The conversation about the girls’ moving arrangements came up, starting with the Milky Way and YuRa also preparing to move into SuA’s place.
I firmly told my girlfriends that I wouldn’t be able to help this time.
If it were usual, I would have definitely helped my girlfriends, but Yubin’s advice strongly influenced me, so I decided to focus all my attention on making hacking tools.
Although I felt some puzzlement seeing the Milky Way and YuRa preparing for something, I didn’t ask any questions because I knew I had resumed investigating hyper-humans.
I locked myself in the room, holding onto my laptop, going back and forth between my base and working non-stop.
Suddenly, I found it strange that there was no problem with the program I was creating.
It felt like the current peace was due to the events that would unfold later.
I couldn’t help feeling this way.
What I’m about to do is extract data from a high-ranking member of the Earth Defense Union’s PC, and there will surely be information within that I’ve never known before.
Regardless of the weight of this information, something new and alien will definitely exist.
My anxiety far outweighed my expectations. Above all, there was no guarantee that what I was about to do would succeed.
Since Yubin agreed to help me, I just needed to create the program and devise a solid plan.
But even if everything went according to plan, it would only be confirmed by the results.
In the process, I couldn’t predict when any variables might arise, and I had to consider every situation.
However, just considering every situation doesn’t mean I can proceed with the task.
My fingers paused on the keyboard as I fell into a complex routine while writing the program.
“?”
Yubin, who had been watching me work beside me, looked at me. She probably thought something was wrong with my work.
There was no problem with creating the program. In fact, it was surprising how smoothly it was going despite it being a while since I last did such work.
“Will it be okay?”
Feeling uneasy, I asked Yubin, and she sighed, realizing what I was worried about.
“Do you have to worry about this now?”
“I’m worried.”
The biggest concern wasn’t about creating the program. Ultimately, what I need to do is prepare, and executing the plan with the prepared materials isn’t my job but Yubin’s.
First, here’s the plan: Install the program on a USB, plug it into the computer, and transfer the data to my PC.
Even if I make the program, if I can’t insert the USB into the computer, this operation won’t be possible. I decided to do this because Yubin agreed to help and said she would assist, so I started the preparations.
But, given my lack of knowledge about the internal affairs of the Earth Defense Union, even the simple task of Yubin inserting the USB into the PC seemed worrying. Although the action itself is simple, it could lead to internal data leaking to the outside.
“I’m doing this both to help my older brother and out of curiosity. Considering how much attention we’ll need to pay, there’s no need to worry too much about it already.”
Yubin, who was helping me, had confidence in her eyes that this mission would be executed successfully.
“Understood.”
If I hesitate here, I won’t be able to do anything. Yubin also knew I was making a hacking tool, which is why she agreed to this mission.
Ultimately, if I don’t prepare, Yubin won’t be able to execute it either. This is a necessary task for both of us, and Yubin, knowing my worries, spoke with a confident voice.
If I hesitate here after asking her to do this, Yubin won’t be able to have the confidence that the mission will be successful.
“How should we proceed with this?”
“After thinking about it, the confrontation day seems to be the best option.”
The date for executing the plan after creating the hacking tool is also important. We need to carefully assess when it would be easiest to access a high-ranking member’s PC and ensure there are no eyes around.
“On the confrontation day? Wouldn’t that be risky?”
While confrontations so far have been casual, they’re not without risk. Since high-ranking members must come to work on confrontation days, I thought it would be dangerous. However, Yubin shook her head.
“I’ve got a feeling the director has been avoiding us lately. I think he won’t come to work on confrontation day.”
“The next confrontation day is… Eve.”
Christmas is on Friday. The confrontation day falls exactly on Christmas Eve.
“I wanted to resolve it before Christmas if possible. It worked out well.”
Though it’s difficult to celebrate Christmas, I didn’t want to show my girlfriends working on Christmas Day.
The operation day is Christmas Eve. What I need to do before then is perfect the hacking tool. Only one thing left.
“But what are you doing now?”
“I’m making a firewall that external networks can’t recognize during data transmission…”
As I explained each detail to Yubin, who showed interest in making the hacking tool, I placed my hands back on the keyboard.
Days passed one after another.
Winter’s cold wind grew sharper with each passing day, and snow began to fall from the sky.
Despite being completely absorbed in my work, my interactions with my girlfriends became extremely limited, yet none of them complained.
Meanwhile, the Milky Way and YuRa moved into SuA’s house, but I didn’t have the energy to pay attention to it.
Of course, I ate dinner with them on the day they moved in and had a drink with YuRa, but I couldn’t meet their expectations of being hugged.
After apologizing to them, I postponed it and returned to my room.
I heard concerned voices as I focused intently on my work, to the point where I couldn’t tell what was happening around me. But now that there are people worried about me, I haven’t pushed myself too hard.
Finally, the day of the confrontation arrived.
Before heading to the base, I handed Yubin a USB containing the program.
“Will plugging this into the director’s computer do the trick?”
“Yeah. Just enter the password, and the program will run immediately.”
Yubin nodded, staring intently at the USB in her hand.
Though confident in success, tension seemed to grow as the execution day approached.
“Older Brother.”
With a heavy tone, Yubin looked up, and I silently watched her.
My red eyes, reflecting many emotions, met hers.
“It’s odd to ask this now, but whose sake are we doing this for?”
I had always thought I was doing this for my girlfriends, and I still do.
But seen from the outside, it might not look like that.
It could appear as if I’m doing this for myself or for Spacystro.
As the air between Yubin and me grew heavy, the other girlfriends, who had been watching indifferently, turned their attention to us.
It wasn’t difficult to say I was doing this for my girlfriends. After all, I had been moving based on their thoughts.
But am I doing this solely for them? I questioned myself, and it wasn’t entirely true.
After all, I remain a soldier of Spacystro, and if this mission succeeds, it will be my achievement.
And depending on the outcome, it could affect Spacystro’s invasion.
I need to consider the situation created by my position as well.
Looking directly at me, Yubin, and the other girlfriends watching me.
Meeting everyone’s eyes, surprisingly, an answer quickly came.
“For everyone.”
For myself, for my girlfriends.
If important information about hyper-humans is contained, for all hyper-humans and Spacystro, who fights against them.
“Understood.”
Yubin wore a faint smile.
If we leave the house like this, we’ll face each other again as enemies at the confrontation site.
But today, the confrontation isn’t the main focus. While not belittling the confrontation, there’s something more important ahead.
“Then, I’ll go first.”
Feeling the gaze of my girlfriends, the feeling of heading to work to fight them was quite peculiar, but since it will continue, I need to adapt.
*
“Shall we head out soon?”
After Ai left the house, Pink, who had finished her preparations, began getting ready to leave.
When all HunterKiller members were preparing to leave, Red looked at the team members. Sensing the leader’s gaze, the members stopped where they were and silently watched her.
“There’s something I need to talk about.”
“What is it?”
“It’s about the older brother.”
With a serious demeanor, the members quietly listened to Red’s story.
The outcome of the confrontation was obvious. Team HunterKiller defeated Team 3, and Team 3 left in the car they came in.
Team HunterKiller also returned to base on their bikes, and given the team members knew Red had an important task ahead, the atmosphere within the team was heavy.
“Just message me right away when you arrive. Stay focused.”
Yellow, sitting on a bench in the lobby, told everyone. To avoid looking suspicious scattered, they decided to separate the team to monitor the director’s arrival.
“Got it.”
Holding the USB in her hand, Red nodded at Yellow’s words, feeling sweat trickle down her back.
“It’s fine.”
Seeing Red tense up, Blue, who was beside her, held her hand.
“Okay.”
In reality, the entire team participated in stealing internal information, but the drive to learn more about hyper-humans as a hyper-human themselves overpowered everything, making them unstoppable.
“Then, let’s go.”
Taking a deep breath, Red handed the USB to the members and stepped into the elevator towards the director’s office.
Although many people were inside the office, the staff who were used to Red coming to find the director on confrontation days paid no attention to her.
Knowing no one was paying attention, Red walked purposefully to the director’s office door and knocked.
No sound came from inside, and after turning the doorknob, she entered the room.
As expected, no one was in the director’s office. Glancing at the closed door, thinking someone might come, Red approached the director’s computer without delay.
The director’s computer was on, with no password lock, displaying the desktop. Red immediately plugged the USB she was holding into the computer.
A moment later, a window prompting for a password appeared on the screen, and Red slowly typed in the password given by Ai.
“Huh? What’s this?”
Yellow and Blue, seated in the lobby, turned their attention to the door.
Thinking the director was deliberately avoiding them, they believed he wouldn’t come until Team HunterKiller left for the day. However, he opened the lobby door and entered the base.
“What do we do?”
“Send a message to Red first. I’ll buy some time.”
“Buy time? How?”
“How? We start a fight.”
Eyes blazing, Yellow picked up a sofa and threw it at the director who just entered the lobby.
