Chapter 292 - Trap Card (1)
"C-Crazy son of a bitch!"
Samuel Hayden's expression paled.This material is derived from n0v£lbin•
He could tell from the fierce smile of the man, who was pushing down on his finger to make him press the button, that it was for real. The man would not care one bit if thousands of people were to actually die.
'This is the man that Sword Dragon treats as his older brother?'
Samuel couldn't understand it.
He had taken part in the South America restoration operation, so he knew very well that Kim Si-Hun was undoubtedly kind and just. He would never turn away from those in danger and would do everything he could to save them. He was the typical hero protagonist in literature and animation.
'So why does he hang around with this lunatic?'
"Why aren't you pressing it?" Oh Kang-Woo said in a low voice.
"Ugh..."
Samuel trembled. Kang-Woo's eyes, as deep as the abyss, were staring right at him. Inexplicable fear encroached upon him.
'If I press this...'
He would die in the most wretched and horrifying way possible, but that would also be the case if he didn't. Even if he surrendered, he wouldn't be able to avoid paying for the crimes he had already committed.
'It's over.'
He'd been pushed right up to the edge of a cliff.
The plan had failed, and it was far too late to go back.
He bit his lip.
'If I'm going to die either way...'
Spite filled his eyes as he shut them tight.
"N-No!!"
Si-Hun quickly rushed forward and reached for Samuel's remote control.
'Yeah.'
Samuel smiled wickedly. He was at least happy that someone was moving according to his wishes. Nothing was more miserable than no one caring about what he had sacrificed his life to do.
'Fuck everyone.'
Samuel pressed the button without hesitation. As he thought about the imminent explosions and the disaster...
"... Hm?"
Samuel's eyes widened.
"Wh-What the hell?"
Nothing had happened.
There were numerous Gates near Valencia that Players used to level up and collect mana stones. Although they weren't high-ranking Gates, there should have at least been some flashy explosions. However, absolutely nothing had happened.
Crackle!!!
"Gaaaaahh!"
No, something did happen, but it wasn't at all what Samuel had expected.
An intense electric current spread through his body as soon as he pressed the red button, and smoke rose from him. His limbs shook like crazy, and he collapsed on the spot.
"... Huh?"
Si-Hun suddenly froze as he ran toward Samuel. He still had his arm outstretched, unable to understand what had just happened.
"Wh-What just..."
Si-Hun walked toward Samuel with a dumbfounded expression on his face and pressed his index and middle finger against Samuel's neck.
'There's... no pulse.'
The powerful electric current from Samuel's remote control had killed him immediately.
Regardless of what kind of person he was, Samuel Hayden was strong enough to become the mayor of a city like Valencia. If the current was capable of killing him, it meant that...
'The detonator had been made under the assumption that Samuel would press it.'
Si-Hun's head was in a jumble.
'What...?'
He couldn't understand what was going on.
Si-Hun turned to Kang-Woo, who was smiling bitterly as he looked down at Samuel's corpse.
"... So this is how they're gonna play it."
Dead men told no tales, so it was the ideal measure to take.
"Tsk."
Kang-Woo turned around and headed to the couch in Samuel's office. Balrog was sitting on it while concentrating with his eyes closed, his lips moving slightly.
"Haaah."
Kang-Woo sat on the couch.
Si-Hun walked toward him, completely dumbfounded.
"H-Hyung-nim, what just..."
"Do you know who made the Gate control apparatus being used for all South American Gates?"
"N-No." Si-Hun shook his head.
"A mage named Khadgar, contracted with Guardians. What he lacks in brains he makes up with skill."
"Oh, yes. I've heard of him."
"Fuck, that's bitter!"
Pfft.
He spat out the hard liquor.
* * *
"Pfft, bwahahahaha!!"
A man sitting on a luxurious chair in a dark room burst into laughter. He snickered while leaning back on the chair.
"Man, I didn't think it'd work so well."
The man watched the footage that had been recorded by the communication crystal orb. This footage was the true objective of this plan as well as the precious result.
"Press the fucking button."
"Holy crap! What a fucking line!"
The man laughed while clapping. Everything had gone as he'd planned. No, even better.
"I never expected him to react that way."
The man had honestly fretted that the two men would stupidly let Samuel escape.
'Well, that would have also been usable in its own way.'
After all, the main objective of this plan had been to prove Guardians' incompetence.
'This won't necessarily prove that, but...'
Considering he had clearly said that he did not care if thousands of people died, it was actually even more impactful than incompetence.
'If this footage spreads...'
Guardians would be completely tossed aside by the public. They wouldn't be able to keep their disgusting title of being the protectors of humanity.
"Bwahahahahaha!!"
The man grabbed his stomach and burst into laughter. Thanks to Oh Kang-Woo's idiotic intervention, things had turned out much better than planned.
"All that's left is to let the Americans know that I succeeded."
He continued laughing and transferred the video to a USB.
Just then...
- Fuck, that's bitter!
"Hm?"
He saw Kang-Woo spitting out liquor.
"Tsk tsk, he has no idea how expensive that is."
The man clicked his tongue.
"I mean, what would I expect from a man who grew up in an orphanage?"
He shrugged as he recalled the records from when he had investigated Oh Kang-Woo.
"Well, this should also be useful. I'm sure the people would absolutely love to see this son of a bitch drinking liquor from a dead terrorist."
He focused on the footage again.
- Fuuu.
Kang-Woo in the footage sighed, and...
- Fucking hell, what a fucking embarrassment after trying to act cool.
... He turned his head to look right at the camera secretly installed in the table.
"... Huh?"
- Can we cut that out? Lemme try again. I'll make it look really good this time, I swear.
"Wh-What?"
There clearly wasn't anyone else in the room.
"Wh-Who is he talking to?"
The man got goosebumps. Kang-Woo, who was looking his way, smiled. An inexplicably chilling sensation ran down the man's spine and throughout his body.
'What the hell?'
Something was going wrong.
- Hey, are you listening? Maybe there's a communication crystal somewhere here. Ah, here it is.
Whoom.
The communication crystal orb on the man's table vibrated.
"H-Huh?"
The man placed his hand on the crystal orb before he had even realized it.
[What's wrong? Did you think everything was going as you planned?]
Kang-Woo's voice came out of it, and the man's expression hardened.
[This kind of shit is my specialty, you dumb fuck. Did you seriously think I'd fall for it?]
"Wh-What the fuck?"
The man trembled.
Then...
Squelch.
He heard a viscous liquid dripping from behind him.