Chapter 65
Inside Club 「Moebius」, operated by Hakuga-gumi, it was terribly quiet and dark.
Because one of Bansho Takemaru’s subordinates had flipped the breaker, every light source had vanished, leaving it so dark I could barely see a handspan ahead.
But thanks to a certain treatment that had given me Winter Soldier-level physical abilities, I felt no inconvenience in the darkness.
Clunk!
I opened the doors along the hallway one by one, checking with my own eyes what was inside.
“Eek…!!”
“Ah, looks like this isn’t the place either.”
Inside a secret room, men and women wearing the sort of leather straps one might see in an SM club clung to one another in terror.
The darkness surrounding them seemed to prevent them from seeing anything, but surely they could still hear a door opening.
One of the women, with an X-shaped piece of tape stuck over the exact center of her chest, shouted in a trembling voice.
“A-are you here to rescue us?”
Unfortunately, I was currently on the Red Team’s side.
I took out my pistol to check their identities, then merely scratched my head awkwardly.
“No. You two have a good time.”
“We can pay you as much as you want……”
Thud.
When I closed the door, the hallway grew quiet again.
I think I’ve looked around pretty thoroughly by now….
“Aw…. This is hopeless.”
[What is the matter?]
Cat’s questioning voice came from the terminal in my other hand.
The screen was covered in blood because the flesh on my fingers was still dangling loose, but it posed no major problem for making a voice call.
“Looks like I can forget about collecting the building repair costs.”
[…You were really searching for that?]
“I have to take whatever I can get.”
Come to think of it, this club was merely one of Hakuga-gumi’s sources of income.
It didn’t seem to be their main hideout.
If it had been, I wouldn’t have been able to get inside so easily, either.
‘They wouldn’t have stacks of cash lying around in a club run for ordinary people.’
Still, I had looked around just in case.
And, sure enough.
All I could see were customers who hadn’t managed to escape and gang members hiding while pissing themselves.
I roughly wiped the blood-smeared terminal screen with my clothes, then voiced my despair when I saw that the screen had only turned even redder.
“Jeez…. Coming all this way just to work for free.”
Considering that this was a world inside a game, it made no sense.
The natural law was that clearing a dungeon came with a fitting reward.
“Forget it. Let’s head back soon.”
[Understood.]
“You’re still waiting at the entrance, right?”
[Yes. However, a crowd made up of tourists has gathered in the meantime, so it seems it will be difficult to leave without being noticed.]
“How many people are there?”
[Hmm….]
Earlier, I had asked Cat to stop the people trying to come down into the club in my place.
I had already expected some people to gather at the entrance.
[A truly enormous number.]
After pondering how to phrase it for a moment, Cat sent me several photographs.
───────────────
Title: [No Title]
(A photo of tourists who had come to watch the commotion)
(A photo of cyber wreckers wandering around while conducting interviews with microphones, cameras, and the like)
(A close-up photo of a Hakuga-gumi member firing bullets with an enraged expression)
───────────────
[As you can see from the photographs, there are even several reconnaissance drones flying around right now.]
“Reconnaissance drones?”
[They appear to be cyber web streamers roaming around in search of something to make news about.]
People were much the same everywhere.
“And the last photo is quite dynamic.”
[This entire vicinity is Hakuga-gumi territory, so no matter how many I clear out, they just keep coming. Still, no one has brought armor-piercing rounds or heavy weapons yet, so I’m holding out comfortably enough….]
“Got it. I’ll be out soon.”
This wasn’t a street in the old town where not even a single customer came by. It was a new-town street packed with tourists who had come for illegal activities.
Since quite a while had already passed since I entered the club, it seemed inevitable that people’s attention would gather to some degree.
‘What should I do….’
If I simply went out like this, my face might be circulating around places like 【District 49, Temporary Bulletin Board】 starting tomorrow.
[Or there is a very simple way to hide your face.]
“You……. Ah, you’re wearing a mask.”
[I happened to acquire several masks, so if necessary, I’ll come down via the stairs.]
…How did he even get masks?
Anyway.
I continued pondering for a while.
‘A mask….’
It was honestly something I hadn’t considered while I was still hotheaded.
I hadn’t particularly worried about the surveillance cameras when I first entered the club, either.
But revealing my bare face to that many people felt a little burdensome.
The breaker was down now, so the surveillance cameras shouldn’t be operating, either….
‘I just need to erase the CCTV data.’
As luck would have it, I still had one unused high-explosive with a moderate yield in my pocket.
Unless it was an explosive measured in kilograms, there was little chance the ground would collapse, even underground.
“All right, I’ve decided what to do.”
[If it is inconvenient, I can drive away everyone gathered at the entrance.]
“No, that’s fine. Oh, and I have something to ask about the surveillance camera data, so leave word with Michael for me.”
[Understood.]
It would have been so convenient if Troy were one of the homeless people living at our grocery store….
Come to think of it, I wonder if Nova can do something like that.
I’ll have to ask her later.
For now, I’ll ask Michael.
I set off through the darkness once more.
‘There seemed to be several party masks in that room earlier….’
* * *
The entrance to 「Moebius」 was crowded with people.
A reconnaissance drone was filming the area below from the top of the building.
[Hello! Everyone’s cosmic idol, ■■, here! …Aw, fuck. Who the hell jammed my signal at this golden opportunity?]
A cyber web broadcaster.
Those known as streamers had come all the way down to District 49 again today in search of incidents and scandals.
Various chat messages rapidly scrolled up beneath the cyber web feed being broadcast from the drone.
─ You’re live right now;;
─ This is my first live stream ever, is this place always like this??
─ LOL, look at the F-word coming out right away
The broadcaster shouted in a rough voice.
[No, it pisses me off!! Right. And whoever’s live-posting controversy on my Codex Wiki, if you don’t stop immediately, I’ll trace your coordinates and ban you permanently, so keep that in mind.]
─ Maintaining discipline is definitely ㅁㅁㅁ bb
─ Someone please save me I’m being held by a gang and typing this secretly but I don’t know where this is
(This message has been temporarily blocked.)
─ So who the fuck is the Cosmic Idol? Finish your damn sentence.
The reconnaissance drone began slowly descending.
[Anyway! Today’s special content is a live observation of an active shooting!]
─ Quit screwing around and play games like usual
─ LOL, I wondered why you suddenly started a live stream, but you’re just a cyber wrecker after all, yep, yep, you’re doing great
─ Is this actually okay under city law??
[It’s allowed here! And for all the viewers worrying about me, I’m only planning to film from a distance with the reconnaissance drone I bought on twelve-month installments, so don’t worry too much!]
─ Jeez, this bitch is trying to free-ride even on wrecking now
(This message has been temporarily blocked.)
─ Wow lol, look at the state of this street. There isn’t even a cleaning robot in sight. Do people really live here??
─ Looks like some kind of club. Moebius? It doesn’t even show up on the map app, so it doesn’t seem like an ordinary place
The 「Moebius」 sign appeared on the cyber web broadcast screen.
[I’ve heard the term Chrome Junkie too, and ■■ is─. No, shit. Take it easy…. Uh, anyway, they say it’s a club operated by some gang. So a simple grudge could be the reason!]
─ Sis, your mask comes off way too often.
─ LOL, cutting down those socialites who go clubbing and snort illegal drugs in broad daylight!!
─ Why is the socialite cutoff so high these days?
The reconnaissance drone continued filming the ‘masked man’ blocking the building entrance.
[Look at that! A super suspicious person is blocking the entrance! So I don’t think he’s related to Chrome Junkie, and from what I can see─. Oh, someone’s coming out from inside!]
─ Isn’t he just a fleeing customer?
─ Bring the drone closer, are you blind?
─ Holy shit…… what the hell
A person covered in blood from head to toe staggered out of the club.
It was astonishing that he could even walk properly.
[Whoa, did he get run over by a truck or something…. Is that a bone? Did some corporation develop a zombie virus while I wasn’t looking? What stock should I buy? Tell me quickly, quickly, it’s urgent.]
─ LOL, her voice suddenly got fucking desperate
─ Anyone still holding that shitty Astra Group penny stock for months, thumbs up
─ It’s all just gambling on heads or tails anyway, so why bother with stocks? Just do crypto
At that moment, the reconnaissance drone’s screen shook violently.
As if something had gone wrong with its body, it failed to keep its balance and fell straight downward.
[What the—some kind of wind…! Who told it to lower the drone!! The signal was already touch-and-go, so I was nervous, and now—whoa, it’s falling!]
─ @!#%$!@%!
─ LOL, look at the screen. Anyone who had sensory synchronization turned on probably went to puke
─ The drone bought on installments is cut too!!!
And then the reconnaissance drone struck the ground.
Having heard the sound, the ‘blood-covered man’ began walking toward the fallen drone.
[Uh…? No, don’t. Why are you suddenly coming this way? Didn’t your mother teach you not to take things that fell on the ground─. ……Wait, what the hell are you covered in?]
The streamer’s voice rang out awkwardly.
Perhaps the microphone had broken when the drone fell, because the man wearing a ‘round mask’ didn’t seem to hear anything.
─ Is that expression on the mask… painted in blood??
─ Ugh, I feel like I’m about to get PTSD…
─ I think I saw a similar wanted criminal on the black market
Holding up the drone, he gestured a question to the masked man who had approached from behind.
He seemed to be listening to an explanation that the drone was broadcasting live right now.
[Of all times, the microphone had to break and screw me over…. Please let go of my drone. I still have so many installments left to pay.]
─ What the hell did this guy do inside to shower his whole body in blood?
─ The framing is kind of lol;; scary
─ Seems like he’s trying to say something
And.
Abel Anderson, who had inexplicably picked up the drone from the floor, stared intently into the camera lens.
“You said this lens is the camera, right?”
“That is correct.”
“There’s something I’ve always wanted to try. When else would I get another chance?”
─ Seems like he’s about to say something
─ LOL, people living in District 49 must be seeing a drone for the first time too
─ So this lunatic, psychopath serial-killer-looking guy is the one who went on the shooting spree?
His attitude was extremely casual, but perhaps because of his bloodstained clothes and mask,
he naturally exuded an oppressive presence that was difficult to put into words for those watching.
“Are you planning to announce here that you killed Hakuga-gumi’s boss?”
“Huh? No, not that. Why bother saying something here that doesn’t even need to be said?”
Very few people living in District 49 were unfamiliar with the name Hakuga-gumi.
That was how notorious the gang was.
The chat window was instantly overwhelmed by confusion.
─ ?????? He killed Black Tiger???
─ LOL, deliberately dropping the drone at this timing to interview the culprit lol, this bitch plays in a different league lol
─ Are those fingers really bones?
But Abel Anderson couldn’t see the chat screen of the streamer’s broadcast, so he immediately acted on the joke that came to mind without much thought.
He pressed his mask right up against the lens.
“Ahem, ahem,
“Batman, take off your mask and turn yourself in to the police at once. If you don’t…….”
”
─ ???
─ If not, then what
─ Stop lowering your voice
Not a single person in this world could understand that joke.
Afterward, when the drone regained control and slowly rose into the sky, the broadcast screen prominently captured what appeared to be Hakuga-gumi members surrounding the two of them.
[W-what was that just now? Take off your mask and reveal your identity—who were you saying that to?]
─ Uh-oh, more and more people are gathering over there…
─ Shouldn’t someone call the police?
─ The RCPD doesn’t respond to District 49
But.
All the chat fell silent at the sight of Abel Anderson shooting forward like a cannonball.
A simple kick.
Yet the force behind it was so tremendous that
the organization member who was struck was sent flying several meters into the air.
─ Wow….
That brief chat message spoke for everyone’s reaction.
It was a tragedy too one-sided to even be called a fight.
It didn’t take long for every Hakuga-gumi member to collapse onto the ground.
─ Who the hell is that guy?
─ I don’t know what they did wrong, but that Bat-Man guy should hurry up, take off his mask, and surrender. That’s definitely the right move, if you ask me
─ No, so what are you going to do if he doesn’t reveal his identity...? You have to finish your sentence;;
* * *
“So what was that thing about the Bat-Man?”
“…He’s a quiet watcher, an unblinking watcher. You could call him the Dark Knight.”
“……What?”
This was a story only I knew.
…….
So that I wouldn’t forget myself.
So that I could continue remembering the world I originally came from.
A mere lighthearted joke spoken aloud.
Only I knew what lay behind it.
* * *
A massive screen shattered in an instant.
Kwang!!!
A man dressed in filthy clothes like a homeless person─, Marcus Vogel, once a contract mercenary for a megacorp, smashed a television displayed on the street.
“Th-this voice….”
Marcus was currently being pursued by the megacorp and shouldn’t attract attention, but he couldn’t contain his fury after hearing the voice of the ‘masked man’ who had just appeared on the screen.
As soon as the television on display broke, the shop owner inside hurried out and loaded a shotgun.
“…You fucking homeless bastard, if you’re going to do drugs, just go sleep it off quietly!”
“…….”
“Get the fuck out of here before I shoot─.”
Crack.
The shop owner’s head rotated 360 degrees.
The cheap cybernetic body he had connected as a temporary measure lacked proper sensory calibration, sometimes inflicting pain on him like his blood vessels were on fire.
The anger caused by it spread indiscriminately, without distinguishing friend from foe.
A rampage caused by implant neuralgia.
It was a symptom commonly known as being a Chrome Junkie.
But Marcus Vogel, carrying the vivid grudge of having had his balls ripped off, didn’t go on a rampage. Instead, he stared blankly at the shattered television screen with bloodshot eyes.
“Ah, so he’s still in District 49…. Looks like he’s, he’s here. Heh, heh-heh.”
A little while later.
The laughter of a madman echoed throughout the alley.