Episode 69 - 07. Mess Around and Die +++
I figured the stocks had probably been dumped by now, and I'd likely clashed with some side-branch uncles too. It hit me that I needed at least a simple portable weapon, so I swung by a nearby gun shop.
Since I'd be heading to Militaris in a month to pick up Seol-i's custom gear anyway, I'd hold off on serious armament until then. For now, I was just looking for basic self-defense—something to use in a real pinch, literally.
But bang! - 1 point.
I fired ten rounds at the range attached to the shop, and only one hit. For the record, that one barely grazed the edge of the target, which is what "1 point" means.
"…."
Embarrassed, I played it cool like it was no big deal and set the gun down.
"Whoa."
Sua gasped in admiration.
"Sir, I've never seen a 1-point score before."
"…It's my first time shooting. Isn't that normal?"
"Sure, but this gun has a scope. Nine misses and one 1-point at 10 meters? That's…."
"…."
With nothing to say, I just placed the gun back on the rack.
'This is all because of (former) Ko Mu-yeol.'
No, it wasn't blaming others—it really was. My hands shake like hell when I hold a gun?? How the fuck am I supposed to aim like this?
"What do you mean? It's normal to miss on your first try. If that's still too hard, how about this model?"
The clerk flashed a sales smile and recommended another gun. The previous one had a scope; this was a bare-bones pistol with nothing.
Wouldn't this make it even worse?
"This model has an auto-aim module. It links with the bullet's trajectory device for some guided flight."
"So it hits if I just pull the trigger?"
"Ah… no, not quite. But if you aim roughly and fire, it's designed to veer toward the target as much as possible."
"Sounds expensive."
"Yes… a bit. But it's worth every penny."
I took the gun, loaded it, aimed at the target, and fired.
Bang! - 9 points.
"Oh?"
I fired a few more times. Scores bounced between 7 and 9 points—no complete misses.
"Nice."
It was plenty good for short-term use.
"Um… sir, about that model,"
Sua whispered to me.
"It has a high friendly-fire rate, so no one really uses it. If there are two or more people in front, you don't know who it'll hit."
"…."
Fuck no. Then it's useless unless you're in a warzone. What if I accidentally hit Sua or someone like that?
"It gets better linked with eye implants… but you can't get implants, right, young master?"
"Can't? Why do you think that?"
"Pardon?"
"?"
Sua looked like she was suffering cognitive dissonance.
"Chaebols… hate implants, don't they? You haven't gotten any… and the chairman wouldn't allow it…."
"Was that… the case?"
I hadn't because of possession memories, but looking at Ko Mu-yeol's body with nothing installed, Sua might be right.
Shit, I'd planned to train Seol-i and get her implants.
"Anyway, even with implants it's tricky; without, it's basically unusable."
"What about you? You could use it. Want me to buy one?"
"I don't need it. I never miss."
"That good?"
"I've won local shooting competitions a few times. I was an excellent cop."
"Oh, really?"
Sua grabbed the gun like she was showing off and fired. Faster than me—almost rapid-fire—nine 10s and one near-9 out of ten. She cleared ten targets in under five seconds.
"Whoaaa."
"Hehe."
She blew imaginary smoke from the barrel like a pro. I hadn't expected this level from her.
"What about Seol-i?"
"…."
Baekseol silently picked up the gun. She outdid Sua in speed and score.
"Wow. As expected of a knight."
"…."
Maybe I should just arm these two? That seemed right.
In the end, I'd come for my own weapon but ended up kitting out Sua and Seol-i too. I got one myself—the auto-aim model. Risk of friendly fire aside, it'd work in enemy-only situations. Or I'd just aim carefully….
"My real weapons come from Militaris. The most expensive ones."
This was just temporary. At Militaris, I'd get a full-body armored suit worth hundreds of billions. In the game, it was endgame gear; in reality, money, power, and connections get you anything. I had it all.
If I had extra, I'd outfit Sua too. I'd thought her stats made her iffy as a combat fuckhouse(?), but seeing her shoot like that, it wouldn't hurt.
"…Master."
As we boarded the AV, Sua swallowed hard and spoke. Her face said something big had happened.
"What?"
"Incheon's Chief Prosecutor… he's dead."
"Chief Prosecutor? That butter-fingered fucker?"
"Yes! Some thug on a bike pulled up during his commute and blasted him with a Terminator."
I pulled up MiTube. The algorithm was flooded with it. Leaked footage showed a bike zipping past his car and firing what looked like a Terminator. Nearby vehicles were totaled; estimated dead: 12.
Why estimated? Terminator shots shred people to bits….
"…."
Something felt off. Chief Prosecutor dead? With a Terminator, of all things?
I called Inaeun. She picked up after four rings.
"Yes~ Master. What can I do for you?"
"You sound calm. Figured it'd be chaos."
"Ah. A top prosecutor stays composed amid turmoil. It's not like your cock is plunging in and out of my pussy right now."
"…Special prosecutor pressure incoming?"
"Nothing solid yet. Too chaotic. But it'll come soon. The murder weapon was a Terminator."
Terminators were prosecutor-exclusive, restricted to special investigations, biometrically locked to registered prosecutors on the server. Yet the killer used one on the chief. Eyes would turn to the current special team.
'Another brake on the special prosecutors.'
The helmeted guy wasn't acting alone. Killing the chief with a Terminator solo? No way. Usage logs stay on the server, plus implant traces for escape. Using it was like confessing.
But they chose it anyway?
'A message and purpose. And backers for sure.'
Someone who could hack the prosecution server. Like how I'd used Seo Eun-mi to cover up that investigator's murder.
'Someone who can manipulate the server and kill a prosecutor without hesitation. With motive.'
Only one: Jeon Seong-hyeon's family.
"I get the sentiment. But did it have to be like this? Shame."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing. Talking to myself."
"We're starting a preliminary probe. Checking alibis of prosecutors who can use Terminators and requesting logs from prosecution IT."
"Good. Keep at it; report anything odd."
"Yes~."
Call ended.
"I'd wrapped it up gentlemanly. Now they push further."
Jeon Seong-hyeon had gone after my fuckhouse. I wanted to wipe his line, but held back. What sin did parents or siblings have? Dying out of nowhere would be tragic.
But they started it. Now I had to act.
Just the prosecutor? Maybe. But I'd killed their son; no guarantee that Terminator barrel aimed at a mere witness wouldn't turn on me. A madman with a gun could strike anytime.
'One odd thing… why not target me first?'
If it were me, I'd hit the biggest threat first. Why kill the prosecutor and give me prep time?
Then Gominji's words flashed back.
"Ah. No way."
"To warn me on purpose??"