Chapter 77
Hemillas and I were riding in an airborne vehicle. It wasn’t an Imperial Guard vehicle but one belonging to the Custoria family.
"How was the escort mission?"
Hemillas asked me casually.
"It was strange."
I answered honestly. There was a lot of meaning behind those words.
"If I were to give you some advice, don’t think in terms of our common sense or standards. I’m sure you already know that, but I say it just in case."
Hemillas didn’t say anything more than that.
After a brief moment of thought, I spoke.
"The investigation into Kinuan is currently stalled. It’s getting harder to find any more traces."
"It would’ve been good if we had captured Rick alive, but… there’s nothing we can do about it now. We still have time. Since Rick is dead, the terrorists are bound to take some sort of action. They might even try to assassinate you."
We talked about the mission. In reality, the investigation into Kinuan had come to a standstill. The leads and momentum had been cut off. More than anything, my own determination had cooled.
"We’re not heading to the main estate right now, are we?"
I asked while looking out the window as the sky darkened. The Custoria estate wasn’t in this direction.
"Luka, from now on, we’re not moving as members of the Imperial Guard but for family business. I am acting as the head of the household, and you—as a member of the Custoria family."
Saying that, Hemillas handed me an electronic mask. It was designed to cover my entire face. The surface was smooth, with only a few visible circuits.
Beeep.
Without a word, I placed the mask over my face. It adjusted to the contours of my face, shifting minutely as it wrapped around my jaw and temples.
Wearing the mask and dressed in plain clothes, it would be difficult for any outsider to recognize our identities.
"If this is family business, shouldn’t Juppe be called as well?"
My voice, filtered through the mask, had its frequency altered. Hemillas, who was also wearing a similar mask, sounded the same.
"Juppe isn’t suited for matters that require confidentiality. He belongs more in the light than the shadows."
Hemillas let out a low chuckle. His words made it clear what kind of work this was going to be.
The airborne vehicle we were in landed in an open area. Since we didn’t use a checkpoint or a public airstrip, there would be no record of our visit.
Beeep.
As soon as Hemillas and I stepped out, the vehicle disappeared somewhere into the distance.
Step, step.
Footsteps were approaching us. I gripped the hilt of my sword, remaining on guard.
"It’s fine, Luka."
Hemillas placed a hand on my shoulder as he stared into the dark alley ahead.
A beggar, looking like a homeless man from the streets, walked toward us. Beneath the hood he had pulled down deeply over his face, a single-lens goggle replaced his eyes.
"It’s been a while, Master. And the young man beside you?"
"He’s my son."
"Ah, the rumored adopted son. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Paigon."
The man with the single-lens goggle bowed deeply to me. Before I could even attempt to guess his identity, Hemillas introduced him himself.
"Unofficially, he serves me personally. He’s in charge of operations in the lower districts."
"Think of me as Lord Hemillas’s eyes and ears, young master Lukaus," Paigon said with a grin.
A strong stench emanated from his body. He looked so ragged and unkempt that it was hard to believe he was in service to the head of the Custoria family.
‘Hemillas’s Overseer, Paigon.’
If Kinuan was the Emperor’s Overseer, then Paigon was Hemillas’s.
For those in power, unofficial retainers were inevitable. People in such positions had to handle matters they could never publicly acknowledge.
Paigon was likely one of the most trusted confidants Hemillas had.
"There are too many eyes watching here. Follow me," Paigon said as he stepped into a side alley.
This place was the outskirts of the lower district—a lawless zone where even gangs didn’t dare to tread.
‘Gangs operate based on profit. They deal mainly with businesses that straddle the line between legal and illegal.’
A desolate ruin like this had no businesses worth fighting over. The only ones who lived here were outlaws and vagrants with nothing left to lose.
The dominant forces in this area were nothing more than "bands of thieves." They were entirely different in nature from structured groups like La Vie en Rose or the arena syndicates.
‘Which is precisely why the most oppressed people in the Empire live here. People like… terrorists.’
There were hardly any decent human beings in this place, making it an ideal hiding spot for criminals.
"Luka, the person we’re tracking now is a Nemesis contact. He was active on the day Nikolaos died. If we lose him this time, I can’t guarantee when we’ll get another chance to track him. We cannot afford failure. This isn’t training, and it’s not a cadet mission. Let me make it clear once more—this is the duty of a Custoria family member."
Hemillas emphasized his words firmly.
Various thoughts ran through my mind, but I pushed aside all distractions and speculation. For now, I would focus solely on the mission at hand.
"I’ll open the entrance. Please wait a moment."
Paigon stopped at a dead-end alley. He rummaged through the ground before prying open a sewer cover.
Steam rose in wisps from the sewer, damp and stagnant. The stench of lukewarm, geothermal-heated filth was overwhelming. My stomach churned.
"Juppe really wouldn’t be able to handle a mission like this."
I muttered. Ahead of me, Paigon was already climbing down the ladder into the sewer.
"Haha, it won’t be easy for you either."
Hemillas said as he followed. He was right. Even as someone from the lower districts, I hesitated at the entrance.
Squish.
This wasn’t just any sewer. The waste had pooled into a sludge, forming something more like a swamp. It was a passage so revolting it defied description.
"Insects will stick to you, and your skin will itch, but you’ll have to get used to it, young master. If you stop to brush them off one by one, you’ll never get anywhere."
Paigon’s voice carried a hint of amusement. He seemed to enjoy watching me go through this.
Rustle.
Paigon pulled out a hand-drawn map of the sewer. It was an intricate maze—navigating without it would be impossible.
We followed Paigon’s back, wading through the sewage swamp. Now, I have a confession to make.
…I couldn’t hold it in any longer.
"Urgh! Wretch!"
My stomach convulsed, and bile surged up my throat, making a spectacular exit.
In the end, I threw up once.
"Bleeegh!"
No, twice.
…Possibly three times.
* * *
"Your body is still biological, so the gag reflex is unavoidable."
Hemillas offered some words of consolation as I finished vomiting.
Right. This wasn’t a matter of weakness. Hemillas and Paigon, both fully cybernetic, had mechanical organs that effectively suppressed physiological reactions.
By the time the sour taste of stomach acid faded from my mouth, Paigon finally came to a stop.
Hemillas and I followed suit, holding our breaths as we waited for his instructions.
Bzzzt.
Paigon’s single-lens goggle lit up, casting bright beams as he scanned the surroundings, pausing momentarily at various points. Wherever his gaze halted, an entrance leading to the surface was visible.
"Master, you’ll breach from this side. Young master, you’ll enter from that one. That way, we can block off all exits. I’ll provide cover from the rooftop."
Paigon moved his fingers in a deliberate pattern before curling them into a fist. His left cybernetic hand flipped open, revealing a built-in firearm.
"We need to move fast. If they think they have no chance of escape, they’ll kill themselves."
Hemillas said. He handed me an electronic pistol, loaded with electric stun rounds.
Bzzzt.
I brushed the electronic pistol against my terminal. Recognizing my data, the weapon’s sight adjusted itself minutely, automatically calibrating for optimal aim.
‘Capture the Nemesis contact and extract information.’
That was the objective of this mission.
‘This isn’t an Imperial Guard operation… This is Custoria family business. Hemillas has been investigating Nikolaos’s death on his own.’
The eldest son of the Custoria family had been killed. Apparently, Rick’s death alone wasn’t enough retribution. Hemillas was planning an even greater retaliation.
‘To ensure that no one ever dares to touch the Custoria family again.’
From Hemillas’s words, it was clear that this was a rare opportunity. If Hemillas had been able to track Nemesis so easily on his own, the terrorists would have been eradicated long ago.
"The target changes his face frequently, so identifying him by appearance is impossible. You’ll have to recognize him by his physique and movement patterns."
Paigon projected a hologram from his terminal. A humanoid model appeared, repeatedly demonstrating various walking patterns and movements.
Hemillas and I absorbed the thirty-second footage without blinking.
"Hoo…"
After processing the information, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. A brief moment of meditation helped steady my nervous system.
Soon, I would expand my sensory range, and my brain would start screaming from the influx of excessive data.
I did this every time, but the pain was undeniable. I probably wouldn’t enjoy a peaceful old age.
At best, I’d end up like Kinuan, living with neurological dysfunction. At worst, I’d live like Ken Noma.
"We’re going in."
Hemillas spoke as he pushed open the sewer cover and climbed out. I did the same, pressing my hands against the cover and lifting myself up.
Clatter.
As I emerged, I saw a boiler system. The low hum of machinery filled the space. This was the back entrance to the building, doubling as a boiler room.
"Be careful, young master."
Paigon followed me up and slipped toward the emergency staircase. He would scale the walls and position himself on the rooftop.
‘Hemillas is infiltrating from the sewage treatment room near the front entrance.’
Hemillas had taken on the most difficult role. He would arrive about five seconds later than me.
3, 4, 5…
As I counted, I pushed open the boiler room door.
"Wh-Who’s there?"
A man standing idly in the hallway turned to me in surprise. Judging by his appearance, he wasn’t the Nemesis contact.
Pishut!
I pulled the trigger. The electric stun round lodged into his neck. Sparks flickered, and he collapsed unconscious. One advantage of electric stun rounds was that they worked on both biological and cybernetic bodies.
This building was a long-term lodging facility—not even worth calling a hotel. The rooms were nothing more than tiny, single-occupant spaces, and the shower facilities were communal. It was the kind of low-class accommodation where people with uncertain identities stayed.
Still, since it was a lodging facility, unauthorized entry wouldn’t be easy. There was probably a security system at the front entrance. That was why we had taken the sewer route—to ensure absolute secrecy.
‘Failure is not an option.’
To increase our chances of success, we had waded through that revolting sewer.
Now, my determination burned stronger than ever. That experience had been so nauseating that even I couldn’t hold back my vomit. The mere thought of failing after enduring that made my blood boil.
Bzzzt.
My right cybernetic eye was probably glowing. I had already mapped the entire interior of the building in my mind. I could navigate it without hesitation, as if I had lived here for years.
Crash! Clatter!
As I moved through the hallway, I kicked open every door I passed. Fortunately, there were no windows in this building—meaning it was also used for confinement. As I checked each room, I caught glimpses of things I shouldn’t have seen.
"Keek!"
An alien—a rare sight in the Empire—screeched upon seeing me. The bipedal creature looked like a mix between a pig and a reptile, flaring its nostrils in alarm. An incredibly ugly species.
Then again, by our standards, most alien races had grotesque appearances. They probably saw us the same way.
Pishut! Pishit!
I fired twice in quick succession. The alien was large, so a single shot didn’t seem sufficient. After taking two electric stun rounds, it collapsed, foaming at the mouth.
‘Hemillas has already finished and moved up.’
The opposite side had already been cleared by Hemillas. He had moved up to the second floor ahead of me.
I was about to follow him. The building had a total of three floors.
Krrrrng!
I froze. The ceiling collapsed, sending chunks of concrete crashing down. Through the thick cloud of dust, a shadow staggered forward.
Someone had broken through the floor and dropped down.
‘The contact?’
I wasn’t sure. This kind of lodging was full of criminals and fugitives. Some might try to escape the moment they heard the commotion.
Creak.
I pulled the trigger. Whether it was the contact or not, I would knock them all out first and ask questions later.
Pishut!
The target dodged. My electronic pistol had auto-aim correction, so I knew I hadn’t missed.
They had tracked the bullet’s trajectory through the dust and evaded—without even using their vision.
Tok-tak.
The target clicked their tongue.
I had seen that gesture before. Ken Noma had done the same thing before fighting me.
‘They’re using Akies combat techniques.’
Now I was certain—the figure in the dust was the Nemesis contact.
Shhhhhh!
A smoke grenade burst open. Thick, acrid smoke filled the narrow hallway, making it impossible to see. Breathing became difficult.
But despite the blinding smoke, the enemy knew my exact location. I saw the faint outline of their gun barrel aimed directly between my eyes.
Bang!
A gunshot rang out.
I had raised my palm in front of my face.
Ding!
The bullet struck the back of my hand and clattered to the floor, flattened. Through my slightly spread fingers, I watched as the shadow lunged toward me.
‘Hah, not bad.’
I holstered my gun.
This was not someone I could take down with a mere pistol.