System Hacking
The fishing boat sliced through the sea. Amid the damp sea breeze mixed with the fishy tang of iron—blood—the deck was littered with seawater stained red. The five smuggling ship crew members who should have been standing at their posts were nowhere to be seen.
Well, I knew exactly where they'd gone. I'd watched with my own eyes as the woman wiping down her stiletto and the one checking her gun tossed them overboard into the depths below.
It was just a memory too terrifying to dwell on, so the boat's captain—former captain, now—could only huddle in place, trembling.
Why former? Because the boat's new owner wasn't a man anymore. And to prove it, the woman who sheathed her stiletto approached him.
"Let's see... You know by now you're no match for us. So, will you cooperate nicely, or do I have to cut off a piece first to make you cooperate?"
"Y-yes, I'll cooperate quietly! Please, just spare my life...!"
With all his men dead in less than a minute, the man had no other choice. He already knew she wasn't some ordinary fighter without her saying it. He bowed his head low and answered.
Satisfied with that, she grinned and spoke.
"Good, I like a cooperative attitude. If only you'd stuck to just smuggling from the start without any funny business."
"Y-yeah, you're right, haha..."
Crazy bitch. As if any smuggling operation ran clean without side hustles. The words circled in his mind, but he wasn't dumb enough to spit them out.
And so, grabbed by the scruff of his neck, he was dragged to the wheelhouse and made to steer the boat. Under the watchful eyes of the two women taking turns in the wheelhouse, he had no choice but to focus solely on smuggling them to safety—until they reached Shanghai.
On the outermost edge of Shanghai, in a dark abandoned port without a single streetlight, the fishing boat pushed through floating garbage and came to a stop.
"Ugh... stiff as hell. Finally here?"
"Y-yes! We're here! So, can I go now...?"
As I stood from the boat that had finally brought me here, the captain—Kwon Ji-yul's pistol pressed to the back of his head—cautiously spoke up. His expression screamed he wanted to bolt from us right then.
Bad news for him, but we still needed the boat. Finding a new smuggling ride for the return trip would be a hassle, especially without entry records—we couldn't just hop a plane back.
So, I took the stiletto from him and nodded to Kwon Ji-yul.
"Ji-yul, you brought the bomb, right?"
"Yeah, of course."
"B-bomb? Wait, what do you mean bomb—?!"
The captain broke into a cold sweat at our exchange, but with my stiletto at his throat, all he could do was flap his mouth.
Kwon Ji-yul pulled a stick-on bomb from the bag packed with drones, ammo, and hacking tools. After a few adjustments, she slapped it right in the center of the boat.
"If you try to rip it off by force or half-ass the disarm, the whole boat goes down with you. So don't touch it, and just come back here in three days. Got it?"
"Well..."
The captain mumbled vaguely, clearly hating the idea of picking us up again.
But we weren't thrilled about hunting down another smuggler either.
"Oh, and even if you pry it from the floor or pay big bucks for an expert to disarm it, our intel network could track you down in a day. So unless you're vanishing to another country for good, just give us a lift back in three days and we part clean. Sound good?"
"...Y-yes, understood."
He flinched, shoulders shaking—probably planning exactly that—then nodded meekly. He didn't seem keen on fleeing abroad either. I gave Kwon Ji-yul a thumbs-up.
With our free ride home secured for three days later, all that was left was completing the mission.
"Ready to go?"
"Yeah, let's move."
We stepped out from the dark alley toward the neon-lit streets in the distance.
We'd moved from Shanghai's outskirts to a decent mid-ring area. In those streets buzzing with flashy neon signs and all sorts of people, our first stop was grabbing a place to crash.
Not a legit hotel needing ID—just an illegal flop house, no questions asked. We had to hole up here for three days, so lodging was priority one.
Even among the shady spots, we picked one with minimal drama potential, then hailed a taxi straight to central Shanghai.
Vroom—
"Let's see... this the spot?"
"Yeah, looks right on the map."
We'd arrived at the location from the file Jin Yeon-ah sent: Huangpu District in Shanghai.
I double-checked the buildings Shim Hyuk-jin frequented from her info, then took the hacking tools from Kwon Ji-yul.
"Just plug these into the management room's system, right?"
"Yep, I'll handle the rest remotely once they're in. Just plant 'em and get out."
The file listed five buildings Shim Hyuk-jin often visited. No way we could patrol all five on foot.
Plan B: Kwon Ji-yul hacks their security systems to pinpoint him.
All five were VIP clubs or high-end lounges requiring card scans for entry. Hack the systems, and we'd know instantly which one he hit.
I pocketed the tools and headed to the nearest club.
Step—step—
"Crowded as hell."
As I neared the club, I saw people in skin-baring outfits or flashy designer gear swiping cards at the guarded entrance and slipping inside. Unlike regular clubs with long lines, this was elite access only.
"Front door's a no-go."
If there'd been a line, I could've stirred chaos to slip in, but breaching that gate? Near impossible. In my scruffy getup, loitering out front would just draw suspicion.
Instead, I slipped to the side alley clogged with trash.
Dodging the stench, deeper in, I spotted several doors. Two guys in club uniforms—name tags visible—smoking behind them. I crept up silently.
Here we go...
Soundless steps. Silent walk, they call it.
Sure, I'd fought by killing everyone in sight if needed—no witnesses left—but at my core, I was an assassin. No civilians around my targets before, and my mods made direct fights easier anyway.
Point is, I was a real assassin.
They puffed away, oblivious even as I closed in right behind.
Thwack!
I snapped their necks quick, propped the unconscious pair against the wall, and slipped through the alley door into the club.
Staff lounge?
It led straight to a waiting room. Lockers everywhere, some open with uniforms inside—yep, definite.
No other staff around, lucky. I cracked the inner door and stepped into the service corridor.
Once you're in like this, the rest is cake.
Management rooms are usually first floor or basement. But in places with separated staff halls like this, they're often along the corridor.
"Ah, so tiring. When the hell does today's shift end?"
"Right? Just wanna head home and crash."
I dodged passing staff by ducking into empty spots or clinging to the ceiling, scanning doors until—jackpot: the management room.
Found it!
Screens full of CCTV feeds, wires dangling everywhere. The tech had his back to the door, glued to a game—perfect. I slipped in soundlessly, plugged in a hacking tool, and ghosted out the same way.
Back in the staff lounge, a text from Kwon Ji-yul pinged.
"Roger that. Four to go."
One down out of five. The remaining four? Under four hours, every tool planted.