Chapter 171

“Haah…”

The pungent smell that seemed to numb my nose and the pieces of wood stuck to the shoe soles were quite bothersome, but I tried to erase them from my mind.

Given that a large number of pursuers had already met their end, the stakes had risen considerably. A mission failure would no longer be a matter of “Oops! I’ll do better next time!” but rather a situation closer to “What a pity. Bang!”

Since the game was already afoot, it seemed only right to put in some effort toward a direction that might benefit Show later… but then again, that would also inadvertently benefit Kajun. Sigh, that was something I had to resign myself to.

I glared at the locked door.

Even though I had witnessed the shocking Ninja vs. Ninja battle from various angles, I hadn’t forgotten my original purpose or the brief information I had obtained earlier. From now on, my task was to infiltrate the central system and, combining that with the sensor schematics I had glimpsed, neutralize the security devices installed inside and steal any documentation I could find.

And I mustn’t forget that swift action is crucial. Since Kasane had already been in contact with those who were lying down, she would immediately notice if something went wrong.

If it were a method of communication like in-ear headphones, I could have attempted to cause a disruption from the middle. However, it appeared my connection was through an independent line linked by an internal communication implant… rummaging through a corpse to find it would be rather…

If such items were designed to be destroyed when the wearer’s vital signs (such as pulse, body temperature, respiration, blood pressure, etc.) disappeared, then any time spent on that would be wasted, so I refrained from it.

…I didn’t think it was something I would never dare to do. I simply calculated that logically it didn’t make sense.

“Well then, shall I give it a try…!”

After circulating a tingling energy throughout my body like warming up my joints.

I placed my hand on an old metal handle, a rarity in the primarily electronic sliding doors of Enema, and lightly sent a signal through it.

Like dropping ink into a flowing stream to observe.

Connecting circuits, junction points, and further revealing various entangled secrets.

With a heart full of hope that the flow I infused would reveal everything… What the, why is it spreading into the air?

Could it be completely mechanical?

Click…

Huh, it isn’t even locked…?

“…Ahem! It’s a bit warm in here.”

Thinking the ventilation was a bit lacking, I flicked my jacket.

If things went south, my subordinates would have to enter, and since elite agents were blocking the way, if it was left as is… I would indeed be grateful. Otherwise, if there had been an old-fashioned locking mechanism on a door like this, I would have had to struggle to force it open with the grip of my handgun until it yielded.

Anyway! The door opened without much fuss, but I didn’t go in immediately. It was better to disable any alarms that were definitely present first.

Clang!!

Trusting the suit that had passed various real-world safety tests, I swung my elbow and shattered the glass cover on the outer wall of the room. In reality, it was closer to expanding an already half-destroyed object so I could get my hand through without getting scratched.

“…”

I lowered my head and carefully examined the exposed circuit board, now revealing its delicate inner workings.

If I haphazardly made contact and activated my abilities, an alarm could go off, detecting external access before I even secured control.

It would be more appropriate to find an input device and connected parts that were as normal as possible and initiate serious hacking through there.

And… how do I know this?

Previously, while staying at the teacher’s shop, I felt a sense of crisis that I only knew superficial gaming knowledge about implants.

With a light-hearted mindset to take a look~, I barely touched the shop computer, resulting in the store suddenly closing down, and security company staff coming by… Okay, let’s stop talking about that.

The important thing is that I succeeded perfectly this time, isn’t it?

[Summary data for managing the Omni-directional detection radar sensor control module of Wicked Anthology production company has been saved in the ‘Might Use Later’ folder.]

[Operation manual and administrative account for Paradise Corporation’s Smart Living Premium Home Edition have been saved in the ‘Not Very Important Junk’ folder.]

…I know. It would likely be a shocking sight for someone particular about organization and regularity. But there are reasons for it.

If I were to make a mistake and transfer command authority to my cyberware…

Every time I used my abilities, a completely new bundle of code or program would be completed. If it was related to hacking, it would retrieve unexpected results and leave the connections ready to be controlled at any time. That was indeed the purpose of creating them.

And fearing an urgent situation might arise where I wouldn’t have time to tweak my abilities, I couldn’t recklessly delete anything… I thought about saving them by date, but that wasn’t intuitive…

Even though I now lived as a resident in this realm, spending all my time in front of the computer screen and being able to manage cyberware using my abilities, it wasn’t unreasonable to reach the conclusion that I needed to establish some rules, even if the screen was a little messy.

Don’t you get a sense of what might be inside just by looking at the folder names?

If not, I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t rebut that point. I’m already compromising and using it.

Besides, despite a slight mistake at the beginning, isn’t this level pretty much indicative of a decent engineer?

With just a minute of time and what felt like a few hundred calories invested, I secured the entrance to the president’s office that existed as an independent network shield? …Am I not like a complete thief here? …Shut it.

“Ugh… ah!”

I brushed off my knees and stepped inside.

I didn’t need to worry about activating something like a pressure sensor, nor did I need to be cautious about hidden cameras.

Excluding electronic devices like computers with separate locks, most were tied to the home system and security network and passed through like a service.

…Still, I couldn’t completely cut off the connection presumed to be Kasane’s cyberware, so I damage the hidden CCTV itself. Thankfully, it was enough to set it to transmit a still image indefinitely without needing to apply a filter.

Anyway, now there was a digital nameplate indicating the room was occupied, and having seen the brief screen she flashed earlier, while I didn’t know for sure, I thought it reasonable to assume there would be devices to detect internal personnel.

I had expected something like a counter sensor or an indoor motion detection device installed in the door gap; I didn’t expect the entire room to be packed with expensive radar sensors…

Was it that a sensitive human like her instinctively wouldn’t allow for any blind spots? Thinking that made me keenly aware of how ridiculous the trap was with four pursuers bustling about in the corridor.

It was likely not a direct order given in anticipation of an actual battle to “kill all incoming enemies!”, but a warning demonstration so that any intruder who saw this wouldn’t even dare to attempt anything.

“…But there’s no such thing as absolutes in this world.”

Though she wouldn’t hear it, I muttered defensively in reference to the soon-to-be-dismissed Kasane.

I swept my vision around to inspect the room’s cross-section.

The decorations were filled with enough antique and artistic items for anyone to see that she had an interest in them.

The few rooms I’d seen belonging to corporate personnel were only furnished with high-end items. There seems to have been more emphasis on practicality over appearance, which I found rather remarkable.

…Once I have a bit more room, should I collect some items from the 21st century, the time I originally belonged to?

Not for any special use; I was just hoping it might reduce the surges of nostalgia that sometimes hit me.

In any case.

Through my examination, I gained confirmation of something crucial. Aside from excluding possible deviations in the arrangement of furniture or other miscellaneous items, it was an absolute match to the design I had been given beforehand.

If that’s the case… the safe, which is almost impossible to move once fashioned, should be right where it belongs.

There would be no need to rummage around extensively like a real thief; I could quickly and neatly acquire my target intelligently! …Ahem!

Kuh-guh…! Clank….

As expected of a night visitor who came knowing all. I pressed the hidden opening button inside one of the table pillars and headed straight for walls that slowly opened sideways.

Then, a heavy vault revealed itself, seemingly twice the size of what was hidden at Schneider’s place.

You know, those protruding iron bars that often appear in movies? This one was about the same size as me.

I didn’t know exactly what role it served structurally, but it was quite certain it gave a suffocating effect upon sight for someone attempting to break in.

Now, how is someone who doesn’t even know the password or dial number supposed to open this massive hunk of heavy metal?

Of course, I must make it surrender willingly!

“Alright… be a good vault…?”

There are three reasons I feel confident about my odds.

Firstly, despite this being a mechanical vault, it’s quite large, so it likely has some automated components mixed in.

Secondly, possibly due to issues of rigidity and theft, it’s made from an alloy material with an indeterminate density, which means that electricity flows through it exceptionally well.

And lastly, without needing proper grooves or sockets, I can emit indiscriminate signals as much as I want.

Ccrr… crzz…!!

It’s difficult to adjust the direction, causing sparks to fly intermittently.

Gradually, I increase my intensity and expand my range of influence.

The technique itself is the same as the alarm panel at the room’s entrance.

My hand touches what acts as a kind of stethoscope and beacon. Treating it as an invasion stronghold, coloring my surroundings in my hue step by step until the blueprint is completed in my mind — then it’s done.

However, this lump of metal isn’t equipped with a central operating system or memory capable of understanding the complex commands I’m issuing.

It could only barely understand the simple notion of turning gears or supplying power by conducting current to a circuit that had been blocked… making it rather a pathetic thing requiring more scrupulous attention.

I think even if it was acted in reverse and locked, just forcing that part back to its original state should be alright… probably. Surely, a vault in someone’s house wouldn’t stay locked forever just because a few wrong answers were given… right? Please.

…Click, clang.

Kuguguguh… clank!

What’s fortunate is that instead of the all-encompassing combinations that reach into the tens of thousands with just four digits, I could hear the sound of internal gears moving in real-time, responding by simply choosing a simple direction of either 0 or 1 at crucial branching points.

<em>Kiiiiiing… </em>

“…It should have good soundproofing.”

I cast a nervous glance toward the entrance as the door, which had been spinning and clinking, began to slowly open, fitting together.

The noise and vibrations were a bit louder than expected; I hoped that no one would come running at the sound?

Ah, anyone who would could possibly be out cold. I wondered if they’d panic about a server staff completely missing from the kitchen.

I slightly bowed my head and finally stepped inside the revealed vault.

Now, if I sweep out all the proof of corruption and smuggling records meticulously written in detail about Kasane Amagi, along with the certificates shared to bind them, checkmate…?

“Huh…?”

I checked the left. Then the right.

I opened the small boxes on the shelves. I accessed the slightly larger storage compartments and vaults below.

Wondering if I was simply too tired from overusing my abilities, I rubbed my eyes with my sleeve and opened them wide again.

…What the heck. Where is it!?