ALL NOVEL chapter 50
Chapter 50
Amidst the clamor of the Shangs Mavre affair, the brief interlude before the school break slipped by swiftly.
Of course, Baek Hwi-young felt somewhat lacking to be considered a relevant party, so he could appear at any moment.
‘I must avoid him as much as possible.’
It was not strange for Jin Crow to consciously steer clear of Baek Hwi-young.
Perhaps he had gleaned an answer from such behavior.
Baek Hwi-young had not sought him out at all.
Thanks to this, Jin Crow was able to prepare quite smoothly for his journey to the capital planet of the Free Planetary Alliance, Mercato.
‘The opportunity is now or never.’
What had been the reason for heading to the Atlas Colony before?
Everyone had been searching for the whereabouts of the Oparts, heading toward the neighboring Free Planetary Alliance.
Of course, the plans had been derailed by the Red Hand and the earnest trolling of the Lemal Planet Defense Force, but could one simply give up?
‘If even a clue about the Oparts is hard to come by, I must bring more awakening agents.’
He was not deaf to the chatter outside, aware of what they were saying about him.
Yet he was not foolish enough to be intoxicated by the achievements born of coincidence and luck.
‘General Kim Cheol. Penta Gear.’
Enemies like him, or even stronger, were abundant in this despairing silver haze.
The foremost enemy was the creature, but how many named villains sprang to mind immediately?
“Tsk.”
While packing his belongings, he caught sight of his own reflection in the mirror and couldn’t help but click his tongue.
He looked haggard, unmistakably a patient.
Though he hadn’t shown it outwardly, it had taken him weeks to recover from the aftermath of his last business trip.
‘I must grow stronger.’
It was a natural sentiment, necessary to protect his own life, but it was not solely for that reason.
He had been playing the role of instructor, a fate he never asked for, for several months now.
In the midst of it all, what I’ve come to realize is, amusingly enough, that the notorious reputation of Jin Crow, which initially felt as prickly as a thorn around my neck, has actually been quite helpful in adapting.
– A demon who, after rolling in the battlefield for twenty years, rose from soldier to major.
– A personality wreck. A man who draws his sword without hesitation against cadets if they displease him.
– A member of the Rosen faction, one of the most powerful cliques in the military, with an estimated gear level of at least quad.
The past of having rolled in the battlefield for two decades has now become a plausible foundation for whispering about radical tactics and strategies.
The stigma of being a personality wreck has morphed into a charisma that captivates both cadets and instructors.
And that still awkward faction has, for now, been more of a help than a hindrance.
“But for how long?”
Soon, the enemies, the cadets, and the creatures will grow stronger beyond comparison to now.
And that’s not all.
The Empire and the Free Planet Alliance must also be taken into account.
‘This moment, devoid of answers, is the most peaceful time. What lies ahead can only be described as hell, or worse… is there even a word to encapsulate it?’
Jin Crow roughly swept aside his hair, which had grown long enough to cover his eyes, as he gazed into the mirror.
His sunken cheeks stood out starkly.
Let’s think rationally.
What has saved his life until now is not himself.
It’s all thanks to the ‘real’ Jin Crow.
Yet, one cannot simply offer prayers and sacrifices to the Jin Crow that may reside within or perhaps in heaven.
“…You wouldn’t want to die either.”
So, it would be best if cooperation were forthcoming.
He halted his thoughts of self-reassurance and began to finish packing his belongings.
‘Pentacle, and extra alcohol and cigarettes… Damn. This is quite the addiction, isn’t it?’
However, these essential items were far from military decorum; if a superior were to unexpectedly rummage through his bag, they would immediately bark orders to pack up his gear.
First, he tucked the small syringe containing the pentacle into a case made of reinforced stainless steel, burying it deep within the inside of his coat, leaving only a few sets of black and white civilian clothes.
It wouldn’t be too conspicuous to walk around in synthetic military uniforms from the Free Planet Alliance.
“Instructor Jin Crow. Here are your leave papers.”
“Yes, confirmed. Loyalty!”
By the time he finished packing and left the academy, most of the cadets had already departed for their hometowns to enjoy a brief vacation.
‘First, I’ll move to the planet Sirt, which supports the Sigma satellite city…’
Since all platforms operated within the Sigma satellite city are military, he could reach the planet Sirt without delay, but after that, he would have to use civilian vessels for transit.
Of course.
No matter how much a soldier struts about with his shoulders squared, once he steps into society, he is merely a man in uniform.
“Thank you for using the Sirte Galactic Navigation Service. May I see your identification?”
…he thought, only to soon realize why the United Synthesis Nation was often labeled a militaristic state.
“Um, please hold on a moment.”
The android attendant at the desk checked the identification embedded in his body, consulted something, and then, with a smile as bright as before, spoke.
“Your reserved economy class room has been canceled.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you ascend to the business level on the third floor, there are military-exclusive rooms available for your use.”
For a moment, Jin Crow pondered the meaning of this, but when the android staff added the word ‘free’ directly, he could finally face the reality.
“Long live militarism.”
No matter how much they prattled on about democracy, federalism, or bicameralism, the essence remained the welfare of a militaristic state.
Was there any reason to refuse?
Thanks to this, Jin Crow saved himself the 2 million Synthesis Nation dollars (USD) for the economy class ticket, and with a light heart, he lit a cigarette before boarding the vessel.
[Welcome aboard the Sirte Galactic Navigation Service. We sincerely welcome all passengers. We will do our utmost to ensure your journey is safe and comfortable. In-flight safety… ]
Any worries that the quality might be lacking since it was meant for soldiers vanished the moment he stepped into the cabin. Jin Crow poured himself a relatively light beer from the neatly arranged welcome drinks and sank into the sofa.
“…Is this liberation?”
It was a night where the long-lost stillness felt quite pleasing.
*
Free Planet Alliance.
Capital Star Mercato.
As he stepped out of the comfortable officer’s quarters and stood before the massive glass window reflecting the cityscape, the emotion he felt was, how should one say…
“Overwhelmed.”
He was, quite literally, overwhelmed.
There was no need to add any other words.
A forest of buildings piercing through the clouds.
“Hey, buddy, what’s a man with just two arms? Come here. I’ll give you a pretty little pair of wings on your shoulder blades.”
“Hmm, wouldn’t that make adaptation difficult?”
“What’s there to worry about? If it comes to that, just implant a pre-learned chip into the frontal lobe, and that’s that.”
The streets were alive with not just humans, androids, and cyborgs, but countless races so numerous that their names were hard to recite.
“So, back then I…”
“Really? You too. Unbelievable.”
How could it be any different, when elves were openly dating humans, arms entwined?
‘So this is where the melting pot of races lies.’
Aside from the advancements in various technologies, the future felt a bit more tangible now.
Of course, it wasn’t all bright.
“Ha, just a penny… kurok.”
A homeless man, with a visage that seemed a mix of orc and goblin, stood with a pad reminiscent of a QR code, begging for scraps.
“The Council must guarantee the survival rights of the interstellar transport union workers! Guarantee it!”
“What we need is food!”
“Waaah!”
A muscular, burly group in work clothes shouted as if ready to clash with the authorities at any moment.
“I heard another idol from Carpe Diem Entertainment committed suicide.”
“Well, it’s been a day or two.”
“True.”
As they briefly turned the misfortunes of others into casual conversation, the authorities openly puffed on something that clearly wasn’t tobacco.
“It’s a mess.”
Jin Crow now found himself unable to part with the Black Star, lighting it up.
Smoke scattered and shattered into the air between short breaths, and he took in the scene, feeling a freedom and corruption unlike any other planet in the United Human Synthesis.
‘Oparts. Nectar (Νέκταρ).’
A question lingered about whether it even existed in the original tale, but it was worth checking, even if the possibility was faint.
As the name suggests, it refers to the drink of the gods from Greco-Roman mythology.
Of course, it’s unlikely that the real Zeus and Venus ever drank it at their feasts.
If anything, that would be more troubling.
It’s said that it only works effectively when taken long-term with ambrosia.
‘For now, I’ll have to stick to the black market.’
In truth, there was little else he could do.
The political body leading the Free Planet Alliance was the Council, but in reality, it was merely a puppet, with the true power resting in the hands of five corporate owners.
Though, to be fair, there were only three real corporations among them.
If Nectar existed, it would surely be in the hands of those owners, but at least in the original he had read, there was no hint or mention of Nectar being owned by any of them.
In other words, if an OOPARTS named Nectar truly exists, it is most likely to be found in the black market.
Screech—.
With the destination set, there was no reason to hesitate any longer.
He crushed the nearly finished cigarette into the ashtray and stepped toward the platform’s edge.
Was it the heavy atmosphere that lingered in the air?
Despite the throngs of hawkers bustling about, none dared to approach Jin Crow.
Even if they had, it was unlikely he would have heard anything pleasant.
“…P-please, just return my daughter. I swear, I will repay the debt.”
“What?”
As those thoughts crossed his mind, a commotion brushed past his ears just as he stepped off the platform.
Turning his head toward the conversation that felt laden with untold stories, he caught sight of a male elf kneeling before a sharply dressed man.
‘…His ears have been severed.’
Yet, the elf’s disheveled appearance, appearing to be in his middle years, momentarily made Jin Crow falter, stirring a flicker of pity within his disdain for elves.
The ears, which should have been pointed, were raggedly half-removed.
Both wrists were missing, crudely replaced with implants that looked hastily grafted, and whether it was due to a mismatch with his body or the incompetence of the Ripperdoc he had entrusted himself to, pus bubbled up in rejection.
“Get a grip, you worthless bug. You’re just reaping what you sowed with your gambling debts. What do you expect?”
“T-that’s…!”
In contrast, the man to whom the elf was pleading appeared almost unscathed, as if he had received high-quality bio-implants.
How long did the sharp words fly back and forth?
“Get lost!”
The man, clearly annoyed, kicked the elf away with a rough shove.
Jin Crow’s expression hardened at the sight, and just as he instinctively reached into his coat to retrieve his hip flask—
“W-wait! There’s a place that’s willing to pay more for her!”
“You madman.”
Alongside a voice that made him question his ears, the face of the middle-aged man, once filled with a desperate longing to find his daughter, now twisted with desire and ugly resentment.
“Isn’t it truly pitiful?”
Then, turning at the sound of a sly voice from right behind him, he saw—
“That elf. He was originally a mercenary from the Imperial Army. However, he fell into drugs and gambling, selling off not just his wealth but his daughter, son, and wife as well.”
What caught his eye next was a small badge inscribed with the character for gold (琴), worn on a series of white suits.
“Pleasure to meet you. I am Geum Gang-hyeok, leading Geumyoung Securities and Bank.”
And there stood a stranger at the forefront.