Bad Born Blood-Chapter 142

Chapter 142

Ilay tapped the tips of his thumbs together, his fingers interlocked. He was processing my words at high speed, his pupils flickering as if reflecting the rapid pace of his thoughts.

"I finally understand the strange relationship between you and Kinuan. His true identity is unexpected. I never imagined you were entangled in something this complicated. So that’s why you’ve been acting so strangely all this time."

I didn’t need to explain every detail. Ilay was sharp enough to grasp the bigger picture just from context.

"I’m already disqualified as an Overseer. The next time we meet, Kinuan will try to kill me."

After organizing his thoughts for a while, Ilay finally spoke.

"...This situation is way too difficult. This isn’t like what happened with Lamones—it’s on a completely different level. I get why you didn’t tell me until now, but this isn’t something you can handle alone."

Ilay let out a deep breath he had been holding. I added more context to the situation.

"Hemillas is pretending to stage a rebellion in order to lure all the disloyal elements in the military and the Imperial Guard into one place. Then he’ll purge them and present their heads as tribute to the Imperial Family. That’s the only way to save the Custoria family and keep the Imperial Guard intact."

"Even if the Imperial Family accepts Hemillas’ tribute... Luka, you won’t survive this. You need to start preparing for exile now. Once the storm season ends, you won’t even have a chance to escape."

Ilay’s suggestion was a valid option.

Hemillas dies, and I go into exile. The Custoria family survives.

...But an indescribable storm of emotions raged inside me. I couldn’t choose that path, not even if it meant my death. The moment I accepted that option, I felt like I would become something else entirely.

"The conclusion hasn’t been decided yet. Hemillas still has a card he doesn’t even know about. A card Agatha has been holding onto all this time."

I would share all my knowledge and information with Hemillas. With that expanded insight, he would come up with new options.

"Have you tried contacting Commander Hemillas?"

"I can’t reach him. I don’t know if the communication line is down or if he’s simply not answering. But he probably already sees me as an enemy. I’ve repeatedly disobeyed orders and killed two of his closest subordinates. Ivan wouldn’t want us to make contact either."

"Luka, listen to me carefully. I’m against this plan of reaching out to Hemillas. He’s in a weak position, and he sees you as an enemy. Siding with Hemillas when he’s already considering conditional surrender is completely irrational. You have no guarantee that he’ll come up with a better plan."

I knew it too. My plan was full of holes. Even my chances of survival were low. It was the worst possible choice—one that no one else would ever make.

Right now, I needed the resolve to choose the worst option.

"But this is the choice that brings me closest to the outcome I want."

"Not everyone gets what they want. You know that better than I do. I don’t want my friend to suffer pointlessly and then die."

Ilay glared at me. He wasn’t going to back down easily.

"So, I suppose saving Lilian Lamones was a realistic choice?"

When I sneered, Ilay’s expression darkened.

"Luka, we’re not discussing that here."

The wooden dining table beneath Ilay’s hands began to crack. As it split apart, food and dishes tumbled to the floor.

"It’s simple, Ilay Carthica. You can either stand back and watch me walk into the fire, or you can jump in with me. Pick one."

I half-lidded my eyes and stared at him. Ilay reached for his waist, grasping the hilt of his sword.

"There’s a third option—I subdue you right here."

"You might want to rethink that. Haven’t we been in a similar situation before? Remind me—who won back then?"

I lifted my chin arrogantly, scratching my cheek.

A fierce silence settled between us. The only movement came from Ilay’s fingers, twitching around the hilt of his sword.

"Cut the bravado. You just barely recovered from a serious injury. I could knock you out right here and put you on a cargo ship bound for Bellato."

That was when I became certain.

...Ilay Carthica was someone I could trust.

Guilt pricked at me for testing my friend.

"Please, Ilay. You’re the only one who can help me right now."

Ilay bit his lower lip, his face twisted in frustration. His trembling fingers traced the hilt of his sword.

I bowed my head, exposing my neck and the top of my skull without defense.

"Luka, please, don’t do this. This is no different from suicide. You’re not the kind of person who acts out of cheap righteousness."

His voice wavered, like he was about to cry. I closed my eyes and thought for a moment.

"It’s not about righteousness. And I do have a chance to win. Listen to my plan. If you don’t like it, you can knock me out right here and do whatever you want. This won’t work without your help anyway."

I lifted my head as I spoke. Blood dripped from my nose, splattering onto the floor. I wiped it away roughly and opened my eyes.

A dull pain throbbed in the bridge of my nose. My forehead burned like I had a fever. But my overheated mind wouldn’t stop racing.

Static.

There was static in my cybernetic eyes. It wasn’t a malfunction. The problem was my brain.

...The repeated overuse and the effects of Akies Victima were destroying my nervous system. But I couldn’t stop now.

Pop!

A blood vessel burst in my left organic eye. My vision was drenched in red. Scarlet tears streamed down my cheek.

"Luka? Hey, you..."

Even Ilay couldn’t finish his sentence.

"This was bound to happen. If I don’t solve the problems in front of me, my brain won’t stop. It’s practically a curse."

It was the price of Akies Victima reaching a higher level.

My brain constantly detected every danger and problem around me, keeping me in a state of relentless high-level focus to resolve them. My cognition, senses, and insight had sharpened to the point that I couldn’t ignore even the smallest variables or risks.

’Four forks, three spoons, eight plates, three broken... among them...’

Even now, I compulsively counted the scattered utensils on the floor. It wasn’t intentional. My brain was simply registering everything in my field of vision with mechanical precision.

If my focus wavered even slightly, I wasted brainpower on useless calculations. I had to redirect my awareness inward rather than letting it be overwhelmed by external stimuli.

Damn it. This is driving me insane. No—I’m already insane.

"...Fine. Go ahead and spit out that brilliant plan of yours. Looks like I’m the only one who’ll listen to your last wish before you die."

I lifted my head. Ilay, who had finally let go of his sword hilt, swept back his disheveled bangs.

* * *

At La Vie en Rose’s mansion, I prepared my gear for the mission.

I hoped this wouldn’t be my last mission.

But the odds were high that it would be. That wasn’t pessimism—it was simply facing reality.

Even if my goal was idealistic, my thinking had to be realistic.

Creak, creak.

I curled each finger one by one.

The hastily repaired cybernetic implant obeyed my commands well enough. It wasn’t in perfect condition, but I wouldn’t lose to some half-baked opponent.

Hiss.

I borrowed Ilay’s chest guard and strapped it on. A notable feature was the foldable helmet that wrapped around the collar. It was the kind Ilay preferred.

Whirr.

I ran my fingers along the collar. The folded helmet gradually rose, encasing my head. When I traced the edge in the opposite direction, it folded back down.

‘Giselle.’

My gaze stopped on Giselle, lying on the bed. Her life wasn’t in danger, but she still hadn’t woken up. The psychological shock she had suffered in such a short time was too great.

I was a human trained and modified to endure extreme environments and overwhelming pressure. But Giselle was different.

This ordeal had left her with deep psychological scars that would never fully heal. And if I died as well, she would suffer unimaginable pain. That was one more reason I didn’t want to die.

Martina Diva had agreed to take care of Giselle during the storm season. I owed Martina a lot in many ways. One day, I would have to repay her.

"...I’ll be back."

Even if I was prepared to die, I wouldn’t let it happen. Not yet, Luka.

Muttering to myself, I left the room. As soon as I stepped out, the entire mansion registered in my mind. I saw things I hadn’t noticed before. That short four-hour sleep had made a difference.

‘I’m counting on you, Ilay.’

Ilay was no longer in the mansion. He had left four hours ago after hearing my plan.

When I reached the first floor, I spotted Jin Gaw drinking. Martina Diva sat beside him, feeding him snacks one by one.

—This district has been placed under lockdown. Citizens are advised to...

The large screen covering the wall was broadcasting the news. Reports about the upper district’s lockdown and the ongoing riots kept playing.

"Ah, Luka. I didn’t get the chance to ask earlier... Have you tried using that injector gun I gave you?"

I lifted the hem of my coat over my combat suit, revealing the metal injector gun. It was a gift from Jin Gaw when I visited his lab.

"I’ll probably use it today."

"The manual?"

"I read it all."

I spoke as I walked toward the back door of the mansion.

"Yeah? Then answer me this—how many steps were on that staircase just now?"

"...Forty-two. Do you want me to count the number of railing posts too?"

Jin Gaw laughed. Then he casually slid his hand under Martina’s barely-there clothing and groped her body. If what she was wearing could even be called clothes.

"Just so you know, if you use that thing while you’re in this level of hyperawareness, you’ll probably die. If you’re lucky, you’ll just end up a vegetable."

"Progress in science always demands sacrifice. I’ll dedicate my body to the cause."

I tilted my head slightly and pushed open the back door.

"Magnificent. That’s why I like you, Luka."

"To be honest, I can’t stand you, Director."

Jin Gaw laughed heartily. I left that laughter behind as I opened the door.

Thud!

Stepping out of the mansion, I shut the door behind me. Unlike the comfortable air inside, the first thing that greeted me was the damp, heavy atmosphere outside.

I looked up and felt like I might sink into depression just from the sight. The sky was dark, and rain poured relentlessly.

I walked forward, weaving through the narrow alleys until I emerged onto the main road.

Beyond the buildings, flames and smoke filled the horizon. The flames were undoubtedly red, but in my vision, they shimmered in multicolored hues. The twisting masses of smoke felt like distorted metaphors made tangible.

Waaaaaaah!

Then came the roar of the crowd. It was as if someone had pressed a megaphone directly against my ear.

The sensory overload sent pain stabbing through my head. I reached for my collar and activated my helmet.

Whirr!

Even the sound of it unfolding scraped against my nerves.

La Vie en Rose’s VIP mansion was located in the lower district, while the riots were taking place in the upper district and along its borders.

But that didn’t mean the lower district was safe. This place had effectively become a lawless zone, stripped of what little order remained. Any security forces that existed had been pulled to the upper district.

Crime ran rampant in the chaos. Fresh corpses littered the alleys, barely a few days old. Even the insides of buildings weren’t safe—broken windows and bloodstains were everywhere.

"You... what, ugh! Guhhhh—!"

As I passed by, I struck a mugger on the head with the heel of my palm. His face caved inward, and one of his eyes popped out. The knife he had been about to stab me with clattered to the ground.

That act of violence had been pure combat reflex. I hadn’t even consciously decided to move.

Step, step.

I walked like a ghost through the streets. My mind wasn’t completely clear. On purpose, I tried to dull my focus.

Right now, I needed to conserve my brainpower.

...By the time I came to my senses, I had arrived at the boundary between the lower and upper districts. One of Akbaran’s checkpoints.

A massive crowd blocked my path. They were all shouting upward, their voices filled with fury.

"We have the right to be protected too! We pay taxes, you bastards!"

"At least send out drones or androids!"

"I-I’m from the upper district! Move! Get out of my way!"

"Cut the bullshit!"

The area below the checkpoint was utter chaos. Protesters and those trying to enter were tangled together. Some were trampled to death in the struggle.

—If you attempt to enter without authorization, we will open fire. This is your final warning. If you proceed without clearance...

The soldiers at the checkpoint held the crowd back.

I slowly opened my half-lidded eyes, bringing my awareness into focus.

’This place is in better shape compared to the other checkpoints.’

Since this checkpoint was close to a middle-class residential zone, things hadn’t escalated into a full-blown bloodbath yet.

The soldiers weren’t quick to resort to violence either. Most of them were from the lower district themselves—they might have relatives or acquaintances in the crowd. Unless ordered otherwise by their superiors, they would maintain the standoff as quietly as possible.

’As long as the protesters don’t turn into a riotous mob, the Imperial Family won’t give the order to fire.’

The Empire and the Imperial Family avoided meaningless massacres of their own citizens, exercising only the level of tyranny deemed necessary. Surprisingly, they always chose methods that minimized casualties. However, their perspective was so macro-scale that, to the short-sighted, their rule seemed nothing but ruthless oppression.

Thud, thud.

I pushed my way forward through the crowd. A few people, swept up in the frenzy, tried to grab me in anger. Each time, I broke their fingers or arms.

Crack.

I cut through the mass of bodies and stepped up to the checkpoint. The yellow warning lights at the boundary line flickered, flashing their caution.

"If you take another step—"

The soldier aiming his weapon at me trailed off.

Creak, creak.

I ran my fingers along my collar, folding back my helmet.

"My name is Lukaus Custoria. Every citizen of the Empire is entitled to protection under the Empire’s shield... A right declared by His Majesty Dino Accretia, the First Emperor."

There was no turning back now.