544

 [Chapter 148]

[New Humanity Project (2)]

『It is a world where power becomes justice.

The existing laws have long lost their meaning.

In the end, the current era is no different from a lawless era where laws exist but do not function properly.

(Omitted)

The great disaster that destroyed the world!

This country clearly faced destruction with more than half of its territory ravaged by monsters due to the great disaster, and lost up to 30% of its total population.

Nevertheless, even after a long time has passed, why are there still destroyed cities here and there, people disappearing at all times, and suddenly meeting mysterious deaths?

Why doesn't the state protect its territory and citizens?

People are mistaken.

It's not that the state doesn't protect, but that it can't protect.

Those who gained power in the midst of destruction do not want to return to the era of the past.

Because that is of no benefit to them.

(Omitted)

...Humanity has never been equal. The reason those in power who lived in the world before destruction cried out for equality so much was not because they believed humans were equal, but simply to sell things to slaves who couldn't own property.

When the environment in which people are born and grow up is all different, how can they all be said to be equal?

He said.

That there is nothing truly equal in this world except death.

Death does not discriminate between a beggar living on the street and a ruler of a country. It is given equally to everyone.

So equality in this world is nothing but an illusion that exists only in the world after death.

Nevertheless, people believe in equality and live without knowing they are being ruled.

People are becoming more and more foolish.

Those in power are becoming more and more cunning.

The destroyed world is no different.

Even now, we are living under someone's rule without realizing it.

(Omitted)

...So the structure of rule has changed.

A new ruling class is needed to save the current era from destruction and enlighten foolish people.

They are the Players.

He said.

(Omitted)

...Wants stronger Players to lead the world.

He said.

That's why the New Humanity Project is important.

We must create humanity that will rule the new world.

And we who rule them will become rulers who rule the world from behind the curtain.

We become God.

(Omitted)

Stronger Players!

Create unprecedented mechanized Players by transplanting hearts containing vast mana into bodies of people with excellent physiques.

Experimenting on children's bodies that have more room for growth than adults.

Fortunately, aren't there many children wandering the streets in this era!

Wanderers, was it?

The state will not try to protect them in the future.

No, it can't.

Because they are children who cannot prove their identity and wander without parents.

Even if the state declares to the world that it will conduct a population survey, nothing will change.

No, the world would be turned upside down in a way that is not good for the state.

The rulers hidden behind the curtain want the world to still not escape from destruction.

Because that's how their rule becomes firm.

As a single scientist, I'm just fine as long as I can do research.

─ From Dr. Deus' research journal』

☆

Before the regression,

Noh Eunha infiltrated the Yeongwon Pharmaceuticals Research Institute at Yoo Do-jun's request.

"─Strange? I thought I felt a presence nearby..."

"You must have imagined it. Who on earth would come to a place like this... Ah!"

"Didn't something just pass by? Let's go!"

His role was a diversion.

His role was to divert the attention of people remaining at the research institute so that Players dispatched from the Myeongwang Clan could infiltrate the confidential area.

He revealed his internal mana according to the instructions of the Myeongwang Clan Players through the in-ear device.

Bang bang

While he deliberately made noise to draw people's attention,

One team of Myeongwang Clan Players raided the research institute's planning and coordination headquarters to disable surveillance cameras.

Another team was tasked with entering the confidential area and stealing data.

"Huff huff...!"

Noh Eunha kept running.

Even though he knew well that his role was merely bait,

He courted danger like a moth flying into fire.

Since the people guarding the research institute were all not skilled enough for him to face,

He just ran and ran without thinking of counterattacking.

[...infiltrated. From now on... Kuh! Why are those bastards here?]

[What's wrong!? What happened!?]

[...encountered Slayers. Why the hell are these bastards here...]

[Hmm... It seems we've entered properly. Continue the mission.]

The sound of battle heard through the in-ear device.

Eunha tried to grasp the situation while catching his breath.

But there wasn't even time to catch his breath properly.

Soon his presence was detected by the Players chasing him.

He had to run away from them again.

"...Kuk...!"

Up, up, and up again.

He kept going up the building.

But there was nowhere higher to go.

In the end, Eunha jumped into any room to hide.

It wasn't difficult to unlock a locked door.

He quickly locked the door as soon as he jumped into the room.

"This is..."

Bio Center Director's Office.

He confirmed the room he entered through the nameplate on the bookshelf.

And just then,

The window overlooking the bottom of the building flashed.

─Boom boom boom!

The building next door exploded.

It's the 2nd Bio Center.

The building the Myeongwang Clan Players infiltrated.

"..."

Things are going wrong.

Only noise is heard from the in-ear device.

Eunha sensed the Players chasing him retreating after hearing the explosion sound.

...I need to take something.

The mission failed.

But he couldn't retreat like this.

He quickly assessed the situation and judged that he should take any data related to Yeongwon Pharmaceuticals Research Institute.

By chance, the place he took refuge in was the room of the Bio Center Director who was most deeply connected to the corruption.

Rattle rattle!

The infiltration was already discovered.

Everyone in the research institute is now going to the burning building.

He thoroughly searched through the things inside, not caring if traces were left.

He tore apart the computer case and broke drawers with locks to find any related data.

Then soon─

"─Something feels off..."

His gaze moved to a painting fixed on the pure white wall.

A painting that seemed to strangely cause cognitive dissonance unlike other decorations around.

Intuition was telling him.

Eunha approached the painting.

Eunha, who was excellent at handling mana, could immediately see through the identity of the painting.

"A technique...?"

A complex-looking technique.

It's protecting something.

Surely there must be something behind the painting.

Eunha immediately judged and broke the technique with force.

Whoosh!

A trap activated due to the recoil of forcibly breaking the technique.

The painting burst into flames.

He quickly tore the painting with his sword and thrust his hand inside.

"...Kuk...!!"

Whether engulfed in flames or not,

He endured the pain of burning flesh and pulled out the things hidden behind the painting.

Documents on fire.

He hurriedly put out the fire and examined the documents that were still in decent condition.

"...Found it."

The data the Myeongwang Clan Players were looking for was not in the burning building but right here.

☆

Yeongwon Pharmaceuticals Research Complex located near Doksan in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do.

Eunha got off at a location far away on purpose to avoid any possible tracking.

"─I'm counting on you." "Pipi pipi!"

Arriving near the research complex,

Eunha sent Fire Chicken flying.

Understanding his words, Fire Chicken immediately flew towards the research complex.

It's useful at times like this.

It'll become even more useful later when we can share vision too. A familiar connected by Pass.

Though he still couldn't share vision with his familiar,

He could roughly sense what the familiar saw and felt through the Pass connecting them.

...As expected, it seems there aren't many people.

A research complex that local residents don't know what is being researched, or in some cases, don't even know exists in the area they live in.

But Noh Eunha with memories of the regression knew the situation of the research complex in detail.

The people to be wary of are not those guarding the research complex on the surface, but the Slayers quietly hiding in the confidential area.

I can't underestimate those guys...

The Slayers who became a variable in the infiltration operation before the regression.

Though Yoo Do-jun dispatched Players with excellent skills and tight lips after much deliberation,

They suffered near annihilation when encountering unexpected Slayers.

So Eunha, lest he get caught in their detection net while using mana─

"─Let's go now."

Sent Fire Chicken to assess the situation of the research complex.

Confirming through Pass that there were no people passing nearby,

Eunha told Bruno and Twenty-five and quickly jumped over the fence.

Thanks to Twenty-five's prior work, crossing the barbed wire wasn't a big problem.

"Pipi!"

"Well done."

Infiltrating the research complex,

The familiar keeping watch in the air landed on Eunha's head.

Eunha praised Fire Chicken and turned his gaze to the two people landing on the ground after him.

"Twenty-five." "Yes sir."

"You memorized the way, right? Guide us to the Bio Center."

"Yes, just follow me, master."

The Bio Center where the New Humanity Project is being conducted.

Eunha ordered Twenty-five, who lived as a Ranger in his previous life, to go there without delay.

Twenty-five, who had memorized the map of Yeongwon Pharmaceuticals Research Institute in advance, gladly took the lead.

It's fortunate Twenty-five is here. In my previous life, I had to struggle to find the building alone...

The infiltration operation in the previous life was carried out as a diversion.

Eunha had to infiltrate the research complex alone and find the 1st Bio Center.

He had to waste a lot of time moving without using lights and avoiding people's gazes.

"─From here is the Bio Industry Complex. That's the 1st Bio Center, and the building next to it is the 2nd Bio Center."

Without getting lost once, and without encountering anyone once,

Eunha arrived at the target location in no time.

From here on, they had to split up.

"You know what each of you has to do from here, right? Uncle Bruno?" "Don't worry." "Whew, I told you not to worry. I've already memorized everything."

The data to expose the dark side of Yeongwon Pharmaceuticals Research Institute was in the 1st Bio Center.

He told Twenty-five and Bruno exactly where the data was located.

Above all─

"─Twenty-five. Take this."

"This isn't really necessary... Anyway, I'll use it well."

Twenty-five had something additional to do.

Eunha immediately handed him the Avenieres Cloak.

Twenty-five wearing the black cloak grinned.

"You know where the Planning and Coordination Headquarters is, right?"

"I promise to produce the results you want within 30 minutes. Okay?"

"...I'm counting on you."

The Planning and Coordination Headquarters managing all surveillance cameras in the research complex.

Twenty-five was tasked with disabling surveillance cameras so Eunha and Bruno could move around comfortably.

He ran towards the Planning and Coordination Headquarters as soon as he finished talking with Eunha.

"Then Uncle Bruno, I'm counting on you." "Alright, got it."

Soon Bruno also nodded and headed towards the 1st Bio Center.

Now after sending them off, he turned to head towards the 2nd Bio Center.

Who would have known?

That the ledger would be kept in the Director's office, not the confidential area. It was dark under the lamp.

In the previous life,

Eunha was merely bait in the Yeongwon Pharmaceuticals Research Institute infiltration operation.

But unexpectedly, the infiltration operation ended in failure.

And Eunha, who was merely bait, happened to discover data that would make Yoo Do-jun king.

The ledger alone is enough to shake the Yeongwon Group.

There's no need to enter the 2nd Bio Center.

Knowing where the data to shake the world is,

And knowing what happened in the confidential area of the 2nd Bio Center in the previous life,

Eunha persuaded Yoo Do-jun who was telling him to use the Myeongwang Clan as bait for a diversion operation.

The Myeongwang Clan surrounded the research complex to catch people trying to escape.

Eunha decided to find the data himself while taking risks.

"There should be a way down to the confidential area somewhere here..."

"Pipi."

There was one reason Eunha wanted to take risks and prevent the Myeongwang Clan from interfering.

Because it's obvious the Myeongwang Clan receiving Yoo Do-jun's orders will try to secure data on human experiments conducted at Yeongwon Pharmaceuticals Research Institute.

Of course, they'll try to secure the human experiment site being conducted in the basement of the 2nd Bio Center intact.

That couldn't be allowed.

"─Found it."

"Pipi!"

"They hid it in a place that doesn't even catch the eye. No wonder the Myeongwang Clan people struggled to find the confidential area..."

The confidential area in the basement of the 2nd Bio Center.

The test subjects undergoing human experiments for the New Humanity Project there.

In the previous life, it was known that all the test subjects died when the 2nd Bio Center exploded.

But among them, there was one test subject smuggled out by researchers.

The test subject who appeared in the world in the distant future called himself─

─Belphegor is here.

Demon Lord Belphegor.

In other words, somewhere in the confidential area, the guy who will be reborn as a Demon Lord in the distant future is sleeping.

So he must be killed before he becomes a complete Mayin.

Eunha moved his steps underground.