Rust - Chapter 417
Only Krnovel
RUST -417
Dr. Shiro’s seizures caused headaches for the staff at Virginia Langley.
If you want to bring in a psychometer, you have to meet him first. You have to see his face to persuade him or kidnap him, right? But there was a problem from the start.
“Is there any new information?”
“There is only data from before the cold wave hit.”
The last proper information was from before the cold spell hit, when there was no communication failure, so it was already nearly 100 days old. I had to make plans, but there was no recent information.
“It’s ambiguous.”
“The relationship with the satellite village is also healthier than expected.”
The operation to incite several satellite towns to leave for New York ended somewhere between success and failure.
If we consider it a success in that it shook up the satellite village system and weakened Vladimir Kalin’s power, it was a failure in that not all satellite villages rose up and those who escaped Vladimir Kalin’s control did not reach New York.
“What about Humint?”
“They managed to enter Vladivostok, but they say they are prohibited from moving outside the residential area.”
HUMINT is a compound word of human and intelligence, and refers to all methods of acquiring information using humans.
In addition to simple spies, HUMINT also actively uses school ties, blood ties, and regional ties to make the target leak information without their knowledge.
Information gathering using romantic relationships and using relatives or friends are also included, but Vladimir Kalin’s side had a structure that made it difficult to use Humint from the beginning.
The medieval-style district division of Satellite Town -> Outer Castle -> Ark Town [Division of Districts] -> Inner Castle -> Ark Tower [Division of Floors] is ridiculous, but they have designated residential areas by family unit.
“Even if they are relatives, if they don’t have the ability, there is a rule that they must reside outside of Vladivostok, so it is impossible to approach them using relatives.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“Video calls are possible, but it’s meaningless because we have to assume that the AI is censoring things in real time.”
“We use our own communication network and intranet, and we have professional hackers and artificial intelligence, so hacking is virtually impossible. Even if we do, we get caught right away.”
“A 24-hour autonomous defense system using artificial intelligence?”
“It’s not even a military facility… How paranoid.”
There were CCTVs and automatic turrets installed everywhere, and even the place where the psychometrist resided was the innermost Vladislav Tower, so there was no way.
“Wait a minute… I think there might be a way.”
“······.”
One of the agents who was looking through the documents smiled. In his hand was a document on immigration status.
“I see.”
“If you use that side···.”
Considering the relationship between Vladimir Kalin and the group, it was worth a try.
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A coastal town near Los Angeles, California.
The beach, which should have been warm like usual, was covered in cold snow. The sound of the cold wind, which was below -10 to -15 degrees Celsius, rattling the windows as it passed by.
Brrrrrr-
Sim Eun-young crumpled the business card she was holding.
“What did you just say?”
“Now that you are a member of the United States, you must devote yourself to the national interest.”
“No. Before that. Where are you going?”
“It’s Detroit.”
Sim Eun-young wanted to open the head of the Virginia Langley employee in front of her.
“Are you telling me to bring 70,000 people to Detroit in this weather?”
“Only the chairman and his close associates can go.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. After leaving the place like that, are you going to absorb the people with abilities? Chairman Shim’s legs were twisted.
That’s why I couldn’t trust the Yankee bastards. They kept talking about national interests and alliances. Why else would Japan, which had struck first and been punished so terribly, prepare to strike again?
“If it’s Detroit, it’s Hamaru. No, is it Vladimir Kalin here? Are you telling me to go to him?”
“Yes.”
“What is the reason?”
“I just want you to negotiate.”
Are you suggesting we do twenty questions now?
A regular employee, not a manager or a director?
Sim Eun-young’s eyes became cold. She quickly escaped to the United States to avoid the Korean government going crazy.
Two places in the US reached out: the Department of Homeland Security and Langley, Virginia. Of the two, the Virginia company was the one that valued Charlotte more.
‘I couldn’t ignore the distance issue either.’
To get in touch with the Department of Homeland Security, you had to go all the way to New York. With the Panama Canal and the Suez Canal blocked, to get to New York by ship you had to go through Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, around the Cape of Good Hope in Africa, across the Atlantic Ocean, or across the Pacific Ocean and around South America and north.
‘It was a mistake not to know that the East and the South were effectively divided.’
It wasn’t easy to get to New York to avoid the Navy that had taken over in the South, so I chose Virginia Langley, but after just a month, I was talking shit.
If he hadn’t made fun of Charlotte, he wouldn’t have come here so suddenly. No, he wouldn’t have sent a staff member to nag her in the first place.
‘Even the American soldiers are struggling because they can’t take care of themselves.’
Knock-knock-knock-
Chairman Shim, who was drumming the table with his fingertips while crossing his legs, nodded as if to tell me what kind of negotiation was going on.
“I would like you to negotiate for Vladimir Kalin’s Detroit to join us.”
“What if they refuse?”
“You can just bring me the psychometric ability user that Vladimir Kalin has.”
“What if I reject that too?”
“Then there will be lunch boxes for 70,000 people. Cannibals and monsters will prey on them.”
Sim Eun-young, who was staring at the smiling employee with a cold expression, started tapping the table again.
“Manager Lee Ki-young.”
puck-
With a dull sound, the employee’s eyes slightly opened and he slumped forward towards the table.
“Hoo- can you hold this?”
But in that brief moment, Charlotte’s bodyguards next to her tied up Virginia’s limbs. Her slightly relaxed eyes opened wide and the employee growled.
“You crazy kids… What are you doing?”
Either way, Sim Eun-young turned on the intercom.
“Catch them all. No one comes here.”
[yes.]
The expression on Virginia’s staff member’s face wavered at that calm voice.
“what?”
“Are you deaf?”
Shim Eun-young nodded, smiling, and the bodyguards began to drag him away.
The staff member writhed with bloodshot eyes on his neck, but contrary to expectations, the ropes binding his limbs did not break, and Charlotte’s bodyguards were not beneath him.
It was completely different from what I expected, that they would tremble if I said it was for the national interest of the United States. These guys were dangerous. Do you think you can just erase them because they are annoying?
Gangs, mafia, cartels couldn’t mess with Virginia employees. But these guys were different. This information had to be relayed to headquarters.
“Wait a minute. Please don’t do that. You can’t live in America with Virginia and Chuck.”
The bodyguards who were leading him stopped for a moment.
“So what about Vladimir Kalin? What about the Department of Homeland Security? Is he on good terms with the great Virginia Langley?”
“···You’re crazy. You’re crazy. You’re all crazy!”
I escaped to the US because Korea was a mess, but it wasn’t easy there either.
What the hell is going on in this mess? Telling the Charlotte Group Chairman to do this and that? Sim Eun-young’s eyes drew a line.
“It would be a shame to just let it go. Squeeze out what you have to squeeze out.”
“All right.”
The information is squeezed out and the remaining dregs will disappear into the toilet.
“I think Virginia is out of her mind. Or she’s just ignoring us like we’re strays.”
“Wouldn’t it be an opportunity either way?”
“Opportunity. Yes, it is an opportunity.”
“If we can successfully absorb those forces into our group, we may be able to establish ourselves in California.”
It wasn’t impossible.
“Anyway, it will take time.”
“Yes. I will definitely erase it.”
In addition to the severe cold, mutated monsters were overflowing.
Conditions are perfect for dying on the street. What can I do if I’ve never been here before?
One of the staff members nearby spoke cautiously.
“But this is the infamous Virginia Langley. Is that okay?”
“They started it first, so there’s nothing we can do about it. If they had the resources, they wouldn’t have handled it this way.”
Sim Eun-young laughed eerily.
The American troops that Charlotte had landed in San Francisco were floating without being able to disband.
When you see the rotting American troops in the half-ruined city for months, you can see that the Federal Army has lost its function. If they can’t even manage a little over 30,000 Federal troops, what’s the matter? What’s the matter?
“Maru-san is really amazing.”
He grew so big because he hung out with kids who were mischievous from the beginning. Well, he was far from normal from the beginning.
If you think back to when the shadow was thrown from the helicopter and the KTX was cut down, it was definitely like that.
Maru is just a single and settled in the US, but isn’t Charlotte a groupie?
“It’s a lot different than planned, but maybe it’s better this way.”
“Yes.”
If you can get a spot before the winter cold wave leaves, you’re in good hands.
“So, I should tell Maru-ssi this good news, right?”
“I will prepare.”
“Ah- It’s been a while, so I guess I need a gift. Please send me the locations of the Virginia-related facilities we’ve identified.”
“···yes.”
Charlotte’s ability users set out for Vladiak Tower.
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Detroit was peaceful today too.
A few days after Maru started the eco-friendly railway business, the number of passengers on the Heaven-bound train, which was always full, began to decrease, and then suddenly stopped. Whether it was grilling meat or stir-frying jajangmyeon, no one came to this place.
[How many days has it been?]
Ms. Kim couldn’t understand why the smart little rats did that.
[I guess they had nowhere else to go but here.]
It had been several days since the rats had been seen, but Maru was still walking around once a day, preparing for the train to heaven.
Eco-friendly train operation has been of great help to Maru.
We were able to experiment with a variety of aspects, such as how to induce life, how long life lasts, and the range of life reach.
It was a very satisfying experience because sometimes, fairly large rats would swarm me and I could practice controlling the intensity of my attacks.
While Yang Kim was chatting away and scouting the area, a pot suddenly appeared in his field of vision.
[Why is there a stainless steel pot here? What is this?]
[Don’t touch.]
Maru, who had come running in a hurry, raised his senses. If there was something like an improvised explosive device inside, he would feel it. A faint murderous aura was engulfing the surroundings.
[Ah. A little.]
Miss Kim grabbed her chest, which was starting to feel tight, and stepped back.
If you’re going to come in, you should turn on your blinkers. What do you mean, just living? Really?
‘uh?’
Isn’t this life?
No, then what is it that you sprinkled with life like seasoning?
Maru’s senses scanned the pot. It didn’t feel dirty, nor did it feel unpleasant. It didn’t seem like anything was dangerous.
[Are you okay?]
[I think so.]
At Maru’s answer, Kim Yang quickly opened the lid of the pot.
[uh?]
[under?]
The yellow glowing things filled half the pot.
[Is this a gold piece?]
[······.]
Kim Yang, who was looking at the gold ring and bracelet here and there, nodded. As a proud gold expert, she could tell that this was definitely gold.
Suddenly a pot.
Filled with gold.
What is this?
Kim Yang looked back and forth between Maru and Geumboki and blurted out a word.
[tribute?]
or not
[bribe?]
[Bribe? You little rats are bribing me? What do you want me to do?]
[So it seems like it’s a request to not come out.]
Maru was dumbfounded. Those rats were even giving bribes.
[A messenger has arrived from the Charlotte Group.]
Maru’s expression changed at Diana’s report.
[Charlotte Group? That Charlotte of Busan?]
[you’re right.]
A messenger came from Busan, Korea to Detroit.
[It is said that the entire Charlotte Group recently immigrated to the United States.]
[Yeah? So what’s going on?]
[Targeting the Vladaak Tower in Langley, Virginia.]
[Ah- okay-]
Aren’t they the ones who were always eyeing this place? It wasn’t surprising.
[It is said that the subjugation of Vladiak Town is targeting psychometric power users.]
This is a bit too much.
[And I brought the coordinates of the Virginia facility. It’s called a gift.]
Maru and Kim met eyes.
This. Really-