Thud Thud
The concrete ceiling was shedding stones slowly.
Inside the collapsed tunnel.
Catherine, Andrea, and I were leaning against an overturned train, surveying the surrounding situation.
The light from the lamp was flickering pathetically.
From the opposite shadow-covered side, a massive figure approached.
It was Drake.
“This is bad. It seems there’s a collapse both in front and behind us, and no working elevator.”
“In other words, we’re trapped?”
“Exactly that.”
Drake answered my question and habitually lit up a cigarette.
Given the situation, he didn’t actually light it.
Using his dwarf-like observational skills, Drake took a look around and came to this conclusion.
Seeing him shake his head here and there made it seem worse than I had imagined.
“Moreover, it seems there’s jamming. To me, it looks like a planned bomb attack.”
“Ha, what a situation.”
Andrea sighed.
Catherine and I also agreed with her statement.
This time, Catherine asked Drake a question.
“So, since there’s no signal, we can’t contact anyone in the upper city?”
“That’s right. Still, they must be aware that an incident occurred. If we wait, rescue will come eventually.”
“So, are we just supposed to wait?”
“Well… probably. We could go up if we pass through the underground levels and sewage area several hundred meters high, but I feel it would be a hassle.”
“…Then we should keep an eye on the situation.”
It seemed clear that we had been caught up in some event.
I calmly retraced my memory.
I thought hard if there were any quests related to tunnel or train terrorism.
But no matter how hard I tried to remember, no relevant quests came to mind.
Terrorism in Neon City happens regularly, almost like an event.
In other words, simply put.
There are so many incidents, I didn’t get a grasp on it.
Were they listening to our conversation?
From somewhere, two people were approaching us.
A woman in a neat suit and a man who looked like her aide or a guard.
The woman, who looked like a businessperson, asked the man,
“Are they the ones?”
“Yes, they are.”
I greeted them with a cautious posture.
“What brings you here—”
But thanks to Drake’s follow-up comment, I was able to stop my words.
“…Whoa, it’s the Chairman of Monolith?”
“…”
I almost stood tall in front of a chairman in a cyberpunk world.
Unlike me, who had my mouth shut, Drake kept talking.
“Why would someone who probably flies around in a private jet be in a place like this?”
It seemed like he was muttering to himself.
It looked like the shock caused him to unconsciously express his inner thoughts.
The problem was that in the tunnel, his voice echoed a little loudly.
The woman, the chairman of Monolith, spoke.
“I’m here for something secretive.”
If the chairman is this old, she should be quite aged.
However, she spoke in the manner of an ordinary woman.
“But seeing this explosion, it seems it wasn’t so secret. Did some rat leak information?”
She continued speaking at her own pace.
“But what’s important right now is not that.”
Her gaze shifted back to us as she looked around.
“I heard you’re famous mercenaries confident in your skills. Would you consider taking a mission?”
“…Huh?”
That was my response.
I answered without realizing.
The others were crossing their arms, waiting for the chairman to continue.
“As I mentioned earlier, I came out secretly. Thus, it seems the ninja unit from Kojaka or tactical members from Heishukai might arrive before our company’s security team.”
The chairman took a step closer to us.
That posture felt very assertive.
“I can say the mission is for protection… and extraction to the surface.”
At last, she glanced at the cigarette Drake was holding.
“And I expect a single cigarette once we reach the surface. So, how about it? Will you take my mission?”
We exchanged glances.
The answer we would give was already determined.
Ha-ha-ha, it’s been a long time since that happened.
“…Ha-ha, true.”
The Chairman’s gaze was fixed on the glass wall beneath them.
I quietly stood behind him with my hands respectfully clasped.
The dazzling neon signs reflected all the way here.
I quietly observed the chairman’s large back.
“I came up from deeper than the height of this building. So, I still think of it occasionally.”
“…Ha-ha.”
Though the speaking style changed according to his physical form, it was clear we were all the same person.
He gestured in midair with his fingers.
The enormous desk that had been positioned in the center of the room sank straight down.
Then, conversely, a luxurious sofa and table rose from another spot.
“Now, take a seat over there.”
“…Yes.”
I sat down on the opposite sofa per his invitation. A soft feeling enveloped me, as if my whole body was sinking into the cushion.
I didn’t know how it was structured.
But on the table that rose from the floor, two steaming cups of tea and an array of snacks and fruits were arranged appetizingly.
“Back then, we couldn’t find any evidence that suggested another company orchestrated the terror.”
“Ah, it was quite unfortunate.”
“Nonetheless, it allowed for some internal reinvention. It turned out to be a good memory and experience as well.”
“…Climbing several hundred meters from underground?”
I couldn’t help but ask honestly.
The chairman answered with a smile.
“Ha-ha, if you told me to do it again, that would be tough. But the taste of blood from changing bodies at ground level is nice.”
“Oh, you can feel free to smoke now.”
“No, I should be careful in front of non-smokers. We’ll probably see each other a few more times, don’t you think?”
The chairman raised his teacup first.
Seeing that, I brought my own cup up to take a sip.
It was the same kind of tea I had earlier in the conference room.
“Actually, since then, I’ve entrusted several more missions to you.”
“…I’m just thankful you look favorably upon me, Chairman.”
“Well, you’re alright. But it’s the lack of confidence considering your abilities that becomes an issue.”
He picked a snack up between his thick fingers. He maintained a casual manner.
His sharp gaze, visible between the scars on his face, was fixed on me.
I hadn’t done anything wrong.
I felt compelled to apologize first.
“Is it because everyone around you has a strong ego, or did you come from outside the city?”
He slowly continued speaking.
“There seems to be another reason, but I still don’t know what it is.”
Even without me saying anything.
I felt like my insides were being read entirely.
A drop of cold sweat trickled down my neck.
“Even so, you should at least say something to an elder on the same floor, right? But I think that’s rather rude.”
…But how does Bill know that?
“…Did you investigate me separately?”
“Well, by the way, can I ask what brought you here this time?”
The chairman munched on a snack.
“I’d be fine saying I just came to have a cup of tea, but you’re not the type to do that.”
His skill in changing the subject was no joke.
But even here, I couldn’t be bold enough to press that issue.
I started to briefly explain the situation I was in.
Of course, I mixed in a little white lie.
It couldn’t be helped.
No matter how much Smile John knew about Eve’s identity and my possession of her.
For now, it remained a secret.
If the appearance of super artificial intelligence were to emerge.
Every company would salivate, wanting to take the information and Eve in my head.
Well, while the chairman in front of me didn’t seem like that kind of person.
As someone who had lived far longer than me (over a hundred years), he might know something I don’t.
It wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.
The chairman nodded as he listened to me.
“Virtual terrorists, and a party for high-ranking company officials.”
His finger tapped the table lightly.
It seemed to be a reaction of the body craving nicotine.
“I have an idea about what the party is. I haven’t been since it wasn’t at a level I could attend.”
The chairman leaned back against the sofa as he continued his statement.
“Nonetheless, I cannot ignore a request from my savior.”
“…I’m not quite your savior, am I? After all, we were just hired to do it.”
“Well, I get that. I’ll look into it and contact you with the place and time.”
I immediately bowed my head at that remark.
Indeed, leveraging power and connections is what they are for.
“Thank you, Chairman!”
“I’d like to attend, but I’m busy. It might be difficult.”
“Ah, of course, an introduction would be just fine.”
In fact, that was something I would gladly welcome.
Now, since our business is complete.
I should prepare to head home.
“Are you planning to leave just like that?”
Why?
I halted my movement to stand up.
“Why don’t you eat something while you’re here?”
“Pardon?”
“Isn’t it lunchtime?”
I wanted to decline very honestly.
But I could not refuse this situation.
If the chairman invited me to eat, refusing it.
That loyal subordinate (executive secretary) might just send an assassin my way.
I wouldn’t even know if the food was entering my mouth or nose because of the pressure.
Ultimately, the answer I had to give was determined.
“…Thank you for the suggestion. Then I will gratefully eat.”
“Ha-ha, that’s right.”
At this point, I should think positively.
Food prepared by the chairman…
I was already looking forward to what kind of dish it would be.
After all, I had been feasting on soy protein or krill shrimp daily.
I never thought an opportunity to eat gourmet natural food would arise like this.
The chairman manipulated the visual interface again.
Then, something gigantic rose from the corner of the chairman’s office.
It looked like a wine cellar.
“I recently got my hands on some decent alcohol.”
“…Aren’t you still working?”
“Ha-ha, what’s a bother about that? If I get drunk, I can just change bodies. So, let’s eat.”
“…Yes.”
The middle-aged man seemed cheerful, bold, and overall pleasant.
However, there was one thing I thought was a problem: he really liked to drink.
I had an odd, ominous premonition.
Nonetheless, I had some recent work to handle.
I should be careful and drink just a little.
—
*
The chairman, who turned into a drunkard, collapsing asleep, was definitely not my fault.
It was an emergency for the corporation.
The chairman had fallen down, unable to handle afternoon duties.
The critical tasks the chairman was supposed to manage were all brought to a halt.
The murderous glare from the executive secretary gazing at me wasn’t just my imagination.
But seriously, this wasn’t my fault.
It was unfair.
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