The Cyborg Bodyguard's Optical Camouflage
America's technological prowess *** so enjoyable. My head swam with booze, beautiful women flanking me on both sides—what wasn't there to love about this? Shim Hyuk-jin chewed on the snacks fed to him by his own mouth, downing shot after shot. Nodding along to the chatter of the women beside him, he couldn't imagine a better time. A smile never left his lips.
"Oh my, the snacks are all gone already?"
But then one woman's words shattered the blissful mood. At her mention of the empty plates, Shim Hyuk-jin waved his arm dismissively and spoke up.
"Pfft, just order more! What's the big deal? Let me see... the call button's this one, right?"
No matter how pricey the VIP club's premium dishes were, they were pocket change compared to his wealth—like buying a single bag of chips. Without a second thought, he snatched up the call button. But even after pressing it repeatedly, no guards appeared. Shim Hyuk-jin tilted his head in confusion.
"Huh? What the hell are they doing out there? They should come running the second I hit this!"
What could possibly be keeping the guards? Unless they'd all dropped dead, this made no sense. Raising his voice in frustration at the inexplicable delay, Shim Hyuk-jin kept jabbing the button. His reputation was on the line here. Even after several more presses, the silence from outside only fueled his rising anger. Sensing his mood shift, the women awkwardly fell silent.
"These fuckers, what the hell are they—"
As rage boiled over and Shim Hyuk-jin shot to his feet, storming toward the door, a woman suddenly appeared before him, blocking his path.
Click—
"Please wait."
"Huh?"
No, calling her just a "woman" didn't do her justice. Her body was covered in metallic machinery, a full-body suit clinging seamlessly to her form, overlaid with a symphony of devices—like a cyborg straight out of sci-fi.
"Eek?!"
"W-what?! There was nothing there a second ago!"
The women shrieked in panic at her sudden appearance, but not Shim Hyuk-jin. He knew her well. She was the bodyguard assigned by the American company that had scouted him, always concealed until now. And she only revealed herself in one situation: when he was in danger. His alcohol-fueled fury chilled in an instant.
"W-what's going on? Trouble outside?"
"Yes. I can't guarantee it'll end well if you go out there now."
With that, she stepped forward again, blocking him firmly. Her resolute tone sobered him halfway, and he retreated to his seat. Nothing mattered more than his life, after all. Glancing at her as she drew her weapon and guarded the door, he let out a silent sigh of relief. Whatever was happening outside, his bodyguard had it covered.
Settling back into his chair, legs crossed, Shim Hyuk-jin fixed his gaze on the door ahead.
"……."
"……."
A heavy silence blanketed the room, tension coiling like a spring against the unknown threat lurking beyond. That silence shattered when the door to Shim Hyuk-jin's room flew open with brutal force.
BAM—!!!
A woman strode in, having kicked the door savagely wide. It was just a kick, but the heavy metal door crumpled like paper, the imprint of her foot etched into it—a terrifying sight. Shim Hyuk-jin swallowed dryly without thinking.
"Hmmm……."
The woman let out a low hum, her eyes scanning the room like a predator hunting prey. Leisurely, confidently, her gaze swept the space—until it locked onto one person: Shim Hyuk-jin, seated and staring right back.
BAM—!!!
I kicked the door open with flair, and Kwon Ji-yul's snark came through my in-ear piece. I wanted to snap back, but with the mission target right in front of me, I couldn't waste time on petty banter. Eyes fixed on Shim Hyuk-jin inside the room at last, I drew my stiletto blades.
"But... what is that?"
Try as I might to focus on Shim Hyuk-jin, my eyes kept drifting to the woman stealing my attention. Covered head to toe in mechanical gear, she was no ordinary sight. Probably his hired muscle—a bodyguard or personal assassin. To kill Shim Hyuk-jin, I'd have to take her out first. I sized her up coolly.
But before I could finish assessing her, Shim Hyuk-jin piped up in a cocky drawl.
"What the fuck are you doing? You think you know where you are, wrecking the place like this?"
Flanked by his girls, his deliberately lowered voice grated on my ears. I couldn't make heads or tails of it—just noise. Frowning, I shot back.
"Quit your yapping. Aren't you Korean? Why the hell are you speaking Chinese?"
"...What? Sent from Korea? The Central government?"
His arrogant tone cracked, a bead of cold sweat forming as he straightened up. From his reaction, he seemed to grasp why I was here.
"Yeah, you steal once and run—why poke the Central bear again? Now I've gotta drag my ass all the way here."
"Hah, you think you can handle this? Touch me, and you're messing with not just China but America too. The company I'm with is tight with the US government."
Even knowing I was here to kill him, he kept up his smug front. His gaze flicked to the spot where the mechanical woman stood guard over him.
"Ah, so she's the bodyguard your American company assigned?"
"Yeah, trash like you assassins won't lay a finger on me. Baek Ya-seong? Hwanghon? Don't care where you're from, but she's pathetic—taking some pointless job and heading to her death."
Leaning back in his chair with full confidence. Even with me, his killer, right there, his nonchalance suggested the woman was no slouch.
Hmm, not sure about that.
I didn't feel particularly threatened, so I tilted my head. Sure, she looked dangerous decked out in all that tech, but I wasn't intimidated. Glaring at his smug ass, I spoke up.
"Then you're the pitiful one. Having a guard like that when your assassin's me."
"Pfft! What, you think you're special or something?"
"You think you're special?"
"...This bitch, you think I'm playing word games?"
"I'm not playing either."
What gave him this unshakable arrogance? Even if his guard was strong, his certainty that he'd survive stung my pride as an assassin. This banter wouldn't end until she dropped, so gripping my stiletto tighter, I said,
"Looks like she won't let you grasp the danger till she's down. Come on—show me how great you are."
She scowled and assumed a stance. She'd been listening quietly, but my dismissal clearly pissed her off.
"I'll handle her."
"Oh, you speak Korean too?"
Impressed by her fluent Korean murmur, I raised an eyebrow. Then, in the next instant, I was awestruck again by what she did.
"Whoa?"
Shhwick—
Like something out of a movie, she began vanishing before my eyes. In a blink, she was completely transparent. I scanned the empty air, letting out a gasp.
"Holy shit, is this for real?"
Optical camouflage. Basically, invisibility tech. Kwon Ji-yul's earlier joke about the 22nd century suddenly felt spot-on. No wonder the company was tight with the US government—they had insane tech like this. As Shim Hyuk-jin said, any regular assassin would be done for.
Too bad for them, I wasn't your average assassin.
Thwack—!
I dodged the invisible blade swinging at my head and seized her unseen arm.
"How...?!"
Her shocked voice echoed from thin air—she clearly hadn't expected to be caught. But from my side, missing her would've been weirder.
"You're just invisible visually—body heat, breathing, presence, gaze? All still there. How could I not know?"
The advanced optical camo was impressive, but it wasn't fantasy magic. Her warmth, breaths, footsteps, even her stare on me—all crystal clear. Pretending not to notice would've been harder. As her visibility returned with her arm grabbed, I shrugged at her.
"So, got anything else?"