Chapter 154

Multiple pushes and, decisively, an exchange of glances.

As I reflected on my condition through the pupil of that guy, it was unclear what he saw.

However, perhaps that only added to his frustration, as I could observe Kajun, whose characteristic poker face slightly faltered, nervously tugging at the collar of his suit.

“Ugh…!! Since earlier, it’s been nothing but no, no… I really can’t understand what you’re so confident about in trying to undermine me. …For such a hideous little thing to suddenly appear!”

“……”

What came out of his mouth seemed to curse me for recklessly charging forward, but in reality, it was more like a soliloquy, a self-reprimand.

The authority that comes with being a superior, the coolness required as a juror to judge guilt or innocence, a villain who, despite being young, has navigated various obstacles to reach the position of the secretary directly under the director, and the pride of a man who is steadily climbing the path to success.

Though he spoke in human language, it was akin to the groans of a beast scratched by many wounds.

Not realizing that I was acting based on reasonably solid speculation and engaged in psychological warfare, he was blindly trying to distance himself.

He wanted space to safely examine the overall contours of the situation and analyze me as a person.

…Ah, how frustrating. If you just listen, it could turn out to be a good story for you as well, right? Why not just dip your toes in, you really lack guts…!

“…What do you mean, ‘confident’? That’s simple, isn’t it?”

Rustling. It was as if… I crossed the conference room, looking as though I couldn’t help but find my opponent pathetic and tiresome.

If you want to buy time overtly, at least do it discreetly. Even while preparing to prettily package my words, I had to do so convincingly. Alright, it’s worth a shot.

“Punishing traitors or hearing from pitiful survivors. Light coercion or threats are also possible during this process. It’s a natural course of action and surely a response outlined in the manual. But…”

I paused for a moment to catch my breath, suddenly awakening the situation.

This isn’t about you pushing me unilaterally, but rather a precursor to negotiations that should be conducted on equal footing.

“You… Mister K. There’s no way someone like Mister Kajun, who refuses to engage in futile efforts, would come here alone for such trivial tasks without the accompaniment of other staff or agents, right?”

“……!!”

Kajun’s lips parted in shock.

He wouldn’t have personally come for such a blatantly mundane task. He is not the kind of person to be satisfied with that. The master schemer, Mister K.

Rather, because he is a clear enemy, he is the main villain who endlessly tormented the protagonist. I have an even higher opinion of this detestable villain.

Ironically, the belief I held was similar to trust, a kind of faith.

If he saw me merely as an object to be punished or livestock to be squeezed, he would not approach in such an unrefined manner.

He would have immediately threatened me with an electric shock device or a syringe, asking which I preferred with a chilling smile.

So now just admit it. If you want something, you have to pay for it; if you try to take the core away without giving anything, it won’t work.

“Where on earth is your spy dispatched from…?”

“…Now that’s a bit too much. I’m a genuine purebred 100% Enema Corporation person. And to boot, I risked everything to return to the headquarters.”

If asked if there was loyalty in that, I would say not at all. But it’s still all true. Pure sincerity, to the point of not needing to act.

That said, I didn’t expect Kajun to be this defensive even after I laid out the groundwork.

In the original work, didn’t they pursue benefits and collaborate when encountering a party whose interests were aligned? Why is he so agitated?

Hmmm… Should I push a bit more?

“Let’s be blunt. As Enema is fervently striving to uncover the truth behind the ambush incident, I too, as the sole survivor, have been working hard on the investigation… and I recently reaped some results.”

Well, if the concealment of my identity is considered a result, then it’s a result.

If I were to mix in lies, it would be at a dramatic moment. Just a little bit.

“But finding someone who can hand that over safely without falsely accusing me is another matter. It’s also unclear who the informant in the headquarters was.”

“…Indeed. Are you implying that you possess crucial information and the willingness to testify?”

‘Finally, we’re starting to communicate…!’

Just in case, I had backed up some of the doctor’s journals and materials from that time onto Zero’s hardware.

With that, it would be enough evidence that Heirong committed acts that could lead to war. And as for the informant… I don’t know if such a person exists. What I found out is solely that it was a result of what the doctor did.

However, presenting this portion to Kajun would suffice. What he does with it, whether he interprets it broadly or tears someone apart to ruin them, is entirely another story.

In exchange for handing this over, I would be able to escape safely. No, I’d be more than satisfied if they simply process my retirement due to the trauma from the industrial accident.

Though being the only survivor who knows all the causality means I have to be investigated to some extent.

“If you understand, let’s make a deal. Mister Kajun. I’ll provide the spark to light the hellscape you desire, and in return… If you can help me end this miserable life of seclusion, that would be enough.”

“A hellscape and a spark…?”

He repeated my words, as if he found the phrasing appealing or enticing, and his gaze became subtly distracted.

His eyes were looking at me, but his consciousness appeared to be submerged beneath the surface.

Of course. Even if he hadn’t yet recognized his own tendencies until now, with this much groundwork laid, he’d be intrigued. Yes.

Not bringing a tracker to measure his pulse or body temperature in order to conceal his schemes was his mistake. I was far more desperate, but he lacked the presence of mind to consider that.

He should ride the tumultuous current I’ve brought.

Or also indulge in the anticipation of irreversible changes beginning.

As long as he complies with this negotiation…!

“…Is there still a need for hesitation?”

“Urgh!?”

While he was ensnared in the swamp of thought, Kajun jumped at the touch of my hand resting on his shoulder as I casually stepped back.

His hand and arm jerked excessively as if he would swat me away in surprise. Yet, he seemed aware that if he did so, someone like me, with barely average physical specs, could easily topple over.

Hey… He can be considerate too? Why does someone like him torment me so much!

Under normal circumstances, the probability of me approaching this wretched fellow would have been virtually nonexistent.

…But just a nudge, a slight push, could make him a fool to sit at the negotiating table… Gah, given how the opponent keeps stalling, it’s really hard for me to just gently coax him with words!

“Wasn’t this the kind of opportunity you were eagerly hoping for? There’s no one else to straightforwardly provide you such valuable confidential information or leads in political warfare like me, right?”

“That’s…”

Soft words whispering sweet proposals in his ears.

The flowing topic seamlessly transitioned into a simple, straightforward question about a person’s desires—how I got here, the veracity of identity, and who I truly am became secondary.

If you truly have something you desire, is it such a big deal to shake hands with a suspicious character?

You had already resolved to secretly disregard the principles of the company from the moment you arrived here.

Ah, there’s no need to worry about the truthfulness of the information.

I intend to transfer the truth, pure and simply except for my name, at a purity of 99.9%.

As I slowly turned my head to initiate a second eye contact, I hoped that if he was ready to cooperate with me, he would respond positively while wearing a friendly smile.

“So, what’s your answer? Mister Kajun.”

Now that we’ve come this far, there’s no need to hold back any longer, right? Let your desires spill out freely.

You’re not the type to maintain the proper line or be satisfied and stop halfway.

There’s no need to hide things from me. I know you. While I may not empathize, I understand.

“…Hah.”

A strong will can be conveyed to the opponent even without being spoken aloud.

The dialogue of eyes, the trembling air, silences more valuable than gold. Amidst those mixed conditions, it felt as though our thoughts converged into some form of unity.

The opponent before me certainly seemed usable.

★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★

He was captivated by the emerging demon.

If he were to evaluate his current situation calmly, Kajun thought he could say that.

“So, Heirong… Indeed, due to that… The fact that the lab was utterly destroyed and the recovery team that was dispatched couldn’t do anything is also true. If the antagonist of the corporation was involved, it was suspected to be either Exatech or the enemies.”

“…Well, that’s right. Hm. Something like that.”

Anastasia Makarovich, a woman whose title as a researcher was questionable, nodded her head.

Getting information and testimony from her as promised and compiling it into a report, he couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease stirring within him.

He was overjoyed at the opportunity to gain perfect trust from his superior for his ascension. The notion that the person he faced had also been waiting for him still felt like a bad joke.

Moreover… If that person were a strange existence that he could not fathom at all, like an unsettling darkness, it would only intensify.

“…Are you really okay? You went through so much to stay hidden, and you don’t have to handle that top-secret research yourself.”

“Just processing the retirement as we initially agreed upon would be fine. And…”

As it was within the framework of a transaction, even if he tried to balance the value of the items exchanged, since it was a rare opportunity to negotiate.

“My goal will be accomplished by you, after all.”

“…”

With her gentle smile, as if to signal that everything was set, Kajun bit his lip, feeling a chill run down his spine.

She had entered a space filled with the hidden feelings of a person without hesitation, rummaging through them and poking at the reclusive vessel.

Talent? Uncommonality? Such things were hard to convey. The sensation of logically pinpointing something that was hard to explain felt so unpleasant, it seemed like his soul was being torn apart.

More than that. The easy desires that sought to settle into their current positions were crushed to pieces, reigniting the cooling ember of his heart.

It was frightening. Facing a person who seemed to perfectly measure his limits and possibilities.

Yet, he felt grateful. Grateful that he was awakened from a fear that might have caused him to fade away forever.

Kajun himself did not know the intricacies of the experiments being conducted at the facility. But he knew that with such information, a justification would arise to involve not only his superior but also the director, Edamatsu, and even the chairman, Rinmatsu.

Even if it wasn’t a direct war, there was sufficient justification to purge certain individuals within Enema who had connections to Heirong.

And… Once those associated were ruined, the business that had been left adrift could be swallowed and bloated by this faction that made public accomplishments.

…So what exactly was Anastasia’s intention in handing him such an excellent opportunity and weapon?

He could barely see two or three moves ahead. How far into the future did that little demon of hers foresee, completing complex calculations and determining his ultimate goal?

Above all. What if there wasn’t even a place for him in the grand picture she envisioned?

“…Even now, I can think of at least five ways to extract any remaining information from you. Is it really okay for you to hand over the materials like this, unguarded?”

“Huh?”

Even though it was essentially a one-sided gain for her, somehow it felt as if he was being played with in the palm of her hand. I subtly pulled my fangs back out as a sign that I wasn’t about to go along easily.

“Ugh… for this case, there’s absolutely no better collaborator than me. Well, if I were to have some ulterior motive now, I wouldn’t be able to stop you right away.”

Having spoken that much, Anastasia pointedly tapped the edge of the conference room computer, as if to draw attention to it.

“But… My final struggle will be quite painful, you know? It shouldn’t just involve your neck but be tied to the rise and fall of Enema as a whole.”

“…If that’s the case, please pretend I didn’t hear any of that. It doesn’t seem like a matter I can handle on my own.”

Whatever bomb may have been planted, it felt ominously foreboding.

Suddenly, images of a collapsing city and the complete breakdown of Neo Haven flashed through his mind like a hallucination.

Upon hearing a terribly vicious warning about his timid rebellion, Kajun immediately lowered his body.

If one were to say he had tucked his tail, that would be accurate. She seemed too overwhelmingly formidable to confront directly. …At least for now.

Then, beginning to gather the data, receiving evidence of the robots, preparing his presentation… as he felt a surge of tasks piling up,

Beep! A direct message arrived from the Director of Kakubari.

[Which conference room are you in right now? The director expressed a desire to meet that woman who caused the commotion… Miss Anastasia, privately in his office. Surely, she hasn’t been expelled while you were gone?]

“Tsk.”

…Not only was he expelled, but he couldn’t even return to the person he was just a few dozen minutes ago, crossing a river he had no chance of retracing, he thought with a dark smirk as he hastily replied to his very passive superior.

[No need to worry. The researcher is quite… full of energy. I will bring her right away.]

As he cleared all the cyberware pop-ups blocking his view with a blink of his eyes, Kajun notified the remaining drinks and the first steps for a calm retirement to the still intermingling Anastasia.

“Well then, let’s wrap up any remaining discussions and outstanding data for later. The upper management, specifically Director Edamatsu, is personally waiting.”

“Cough…! Cough!”

For the first time, her cool composure shattered.

Confusion, embarrassment, and panic. It was unclear why a meddlesome intermediary like him, who had been given a humble commendation, would react so when faced with a real powerholder.

But the sight of the schemer, who treated him as if he were nothing more than a toy, panicking in a fluster was quite an enjoyable sight.

…Ah, then Kajun finally obtained the answer as to why he kept observing Anastasia’s actions, even though the deal had already been concluded.

Even though they were joining hands now, there would someday be a rival he needed to overcome. Hence, he unconsciously chased after any lessons he could learn from her boldness, vigor, and thorough investigation.

“Wait, wait…!! You’re the one with full authority! Then wouldn’t it be fine to report that you took care of everything without following Edamatsu’s orders? Why do I have to meet that guy…?”

‘…Edamatsu? That guy??’

There was a hint of a prior relationship and some kind of connection. Her crass way of addressing the executive director piqued his interest even further.

Now that he thought about it, she had used a mysterious name like Mister K for him as well. It didn’t sound too bad.

Whether it was simply a habit or if there was something truly hidden, that would be something to investigate further from now on.

“I may have been the acting authority earlier, but how could I engage in insubordination now that the director and manager have returned? Unless something’s pricking at you, please proceed.”

“Profit…!”

It was ultimately nothing more than a petty wordplay.

However, judging from her apparent disdain, he decided to be satisfied for now with this minor victory.