How to Live as an Immortal - Chapter 324
Only Noblemtl
How to Live Immortally Episode 324
324 Are we all gathered?
“Oh, how can you speak so harshly to a lady? You are such a rude man.”
“It’s really disgusting, can you stop now?”
“Is it the gentleman’s custom to hide the red truth?”
The girl smiles, covering her lips with her index finger.
“… … .”
I was very tempted to make a fuss about something, but it wasn’t the right topic to do in the middle of the street.
“First, let’s go somewhere suitable and finish talking.”
* * *
The place chosen by Gaon was a pub in District 29. Since it was an industrial complex, there were many blue-collar workers and manual laborers in the area. Naturally, the store’s main customers were also them.
To those who were busy trying to relieve the fatigue of a hard day, the sight of a girl who seemed out of place seemed invisible.
Gaon opened his mouth as he held out a glass of beer to her.
“So, Mr. Samuel, what kind of twists and turns did you have to be like that?”
“Please call me Samael, not Samuel. Samuel is a completely male name.”
“answer.”
For a moment, Samael stops. It wasn’t because he was annoyed by Gaon’s attitude. He was just concentrating on explaining the events that had happened so far in a logical manner.
Where should I start unraveling?
Samael sighed as he took a big sip of his beer.
“After Gabriel left like that, Trian was in shambles. The stock price plummeted due to the cannibalism gate, and I, who was supposed to be the next successor, was on the brink of death. It was really chaos.”
There was no time to leisurely search for and evaluate a replacement for Gabriel. In the end, we had to make do with what we had.
Ironically, Gabriel, who was the cause of all the troubles, recklessly tested Trian’s technology, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Because he conducted the empirical experiments that had to be suppressed due to the Four Basic Laws, the research in question became more mature.
“As a result, we were able to clone a person who had long since passed away.”
Samuel had many children, but not all of them grew up. They were swept away by internal political strife in Trian.
There were also those who had to be sacrificed innocently.
Samael is one of them.
‘Samuel’ was the daughter whom he cherished very much when he was young.
“Then what about Gabriel?”
“New assets are essential for a new life. If it were the same as before, there would be no need to continue this useless life, right? Samael, this child will also want to see the world with his own eyes. I will give her the love I couldn’t give her.”
Should we call this a manifestation of twisted fatherly love?
It’s a creepy idea, if not a positive one, but it was the average human nature in the 24th century.
There is nothing unusual.
“And since I lived my whole life as a man, shouldn’t I live the rest of my life as a woman?”
“Oh, yes. Is that so?”
Come to think of it, ‘Samuel’, who I met just before he died, was an old man with many dreams, even though he was old. I never thought that it would be regardless of the field.
Still, it didn’t seem like she was fascinated by the fact that she had become a woman. Rather than being obsessed with gender, I would say she was not obsessed with it.
You could define it as genderfluid.
As the name Fluid suggests, this refers to someone who is flexible in their sexual concepts.
Like Samael.
It may be an unacceptable concept for Gaon, the incarnation of Confucianism in the 21st century, but in the 24th century, where anything can be imagined, even that would be a boring sentiment.
“You can change into whatever you want whenever you want. That’s exactly the quality that’s required of a mastermind like us.”
Ohohoho, Samael laughs out loud.
As her tension rose, Gaon’s mood went underground.
“Why do you have that look on your face?”
“I said it because I thought it was a strange hobby.”
Well, if you are pursuing eternal life, this kind of thinking might actually be healthier.
“From my perspective, I find it strange that my brother is so absorbed in the life of a problem solver.”
“Can’t you stop saying that old man’s name?”
“Oh, is there something else you like? Tell me. I’ll try to accommodate you.”
“I can’t just hit him with one punch.”
Wheein— At those words, the giant figure that had been occupying a corner of my vision for a moment began to stir.
“It’s a stop sign.”
A person who has been by Samael’s side ever since he entered the pub.
Gaon frowned as the face behind the hood of the raincoat stared at him intently.
At first, I thought he was just a bodyguard and tried to ignore him, but I couldn’t help but be shocked as his outline gradually became apparent.
He was a product of the Superhuman Training Project. He was a combat android created based on the Overseer.
“It’s Null_.”
“I see Baekdu knew. What the Mars Defense Force did with the Overseer.”
No, it was impossible for Gaon, not Baek Seok-do, to have any connections with the higher-ups. The reason he knew about Null_’s existence was because he had fought against her before.
Maybe that’s why.
Upon closer inspection, I could quickly realize that it was a different entity from Null_. Everything from its appearance to its level of armament was completely different.
“This child is called Void_. He is the sibling of Null_.”
Should he really be called a member of the Ark, since he escorts the aircraft of a one-man army?
“So why did you come to me on purpose? It doesn’t seem like you went that far to make a silly coming out announcement.”
Samael answers, covering his mouth with his palm as if asking how he knew.
“It reminded me of the old days. Before I joined the board of directors, I used to run around here and there like my brother.”
“It seems like you know something about the incident that happened at Baekdu.”
“It’s obvious that there’s a force that can attack Megacorp anyway. Isn’t it?”
If we trace back the origin of the terror attack on Snow White, we come to the premise that it was a communication failure. From there, there is currently only one suspect.
“MTI?”
“And there’s something in common between them and Baekdu, the two megacorps?”
Telecommunications and robot manufacturing. Internally, their areas of responsibility do not overlap, but when you look outside, they share a large intersection.
“They are also one of the megacorps that have obtained the qualifications for membership. But why are you causing such a stir over something like that? The board of directors won’t let that happen, will they?”
“Why?”
“That’s… … .”
I was at a loss for words. It wasn’t because no assumptions came to mind. It was just that I realized anew that Samael, in front of me, had been Isa until recently.
“This election of directors is a special occasion.”
“I know.”
Normally, the term of office for a director is 10 years. Since there are six vacancies every time, there is no need to rush and just wait for your turn. Reappointment is possible, but not consecutive terms, so the six previous directors are automatically excluded from competition.
But this board meeting was different, as one seat became vacant early on when Trian voluntarily resigned.
“It’s attractive to be in the middle of a board of directors that has been active for 7 years.”
The new director will retire seven years later than the other directors.
That means he alone can intervene in the selection of the next director.
Of course, since the board also has a full representative of the city government, it would be difficult to express one’s opinion completely, but it goes without saying that its influence would be doubled compared to normal times.
It wasn’t a normal composition.
To solve this―
“There is also a way to elect a temporary director for a three-year term. But not doing so is tantamount to showing your dark intentions.”
That’s right.
Without having to argue over the merits of the matter, all that was needed was to elect a single-term, ineffective director. Then, the timing of the retirement could be adjusted and the agenda could be passed on cleanly to the next board of directors.
But there was one reason why he was acting like a frog.
“It must be an expression of the will to suck out the marrow of the strength of the megacorps that are qualified to join.”
This means―
“That’s right, it’s the beginning of an endless competition.”
* * *
Mieyo Clinic, located in District 12, in front of the operating room.
“No reply?”
Snow White sent a text message to Gaon, but there was no response. Evidence that the aftereffects of the communication failure still remain.
Since it was an intermittent symptom, it might be possible to connect if we waited for some time, but I couldn’t just wait.
“Time is up.”
Because the board of directors had issued an order to convene. And it was against Megacorp, who had already obtained the qualifications to join. Snow White was not unaware of how important this matter was.
“I’ll go, Sol.”
She tried to spur her feet so that they wouldn’t fall, and got into the vehicle following the person dispatched by the board of directors.
“It is an honor to meet you again.”
“… … .”
Im Sol, who always chattered beside him, was gone, and Ivan was accompanying him. That alone was uncomfortable, but the place he was headed to was also incredibly unsettling.
District 2 Board of Directors Headquarters.
It was the heart of the seed colony.
It wasn’t for nothing that I sent Gaon a request for support. I thought that he would feel better if he was by my side.
However, since Gaon was absent, I had no choice but to endure it alone.
“Let’s go.”
I walk, trying hard to ignore Ivan who is trying to escort me. Almost at the same time as I step into the main building, countless eyes are focused on me.
He passes by the most advanced security facility of his time, avoiding the attention of all walks of life—bureaucrats, reporters, CEOs, scholars, lawmakers, etc. A place where even his status as the chairman of Megacorp Baekdu cannot be guaranteed.
Of course, Ivan, a mere bodyguard, couldn’t even get through.
But he wasn’t alone.
As soon as he left, an android belonging to the board of directors followed him.
Standing on the moving walkway, you will be taken straight to the conference room.
Okay.
“This is it.”
As the android, standing up without a single error, opens the door, people sitting at the round table are seen. Snow White entered with an indifferent expression, but she couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Every single one of them was a big shot in the business world.
Mastop, which has monopolized all media,
MTI, covering the telecommunications sector,
EasyRoad, the genius of transportation and logistics,
And to the Isabella Foundation, which developed artificial intelligence.
There were a total of five Megacorps that had obtained the qualifications to join. Therefore, the last one to join was Baekseol, who represented Baekdu.
“Sorry, I’m late. I had something to take care of.”
The explosion of the plant owned by Baekdu was a major story—it was information that anyone present could have known.
But all that flowed through the room was a silent echo.
Ignore or ignore.
Either way, it wasn’t a good sign, so Snow White found her seat.
How long has the deafening silence been going on?
Suddenly the door opened wide and a person came in.
“Is everyone here?”