Promotion
Swoo put off meeting Philip and Lewis for later.
Meeting them before Draco's suspicions had fully deepened would be a poor move.
Not that she wanted their suspicions to grow. It was just a small, selfish desire of Swoo's to observe the situation a little longer.
Similarly, she didn't have any deep conversations with Angela either. Hadn't Angela promised? That she would tell her what she was hiding on the day Enoch returned.
Swoo decided to respect Angela's wishes.
Perhaps Angela sensed Swoo's intentions, because after two days, she returned to her usual self.
Having fully recovered her composure over those two days, Angela offered Swoo a quiet word of thanks and turned on the VPN for her.
And on the third day.
After browsing various online communities to gather information and play a few minor pranks, Swoo immediately set to work on fast-tracking Serena's promotion.
The task wasn't difficult; she just had to make it so Lui Chen had no choice but to accept Serena's project.
The West Development Project.
Quite literally, it was a project to colonize the areas ravaged by electromagnetic storms.
To outsiders, it probably seemed meaningless.
Others might even dismiss it as an idiotic waste of time.
After all, issues regarding resources and the environment had been resolved long ago, allowing everyone to live comfortably within the current borders of Eden.
Yet, they were going to pour astronomical amounts of money and resources into exploring the outside world.
It was madness, something no sane person would attempt.
But that was only the perspective of those who didn't understand the desires of the ruling class.
Eden's elite wanted something far greater and more advanced than the technology they had built so far—a mystery capable of shattering all the laws of physics.
And that mystery lay outside Eden.
Under these circumstances, Serena's project was bound to be highly attractive. However, they would be worried about its feasibility. The funding, time, and manpower required to execute it would be staggering.
That was why Swoo planned to show them just a tiny glimpse of its feasibility.
"I only recently found out through word of mouth that the megacorps were planning something like this..."
On the rooftop of the tallest business tower in South Peak, Angela asked, her breath puffing white in the cold air.
"Didn't Serena just submit the project proposal yesterday? Are you saying there's already equipment that can prove it works?"
"Yep, it should be out."
"Where?"
"Over there."
Angela's gaze followed Swoo's pointing finger.
Her mouth fell open in disbelief.
It was the place they had broken into before...
Or, to use Swoo's words, the Zyrec research facility they had briefly "visited." The very same lab where they had "borrowed" the MG-02.
Angela shivered slightly and looked at Swoo.
"...We're going back there?"
"Yep."
"Are you going to smash everything on your way in this time too?"
"I didn't break anything."
"Hundreds of drones were destroyed back then, not to mention dozens of warehouse security drones and turrets."
"They ran into me and broke themselves. I didn't break them. I promised Angela I wouldn't."
...Technically, she was right.
When Angela had hacked the security cameras from the outside to watch Swoo, the girl hadn't launched a single direct attack.
She had literally just walked forward, and everything that tried to stop her crashed and shattered on its own... That was how it looked.
Granted, the pursuit on the way out had been so intense that even Angela had to move frantically to escape, but Swoo herself hadn't broken anything.
At least, not directly.
"Is it going to be like that again...?"
"No, I'll be much quieter this time."
"So you do admit it was loud back then?"
"Hehe."
What was she going to do with this cheeky brat?
Angela let out a sigh, a wry smile playing on her lips.
Angela was now certain that Swoo had figured out her identity. Yet, seeing how Swoo asked no questions and continued to trust her, Angela decided to place her unconditional trust in Swoo as well.
"How can I help you?"
"You demon!! Why!!! Why have you come to find me again!!! Stop!! Stop stealing from me, you fiend!!!!"
"You moved your lab again? I almost walked into the wrong room."
Leaving Dr. Ryuzgwang screaming and thrashing with his limbs tied up, Swoo rummaged through his storage room.
"Do you happen to have any exploration drones you made?"
"I don't!!! Even if I did, I wouldn't give it to you!!! Just kill me!!! Kill me and take it, you monster!!!!"
Infiltrating Ryuzgwang's lab was not difficult.
Previously, she had no choice but to "visit" through the front door, but now that she had the Space Shift magic, she could slip in quietly by following Angela's directions to a blind spot in the security cameras.
As a result, the only person aware of Swoo's visit was Ryuzgwang himself.
The security feeds visible in Ryuzgwang's private lab confirmed this; everyone else in the facility was going about their peaceful daily routines.
"What's this? Handcuffs? But they bend so easily."
"That is a magnificent invention that someone like you shouldn't even lay a finger on!!! Put it down this instant!! I said put it—"
*Snap!*
"Ah, it broke."
"Huh?"
"It must have been defective."
"SCREEEEEEEEECH—!!"
The implant-dampening handcuffs, which had cost thirty percent of his monthly research budget to create, were now broken.
It was the masterpiece he had planned to present at this month's project showcase, his proudest invention meant to finally catch up with Neonic's implant development speed—and it was broken.
One might think it could easily be remade with the blueprints, but the creation of that prototype had relied on a stroke of miraculous luck. He was supposed to analyze its operating principles and slowly disassemble it to map out the design process, but now, it was broken.
"JUST KILL MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!"
"Was it important? Sorry. But if it's important, tell me what it does first. I'll make good use of it."
"SCREEEEEEEEECH!!!"
His face turning a deep crimson, Ryuzgwang thrashed with all his might, screaming in sheer fury. His blood pressure must have spiked to its limit, as tears of blood began to drip from his eyes.
Swoo looked around for something to gag him with, but gave up and went back to rummaging through the storage room. Since he practically blurted out information about whatever she picked up, there was no need to keep him quiet.
"That is camouflage skin that someone like you shouldn't touch! Put it down before you get it dirty—!"
And so, she pocketed the useful items.
"If you're going to take something, take that instead—"
She gently put back the useless ones.
"Please, please!! Not that one. I'm begging you, please put it... SCREEEEECH!!!"
And she accidentally broke the ones that seemed dangerous because he refused to explain their function.
"Oh, is this the exploration drone?"
"Gurgle..."
"No, I don't need the blueprints. I'll just make good use of the drone. Thanks, Ryuzgwang."
Swoo had found the exploration drone that would be most helpful for Serena's promotion.
This exploration drone was the one described in the short epilogue that played alongside the credits when one cleared the game.
It was a memoir of the first person to step into the Dead Sector outside Eden, and Swoo remembered the line stating that the first step taken by a machine, rather than a human, was thanks to Ryuzgwang's drone—along with its blueprints.
That was why she had come here herself, and sure enough, Ryuzgwang had completed the exploration drone around this time.
Of course, it was still a prototype with many flaws, but there was no better tool to push Serena's project forward.
"Make sure to apply hand cream and eat well. Watch out for diabetes, though. Get checked every three months, okay?"
Ryuzgwang only twitched, as if he no longer had the strength to struggle. Swoo bid him a friendly farewell before walking away.
There was absolutely no reason to be cold to a friend who always made the necessary equipment right on time.
"...You really went quietly this time, didn't you?"
"Yep. I don't lie."
What was she going to do with that cheeky face?
Angela contented herself with brushing away a stray strand of hair Swoo was chewing on, then started the car.
"Is that the equipment to help Serena get promoted?"
"Yeah. The headquarters executives are coming down for a site inspection at dawn, so all I have to do is throw the drone in time."
"You're going to throw it yourself?"
"Yep. Might as well get familiar with the faces from headquarters."
The Lui Chen headquarters executives had already entered Westtown. Since Serena had contacted her, this was certain.
After touring the Neural Engineering Research Department, the executives would head to the western edge of Westtown.
Naturally, Serena would be with them. She had to present her project proposal right in front of the western barrier wall.
Swoo planned to demonstrate there that Serena's project was indeed feasible.
It wasn't hard. She just had to pilot this drone through the electromagnetic storm.
Just one hundred meters. If it could advance that far, it would lend immense credibility and feasibility to Serena's project.
"Oh."
So the five stages of grief are real.
Swoo slowly savored the emotional roller coaster Serena had just displayed and sent a reply.
"Swoo, shall we head out now?"
"Yep. Let's grab hamburgers on the way."
"...Aren't you nervous?"
Angela's question and Serena's reply arrived at the exact same time.
Serena must have been very glad to hear from her.
Swoo chuckled softly and nodded.
"Yep. You don't need to be nervous either, Angela."
If anything, the ones who should be nervous were the Lui Chen executives.
If the person who would pose the greatest obstacle to tearing down Lui Chen in the near future was among them, Swoo fully intended to eliminate them right then and there.