Miserable Reincarnation

41 – Internal Sector (1).

“Twenty-three individuals have died in this incident.”

“…”

Jason’s office.

It had only been a few days since the project ended, but his appearance had changed significantly.

Instead of his rusty prosthetic, there was an eye patch, and where the unattractive prosthetic arm used to be, there was now an empty sleeve.

“The number of severely injured is fewer than the eight we anticipated, but the situation is serious enough to require extended care. Among them-“

“Some might be thinking about retirement. Take care of them generously enough to not regret it, and if they want to retire, make it possible.”

“Yes.”

Amira nodded. She looked every bit the efficient secretary. While she exuded the aura of an expert even in the outer sectors, now she was more than that.

It seemed like he had finally returned to his original position.

It wasn’t an incorrect statement. The original position of the Laphlase Mercenary Corps was inside the barrier.

Jason turned his gaze out the window with a smirk. A neatly organized downtown area, with hundreds of vehicles moving in an orderly fashion.

Tall skyscrapers and luxurious villas that couldn’t easily be seen in other cities, along with the lights that illuminated the streets day and night.

It was a scenery that couldn’t be imagined in the outskirts sector.

“This is the final agenda.”

Amila, who hesitated, slowly opened her mouth. The file in her hand was sealed tightly, unlike the previous ones.

“It’s the information related to Lian that you mentioned before.”

Amila took a deep breath.

It’s not a background check. It’s just a compilation of what happened in the previous project. Any tangible evidence, like audio recordings, had been dealt with a long time ago.

She organized her thoughts in her head and slowly spoke.

“I think you had guessed the content correctly.”

“….”

There was no need for unnecessary pleasantries. What the recent statement meant was clear to everyone.

“You didn’t seem like you were going to leave the mercenary corps.”

“I didn’t seem to have the intention to leave.”

“….When the time comes, I’ll leave on my own.”

Jason muttered while stroking his chin.

“You’ve done well. I’ll personally dispose of the information.”

In an instant, Amila, who was about to leave, stopped.

“Um, I have something to say.”

“Speak.”

“Yesterday, Lady Lianne requested information regarding a hacker from me.”

Amila spoke as she activated the data cube. Beyond the 3D hologram, a man wearing specialized gear for net diving appeared.

“His name is Mozzli, a hacker who has established himself quite well in the outer sectors.”

A question mark appeared on Jason’s face.

A skilled individual to the extent that even the Surveillance Bureau sought his services. However, that was about it. A hacker with such skills could be found in any major corporation.

As if she had read Jason’s thoughts, Amila continued.

“It seems he is planning to assume a new identity.”

“…No intention to keep it a secret at all.”

“Yes. That’s why I’m telling you separately like this.”

Even if one hides their movements, it’s better to blatantly reveal them than fall short. What did that signify?

‘Are they telling me everything, asking me to turn a blind eye?’

Or…

‘Are they trying to forcefully entangle me with them?’

Whether one wanted it or not, the moment you learned the other’s secret, getting deeply involved with them was inevitable.

“In truth, it’s not that unusual. To get inside the barrier, you need a proper identity first.”

Jason smirked.

It wasn’t unreasonable for Amila to think that way.

Three days had passed since the project concluded, and there was no interference externally within the city.

However, the reason Amila could speak like that was that she didn’t know how greedy and thorough those who ruled each city truly were.

The higher you reach, the more you see and hear.

The first encounter with Lian.

[Introduced by Diona.]

The scales of reversal.

From the moment he appeared alongside Diona, Jason could not help but anticipate the worst-case scenario.

Even if it seemed like an exaggerated reaction.

“…I will maintain the current regime regarding Lian.”

From the moment Lian exposed his weakness, Jason’s response was predetermined.

*****

Three days after the completion of the major project.

In Lian’s hand was a piece of paper with Mozuli’s office address written on it.

Now that the Rapples Mercenary Corps had moved from their temporary branch to their main base, identification was necessary to enter the sector.

Communication devices needed to be activated, and a new accommodation had to be found. There were piles of tasks to be done aside from obtaining identification immediately…

“Hmm…”

As a voice whispered from behind, Lian paused his contemplation and turned his head.

Diona was looking around, her head tilting.

“It was definitely here… Did they change the entrance location?”

“If that’s the case, let’s just take a taxi.”

“You can’t go by taxi. You have to walk there yourself to get to that neighborhood.”

Saying so, she started walking briskly.

Meeting Diana was a coincidence. Of course, I didn’t ask her to guide me. It was actually Diana who approached first.

She glanced at the paper Lian was holding and immediately stopped walking, offering her help.

“Do you know where I’m going and offering to help?”

Rather than being careless, it meant that she had kept the previous incident in her heart.

I could tell just by her attitude that she was trying to be helpful in any way she could.

“I found it!”

A bright smile appeared on Diana’s face, who had been walking down the alley for a while. At her fingertips, there was a rusty ladder that seemed to extend to somewhere unknown.

“Just ride that and go down.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. I’ve been here a few times, so I remember it clearly.”

Then she opened her chest wide and stared at me confidently.

If she was that confident. Lian smirked and nodded.

Thunk.

The characteristic sound of a rusty ladder.

Lian followed Diana and walked into the underground. How far did they go? A much larger passage than expected appeared before their eyes, unlike the entrance that reminded me of an unmanaged sewer, the interior was quite clean.

Except for the countless pipes hanging from the ceiling.

“…Water pipes?”

“I don’t know why, but I heard that hackers gather here because of these pipes.”

They probably wanted to save on the cost of coolant. The equipment used by hackers generates a lot of heat.

That aside, what reason could there be for her, who picks up scrap metal and sells it at a scrapyard, to visit a place like this?

‘Using magic last time was one thing.’

And there’s the subtle relationship between Jason and Dionne.

She was a girl hiding more facts than Leanne had anticipated.

Of course, Leanne had no intention of prying into Dionne to resolve these doubts. There must be a reason for hiding personal matters.

From Noble mtl dot com

Dionne moved with a familiarity that seemed practiced. The gathering of hackers was not a false rumor; it was much larger than Leanne had thought.

Contrary to the expectation of just a few tents, there were quite plausible houses lined on both sides of the pipes.

‘…Well, there was an address, after all.’

Leanne chuckled and looked at the buildings. The fact that there was an address meant that the city government was tacitly approving of their existence.

‘It would be convenient to manage them in one place.’

Of course, whether the management was done properly was uncertain. Just dealing with Mozley, they were extracting information from the surveillance agency and forging identification.

It was dark under the streetlights, precisely as expected.

“We’ve arrived. The building over there, second floor.”

“Not coming with me?”

Whether her true intentions were exposed or not, Dionne hesitated. After a moment of hesitation, she fumbled with her words.

“…I came to say thank you. I learned that you repay kindness. Well, of course, I don’t think I can repay all the debts just for guiding me once on the street.”

Rambling. Only now did she look like a girl of her age.

“Well, I’ll go first.”

And then, she disappeared down the path she had come. Quite swift for a girl of her age.

Leanne watched until her figure completely disappeared, then finally moved upstairs.

‘Room 207… Is it the last one?’

As Lian knocked on the door, an immediate response came.

[…Get lost when I’m speaking kindly, you brat.]

Did they install surveillance cameras nearby? Well, even if he was wearing clean clothes, if a ten-year-old brat knocked on the door, the word “bastard” would come to mind.

“I brought plenty of money as you said last time.”

[Suddenly, what the hell are you talking about?]

“A month ago. A commission from the Surveillance Bureau.”

[…]

A moment of silence.

In the next moment, a voice filled with surprise echoed through the speaker.

[…Hyung?]

*****