Theory of Paradise

The rain poured down like a sharp blade.

– Jung Yoo Hwan, from Area 1 to Area 12, executed them all.  Secure confidential documents as many as possible including development reports at Historical Site 5.

The voice coming out from the in-ear intercom attached to his left ear was vivid in the heavy rain.

– Seo Yeon Joo, the fourth fence of the contamination barrier. Executed them all, securing a number of rebel officers at Historical Site 4.

– Park Min Joon, from Area 13 to Area 27, executed them all. Electrical cutoff to Area 12-A.

– Kang Ji Won, Headquarters and Research Institute….

After that, the reports continued, but Kim Seo Hyuk was doubtful. There were 10 subordinates dispatched. He should have heard ten of them coming in. But there were only nine. He slowly recalled from his memories. Choi Sung Wook’s report to Area 23-F is still pending. Area 23-F is located on the outskirts of Historical Site 3. At most, there were only a few small fries left but they also needed to die.  He just needed to confirm about the killing, but why was it this late…

Pat, pat, pat. There was a sound of something bouncing vigorously into the air, landing, and then bouncing back into the air. In an instant, he felt it come close. Kim Seo Hyuk looked up. It seemed like someone was jumping from the top of the building, which was half-destroyed but still standing tall, and soon landed on the floor as if they were a lightning bolt. This was right next to Kim Seo Hyuk. The impact shattered the road’s surface, and rainwater mixed with asphalt splattered without mercy.

In the heavy rain, the man slowly straightened his bent body and stood up. It was Jung Yoon Hwan. Contrary to a moment ago – when he was moving at the speed of light, now his hand was running through the rain-soaked hair trying to cover them up with the hood of his robe moving sluggishly as if he had just woken up.

“Mission completed, Captain.”

As Jung Yoon Hwan shifted his robe slightly, he revealed a small memory drive held in his hand.

“This is the data that we collected. Do you want it now?”

“Later.”

Jung Yoon Hwan bowed and stepped back. As his boots carelessly stepped on the floor, asphalt debris splattered on the edge of Kim Seo Hyuk’s cloak. It was a mistake that should never have been possible if you were Jung Yoon Hwan. His attitude was arrogant, but his skills were sophisticated. Kim Seo Hyuk looked at Jung Yoon Hwan’s face. However, it was hard to read Yoon Hwan’s expression as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand like a child. However, the scar on the tip of his chin was clearly visible. Kim Seo Hyuk was really surprised this time. He had never seen Jung Yoon Hwan injured even once.

“Are you injured? You have to report to me even if it is small.”

Jung Yoon Hwan stiffened his shoulders and raised his head. He grinned.

“Injured? Me? Captain, what a disappointing thing to say…”

“Chin.”

As Kim Seo Hyuk pointed out, Jung Yoon Hwan felt his chin with his gloved fingertips. The embarrassment flashed over his face, which usually expressed only his playfulness. Jung Yoon Hwan said awkwardly,

“I guess it’s just a scratch. I didn’t even realize it.”

Jung Yoon Hwan obliquely avoided Kim Seo Hyuk’s gaze. Up until a moment ago, he looked at him with such natural demeanor that even he was confused whether he was his boss or comrade.

“I’ll not end up losing face. It’s just a little blemish, right?”

Kim Seo Hyuk did not answer his nonsense questions. Instead, he observed Jung Yoon Hwan’s body with a sharp gaze. Even in such heavy rain, his features were still attractive. Rainwater was dripping from the tip of his sharp jaw. There was no use of saying anything, since there wasn’t any occasion to wear the uniform properly, it was just a convenient uniform without any significant emblems. On top of that, a robe and a raincoat that fit snugly to the body. Gloves that did not even have their buttons fastened on the wrist because they were annoying. Shirt cuffs with unclosed buttons. As usual, three or four empty drug cases*1. A gun that could make the color of your face drained. Combat boots with tight laces.

(drug cases*1 –  a tube compartment – it is not written whether he got some sickness or whatsoever)

 

There was nothing different from usual. Wait, maybe his eyes are a little bit red….

He sensed the sudden human presence.

Kim Seo Hyuk looked ahead again. Eight subordinates, including Seo Yeon Joo, Park Min Joon, Kang Ji Won, were returning one after another. Seo Yeon Joo came straight up and said,

“Captain Choi, Sung Wook’s report is late. I’ve been trying to communicate, but there’s no response, I think we should go as soon as….”

It was at that moment. Everyone’s earpiece made a beep sound. Contrary to the expectation that Choi Sung Wook’s report would follow, he heard a cold automated response.

– Communication with C-3 is forcibly terminated.

Kim Seo Hyuk pulled out the gun from his holster holding it tight. A three-digit red number, 000 that could be seen on the back of the black shining barrel, started rising. The tuning*2stopped at 087. Kim Seo Hyuk pointed the gun and fired two shots between his legs one after another. The road cracked with the force of the constant shots. The ground was shaking.

(tuning*2– rather than bullets, the gun was powered by the user own ability that indicated by numbers – which in this novel written as tuning rate)

 

“Area 23-F!”

The Ten people, dressed in black robes and raincoats over the Allied Forces uniform sprinted off the floor in an instant and flew vertically. They stepped on buildings and the rooftops, on the cables that connected between them, and marched forward like a bunch of wild beasts.

While sprinting at a formidable speed, Kim Seo Hyuk continued to try to communicate with Choi Sung Wook. It failed every time. It was either that the intercom was disconnected from the user, or the user’s heart had stopped beating. Either the former or the latter, both were to make such a guess against Choi Sung Wook was difficult. Kim Seo Hyuk contacted the fleet and requested for an emergency ship to be sent at Area 23-F.

He stepped on a bare building with just steel frames left in them, then jumped over and landed on the overpass. Area 23-F. In the middle of the overpass, Choi Sung Wook was lying down curled up like a baby. Seeing him shaking while holding on one side of his bloody face, it was clear that he was not dead. It was when Kim Seo Hyuk lowered his body to examine him, Something touched his knee. The moment he looked down reflexively, he realized why the communication was cut off. One of his ears with the earpiece attached was lying on the asphalt floor. Broken artificial nerve strands crushed in a pool of blood.

Kim Seo Hyuk pulled back Choi Sung Wook’s black raincoat. Both of his legs were broken. Seo Yeon Joo approached and pressed on the side of Choi Seong Wook’s face whose ear had been blown away.

“What the hell …”

“Captain.”

Choi Sung Wook grabbed Kim Seo Hyuk’s arm with a tired face. It was not just because of the pain from the injuries; his face seemed like he had seen a ghost.

“It’s-It’s hard to believe but, Captain also h-he-heard the rumors, right? Late teens, young kids…”

His voice was getting hoarse.

“What?”

“A Fe-few months ago, there had been these str-strange rumors circulating, right? White Blade Project, the rebels are raising a child as a murder weapon. That kind of rumors. The tuning-the tuning point reached 100 ….”

Choi Sung Wook’s pupil widened.

“Seen it…… I have seen it. I saw the number ‘100’ was imprinted on the barrel.”

Kim Seo Hyuk doubted what he heard.

It was true that there were these rumors circulated a few months ago. But they had died down quite quickly. It was embarrassing enough for one to say it with their own mouth, it was an unrealistic myth that seemed to belittle the level of common sense of the listener. The rumor was that the rebels captivated and refined children with potential then raising their fighting power to the maximum, they were later erasing the child’s personality and inserting a command system into their body so the commanders would control them as they wished. However, the mechanical insertion is difficult to execute even within the City Federation, as it was recognized as a forbidden realm that only existed in theory.

“Captain! Please, It’s the truth! She wasn’t even wearing a rebel uniform, and didn’t even have a high-level of operation, but her tuning rate was definitely 100! Undoubtedly!”

Kim Seo Hyuk frowned.

“Is it Fake?”

“No! It’s not a fake tune! That kind of speed, that kind of output, and above anything else, did I not get beaten so badly? I am like this! He will definitely run away from here to the nearest location, the 5th city.  If such a monster even entered the city …… Damn it! We must go and get him! Now, right away!”

Choi Sung Wook pointed toward the control tower and screamed desperately.

“Also think about it, Captain! They were in their late teens at most, and yet they got a tuning rate of 100…”

Rainwater mixed with blood dripped down Choi Sung Wook’s chin whose jaw was clenched.

“……. If it is like this, there is no other choice but to admit those kind of rumors! While we raided the 3rd site today and exterminated all the rebels, the murderers have escaped and are on the run!”

Kim Seo Hyuk lifted himself.

He didn’t trust all the things Choi Sung Wook had said, but it was definitely strange. Why did the rebels rip off his ears, instead of his neck, and why did they break his legs to stop the chase if they were not the rebels? Anyway, it was clear that this was a mess. Besides, they incapacitated Choi Sung Wook, an elite soldier of the City Federation, and escaped. It was necessary to confirm this.

“Seo Yeon Yoo, Jang Hyun Cheol. Stay here and transport Choi Sung Wook to the ambulance and accompany him. The rest search for the enemy with me.”

With Kim Seo Hyuk at the forefront, they immediately kicked off and marched forward to the control tower Choi Sung Wook pointed at. The heavy rain hurt their whole body. Kim Seo Hyuk shouted,

“Jung Yoon Hwan! Tracker!”

Jung Yoon Hwan, who was jumping from the top of the electric pole, pulled a gun from his waist and aimed forward.

“Tracker on!”

Jung Yoon Hwan put the gun back into the holster. A white flash of light pointed in a direction past the control tower. Running like released predators, following the target through the projected lines. Kim Seo Hyuk thought that they had almost caught all the enemies. However, Jung Yoon Hwan seemed to have a different idea. As he ran, he shouted in the heavy rain,

“Captain! It can’t be at this speed! The target is insanely fast! You will miss it at this rate!”

Miss it? Us? The strengthened thighs were stiff. Kim Seo Hyuk ordered with a clenched jaw.

“Park Min Joon! Increase Speed!”

Park Min Joon pulled out a gun and shot towards it. A few seconds later, a gigantic pale blue disc rose rapidly, passed through their bodies, and disappeared. The light spread out on a translucent holographic screen in front of Kim Seo Hyuk’s eyes. Kim Seo Hyuk confirmed Park Min Joon’s blue sign on the screen. As their running speed increased significantly, it was now impossible to foster a conversation with each other. Kim Seo Hyuk focused on his earpiece. Jung Yoon Hwan’s voice was clear.

– Target is turning. Position at 1 o’clock from the control tower.

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The tracking line maintained by Jung Yoon Hwan shone even brighter. Finally, they saw shadows leaping between the ruins with a very stable stance. Kim Seo Hyuk immediately aimed the gun. Kang! The gun shot, and the electric pole on which the enemy had just leapt as a stepping stone twisted. He held the right hand which was holding the gun strongly upwards. In the distance, it was clearly to see that the electric poles being pulled out of the ground. At some point, the electrical wires that were dangling into the electrical poles, rammed into the roof of the building where the enemy had just landed. Wires squirmed like a livings snakes and wrapped around the enemy’s legs. No, they were trying to get them caught.

– Did she avoid it?

Park Min Joon’s silly question could be heard through the intercom.

The enemy was seen slamming into the wall of a nearby building. The wires that Kim Seo Hyuk aimed at swung like limbs were far below him, wrapped around an antenna. Kim Seo Hyuk held his breath and picked up the gun again. Another target was set. Turning a huge dump truck upside down on the side of the road seemed perfect. Kang! As the dump truck got hit, it wriggled vigorously. Kim Seo Hyuk raised his hand which was holding the gun upwards and then aimed and shot it horizontally. The dump truck rushed straight into the high rise building the enemy was about to land. He was going to destroy the already half-collapsed skyscraper completely and capture them when the enemy crashed into it. But by a narrow margin, the enemy stepped on the dump truck itself, and soared into the air. It was easy and clean. There was absolutely nothing useless in every action.

“Rapid fire!”