Chapter 148

“Hey, I won’t get mad. Just tell me the truth. What exactly did you do that night?”

……

“There was an incident. I want to emphasize that this was not a response to my handling but rather a change due to some agreement between those two.”

No matter how I looked at it, the cause was here, and the result was clearly felt, yet he kept repeating that he had no part in it. I glared at him strongly, thinking about kicking his shin… but Zero stopped his excuses and shut his mouth just from that glance.

So, why did you act like nothing happened before?

“Anastasia-nee… I’ll try my best! Thanks to you all, I feel like I’ve learned to think more broadly…”

“No…”

What is this random response, Kên kid?

Why are you making me look like someone who can’t read the mood?

I waved my hand to dismiss the recently very enthusiastic Kên.

At least, I let it slide because his energy was directed outside of work. If he had such determination for data mining, I would have had to step in. But it wasn’t bad to see the boy, who was usually as glum as if he had a lump of lead on his shoulders, looking carefree and looking around with bright eyes.

Of course, a sudden change in someone’s attitude is not a good sign.

The suspicious gazes of our assigned tracker followed him for a while… but thanks to that, I had more room to move.

“So… you have some sneaky sides yourself. Hey, do you by any chance want to sell the software licenses inside Tin Can? I’ll report every use… and separately manage the payment! How does that sound??”

“…What?”

Who are you? Go away already.

How can I sell strange things that pop out just by concentrating and saying, ‘Be like this and that, Hup’? I don’t even know how they work or their structure.

Anyway, while prying Marina off, she clicked her tongue and retreated… but then again, if someone with script kiddie-level skills like her showed interest…

When the dust settled, I thought it might be worth considering seriously as a future source of income.

There is a risk of analysis, and countless illegal copies may be made, but isn’t royalty business one of the sweetest in the world?

Actually, putting it into practice would involve far more complex verification… but how can anyone resist money growing just from breathing?

“So… you need to learn ordinary human perception and thinking. Understand? Most people jump to conclusions just from behavior and tone.”

…”However, Ahsa’s standards for judging the ordinary may be quite far from the societal norm considering the extraordinary nature and talents you possess, right?”

Ultimately, every action has a reaction.

After listening to the detailed situation from Zero’s perspective, I realized some major misunderstanding had occurred. Attempting to provide some social education ended with a rather artistic response.

“No, no, I was once an ordinary citizen.”

“…”

-If you’re talking about your past life where you were praised as the greatest genius scientist of Enema, mastering knowledge and even creating the blueprint for new humanity, I must say you’re holding humanity up to an impossibly cruel standard.

“That…Aaahh!!”

With that sigh, I ruffled my hair in frustration.

Trying to confess that it was just the result of excessive immersion in simplistic entertainment… but explaining all the intricate cause-and-effect relationships in between would be too difficult, not to mention I myself am not fully aware of the detailed process.

…Anyway, there was a reason to cut off the idle chatter with Zero.

“Engineer… is this material vault also something you’ve finished with? If you’re done tinkering, I’ll head out.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you for your hard work.”

I bowed to a stranger for the first time in a while.

Such polite exchanges passed with just barely formal greetings.

One side was a mercenary whose contract was due to end today, the other a regular employee of a massive corporation, someone who normally wouldn’t even make eye contact with a street technician.

Similarly, Marina and Kên, who were wrapping up their work near some equipment, had similar exchanges.

After a long period of segregation, we were uncomfortable with these strangers in their white uniforms, and they, who would soon have no reason to see us again but were still our technically superior guests, were just as uneasy.

With a squealing sound of metal, the miniaturized forklift carted the hardware stamped with an OK sign towards the warehouse exit. The devices they were taking back were items retrieved from the research labs, so they’ll find their way back to their proper places.

Anyway, it’s none of my business anymore. Farewell, servers I have no relation to~ Don’t dream of troubling me.

…”Is there no longer any concern about this issue resurfacing in the future?”

“While there are no absolutes in life, considering we’ve handed over all other materials thoroughly and meticulously… there should be little need for Enema to dig again…”

Not just that, but those who used the name of server stabilization to completely dismantle and reassemble the entire system will likely not dare touch it unless someone far more capable comes along.

Besides, the component’s lifespan may have become questionable as well. Ha ha ha…

…Ehm, nothing at all, folks! The handling was perfect, so please take everything with peace of mind. Yes~

The furtive whispering through the communication line made me awkwardly wave at the suspicious looks from the workers and then look away.

Moving equipment, disinfection operations giving the facilities a strong sense of lived-in life.

I just wanted to wrap things up before uncontrollable variables appeared, but now that everything’s finishing, the feeling is bittersweet.

It’s not about not being able to get food from Enema anymore – mainly… Marina and Kên. Just realizing that the back-and-forth with these kids is over makes me sentimental.

Not that we’ve exchanged contact details or anything, and since our team was formed purely by chance, it would be absurd to create a chat group like former trainees…

But despite their unawareness, we’ve already set a date to meet again.

“Considering they’re characters who appeared fine and dandy even in the original work…”

“…”

When Zero wondered when we had made such an arrangement, I vaguely reassured them that there was such a thing.

The biggest concern right now is that Edamatsu hasn’t been seen since that day, let alone returned, and even the secretary who used to manage us has disappeared…

Could it really be wrapping up neatly with the payment confirmed and confidentiality agreements? If that’s the case, I’m in favor.

Erase any traces as I see fit. We’ve extracted and returned an enormous amount of data as per the request.

But there’s this nagging feeling that I’ve forgotten something important…

BOOM!

Even amidst the commotion, the clear sound of impact caught everyone’s attention.

That kind of strength, powerful enough to shake the entire warehouse with a simple knock, combined with precise control. If I had to guess, it must be them, though I’ve never seen their face despite hearing their voice over and over.

“A notification came that the settlement of the documents and additional contract options is complete. It’s time for all three of you to move on back to the main building.”

“Great! We’ve been waiting for you!”

“Hoooh…!”

The now unburdened Marina and me stood up immediately, followed by Kên, who hastily repacked his computer into a carry-on bag and caught up.

A Japanese idiom, right? A picnic’s only a picnic until you return home.

I understand that loosening the tension can lead to mistakes, but am I a machine to follow my own intentions perfectly?

“Indeed… constantly questioning the base protocols like this is inefficient compared to the past.”

“…”

What, you’re not holding up well either?

With a wry chuckle, I walked down the corridor.

I brushed off Marina’s occasional silly remarks and her head, muttered an awkward farewell to Kên’s hesitant greeting about hopefully meeting again in the future, and the tracker leading us ahead, who used to be as thorny as a splinter, seemed to fade from my mind.

Just how many times did we twist and turn through those labyrinthine corridors before going up in the elevator? Afterward, we finally arrived at the main lobby of Enema Corporation, usually the background in games.

“Wow… it really is grimmer seeing it in person.”

Even with employees passing through, creating a lively atmosphere, it was still strange.

The stark harmony of black and white dominating the floors and walls created a disconcerting atmosphere, while the potted plants scattered around, seemingly placed to aerate the stiff air, only intensified their vivid greenness.

Perhaps intentionally built similar to labs for those who frequent the building more often, like regular employees or visitors, in stark contrast to private quarters or villas of executives?

This looks completely like the design of a villainous organization… how fitting.

According to instructions, we would first be guided to the quarantine inspection room for a routine checkup. “As a gesture of appreciation for all your efforts on behalf of Enema, management has decided the cost for the inspection will be waived.”

“Oh, that’s so touching.”

A momentary pause in my idle musings caused Marina to snicker and Kên to urge me forward into the inner lobby.

Then, two of their portraits were enlarged on the large monitor overhead… shortly after, a public announcement banner appeared.

[Welcome Marina Serrano, citizen of New London Accology, to Enema Corporation.]

[Welcome Kên Takekura, citizen of Holtz Colony, to Enema Corporation.]

“Huh…”

Even without any extraordinary abilities, my circuits sparked with electric jolts.

World-leading technological innovation in cybernetics far surpasses anything else. Security systems range from implanted ID tags to card keys, passwords, fingerprint scans, iris recognition, even old-school paper documents, but among these, one of the most controversial technologies remains facial recognition.

Not because of accuracy issues so much as vulnerability from advanced plastic surgery and historical breaches during large-scale frauds; thus, it’s rarely used alone anymore.

But for simple lobby installations, it’s quite practical.

So… here’s the question.

Does the Enema headquarters system prioritize shared citizen databases managed by consortiums higher than its own internal employee list?

And the moment the recent two high-angle snapshots disappeared from the monitor, another face familiar to me appeared, accompanied by a distinct narration.

[Senior Researcher Anastasia Makarovitch, currently with no registered meetings, unable to provide a conference room allocation.]

“Well, that’s…!”

Still, for now, it’s alright. As long as no one observant notices us, everything will be smooth until our clearance.

And when I turned my gaze back normally, I met the eyes of everyone looking at me.

Ah.

★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★

“…Hey, how about opening your eyes? You irresponsible brat.”

Tap tap. In a secluded corner of the medical area, a female figure sprawled on a bench in a fake park designed for patients. A golden-haired punk continuously poked her cheeks.

Her shoulders rippled with the motion of fingers, earrings swung rhythmically, and faint bell sounds followed.

Despite the potential for escalation into serious criminal offenses such as abduction, theft, or assault, and despite there being no pedestrians around, the situation oddly lacked tension.

The taps on her cheek gradually strengthened, but no more physical contact ensued. This absence of ulterior motives from the party waking up the unconscious woman was notable.

Snap!

“Ack!”

…Perhaps a shred of sympathy?

“Ugh… hey. But this is your irresponsible fault. That’s why I earned a load of damages to cover and took care not to tamper with the brain cortex with that nasty implant… it’s not something just anyone can do, you see…”

After secretly having an information retention implant surgically inserted and then being left at a nearby park with a throbbing wound near the nape, Marina groaned and fussed.

On the other hand, one part of the Gemini Node twins, the hacker duo, rolled an eye at her nonsense.

“And look, you turned us into your guinea pigs and kept us hovering around Enema for nearly two whole months waiting for your call. If my reputation tanked and ended up on some blacklist because of this, you’d have died by my hands.”

“But come on… don’t the great and wise people of Megacorp have to arrange insurance for whether their hired help lives or dies?”

Marina grinned slyly, and the hacker twin glared back, seeing through her unspoken implication: ‘What would you have done without our help?’

There wasn’t much history or background to their relationship that warranted such labeling.

At the paradoxial reconnaissance request company, the initial hiring of Marina had been supplemented by a hint of hiring an additional hacker from Holtz Colony to boost success rates, all without disclosing specifics—intentionally vague hints to protect identities within their closely-knit industry.

By sheer coincidence, before meeting the twins, she came across Kên, who eagerly accepted her proffered hand, thus forging their destiny together.

Even after introducing herself and exchanging a few words, realizing the mix-up, she still cleverly roped Anastasia into it, showing her uncanny skills.

“Oh… who’s that? Your brother’s side? Disappointing. I thought your sister would show up.”

“Which is why I’m here on purpose. Ever thought why people who’ve worked with you all seem creeped out?”

Not only had their contracted job turned into a redundant dead end, but being the guinea pigs due to sequence, and finally treated like backup insurance, the Gemini twins nearly fumed with rage.

Still, with the situation so twisted, they waited—perhaps monitoring—nearby to ensure the agreed credits landed in their account.

“Ahhh…! Ughh…!!”

Apparently still dazed from the sedative, the woman wrestled with limbs, finally abandoning the attempt to regain balance and started fumbling with her cyberware with clouded consciousness.

She transferred funds to the twins per previous verbal agreements—no less than twice the amount expected.

Caught off guard by the generous amount, the male twin shot her a suspicious glance, but Marina dismissed it with a casual wave of her hand.

“Take it, take it… I asked for information that’s going to fetch a handsome price.”

A sinister edge had replaced the light-hearted smile on Marina’s face.

Already, she was crafting sensational headlines.

The notorious internet hacker suspected to have ties with Paradise was revealed as an Enema employee? And even stranger, after hiding her identity, she infiltrated her own company?

Given this, her future clientele was practically a given. Resolved to further monitor and study this intrigue, she reaffirmed her intention to stay involved.

“So, what about that Kên kid, who was discarded with you. Should we leave him be?”

“Uh, leave him. He needs time to accept this other side of his respected sister. Yeah.”

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