Chapter 57
Chapter 57
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 57
Chapter Title: 057. Code: XTK
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Raffles had disbanded.
Son Jeong-hu tidied up the meeting room before glancing at Ulla, who was still lingering. Hood pulled low over her face, she leaned against the wall, silently watching him.
"Yeah, Ulla. No bugs or cameras here. I looked into Taker separately—he's just your average factory worker. He's got enough grit to have hidden his superpower all this time. Suspicious points? Sure, plenty. But I don't think he's worth the level of caution you're showing."
"...That ability is dangerous."
Ulla said. It was a pleasant voice to listen to. Of course, it wasn't her real one. Ulla was a cyborg, everything but her brain mechanical. Her voice was just some downloaded vocal synthesizer.
"I know. Especially for us full-body machines, it's a real threat. But even hacking has its limits."
You could call it game over the moment you're hacked.
But Taker's hacking wasn't perfect. It had restrictions. Range was 50 meters, three-hour cooldown after each use. And the more complex or cutting-edge the machine, the shorter the hack duration.
"...You believe that?"
"Of course not. Taker's hidden his power his whole life—he knows how to lie about it. The limits are probably real, but he mixed in a few falsehoods."
"...Just kill him now. Cleaner that way."
Ulla's tone was emotionless. Not because of her mechanical body. Even ten years ago, when she was still normal, she'd been the same. Ulla had never shown emotion to anyone.
"Can't do that. Taker's ability is invaluable. Used right... there's no power in this world more dangerous or terrifying."
"...He's got a rebellious streak. Won't be useful for long."
"A bit, yeah. I think I could handle him... but insurance never hurts. Mind keeping an eye on Taker? If he betrays us or turns toxic to our goals... feel free to kill him."
"...Got it, Leader."
Ulla nodded slowly and left the cafe. Son Jeong-hu watched her go, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.
Woodgod Family's boss. Mok Shin-su's assassination.
The plan was simple.
Me, Yoo Geun-tae, and Hyunji infiltrate the Woodgod Family building directly and kill Mok Shin-su. Ulla provides rear support. She's a sniper—stealth's her thing, not breaking in.
"Worst case, lure Mok Shin-su outside or to a window. Ulla's shots are so killer, give her a line of sight and she's gold."
Yoo Geun-tae said. He was grinning even on the eve of assassination—pure veteran vibe.
"Do we have to break in? That place is basically a fortress."
Hyunji scowled at the Woodgod Family building. It wasn't tall, but it sprawled wide—high school-sized. And illegally modded to hell: hidden turrets, heavy machine guns, traps everywhere. Fortress for sure.
"Hyunji, the client's in a rush. Has to be tonight."
"Info leak? Word is he hasn't left the building in three days."
"Nah, no leak. Mok Shin-su's smart—he's sizing up the situation."
Yoo Geun-tae scanned the building through binoculars.
"...Sizing it up?"
"He overreached expanding territory and failed. Now Seoul's other mafia bosses have it out for him. Plus, meeting with Incheon's gang leader tomorrow at noon... you get it now, Hyunji?"
"Client's another mafia boss?"
"Fat payout says probably. His situation screams it."
"Whatever. Uncle, decide already? Let's wrap this quick."
"Still thinking. Why the rush today? Hot date?"
"Gotta watch my drama. Missed the live broadcast—pissed already..."
"Figures."
Yoo Geun-tae shook his head and eyed me fiddling with my smartphone.
"Newbie! How long can you hack that building with your power?"
"Checked today—24 seconds."
I pocketed the phone and drew my pistol from my jacket. Black Kite F, bought yesterday.
"Including the defense systems?"
"Yep. Turrets, cams—I control 'em. Break, explode, whatever."
"...Whoa. Killer. Know where Mok Shin-su is?"
"Fourth floor, east corridor end room. Boss room. Saw him banging some chick on a hacked cam earlier."
"Hm. Alright."
Yoo Geun-tae pondered, then spoke.
"Newbie, you can overload or blow the defenses, right?"
"Overload or self-destruct, yeah. But won't kill Mok Shin-su. Explosions are weak, and his room's guarded."
Mok Shin-su's goons were cyborgs, obviously. Even I couldn't hack the building's defenses and all those cyborgs at once.
"...Defenses go haywire, they'll panic. We rush in and assassinate. Front and back are turret-heavy, east too guarded. West entrance it is."
Yoo Geun-tae laid out the plan. Hyunji perked up.
"Sweet. Storm in, kill. Our usual. Why drag it out?"
"Sigh, Hyunji. We always rampage after prep. Never reckless."
"Yeah, yeah. Let's start."
Yoo Geun-tae shook his head and turned to me.
"Newbie, just overload the defenses remotely. No need to come in."
"Nah, I'm breaching too."
"Huh? Your part's plenty. Overload's more than enough. Inside'll be chaos—no babysitting you."
"Don't need it. Testing my new gear."
I held up both weapons openly. Pistol left, new ultrasonic knife right.
"You're normal-body, right? Fighting with that?"
Yoo Geun-tae scoffed.
"Whatever. If he wants to. He'll manage—or die trying."
Hyunji tossed out casually. Not hating—just her style.
"I'll watch my own back."
I said.
What I trusted was Shooting Affinity and Youngcheon-style. It worked fine with daggers.
The building's defenses went berserk.
Hidden turrets and traps fired indiscriminately. Sleep gas sprayed from walls, explosions rocked the place.
"Fuck! Why're the turrets shooting us?!"
"System's glitched! What the hell's the admin doing?!"
Woodgod Family plunged into chaos. Guards scattered. Their peace shattered by the rampaging systems.
"Nice—better than expected."
Yoo Geun-tae cackled. He'd torched three doormen at the west entrance alive. His oxygen tanks? Fuel. Hands? Igniters.
'Yoo Geun-tae wasn't detailed in the original... Firebat, huh.'
Flames hot enough to melt steel in ten seconds.
"Mok Shin-su definitely fourth floor east end? Going now."
Hyunji bolted down the hall the second we entered. Hands swapped for ultrasonic blades. Legs mechanical—hopping like a grasshopper, shredding foes every which way.
"Arghhh!"
"You grasshopper bitch! Die!"
"Intruders! Intruders! Send backup! These ain't pushovers!"
I gaped at Hyunji's moves.
Stronger than I'd thought.
She owned the hall. Literal grasshopper: walls, upside-down on ceilings. Nonstop. Dodged bullets, sometimes batted them away.
Vampire cops' elites would struggle. Me too.
'Shit. Looked weak in the webtoon... She's that strong? Frontal fight, I'd lose.'
Hyunji didn't stop. Enemy sighted? Straight in, sliced.
"Whoa. Hyunji's really warmed up. That drama must be gold."
"She's always grasshopper-crazy?"
"Kinda feral, yeah."
Yoo Geun-tae and I chased. Her speed—even without accel—was tough sans boosts.
"Die!"
A guy lunged from a window, knife swinging.
My body reacted on instinct.
Youngcheon-style Combat: Moonveil.
Torso twisted aside, dodging—reverse grip dagger slashed his throat.
"Ooh? What was that! So cool! No wonder you're cocky!"
Yoo Geun-tae whooped. Fair.
Fluid as water, enemy dead. Movie martial arts stuff. Even I thought it looked badass.
'Daggers... easier counters? Pulled off hard Moonveil unconsciously.'
Expected short blade disadvantage—instead, Youngcheon flowed freer.
"Quit dawdling! Hurry!"
Hyunji yelled ahead, mid-swing severing a foe top-to-bottom.
"Such temper. Let's go."
Yoo Geun-tae tsked. We followed.
Enemies scattered like leaves before her. I asked Yoo Geun-tae.
"She's soloing. Why team up?"
"Raffles rule: even easy jobs, min two. Hyunji's top-tier close combat. Issue's everything else. Leave her solo, she'll rampage wild into a trap and die."
"Hm."
I stayed quiet.
Spot-on. In the original webtoon, Hyunji died solo to a trap.
"Duck."
I dropped instantly. Flames whooshed over my head.
"Aaaah!"
Stealth attacker rolled burning, charred black, dead.
'Firebat's no joke.'
Not gear—experience. Obvious in his moves.
We cleaned up Hyunji's misses and flankers. His plasma flames blocked only by specials; my shooting and knifeplay shone in the melee.
We linked with Hyunji at fourth-floor corridor end.
"Hyunji, what? Mok Shin-su dead?"
"..."
We approached. Hyunji lips tight, glaring at the open boss room.
I peeked in.
Gorefest. Floor, walls, ceiling: blood, flesh, guts, machine parts everywhere.
Weak stomachs empty now.
Center: man curled fetal, trembling. Fat—200kg easy. Arms clutched head ball-like. Veins bulging, half his implants smashed.
"...No way, Bioforce?"
Bioforce.
Forced body evolution's backlash state.
"This pig bastard... used Toxide."
Hyunji spat.