Chapter 42 – Are We Really Going to Do This? (2)

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

Chapter 42 – Are We Really Going to Do This? (2)

On the secretive third floor of No Answer, the toothless orc, Smith, quietly voiced his opinion to his boss, Natasha.

“…Boss, isn’t this too dangerous.…?”

But his words didn’t continue until the end.

“Shh, quiet.”

Natasha didn’t even turn around, but she raised her index finger to her lips as she spoke.

Then she turned her head to look at Smith.

“You’re on probation, aren’t you?”

“…Yes.”

At those words, Smith sealed his lips shut.

It was because he hadn’t seen me off at that time.

Of course, Smith had no regrets about that.

Even if I said it was okay, not properly obeying the boss’s orders was a big mistake. No matter what anyone said about it, it was his own fault.

If he had escorted me home, such an accident might not have happened.

Smith bowed his head silently and assisted the boss.

Natasha organized her thoughts as she listened to Smith.

As Smith said, it was definitely a dangerous matter.

And it was extremely dangerous.

Moreover, it wasn’t something she had to do by breaking her own rules.

A request that wouldn’t harm Neon City.

That was the most important thing in No Answer.

It was the most basic rule.

But why did she answer Catherine’s call and agree to help her?

Shooting Star (meteor).

Red Hound.

Tech Master.

Even though they were impressive beings, they weren’t comparable to the entire Neon City.

***

Natasha thought of a certain wizard.

She remembered when she first met him.

The first emotion she felt was sympathy.

Being a wizard was a disappearing profession in Neon City, no, in the whole world.

At that time, when there were many people who envied him because of their companions who were so outstanding, he was the center of his group.

They said it was because he had a good friend.

There were many people gossiping.

Until then, she hadn’t thought much about it.

There were parts of her that agreed in her heart.

The next emotion that arose was curiosity.

Because the wizard was at the center of the group.

He wasn’t strong or particularly intelligent.

Yet he naturally moved like the leader of the group.

At that time, she didn’t know, but now she understands.

There were no mistakes in his actions.

Rescuing as if he knew about hidden hostages.

Easily removing the false accusations and finding the hidden culprit.

Everyone was friendly to him.

Considering the fact that they all owed him something, it was only natural.

It didn’t take Natasha long to trust him herself.

A mission success rate of 100%.

It was a figure no one else had achieved.

People who didn’t know him disparaged his accomplishments, saying it was because his other colleagues were outstanding.

But his close associates knew better.

If he was not there, there wouldn’t have been a figure of 100%, and they might have been even more unfortunate.

And finally.

“Since they saved my life, anyway.”

“What did you say?”

Smith responded to Natasha’s murmuring. She casually waved her hand as if nothing had happened.

“Oh, nothing. Anyway, when will everyone gather?”

“They’ve almost all arrived. Now, we’re just waiting for Meteor and the only wizard.”

Natasha nodded briefly.

“Alright, get the data ready and go see them off.”

“Yes, Boss.”

With formal decorum, Smith bowed his head and exited.

Natasha pondered slowly.

Yes, it was just repaying that favor. Natasha interpreted and organized her actions and emotions like that.

She said it without even noticing her excitement.

—

I slowly counted the patterns on the ceiling, trying to turn away from reality.

They said there were five stages of grief.

I wasn’t in a situation to be angry.

Denial, negotiation, despair, and acceptance kept cycling through my mind.

Denial.

“No… this can’t be happening.”

Negotiation.

“Why don’t we just call it a draw?”

Despair.

“…It’s over. Everything’s going to end now.”

Acceptance.

“Yeah, it’s possible. Kidnapping Megacorp’s Vice Chairman? It could happen.”

Then back to denial.

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]

Meanwhile, everyone Natasha called was gathered at No Answer.

Technically, it was Catherine who asked Natasha to come up with the plan, but anyway.

Natasha pointed her folded fan at the hologram in front of her.

“I’ve checked William Kojaka’s schedule. They say they’ll be taking a private airship from Neo Japan (新日本) next week and coming back to Neon City.”

I didn’t dare ask how she found out about the hidden Megacorp Vice Chairman’s schedule.

The hologram in front of her changed into the shape of a massive shuttle.

Drake, Andrea, Catherine, and I all looked at the shuttle hologram.

“This is the shuttle’s data… You’ll have to check the details yourself.”

As Natasha finished speaking, a file was ominously transmitted.

The data had been saved onto the neural computer chip through an open network port.

Through my visual interface, the detailed design and specs of the shuttle were displayed.

Honestly, I couldn’t make heads or tails of it.

This looks like wings.

That seems like the fuselage.

That was about the extent of my understanding.

Drake, the smartest among us, swiped through the screen with his finger as he spoke.

“Considering it’s the Vice Chairman of Kojaka’s shuttle, I don’t think its air defense system is a joke.”

As he said that, he pushed up the sunglasses he was wearing with his finger.

His pupils were fixed on Natasha.

“No missile can get even close.”

In response to his words, Natasha unfolded her fan with a snap and held it to her lips, covering the corner of her mouth as if by habit.

“It’s true, and this time we’ll use that performance.”

“Mm.”

Drake fell briefly silent. It was a gesture indicating he was listening.

Natasha began to explain the main operation.

“We’ll attempt to intercept with ground-to-air firepower… more precisely, we’ll try to intercept with anti-air missiles.”

“Huh?”

I reacted without realizing it.

Natasha’s blue eyes shifted to me.

“The goal is to induce flare and chaff, which are defense systems, and cause confusion in radar and visibility.”

She gestured toward the hologram.

Several beams of light extend from the bottom of the hologram of the airship that the Vice President will be riding.

Smoke and explosions were then depicted.

“And taking advantage of this gap, we’ll infiltrate from the air, seize, and then land in a designated external waste disposal site. Finally, once we’ve transported the target to a safe house, the prepared plan is complete.”

Natasha continued to explain some details.

Like security aspects, Kojaka’s information systems, the estimated response time from Neon City… these were the contents, but honestly, all the information gets over my head.

[Saved to the database, just letting you know.]

I simply trusted Eve.

Not just me, even Catherine and Andrea had blank expressions. Frankly, those two weren’t exactly the brightest.

Only Drake was nodding his head, and seeing that, it seemed like the plan could be trusted if only Drake believed in it.

“I’ll organize the remaining details into separate documents to distribute. Of course, there’s a hacking risk, so we’ll do it on paper.”

Natasha folded her fan again, tapping it against her arm as she crossed them.

“Any questions?”

At that, I cautiously raised my hand.

Looking around, everyone else seemed to be listening quietly except for me.

After a few awkward coughs, I asked Natasha.

“I, uh, I’ve mentioned it several times before…”

“Hmm.”

“…If it’s not Smiley John we’re kidnapping, then what?”

But it was a point that couldn’t just be glossed over.

It was one of the main reasons I opposed this (crazy) plan.

In fact, the plan itself to kidnap Megacorp’s vice chairman based on a single suspicion was absurd.

In the world of cyberpunk, there were many individuals with power greater than nations.

Kojaka belonged to that category.

It would be easier to kidnap the President of the United States.

…though this is not easy either.

Anyway, it meant it was an event of considerable scale.

“Then we’ll just release him.”

Contrary to my concerns, Natasha’s response was very peaceful.

Well, yeah…

While saying that, she continued to elaborate.

“So, we’ll focus more on security, naturally, and we’ll also hide our identities. We’ll minimize the number of people who know the information.”

…

Was this such a simple issue?

Was it just me taking it seriously?

In a world of three-eyed people, is the one-eyed person the odd one out?

I tried to voice my opinion more to stop this crazy idea, but at some point, Andrea and Drake had gotten up from their seats and come over to where I was.

Drake’s large hand rested on my shoulder.

“Haha, we’ve got to somehow repay the favor. Don’t worry! It’ll work out.”

Well, helping out is appreciated and all, but…

Why are we even discussing doing this, assuming we’re going to do it?

“By the way, my girlfriend asked me to bring you along next time, for a meal or something.”

“Mm.”

Drake’s girlfriend was Lauren

Since I had some connection with her, her request wasn’t weird—.

No, that’s not important.

I slowly grasped the situation and cautiously spoke up.

“…Even if I tell you not to do it, you’ll still do it, right?”

There was no subject, but nobody failed to understand what I meant.

“Of course!”

“Obviously.”

The former was Andrea, and the latter was Drake’s response.

…Why won’t they listen to me?

There are too many go-getters around me.

In the end, I decided to give up everything.

“…Sigh, okay.”

I simply nodded weakly.

“Let’s give it a try.”

“Haha!”

Drake laughed as he patted my back with his massive cyberware arm. Each time he did, my whole body jolted and writhed. Ouch, it hurt.

Drake patted my shoulder, and Andrea, perhaps wanting to do the same, was preparing to attach her massive mechanical arm.

Catherine and Natasha discussed intently while analyzing the data.

Smith, with a deadpan expression, looked like he was somewhere else.

Our eyes met briefly with Smith.

After a moment of eye contact, we both nodded simultaneously.

At least I wasn’t the only one worried.

Anyway, I don’t know anymore.

Well, somehow, it’ll work out.

I secretly sighed.

—

Inside the secretly floating airship, Natasha’s internal conversation.

Maintaining an incredibly high altitude, the enormous size of Neon City felt tiny.

Without realizing it, I swallowed nervously.

Was it due to the pressure difference, or was I just tense?

My ears and head felt stuffy.

I cursed my past self for not feeling the strangeness after hearing Natasha’s operation explanation.

…Am I crazy? Damn it.

Should I say stop now?

Before jumping out of the shuttle without a parachute.

Silently regretting it, I closed my eyes.

I should have stopped this crazy plan.

I thought with all my heart.

[Translator – Late Dreamer]

[Proofreader – Seeker]