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Chapter 19
Chapter 19 : It starts now (2)
The Dominion Empire is an advanced mechanized nation. Fittingly, the Upper Sector boasts an avant-garde spectacle. But that is merely a utopia. Reality inherently falls short of expectations.
A stinging foreign sensation felt with every breath, and the air that clings damply. The sky gloomily obscured, the Lower Sector looks like a component that has corroded and become unusable.
‘That is why it can be consumed without reservation.’
This place is treated as an industrial district. And the vast industrial facilities use energy from fossil fuels or chemical transmutation as their driving force. It's not that electricity isn't supplied, but without the mixture of such additional driving forces, things don't run properly.
É nũ m а
‘There are many who list complaints and grievances.’
But they must know that all of it is irresistible. If even that didn't exist, the Lower Sector would lose its reason for existence. The reason the heart could beat was thanks to the noises ringing like a pulse.
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“Oh my, he's cute!”
“Come here! I'm telling you, I'll give you a discount?”
Neon sign lights spread thinly over the translucent dresses of prostitutes revealing their body curves, and their fake laughter highlighted the wrinkles on their skin.
The reason I was able to visit the Lower Sector was for the first mission to prove my qualification as a Selection personnel candidate. It was quite a coincidence. I didn't know I would come here this soon in this manner.
Wеbn̄о v́ѐ l̊ Ёn üṁa
Passing by such dirty soliciting, I entered an alley. There, people looking like corpses soaked in drugs were guarding their spots like mold without even being able to discern reality.
‘Underground passage.’
There were countless underground passages like this within the Lower Sector. Because leaving abandoned drainage channels alone is more convenient than destroying them. The city of the culled is bound to have crude growth and development.
I stepped into the underground passage in front of me without hesitation. My eyes, which had been adapted to the loud neon sign lights just moments ago, needed a few seconds for the darkness to seep in.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
Coordinates and paths projected on my retinal display showed the way I had to go in real-time. The place I arrived at by following the path was an unofficial base where an informant of the Security Department under the military resided.
“Ah... You've arrived. I am Informant Cham, no, Fellaf. It hasn't been long since I changed my identity, so it doesn't roll off the tongue easily.”
Е̂ n̆ umӑ. і́d́
The man who came out to meet us muttered in a crawling voice. The military plants informants everywhere. Depending on the occasion, creating a new identity is also common.
On the one hand, it could be called impressive in a different sense. It means they have the mental strength to endure the change of identity. The Personality Correction trending in noble society must have obtained data from these people as well.
“Let's go inside first.”
“Please do so.”
Fellaf did not show any signs of displeasure even at my informal speech. Strictly speaking, cadets, especially those classified as Selection personnel, are superiors to ordinary soldiers.
The interior we stepped into was incredibly crude. It must be because it's a residence that can be discarded at any time. In a sense, it matched Fellaf's shabby appearance well.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“I was waiting, Jin.”
And the guest who arrived one step ahead, Aiden Ivanov, welcomed me.
“I apologize for being late.”
“Haha, I didn't say it with that meaning.”
“Being late is being late.”
“Don't be like that. I'm the one who said I would move first. Since I'm not familiar with the Lower Sector, I need some adaptation.”
Е n̂uṁа. id̃
Cases where missions occur in the Lower Sector are not many. Most are resolved at the level of the Peacekeeping Guard under military jurisdiction. From the perspective of Aiden, who would have busily experienced the battlefield, it would be a unique situation.
“For that, it seems you haven't adapted.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“Huh?”
“What is all that?”
Aiden's pockets were full of business cards printed with obscene photos. It seemed he went around accepting all of them. Considering his usual conduct, it wasn't strange.
“Haha, it felt a bit wrong to ignore their sincerity.”
Ё núm̈ а̃. ī d̃
Aiden scratched his cheek as if embarrassed. A subtle awkwardness was felt in his facial muscles. Actually, that was natural. Because it was indeed a different face from the one I knew.
‘Is it Muscle Fiber Film?’
This incorporates nanotechnology, grafting artificial muscle fibers onto the skin to change appearance. It was a convenient item with an ultra-thin thickness that even detects sebaceous glands or sweat glands to form a natural texture.
The reason I could easily recognize it was because the wearing time of the Muscle Fiber Film wasn't long. Since it needs time for the algorithm to be input.
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“Ah, I asked Fellaf for a favor just in case I might need this. Hmm, so... if you're from the Lower Sector, you might run into someone you know, right?”
With undeserved kindness, Aiden peeled off the Muscle Fiber Film covering his face. The action, like peeling off skin, induced cognitive dissonance.
Е̊n ũ m а̂. і́ d̊
“Thank you for your concern, but I don't think it will be particularly necessary.”
“Really?”
“Because I am from the North Gate.”
The Lower Sector is subdivided again based on each checkpoint. The location of the mission we were deployed to is the South Gate, a place I have no connections with. Even if it weren't, there wouldn't be anyone who knows me anyway.
“I tried to score some points with a promising junior, but it's not going well at all. It's a shame, but it can't be helped.”
“I should be the one scoring points.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The main character of this mission is not me. My role is an assist, closer to a sidekick rather. In this process, I will be evaluated by Aiden.
“If you are done with personal chats, may I deliver the collected information?”
At the words of the informant Fellaf, Aiden and I nodded and checked the images realized as holograms. They were traces of anomalous phenomena that could not be explained by conventional concepts.
‘Magic.’
Track and kill the mage of the Valeria Union hiding within the Empire; that was the content of this mission.
***
Wё b n ò v̄ еľ Е̇ ǹû.ḿ ӓ
Mages of the Union possess strategic value just by existing, like the knights of the Empire. The difference would be that the criteria for talent are stricter.
We utilize Mana Cores through acquired changes. However, they do not require separate procedures. Just like a fetus coming out into the world can make sounds with its mouth, I heard they bloom magic of a specific property at some moment.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
That was a realm incalculable by human ability. Naturally, equipment capable of tracking mages was not developed either. The difficulty of tracking was on the higher side because there were not even outwardly visible characteristics.
‘We have to continue retroactive inference with only fragmentary clues.’
What was given to us were all the traces we could check through Fellaf. The most prominent thing was the state of those killed by the mage's hands. We went around various places in the Lower Sector to verify the scenes.
“The chest was cleanly pierced through.”
Е n̆ ûm а
“This won't be a problem for us, right?”
It was a method insisting on instant death through damage to major organs. It would be better if they used physical magic. The Strengthening Cyberware replacing limbs is perfectly fine against ordinary damage.
But that was an element that didn't help much in tracking. Since we have to face the guy first to consider combat. What we should focus on was the consistent pattern of incidents.
“These aren't accidental murders.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
“The reason?”
“Without exception, they are secluded places.”
Е́ n ü ṁ ӑ . і̆ d̄
The scenes were only places where foot traffic was rare, such as abandoned buildings, back alleys, and garbage disposal sites. If it were a human with a proper head, they wouldn't wander around finding places like this while roaming the bottom.
‘It was an intentional lure.’
The rotten streets are covered in irresponsible desires. It is not difficult to degrade oneself into prey. Even without using tricks, handling the job wouldn't have been difficult.
“Did they use something like luxury goods?”
“That side stands out too much.”
If they did, Fellaf would have collected information more easily. Is the mage a woman? No, we cannot conclude. The Lower Sector is teeming with guys who deviate from normal ways of thinking.
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“As expected, your judgment is quick.”
“Because I am from the Lower Sector.”
“Hmm, I feel like my intentions are constantly being misrepresented.”
I am familiar with the physiology of this place, but Aiden is not. It was arrogance to think that someone who lived a contrasting life could adapt and learn this with just a few visits.
Of course, Aiden would have reached the same conclusion as me, even if it took time. A person maintaining the top rank within the upper years along with the highest performance among Selection personnel; he has the ability to do so.
“Then what do you think we should do now?”
Е̄ ň um̈ а.і̂ d̃
Aiden asked for advice from me, his subordinate. Unbiased acceptance was an appropriate attitude as a superior. Flexible thinking always provides new perspectives.
“Let's go there.”
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
In the direction my index finger pointed, there was a gambling house with a loud signboard.
***
RATTLE.
The ball dropped from the dealer's hand rolled on the spinning disk. Roulette was a type of game relying solely on luck. Gambling that beginners commonly enjoy.
Ѐ n̆u mȧ . і_d̊
“Odd, odd, odd, odd...”
“This time it's black!”
“Split on 13 and 16!”
The bloodshot gazes of the venomous participants chased after the ball. The chaos where minute errors affect the result makes prediction meaningless. Nevertheless, the sight of wishing for a miracle represents what their lives are like.
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‘But it is not unpredictable.’
If one can grasp all the conditions necessary for the calculation of dynamics, prediction is possible. Naturally, generally speaking, it was a story without realistic possibility. Unless the game is rigged, and unless one's senses and memory abilities are enlarged enough to notice it.
Wéb̌ n о̂ v̄е l Ѐ nūm̌а̂
“...You got it right again.”
Before the ball even reached the destination, Aiden muttered in a low voice. My betting is on a single number; probabilistically, the possibility of succeeding in this is extremely slim.
“It's a scam!”
“It's rigged, you bastards!”
Those who were wishing for their own miracle until just a moment ago were trying to deny the miracle that happened to me. The atmosphere was becoming fierce. Losing trust is a bad phenomenon for the business owner.
‘This place is operated by a gang.’
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The gang's name was ‘Dust Bane’. It was frequently mentioned in the news of the Lower Sector that I could get through Milo. I heard they were rapidly expanding their territory despite being a new force.
Aside from gambling houses, the guys were operating illegal businesses like human trafficking together. Among those killed by the mage's hands, there were many gangs belonging to Dust Bane.
Grudges derived from the bottom are sticky. It was certain they would be chasing the tail in some way. In other words, it means they could be helpful to our mission.
“Customer, I'm afraid I have to ask for your cooperation for a moment...”
A gang member with yellow front teeth smiled while grabbing my shoulder. Simultaneously, Aiden's gaze met mine.
“Cooperation?”
Е n̆ u̇ m̂а̃
“Since it seems the customer...”
CRACK.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
The elbow swung while standing up from the seat smashed the yellow front teeth. The gang member, hit out of nowhere, covered his mouth, and the leaking blood soaked his hand. I didn't miss this and kicked his groin.
Those enjoying gambling hurriedly left the place upon checking the situation. Even though other gangs performing the role of security guards joined in, there was no change.
It took less than a minute for them to become a mess and vomit groans. It was a method that didn't stand out in this place.
“Yeu lil bstrds!”
Е̇ n̂ ü mâ
Soon, the gang member who first touched me babbled something with leaking pronunciation and ran away in an awkward posture. There was no need to catch him.
“Before long, the boss of the gang will come to find us.”
With a mechanical report, I brought the glass containing fruit juice to my lips. It was a synthetic beverage that only mimicked the taste. Aiden forcibly ordered it for the reason that I was not yet legally an adult.
“It's the fastest way.”
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“It is.”
Aiden raised the corners of his mouth and wet his throat. It was an expression feeling not a shred of repulsion. An excellent soldier is not kind to everyone.
Еnu mӓ
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