Rust - Chapter 606



Only Krnovel

RUST [RUST]-606

No. 4 checked the plastic bag containing the medicine again.

There are clearly two things in hand.

Why do you have a bag of number 18?

At the end of the clothes I was wearing in layers, there was a name tag with the number 18 written on it. It was bitterly cold outside, at minus 25 to minus 30 degrees Celsius, so if I took this off…

She stepped out of the eye hole with a blank look in her eyes. The dusky sky was brightening with the colors of morning after dawn.

A bare leg was clearly visible, poking out from one corner of the increasingly bright white snowfield. A human leg that had hardened into a white and blue color.

Number 4 ran without realizing it. After pushing through the deep snow, he found number 18 frozen to death. There was a clear mark on his neck that clearly showed that he had been strangled to death.

‘Someone strangled No. 18 to death -> No. 18 did not resist and was strangled to death -> I killed the person who killed No. 18 and took No. 18’s belongings.’ It was strange that I couldn’t remember anything.

But he couldn’t spend any time here. No. 4 buried No. 18’s body deep in the snow and confirmed its location.

I’m not sure, but if the last mark on the map is correct, I was heading towards New York, not the Holy Kingdom.

Number 4 began to move again, heading towards the Holy Kingdom, using the rising sun as a reference point. Number 4, who had been moving steadily for several hours with the clone’s unique physical abilities and aura, suddenly stopped.

Number 4’s head, which had been stiff like a mannequin, turned left and right, and muttered.

“Oh my gosh-”

The voice was unusually irritated for the normally composed No. 4. She then set off a smoke flare from her backpack.

She watched for a moment as thick red smoke rose into the sky, then began to make a hole in her eyes.

“What is this? What is this?”

She dug into her eyes, muttering, and lit a new smoke flare that was slowly dwindling. Red smoke rose again.

She went into a snow hole she had dug, as if she didn’t want to move any further.

======

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Ki-soon, who had just finished meeting with President Dan Brown in New York, was heading back to Ottawa.

‘If the Empire were to fall and the Holy Kingdom were left to bear the brunt of the fallout, that would be fine.’

When I recalled the reaction of Generalissimo Dan Brown, I couldn’t help but frown. Dan Brown was quite different from the typical person in power.

Usually, those who reach the pinnacle of power consider their own lives to be the most important. But he didn’t seem to have any particular attachment to life.

He was a man who would put his own life on the scale for a certain purpose. That was why Ki-sun held off on using the fountain pen he had brought.

This was partly because Dan Brown had hinted that he knew what the fountain pen was for, and partly because there was nothing more to be gained by threatening to kill him.

‘What do you want?’

‘The reconstruction of the United States, but well. It’s not easy to maintain an empire these days.’

He half-rambled about the things he had done. The story of how he had gathered the heads of families who had chosen cannibals and the executives of financial companies in one place and organized them. The story of how he had prevented cannibals from gaining a foothold using the cannibal diagnostic kit.

‘Why is the Holy Kingdom against the Confederacy?’

‘It is His Majesty’s policy not to compromise with beings that eat humans.’

‘Is that so? Then, if Prince Vladimir Kalin changes his mind, the tone of the Holy Kingdom will change.’

‘It may not seem like it, but it is. That’s what a kingdom is all about.’

‘How ironic. The pre-modern system called the kingdom is the one that protects human rights and humanity.’

‘In an age where survival is the priority for both nations and individuals, I believe that a country like the Holy Kingdom is a good enough country.’

The name Empire was chosen with the intention of actively expanding. Although the reconstruction of the United States of America was abandoned for practical reasons, it was chosen with the intention of later reviving it.

That is why the democratic structure was maintained. Imperial deputies were elected, and the opinions of the deputies were gathered and executed in the Imperial Diet.

Apart from the Führer’s extensive powers in military and security, the Imperial Diet, which was effectively a combined Senate and House of Representatives, had enormous political power.

‘It’s only been a little over a year, and the power struggle has begun again.’

‘Isn’t that a given? That’s democracy.’

‘Yes. Yes. That’s why.’

A weary look briefly passed across the expressionless face of General Dan Brown.

‘No matter how much I want to maintain good relations with the Holy Kingdom, there is a limit. What would happen if I were to push for border adjustments under my authority and hand over the Vladinaru clones who escaped to the Holy Kingdom?’

‘······.’

The Empire had a powerful Führer, but the Imperial Diet, consisting of members of the Imperial Household, played a major role in formulating and implementing policies. Unless one wanted to be completely dictatorial, one could not completely ignore the Imperial Diet. It was not right to ignore it.

‘I can’t accept the story that says to hand over all the clone research data and destroy the data. Likewise, there should be a price to pay for the restoration of territory and the transfer of escaped clones.’

Chancellor Dan Brown has demanded the transfer of exosuit technology and the sharing of new bullet technology that can be used against mutant monsters.

“You’re like a fox uncle···.”

Ki-sun muttered as he looked down at the towns and cities of the empire that had turned into fortresses here and there. Then, far away, he saw red smoke rising from the plains.

‘A signal flare that bloomed midway through the shortest route from New York to the Holy Kingdom.’

There would be no reason for the Imperial Army to light a signal flare on such a fine day.

It could have been a normal person, but since there was no reason for them to be lost in the winter plains with no villages nearby, Kisun thought of the Naru clone first.

If the clone ran out of medicine while escaping, he would have set off a signal flare in order to survive.

The airship that Ki-sun was on sped up toward the plain where red smoke was rising.

Number 4, who opened his eyes in the snow hole, shook his head.

It was not the first time, but the second time. When I came to, I found myself in a shelter dug out of a snowdrift.

It was reasonable to assume that he did this while unconscious, as there was no way someone would do this twice in a row.

‘How can this be?’

Various pieces of information came and went in No. 4’s mind. As a result, the most intuitive and similar situation that could explain the current situation was hacking.

However, there was a reason why it was difficult to understand and pass over it like that. Among the clones, he had the highest psychic sensitivity and the strongest ability, so much so that he could act as the main body’s substitute. So if he had hacked, he would have been defeated.

Even if we assume that the Empire created clones with enhanced psychic abilities and tracked them down, it would still be strange.

If it’s such a powerful ability that it can take control in the middle of nowhere, wouldn’t it be easier to just kill it?

‘It would be more effective to dispose of it rather than handing it over to another force.’

If we’ve succeeded in creating entities with powerful psychic abilities, is there really any need to keep defective ones that escape our control?

When I thought about it that way, everything seemed strange. It was even more so when I realized that the one who killed Clone 18 was the one who had been hacked.

If the act of taking off No. 18’s clothes and stealing the medicine were all the result of hacking, then what was the goal?

If we go back to the beginning, it was two to three days.

If you add up the time it took to lose consciousness for a day, walk for more than half a day, lose consciousness again, and regain consciousness again, that’s about the amount of time it took. That was more than enough time to catch the Imperial Army’s pursuit force.

‘It’s strange.’

What caught the eye of No. 4, who had emerged from the snow hole, was a signal flare with smoke rising from it.

oh!

After throwing a red smoke flare into a snow hole and looking around, an airship descended from the sky.

She said, taking her hand off the pistol at her waist as she saw the person getting off the airship.

“Gisun?”

No. 4, who met Gi-sun, explained his situation.

“You’re being manipulated?”

“Yes. It’s dangerous because you never know when you might lose consciousness and lose control.”

Judging from the fact that he killed No. 18, it was definitely dangerous. Ki-soon was a little puzzled after hearing No. 4’s story. If clone control technology had been so advanced, there would have been no reason to hand over the clone’s body.

‘Is this what a psychic is after?’

It was Ki-sun who remembered Julia, the telepath who died in the New York sewers, and Dr. Jack Neese, the brain-bobbing guy who shot out mental waves.

‘According to the data, Julia Burton’s telepathic range was said to be extremely long. Dr. Jack Neese’s mental waves were strong enough to affect objects.’

Unfortunately, we couldn’t take No. 4 to Ottawa, as he might have been affected by the psychic powers and act as a sort of relay.

If something like that happened, the other Naru clones in Ottawa could also be in danger.

‘It’s definitely shorter than Julia’s telepathy ability.’

If it had been long, all the clones in Ottawa would have been behaving strangely.

Ki-soon decided to take No. 4 and head straight to Detroit. The Detroit Ark Tower had a psychic wave blocking laboratory, so they could respond adequately.

‘We need to talk about the negotiation results anyway… Let’s go quickly before the weather changes.’

I didn’t know how long this nice weather would last.

Ki-soon first disarmed No. 4, who was in danger of being mentally controlled, and then tied her hands behind her back.

“Even if it’s uncomfortable, bear with it. I’ll let you go when I get there.”

“It’s okay. How are the others?”

“I’m not feeling well because I’m taking medicine.”

“I see… Everyone said they wanted to see the King, and I guess I’ll be the first to see him.”

“Are you a king too?”

“Of course. Isn’t that your brother?”

The head of No. 4, who had been talking nonsense, suddenly dropped.

“···Hey? What’s going on? Why are you like that?”

“······.”

Ki-soon, startled by the sudden situation, put her finger on No. 4’s nose. The air flow felt thin. Fortunately, his breathing had not stopped.

As Ki-soon, slightly relieved, took a step back, No. 4 slowly raised his head as if to match her. For a moment, his once hazy eyes slowly regained focus.

A high, sharp voice spoke to Ki-sun.

“Kim Ki-soon?”

That unique, unforgettable expression and gaze.

“Where am I? Why are you in front of me?”

“······.”

She blurted out to Ki-sun, who had frozen.

“What are you going to do by tying me up?”

“······.”

what?

What should I say in this situation?

Ki-sun’s expression, which had been flustered, slowly returned to normal.

Is it Naru who controlled No. 4’s spirit?

Naru is dead?

It was Ki-sun who confirmed Naru’s body in the Imperial Research Lab.

Naru’s face, torn by a knife made from the monster’s claw, had been horribly transformed by the spread of its unique poison. What’s worse, there was a hole in his head.

What would have happened if such a corpse had been sent to the front of the house?

No matter how much I cut ties with him, it was obvious that feelings would arise first.

The reason for sending the corpse as a clone was to study Naru’s true body, but there was also a reason to avoid causing unnecessary emotions.

Naru lowered her voice a little, perhaps because she thought she had gone too far after saying what she had said.

“If you’re not thinking anything strange, let me go quickly.”

“······.”

“What are you doing? I told you to let me go quickly.”

“···That would be difficult.”

“Why? You’re thinking something strange right now, aren’t you? How did you get here? Did you chase me?”

Ki-sun took another step back as Naru’s face showed a mixture of boredom, disgust, and what are you going to do?

It felt like I’d been hit in the head with a hammer.

Why didn’t I know that?

Is it because I talked to No. 4 a little while ago?

Could it be because I experienced the commotion of the Naru clones?

By killing and killing 10,000 units of Naru, you gain immunity?

Or maybe it was because her body was new and free from the effects of the drug, but Ki-sun could see the emotions hidden in Naru’s expression.

Naru read Gisun’s mood and changed her voice.

“Isn’t that so? Let’s talk about this. I need to go to the bathroom right now.”

“Just fight.”

This time, Naru’s expression turned blank.

“what?”

“Just fight.”

Naru’s eyes, which had been wavering at the cold answer, looked around again. Naru’s gaze, which had just now realized that it was an airship, turned to Kisun’s head.

“Your head is back to normal.”

You just realized that? Ki-soon was dumbfounded.

Slowly-

“Where are we going? To the Empire?”

Slowly-

Naru approaches slowly, with both hands tied behind his back.

“I mean, if you go to the Empire, you can go high. My clones are now in complete control.”

“······.”

Slowly-

“I’m telling you, seriously. If I tell you to kill, you’ll kill. If I tell you to save, you’ll save. I told you that the Empire’s forces will become stronger if you just have my clones. Seriously. If I go, the Empire will do anything for you. Let’s go to our Empire. Okay?”

“······.”

Naru’s gaze, which had crawled up to Gisun’s feet, changed in an instant.

Whirik-

Naru twisted her body and climbed on top of Gisun, wrapping her legs around his lower body and throwing him over.

The war experience, assassin’s skills, and martial artist’s gestures that No. 4 had had were melted into Naru’s breath.

Ugh-

Ki-soon, who was out of breath, took out a fountain pen from her bosom and pressed the button.

Pusheeeek-

Colorless and odorless VX gas was sprayed.