Chapter 245

Chapter 245

I compiled the information I received from Ilay and Ismael.  

G&G Cybernetics was neither a state-owned enterprise nor a company closely tied to the Empire's interests.  

‘It’s just one of the many common cybernetics companies in the Empire.’  

The reason Gilda from G&G Cybernetics was coming to Border City was also purely pragmatic.  

‘The Empire’s domestically driven growth is over. If G&G Cybernetics wants to go further, it has to do business in other countries. And the Federation is the next biggest user of cybernetic equipment after the Empire.’  

G&G Cybernetics' expansion followed a logical sequence.  

‘But Giselle had already attempted to expand G&G Cybernetics’ business in Border City first. Back then, Gilda opposed the expansion.’  

I wasn’t a businessman. There were limits to how much I could speculate about the internal affairs of a company.  

Ahead of my meeting with Gilda, I visited Sonsu Industries and asked Son Seok-jae for his opinion on G&G Cybernetics.  

“G&G Cybernetics, you say? Seeing as you’re asking about them at this point in time… I suppose the rumors about G&G expanding into Border City must be true.”  

It seemed Son Seok-jae had heard something from somewhere.  

“Is it a hot topic?”  

“Well, since it’s the expansion of a rising company that’s making a name for itself in the Empire, people are paying attention. But since it’s fundamentally a cybernetics company, its market doesn’t overlap with ours, so it’s not of much concern to us.”  

“Neural linkage is often used in exoskeletons these days. Wouldn’t it be worth considering technological partnerships or cooperation?”  

I hinted at the possibility.  

“The end result may look similar, but the underlying technology is different. Cybernetic prosthetics use bidirectional connections, whereas the neural linkage in enhanced exoskeletons is unidirectional. The unidirectional connection minimizes the side effects of cybernetic prosthetics while only taking advantage of their strengths. Luka, technology keeps evolving. In the past, the difference in responsiveness and performance was so overwhelming that people were willing to take the risks of connecting their brains to machines in both directions. But now… the gap has narrowed to the point where I wonder if it’s even necessary anymore.”  

Son Seok-jae, being an engineer at heart, tended to go on at length about such topics. He glanced at me as he mentioned the declining necessity of cybernetic prosthetics.  

‘Not exactly something pleasant to hear for someone who cut off their limbs to become stronger.’  

But Son Seok-jae wasn’t a soldier or a warrior in the end. He was a businessman and an engineer. He viewed equipment and weapons purely in terms of efficiency and numbers.  

“In actual combat, that ‘small difference’ determines life or death. It’s not like a game where you can try again after dying. For those who live on the battlefield, it’s not a small difference at all.”

I responded leisurely. Son Seok-jae stroked his chin thoughtfully before nodding.  

“That’s an aspect I hadn’t considered. Luka, you make a valid point. If you’re dead, then safety and efficiency don’t mean a thing. Economic feasibility and safety might be the right answer for a group, but they’re not always the right answer for an individual.”  

“In reality, there are countless situations where you have to take the risk of side effects just to get a little stronger. Especially the higher you climb. Even if the machine eats away at your mind, it’s still better than dying on the spot.”  

Son Seok-jae took out a bottle of liquor from the cabinet in his office. He offered me a drink, but I declined.  

“Anyway, G&G Cybernetics and you, Luka…”  

He muttered as he poured himself a glass. Then, after briefly checking some information on his terminal, he continued.  

“…seem to have some kind of connection. The missing co-representative was your stepsibling. Luka, your situation is quite complicated in many ways.”  

Son Seok-jae was aware of my identity. That was one of the reasons he was being so accommodating.  

If Jafa weren’t in critical condition, I wouldn’t have been having this conversation with Son Seok-jae. There was a limit to how many times I could wake an injured person.  

“My investigation shows that Giselle Custoria was the one who initially pushed for G&G Cybernetics to expand into Border City. That was twelve years ago.”  

“I remember that as well. It did happen.”  

“At the time, the other co-representative, Gilda, was against it. But now, Gilda is the one leading the push into Border City. If she was going to do this anyway, there was no reason to oppose it back then. If they had at least established a small branch and prepared gradually, things would be much easier now.”  

“This is the real reason you came to see me. You want my opinion as a businessman, don’t you? I’m not sure if my answer will be helpful, but… I don’t know what kind of people those two co-representatives are. So, I’ll make a general assumption based on typical business cases.”  

I drank some water and waited for Son Seok-jae to continue. He took a sip of his golden liquor before speaking again.  

“As far as I know, G&G Cybernetics has lost its growth momentum within the Empire. Anyone could have seen this coming. If it were a typical company, they would have started preparing for expansion years ago. Even twelve years ago wouldn’t have been too early to plant the seeds. They could’ve at least established a branch and operated a single direct store.”  

“Expanding only after all growth has come to a halt feels unnatural. Even someone like me, who isn’t a businessman, can see that much.”

“But it’s not all that strange. Internal expansion and business plans can repeatedly fall apart. Or perhaps external pressure forced a sudden shift in strategy. That happens frequently in the Empire. And this is the first time I’m hearing that the two co-representatives had a dispute over the Border City expansion twelve years ago. That’s the kind of information only an insider would know.”  

Son Seok-jae pondered deeply before placing his glass down on the table.  

“…It was probably a power struggle. Whether or not they expanded into Border City wouldn’t have really mattered; the real issue would have been who took the lead within the company. If the expansion had succeeded, the representative who pushed for it would have secured dominance. The one who opposed it would have lost their influence. Perhaps the disappearance of one of the representatives…”  

He trailed off and glanced at me.  

“You’re saying it could’ve been the other representative’s doing?”  

“Circumstantially, yes. It’s just speculation based on the situation. I don’t know the internal details or the relationships involved. I was merely considering the logic of it from a profit-driven perspective.”  

I felt that coming here had been worth it.  

Son Seok-jae had analyzed Gilda, Giselle, and G&G Cybernetics without bias, relying solely on objective facts. From a third-party perspective, this was how the situation appeared.  

“That was helpful.”  

I kept my response brief.  

Son Seok-jae picked up his glass and gently swirled it. As the golden liquid spun, its volatile components spread into the air.  

“Then I’m glad. I hope you can forget about what happened with Deputy Manager Oh. I was quite emotional back then.”  

“I don’t have any lingering thoughts about it. I claimed I’d never killed an innocent person before… but that’s not exactly true.”  

I had taken innocent lives before. Whether it was because of the Empire, orders from my superiors, or whether it was by choice or coercion… I had no intention of making pathetic excuses.  

By definition, I fell into the category of an evil person.  

“We are all shades of gray. There is no pure white or black. And those who believe themselves to be white… they are the most wicked of all, the ones who are pitch black inside.”  

Son Seok-jae spoke as he took a deep swig of his drink. He slightly furrowed his brow and opened his mouth, as if savoring the burn in his throat.  

‘Son Seok-jae has a certain magnetism that draws people in.’  

I could feel it vividly. His words, though self-justifying and paradoxical, had a strange way of being convincing.  

If Luka from my younger years had met Son Seok-jae… he would have been deeply influenced.

‘Call it sophistry or whatever, but he has an unshakable conviction in himself and a distinct sense of purpose. He has a gravitational pull that draws people in. Those who lack a strong sense of self will be influenced by someone like Son Seok-jae and end up molded by him.’  

I felt my fingers twitch.  

‘Son Seok-jae is a dangerous man.’  

I should kill him here. He was a budding force of chaos.  

‘When the time comes, he’ll completely disregard social order, morality, and unspoken rules for the sake of his own goals. What’s even more terrifying is that people drawn to him will follow, forming a large group.’  

I parted my lips slightly and took a slow breath.  

‘But who am I to judge and condemn Son Seok-jae?’  

Conflicting emotions swirled in my mind. The thought that I was being arrogant crossed my mind.  

Beep.  

Just then, Son Seok-jae’s terminal chimed. He checked the screen and smiled.  

“Ah, Luka. I have a gift for you.”  

“A gift?”  

“We recovered something while collecting the remains of Mushir al-Kashura. You’ve mentioned it before. Give me a moment.”  

A realization struck me.  

‘The Firelight Twinblades.’  

They had once belonged to Valek before passing into Mushir al-Kashura’s hands. Apparently, Sonsu Industries had successfully retrieved them from the battlefield.  

‘How calculated.’  

They had probably recovered the Firelight Twinblades long ago but deliberately withheld them, only presenting them to me now.  

‘To win my favor at the right moment.’  

Son Seok-jae’s gaze shifted toward the door. I also heard footsteps approaching in the hallway.  

Creak.  

An employee entered, pushing open the old door. Without a word, they placed a metal case on the table before leaving.  

“We actually retrieved them quite a while ago, but it took some time to make adjustments. I went through great trouble finding a surviving Galactic Blacksmith to refurbish them. One of the blades was particularly damaged. Well, surprise gifts are always more pleasant, aren’t they?”  

A convenient excuse for why they had kept the retrieval secret.  

‘If he had deemed me useless, he would’ve kept the Firelight Twinblades for himself.’  

It was a shallow ploy, but I didn’t particularly dislike it. This level of calculation was just part of the game.  

‘It’s actually better that he treats me in a purely pragmatic way. That way, I’ll always have a clear reason to sever ties when needed. There’s no unnecessary entanglement.’  

Son Seok-jae opened the long metal case.  

“One restored Firelight Twinblade… and three daggers. The daggers’ name is—ah, it’s engraved just below the blade. ‘Moth to a Flame.’”  

As soon as I heard the name, I let out a brief chuckle.  

“I like it.”  

I spoke as I examined the contents.

The Firelight Twinblades had originally been a pair. One had only been slightly modified, while the other, which had been partially destroyed, had been reforged into three daggers.  

‘Just in time. I needed new weapons.’  

No matter how advanced my cybernetic implants were, my firepower had been lacking in recent battles.  

The enemies I faced were monsters, armed with absurdly cutting-edge cybernetics and equipment.  

‘When I think about it… I owe Son Seok-jae. Whether I like him or not is irrelevant.’  

It would be difficult for me to harm him anytime soon. To others, he might be a villain deserving of death, but he had never shown that side to me.  

‘He understands my personality. I’m not that complicated of a person.’  

From a businessman’s perspective, I was easy to deal with.  

Regardless, I was someone who tried to return what I received—whether it was malice or goodwill.  

‘Because of this gift, Son Seok-jae might end up saving his own life one day.’  

Suppressing a bitter smile, I took the newly restored Firelight Twinblade and the three Moth to a Flame daggers.  

I left Son Seok-jae’s office. As I stepped out, he stood up, as if to see me off.  

Step. Step.  

I walked down the hallway and out into the open lot, where a Federation government air vehicle was waiting.  

Hiss—  

The door of the air vehicle lifted open. Inside sat Ismael La.  

He nodded in greeting to both me and Son Seok-jae before checking the time. Then, he urged me to hurry. The conversation had gone on longer than expected.  

“Let’s go, Luka.”  

Ismael’s voice was firm.  

Now, I was about to face Gilda.  

Creak—  

My steps felt heavy as I boarded the air vehicle. It was as if the ground itself were pulling me back.  

Maybe… I was the one who had wanted to drag out the conversation.

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