Chapter 206

Kim and Asterike hurried out of the room.
The emperor was dead, but the uproar was still going on. Instead of calming down, it seemed to be intensifying. Kim frowned at the crowd surrounding the armored vehicle.
“It’s like a pack of dogs.”
That may sound harsh to some, but it’s a sincere sentiment. It’s the kind of thing where you run into each other, dislocate your shoulder, dislocate your jaw, and still go for it, and it gets bad and you slash tires…….
Who would have thought that they were an honor guard for the imperial palace.
But there was also a certain comfort in the dehumanization of the task force.
Tududududu!
Gunfire rained down on the swarming horde.
“There, under the tire, get out of the way!”
“We need more space, just until Mr. Hyun gets here…!”
“I think we’re getting a little behind, can you help us?”
It would have been much more difficult if the knights had been patriotic and mission-driven. There would have been hesitation, not only in the hands of Rapp, but also in the hands of Dustborn agents.
‘I doubt there’s anyone in the imperial court who’s as high-minded as you.
There aren’t many resident knights in the Imperial Palace to begin with. Loyalists, united by patriotism and a sense of duty. They are sharp swords, but also a source of anxiety for the Emperor, whose secrets are many.
On the other hand, the experimental and drug-trained special forces do not question the actions of their masters; in other words, the imperial palace is primarily staffed by “tools” rather than “people.
This is a relatively light trigger condition.
“Ah, there you are! Are you both okay?”
“We’re fine. What about you?”
“No one is out of the running yet, but it’s a little close.”
Chelsea greeted them when they returned from their work. Her well-groomed pink hair had turned to dog hair again, and she, and the rest of the agents in general, looked tired.
“The car’s tin roof fell off.
The end was near. A few more steps away from the Ho Kuk-Kyung and it could have been disastrous. He realized the harshness of Polaris.
Although that’s just around the corner.
“As I communicated earlier, the intended purpose is clear.”
Kim spoke into the walkie-talkie.
“I’m done, let’s get back to work.”
As soon as the order was given, slime covered the car. The sound of palms pounding on steel plates, guns firing at the car, and other noises quickly fade away.
Kim looked back one last time.
“…….”
The once magnificent imperial palace is crumbling in places. Smoke leaks from the gaping holes in the walls. Limbs are broken and bullet-riddled commandos lie on the ground, their heads pierced by bullets.
A night that will long be a nightmare for the Empire.
Suddenly, Kim realized her position had changed.
‘I’m finally getting away with this.’
Gone are the days of cowering before speeders. I can compete with six-star agents on the right conditions, I have the trust of my agents, and I have the power to sway groups of people.
I feel more responsible than fulfilled.
“Somehow we got here.
The end of the thorny road is near.
* * *
My comeback was pretty uneventful. Just running in the dark, unmolested. All the while, silence descended on the ops team.
The silence is of a different nature than when you left. Only the occasional groan or sigh from the wounded could be heard. There is no pure joy at the success of this massive operation.
It’s hindsight that makes you question the legitimacy of the operation.
Kim didn’t say much to them.
A short time later, the team arrived safely at Bastitera.
Seeing the familiar landscape in front of me instantly relaxed me.
“Call it a stroke of luck.
Several conditions converged to allow us to execute our plan. The antipathy toward Shiran at the Cellbrox Labs. The ability to procure the equipment without being seen by Shiran. The presence of Maximilian to clean up the mess.
The monkfish was just right. And best of all,
“Thank you so much for this. You made it happen.”
Altairé’s help was crucial. Without her power, the attack on the palace would have been unthinkable. It would have been a much more complicated and circuitous course of action.
“I have a backup plan.
This is the professor’s choice in the game, as he exposes Shiran’s secrets and causes international outrage. Maximilian’s presence was a plausible justification.
To be honest, the results were less than stellar.
“I’m glad it was helpful.”
Altayre grimaced slightly. A black spot smeared across the underside of her collarbone, the punishment for her selfish use of the sanctuary she had spoken of earlier.
This punishment is for all of Vidia, not just Altair. Feeling Kim’s gaze, Altayre covered the spots with her hands.
“Don’t worry, it’s temporary.”
“Really? Does it clear itself over time?”
“I can assure you, yes, the Lord we serve is generous, and if you repent in the next 50 years or so, he will certainly forgive you.”
Can we call that temporary?
“By the way, you’re doing some pretty crazy things.”
“I don’t think so.”
“You mean like breaking into the imperial palace and murdering the emperor of the Millennium Empire?”
I didn’t mean to grab the book. Vidya doesn’t get involved in the world in any way. Or to put it another way, she doesn’t really care.
Altayre was simply curious.
This is why Hyun threw such a radical number.
The answer was simple.
“Because it’s the cheapest.”
The road that flows least. What becomes of Shiran is in Maximilian’s hands, but at least Rap is alive and well. Other nations have not suffered any additional damage since the cataclysm.
An emperor who would have caused more bloodshed on the continent than the Legion ever could. Instead of an Emperor, a more incompetent and less human monarch will sit on the throne.
It may not have been correct.
But it was definitely a step forward.
That was backed up by the message in front of me.
[Agent ‘Kim’ gets a rating increase].
[Update Agent Record].
[Agent name: Kim Yi Hyun].
[Rating: ★★★★★★]
‘I’m losing… faster than I thought.
The conflict between Xu Lan and Rap, which took up more than half of the second half, ended in a rather violent fashion. This left a lot of episodes up in the air. To its credit, it was a fitting conclusion.
“This is one of those days.
I used to be a bit of a couch potato, so reaching 6 wasn’t as exciting as I thought it would be. I had to focus on the problems I had to deal with instead of myself.
But it didn’t end there.
[New talents blossom].
[Talent ‘drifter’ entries will be blended into the parent talent].
[Now Loading…….]
“What the hell.
In a panic, it finished loading on its own.
[Chimera].
[Description : A life form synthesized from non-Polaris aliens; immune to mutation by the external environment, and possessing the power to interfere with ‘rift’ terrain].
In addition, they are granted the permanent, one-time-use talent “Molt”. When using this talent, the agent’s mutation rate is reduced to 0% and this talent is lost.
“Chimera.
Immunity to external contamination and the ability to interfere with rifts. So far, these are identical to Leila’s ‘L-004’ talent. However, Moult is a talent we’ve never seen in the game.
Sometimes I’ve sensed a will of some sort, but this time it was particularly blatant. It’s as if it’s asking me to somehow stop the apocalypse. It’s like the game is pushing me to show a different ending.
Kim clicked her tongue in disbelief.
“I got this, asshole.”
He ignored the message and looked away. The agents were busy cleaning up the aftermath of the operation. Moving the wounded on stretchers, checking equipment, or reporting back to their respective team leaders.
That was the car that was looking around.
“Hyun, good job.”
As I was waiting for him to return, the professor approached.
“Can I hear the results?”
Professor.
She was the “character” that would be the key to the final episode.
* * *
News of the attack on the Xuran Imperial Palace quickly spread across the continent.
In a sense, it was bigger than a cataclysm. Unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, it was entirely human-caused, with rumors circulating that the emperor had been caught up in it and killed.
“What do you think, is he really dead?”
“If he hasn’t turned up yet, it’s likely he hasn’t. Prince Maximilian claimed the body in the first place, and if he’s preparing a state funeral, he can’t be lying.”
Irene shuddered at Anima’s answer.
“That guy is crazier than I ever imagined.”
“So I told you, I never thought it would happen either, but….”
The Albatross had been keeping an ear to the ground in Shiran, too, and had gotten word without the need to rely on spies. Maximilian’s move was a big one.
Prince Maximilian named the Beast the Legion. By declaring war on terror, he directed the people’s anger and fear toward the terrorists.
Terrorists are not disembodied ghosts. Cults have proliferated since the apocalypse. Even if you’re not looking for Legion remnants, there are plenty of groups with impure ideas.
It was a bud that had to be nipped in the bud.
The more Maximilian wields the sword, the stronger his position will become. Though it may be a ticking bomb at the moment, Maximilian will stabilize Shiran over time.
Xu Lan Domestic, that is.
“We’re going to have another meeting soon.”
“I guess so, right? Well, Xuran is Xuran….”
Irene clenched her jaw and looked down at the photo on the table. It was taken from a distance using the zoom feature. No matter how many times she looked at it, she still rolled her eyes.
“What the heck is this?”
The photo showed a dense mass of Parasite eggs. The branches spreading out in all directions resembled a nest. In the center of the nest was a large hole.
A hole in the ground.
That’s the only way to put it.
“Ugh, I don’t know why this is happening one after the other.”
“For me, it started with you.”
“……I feel sorry for you, you’ve been so quiet lately.”
“Please behave yourself, not just now, but in the future.”
Unsure, Irene just smiled awkwardly.
“Well, what are you going to do if there’s a meeting before that?”
“Maybe it’s better to be formal this time.”
“That means….”
“You have to keep your word.”
The expected summit agenda is mainly twofold.
First, those who are against Celbrox Labs will try to frame Labs as a terrorist against the imperial palace. Then, like an albatross, someone who notices the “hole” will spread the word and do something about it.
“The latter has some connection to rap.
Labs have a long association with disaster. Their technology is often viewed with suspicion. If a lab shares information about a “hole,” it could be open to attack.
“Let’s wait for the right time.”
Kim needs allies, too.
It’s the perfect time to get in line.