, but he couldn't admit it.
"Ahem, I'll find them."
"I trust you."
Forced to bluff, the Security Team Leader replied.
As leaders dispersed in panic, the perpetrator watched from a ceiling vent.
Once they split, "it" silently tailed one.
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'Things are going perfectly.'
Hide my identity, sow chaos among enemies.
Fire was the way.
Mixing morgue chemicals—unthinkable for an alien.
No outsiders, so they'd suspect humans, not me.
Devoured all guard corpses, gathered chemicals. Dropped acidic blood on toxins—flames erupted.
'Reinforced Exoskeleton resists fire.'
Flames licked my body, but no heat. Casually crossed through, climbed to the ceiling.
Waiting nearby, crowds gathered. Fire out quick, but most inside ash.
Bodies handled well, smooth—except one close call.
'Didn't expect alien talk.'
Sharp team leader nearly gave me chills.
Logistics Team Leader's outburst buried it.
After, unaware I listened, they spilled key info.
'Pirates, huh. Captain's lost it.'
I know Space Dogs. Coalition of pirate races, self-styled star conquerors, aka space trash.
Mercs sometimes, but betray on whim. Better trust uncommunicative Aimorphs.
Captain likely planned pirate handoff to blame them for Kisaragi. If he knew them better, no way.
Someone egged him on.
'Crisis Management Team Leader leading it. Need to watch him.'
Maybe colluding with pirates.
'If pirates target this ship, what then?'
Pirate raid—not all good or bad.
Pro: Diverse races mean broad gene essence pool. Ambush during assault for easy gains.
'Con: Fewer essences from research ship.'
Pirate numbers unknown, but research ship unlikely to win. Guards sharing suits—can't beat battle-hardened pirates. Most crew die in fight, fewer essences for me.
'Table that.'
Need to gauge pirates first.
Lost in thought as meeting ended.
They dispersed to tasks; auxiliary senses pinged anomaly.
'That guy?'
Logistics Team Leader, who'd denied my existence—off.
Acting fine, but not. Heart racing double others, cold sweat under clothes. Classic tension signs.
'Why tense?'
No connection to this.
Curiosity piqued en route to nest. Tailed him.
He kept glancing back.
'Hiding honey pot for that reaction?'
Alert, he stopped.
Before him: the cargo bay.