The All-Master of Cyberpunk-Chapter 21

Encountering Go Jin-seong was never part of the plan when I accepted the mission.

The Red Room and the sample storage were somewhat apart, and my plan had been to avoid combat with the Fire Snake for a safer extraction. That plan had now been completely upended.

“Go Jin-seong, I know who you are. You’re a high-profile wanted criminal even in Daegu Green Zone.”

Lee Ha-an whispered, sidling up next to me. I nodded.

“A real scumbag.”

His nature was apparent from his casual murder of the police. Go Jin-seong’s estimated number of murders stood at around 30. If expanded to include the entire Chungsa-pa, the number of murders likely exceeded 100.

Most of their victims were Green Zone Defense Forces or police officers. Among those killed were two B-rank hunters, perfectly illustrating the ruthless nature of the Fire Snake and Chungsa-pa.

He was a formidable criminal with considerable power, one of the trickiest among the superpowered (Pyrokinesis) individuals.

There was a reason why the official storyline offered players the option to avoid confronting him. Unless they were bounty hunters seeking his head, most players chose the easier path.

'What to do?'

The unexpected situation made my mind race. To reach the sample room, we had to pass through this plaza. I hoped he’d leave quietly, but if not, conflict was inevitable.

Assuming he was out here due to the police breach, I signaled Ha-an to wait and observe.

“Ha, but they’re not listening. I’ve explained the negotiation terms several times... They just won’t comply?”

Go Jin-seong kicked one of the fallen officers' bodies, muttering to himself.

“They’ve made it impossible for us to leave cleanly.”

He and his gang were now trapped in the hospital.

Despite not typically taking hostages, he had spared the medical staff, knowing that killing them would prompt the police to swarm in.

Chungsa-pa had taken over the hospital as a last resort, driven into a corner by the government forces led by Seo Yi-kyung.

“Can’t be helped. This might be messy.”

Go Jin-seong fiddled with his mechanical arm, a green hologram appearing as he connected a call.

“Bring me that medical director or whoever.”

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

-Yes, sir.

I felt things spiraling out of control. Ordering the medical director’s presence meant he intended to execute the hostage.

The issue was, we needed the director’s card key to access the sample room.

The card key was linked to his biometric data. If he died, the mission would fail. As the situation grew more complicated, it was time to make a decision.

“Do-jin, what now?”

“We handle it.”

“Now?”

“No, wait a moment.”

As expected, the doors at the far end of the plaza opened, and a member of the gang, who looked more machine than man with all his tech enhancements, dragged a middle-aged man in a doctor’s coat.

Realizing what his separate summoning meant, the man trembled violently.

“Sorry about this. I was planning to take what I needed and leave, but these cops won’t listen?”

“P-please spare me! I-I’m essential for negotiations!”

“Oh, really?”

The man prostrated himself at Go Jin-seong’s feet, sobbing and begging for mercy, to which Go Jin-seong responded with a derisive laugh.

“Negotiations? Sure, negotiations. But I know what this facility does. Something about releasing nano-machines to mess with the city?”

“W-what are you...?”

With a swift kick to the face, Go Jin-seong sent the doctor sprawling.

“So, instead of making pointless offers, why don’t you play along? I could expose everything, and then you and Seo Yi-kyung are screwed.”

“I-I’ve been trying to reach the director, but he’s not answering his phone...!”

With a twisted smile, Go Jin-seong placed his mechanical arm on the doctor’s shoulder.

“See, you’re just pawns to them. So let’s see how much your precious director values you. Or maybe I should just kill you and take the sample myself?”

“Please, have mercy! Don’t... don’t do this!”

He lifted the man by his collar. The doctor kicked and struggled, but against the gang leader who could easily overpower armed police, it was a futile effort.

With the operation on the brink of failure, I signaled Ha-an to look up.

“Activate it when I give the signal.”

“The sprinkler system?”

There was no time to explain. I dashed forward, firing my shotgun into the stomach of a Chungsa-pa member laughing beside Go Jin-seong.

Bang! Bang!

The member fell with a gurgling cry, scattering screws and wires from his poorly connected tech enhancements.

Go Jin-seong, however, was not so easily taken off guard. He flung the doctor away and drew his gun, firing back.

Bang, bang! Crack!

Phew!

If I had been a second slower, I’d be down for the count. The bullet narrowly missed, embedding itself in the pillar.

“Who the hell are you? A cop? You move better than the one who just died.”

“Thanks for the compliment, but I’m no cop.”

I reloaded my shotgun, the seven-round magazine fully loaded.

“I didn’t want to interrupt your time with the doctor, but I’ve got business with him too.”

“Ha... You must be from Seo Yi-kyung then?”

I hated sharp-minded individuals like him.

[POWER ACTIVATED]

I activated the impact gauntlet, its distinctive red glow flickering as the familiar mechanical sound buzzed in my ears.

“Your move was impressive. But now you’re like a rat in a trap. Kekeke.”

Go Jin-seong’s sneer was unsettling, the hiss in his breath fitting his moniker, “Fire Snake.”

‘He’s definitely aiming at me.’

Despite taking cover behind the pillar, I was still at a disadvantage. Dodging Hel-ket’s attacks with some fake-out moves was manageable, but this was different.

He wasn’t a simple-minded mutant. He was a seasoned criminal with flexibility and firepower.

Bullets are not something you can see coming and dodge, especially as a “pure organic” being with no tech body enhancements.

“Not coming out? Should I come to you? And you, don’t even think about running. Unless you want a bullet in your head.”

“Yes, sir...!”

At least Go Jin-seong’s focus had shifted from the doctor. I signaled to Ha-an, who was watching anxiously.

‘Rescue him when you can.’

‘Got it.’

We had reached a point where we could communicate with just a glance, thanks to our time together dealing with various gangs.

With the distractions mostly handled, it was time to go all out.

“Hey! Are you too scared to come out?”

“Scared? Not at all.”

Clenching my fist, I felt a tingling sensation in my entire arm. Manifesting the borrowed superpower, I pushed it to the limit.

Shockwave.

There was no need to hold back anymore. I had a worthy opponent, one that required my full strength.

“If you don’t come out by the count of three, I’m coming in. One...”

I tightened my core muscles, focusing the compressed shockwave into a single point.

“Two, three!”

Timing my strike with his count, I launched a powerful punch. The resulting shockwave obliterated the pillar and surged towards Go Jin-seong.

“...!!!!”

Boom!

The explosion was deafening, dust and debris filled the air, the open plaza cloaked in a cloud of dirt.

Of course.

I didn’t foolishly assume he was defeated. He wasn’t the kind to go down from a single strike.

“...A superpowered, huh? So, a hunter?”

Emerging from the dissipating dust, flames licked at his body as he stepped forward, unscathed.

“Kekeke, it’s been a while since I hunted a superpowered. Especially a hunter.”

Licking the blood from a cut on his cheek, he smirked.

Goddamn snake.

I responded to his provocations with a raised middle finger.

Tonight, I was going to make some delicious snake stew.