So That's How It Turned Out!
“I see. So you’re talking about Laser. I’ve seen the two of them meeting in private a few times, though.”
Laser and Vance had a connection I hadn’t known about at all. I kept my surprise off my face and simply nodded as if I had expected exactly this.
The information had come at me half by accident, but there was no reason not to use it.
“Vance won’t suspect Laser of approaching him any more than he already does.”
“That man is arrogant and convinced he controls everything. If Laser offers him information, he’ll be tempted even while he’s suspicious.”
“But will Laser actually help? We’re teammates, yet he’s a total unknown…”
Yuna opened her mouth hesitantly.
“He’s blunt and irritating, but he’s no fool who would ever betray us.”
Gideon answered without hesitation.
“Let’s flesh out the plan. What fake information, when and how to leak it, and what each of us does?”
The most tempting bait for Vance was always anything tied to the Genesis Seed.
With Doctor’s help we had Gideon command a secret extraction of a core sample from the Genesis Seed project. We would also tamper with fake data and communications records claiming that the security systems had been briefly disabled during the transfer.
Late in the afternoon I found myself in Laser’s private office.
“Kang Jinwoo. You’ve been hard to find lately.”
The complaint in his voice was obvious, but the old muttering from our first meeting was nowhere to be heard.
“I’ve got something to talk about.”
“I already know the story. Gideon called me this morning and mentioned you tampered with the information file.”
Laser dropped into the couch, popped the tab on an energy drink, and stared at the hologram screen with a heavy sigh.
“What the hell were you thinking when you built a mecha like that? Must be because you’re a former Keraunos mercenary. Rough around the edges.”
“You were the one who issued the challenge.”
Laser glanced sideways at me and let out a short laugh.
“True enough.”
The calm reaction was nothing like the rage I had expected. I had figured he would shout and order me out of his sight the moment we met. Instead the encounter felt oddly smooth.
“So what do you plan to do?”
“Of course I’ll do it. Vance is an eyesore.”
His answer came faster than I anticipated.
He must have already decided after Gideon’s call.
“But there’s a condition.”
“A condition?”
“Your piloting skill. You’ll have to tell me that secret.”
“It’s no secret. Anyone with half a brain would know.”
Laser crushed the empty energy-drink can in one hand and hurled it into the trash.
“Everyone else would think the same thing if they faced you. Do you really believe only you can make time slow down? Don’t just wave it off as raw talent or ability.”
Laser’s eyes burned with sharp intensity.
“Unless you’re some psychically enhanced freak who secretly received experimental psi abilities like city legends.”
He ran a hand through his already messy hair as if he couldn’t believe the words that had left his mouth.
“Damn it, you really are thinking like Doctor.”
“Talent is talent.”
He frowned at my reply.
“I don’t get it, like Titan. If you had Titan’s bulk you might understand. How do you even survive that acceleration?”
“If you want, I can spar with you anytime. You’ll learn something after enough repetitions.”
“Cocky bastard.”
Laser bowed his head, then nodded.
“Fine. You’re telling me you won’t reveal it? I didn’t expect anything else anyway.”
He waved me off as if the matter was settled.
“You can go now. I’ll make sure the information reaches him.”
“Are you sure I can trust you?”
“What do you think I am?”
“All right, I’ll trust you.”
“Then get out.”
********
Late that night, in Vance’s office overlooking the glittering night view of Icarus Technology’s Far East Branch.
Vance stared at his data pad as if lost in thought.
A moment later a private call came through on his secure channel.
The sender was Laser.
A faint smile curved Vance’s lips.
“Just as I thought. After everything he’s done to you, you’re still sitting on it?”
Soon after, Laser stepped into the office.
His face showed unshakeable resolve, yet a forced anger and betrayal were subtly mixed in.
“Sir, I have something to report.”
“What is it? Your expression looks troubled.”
Laser clenched his fist and spoke.
“Gideon wants to expel me completely. That bastard Jinwoo…”
After calming himself he continued.
“Since he humiliated and discarded me, he’s been ignoring me. Even tried to pin my mistakes on me.”
He laid out the stories Vance would love.
“I acquired information by chance.”
Laser placed the data chip—tampered with by Doctor—into Vance’s hand.
“What is this?”
“Gideon is trying to smuggle a core sample of the Genesis Seed project out of the facility. This is the evidence.”
Vance accepted the chip and immediately began examining it.
At first he watched with interest, then suspicion deepened into outright doubt.
“Why would you bring this to me? You didn’t order it. We’re not that close.”
Laser shouted in a voice thick with rage, as if he had been waiting for this moment.
“I want revenge! He insulted me and threw me away. And that Jinwoo—I want to destroy him with my own hands!”
Vance gave a satisfied smirk.
Yes. Your pathetic personality is finally helping me.
“If you help me implant this core sample into my mecha, I will gladly assist.”
Vance watched Laser in silence and recalled their private conversations from the past.
His ambitions, iron pride, and desperate hunger for power had been obvious.
Gideon had discarded him and he was desperately switching sides.
If this information is real, I’ll finally have a chance to checkmate Gideon and seize the Genesis Seed.
Vance still harbored doubts, but the opportunity was too perfect to ignore.
Everything was aligning too neatly to simply send him away.
“All right. Proceed with the project first. Give him a chance to take revenge.”
“Thank you!”
“However, I need to verify this information myself before I act. Until then, do nothing rash.”
“Understood, sir.”
When Laser left the office and the door closed behind him, Vance let out a deep sigh.
“Should I really trust him? I’d better verify it myself.”
He stood and walked to the top-security terminal in the corner of the room.
This was equipment capable of direct access to Icarus’s highest information network, far beyond any standard business terminal.
Vance’s fingers danced across the keyboard.
He began digging deeply into the core of the information Laser had provided.
Bypassing multiple layers of firewalls and encrypted nodes, he finally reached the server node estimated to hold Gideon’s unofficial command records and detailed security logs from the affected area.
“Found it.”
He scanned the recent command records and security logs at lightning speed.
And his eyes widened.
Within the exact time window provided by Laser, there was a record of Gideon’s direct authority temporarily lowering the security clearance of that sector.
“This is genuine.”
Of course, every record was a flawless fake planted by Doctor.
Designed with perfect timing to turn Vance’s growing suspicion into absolute certainty.
As soon as Vance accessed it, all his system logs and search content were quietly transmitted to a separate channel.
Gideon finally slipped up. After that last mission, he must have been flustered. But attempting to steal the project won’t save him now.
A greedy smile spread across Vance’s face.
He immediately connected to secure communications.
“Plan change. I’ve acquired excellent information. Check the transmitted content. It has been cross-verified, so it’s trustworthy.”
He paused, then added.
“He was trying to leak the information, so immediate arrest should cause no trouble. I’ll take full responsibility. Proceed.”
********
“We got him immediately.”
The entire team had gathered in Gideon’s office.
“Vance managed to access the server node we guided him to and viewed Gideon’s unofficial command records.”
Gideon tapped a few more keys and a new window opened.
“While he was connected, our tracking packets were activated inside his private security network. We now have his exact location, recent communications, and even some of his fund movements.”
“Excellent work, Aris.”
Gideon declared proudly.
“It’s nothing special. We also have the evidence we planted inside Gideon’s system, all backed up safely.”
Doctor’s fingers flew across the screen, typing in code that looked like gibberish to anyone else.
He flashed a twisted smile.
“Tonight’s your turn to work hard. Keep monitoring Vance’s communications and track his movements in real time. Block all external communications from the area and ensure that no emergency report is sent to Icarus security until our operation ends.”
“Understood, Commander.”
The next morning.
Vance arrived at the fake information site with his troops, but the surrounding area was deathly silent.
“This can’t be right. He couldn’t have mixed up morning and afternoon.”
Vance searched frantically through the information he had prepared.
At that exact moment armed soldiers closed in from all sides, forming a perfect encirclement.
“W-what?! What is this?!”
Vance shouted in confusion.
Between the soldiers Gideon stepped forward calmly.
“Vance Chief.”
“Gideon! What are you doing?!”
“It’s simple. The culprit who let greed and power blind him has been arrested for attempting to sell the company to an enemy faction.”
“No evidence and you’re still talking nonsense?”
Gideon advanced one step with a relaxed smile.
“It’s already too late. Give up. You reported the information you gathered about working with Nexus and trapping our elite pilots to higher command, didn’t you?”
“W-what?! That record was supposed to be destroyed!”
“It remains on the server untouched.”
Doctor spoke tiredly, with Titan, Yuna, and Laser standing behind him.
“My Atlas was ruined because of that bastard!”
“We almost died.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Laser smirked as he looked at Vance.
“L-Laser? You were all in on this from the start?!”
“Without this guy your plan would have succeeded and we would all be gone.”
Kang Jinwoo stood casually beside Gideon and offered a small smile.