Chapter 91 : Difference In Direction (6) Part-1

Following the meeting, the policy was officially decided upon and set in stone.

Our current course of action will remain unchanged moving forward.

The reputation of the company has already suffered a significant blow, particularly given that the incident took place right in the bustling heart of Yeouido.

In this world, which has encountered multiple incidents involving mutants, society has found its own unique ways to adapt and respond.

Whenever a mutant is detected, the surrounding area is swiftly cordoned off, and people are promptly evacuated for safety measures.

A similar protocol is followed when conflicts arise between the company’s fighters and the magical girls of the Federation.

These are not just abstract scenarios; according to the standards of this world, we have already faced numerous intense battles firsthand.

Nevertheless, no matter how comprehensive the preparations may be, there will always be boundaries to what can be anticipated and managed.

In the case of simple residential areas, the impact is relatively controllable.

Residents temporarily leaving their homes for a few hours does not lead to a substantial economic disturbance.

Even in commercial districts, the situation remains bearable.

A brief pause in business activities does not result in significant losses that cannot be recovered.

When a small business temporarily shuts down for a few hours, it is considered an acceptable sacrifice when weighed against the potential loss of lives that could occur otherwise.

However, if a large corporation halts its operations, the repercussions are indeed severe and can have a substantial impact on both the company itself and the broader economy.

Whether it is a small-scale enterprise or a large corporation, the interconnected relationships between businesses have a ripple effect that magnifies the repercussions of any event.

Despite the existence of compensation frameworks and the provisions made by the Federation for restitution, it should be acknowledged that compensation alone cannot fully address the complexities of such situations.

In urban areas with a high concentration of towering skyscrapers, the feasibility of performing mass evacuations is hindered.

It is worth noting that, as of now, there have been no instances of encountering a mutant capable of completely demolishing a building.

In essence, could it be argued that this issue arises from the actions of a singular individual with extraordinary capabilities?

Even so, we do our best to clear areas visible to phone cameras, but if the mutant starts flying, things change completely.

This was indeed an unprecedented encounter for us, coming face to face with a flying mutant reminiscent of a magical girl.

Moreover, it marked the first instance in our memory where a building had been utterly decimated in such a manner.

From a distance, the zoomed-in footage presented a clear image of our figures, capturing every move and action we took during that fateful event.

Despite our best efforts to keep the authorities at bay, there was only so much we could do to silence the police.

Consequently, rumors began to circulate among those who held a positive perception of us, leading to further speculation and intrigue surrounding our activities.

“The company has been conducting experiments on Earthlings.”

“Perhaps the Federation has been doing similar things.”

“Magical girls escaped from those experiments.”

Half-true, half-false, I found myself at the center of these stories, feeling somewhat ambiguous.

Well, true or not, the fact that the rumors ultimately worked in our favor was fortunate.

“Noir Corporation will be thoroughly audited.”

The statement made by the government was issued, yet the sincerity behind it was shrouded in uncertainty.

In the video footage, the mutant was captured with a humanoid shape, and a significant explosion rocked the laboratory.

As a result of these events, I quickly gained notoriety as the “white magical girl” in the eyes of the public.

In the past, when I emitted a foreboding aura, I was often labeled as a terrorist or a villain.

However, my recent actions, in contrast to my previous demeanor, such accusations seemed unfounded.

Clad in colors that stood in stark contrast to my previous image, I now found myself working alongside law enforcement.

Considering this transformation and my collaboration with the police, the idea of me being a terrorist seems illogical.

How could authorities team up with someone they had once branded as a threat?

The incongruity of such an alliance baffled many.

“We will clear up misunderstandings with the magical girl and cooperate with the government for a better future. As long as the Republic of Korea’s government permits, we promise maximum collaboration.”

The statement was issued by the Citizen Representative of the Galactic Federation.

The reason behind it was the growing excitement among magical girls and heroes from various other countries.

At this point, there has been no official announcement regarding the potential collaboration between the company in question and the Galactic Federation.

However, since the circuits used in battles—and now confirmed for the first time on the “Earthling mutants”

—were attached to their chests, we couldn’t ignore the matter without comment.

After all, the magical girls and heroes of other countries were Earthlings, just like us.

It’s likely that both of those announcements were meant for us to hear—a message implying that if we cooperate with them, they could take down the company, at least for now.

But—

“There’s no apology, none at all.”

I muttered, taking a big bite of the warm fish cake skewer in my hand.

Exactly.

For that reason, I had no intention of cooperating with either of them just yet.

I have a tendency to unintentionally irritate others in various ways.

If someone has wronged me, I believe it is important for them to openly acknowledge their mistake.

There are numerous methods of communication available, even without meeting in person.

Is it really that challenging to just declare that I am not involved in any terrorist activities?

If they had just communicated that, it would have prevented me from having to escape the last time I was in that situation.

I am grateful that the individuals I am currently surrounded by seem to share my viewpoint, which has helped me not dwell too much on past grievances.

Because of this, our immediate plan didn’t change.

The priority was to cause trouble for the current chairman and make it clear that’s all we’re after.

Our ultimate goal remained the same: to uncover what’s really happening in the complex.

At the same time, we developed an additional goal related to a “different task” we were pursuing.

That goal was to become a “fourth power.”

At the present moment, we found ourselves without the necessary equipment or facilities to properly function.

Even though this location technically belonged to someone else, we had taken it upon ourselves to repurpose and utilize it without their authorization.

The absence of running water on the premises led us to draw water from a nearby stream for our daily needs.

In terms of electricity, we were not connected to any power grid, forcing us to rely on devices that operated using energy harnessed from circuits.

In order to create any semblance of a respectable presence, it was imperative that we make this space presentable.

Despite our shortage of manpower, it was clear that we needed a variety of equipment and facilities to at least make the visible aspects appear convincing.

And for materials, we decided to take them from the company.

“We could dismantle circuits from mutants’ bodies and use them to make some decent gear,” Cherry suggested.

“It’s probably impossible to perfectly repair the interior or exterior of the building—that’s more of an architectural task. But we can create cleaning tools, air conditioning, and even a display that doubles as a situation board,” she added.

“But for a screen, don’t we need actual screen components?” I asked.

“We can substitute it with a projector. We even have holographic technology that can be used,” Cherry replied smoothly.

“Of course, we can make a basic projector with what we have now, but it’s not quite suitable as a ‘situation board.’ Those are usually about 100 inches, right?”

Cherry had arrived with a device in hand, which contained a detailed map of South Korea.

It was clear that she envisioned this place as not just a facade, but a fully functional headquarters for our operations.

I didn’t see any reason to disagree with her plans.

If she wanted to improve our living space and make it more comfortable, I was more than willing to go along with whatever changes she had in mind.

“As for locating the chairman, it shouldn’t be too difficult,” James said, though with a reluctant expression.

He, too, eventually went along with the plan, though it might have been because he felt his opposition wouldn’t carry weight as a minority voice.

Still, he contributed to the planning.

“The government announced it would conduct an audit. That means they’ll summon the chairman for questioning,” James explained.

“What if he flees off-planet?”

“Unlikely. The man couldn’t even ensure the previous chairman’s demise. He may lack ability, but his pride is strong. He’s also highly invested in immediate profits. He knows better than anyone that leaving his position unattended would allow the real chairman to return and take over,” James said, his expression stiff.

“If anything, he might choose to invade this country instead. Though, that would be the worst of all possible moves.”

“And what would happen then?”

“At first, it might seem like the company has the upper hand. After all, we don’t know how many Earthling mutants they’ve faced,” James continued.

“And then?”

“Then, you’ll likely make your move. By that point, the Federation wouldn’t be able to stay neutral. Although their true goal is to harness this planet’s energy, they’ll have to outwardly present themselves as champions of justice. You know as well as I do that the Federation isn’t a perfectly unified entity,” James concluded.

“And if part of the Federation sides with the company?”

“Well, considering the Federation’s top circuit expert defected here out of outrage over your situation, I’d say that’s unlikely,” James said with a wry smile.

I couldn’t disagree with that statement.

It’s true that not all individuals within the Federation can be considered completely moral or virtuous.

However, when contrasted with the current chairman of Noir Corporation, the Federation does exhibit a certain level of “righteousness,” albeit only in appearance.

This distinction is primarily due to the fact that the Federation functions as a governing body, which inherently implies a responsibility to uphold some sense of moral integrity.