Raffles had disbanded.
After tidying up the conference room, Son Jeonghu glanced at Ulla, who remained behind. Hooded and leaning against the wall, she quietly watched him.
"Alright, Ulla. There are no eavesdropping devices or cameras here. I've investigated Taker separately, and he was just an ordinary factory worker. He's been hiding his psychic abilities for years, so he must have considerable patience. There are some suspicious points, but I don't think he's someone you need to be so wary of."
"...His ability is dangerous," Ulla said, her voice pleasant to hear. Of course, it wasn't her own. Ulla was a cyborg, with everything but her brain being mechanical. Even her voice came from an artificial larynx downloaded from somewhere.
"I know. It's especially dangerous for us, since our entire bodies are mechanical. But even hacking abilities have their limitations."
Being hacked would mean certain death.
However, Taker's hacking abilities weren't perfect either. They had their own constraints. The hacking range was limited to 50 meters, and after each use, he needed three hours to recharge the ability. Moreover, the more complex or advanced the hacked device, the shorter the hacking duration.
"...Do you really believe that?"
"Of course not. Taker has been hiding his psychic powers his entire life. He knows how to conceal his abilities. The limitations he mentioned are probably real, but he likely embellished them with a few lies."
"...It would be cleaner and better to just kill him now."
Ulla's voice was devoid of emotion. This wasn't because her body was mechanical; even ten years ago, when she was still human, she had been equally emotionless. Ulla had never once expressed her feelings to anyone.
"No. The Taker's abilities are invaluable. If we use them properly... there's no power in this world more dangerous or terrifying."
"...He has a rebellious streak. We won't be able to use him for long."
"That's true. I believe I could use him effectively, but... we'll still need insurance. I want you to monitor the Taker. If he betrays us or becomes a threat to our goals... you have my permission to kill him."
"...Understood, Leader."
Ulla nodded slowly and left the cafe. Son Jeonghu watched her retreating figure silently, a cryptic smile playing on his lips.
The boss of the Woodgod Family. The assassination of Moksinsoo.
The plan was simple.
Yu Geuntae, Hyeonji, and I would infiltrate the Woodgod Family's headquarters and kill Moksinsoo directly. Ulla would provide rear support. As a sniper, she was suited for infiltration but not direct assault.
"If necessary, we could lure Moksinsoo outside or to a window," Yu Geuntae suggested. "Ulla's sniping skills are so breathtakingly precise that she can take him out with even the slightest angle."
Yu Geuntae spoke with remarkable composure, a faint smile playing on his lips even as the assassination mission loomed. He exuded the unmistakable aura of a seasoned professional.
"Do we really have to break in? That building's practically a fortress."
Hyeonji frowned as she looked at the Woodgod Family's headquarters. The building wasn't particularly tall, but it sprawled horizontally, about the size of a high school.
And they'd brazenly installed illegal modifications. Hidden turrets, heavy machine guns, and traps were scattered throughout the building, making it no different from a fortress.
"Hyeonji, the client's in a hurry. We have to kill him today."
"Don't you think our intel might have leaked? I heard he hasn't left the building in three days."
"No, the intel hasn't leaked. Moksinsoo's a smart guy. He's just assessing the situation calmly."
Yu Geuntae was scanning the building with binoculars, examining every nook and cranny.
"...Assessing the situation?"
"Moksinsoo recently failed in his reckless attempt to expand his territory and has been marked by the other Mafia bosses in Seoul. He also has a meeting scheduled with the Incheon Gangster boss at noon tomorrow... That should be enough for you to understand, Hyeonji."
"Was the client another Mafia boss?"
"Considering the generous fee, probably? Judging by Moksinsoo's situation, it's almost certain."
"Whatever. That doesn't matter. More importantly, Uncle, hurry up and decide. Let's get this over with quickly."
"I'm still assessing the situation. Why are you rushing me so much today? Do you have a date with your boyfriend or something?"
"I need to watch my drama. It's already annoying enough that I missed the live broadcast..."
"Tsk. Figures."
Yu Geuntae shook his head and glanced at me, who was fiddling with my smartphone.
"Rookie! With your hacking skills, how long can you control that building?"
"When I checked earlier today, about 24 seconds."
I slipped my phone into my pocket and pulled a pistol from my jacket pocket the Black Kite F I'd bought yesterday.
"That time includes the building's defense systems, right?"
"Exactly. I can take control of the automated turrets and surveillance cameras. I can disable them, or even detonate them."
"...Whew. That's impressive. Did you find out where Moksinsoo is?"
"Fourth floor, room at the end of the east corridor. That's the boss's room. When I hacked the surveillance cameras earlier, I saw him banging a woman in there."
"Hmm. I see."
Yu Geuntae fell into thought before speaking again.
"Rookie, with your abilities, you should be able to overload or even detonate the defense systems, right?"
"Overloading is possible, and self-destruction too. But that alone won't kill Moksinsoo. Even if I trigger a self-destruct, the explosion won't be powerful enough, and his subordinates are guarding the area."
Moksinsoo's subordinates are, of course, cyborgs. But even I can't hack both the building's defense systems and the cyborgs simultaneously.
"...If the defense systems overload, they'll panic. We can use that chaos to rush Moksinsoo and assassinate him. The main and rear entrances are heavily fortified, and the eastern side is too heavily guarded. Let's go through the western entrance."
Yu Geuntae laid out his detailed plan. Hyeonji was the first to object.
"Great! Let's charge in and kill them. It's what we always do. Why have we been dragging this out for so long?"
"Ugh, Hyeonji. Even when we go wild, we always do it after we're fully prepared. We've never just rushed in blindly."
"Ah, right, right. Anyway, let's get this started already."
Yu Geuntae shook his head and turned to me. "Rookie, all you need to do is hack the defense system and overload it. There's no need for you to come with us."
"No, I'm going in too."
"Huh? You've already done more than your share. Overloading the defense system alone is more than enough. Besides, it's going to be chaotic in there, and we won't have time to protect you."
"I don't need protection. I'm just going to test out the new weapons I bought."
I ostentatiously brandished weapons in both hands. A pistol in my left hand and the newly purchased ultrasonic knife in my right.
"Your physical abilities are just normal, right? You're going to fight with that?" Yu Geuntae said, his tone incredulous.
"So what? If he wants to, let him. He'll handle it himself. If he's going to die, he'll just die," Hyeonji spat out. It wasn't out of malice; she was simply blunt by nature.
"I'll protect myself just fine. Don't worry about me," I replied.
My confidence rested on my marksmanship skills and Yeongcheon Ryu. Yeongcheon Ryu was a martial art that could be fully utilized even with a dagger.
[Hacking successful.]
[You can hack the Woodgod Family's defense system for 24 seconds.]
The building's defense system went haywire.
Hidden turrets and traps activated indiscriminately, targeting both friend and foe. Sleep gas hissed from some walls, followed by explosions.
"Fuck! Why are the turrets suddenly shooting at us?"
"It's gone haywire! What's the system administrator doing?!"
The Woodgod Family descended into chaos. Guards stationed at their posts scattered. The sudden rampage of the defense system shattered the family's tranquility in an instant.
"Nice. This is even better than I expected," Yu Geuntae chuckled. He incinerated the three gatekeepers guarding the western entrance alive. The oxygen tank on his back was actually a gas canister, and his hands were flamethrowers.
I didn't know Yu Taegeun was a Firebat. He wasn't properly introduced in the original story.
The flames were so intense they could melt steel in just ten seconds.
"Are you sure it's in the easternmost room on the fourth floor of Moksinsoo? I'm heading there now."
Hyeonji sprinted down the corridor as soon as she entered the building. Her hands had transformed into ultra-vibrating blades, and her mechanical legs, moving like a grasshopper's, allowed her to leap in all directions, slicing through enemies with ruthless efficiency.
"Aaaagh!"
"You grasshopper bitch! Die!"
"Intruder! Intruder! Send reinforcements now! These aren't ordinary punks!"
Watching Hyeonji's movements, I gaped slightly.
She was far stronger than I had imagined.
She moved through the corridor with effortless agility. The grasshopper comparison wasn't an exaggeration. Running along walls was basic for her; she could even hang upside down from the ceiling. Her movements never ceased. She dodged every incoming bullet, occasionally deflecting them with her blades.
At that level, even the True Ancestors from Vampire Detective would struggle. And so would I.
Shit. They looked so weak in the webtoon... I didn't realize they were this strong. Even I'd have trouble facing them head-on.
Hyeonji doesn't stop. As soon as she spots an enemy, she charges in and slashes them down without hesitation.
"Whew. Hyeonji's really getting a workout today, huh? That drama must be seriously good."
"Has she always been this... grasshopper-like?"
"Hyeonji can be a bit fierce."
Yu Geuntae and I followed behind Hyeonji. Even in her normal state, without using acceleration, it was hard to keep up with her speed.
"Die!"
A figure leaped out of a window and swung a knife at me.
My body reacted almost instinctively.
Yeongcheon Ryu's practical combat technique: Closed Moon.
My upper body twisted sideways to evade the blade, and with a reverse grip on my dagger, I slashed across his throat.
"Whoa! What was that?! That was so cool! No wonder you're so confident!" Yu Geuntae exclaimed excitedly from the side. I understood his reaction.
My movements flowed as naturally as water, killing the enemy in a single, seamless motion. It was the kind of move you'd only see in martial arts movies honestly, even I had to admit it looked impressive.
This... using a dagger makes countering so much easier? I even unconsciously pulled off Closed Moon, a technique notoriously difficult to execute in real combat.
I'd initially thought the shorter blade would put me at a disadvantage, but instead, it seemed to grant Yeongcheon Ryu's movements even greater freedom.
"What are you dawdling for?! Hurry up and get over here!" Hyeonji, who had already charged ahead, roared at us. Even as she shouted, she swung her arm, separating an enemy's upper and lower body with a single strike.
"Aigoo, what a temper. Let's go."
Yu Geuntae clicked his tongue. We followed closely behind Hyeonji.
The enemies were swept away like autumn leaves, unable to withstand a single blow from Hyeonji. Watching the scene, I asked Yu Geuntae, "She's handling everything herself. Is there a reason we're even here?"
"Even for easy jobs, Raffles' policy is to always have at least two people. Hyeonji is one of our top close-combat fighters, but the rest... well, that's the problem. If we left her alone, she'd charge in recklessly, fall into a trap, and get herself killed."
"Hmm."
I kept my thoughts to myself.
Yu Geuntae's assessment was spot-on. In the original webtoon, Hyeonji charges in alone, falls into a trap, and dies.
"Duck!"
At Yu Geuntae's command, I immediately lowered my head. Flames erupted from his hand, searing the air above me.
"Aaaaaaaah!"
The enemy approaching from behind burst into flames, rolling wildly before coming to a stop. The flames consumed the enemy completely, leaving behind a charred husk before vanishing.
This Firebat is no ordinary soldier.
This wasn't just about his gear. Yu Geuntae's movements revealed his combat expertise. He was clearly a seasoned fighter.
As we pursued Hyeonji, we dealt with any enemies she missed or those who ambushed us. Yu Geuntae's plasma-infused flames were nearly impossible to block without specialized equipment, while my marksmanship and dagger skills shone in the chaotic fray.
Finally, we caught up with Hyeonji at the end of the fourth-floor corridor.
"Hyeonji, what are you doing? Did you kill Moksinsoo?"
"..."
Yu Geuntae and I approached Hyeonji.
She stood with her lips pressed tightly together, glaring fiercely at the boss room where Moksinsoo lay. The door was open. I cautiously peeked inside.
The room was a bloody mess. Red blood, flesh, organs, and mechanical parts were scattered across the floor, walls, and ceiling.
The sight would have made anyone with a weak stomach vomit up everything they had eaten.
In the center of the room, a man was curled up in a fetal position.
The obese man, who must have weighed at least 200 kilograms, was clutching his head with both arms, trembling like a ball. His veins bulged crimson against his skin, and over half of the mechanical components embedded in his body were shattered.
"...Wait, could that be Bioforce?"
Bioforce.
The term referred to the side effects of forced physical evolution.
"That pig bastard... he used Toxid," Hyeonji spat out, her voice dripping with venom.