Chapter 28 – Unwanted Obsession (2)

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Chapter 28 – Unwanted Obsession (2)

A holographic screen appeared in the air.

Inside a dark and desolate room where the lights are off.

Judging by the angle of the screen, it seems to be footage from a surveillance camera.

People wearing masks started appearing on the holographic screen.

They were all dressed in identical black attire.

They placed some special machinery in the center of the room. It’s a hologram projector.

After some manipulation, accompanied by loud noises, a yellow circular hologram appeared on top of the machine.

– Pababam!!

【Hello everyone! Nice to meet you! Your helper, Smile John, here!】

It’s the mechanical voice of a man.

A smiling emoticon danced around as if bouncing out of the screen.

Upon closer inspection of the screen, besides the masked individuals, there were several other people standing in the corners of the room.

Some faces looked familiar.

They are the criminals who escaped from Pelicanus.

Perhaps they haven’t escaped yet.

The restraints binding them still remained intact.

【The reason why I’m helping you escape… well, there isn’t one! I’m just setting you free! Haha!】

Applause, like something from a comedy show, followed the end of his sentence.

【Also for those of you who came to Neon City, the city of dreams, but couldn’t enjoy anything because you were stuck in Pelicanus! Oh, please, just laugh here.】

Smile John laughed loudly, as if performing a one-man show.

The room remained quiet.

No one, not even his subordinates, laughed at Smile John’s jokes.

【Oh… the mood isn’t right. But I’m okay with that! It’s okay!】

As he spoke, the circular hologram moved towards the escaped prisoners.

He looked intensely at each one.

【You’re a Chrome Psycho! Try not to get caught this time!】

【You’re a terrorist! Let’s be friends, fellow colleagues!】

【You’re the Bomb Mage, right? A unique profession! I like it too.】

He went around to each escapee, leaving a comment. It seemed to hold no significant meaning.

Finally, Smile John reacheds the person at the end.

The woman he recently reunited with.

Maya.

【Oh, you’re looking for a certain Mage, aren’t you? Well, I happen to know his location! I’ll tell you later. Haha!】

With that, Smile John returned to the center of the room.

During that time, one of the male escapees shouted at Smile John.

“Why’s your tone so damn annoying?”

【Haha. It’s just a habit. Isn’t life better with laughter?】

The emoticon spun a few times and then stopped, revealing several bold red lines drawn on Smile John’s forehead.

【But why are you speaking informally? It’s irritating.】

Immediately after the man spoke informally, Smile John’s subordinates shot him.

Noise appeared on the hologram screen. Blood flowing from the floor indicated the man’s condition.

【There was a minor incident! But I’m still okay! Nothing’s changed! You can all leave and act as you please!】

With that, Smile John’s hologram disappeared from the air.

【Thank you! It has been Smile John!】

Soon, the screen went dark.

…Hmm.

I scratched my head briefly in thought.

“So, this lunatic is after me?”

“Yes.”

This is a big problem.

* * *

“You saw it too, so you know, but this is surveillance footage from Pelicanus.”

I nodded my head.

I confirmed it through the screen.

I saw the Chrome Psycho’s face, whom I encountered on the street when I went out to buy the data module, as well as other escapees and Maya’s face.

From the video alone, it was clear that Smile John helped them escape.

I also remembered Maya saying that the person who helped them escape knew my location.

“I also did cross-verification through separately captured escapees, and it’s clear that this terrorist known as Smile John helped the criminals escape.”

I tilted my head for a moment.

“But isn’t it still too early to think that this terrorist is targeting me just based on this?”

“I thought the same at first.”

If she says ‘at first.’

There must be something else.

I focused on Natasha’s words.

“Did you know that there was a bounty on you recently?”

“Of course, I knew.”

“…Huh, you knew? If you did, you should’ve told me.”

Natasha’s gaze sharpened.

Under her piercing stare, I instinctively lowered my posture.

Setting a trap like this out of nowhere…

I don’t know what I did wrong, but I need to come up with some excuse, at least.

“Well, when I found out, Catherine had already taken care of it.”

The timing and suspicion were 100%.

That’s how I responded.

“…Hmm, then it could be.”

Her gaze softened slightly again.

Okay.

I managed to get past that.

Natasha continued where she left off.

“Recently, a bounty had been placed on you by a separate organization, but Smile John was the one who made the organization put the bounty on you.”

So, this is continuing like this.

I nodded continuously to her words.

“But recently, he’s been supporting a group called Echo Warriors.”

“Echo, what?”

“Echo Warriors.”

What kind of organization was that again?

I had heard of it somewhere.

As I pondered, Eve reminded me.

[Echo Warriors, the orc terrorists that the human ‘Lee Siwoon’ encountered recently at the cafe, I inform.]

“Ah.”

I remembered.

Those guys from back then.

The ones who were turned into Or/cs by Catherine.

“…But couldn’t that just be a coincidence?”

[Translator – Peptobismol]

I mean, my going into that cafe was really just by chance.

“Based on the interrogation of the orc who was alive at the scene, the possibility is sufficient.”

Hmm.

Is that so?

I’m not sure.

Anyway, to summarize, that was the story about how this terrorist called Smile John is disrupting my peaceful daily life.

It was definitely strange.

So many bad things have happened to me recently.

It’s a fact that I have bad luck.

But lately, it’s been at a level that even I think is too serious.

So, that means…

“Is that why Catherine moved to the house next door? In case something happens and she needs to help me?”

“Wait… Catherine moved next door?”

Ah.

This might not be it.

Hmm…

“Then, is it also Smile John’s scheme that all my stock investments failed?”

“Your stocks failed?”

[I can assure you, it’s definitely not.]

This might not be it either.

Eve, Eve…

Personally, I wish you’d ease up on the ban on trading stocks.

Anyway, let’s go for the real last one.

“Could it be Smile John’s plan to have my neighbor Bill on the same floor harass me with his old-fashioned ways? It’s too suspicious.”

“…I don’t think so?”

[…….]

Well, even to me, it sounded like nonsense.

I tried to regain my dazed mind.

I slapped my cheeks a few times, trying to shake off the confusion caused by the bewildering situation.

“Why is that guy, Smile John, targeting me?”

“I don’t know yet. Smile John himself is a virtual terrorist who has emerged recently, so there’s not much information.”

If he’s a virtual terrorist, he should be terrorizing on the net.

So, why is he coming out into the city and doing this to me?

What on earth is he after me for?

Listening to Natasha’s explanations so far, there was enough evidence to show that he’s targeting me.

Surely, there must be some reason for it.

“……”

I just can’t figure out who it could be.

It’s partly because of all the enemies I’ve made in this world. It’s inevitable when you live as a mercenary.

Even if there’s an unknown enemy after me, it’s not at all strange.

“If any relevant requests or information come in, I’ll let you know, so just wait a bit.”

“Oh, thank you, boss.”

As expected.

It’s good to have capable people around, so I could do less work.

At times like these, I sometimes feel a sense of self-reproach, but… still, when help is offered, I should accept it.

But the atmosphere was strange.

Even after receiving heartfelt thanks from me, Natasha just stared at me in silence.

…What did I do wrong?

I didn’t say anything strange.

After a moment of silence, Natasha finally spoke.

“Isn’t ‘boss’ too formal between us?”

“Yes?”

What does that mean, boss?

How formal are we?

But I didn’t say what I was thinking.

Natasha continued speaking.

“Even after giving you this information, arranging for implants that are not too burdensome on your body through the Tech Master, and all that.”

……

Half of it was appreciated.

But the other half wasn’t.

Honestly, the implants… They were a bit much.

I still felt the pain I experienced during the cyberware check even in my dreams.

Well, for now, it’s still something to be thankful for.

“…Just call me by my name.”

“…What?”

“Call me Natasha.”

Then.

The “Confucian Society Grandmaster” in my mind rose up.

‘Go!!!’

Why again?

‘How dare you rudely address an elder without proper manners!! You’ve played games, so you should know how important it is to know the age of the person in front of you!’

I dismissed his verbose speech from my mind.

To live in this cold city, there are parts you have to endure and be patient with.

That’s what I thought now.

“Uh, um, sure. …Thank you, Natasha.”

“Alright.”

Although she was still covering her mouth with the fan, it was easy to see that she was smiling now.

Natasha seemed to be in a much better mood.

“If you think it might be dangerous, you can stay here for the time being.”

“It should be fine. As I mentioned earlier, Catherine lives next door.”

Honestly, with Catherine living next to me.

What could possibly scare me?

……

Except Catherine.

She was a bit scary, though.

“…Really? Anyway, that’s fine.”

Natasha got up from her seat.

She moved somewhere else for a moment.

When Natasha returned, she was holding a bottle of white rum with a fancy label.

It looked like cola mixed with alcohol.

Natasha asked me as I sat there quietly.

“But can it still suit you a little?”

“…I can drink anything.”

A simple drink isn’t difficult.

I thought as I looked at the rum and coke.

But contrary to my expectations, what we drank wasn’t just a simple drink.

……n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

I just drank a lot.

I couldn’t refuse Natasha’s offer, and I ended up drinking.

Was I drinking the alcohol?

Or was the alcohol drinking me?

I drank more than I had in a long time.

“Ugh.”

I felt like I was going to vomit.

* * *

【Hello!】

On the way back home, I thought I should have been more restrained if I knew I would meet Smile John.

[Translator – Peptobismol]