[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
Chapter 259
The First Sand Mage.
For some reason, the title felt uncomfortable to Zeon.
It was as if Kim Hyun-soo’s words were predicting that other Sand Mages would emerge after him. But Zeon knew the truth.
He was the first and the last Sand Mage.
The power was too immense and terrifying to be allowed to more than one person.
No one had to tell him this.
He simply knew from the start.
As if it were imprinted in his DNA.
That’s why Kim Hyun-soo’s words didn’t resonate with him, though Zeon understood what he was trying to say.
Kim Hyun-soo wished for more people like him, those who would protect their people with the same conviction.
Perhaps that desire had even sparked the awakening of the mechanized Awakened. But Zeon didn’t share Kim Hyun-soo’s ambitions.
He had no interest in expanding his influence, nor did he want others with powers like his to emerge.
He was fundamentally different from Kim Hyun-soo. But he didn’t feel the need to point that out.
Kim Hyun-soo continued speaking.
“Since acquiring Triox Five, we’ve been able to more efficiently manage and upgrade the mechanized Awakeneds. That’s why protecting Triox Five is of utmost importance to us.”
Even without Triox Five, mechanized Awakeneds would continue to be born and grow. But Triox Five had the ability to accelerate that growth.
That was why Triox Five was so crucial.
“Now you understand why you must keep this secret. If rumors about Triox Five begin to spread, I will erase every trace of you from Neo Seoul.”
Kim Hyun-soo’s warning wasn’t an idle threat.
It was the warning of someone who actually had the power to carry it out.
Zeon shrugged as he responded.
“There won’t be any leaks from our side. But if word spreads from your end, that’s not on us.”
For a brief moment, the bunker 100 meters underground had been exposed, revealing Triox Five’s true form. Some people must have seen it. Zeon couldn’t be held responsible for whatever might slip from their mouths.
Kim Hyun-soo replied.
“That won’t happen.”
“Then that’s fine. There won’t be any leaks from us, either.”
“You’re as arrogant as I’ve heard. But I’ll let it slide this time, since you’ve earned it.”
Kim Hyun-soo respected the strong.
If someone was powerful, they could be forgiven for being a little arrogant.
Zeon was certainly among the strong.
So Kim Hyun-soo could tolerate a bit of insolence.
Just then, the door opened, and a woman wearing a form-fitting outfit entered, pushing a cart of food.
She set the dishes on the table and left.
For something prepared on short notice in the middle of the night, the spread was quite impressive.
“Well, let’s eat.”
Kim Hyun-soo picked up a fork and began eating first.
Though he was a mechanized Awakened, parts of his body, including his face, were still human. Because of that, he still had to consume small amounts of food.
Zeon silently started eating as well.
Surprisingly, the food was quite good.
The ingredients were fresh, and the seasoning was just right.
Zeon took his time, savoring each bite.
For a while, the two ate in silence, the sound of their eating the only noise in the quiet room.
After Kim Hyun-soo finished his meal, he spoke.
“What do you plan to do next?”
“I’m heading home.”
“The slums?”
“Yes.”
“If you want, I can give you a home here. It would be much larger and grander than anything in the slums.”
“I don’t need a big house.”
“So, you have no intention of staying in Neo Seoul?”
“No.”
“Do you have a reason to stay in the slums? It must be inconvenient in many ways.”
“I feel more comfortable there than in Neo Seoul.”
“You don’t like being controlled, do you?”
“Maybe it’s just in my nature to seek freedom.”
“I hope you stick to that. If you refuse my offer only to settle in another district, I might take it personally.”
For someone like Kim Hyun-soo, power and prestige were everything.
If someone challenged his authority, he would have to destroy them. And if anyone caused his prestige to falter, he would kill not only them but their entire family to restore his honor.
That was one of the reasons Kim Hyun-soo remained at the top.
Zeon placed another bite of food in his mouth and said.
“That won’t happen. I’ve already turned down offers from the other districts.”
“Is that so?”
“If you’re not stopping me, I plan to head back to the slums as soon as we finish eating.”
“Then you’ll be returning tonight.”
A smile appeared on Jin Geum-ho’s lips, but his eyes remained as cold and dark as a desert night.
“So, you’re telling me that Subject 301 crossed paths with the boy living with Zeon?”
“Yes. The boy has an ability that allows him to turn his body into a ghost-like state.”
“A fascinating power. So, does that power pose a problem?"
"While it's a unique ability, it doesn't pose any threat to me."
"Then why did you call me here?"
"Take a closer look at the cut on Subject 301's head."
"The cut?"
Jin Geum-ho picked up the murderer’s severed head and examined the cross-section of the neck.
A moment later, he let out a soft exclamation.
"Ho!"
"Yes. The tissue has changed. The bones have transformed into something like metal, and the muscle fibers have become tightly woven, almost like fiberglass."
It was exactly as Lee Jung-ho described.
"This didn't happen to the other experimental subjects, did it?"
"No. It seems the escapees have undergone some sort of mutation."
"Then they’ve evolved? Interesting. I didn’t foresee this."
The bio-soldiers had been part of a grand plan Jin Geum-ho had envisioned.
When they were deemed a failure, all subjects were ordered to be terminated. But it appeared that the surviving escapees had somehow evolved.
A completely unexpected outcome.
"What should we do?"
"You said there are still more escapees, right? Capture every last one of them."
"Understood."
"This development changes the game."
Jin Geum-ho murmured as he looked up at the ceiling of the lab.
The moment Zeon appeared, the tides of the world had started to shift drastically.
"It seems you really are the tipping point of this world."
* * *
When Zeon finished his meal with Kim Hyun-soo and returned to the lobby on the first floor, he found Brielle, Levin, and Mandy waiting for him.
"Zeon!"
"Hyung!"
"Are you alright?"
The three of them hurried over to Zeon.
Zeon smiled as he reassured them.
"As you can see, I’m perfectly fine."
"I'm sorry, Hyung! This is all my fault..."
"Don’t worry about it. Let’s just head home. I need a good rest."
"Yes, Hyung."
Levin nodded in agreement.
He, too, was eager to get home and rest. Ever since arriving in the Western District, he hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep.
He had spent all his energy hunting down the murderer.
All he wanted now was to lie in his own bed and sleep. At this point, he felt like he could sleep for three days straight.
Zeon turned to Mandy.
"What about you?"
"I’ll be heading back to my own home."
"You understand about what happened today..."
"I know. It’s a secret. I won’t tell anyone. But even if I don’t, the Mayor will already know."
"Will he?"
"He knows everything. There’s nothing that happens in Neo Seoul that he doesn’t keep track of."
"Whether he knows or not doesn’t matter. As long as you don’t say anything."
"Don’t worry. I’ve never had a reputation for having a loose tongue."
"That’s good. Let’s all get some rest, and we can talk again later."
"Sure. Good job, everyone. Take care."
After saying her farewells, Mandy headed off toward her home in the Central District.
Zeon, Brielle, and Levin also made their way toward the gates of Neo Seoul.
Suddenly, Zeon turned around.
Something was bothering him.
'What exactly happened to Triox Five?'
Triox Five had been housed in a bunker 100 meters underground. But the explosion had been so massive that it created a passage all the way to the surface.
A normal explosion couldn’t have caused such damage.
It was clear that some sort of magical item had been involved.
"Kim Hyun-soo will take care of it."
There were many things Zeon was curious about, but this wasn’t something he needed to get involved in.
Curiosity often led to crossing lines, and crossing lines only made things worse.
Zeon didn’t want the situation to escalate any further.
Suppressing his curiosity, Zeon headed home with Levin and Brielle.
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]