Ubermensch – Chapter 102

“We have to rescue Hope.”

Of course, Yekaterina had several plans in mind. She was also considering making a deal and giving up Hope.

However, the moment she heard the word ‘rescue,’ Yekaterina completely gave up all those political deals.

To Mason, Hope was a person, and he was not a person who would bargain with a human life.

If Mason wouldn’t give up on Hope, there was only one thing Yekaterina could do: get Hope back.

“What should I do?”

“Okay.”

As Mason beckoned, Ake approached him.

“What are the teleport coordinates?”

“The closest place to Kacha.”

Ake teleported with Mason.

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Yekaterina, with her hair down, stood in front of a map in comfortable clothes.

“Mason.”

“Kacha.”

Mason asked Yekaterina,

“How did this happen?”

“Seo Yeonhee has been retracing her past. The series of events related to the Titan core. In the process…she seems to have come into contact with Steve Queen.”

“Steve Queen.”

Mason frowned at the name.

“Can’t you use your political power to stop Steve Queen?”

Yekaterina shook her head.

“He and I have a mutually respectful relationship as members of the Freemasons of the same rank…But it’s obvious who has more power: the leader of a minority group or a giant in the political and business world of the world’s most powerful country.”

She said in a calm voice,

“There’s no way I can stop Steve Queen with my political power. There’s only one way to resolve this situation. To recover Hope from Seo Yeonhee before she falls into Steve Queen’s hands.”

Yekaterina marked several places on the map.

“As a first step, I’ve dispatched people to the most dangerous places and marked them. Places like the US embassy and public teleport terminals. At least she won’t be able to leave through official routes.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“We don’t know where Seo Yeonhee is.”

Yekaterina had a serious look on her face.

“She has connections in East Asia. And she can get CIA support, too. Unofficial routes. If she uses things like smuggled wizards or smuggling routes, there’s no way to track her.”

“Can’t we send people out to investigate?”

Yekaterina shook her head.

“Seo Yeonhee is a top-class rogue. If she uses stealth, almost no one will be able to recognize her, let alone track her.”

Technically, a rogue’s stealth was just optical camouflage. If you looked closely at it up close, you could see the distortion field, and it couldn’t hide smells or sounds.

But on the other hand…it did mean that the ability to be unseen was certain.

The fact that it could neutralize CCTV, the very basics of modern tracking technology, was enough to make a rogue’s stealth effective.

“We’re sending people out to make inquiries, but we can only follow her trail, not pinpoint her location.”

“What about the smell?”

The biggest weakness of stealth was the smell.

It was impossible for ordinary people, but dogs or certain sub-races could follow the scent.

“It seems she’s taken countermeasures.”

Of course, there was no reason for her not to make up for a weakness she knew about.

“Huh…”

Mason felt suffocated.

She was capable as an ally, but as an enemy, Seo Yeonhee was truly elusive.

Then, Yekaterina’s phone rang.

“Teleportation within Korea has been blocked.”

After glancing at the text message, she said calmly,

“I’ve already sent word to both player gangs, Jaebumpa and Outcast. I told them that if they cooperate with Seo Yeonhee, I’ll consider them enemies. There will be no wizards left in Korea who will cooperate with her.”

“So we don’t have to worry about teleportation?”

“Yes. It’s a pure time game now.”

Yekaterina said, looking at the map,

“Whether Seo Yeonhee meets with the teleport agent dispatched from the US first, or whether we catch her before that.”

“But the problem is, there’s no way to track Seo Yeonhee.”

“In that case, we have no choice but to use the classic method.”

“What’s that?”

Yekaterina gave a wry smile.

“To search every place she could be hiding.”

At that moment, Mason suddenly felt dizzy.

“Ugh…”

Yekaterina was startled when Mason staggered.

“Mason?”

Mason was an augmented human modified with smart cells. It was unusual for him to feel dizzy.

And Mason thought the same thing.

“…Right. That’s it.”

It was because he had realized what the strange unpleasant feeling that was irritating him was.

“Get me a vehicle. Seo Yeonhee. No, I think I can find Hope.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was already hearing it.”

Mason gritted his teeth.

“Hope’s screams.”

The future. In the 28th century, not everyone had vocal cords. The practical lingua franca was telepathy. Mental conversation.

Naturally, Mason was accustomed to telepathic conversations.

The problem was Hope.

Hope was still a baby. It meant that he didn’t know how to send proper telepathy.

He could only convey that he was in danger and scared, and Mason’s actions had become rough due to the influence of the telepathy he was sending.

Could someone who was listening to a child’s screams with one ear maintain their composure?

The problem was that Mason himself hadn’t recognized that it was someone’s screams.

As mentioned, telepathy was the lingua franca in the future.

Because everyone could properly convey their intentions and emotions clearly.

Now he recognized it.

It was possible to track.

Yekaterina nodded.

“Red Knight.”

“Yes.”

Red Knight, as if she had been there all along, appeared and bowed her head.

“A vehicle…No. Prepare a motorbike. Escort Mason.”

“I’ll prepare it.”

Yekaterina looked at Mason.

“Now we have a way to track her.”

“Yes.”

“But…is there a way to persuade her?”

Mason was silent. Seo Yeonhee was a person with both strong will and determination. She was not someone who would be easily persuaded or give up easily.

“If necessary…we’ll have to fight.”

“Of course, Mason would win if you fought. And Seo Yeonhee knows that very well. She…will try to attack others, not Mason.”

“For example?”

“Blowing up buildings, inflicting civilian casualties. She’ll create a situation where Mason can’t help but back down.”

“…You don’t think she’d go that far, do you?”

“No. She will go that far.”

Yekaterina looked at Mason.

“Because that’s the surest way to get away from Mason.”

“…So what do you want me to do?”

“I have a way. But before that, I want to ask Mason something.”

“What is it?”

“What do you think of Seo Yeonhee?”

Mason closed his eyes tightly.

“I…”

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Inside a dark alley, despite it being broad daylight.

A figure wearing a hooded robe was sitting against a wall.

The vibrancy and brightness of people were all stories outside the alley.

Only a damp, gloomy darkness like mud filled the alley.

Thud.

Until the heavy footsteps were heard.

“Seo Yeonhee.”

Mason looked down at the robed figure, Seo Yeonhee.

“Give Hope back.”

“…What if I don’t want to?”

“I’ll take him back by force.”

Instead of answering, Seo Yeonhee held up her hand.

Attached to it was a small device that looked like a flashlight.

It was a remote detonator.

“Then I…will get away, even by cowardly means.”

“Don’t do it. Stop there, Seo Yeonhee.”

“Why should I stop here?”

Mason made a bitter face.

“We’re…friends.”