Hacking the Depths
He settled by the man's bedside. He checked the face once more and touched his cheek.
“...”
Exhausted from his grueling routine, there was no reaction.
Tok.
“Kuh-huh.”
Tuk.
“Kuh-eum.”
Dak!
“Uh... what, a rock?”
The moment the man woke, the spider's stinger jabbed the back of his neck.
“...!!!”
[Are you Hassan, son of Mr. Abdul? If your reaction's too big, we might get caught, so I hacked you—don't be surprised. Just talk like we're on a call.]
[Are you the fixer Dad sent? Please save me... No, it'll be impossible. There are too many corporate goons.]
He'd sounded immature when Allen heard from his uncle, but the ordeals had matured his mind—he even worried about others now.
[I can't go into details, but there's a way.]
Allen tossed out a blank check first. No matter how feasible, if the person involved had no hope, it was bound to fail—so he needed to ignite their will.
[You won't be disappointed. But first, we need a solid grasp of the internal layout.]
[There's a no-entry zone deep in the mine—would that info help?]
[Of course.]
There might be something valuable inside to use as leverage. In any case, Allen's persuasion worked—Hassan grabbed the lifeline.
[The path I know is blocked—tough to get in right now.]
[Mines regenerate continuously. I know that.]
[Yeah. So tomorrow during shift, I'll dig a hole... then through there...]
Allen's eyes snapped open, meeting Taylor's gaze—he'd been watching.
“You weren't sleeping?”
“How could I sleep all peaceful-like? Investigation go well?”
Allen reported his lucky contact with Hassan, including the no-entry zone deep inside the mine.
“How'd you even talk to him?”
“Breached the firewall first, seized body control, then slowly persuaded him.”
“O, nice... wait, why're you so damn nonchalant?”
“The hack itself was no big deal. And Hassan caught on quick.”
“If it was that easy, every citizen'd get hacked daily and go broke. Eh, makes sense—abused in the labyrinth, no checkups.”
Sion tuned out the convo, but Shiba—total layman—listened intently.
“Fascinating. I have an EBI too, but I've never thought deeply about those risks.”
“Firewalls scale with magic resistance strength—higher your level, tougher the hack.”
Taylor, who'd been quiet, leaned toward Shiba.
“Priests got any need for extensions?”
“We're human too, brother. We have the right to modern conveniences—calls, Samraman access, and such.”
“What's that memory mod you've got plugged in? Mating vids?”
“Brother, your imagination's too vivid. This is scripture...”
“Too lazy to memorize?”
Taylor's claws glinted sharp; Shiba shut his eyes, pretending not to hear.
The next day, Hassan headed to work like nothing happened. Miners shuffled like zombies; spiders skittered across the ceiling.
He took a few deep breaths, then slammed his pickaxe into the rock. No mask—dust coated his throat—but his resolve didn't waver.
A passing overseer called out.
“Eager today, huh? Was gonna throw you one-on-one with an undergrounder if you slacked.”
“Gotta mine more for special rations.”
“How do you pigs all think the same? Gotta have constructive ideas for progress. Always chasing one-track desires?”
Not the words of someone who'd blocked every opportunity. Hassan knew it but just chuckled and groveled.
Finally, a small hole pierced the rock wall, revealing another passage beyond.
“Straight ahead's the no-entry zone.”
Tok.
He felt something invisible brush his foot. Squinting as usual, he slowly raised his pickaxe.
The spider zipped through the passage. Not far from the miners, but zero signs of life here.
Deeper in, Allen spotted the suspicious spot. Two well-armed explorers guarded an ordinary-looking passage.
There it is.
As expected, entering led to bizarre facilities. The clearing brimmed with unfamiliar machines; thick cables tangled across floor and ceiling.
Following the cables led to a man on a surgery table, dozens plugged directly beneath him. No civilian.
Magitech engineer prosthetics...
Researchers swarmed him. Unknown experiment—Allen scanned elsewhere.
Huh?
Distinguishing mana stones from mana essence stones was simple: luster or not. Scammers sprayed polish to fake it.
Why mention now? Mana stone mine... but there was a mana essence stone.
Not prepped for the experiment.
Allen rescanned: mana stone tubs, surgery table, essence stone in glass tube—all linked.
Like an experiment to create mana essence stones.
Proof: the bound man screamed, and the essence stone's glow intensified slightly.
Explained the magitech engineer here. Perfect test subject—high intellect for precise mana control, keen sensing, massive mana heart. Might lack some mage traits, but others intact.
Allen's eyes opened; he relayed to Taylor.
“Greenblood kidnapped a magitech engineer. No clue how many behind it, but at least one we know.”
“Dropping that now? One of 'em's Rockhart, huh.”
“Seems they're experimenting to turn mana stones into mana essence stones.”
Same total energy, worlds apart in value—like gold versus silver by weight.
How potent? The legendary elixir reviving the dead was dubbed god's blood; mana essence stones, god's flesh.
Feed one into anything, get desired positive reaction. Diluted potion + essence powder? Better than pure.
“Grenade with essence? Outpowers dynamite. Lots of cases—you get the idea?”
Shiba nodded; Taylor quirked a brow.
“Why explosion example? You're makin' folks nervous...”
“Just an illustrative tool—don't overthink it.”
Taylor's face screamed plenty to say but won't; Allen calmed him just as a faint shring of sword unsheathing sounded.
“Then let's start.”
“Hold on. Start what?”
“Chairman says clear anything blocking labyrinth runs. Improves water quality—latecomers grow faster.”
Sage-like words. Breaker: most trusted explorer outfit. Chairman's influence undeniable.
“Got it—so calm down and sit.”
Sion, disappointed, kept shring-shringing her blade. Addicted? Allen stared long before looking away.
At Allen's estimate of her strength, charging in might work. Issue: she'd stand alone at the end.
Alone, she could hit-and-run, whittle 'em. But with her crew? Tough.
“That's why we got plans and strategy. Turn a tub of blood into a single drop.”
“Boring.”
“Won't take long.”
Allen soothed her, closing his left eye. Spiders buzzed busy—lingering longest in the armory.
Assembly and disassembly: same domain, different labels. Allen's assembly prowess meant top-tier takedown skills too.
End.
Any prep takes time—doubly so for combat with lives on the line. Extra caution inevitable.
Just one day post-Hassan contact; Sion fidgeted, prodding Allen.
“Let's go.”
“No can do. Moving as fast as possible—hang in there.”
Raised on org muscle, she faced weapons without a blink.
That pure face swinging steel? Felt more brutal, yet pitiful somehow.
At least she didn't slaughter randos. Taylor confirmed: legit.
No still meant no. Clash into crisis? Allen's crew could bail; miners couldn't. Needed meticulous design.
“Bomb...”
“Told you no. Worrywart much? Ah...”
Familiar word—thought Taylor, but Sion. Voice pitched up; Allen explained calmly.
“One sweep'd be easy, but constraints.”
“Miners?”
“Yeah. Worst case, mana stones react—chain explosion. Horrific. Unprocessed, low reactivity, but still...”
Mana stones stable as rock form. Else they'd dissolve in air. Complacency killer, though.
Left eye controlled spiders; right prepped magitech gear. Sulky Sion slunk to tent corner; Shiba claimed the spot.
“Even if miner brothers rise, we can't back 'em up right away—sure it's fine?”
“Won't be their first gripe. Can't slaughter every time, so overseers stick to non-lethals mostly.”
“Doesn't mean no lethals.”
“Need 'em for undergrounders popping up. So we stir chaos, lure camp forces inside.”
“Success means captured brothers rebel easy.”
Mood mattered—Hashan-center few recruits rising would do.
Might start skeptical. Or fear-silenced.
But pickaxes smashing overseer guards? Oppressors helpless?
Thoughts'd shift, no doubt.
“Pickaxes work?”
“Yeah—engraved with [Crush] for mining. Showed temp power-up via mana stone. Shatter quick, but enough to clear inside.”
“Hope lots cooperate.”
“No choice for 'em anyway.”
Allen saw no betrayal. They knew: no this chance, rot there forever. Real-time body breakdown pushed the call too.
Prep finally done. Before tent exit, Shiba jabbed at his face.
“Ah, we got spotted—now what?”
“Allen's masked; leopard hid in cart like trophy from start. Me? This body's obvious.”
Taylor's heavy mods screamed fake—nobody'd buy real face. Maybe young guy faking old.
“Plus I worked Breaker before. Even if recognized, they'll gripe there.”
“And me?”
“Tough break. But priest? Blame church brass—no hit squad.”
“Brother...”
“Kidding, kidding. Loosen up. This place is