Chapter 52
Chapter 52
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 52
Chapter Title: Spy
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Returning home, I cut back on sleep to review the purchased information.
No wonder it cost 100 million. Beyond the lab details, it was packed with data on security facilities, experiments, researchers' personal info, and all sorts of miscellaneous intel.
Hwarongjeongjeong's info was on an industrial spy.
One of the researchers was selling secrets to China.
The details on this were even more thorough than on the lab itself.
Daily routine, hobbies, debts, home address, search history, amount of money received from China.
Everything about the person was documented.
And there was info on the Chinese agent she was scheduled to meet.
Appearance, flight details, hotel stay.
I committed it all to memory.
Naturally, reporting the human experiments to the police would be pointless.
The facility operated with the government's tacit approval.
In the original story, early in the episode, a conscientious new researcher leaked data to communities and tipped off broadcasters based on research materials—but it all got buried.
Then one day, they were found dead at home, ruled a suicide.
'Huh? Come to think of it, the whistleblower researcher was a woman too. Name wasn't mentioned.'
She seemed oddly similar to this industrial spy.
After reviewing everything, I came up with a solid idea.
The lab had cutting-edge security, making a frontal assault tricky.
Each section was divided by steel bulkheads, unlocked only via biometric systems.
I couldn't get authorized access, so I'd have to break through physically—but smashing steel bulkheads would take time, even for me.
Dragging it out like that would draw heroes, and if an S-rank showed up, things could get messy.
Time for a smarter approach.
"Ha-yeon, I'll be visiting Laura's parents for a few days."
"Okay. Got it. I'll guard the house."
I headed to Busan with Laura.
I needed to borrow some of her magic.
We arrived at a hotel in Busan and checked into the pre-booked room.
It was the same hotel the Chinese agent was staying at.
The moment we entered, Laura tossed her bag aside and dove onto the bed.
Her tail wagged side to side as she lay prone.
I felt an urge to touch it.
Cautiously, I grabbed and stroked her tail.
'Mmm.'
Soft yet firm and springy.
The texture was incredible.
"What are you doing?"
Laura had lifted her head and was staring at me.
At me kneading her tail.
Her eyebrows formed an '八' shape.
"……."
Lost for words, I let go.
Her tail whipped back dynamically, smacking both my cheeks.
"Let's get to work…."
"Yeah."
The Chinese intel agent was staying in this hotel.
I planned to kill him.
"Money well spent at 100 million. Throwing in spy info too."
They probably bundled it to justify the price, but it was a win anyway.
Thanks to this, I had an easy infiltration method.
A frontal assault wasn't impossible, but no need to make it harder.
"Laura, you can do invisibility magic, right?"
"Huh? Yeah."
"Cast it on me, please. I'll be quick."
Laura cast from her prone position, gazing at me.
"Invisible."
My body gradually turned transparent.
The mirror showed nothing of me.
"How long does it last?"
"With my mana, about 30 minutes."
"Got it."
I brewed coffee and took a sip.
"Ow, hot."
The water had just boiled—scalding.
I set the cup down and said,
"I'll be back before it cools."
I opened the window and jumped out.
His room was two floors down.
I used telekinesis to control my fall, landing precisely two floors below.
This hotel had ocean views, so the seaward exterior was all glass.
Beyond the window, a handsome man sat on the bed with a laptop.
He matched the agent's photo from the documents.
Crash.
I shattered the glass and entered.
"What?!"
He panicked at the broken exterior, scanning around and grabbing a pistol.
Unfortunately, he couldn't spot invisible me.
I drew the Dragon Flame Sword and slit his carotid.
The agent collapsed without reacting.
The bed stained red with blood.
A red gem appeared on his body.
'This guy was an Awakener…!'
I debated using Inheritance.
'…….'
Decided against it.
Seemed like more cons than pros right now.
I searched his body and belongings.
Left no traces, of course—prepared for forensic analysis.
Passport and an ID badge reading 'Three-Body Academy.'
A cover identity, no doubt.
I took everything and slipped out through the broken window.
Used telekinesis to scale the wall.
Not too hard.
Back in my room.
Laura was still lounging, scrolling her smartphone.
"What're you watching?"
"O Tube."
"……."
A mix of emotions hit me.
'Even dragons have fallen for O Tube.'
I sipped the pre-brewed coffee.
It was lukewarm.
'Still warm, so safe.'
I'd made it back before it cooled completely.
Laura spoke without looking up.
"The guy you killed was interesting. A-rank by your standards, but his karma was feather-light. Never seen such a gap. Yeah… like a chimera."
"The karma you mean—is that like combat experience?"
"Not always combat, but… living sincerely builds it naturally."
I didn't fully get it, but the guy I killed had disproportionate power for his level.
Made sense in the Hero Name: ZEUS worldview.
In this world, China's Awakener groups controlled the regime.
Ultra-progressive, radically so.
Replace all citizens with Awakeners.
They seriously pursued this absurd goal, mass-producing Awakener legions via gene-edited humans.
The kids I was about to rescue were prototypes from Chinese DNA samples.
The agent I killed was probably mass-produced too.
They made 'designer babies'; if the awakened ability sucked, growth accelerators turned them adult fast for cannon fodder.
Good abilities got proper education for future elites.
That rush job explained the light karma.
Anyway, got what I needed—on to the next phase.
The researcher colluding with China.
Time to meet her.
***
Haeundae Beach.
Kim Na-hye sat under a parasol on a beach chair.
Bikini attire.
Looked like any beachgoer to passersby.
She anxiously awaited someone.
Meeting spot and time were set long ago, but contact had gone silent since yesterday.
She'd sent emails nonstop—no reply.
'What if he doesn't show? Can't happen….'
Kim Na-hye was in bed with China due to debts.
No other way to pay them off.
Soon, someone approached.
A broad-shouldered blond man.
Pierced ears, sharp features—thug-like vibe.
"Come alone?"
"Y-Yeah."
Kim Na-hye stretched her words, thinking it was a pickup attempt.
'Not the time for this!'
Feared her contact might pass her by unrecognized.
Luckily, just paranoia.
He grinned and pulled an ID from his pocket.
Three-Body Academy.
Familiar Chinese characters.
The company buying her intel.
She realized this was her scheduled agent.
They'd only messaged before, so she missed the switch.
Assumed his rough look was camouflage from prying eyes.
"Oh! From the company!"
"Yeah, yeah. That's me."
Shin Noda smoothly took the lead.
Informed her of the plan change.
"Seems I'll need to enter the lab myself."
"Huh? That wasn't the plan."
"Circumstances changed. But I'll pay five times the agreed amount. Basically the last job."
"Uh… our lab's security is tight. Even with me guiding, getting caught…"
"No worries. We have invisibility items. Sneak in late at night—no one'll know. Honestly, don't need you. Just easier with you. Backing out?"
Kim Na-hye wavered at 'five times.'
Entering the lab at night would raise suspicions.
But that cash could pay off debts and let her flee to the Philippines, living easy forever.
"O-Okay, I'll do it."
A smile crept across Shin Noda's lips.
'Perfect.'
Going according to plan.