episode_0349

“Modern science is no different from a castle clumsily built by a child with wooden blocks.” Chairman Raihan calmly continued, observing the hardening expression of his dining companion. “On the surface, it looks incredibly grand and magnificent! But, if you look closely, many crucial parts are missing here and there, making it very rough.”

The luxurious restaurant on the 15th floor of the Crystal Spire Building was filled with elegant dining sounds and soft music. As airships gracefully passed by outside the window, the brilliant ether waves left by the anti-gravity engines danced and scattered like an aurora. “Oh, is that so…?” Raihan watched, sneering, as his words seemingly struck the dull mind of his companion like a hammer hitting a walnut, making no meaningful impact. ‘Idiot.’ It was clear she didn’t understand a single word of what he was saying. Of course, all of this was Raihan’s intention. For the past forty minutes, he had to endure the pathetic small talk the woman in front of him had painstakingly put together, testing the limits of his patience. ‘I met her out of curiosity, having been introduced at a social gathering, but I didn’t expect to step on such a time bomb.’ The actress rattled on with useless chatter about who starred in a movie, the opening of a modern art gallery, and high-society gatherings, her crystalline eyes, brimming with artificial beauty, sparkling. The Chairman clearly read the materialistic pretense and interest behind her vain gaze. Above all, that artificial appearance perfected by a Laplaxia cosmetic clinic. While ordinary people might not know, it couldn’t escape the inventor’s discerning eye. Every single detail was a chunk of horror. So he deliberately brought up a topic that such an empty-headed woman would detest the most, and rambled on. This would ensure there would be no next meeting. Hopefully, she would just fall away. ‘Too good for even a lab specimen. If this were my research lab, I’d turn her into protein solution…’

Suddenly, an unexpected person flashed through Raihan’s mind. ‘It would be far more productive to have lunch with that Bernike woman…’ She was an unpleasant, stomach-churning woman. Just thinking of her made his teeth grind. Yet, objectively, her sharp intellect and natural beauty were undeniably impressive. ‘Better to be torn apart by that witch than to waste precious time on such a vulgar creature.’ Compared to the idiot in front of him now, a conversation with Bernike, besides stimulating homicidal urges, also sparked healthy intellectual inspiration.

“As you know, since the Great War, humanity’s basic science has been clumsily built up out of necessity. We created everything using ether and relics that we didn’t properly understand. Dr. Valence, the Foundation’s first Secretary-General, lamented this very point. It was like, ‘Oh, this gives off electricity? Good. It’s a battery! Okay, mass can be converted into energy? Let’s use this for an atomic bomb!’ And so on.” Raihan leaned forward slightly, savoring the woman’s discomfort as if it were a delicacy. “Think of primitive humans discovering fire. They didn’t need to understand the principles of combustion to cook meat, did they? It’s the same for us. We don’t know the fundamental principles at all; we just look at the approximate effects and fit them where needed. Since we can just piece together things rolling around on dungeon floors, the difficulty is surprisingly easy. Because of that—” “Ah… truly… fascinating.” The woman barely managed to speak, desperately glancing towards the exit like a deer seeking escape, gripping her wine glass as if it were a shield. Her elaborate act seemed to end here. Watching the woman trying to steer the conversation in a more productive direction, Raihan smirked like a victor. ‘Good, you’ll want to leave soon, won’t you? There won’t be a next meeting. Goodbye.’ He leaned back, crossing his arms, as if assured of victory. Interestingly, Raihan was correct. There was no next meeting.

-Splat! Because a large-caliber bullet flew through the reinforced glass of the luxury restaurant as if it were paper. The bullet fired by Unit 6623, leveraging the computations of collective intelligence, advanced along a perfect trajectory like an arrow of destiny. The outcome was clear: whatever was above Raihan’s neck evaporated immediately after impact.

“…?” The noisy restaurant fell into silence as if time had stopped. The actress, splattered with its contents right in front of her, froze like a statue painted red. The sponsored dress, painstakingly chosen to seduce the handsome chairman of a successful corporation, had long been stained with blood and ruined. But the truly shocking sight began now. The form that had been Raihan rippled like a melting candle before collapsing and gushing onto the floor. The woman’s mind completely froze in front of this surreal scene. What in the world was this? “Screech!” The woman chose to scream. For the role of a tragic heroine facing disaster was the one she was most confident in. Thus, the silence was broken. It was the moment the wicked Ariel Group ruined the restaurant’s peaceful operation that day.

**

Our first operation to create a healthy market economy was to kill Raihan. Finding the target was surprisingly easy. He brought along only a small number of guards, disproportionate to his status, and his daily routine was obvious and easy to investigate, incomparable to Luminex. “Well, that was only possible with the help of friends.” But we couldn’t let our guard down. Raihan was a former director of the Foundation. If all the Foundation’s directors disappeared, it was clear he would use his position and the company’s enormous scale to swallow up Luminex. If the Foundation’s advanced technology combined with Laplaxia’s biotechnology? A nightmare too terrible to imagine would unfold. Fortunately, Laplaxia was said to operate under a thoroughly chairman-centric system. “All authority is concentrated in the Chairman!” If his head was blown off, not only his normal cognitive abilities but also the organization itself would be paralyzed. But then, I suddenly wondered why the Laplaxia people had turned their backs on Luminex. “They said it was for unrestricted, free biological research!” “Ugh! They’re bad guys!” It also crossed my mind that the Foundation once conducted its own research instead of stealing others’ technology. One of the papers Yurik-nim was looking at was a Luminex report, after all. “It was probably about artificial intelligence!” However, for unknown reasons, AI development failed. The Foundation’s board of directors was said to have been thrown into chaos. Since then, they became even more reclusive, creating a fearsome organization called the Patent Decapitation Unit, becoming shameless plunderers of others’ research achievements. It was around that time that Raihan’s older brother took the position of Secretary-General. “Let’s send the younger brother to the underworld first!” “They say there’s an order to coming, but no order to going! [a proverb meaning death comes randomly].” Thus, Violet’s righteous bullet annihilated the chairman enjoying his lunch. It was dubbed the “Hopeful Retirement Shot.” The problem was that the target was fake.

Two kilometers from the Crystal Spire Building, Unit 6623, gazing through the scope of an anti-materiel rifle, grumbled with a sigh. “Seijis’s words were true.” Beyond the scope, the target instantly melted away like a slime. An obvious signal to anyone: ‘I am not human.’ Its identity was clear. As the Scholarship Officer had warned, Laplaxia was operating a terrifying secret bioweapon. “A shapeshifter!” This monster, created by melting down humans, could absorb the genes of others and perfectly mimic them. Anyone, without restriction, as long as they were human. In short, it meant that the Daphne I used to hug and sleep with, enjoying her soft fluffiness in the dormitory, might one day be replaced by a fake. “Gasp! Horrible!” “A fake Daphne! No!” Laplaxia was a plagiarism corporation. At this rate, we would experience a situation no different from the Red Zone, which had just entered a lull. While it would be impossible to mimic our networked Violet, it was chilling to think what sinister schemes we might get caught up in if we left things as they were.

Perhaps sensing the Federation’s restraint after we destroyed Magnabyss, Laplaxia was said to have closed several research facilities it operated on the western outskirts. They might be trying to whitewash their public image, avoiding the scrutiny of other clans and corporations, but on the surface, they posed as a legitimate pharmaceutical company. Of course, what horrific deeds they were committing behind that facade was obvious. Raihan was such a heinous human beast that even Bernike would click her tongue, thinking, ‘I’m better than him…’ The grudge from him poking at our Violet’s mind alone was reason enough not to let him live. Immediately after the restaurant turned into a bloodbath, new intelligence flooded in. “What’s clear is that there aren’t just one or two Raihans walking around outside!” “He seems to be in his mansion too!” Although we had received a warning from the Scholarship Officer, the fellow was indeed cleverly utilizing doubles, worthy of being called kagemusha. -Remember two things. His movement path was too easily ascertained, wasn’t it? There’s a high chance he’s not the real one. Also, remember that he’s a big shot in a biotechnology company. His vitality will be tougher than most monsters. -Then what? -If it’s a fake… it doesn’t matter, but if it’s the real one, use all available firepower. While he might be hiding somewhere in a corner, we couldn’t rule out the possibility that the real one was among these. The locations of the ‘Raihans’ or those disguised as such, operating stealthily across the entire western sector, flickered like fireflies on the three-dimensional tactical map. No matter how cunningly they hid, they ultimately couldn’t escape our net. The Violet command, numbering over eight thousand, raised a chilling hand gesture with a unified will. “Destroy him!” We, with clear and resolute hearts, brought down the guillotine blade.

**

Raihan felt a sense of crisis about five minutes after the sniper shot. “Connections keep cutting out. I sent the team responsible, but what in the world…?” Various external affairs, though not as critical as research, were essential for company operations and were underway in various locations. Or matters that required supervision. Raihan sent his doubles—shapeshifters—to monitor every move. Most were handled by the shapeshifters who had received his memories, but if the on-site situation was unfavorable—like dealing with an annoying actress—he could directly control them remotely. What if there was a problem with a double? He’d just get back at whoever caused the problem later. Explaining things to witnesses was an issue, but that too could be resolved by manipulating memories or simply making up an excuse. He had thought so until now.

[…RC-S2-02 connection lost.] […RC-S2-03 connection lost.] “What is this, Secretary, check it. Even if the one who got sniped is a given. Why are the ones in the office and labs also—” As Raihan, with a bewildered expression, looked for his secretary, calls poured in like a storm. “What is it? Head of Security—” “Chairman-nim! It’s them! It’s the Ariel Group!—Aaaah!” As soon as the excessively cheerful name erupted from the receiver, gunshots and explosions assaulted his ears. Footsteps sounded as if the gates of hell had opened. -Hey! Where’s Raihan? There he is! Tear him apart! Burn him! […RC-S2-01 connection lost.] As the monitor turned blood-red with signals, Raihan shot up from his seat. The secretary, who had entered the room without him noticing, whispered in his ear with a cold voice. “All locations where shapeshifters are deployed are being raided. The target appears to be you, Chairman. Please give your orders.” Raihan clenched his teeth as if they would shatter. He pressed his index finger firmly against his temple, forcing down the disgusting curses that welled up in his throat.

The Ariel Group, he had been closely monitoring their movements since what happened in Circlecliff. He had also reviewed what those kid soldiers had done. ‘They encountered the Magnabyss Vanguard in Vittorio Arcade, and annihilated them.’ An ominous sense of déjà vu flashed through his mind. A small elite unit of a clan encounters an armed terrorist organization in a city. The unidentified organization annihilates the unit, and the terrorist organization later commits a larger act against that clan. Was what happened almost a year ago repeating itself like a nightmare? ‘I expected friction, but why us first?’ Swallowing the surging anger at the waste of precious time, the Chairman spoke coldly. “…Helmen should be ready. Activate the Helmen timer. Hand over all the coffins to the Foundation. Beg for mercy. Since those Ariel bastards are really planning to hit us, start the evacuation procedure for all staff.” The secretary’s sealed mask glinted ominously under the light. It nodded like a machine and pressed a device on its neck to contact headquarters. “Let’s move. Then—” From his seat in the mansion’s basement, the Chairman gracefully rose. Outside, elite guards would be waiting, tight as iron. If they moved through the underground passage, they could escape without a problem. The Chairman once again took leisurely steps.

Raihan’s arrogant composure was only valid until the moment divine retribution struck. His fatal misfortune was not noticing the three unidentified biplane transports, with their transponders off, circling above the mansion. “Air squadron, drop at target! Drop! Drop!” “Guidance initiated! I’m flying! Yahoo!” One-ton winged drums whistled like death, penetrating the roof one after another. -Boom! A chain explosion of one-ton guided bombs shook the luxurious mansion like an earthquake. Red flames and black smoke soared as if to pierce the sky. “Have they already arrived…?” The next moment, the Chairman had to witness his mansion collapsing like a sandcastle. As the basement crumbled along with it, what flashed through the frantically running Chairman’s mind were the images of his precious meticulously displayed collections. “No, my specimens—” The ceiling crashed down like a hammer of fate. Amidst the debris covered in dust and flames, black-clad girls swarmed in like hyenas chasing prey, searching through the building’s wreckage. The ominous cawing of a flock of crows filled the scene of disaster. “Target confirmed! Target confirmed!” “Total destruction! It collapsed! Requesting search, boss!”

**

Brushing dust from his custom suit, Raihan breathed heavily amidst his boiling rage. The heavy armored vehicle swayed continuously like a ship in a storm. “It’s a pity. Our painstakingly built advanced research facilities crumbling before such barbaric violence…” Seeing the terrible scars left by a single, coordinated assault, the Chairman fumed like a child whose toy had been snatched away. On the tablet screen, Laplaxia’s majestic headquarters building stood helplessly, enveloped in black smoke, and the secretary quietly recited in an icy voice. “However, major data and equipment were promptly moved. They seem to have targeted only you, Chairman. Thanks to that, there were almost no casualties among personnel.” “Then, that’s fortunate!” Raihan suddenly brightened and smiled, as if changing masks. “Our noble progress relies not on mere physical facilities, but on the ceaseless chain reaction of intellectual evolution. That’s right. As evolutionary theory proves, the transmission and advancement of memes constantly evolve and transfer, much like ether. Whether Laplaxia will end as a fragmented achievement of my individual work, or whether it will inherit the meme of true scientific progress and become the ultimate medium of evolution… This incident will be a crucial experiment to prove our true worth.” The Chairman could smile like a victor. The terrorists’ offensive had failed. He had, after all, survived. Even though several facilities were incinerated and the headquarters building was shattered, it didn’t matter.

“However, the material damage is severe. The market capitalization plummeted by 35% in a single day, and stock prices hit a new low. Most of the next-generation new drug development projects and awakening agent clinical trials are either suspended or delayed by at least six months to a year—” “Physical losses are meaningless. Buildings can be rebuilt, and capital is merely a medium. What’s fundamentally important is inheriting the immortal will passed down through people. Just as Laplaxia inherited the will of the first Secretary-General! Wealth… ha! It’s merely a dopamine supply for inferior species who cling to base instincts and cannot live without personal will. We must become higher-dimensional meme transmitters, unlike them!” The moment an ecstatic Raihan shouted, the armored vehicle shook violently as if an earthquake had struck. Gunshots grew closer again. “It seems to be a pursuit unit. Foundation troops are just a minute away, so…” The secretary couldn’t finish his sentence. Soon, both of them experienced gravity as if the world had turned upside down. The armored vehicle became like a rollercoaster tumbling down the road. -Clank! After a series of tumbles, the Chairman staggered out of the armored vehicle, supported by his secretary.

Immediately after, he let out a hollow laugh. Black-clad soldiers, like harbingers of death, were swarming around him like a tide. “Ugh… quite rough. I didn’t expect you to destroy my entire security team…” The burning wreckage and the miserable sight of soldiers bearing the Laplaxia logo already hinted at the outcome. And amidst them, a black-clad man exuded an ominous aura, like a grim reaper from hell. “So you were here, Raihan Valence. Do you know why I came?” “Chairman, step back—” The secretary being torn into four pieces and falling was instantaneous. Raihan belatedly realized what had happened and blinked blankly. The man, wavering with the ambiguous haze characteristic of a perception-inhibiting device and an ominous aura like a shadow of death, approached step by step. Suddenly, Raihan instinctively sensed a blood-curdling murderous intent and uncontrollable rage in the man’s demeanor. “You’re disrupting my workday. Have I done something wrong? I’ve recalled the list of everyone who has a grudge against our company. There was no one like you on it, though…” The man briefly looked back. Small Ariel Group soldiers holding guns watched with intrigued expressions, scratching their heads as if observing a circus. “No need to know. This is where it ends.” As anxiety gripped him, the man raised his sword, glinting coldly in the moonlight. Raihan tilted his head as if grasping at a last hope, then desperately cried out. “No, I still have much to do! My will won’t be broken—” Countless streaks drew lines in the air as if embroidering the night sky. As soon as the debris scattered, physical and infernal flames erupted like the fires of hell. The Scholarship Officer, inspecting the wreckage with a hawk’s eye, clicked his tongue briefly as if something occurred to him. “Is he dead?” When Violet asked in an anxious voice, Seijis replied in a heavy tone. “Only the chairman died.” Violet was merely perplexed, not understanding what he meant.