How to Live as an Immortal - Chapter 234
Only Noblemtl
How to Live Immortally Episode 234
234 Sorry, I’m bad at math.
As if there was nothing more to hear, Alice spread out her folding fan and covered her face, and as she made a gesture, the guards dragged the man away and disappeared.
“What brings you here?”
“I came because I had something to do.”
“I mean, what are you doing? You’re wearing all these clothes.”
Alice glanced at Lilyam and smiled meaningfully. It seemed like she was questioning her in some way, but it wasn’t like Gaon didn’t have anything to be curious about.
“What are you doing here, there couldn’t be a more unbecoming place for a lady. By any chance… … .”
As Gaon narrows his eyes and pauses, Aris hurriedly makes an excuse.
“Ahem, I don’t know why you think I’m like that, but I swear to heaven that I’m pure.”
The expression hidden behind the folding fan was clearly visible, but that was not what Gaon was trying to say.
“No, I was going to ask if you came because of the Miyauchi-gumi. You said you were causing trouble one way or another.”
There were no awe-inspiring glances, although there were blatant glances, perhaps because she was hiding the fact that she was a swordsman. There weren’t many situations where she would tolerate such rudeness. It would be reasonable to assume that she had gone on an undercover mission.
Alice, realizing her mistake, opened her folding fan even wider.
To hide her reddened face.
“… … You lied.”
“I have never cheated. I don’t know if I have cheated anyone.”
Gaon, who had skillfully changed the subject, kissed the back of Aris’ hand.
“Then I’ll see you later.”
“If I’ve fooled you once, I’ll fool you forever.”
It wasn’t Aris who didn’t know that Gaon had come because of a request. However, since she had met him in an unexpected place, she had been strong-willed and wanted to tease him, but when he returned the favor with words, it was embarrassing.
“Go ahead, it seems really busy.”
Gaon took Lilyam’s hand, leaving behind Aris, who shrugged her shoulders as if she couldn’t say anything.
* * *
Lilyam, who entered the guest room with Gaon, did not hide her nervousness even until the moment she sat down.
I think it was Alice.
Even to her, a woman, she was a beautiful person. What’s more, on that face, there was an expression that she didn’t show to people who weren’t interested.
It was a situation where anyone could see that he was an obstacle.
“Shouldn’t you go and see it? It seems like there’s someone else you need to take care of.”
“It’s okay. It’s not as deep a relationship as you think.”
That doesn’t seem to be the case – Lilyam kept quiet, knowing that asking further questions would be pointless.
“There’s something else I want to ask you.”
“You said something like that just now. Ask me, and if I know anything, I’ll answer with all my heart.”
“You know a man named Croft, don’t you? He was quite friendly with you.”
“So?”
“I was wondering if you heard anything separately. I haven’t been able to contact you at all lately.”
“It’s true that I met him often, but we never had such personal conversations.”
A stiff and formulaic answer. It was as if he was reciting a script.
At that point, Gaon could tell that Ryungyoung had made contact with Lilyam once.
“You don’t have to hide it, I’m Croft’s friend.”
“I’ve never heard that he has any friends.”
“Then, your employer is called Oramatic Bionics, right?”
“Yes, it’s the company he’s currently working for.”
Gaon took out a business card from his bosom and handed it to Lilyam. The identification tag engraved on it proved that Gaon was the owner of the company. More than anything, it was solid evidence.
But even so, Lilyam couldn’t shake off her doubts.
“What’s your nickname?”
“alias?”
“That’s his nickname.”
“I called him Mr. Sloth. He was like a sloth, deliberately making his mother hang down.”
It was a story that only Croft and Gaon knew. In other words, it was information that proved the connection between the parties involved.
As expected, Lilyam lets out a sigh of relief. As if the person she’s been waiting for has finally appeared.
“The person Croft was talking about was Mr. Gaon.”
Gaon realized that he had come to the right place at the sudden change in title.
“As expected, Croft and… … .”
“Yes, we are friends. My brother was very close with Croft’s brother.”
“With Craig?”
“Do you know?”
“Well, a little bit.”
Although he was publicly declared dead, he was still alive. Thanks to Croft’s great devotion. Perhaps this situation was triggered by that.
“If you know that much, I can trust you. After all, Croft has entrusted you with something.”
Lilyam carefully hands over something she took out from between her breastbone, as if she wanted to keep it a secret.
A device that looks like a small button.
“This is… … ?”
* * *
It was a shortwave transmitter.
An electronic device designed to send a signal back as soon as a button is pressed if there is an object within 30 meters. If you thought of a smart key for your car, you’re right, that’s it.
It seemed like the items had been prepared on the assumption that normal communication would be impossible due to the lockdown.
I’d rather tell them to get a location tracker so they can find out where they’ve been kidnapped, but if they did—
‘I would have found out long ago.’
Since it was an object made up of simple circuits, Lilyam could have escaped Ryung-young’s surveillance. It could be said that it was a good preventive measure, considering that it was a hastily arranged arrangement.
It was Gaon’s job to fill in the gaps in performance that were lacking compared to the compass.
Fortunately, the subject knew.
‘RYJ Company.’
The 10th ghost company under Ryongyoung. It was a group whose very existence was uncertain. There were tens or even millions of businesses registered under the same name. It was inefficient to look through them one by one.
While Gaon may have plenty of time, Croft’s issue is one of seconds counting.
‘Let’s go back to the time when it was replaced at the spaceport.’
Since it was immediately after the kidnapping, there had to be traces.
“Dobby, it’s your turn.”
[Just leave it to me]
Dobby had already dealt with similar issues. Having grown up while solving numerous requests with Gaon, sorting out information was a piece of cake for him. As if to prove it, the results came out much faster than before.
[Please understand that the information accuracy is low as we passed through several points that could not be confirmed by CCTV]
It was no easy task to create a square in a city that was as tangled as a spider’s web. In other words, it was someone’s artificial hand. Just as this side was a professional, so was the other side—
“That’s what a pro is.”
Soon, a bird’s eye view of the seed colony is projected before your eyes.
The places that Dobby has narrowed down to as candidates include large gyms, Chinese restaurants, illegal gambling dens, etc. – a total of 47 places.
It was a time when a large-scale search was needed. But Gaon was a small-time problem solver, and there were virtually no people following him.
No, there was one person.
* * *
“… … That’s not what I’m talking about, is it?”
When Aimer made a disgusted expression, Gaon sat down next to her and gently teased her.
“You’re capable. You even helped the head of Megacorp in the shadows. Where would the abilities you’ve accumulated back then go?”
“That’s true.”
Aimer wiped her nose and answered bashfully.
“If you just stay at home, it’s a great loss to the country. You should go for a walk sometimes.”
Aimer, who had returned to reality at the word walk, was absorbed into the sofa again.
“I just got back from that walk.”
“We divided the 47 suspicious locations evenly in two.”
“Are you listening?” asked Aimer timidly, but Gaon ignored her and distributed the work.
“You only have to go to 27 places.”
“Hey, why do I have 7 more places? If you divide it in half, it should be 23 and 24 places.”
“Sorry, I’m bad at math.”
“But jealousy is strong.”
Although Aimer protested heatedly, Gaon, instead of answering, gave her another shortwave transmitter with a copied pattern and implanted into it.
“You don’t have to search everything, just press the button nearby. If there’s a place where Mr. Sloth is being held, a signal will come back.”
In theory, you can get an accurate location with just 47 presses, so how economical is that?
“Then let’s go out quickly.”
* * *
Chinese restaurant, Hwasik (火食).
It was a franchise company that advertised that it had recreated the Sura table that only the emperors of ancient China could enjoy.
Although the catchphrase itself is suspicious, it is still a popular propaganda point today, as both adults and children yearn for the world before World War III.
As a Gaon who has preserved the tastes of that time in the 21st century―
“It’s delicious.”
It was a level that had to be acknowledged.
Up until now, there have been many restaurants that claim to be the original. However, paradoxically, with the development of food technology, the unique taste has gradually disappeared. A situation has been created where the artisan class is bound to decline.
First, the health food that Hwasik confidently presented had the taste that Gaon remembered. It could be said that it was the result of maintaining a secret recipe that had been passed down from generation to generation.
What’s surprising is that it hasn’t even been 20 years since the brand Hwasik emerged.
A short history contrasting with the taste that feels like a deep tradition.
There was no other way to explain it than that someone had intervened. That wasn’t the only strange thing. I checked the branch status just in case―
‘There’s none in District 15.’
Is it a coincidence or a causal relationship that it does not overlap with the area governed by the Lucesia Family?
Considering that Chinese restaurants have long been an indispensable venue for company dinners, it seemed like it would have an extremely symbolic meaning.
That’s when a message came from Aimer.
[All clear, I’m done, don’t come looking for me]
Although he is frivolous and lazy, his skill in handling 27 places in an instant can definitely be called first-class.
Gaon picked up the shortwave transmitter, leaving the control group with half of its masses gone in an instant.
Looking back, I thought there was no place more suspicious than Hwasik.
If he was caught nearby, the signal would come back. However, no matter how many times he pressed the button, there was no sign of this.
‘Surely not?’
Gaon knew best that it couldn’t be true. Just like Aimer, Hwasik was his last.
It is possible that Ryong-young moved Croft along the way, but even if we allow that assumption, all the investigation would have been useless.
‘perhaps…….’
It may have been that the distance was not enough. The main branch of Hwasik was different from the general stores in terms of its size. There were many obstacles, so it was not an environment suitable for radio waves to pass through. An additional amplifier was essential.
The question is when to get it and when to get it.
Gaon, who was in deep thought, brought the shortwave transmitter to his head.
It is common knowledge that water molecules in the brain play a role in amplifying signals. The reception distance should increase by at least two times.
As expected―
The shortwave transmitter light came on.