Chapter 32
An ICE with a face identical to my past life's. Something's off. Every human ICE Alphabet had used so far was a genius bitmancer whose name was etched in history. But me? A guy who died when his cyberware surgery failed and his brain turned to udon noodles. I kicked the bucket before the war even started, before Alphabet was even born. What meaning could an ICE based on someone like that possibly have?
> Master, the appearance is weird.
> Cyberware loaded to the extreme.
Just as V said, the cyberware loaded onto that thing was all vicious-looking stuff. No thought given to aesthetics meant it had to be military-grade. Naturally, it boasted a bulk that put my past life's scrawny self to shame. A physique comparable to Vice Secretary-General Klaus or Saint Legion's Alpha. Of course, it wouldn't actually function. The thing was just data—an ICE, after all.
But that fact only deepened the dilemma. I was originally a pure human with zero cyberware, so I shouldn't have any. Yet this one did. If it was just data, there'd be no reason to slap on cyberware and alter the appearance. Which only adds evidence that the original me—the basis for this—did have cyberware. But what the hell "me" are we talking about here?
> Master, we have to capture it intact no matter what.
'Agreed.' That's the only way to crack open its skull and figure out what it really is.
The standoff dragged on. Staring at this motionless "me" from the past, I sorted through my thoughts. An ICE chosen by the command entity, an enemy scaled to the command entity's processing power. No doubt different from the degraded versions so far. So I took a cautious step forward.
The instant I did, it reacted. It raised a hand high and snapped its fingers. Its entire form immediately glitched into mosaic static. I couldn't see it clearly anymore. Then it moved behind the mosaic, and a massive barrier formed between us—a wall slicing cyberspace in two. As I pondered its intent while eyeing the thick mosaic buildup on the barrier, countless bullets pierced straight through it.
I hurriedly erected my own firewall as cover and ducked behind it.
> Enemy hack code intrusion. 7 instances.
> Emergency—repel them now.
I forged a dagger, embedded it with cyberdemon code, and plunged it into my chest, unleashing the demons into my system. The hack codes probing my neural net, V, and Z collided with them. I glanced at my fingertips. The mosaic creeping over my hand receded.
Emergency measures complete—for now. The immediate problem was the one-sided barrage from beyond the invisible wall.
'V, does Protocol Z have a counter for this?'
> Searching...
'Search under developer "Kang Seol."'
> Found. Two techniques exist.
Two of them? To buy time, I mass-produced cyberdemons and sent them at the wall. The gunfire shifted toward the bugs temporarily. In that gap, I scanned V's readout.
Technique four: Mosaic. Developer: Kang Seol. A technique that completely censors and distorts all data provided in cyberspace.
> Example code provided.
Reading V's provided code, I grasped the principle. I looked at the bugs clinging to the wall. Unlike before, none had penetrated inside. I received data from them.
'V, analyze.'
> Impossible. Not valid code.
The code from the demons was pure gibberish. Just as expected. This technique outputs completely falsified data to the outside. The real code could only be read by analyzing the mosaic pattern—which explained why the demons couldn't breach it. A threatening code using a principle similar to ImmuneWire's cloaking but entirely different in execution. Unlike cloaking, which could be dispelled, in a situation where we knew each other's presence, this was overwhelmingly superior.
'V, begin.'
> Reversing pattern based on Z.
> Will take some time.
Next up: breaching that barrier. I loaded the mosaic technique into a dagger and hurled it at the wall. The gunfire from the other side halted. Right on prediction. The wall was just a transparent barrier with no real function. But mosaicked to blind the opponent, allowing one-sided shooting from behind it. Now I'd mosaicked it right back.
Don't let your guard down yet. This enemy was the master of this technique. If we could reverse the mosaic, so could it. Sure enough, a wave of hack code rippled across the entire wall. Every demon clawing at it melted away in an instant. Then the bullets poured again.
I took cover behind the wall like before, but this time was different. Small panels spawned around me, deflecting bullets to bypass my cover and slam into me.
> Hit 4 times.
I reacted instantly, throwing up firewalls in all directions, but couldn't block the follow-ups. I stabbed another dagger into my chest, injecting more cyberdemons into my system. Investing so much processing power internally was putting me at a disadvantage...
> Intruding enemy codes hiding to survive.
> Enemy targeting and firing at those codes.
Using the codes already inside me to fire guided missiles at my invisible position. Mosaic-induced information asymmetry. Yeah, this was info warfare, electronic warfare. If Clea was facing a human bitmancer for the first time, this was my first real adult bitmancer. I could feel the skill gap.
But I wouldn't fall behind.
> Mosaic pattern analysis complete.
> Applying to Master.
With V's signal, I burst from cover. The enemy beyond the wall was crystal clear. I aimed precisely and fired.
> 6 hits.
From the hits? The enemy paused its attack and threw up its own firewall. I spotted my intruding codes rampaging in its system, only to be blocked by its internal defenses—just like it had done to me. My codes retreated to survive. Realizing it'd been analyzed, the enemy's mosaic pattern shifted. The barrier mosaicked over again, hiding it. But thanks to my codes inside, I knew its position.
Now we were on equal footing. Time to overwhelm. I forged another dagger, loaded it with massive erosion code, and flung it at the barrier. The entire wall flashed white, purging all data inside and claiming ownership for me—including the enemy's mosaic tech.
The enemy approached the wall and punched it apart with raw fists. Then we unleashed hell at each other. Codes from my body and its shifted to the bullets. Bullets streaked toward each other, shattering midair from embedded code collisions. In combat where we'd both infiltrated each other, this spectacle was possible because every data burst carried our codes.
This boiled down to raw processing power. I hardened my bullets, ramped up fire rate, and pushed with brute force. As my front line advanced, it made a new call. The mosaic twitched subtly. I couldn't see details, but the result was massive: the entire data net disintegrated.
Before I could parse it, we reset to the starting point without context.
'Did this bastard just reboot the wireless net?'
> Same conclusion.
Getting foiled by a mere 'reboot' was frustrating, but it filled me with exhilaration. Escaping a bad spot with such simple creativity—that was war-era bitmancer prowess.
We both shifted mosaic patterns to hide and dissolved our guns to purge embedded codes. Perfect neutrality reformed, where neither could strike.
I wouldn't waste it. Neither would it.
'V, what's the second technique?'
> Analyzing...
> Complete.
V fed me more data. Long-awaited technique five: Human ICE Enlightenment. Developers: Kang Seol and "Seoul."
Seoul? Not a person's name. The agent from the footage who looked like my little sister—the one who helped Davi Alencar capture Alphabet? No, focus on the technique's purpose.
Human ICE Enlightenment: A code to swiftly neutralize bitmancers turned into ICE even after death. Simple function—partially restores lingering humanity and memories, making them abandon the fight themselves. Ironic that its creator ended up as the ICE before me.
Structure-wise, one solid hit would do it. Problem: how to land it amid mosaics preventing easy targeting. How to force a slugfest?
> Master already wielding genius tech from the same era as the enemy.
> Enemy will see Master as a severe threat.
> Understands human speech—recommend taunt.
Good idea. The mad thrill from combat hormones made me confident.
I deliberately dropped my mosaic, beckoned it with a "come here" gesture, and declared:
"No matter what it takes, I'll surpass you and shatter the system you're guarding."
Whatever expression it made behind the mosaic? Didn't matter. Time for some Korean after ages.
"Come at me, you bastard."
Ah, pronunciation's off. Cyberspace trembled unstably. The enemy sparked purple, radiating overwhelming pressure.
> Warning: Enemy overclock.
> Potential processing surging.
> Neural damage risk—humans must never use.
An ICE based on a human shouldn't use it. Alphabet-tuned, maybe?
> Enemy hardware collapsing.
Cyberspace warping from that, no doubt. Then a massive mosaic formed around it. Preparing something huge, clearly. Using a big move when we couldn't see each other? Mutual destruction—like closing eyes and full-force punching each other's solar plexus.
Perfect. Exactly what I wanted.
> Master, fighting!
> ༼ つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
V's having fun now? This one shot could kill me, you know? Whatever happened to the V that'd collapse if I died?
> Not dead yet.
She's first-rate now. Makes sense—no time for emotional processing when I'm repeatedly charging death. V's self-improvement, I guess.
Back to the fight. Guns? Useless—firewall and done. After brief thought, I had a plan. Forged a dagger and dropped it on the floor. Recalled the tank from entering the factory. Generated its cannon. But really, a massive DDoS bomb in cannon form. Let's see if it survives this.
I condensed power max until it moved. Waited, waited. The mosaic twitched faintly.
Fired the cannon. Enemy countered: dozens of firewalls from overclocked power blocked it, then swung a cyberspace-cleaving mega-weapon.
But its weapon halted before me. Mosaic dropped; weapon deconstructed into data. It looked down. Cyberdemon bugs had climbed its legs, infiltrating its system.
The cannon was a feint for eyes. Demons were AIs too. I'd taught them V's mosaic reversal, loaded it into the floor dagger, and broadcast via data net.
Didn't take long for the intruding demons to crumble the ICE. I stared at it. Kang Seol. His own code was that potent.
But this wasn't destruction. It restored humanity.
Seol placed a hand gently on my cheek, utterly non-threatening.
> "Why's a kid like you here...?"
"...You're talking?"
Seol glanced at himself, spotted the purple data block, and seemed to grasp everything.
> "Ah, I got got..."
> "...Guess you finished the code I passed on."
ICE conversion side effects made his tone unstable. And... "passed on"? The enlightenment code?
While I mulled that, V spoke first.
> Master.
> Analysis: All human ICEs based on final moments. Strongest then.
> Prior memories purged for ICE use, but last instant always recorded.
> Can extract info from this instance.
I nodded quietly at the pitying gaze from Seol—my past face.
"...I need a favor."
> "...What?"
"I'll peek at your internal data."
Seol looked conflicted but soon nodded and sat quietly. Seeing my past-life face like that felt surreal.
'Use more code to recover all internal memories.'
> Command acknowledged.
Forged a dagger, embedded the code, and carefully stabbed his shoulder.
> Recovering internal data per protocol...
> Emergency! Unblockable data.
'What?'
> Self-data identical. Ego fusion risk—warning.
V's voice cut off there. Why? In my fading consciousness, a new scene unfolded.
Another night staring at the sky, scribbling in my diary with pencil. Pencil data—Alphabet can't see it.
"The Seoul sky from childhood wasn't that clean, but tonight's especially dark. No moon. Actually, it's been like this since the war started. Cleaning toxins from my combat eyes, I always marvel at fighting with such shit vision. Front lines teetering. Sedatives and neural meds depleted, yet my subordinates are still in cyberspace. Every unit requests e-war support, but we can't handle it. Higher-ups eyeing retreat. If we fall back, Seoul's next—dunno how long Korea holds. First successful spinal cyberware patient, pioneer treatment back then. Now just surviving day by day. As always, closing the diary: Little sis, be happy there."
Closed the diary, dumped ice water on my head. Lingering heat from prolonged cyberspace. A subordinate approached silently. No words, but I asked first.
"...Who died?"
Habit now. Emotions sink like a program. Hear the name, file the report. But his words were totally different.
"Major, a woman claiming to be your sister came to the unit."
"What?"
Couldn't process. My sister vanished on the Manchuria front ages ago. Her suddenly seeking me? "She has companions. Ten total."
"ID check?"
"Nothing."
"...Weird."
Panicked then, but later I learned: ten suicide hopefuls hunting Alphabet. Data fully purged, untraceable—but the ten special agents of Operation Icarus. And my beloved little sister among them.