Chapter 45: Why the Perfect Assassination Plan Devised by China’s Most Dangerous Genius Failed
Soyapango, on the outskirts of San Salvador, El Salvador. A secret hideout of Mara Salvatrucha, the largest gang in Latin America.
(Translator’s Note:Mara Salvatrucha / MS-13 — A transnational criminal gang formed in Los Angeles during the 1980s, initially among Salvadoran immigrants displaced by El Salvador’s civil war. Deportations later contributed to its expansion throughout El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and other parts of Central America.)
Inside the dilapidated warehouse, wooden crates were piled high with Russian-made AK rifles and submachine guns.
“Anyone who saw this would think we were going to war.”
The MS-13 field commander let out a hollow laugh.
“Haa.... Every day is a war in this fucking country.”
The branch leader replied as he exhaled a long stream of cigar smoke.
“I’m getting excited just thinking about turning that son of a bitch into a honeycomb tomorrow.”
“That bastard got too full of himself....”
The branch leader stared at a photograph of the President of El Salvador and ground out his cigarette butt wherever he pleased.
“Hey, Diego. Are the suicide drones ready?”
“Yes. Five FPV suicide drones smuggled in through the Middle Eastern route.”
(Translator’s Note:FPV suicide drone — An explosive-equipped drone piloted through a first-person-view video feed. Although improvised FPV attack drones existed earlier, their mass battlefield use became especially prominent during the Russo-Ukrainian War after Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022.)
“I heard South Korean drones are really good these days. Why didn’t you buy those?”
At that moment—
Boom!
“Don’t move! STF!”
The hideout’s heavy iron door was blown apart like a sheet of paper, and a fully armed counterterrorism special unit under the El Salvadoran police poured inside.
“What the hell? Who are you bastards?!”
“Fuck! How did you find this place?!”
“Let go of me, you sons of bitches!”
They did not even have time to raise their guns. The unsuspecting MS-13 members were instantly subdued by the special forces officers who stormed in with flashbangs and slammed them to the floor.
Within the first month of its introduction, Ryu Hyesung’s Zero Report System achieved the miraculous feat of reducing El Salvador’s serious crime rate by an astonishing eighty-two percent.
Underground bunker at the People’s Liberation Army’s Xishan Command Post, Beijing, China.
Against the bleak, cold concrete walls, the Minister of National Defense, the Director of the Operations Bureau under the Ministry of State Security, and other senior military officials sat in a row with grave expressions.
Even Li Wei, known as China’s most dangerous genius, attended in his wheelchair.
On the enormous projection screen, Ryu Hyesung’s identification photograph appeared alongside body-camera footage of Baek Taecheon fighting the humanoid robot.
“This is footage of the battle inside Ryu Hyesung’s factory, secretly obtained and provided by North Korea’s Reconnaissance General Bureau.”
“Did South Korea develop those robots on its own?”
The Minister of National Defense asked in disbelief.
“Yes. Even the components appear to have been completely domestically produced.”
“How do they compare to our technology?”
For years, China had poured astronomical sums into developing humanoid combat robots for deployment at industrial sites and military bases.
“It is embarrassing to admit, but... they are so advanced that we can hardly compare ourselves to them.”
“Do you have any idea how much money we pour into this? Are you telling me we cannot even match some small company in South Korea?”
At the Minister’s words, everyone fell solemnly silent.
“Stop showing off by making robots perform kung fu and build something with real combat capabilities like that!”
As he slammed the table in agitation, the Director of the Ministry of State Security cautiously spoke.
“Comrade Minister, forgive me for saying this, but South Korea....”
He pointed at Ryu Hyesung’s face on the screen.
“An analysis has concluded that because of that man, South Korea will become the world’s leading hegemonic power within ten years.”
“Wh-what?”
The Minister stared at him in disbelief.
“Who produced such a ridiculous forecast?”
“Li Wei.”
“That is nothing more than the personal opinion of some cripple in a wheelchair!”
The Minister flew into a rage even though Li Wei himself was sitting directly in front of him.
Li Wei might have been highly capable, but he held no authority.
At that moment, the Chairman of the Science and Technology Commission added in a grave voice,
“Artemy Sokolov, the Russian genius scientist who received the Nobel Prize in Physics, made the same prediction.”
“What?”
Only then did the Minister begin to accept the absurd claim to some extent.
“They are not the only ones. Think tanks and geniuses around the world are producing the same prediction.”
As the officials spoke in agreement, the Minister glared sharply at Ryu Hyesung’s youthful face on the projection screen.
“What if we join forces with Russia and eliminate that bastard?”
“We already asked. Russia rejected the proposal outright.”
“Russia did?”
“Russia has chosen to become a firm ally of South Korea.”
“Why?”
“Russia and South Korea have maintained good economic relations for years, and they are still actively trading natural gas and civilian goods. Russia has no reason to turn against South Korea.”
“Comrade Minister, I will eliminate Ryu Hyesung.”
At that moment, the Director of the Operations Bureau spoke confidently.
“You will? How?”
“Li Wei says he is confident he can succeed.”
Only then did the Minister take an interest in Li Wei, who had remained silent until that point.
“Has he not already made major contributions to assassinating geniuses in the United States? That is why we have kept him alive.”
The Minister agreed with the Director of the Ministry of State Security.
“Hey, Li Wei. Can you kill Ryu Hyesung?”
At his question, Li Wei nodded.
“I can k-kill him with a ninety-seven percent probability.”
“What?”
The Minister thought it might actually be possible. Li Wei had never failed before.
“There will be only one opportunity... while he still has absolute faith in the Zero Report System.”
The Minister swallowed. Whenever that man sounded confident, they invariably had to meet some outrageous condition.
“What do you want?”
“Release me.”
“You? The number of citizens who died because of you has already reached three digits.”
“Th-there is only one opportunity.”
Li Wei pressed the wavering Minister for an answer.
“Fine. Director, you will take full responsibility for handling this operation.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Make absolutely certain of it. Success will guarantee your promotion, but if you fail... the Vice Chairman will have to apologize to South Korea again.”
The Director of the Operations Bureau swallowed at the Minister’s words.
“I will ensure its success.”
9:00 p.m.
Raw-material warehouse at Science Facility’s Factory No. 2.
“Let’s move quickly. We have a lot to unload tonight.”
The factory employees were working busily.
The cargo compartment of a massive truck opened. It was carrying urea, sugar, and other raw materials used to manufacture Blue CL-20.
“Huh? Who are you? Wait, mmph!”
The people who suddenly emerged from behind the cargo under cover of darkness were none other than gang members from El Salvador.
They covered an employee’s mouth and silently knocked him unconscious.
The El Salvadoran gang members were professionals who had even received real military training.
Pfft!
Pfft!
Suppressed rifles flashed, destroying the CCTV cameras.
The human employees at the unloading area began to panic at the sudden attack.
“Wh-what is this? Who are you?”
Thud!
The gang members charged like beasts and skillfully struck the employees’ vital points, quietly knocking them unconscious.
It was a clean takedown without spilling a single drop of blood.
“We could just shoot them. Why do we have to go through the trouble of knocking them out?”
Mateo grumbled in frustration, and Carlos, the field commander, growled in a low voice.
“Fuck, were you asleep during the mission briefing? The Chinese guy told us. If we kill anyone here, ‘his’ system will notice immediately.”
“His?”
Click.
At that moment, all the lights in the warehouse went out. The surroundings instantly became pitch-black.
“Did he already notice? Either way, it’s just like the Chinese guy said. Put on your night-vision goggles.”
Carlos issued the order as though he had expected it.
Whirrr.
The seven MS-13 gang members simultaneously switched on their night-vision goggles, and their vision turned green.
They raised their rifles again and began moving stealthily like beasts.
Laboratory at Science Facility’s Factory No. 2.
I was designing large-capacity CL-20 mass-production equipment.
[Master.]
“Yeah?”
[Please authorize the activation of H-02P.]
“Why? The Director of the Agency for Defense Development and the Minister of National Defense are coming tomorrow to see its demonstration.”
If it moved too much now, it would not have enough battery power for tomorrow’s demonstration. I was already preparing to push it hard during the presentation.
[This is an emergency.]
I checked my wristwatch.
“My probability of dying within the next ten minutes is showing as ninety-seven percent....”
It was checkmate.
Whoever had planned this operation was impressive.
It was my mistake for placing absolute faith in Zero Report.
“They got me... completely.”
[I apologize. I will determine the cause.]
My heart tightened.
At the thought that I might truly die this time, my hands began to tremble, and breathing became difficult.
[Please authorize activation.]
“Then... how low will the probability fall?”
[Zero percent.]
This was exactly why secrecy was so important.
“...We’ll replace tomorrow’s demonstration with the footage, so make sure you record it properly.”
I rubbed my face as I spoke.
[It will be difficult to record with an ordinary camera.]
Development Lab No. 2 at Science Facility’s Factory No. 2.
“What is all this?”
“They make some strange things in South Korea.”
They quietly marveled at the advanced equipment they had never seen before and the vast interior of the factory.
“This isn’t the time to admire anything. Move.”
At Carlos’s command, the gang members sprinted through the pitch-black darkness as though it were broad daylight, relying on their night-vision goggles.
Creak.
When they opened the security door, they entered a strange space.
Beyond the green-tinted view of their night-vision goggles, identical humanoid robots stood lined up on both sides.
At a rough estimate, there were easily more than a hundred of them.
“What the hell is this? Are they building a robot army?”
“Wait. Look up.”
At the exact center of the formation, a uniquely shaped pure-white robot hung suspended in the air.
It had beastlike reverse-jointed legs and graceful curves formed from metal.
Its bizarre yet sleek appearance resembled an alien machine.
The gang members read the words written on the small gantry crane supporting the robot’s body with thick cables.
<H.E.R.M.E.S 02 Prototype>
“Is that its name?”
“The Chinese guy never mentioned anything like that.”
Carlos spoke in alarm.
“It’s beautiful....”
“What? You lunatic. What kind of taste is that?”
Another gang member cursed incredulously at the entranced Mateo.
“Let’s move. He said the target would be two rooms past this one.”
Carlos recalled what the Chinese man had told them.
“Everyone, prepare for combat. This is revenge for our boss.”
“Why did he have to create a fucked-up system like that?”
Click.
They switched their rifles from semiautomatic to fully automatic.
Their determination to riddle the target with bullets and kill him no matter what was unmistakable.
At that moment—
Whirr.
The quiet sound of machinery booting up echoed through the darkness.
Rattle-rattle-rattle!
One after another, the restraints suspending the machine from the crane came loose like snakes.
Thud.
It landed on the floor.
Despite the heavy sound of displaced air, the reverse-jointed legs absorbed the impact with the smooth, supple motion of a wild beast.
“Wh-what the hell?”
It merely straightened its waist slowly and looked down at them, yet the overwhelming pressure radiating from its metal body left the gang members breathless and speechless.
Even men raised in the backstreets of El Salvador who had never seen a robot before understood immediately.
That thing was dangerous.
“Is it looking at us?”
As the men faltered in confusion, Hermes began calculating.
The value of the hundreds of machines inside Factory No. 2 and the value of its master.
The conclusion came instantly.
It determined that it did not matter even if the entirety of Factory No. 2 was completely destroyed.
Whirrrr.
With a chilling activation sound, red light began glowing in the white machine’s eyes.
“That thing... somehow looks angry.”