Chapter 257

Once upon a time, there were titles among old arcade games that were often like this.

The character controlled by the player was excruciatingly weak, dying just by brushing against pursuing enemies, having no means to resist properly. They were the type that could only achieve the repeated stage clear conditions or record as high a score as possible before the game ended.

Even if you could overlook the entire map from a top-down view, the sense of unfairness didn’t go away, and I can’t recall feeling any enjoyment thus far.

…What’s this?

Conversely, taking on the role of the pursuer becomes so interesting and immersive. You start pouring all your attention into the delicate difficulty settings and internal philosophy.

If they had released a tycoon game like this long ago, wouldn’t I have had a more enjoyable gamer life since childhood? …Or maybe not!

– Excuse me, Ahsa?

“Hmm? Why?”

Sometimes, I briefly borrowed cameras installed in nearby stores.

If the view wasn’t good, I’d have a drone cam, landing quietly to observe the alleyway or flying around like a flock of birds over the district.

If that turned out poorly as well, I would use the perspective of Houndroid or Zero, who had entered wrestling mode, for a more immersive first-person movement.

It would have been nice to have popcorn ready… as I floated in a virtual environment, I turned my body towards Zero, who was looking for me.

– I don’t mean to intrude, but if you have any aversion to torture or similar cruel acts, or if the interrogation process is bothersome, just notify me of the items you’re interested in, and I’ll handle it. Is there a need to push you into such mental and physical turmoil? –

“Hmm? Oh no…!! What would happen if someone heard this? You’re in big trouble! This isn’t about pushing or tormenting; it’s all for that guy to give some lessons!”

Even amidst the commotion,

As the hunting dog rushed in, smoothly sinking its teeth into the man’s ankle—no, it didn’t actually bite but merely pretended to do so—he seemed to hallucinate as if witnessing some joint dislocation.

Wriggling, he might end up hurting himself. I pretended to shake off the Houndroid, rolling on the ground a bit, then hopped up with bouncy steps to chase after him while answering.

If it produced intermittent sounds of biting the air or noises made from scratching with claws and tails, it would be perfect. Even if seen from a distance as a comedy, for the subject, it would be a genuine chase in the thick of it.

– A lesson, you say…? –

“Isn’t it despicable? I wanted to speak earnestly, and he just runs away on his own. Meanwhile, he’s unnecessarily quick-witted, using his body like collateral to escape!”

Since ancient times, it was said that if you observed behavior closely, you would see the purpose behind it.

In that sense, trying to lure him in by creating a menacing atmosphere or solely threatening him was a rather soft judgment that painfully poked at his gaps, including the bonus of being from the same region.

The moment he realized he wouldn’t get shot, he avoided long-range attacks and moved through the shortest path.

Though it seemed random and chaotic, he was carefully finding shortcuts or parkour spots around the Circuit Refinery.

Well, being quick to judge the situation is good.

In the fact that if he couldn’t manage that much, I wouldn’t be able to coordinate or help him either, especially in this city where there’s no easy corner for survival, it was clear where he would fall.

However, even if it wasn’t intentional, after I generously gave hints in fluent Korean, that shameless individual who fails to recognize someone in a similar situation must be taught a lesson.

I… I was thrilled and delighted even at the mere probability and imagination of having such an encounter and was planning to support him in various ways…?

“…While it’s good to probe into the flaws, causing trouble should be done cautiously, right? Isn’t it the responsibility of a pioneer to correct lazy habits?”

Moreover, trying to get through nicely just makes him brazen? No matter how I think about it, this is anger-inducing.

Tap tap—!!

“Wha!?”

I swung my hand in the air.

Then, a modified drone quietly filming from the rooftop like a crow erupted with flames, throwing dust all over him, and he pressed himself tightly against the wall as he moved forward.

“Ha, seriously…”

I chuckled in disbelief.

His responsive demeanor was infuriatingly impressive.

Of course, I wasn’t doing this merely with the pure intention of training. The fact that he was stubbornly refusing to present clear evidence was still the main reason for this waste of time.

I wanted to maintain a cheerful mood but felt like I was stuck in a bottomless quagmire with my coveted goal right in front of me.

Physically, he might currently be struggling, but mentally, the anxiety I felt was ramping up much faster, palpable in my skin.

Let’s twist it and hypothesize.

Suppose I couldn’t take it any longer and blurted out, “I’m also a Korean who got dragged into this game just like you, you fool!!”

If by a chance, he was just a very naive local friend? If he had an utterly ridiculous backstory, having lived without any benefits of civilization until finally emerging into society?

With the traces of my presence or the MegaCorp sticking to him, I couldn’t just let go of someone who might have such dubious confessions to make, could I?

No… it’s impossible. I can’t just casually brush it off with the typical neurotic substances used for security maintenance.

If the company decides to dredge up information through more ruthless methods, they’d dig into and extract even the fragments of data buried in the subconscious.

In other words… under certain circumstances, I may need to silence him myself.

“…Ha, damn it. How foolish.”

Breaking away momentarily from playing with Team Zero, I looked down at my hands.

In a space without substance, when observed closely, they were made up of an unblemished mass of information and seemed to reflect the wavering mental state with flashes of red.

While it’s true that I’ve killed under situations where death was the alternative, it doesn’t mean I can shift to some childish hypocrisy like “I can’t kill because he speaks Korean~.”

The fact that I approached a subject seeking selfish comfort, then wanted to backtrack due to a misstep was utterly unacceptable for me. I felt nauseated just imagining it.

– If you could just entrust it to me without much concern… –

“The guilt of conscience? Just closing your eyes doesn’t erase responsibility.”

I shook my head.

To Zero, who said he would handle things in case of emergency,

I firmly warned him not to do anything under the pretense of wanting to protect me without my seeing it.

He was more than a friend to me; he was family I could trust completely, yet sometimes, he became a blind blade concerning issues I was involved in.

And the blade… has always been the responsibility of the wielder. Yes.

Ah, one more thing. The previously mentioned thorn of the heart was more a mental issue beyond legal disadvantages or sanctions, but this is something slightly more practical.

So far, my damn instinct, which had quietly gone unnoticed while trapping the man in an alley maze or making him play an extensive bullet hell with drones, suddenly screamed as soon as I considered the option to reveal or kill.

When I was about to overlook him completely, he remained silent, but the moment I thought about causing harm, that unshakeable feeling hovered persistently.

As if he desperately wanted to flee like this, allowing things to proceed as per his wish would guarantee a positive outcome for everyone in the future.

“…I don’t get it!!”

– …. –

Kraah! I clutched my head and tousled my hair.

Just then, Zero Unit 0 appeared on the screen, fixing my wind-blown front hair that had gotten messy due to the wind, though that feeling wasn’t fed back to the depth of consciousness, and at least it was comforting.

It might be uncalled for from someone who has a history of misuse, but could you please, instinct, provide a hint or a reason why it’d be better this way…?

Well, anyhow! In the end, there’s hardly any means to establish mutual trust where we can open up to each other without coercion.

Unless I drag him to the Elysium neuroanalysis room and tear apart his mind, or I use my abilities while being prepared to reveal the information I have, there’s almost no way forward.

So… ha, to you, who are breathing heavily as if you’re going to have a heart attack. Despite the guaranteed breaks, don’t you know how lucky you are to whine here while hoping for me to go easy on you?

Originally, I had planned to end things because I found such an attitude of “I know nothing~ Why are you doing this~” despicable, but today I’ll check just a few things with my own eyes before sending you off.

However, if you think you’ve successfully escaped due to your capabilities, it might spoil you, so I’ll just push you hard one last time for the finale!

Rumble rumble—!

The space vibrated slightly. If I added a poetic touch, it could be said it was stretching.

The fire-support drones, which had entered sleep mode, spun their propellers once again.

Restoring the connections of the Houndroids I had set to automatic hunting, they linked the target’s location before handing over control to Zero.

The drones that took off in unison began wing maneuvers, and while the sight of claws and fangs deploying with a ping was splendid,

The one I was controlling… was just the one down below, requiring delicate power adjustment.

Calling upon all reserves was an overkill to begin with. Not only did I block the area against poor innocent civilians, but what was I trying to accomplish by unfolding a multi-layered encirclement?

– Is it alright for me to handle this? –

“Think of it as a full-scale practice drill to prepare for later and control them freely! Multi-control, you’ll probably handle it better than I would… no need to be so humble.”

Alright, no more jokes.

From now on, let’s take a moment to admire our Zero’s hunting while commemorating his practical deployment. Yes.

Now, can you guide him well to me, leading him to the expected escape route?