Ch.240Chapter 9. The End of Artifice

The electric tanks that had filled the streets were stopping one by one or being destroyed.

“Uoooooh!!”

A female student wearing clothes similar to the Sejong Academy uniform ran down the road.

The tank that had been moving its wheels while threatening people seemed to sense danger from the girl’s approach and turned its long barrel toward her.

“C-crazy!! Don’t tell me they’re going to fire that—”

KWAAANG!

Before people on the street could say anything to stop it, the barrel spewed fire and shot a shell.

This wasn’t just anything—it was a shell fired from a tank.

Even if fired at enemy lines, it would cause severe damage, but they fired it in the middle of Phuket’s streets?

And aimed at a person?

“Those crazy bastards!!”

“ORAAAA!”

The high school girl leaped forward with her fist thrust toward the sky.

Her speed was like light, and her fist accurately struck the shell flying toward her.

KWAAANG!

With a sound like two dump trucks colliding, light shot up toward the sky.

People looking up saw the shell suspended in the air with its tip crushed.

Those looking down saw the high school girl who had jumped high and landed lightly on both feet.

And when the gazes of those looking in both directions met in the middle, the citizens saw it.

THUD!

The high school girl standing on two feet at the end of the long barrel, from which smoke was still flowing, wearing canvas shoes.

THUNK.

As soon as the girl stretched her hand to the side, something fell from the sky into her hand.

It was the crumpled shell emitting white smoke, and the girl grabbed it with both hands like a basketball and crushed it in one go.

No matter how powerful a tank is, after firing one shell, it takes time to reload for the next shot.

And without posing any threat to the opponent, seeing the target they tried to hit instead overcome the explosion and stand on top of the barrel was pure terror itself.

Step, step.

The high school girl walked along the barrel to the front of the tank and climbed onto it.

Then she kicked the middle of the tank hard with her foot, making the tank shake violently.

A tank weighing several tons wobbling from one person’s kick?

And even having its barrel section torn off?

Despite the situation seeming to defy the laws of physics, this situation is surprisingly not a scene of collapsing common sense.

Rather, it’s a situation happening according to “common sense.”

Those immune to cold weapons.

Those immune to modern gunpowder weapons.

Born with blessings from an unidentified substance called mana, new-age beings that can only be controlled by mana.

Ability users.

As an ability user, the high school girl instantly neutralized the martial law troops—no, the coup forces’ tank.

The wheels flattened, black smoke rose from inside, and she forcibly tore off the barrel section, destroying the tank.

How much money would it have cost to build one tank?

At least much more than the cost of raising one high school girl like this.

KWAAANG!

Explosions continued to occur elsewhere.

Explosions erupted throughout residential areas, soldiers causing disturbances fired guns and set off explosives, creating chaos, but the commotion was all too easily quelled.

Bullets flying toward civilians were blocked by blades of wind.

When a young child appeared beside a tank that had suddenly turned toward residential buildings and delivered a dropkick, the tank slid sideways, its wheels coming off.

When an officer who jumped out of the tank pulled out a pistol and shot at the high school girl standing on the barrel, she didn’t even dodge but took the bullet with her forehead, snatched the officer’s gun, gripped it upside down, and struck his helmet to knock him unconscious.

Step, step.

The boys and girls, the ability users, subdued and neutralized the soldiers one by one, despite the soldiers being older and more numerous.

They disarmed the soldiers and knocked them unconscious, then citizens rushed to the unconscious soldiers and tied them up with whatever they could find—rope, string, anything.

People must have died or been injured somewhere.

But even soldiers are human beings.

Casually shooting at civilians or firing artillery at Phuket streets was an act that made even the soldiers themselves hesitate.

“Retreat! Returning to base!!”

Tanks left the streets, and soldiers ran away with their gun barrels pointed toward the sky.

Some officers were shouting with veins bulging in their necks, but faced with the attacks of the ability users, they could no longer make any sound and buried their faces in the dirt.

One by one.

The ability users began to gather in one place.

The person responsible for leading the army and throwing this street into chaos.

The one who fired missiles at the island known as God’s Sanctuary.

And the one who had controlled this entire country alongside Laplace.

“General Jeokrang, listen!!”

Boys and girls in various outfits walked boldly toward the small army occupying the center of the square and shouted.

“You need to tell us if it’s true that you sold dead ability users as mana powder!”

“How could you secretly raise children on the island! Ability users are not weapons for you to use as you please!”

RATATATATAT!

Gunfire erupted from inside the square.

It was indiscriminate fire aimed at the ability users gathering from all directions, but those bullets didn’t cause any blood to flow.

Plunk, plunk.

The bullets simply fell to the ground.

The ability users who took live rounds head-on merely paused for a moment when hit; the bullets couldn’t inflict any wounds on them.

“General Jeokrang, come out!”

Just as the ability users’ angry shouts echoed.

[Listen well, you monster brats.]

With vulgar curses, General Jeokrang’s voice, full of anger, resonated throughout the city.

[I sincerely hope you all turn into demons and die.]

BANG.

The end of his indiscriminately uttered curse was a single gunshot.

* * *

[A star of the old era has set.]

General Jeokrang’s age, as determined through internet research, was around 60.

He would naturally have children, and his grandchildren would be around kindergarten age.

Having lived conventionally for most of his life and then through 25 years of great upheaval, it must have been difficult for him to accept.

That the military organization he had devoted his entire life to since his youth could no longer function properly.

Someone might say, “How could he not understand after seeing it for 25 years?” But it was precisely because he hadn’t changed his thinking in 25 years that the military coup occurred.

Now, this country will fall into chaos.

There will be such great confusion that it cannot be summarized in a single line, and resolving that chaos—

[Is not the role of The Syndicate.]

WHOOSH!

The dark red flames subside.

Simultaneously, those who had been waiting beyond the wall of flames instantly surrounded us.

“Stop, Goblin! Qiongqi!”

Heroes are pointing their weapons at us.

And among them is Nguyen Ong Bac, who has now become Thailand’s number one hero.

[Do you think we’re the type to stop when told to?]

“What did you do to Laplace?!”

[What do you mean what did I do? I killed him. He had the name Laplace, but when I tried to crack his head open, he transformed into a demon, so I completely annihilated him.]

“What…”

I pointed to the ashes covering the floor.

[It seems insufficient as the end for someone who spent his life turning other ability users into bone powder and consuming them, but at least it’s better than letting him live.]

“That’s…”

[Remember this, hero. We are villains. No matter who the target is, if we think they are ‘evil enough to kill,’ we show no mercy.]

WHOOSH!

As Qiongqi swung her hand widely beside me, dark red flames spread in the air.

“Is that… teleportation?!”

[Farewell. I’ll be watching. If Nguyen, who has replaced Laplace, becomes exactly like Laplace.]

I put my hand on Qiongqi’s waist and pointed at Nguyen.

[You’re next.]

WHOOSH!

In an instant, flames engulfed us.

I opened my eyes again while still holding Qiongqi, looked around the new space, and immediately removed my mask.

“…I feel this every time, but isn’t it a bit much to throw out such impressive lines and then just leave?”

“What do you mean?”

Qiongqi also changed her outfit and sat at the table.

The place where Qiongqi, who had learned teleportation from Ymir, had brought me was one of the underground bunkers in Bangkok, Thailand.

“Anyway, to others it looks like we suddenly disappeared, so what does it matter if we go to the bathroom, a motel, or home?”

In a place set up like a wine bar, she grabbed the smartphone placed beside her and grinned.

“Oppa. Both you and The Syndicate’s creed are like that, right?”

“…That’s right.”

The Syndicate always gives its best.

Quick resolution is our motto, and whatever happens, we always handle everything swiftly and accurately for world peace.

“14 nights and 15 days. Surely you weren’t planning to spend all this time on the mission?”

“…Where Laplace’s demon disappeared to…”

“Oh my. Was that included in the mission?”

“No.”

I sat next to Qiongqi, filled wine glasses, and clinked glasses with her lightly.

“That’s for later.”

“Right. Then, you know what we need to do now, don’t you? Oppa.”

“We’ll leave Hyangdan’s investigation to the tavern owners.”

And the rest.

“…Until we return to Korea, I won’t let you sleep.”

Just replenishing the mana we’ve used.

“Oppa. Shall I make you a cocktail?”

“I only know two cocktails.”

I clinked glasses with Qiongqi once more.

“Sex on the Beach.”

“…And the other one?”

“Quick Fuck.”

To the end of the old era.

A toast to the future of this country as it moves toward a new era.

And.

To the day we will kill Laplace’s demon, wherever it may be.

All for world peace.