096
Iskan ran as if gravity had disappeared. He kicked off the edge of the building again and ran. It was a technique that did not slow down. Even when a narrow gap appeared, instead of going around it, he jumped in between.
‘If you do that, you’ll bump into something… … .’
My prediction and reality diverged. Iskan was sucked into the gap without a sound.
Iskan’s body is a full-body prosthesis made of hard metal. However, his body melts softly and squeezes through the gaps. Following his footsteps, the hem of his clothes flows like liquid.
Yeah, I had to admit it.
I was overwhelmed just keeping up. Iskan’s adaptive 3D maneuverability was far beyond my expectations.
‘Perhaps Iskan is more superior than Heilas in terms of 3D mobility.’
Heilas may not be omnipotent. There are probably many guards who are superior to him in terms of partial abilities.
‘And for a captain of the guards, fighting power isn’t the only thing that’s important.’
Leadership that wins the support of subordinates and makes them follow. That would be more important.
Cadd!
I followed Iskan and leapt into the gap. Despite my smaller size, my shoulders and knees slammed into the wall and ground.
‘Plague.’
I couldn’t help but curse. I was embarrassed to show my immature side to Iskan.
As we passed through the gap, we saw a high boundary line like a castle wall.
‘The boundary between the upper and lower classes.’
Above, there were surveillance facilities and drones flying around.
The black taxi carrying Bao Jakannan passed over it without a hitch. It seemed as if it had received prior permission to pass freely.
However, Iskan and I are on a secret mission. Naturally, we have no permission to pass.
When Iskando saw the border wall, he slowed down a little and put his hands in his pockets.
Dalgrak!
Iskan took his hand out of his pocket. He had a bead between his fingers.
Swish, swish.
Iskan quickly waved his hand holding the bead up and down. The bead glowed blue as if it was on fire.
“Luka, you have to get through the barrier within 5 seconds of throwing this. If you need a break, tell me now. I’ll give you a minute to catch your breath.”
The light inside the bead was slowly becoming unstable.
“Let’s start right now.”
I said it through gritted teeth.
Perhaps Iskan’s Orb is an electromagnetic bomb that causes electromagnetic interference and jamming. I have never seen one of these in such a small form.
“Follow me carefully. If you’re late, I’ll leave you behind.”
Iskan stepped back and prepared to leap. Surveillance drones were flying around near the perimeter wall.
Iskan ran as if he was demonstrating. I stared at his movements as if I was filming them with a camera. I didn’t intend to miss a single one.
Whirl!
Iskan jumped up and spun around in the air. Then, the ball bombs shot out in all directions like a precision launcher.
Dismissal.
A flash of light and a brief electrical pulse occurred where the marble had burst. The surrounding surveillance systems were temporarily rendered ineffective.
Iskan hooked his fingers on the edge of the wall in that state. He jumped back up again with only the strength of his fingers and wrist and disappeared over the other wall.
… … And I was jumping along just like him. I didn’t even need to scatter the beads like Iskan, I just had to jump.
I was jumping into the air and the boundary wall was getting closer.
‘shit!’
I wanted to scream.
Was it because I didn’t take half a step when I jumped, or because of the rain, or because it had been a long time since I had my body tuned, or because the electric bomb had a slight effect on my body as well… .
‘It’s ruined anyway.’
I knew I had failed before I even reached the boundary wall. It was just an arm’s length away.
‘What should I do?’
Luca, think about it. Iskan has already climbed down the other wall, so he can’t help me.
If this continues, you will slide down the wall and crash into the floor. Should I reduce the impact of the fall by scraping the wall? Then you won’t die.
But even if I survived, I would be left behind in the mission. That was worse than dying.
Squeak!
I immediately took off my coat as if tearing it. And I stretched out the torn coat like a whip. It was fortunate that it was raining at least now. The wet coat maintained good friction.
Whirl!
The sleeve of my coat got caught on the railing of the wall, but it only supported my weight for a moment.
Please, please!
I quickly pulled on my coat and pulled myself closer to the barrier.
Ugh!
I barely managed to catch my fingers under the railing. The sudden impact caused the cushioning in my knuckles to separate, creating a gap.
“Haa, haa.”
I pulled myself up onto the railing. I wanted to catch my breath, but I didn’t have time to rest.
‘in action.’
I sent a signal to my body. I had two seconds left. I had to jump. I didn’t have time to look down and recognize the terrain.
Phew!
I threw myself down as if I was falling. As I went down, my vision became clear between the rain and the darkness.
Ah, what a lovely sight. From here on out, it’s the lower level.
Kiiik! Boom!
I went down, scraping my heels against the wall. Finally, I landed on the floor. I somehow managed to get through. I wonder how I did it.
Creak, creak.
I pushed in while slightly twisting my dislocated fingers. The unpleasant sound and foreign body sensation disappeared as the internal parts meshed together.
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Whoosh.
I put my torn coat back on and pulled my hood down. I saw Iskan in the alley.
“If I had been just a little bit later, I would have left you behind, rookie.”
“No way.”
I answered, baring my teeth. But I can’t tell if the liquid running down my spine is sweat or rain. I almost died.
* * *
Even though he had been transformed into a full-body prosthesis, human desires remained the same.
I thought Bao Jakannan would go to the lower-level prostitution district. There are prostitutes in the upper-level districts, but there are often desires that cannot be satisfied there.
I thought back to the holographic advertisements I had seen in the red-light districts of the lower districts. It was disgusting to even mention them.
Whirl!
Iskan and I jumped over the buildings in the lower zone. The buildings were built in a messy manner, and were much more irregular than the upper zone, making them even harder to predict. Even Iskan, a master of 3D mobility, would sometimes hesitate and slow down.
“The red-light district is this way. Bao Zakanaan is going in a completely different direction.”
I spoke as if I was assisting. I also had some knowledge of the geography of the lower zone.
“I hope he doesn’t leave Akbaran. No, come to think of it, it would be better if he leaves. Even if I kidnap him, no one will know.”
Iskan muttered. He too seemed to be wondering about the route of the black taxi that passed the red-light district.
“But you won’t be able to go very far. Considering the cost of running a black taxi. It’s hard to spend that much money on a hobby, even if it’s just to satisfy your secret desires.”
During the Ken Noma Arena raid, I rode a black taxi. It was a short distance, but the amount paid at the time… … It makes my stomach ache just thinking about it. It would be a burden even for a high-ranking official.
“The distance traveled is already considerable. I don’t know what it is, but it is worth spending this much credit on.”
Iskan stared at the black taxi that appeared as a dot in the distance. The passing air vehicle often obscured our view. If it weren’t for the tracker, we would have missed it long ago.
“The black taxi has gone out of town. It may be leaving Akbaran. Should I prepare the vehicle?”
“My head hurts. I don’t want to use the car as much as possible.”
Even if it is a personal vehicle, it is difficult to move secretly when using a vehicle. If you want to follow a black taxi without being detected, walking is the best option.
Iskan’s worries were deepening. But just then, the black taxi started to slow down. Iskan, who had been expressing his embarrassment, let out a sigh of relief.
The place where the black taxi landed was the ruins on the outskirts of Akbaran. I had also visited the ruins on a mission. Of course, I had no good memories. The ruins were full of people with twisted appearances as well as personalities.
‘The ruins of Akbaran. A place where the worst of the lowest of the low gather. A lawless area beyond the gray zone.’
A high-ranking official of the empire visited that place.
“This is not ordinary.”
Iskando squinted his eyes as he checked the location.
“It might not be about satisfying one’s desires, but rather making contact with terrorists.”
As I said this, Iskan immediately shook his head.
“No, that won’t be the case. Even a black taxi can’t protect against acts of anti-imperialist treason. No matter how good they are, they’re just a single company.”
Now that I think about it, that’s true. I was born in a lower class area, so I guess I had a strange fantasy about black taxis.
I shook off the illusion and stared at the black taxi in the distance. The black taxi was hovering in the air, as if it was waiting for payment.
We moved slowly, hiding among the debris.
“Luka, I heard you trained in Archies Victory. Those who use that martial arts have an uncanny intuition. Can I trust you?”
“It’s pretty good. I trust my intuition and instincts and am willing to risk my life.”
I wasn’t being humble. I told it like it was.
A soldier should not exaggerate his abilities. However, it is also wrong to downplay his abilities in order to avoid responsibility.
“Then I will leave the detection of anomalies to you. The ruins of Akbaran are beyond the Empire’s surveillance and control. No one knows what will happen.”
The Empire was also well aware of the internal situation in the lower areas where Gabriel, the Arena Gang, and La Vie en Rose were active.
However, the ruins, with no clear boundaries, are a completely abandoned Earth. Even the Empire has difficulty understanding everything that happens here.
‘A place where even the shallow morals and ethics that people in the lower classes have are absent.’
There were many abandoned buildings in the ruins. Ruins are not wastelands. For various reasons, development was halted or the city was abandoned, and they were just ruins. Vagrants and outlaws made a living using the remaining facilities.
Bao Jakannan got out of the black taxi. The black taxi, having completed its mission, rose and passed over our heads.
Wheeing.
Iskan manipulated the terminal to send a signal to the tracker. The tracker, which was the size of a fingernail attached to the black taxi, fell into Iskan’s palm.
Dismissal.
Iskan rubbed the tracker between his fingers and turned it into powder.
“Bao Jakannan entered the building.”
I said it cryptically.
Bao Zakanaan entered the ruined building and did not come out for two minutes. From the outside, it looked like a desolate, abandoned building.
“I have no choice but to follow you. Luca, take the lead.”
At first glance, it seems like a statement that pushes the subordinate into the limbs. However, as a user of the Archies combat technique, it was a reasonable decision for me to go in first.
I didn’t feel bad about taking risks. On the contrary, I felt good about it. Up until now, I’ve been dragged around by Iskan. But now is the time to show off my abilities.
At least I was confident that I was as good as Iskan in detecting abnormalities and dangers. No, I had to do better than that.
It’s time to prove my worth.
