Chapter 41 – Are We Really Going to Do This? (1)

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

Chapter 41 – Are We Really Going to Do This? (1)

I took off my formal suit and put it in the clothing management device, the ‘BM Styler’. By the way, BM stands for Black Monolith.

Next, I took a shower.

I cleaned myself with an expensive filtered showerhead.

Lastly, I took out casual clothes from the styler and changed into them.

Finally, I could breathe comfortably.

How tight was the tie around my neck?

I just jumped into bed.

Of course, I took my shoes off.

No matter how much I live in the cyberpunk world, I couldn’t tolerate walking around the house wearing shoes as a Korean in my soul.

“…Ah, tired.”

I sighed unconsciously.

Honestly, it wasn’t physically demanding.

There wasn’t even a fight on the way back.

Nor did the schedule exceed a day.

It was just for a short while.

Just conversing with people.

I don’t know why I’m so tired.

It felt twice as exhausting as usual outings.

I felt like I could fall asleep right away if I closed my eyes.

But before that.

I should send a message.

Apart from the chairman, only two people knew in advance that I went to the party.

Catherine and Julia.

Julia should be fine.

But not informing Catherine about attending the party made me a little nervous about the aftermath.

I didn’t write a detailed explanation.

I just sent something like ‘I think I know who Smile John really is’ and sent it.

I can explain it in detail later.

Now, should I sleep… Ah, before that, should I check the backlog of NetSpace posts?

I launched NetSpace with the intention of looking at humor posts or gossip.

Or rather, I tried to.

—Ding dong.

Someone.

If only they hadn’t pressed our doorbell.

…Why?

I felt like I knew who was outside even without opening the door.

It was Catherine outside the door, as expected.

Was it because she came in a hurry?

She was dressed lightly as if she had been inside the house all along.

A tank top and dolphin shorts.

Honestly, it was hard to find a place to rest my eyes.

I couldn’t have a long conversation with her in this state in the hallway.

I brought Catherine inside and made her sit down.

Then I briefly explained what happened at the party.

“So.”

“Mhm.”

“It seems like that guy, Smile John, might be the vice chairman of Kojak Corp.?”

“As I said before, it’s not certain, but it’s the most likely possibility.”

Catherine listens to my explanation, nodding her head. She was sipping on the hot cocoa I had prepared.

Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I continue, “Well, it’s just a possibility, what was it…?”

[It’s stored in the database as 79%, I affirm.].

“Yeah, about 79%,” Eve says in a voice only I can hear.

Since Eve’s identity hasn’t been revealed yet, I relayed her words to Catherine.

Catherine takes another sip of her hot cocoa.

“79% sounds pretty high, doesn’t it?” she remarks.

“…Well, it is, but it’s not 100%,” I reply.

It’s still just a possibility.

I shrug, trying to convey that it’s okay.

“And even if it turns out to be true, what can we do? We can’t just nab the vice chairman of Megacorp,” I add.

Catherine quietly nods in response to my words, but she still seems deep in thought.

Her golden eyes gaze at me.

“So, Siwoon, what are you going to do?” she asks.

…Well, it probably won’t change much from now.

“I’ll need to find evidence that’s 100% certain,” I reply.

We could trace Smile John’s tracks or explore other leads.

“It might take a while, but it’s the safest and surest way.”

At least it seemed much better than deciding what to do with the vice chairman.

After all, Smile John might not be the real culprit.

Catherine sets down her empty cocoa cup.

She looks determined.

And based on my experience of observing this friend, a Catherine expert for nearly ten years…

In such moments, she often goes from zero to one hundred without brakes.

“Let’s not beat around the bush.”

“Mhm.”

“Let’s ask him directly.”

“…Huh?”

Is her hearing bad?

That sounded like a strange thing to say.

It’s time to switch her ears to artificial eardrum cyberware.

What on earth are you saying, Catherine…?

I regained my composure and asked.

“That doesn’t make sense, you know?”

“Why?”

Oh no…

“…This person I met this time is extremely unusual and difficult to meet under normal circumstances.”

I explained calmly.

“So, it’s hard to create an opportunity to meet, and even if we do meet, there’s no guarantee they’ll answer honestly─.”

Wait.

I sensed a foreboding.

Catherine surely knows what I know.

Seeing Catherine’s confident expression, my ominous premonition is confirmed.

Before I could say anything else, Catherine nodded in agreement with my words.

“Let’s kidnap them.”

Oh no, what on earth is that supposed to mean…?

But it seems like I’m the only one opposing that idea right now.

Eve also chimes in, adding to the conversation.

[I agree with the human ‘Catherine’s’ opinion.]

How should we handle these golden opportunities?

I grasped my aching head once more.

…Honestly, it wasn’t an impossible plan.

With Eve’s help and Catherine’s abilities…

It’s quite feasible, and there’s still a lot left to do.

However…

Regardless of feasibility, the aftermath of the kidnapping was the problem.

“Let’s calm down for now.”

“Honestly, isn’t this the easiest way?”

[I agree once again with the human ‘Catherine’s’ opinion.]

…So it’s not about whether it’s a problem or not.

I suppressed a sigh.

How should I explain this?

So these golden ones understand my words and abandon that crazy plan.

“…Kidnapping inside Neon City is absolutely impossible. The problem is what happens after the kidnapping.”

“We could do it outside the city.”

….

That was a valid point.

If he’s someone as influential as the vice chairman of Megacorp…

He’s likely to travel to various cities around the world, flaunting his power.

He may be in Neon City now, but there will surely come a time when he’ll leave for another city and then return to Neon City.

“…Then how do we find out the schedule of the confidential Kojaka vice chairman, and how do we kidnap him, and what’s the plan after that?”

“We’ll have to get help from No Answer.”

That’s true too.

It was a difficult task for just the two of us (even including Eve).

“Since this is almost illegal, they’ll never help.”

“We’ll ask once, and if the boss permits it, it’s fine.”

……

The boss won’t allow it.

Strict adherence to the rules.

It was Natasha’s law.

…..

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

“So how are we going to get out of the city, how are we going to hijack the private plane the vice president travels on, and how are we going to plan this…”

“Ah, it’s okay, let’s plan it out now. Anyway, we’ll have to ask Drake and Andrea.”

“……”

I began to feel the situation escalating.

I had just showered, yet a cold sweat trickled down my spine.

Now that it’s come to this…

I could only hope others would refuse.

It’s easy to say.

Kidnapping the vice chairman of Megacorp.

Yes, that’s what will happen.

I’ll just be a scapegoat.

If I make a mistake, it could turn Neon City, or even the whole world, into an enemy.

Personally, I didn’t like the fact that those around me would suffer or face danger because of me.

I wanted to oppose Catherine’s plan.

But even if I say something now, I doubt Catherine or Eve’s opinions will change.

“…Okay, let’s contact the others.”

“Mm, mm.”

Catherine smiled satisfactorily.

Yeah…

Others will surely object.

Smile John’s identity isn’t certain.

And there are other options besides this.

Hmm.

But what is this uneasy feeling?

….

And the next day.

“Drake and Andrea said they’ll help.”

“…..I had anticipated this outcome.”

“They were angry and asked why I was talking without them. “Say you’re sorry later.”

“…Alright.”

I expected those two to help me.

Even though it’s been a long time as colleagues, we’ve owed each other a few lives.

But they wouldn’t be anyone else.

I thought they might be the last ones.

“Oh, and Julia said she’ll help too. We met in the hallway, and she said she’d find out some information through her underworld connections.”

“…Hmm.”

Is that so?

She mentioned being my fan last time.

Although it felt strange to have met in the hallway by chance, I shrugged it off as a mood thing.

…It’s fine.

It was still fine.

Julia’s offering to help didn’t change the situation significantly.

There were clear reasons why this plan could never come to fruition.

Natasha, the boss of No Answer.

She had no reason to help us, or more precisely me, by breaking her rules.

Really.

Truly.

It was never going to happen.

“And the boss said she’ll gather information about the vice chairman, and she’ll give us updates once she has all the schedules. She said we’ll plan it then.”

“…Why?”

Sincerity welled up in me without my realizing it.

“Why? Because why not.”

“No, it’s weird.”

Am I the only one who thinks this is weird?

The fact that people are willing to participate in a plan to kidnap the vice chairman of Megacorp just because of a possibility is concerning…..

Are they all just paying lip service?

They’re not being sincere.

That’s how I calmed myself down.

There’s no way it could really happen.

It’s a futile plan to kidnap the vice chairman of Megacorp.

* * *

“Alright, here’s my plan.”

Drake, Andrea, Catherine,

And me sitting in the middle.

Natasha began explaining the plan in front of holograms displaying various graphics.

Truly.

I couldn’t understand whether this insane plan was progressing sequentially or not.

I grabbed my throbbing head in pain.

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]