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Psst! We're moving!
The air in the bedroom sank as if weighted down by a plumb bob.
— That attempt is only possible on the premise that Chairman Cheon Seong-beom’s soul remains within his body. It goes without saying that the heart of Cheon Seong-beom must also be beating healthily until the expert who can attempt the procedure arrives.
“I can’t put other people at risk because of a possibility.”
Cheon Geon-young said stiffly, placing his hands on his thighs. It seemed as if he was trying not to give himself any reason to hope that he could get his family back. At least, that's how it looked to Yoon Tae-ha.
She had once tried a similar thing. On a lonely island in a red lake, when she faced the foreigner who had promised to tell her mother's name. She remembered every agonizing moment of that deliberation.
“This island has many people who have directly or indirectly consented to mass murder, and among them, Chairman Cheon Seong-beom is the most dangerous. If he takes another person’s life, he must be subject to external control, no matter who is behind his actions.”
Kwon Hyuk remained silent for a moment before stating that he had revealed this fact only because it was a story that the Cheon family needed to hear, and that Changcheon had not yet made an internal decision. He then shifted the topic of conversation to the location of the green feathers on the aquatic city.
— There was a reason why the agents’ searches on the surface had been in vain.
“Is it hidden under the sea?”
Cheon Geon-young asked dryly.
— It’s similar. The substance is currently attached to the bottom of the hydroponic farms around the main island. The green feathers are placed below the surface of the water so they cannot be seen unless you go underwater. Look here. I’ve put the cross-section design drawing we obtained through Gaia on the right.
The screen with Kwon Hyuk split in half, and the cross-section of the hydroponic farm appeared. A substance resembling the short roots of floating plants was densely attached to the modules supporting the farm from below.
A key to opening and closing the fissures was embedded in one of the modules surrounding the main island like duckweed. It looked like it couldn’t be easily removed at a glance.
Yoon Tae-ha, who had been staring intently at the cross-section, spoke cautiously.
“How should we handle this? Can we gain control of that island through hacking? Like moving the island with the substance to a place far away from the main island.”
— It's difficult at the moment. Also, controlling Gaia alone cannot prevent the Great Fissure from opening. We need a key. This time, I’m referring to a tangible object that looks exactly like a key.
On the ground of the module where the substance was installed, there was a meteorological observatory that looked like a lighthouse. Kwon Hyuk asked them to pay attention to that building.
— The official purpose of the building is a meteorological observatory, but it is actually an energy tower. It's designed to gather power and deliver a huge jolt to the substance in the lower part of the module all at once. Once the jolt reaches it, the substances will resonate and create an explosive energy release in an instant.
Chaos, a mix of the sound of a collapsing building, heat, and people's screams. Yoon Tae-ha muttered, trying to push away the desperate scene that was invading her rationality.
“And then Kali’s relatives will come here to play, right?”
— A rumor must have spread that it's a good place for a picnic, so that’s likely.
Kwon Hyuk kindly chimed in. He then explained that three keys were needed to activate the energy tower. The passport photos of three men, like criminal sketches, were lined up on the screen.
— Lee Won-shik, Noah Mason Blackwood, and Geum Gang-seop. These three people have the keys.
Lee Won-shik, the deputy director of the Audit Bureau; Noah, the young heir who manages Blackwood Inc.; and finally, as expected, the Chancellor’s name appeared.
“Should I bring back Blackwood’s key?”
Cheon Geon-young, who had become noticeably more silent since hearing the news that he might be able to save Cheon Seong-beom, finally joined the conversation. Kwon Hyuk answered briefly.
— I heard you often sat at the same table as him. What's your track record of wins and losses?
“I won and lost in moderation. I won big in the most recent gamble.”
— Your opponent must be waiting for the next round.
Soon after, Yoon Tae-ha humbly raised her right hand.
“Is there a man I should be in charge of? Should I get Geum Gang-seop’s key?”
— Kali is around Geum Gang-seop. So another team will be responsible for taking the key from him. You don't need to be so disappointed. Agent Yoon Tae-ha, you need to bring back Lee Won-shik's key.
Kwon Hyuk gave them detailed information about where each of them had to go and what they had to do, along with supporting data.
The place where Cheon Geon-young would perform his mission was a VIP room at a casino, and Yoon Tae-ha’s destination was AMC, one of Ark’s state-of-the-art medical facilities. According to intelligence, Lee Won-shik visited this medical facility for treatment of a rare disease every time he came to Nautilus City.
AMC, not open to the public, was a place that provided differentiated medical services for a small number of elites. There, artificial intelligence monitored access rights and participated in medical procedures. It was one of the private medical institutions that was gaining fame by fueling rumors that it even provided controversial treatments to customers.
— In three days, the Chimera will have a health check-up at AMC. Lee Won-shik also has an appointment then.
Entering a department store while impersonating a Chimera is a completely different level of difficulty from entering a hospital. Yoon Tae-ha trusted that Changcheon had a contingency plan, but she needed to confirm it.
“What is the probability that I will be exposed as a human during the health check-up?”
— Agent Yoon Tae-ha’s health check-up will not be conducted by the Chancellor’s staff, but by our people. We are also preparing to swap the test results in real-time.
Her mission was simply to approach Lee Won-shik and find out the location of the key. If he had it on him, she was to take it; if not, she had to make him tell her where it was. The slanted playing field was slowly returning to level.
“If we need more information, we will contact you.”
— Please do. And if you see crows and dolphins nearby, it means it's safe, so you don’t have to act like a prisoner inside the villa.
“It sounds like a fairy tale. Crows and dolphins.”
Yoon Tae-ha said weakly.
— It will end like a fairy tale. Simply and clearly.
With those last words, the communication with Kwon Hyuk ended.
After that, Cheon Geon-young quietly tidied up the equipment. Yoon Tae-ha lay diagonally on the bed and followed the man’s movements with her eyes. After tidying up the laptop and the communicator in the box, he opened the curtains of the bedroom, which had been closed, halfway.
“The dolphins are outside.”
Cheon Geon-young said, looking out the window. Yoon Tae-ha also turned her body toward the sea. Dolphins were leaping vividly over the water's surface, which was sparkling silver in the moonlight.
Cheon Geon-young did not close the curtains completely so she could see the sea, and then returned, lay his long, solid body on one side of the bed, and closed his eyes.
Yoon Tae-ha also changed her posture. Lying on her side with her head propped up by her arm, she freely admired the beauty of the man’s contours, from his forehead and nose to his lips. Then, she blurted out.
“I’m sleeping here tonight too.”
“You say that as if you've ever asked for permission to sleep here.”
“Right now, you look upset, so I’m being considerate.”
“Then why does the person being considerate have that expression?”
“Your eyes are closed right now.”
“I can see without looking.”
Cheon Geon-young held out his hand. Yoon Tae-ha slipped her hand into his and used her power to turn off the light switch. As they passed the time without saying anything, a faint light seeped through the curtains like a mist.
“Are you angry because I volunteered to go get Lee Won-shik’s key? Is there any way for me to ask for forgiveness in three days?”
Cheon Geon-young slowly opened his eyes at her sudden question.
“You don't need my forgiveness. You haven’t done anything wrong, so how could you be forgiven?”
“…I hurt you before.”
“I know your choice was the right one. You know it too. Even if our roles were reversed, we would have made a similar choice, and the outcome wouldn’t have been much different from now.”
Cheon Geon-young stared at the ceiling and asked in a calm tone.
“Did you feel like this back then?”
“When are you talking about?”
“When the foreigner held your mother’s name hostage.”
“Well, maybe something similar. I grew up thinking my parents were all dead, so I think it must be harder for you. That’s why I’m worried. That you might have strange thoughts.”
“He’s alive and well. You don’t need to worry.”
Yoon Tae-ha immediately realized he was blaming himself.
“This is what I was worried about. Something like what you just said.”
There were meanings that only the two of them understood and shared. They skillfully handled weapons and jumped into dangerous situations without hesitation. But at the same time, they often took obstacles that others would consider a trivial tripping hazard as big as a rock face.
“We always trip at the same spot.”
That’s why she felt affection for his vulnerability. She couldn't help but love him.
“Are you afraid the Chairman won't forgive you?”
Cheon Geon-young just squeezed her hand hard instead of answering.
“I wonder if he wouldn’t give the same answer as you. My grandson hasn’t done anything wrong, so why should he be forgiven? It’s cute that you’re being greedy and blaming yourself for everything, though.”
Yoon Tae-ha rustled closer to him as the man’s grip grew stronger. She then quietly kissed Cheon Geon-young's forehead. His eyes trembled as if he were being kissed for the first time.
“He might be sad that he didn't get to watch his grandson grow up this big, though.”
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