Ch.48City in the Darkness (2)

–

Team Leader Jaesung Samuel of the Earth Security Police Force had a headache.

It was because of the young female reporter sitting across his desk, tapping impatiently.

Her name was Kevin, a senior reporter from the Daily Mass branch located in the commercial district.

“I’d like to ask about the causes and countermeasures for the recent riot in the residential district from you, Team Leader, who is responsible for the operation.”

“I told you I can’t talk about it. You should ask the residential district or the port district…”

“When I asked them, they said the operation was overseen by Armed Police Team Leader Jaesung Samuel.”

“I’m not the person in charge, so I don’t really…”

“If not you, then who is in charge? Perhaps your secretary who’s busy making coffee outside is the team leader?”

Jaesung felt irritation rising at her rude tone, but he couldn’t speak carelessly.

Daily Mass was run by House Zhao of Prime Capital.

With less than a week until the board meeting, he couldn’t afford to antagonize a media outlet operated by Prime Capital.

Jaesung himself was a Third Capital with connections to the upper echelons of Megacorp. He vaguely knew that Noble Capital and Prime Capital families were engaged in power struggles.

What would happen if he mishandled this situation and negatively influenced the board meeting? Lila would certainly throw him into the entertainment district.

‘So I have to deal with this too…’

“This operation was a joint effort, so I’m not the sole person responsible, but rather multiple teams working together…”

All Jaesung could do was talk in circles and avoid responsibility.

This meaningless conversation continued for two more hours.

Usually, most people would give up by now, but this crazy woman showed no signs of leaving. She seemed determined to stay for days unless he gave her something.

‘This stubborn woman! When is she going to leave?!’

Jaesung had mountains of urgent work to handle. Unable to remain tied up with the reporter any longer, he finally surrendered.

“Let me ask again. In the residential district…”

“Enough! Fine. I’ll give you the name of a survivor from the operation, so you can ask them.”

“If you give me a strange name…”

“The port district’s detective team leader was the first to report this incident, so he would know best.”

Kevin nodded when she saw Jaesung’s pleading look that begged her to leave.

She had grilled him for two hours. Convinced he wasn’t lying, Kevin stood up.

“If you’re lying, you can look forward to tomorrow’s article.”

At her warning, Jaesung silently gritted his teeth while cursing her with his eyes. Kevin gave him a provocative smile before leaving the office.

“The port district.”

After exiting the building, Kevin took out her communicator.

“Hey, it’s me. Do you have a detective who participated in the recent residential district operation… What? No, it’s nothing like that. I just want to ask something. Yeah. Yeah. He’s on vacation today? Yeah. Administrative district residential area? Thanks.”

After ending the call, she headed for the subway station.

Though well past rush hour, the station was still quite busy.

Since the city was built in space, private vehicles were only permitted for government officials. Only special institutions like hospitals or police could operate special-purpose vehicles.

That’s why the stations were always packed with people until the subway stopped running at 11 PM.

Kevin arrived at a station in the administrative district’s residential area.

Her destination, according to her source, wasn’t far from the station.

Clean, bright houses lined streets paved with marble.

Kevin whistled at the luxurious appearance that was incomparable to other districts.

Walking along the marble sidewalk to her destination, she examined the surroundings before ringing the doorbell. The house was as neat as the others.

‘All the windows are covered?’

The only difference was that curtains were drawn over every window, as if the occupant didn’t want anyone looking inside.

‘This could be a scoop—I can’t miss it.’

Kevin was a typical Megacorp reporter, meaning she didn’t care what her interviewees thought as long as it helped her get an exclusive story and promotion.

‘If he’s in a mentally vulnerable state, all the better for me.’

He would spill everything when questioned.

Kevin pressed the doorbell firmly while wearing her best business smile. There was no response.

“Huh?”

Seeing a car parked in the private driveway, her target was definitely home.

Kevin pressed the doorbell again.

Still no answer, but she didn’t mind. She would keep pressing until someone came out.

After pressing the doorbell continuously for 10 minutes, she finally heard movement inside. Footsteps approached, and the door opened.

The man who opened the door looked like a living skeleton.

Kevin extended her hand casually, despite the man’s appearance resembling a terminal cancer patient.

“Hello, Team Leader. I’m Kevin, a senior reporter from Daily Mass. You’re Detective Team Leader William, correct?”

“…”

William scanned her up and down with hollow eyes. He tried to close the door immediately, but Kevin had anticipated this and already placed her foot in the doorway.

Having failed to close the door, William spoke.

“…What do you want?”

“I’d like to ask about the disturbance in the residential district, Team Leader.”

“I have nothing to say.”

“There were quite a few casualties during the operation. I’m curious about the cause and who you were chasing. It would be great if you could cooperate for the sake of Megacorp citizens’ right to know.”

“I have no obligation to answer.”

“If you don’t answer, I’ll have no choice but to write an article based on my limited investigation materials.”

In other words, she would fill it with negative information.

William’s face contorted at Kevin’s threat. His expression was as fierce as a wounded wolf, but she wasn’t intimidated at all.

The standoff ended with William’s sigh. He asked her in a voice that suggested he didn’t even have the energy to be annoyed.

“What exactly do you want?”

“It’s a bit awkward to talk here. Could we go inside and chat?”

Contrary to her words, she entered the house without waiting for his answer.

“The atmosphere is quite different from outside, isn’t it?”

As Kevin said, the inside was a complete mess. Unwashed clothes and half-eaten food containers were scattered everywhere. Additionally, there was a stale, foul smell suggesting the place hadn’t been ventilated for a while.

William sat down at the dining table without responding.

“…Ask quickly. I’m busy.”

Kevin sat down naturally on the dirty chair as if it were her own home. She took out a small recorder and made a gesture asking if it was okay, to which William waved his hand as if to say do whatever you want.

“Then let me first ask about the overview of the operation in the residential district.”

Kevin’s interview lasted for over an hour. Unlike his initial prickly attitude, William answered most of her questions.

However, despite his cooperative attitude, William’s condition worsened as the interview progressed.

He took medication several times during the interview. Kevin recognized the pills as the strongest over-the-counter painkillers available.

‘He doesn’t seem to have any external injuries. If it’s PTSD, he should be taking antidepressants, but that’s not it either.’

Even after taking the medicine, he was clearly suffering from headaches, pressing his temples so hard that blood seemed about to seep out.

Though her interviewee was clearly in pain, she had no intention of stopping the interview. From her perspective, if he died during the interview, it would only add to her scoop.

‘The medication aside, why does he keep checking the time?’

William also checked his watch unnaturally often. According to her source, he was currently on leave. Despite having no apparent urgent business, he seemed extremely anxious.

‘This might be a huge scoop!’

In interviews, it’s not just the answers that matter. The subject’s behavior and reactions to questions can also be newsworthy.

She was internally delighted at the prospect of a major story.

As the interview was nearing its end, she asked William one final question.

“You said this Sander person is already dead, but do you know anything about the criminal he was dealing with?”

“…”

For the first time since the interview began, William didn’t answer. Kevin didn’t miss his momentary reaction.

When she asked the question, his eye twitched slightly. That reaction meant he knew something about the criminal.

“I’ll ask again. The person dealing…”

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“I can’t answer this one. Not for my sake, but for yours.”

‘For my sake? What does he mean?’

It didn’t make sense, but William seemed sincere.

“If you’re trying to threaten me, Daily Mass—no, House Zhao of Prime Capital—will never stand for…”

“Ha. Prime Capital? Can such useless entities really protect you? Be careful. I don’t know if my warning will mean anything since you’ve already entered this house.”

With those words, William stood up and walked to the door. He opened it and stood silently.

A wordless demonstration that it was time for her to leave. Kevin recalled the contents of the interview.

She had already achieved sufficient results. There was no need to stay in this filthy house any longer.

“Thank you for cooperating with the interview, Detective Team Leader William.”

“…”

William gave her a look that said her pleasantries were unnecessary and she should leave quickly. Before closing the door after she left, he gave her one final piece of advice.

“Kevin, was it? It would be better not to walk alone at night.”

“What did you say?”

William closed the door without waiting for a response.

‘What nonsense is that?’

Kevin was annoyed, thinking his warning about being careful at night was a threat. As she was about to ring the doorbell again, her communicator rang.

“It’s the branch manager.”

He was probably calling to ask for a report on today’s interview.

“Yes, Branch Manager. I just finished the interview. What? Oh, who do you think I am? Of course it was successful. Yes. Yes. I’ll come right away.”

She ran toward the station with the communicator wedged between her neck and shoulder.

Someone was watching her retreating figure.

It was William, from inside the house.

He watched until she disappeared, then picked up his communicator.

–

‘This seems about finished now.’

I got up after crouching all day. Dried mucus on my outer shell crumbled and fell off.

I stretched all six of my arms.

‘It took longer than expected because of the wide area.’

My nest in the city’s secret passage was complete.

The passage, once filled with garbage left by workers, had transformed into something resembling the inside of a living organism. Dark brown mucus flowed like never-drying fountains from the walls, ceiling, and floor, while spores settled throughout continuously spewed mucus.

If an ordinary creature entered this place without ventilation, they wouldn’t last long due to the toxic air.

‘Building a large nest really does feel secure.’

The completed nest was 500 meters in diameter.

Though tiny compared to the massive 60km city, with proper linking it could cover about a quarter of the city.

‘I can detect the entire residential district and about a third of the commercial and entertainment districts.’

Unlike the research ship, the city has much more movement, so it’s difficult to recognize all the detailed movements of humans and machines, but if I concentrate, I can at least identify the movements of enemies targeting me.

After getting up and stretching, I suddenly felt hungry.

‘I used most of my remaining energy building the nest.’

After the fight with the armed police, I’ve been receiving a stable supply of food through a new slave.

The port district’s detective team leader, William.

I didn’t kill him after capturing him through Armed Police No. 103.

‘He’s smart, so it would be a waste to just eat him.’

William was the only person who found me independently and one of those who pushed me into a difficult fight. In the long term, he could be beneficial to me.

At least compared to the half-insane No. 103, he was a much more useful slave.

So that day, I spared William and ate No. 103 instead.

Completely paralyzed, he lost all will to resist after watching me devour a living person right in front of him. He completely submitted to me even before I implanted the parasite.

Of course, his submission and the parasite were separate matters, so I implanted a parasite in his head. Like most people, he shuddered but offered no real resistance.

After making William my slave, I received all the broker-related materials he had.

Thanks to this, I could know exactly which containers the brokers used to store smuggled creatures.

I could raid the containers directly without needing to enslave personnel from the material management team or the smuggled animal monitoring team.

‘Well, I still need William’s help to get there.’

I needed his help because I couldn’t do anything about the cameras.

William changed the camera placements and android patrol routes under the pretext of focusing port security on high-crime areas. He seemed to have enough respect within the port district’s security team that no one questioned his intentions.

He reported to me whenever there were changes to cameras and patrol routes, identifying points with weak surveillance. Thanks to this, I could move around the port district with ease.

Of course, I couldn’t go hunting too frequently like with Sander or it would raise suspicions, so I’ve been going to eat smuggled animals once every three days.

‘Today happens to be the day to go eat smuggled animals.’

As I was thinking about waking up my pets, the communicator on the floor rang.

‘It’s William?’

It was unexpected to receive a call when it wasn’t time to replace the parasite yet.

‘Come to think of it, signals have been coming continuously.’

While building the nest, thought waves came from the parasite several times. It was reporting that the host was having thoughts harmful to me and would inflict pain.

It’s not betrayal. The parasite in him is level 5. If he even thought about betraying me, he would die instantly from excruciating pain.

The thought waves sent by the parasite should be seen as a kind of mild warning.

‘Something must have happened. Let’s answer.’

I picked up the communicator and asked him using No. 103’s voice.

“What’s going on?”

“There is someone pursuing you, master.”

“Someone pursuing me?”

“Yes. A reporter from a media outlet called Daily Mass, operated by Prime Capital.”

A media outlet operated by Prime Capital?

‘If it’s media, that would be House Zhao.’

House Zhao is a Prime Capital family that dominates media fields like press and entertainment. They were extremely troublesome in the game because they deal with information itself rather than direct combat.

‘They set up branches even on planets with fewer than 100 residents.’

They’re crazy enough to launch satellites near planets they can’t directly enter just to broadcast to the planet.

As a result, players hostile to Megacorp were always overwhelmed by their tremendous information network.

‘That’s why I first sought out traits that block transmissions.’

I’ve been growing in a completely different way from the game since this is reality, but the inevitable has finally come.

‘A reporter.’

If the opponent is a reporter, eliminating them is already a foregone conclusion. If left alone, they would become endlessly troublesome.

“I recorded her with cameras installed in the house. I’ll send the photos by email.”

Shortly after, a notification appeared on the communicator screen indicating that an email had arrived.

‘I’ll have to deal with this today.’

A brown-haired woman sitting at the dining table.

Completely unaware of the fate awaiting her, she was just smiling.