NOVEL NEXT Chapter 227
Episode 227. The Peak of the Peak (1)
Facility No. 1 has fallen into Dr. Kim’s hands. A venomous snake has coiled around the heart of the Foundation. The Administrators had no choice but to urgently gather in the United States.
Veritas let out a deep sigh.
To be honest.
There weren’t many Administrators left now.
Acacia was dead. Pixel was dead. Raven had been subdued. Iris had also been subdued.
Patreus wasn’t exactly a trustworthy figure when it came to matters related to Dr. Kim. The other Administrators had gone into hiding.
Veritas didn’t even know where they were. They might have hidden in the deep sea aboard a nuclear submarine. Or they might be hiding in subspace.
At this point, he wasn’t even curious anymore.
This was the Foundation’s New York Branch.
In front of Veritas, who wore a gloomy expression, Administrator Libertas and Yustitia were seated.
Yustitia, the Administrator of Justice, sat politely with her legs crossed in front of the Chairman of the Administrator Council. Libertas, the Administrator of Freedom, was half-lying on his chair.
It was a difference in personality.
Libertas’ seat symbolized freedom. As such, the 2nd Administrator himself was a free spirit. Yustitia’s seat symbolized justice. As such, her personality was much calmer.
“Hey, boss.”
“Long time no see, Veritas.”
Veritas sighed again.
“Ah, seriously. I can’t deal with this.”
Yustitia let out a disbelieving laugh. Libertas scoffed at the Chairman of the Administrator Council.
“What do you guys think we should do?”
The 1st Administrator pressed his temples.
“I don’t know either.”
“Go and negotiate with Dr. Kim.”
“The heart of the Foundation has fallen into Dr. Kim’s hands. Multiple Tachyon Particle Accelerators, along with the Zoo of the Gods. Right now, we have no means to recover or counter this.”
Libertas tilted his head.
“But does Dr. Kim have the resources to take over Facility No. 1? We don’t have any right now, do we?”
“Yeah.”
“Why on earth?”
Veritas pondered for a while. It wasn’t an easy question to answer. The situation had just unfolded this way.
“Over the past few months, Dr. Kim has either killed or turned the Foundation’s major Special Forces teams. Right now, there are no Special Forces or high-level combat assets left to subdue Dr. Kim.”
Misteltein, who attacked the Seoul Branch, was one of the Foundation’s strongest Special Forces teams, but they were defeated by Dr. Kim’s group.
It was only natural that there was no one to fill that void.
“It seems like there’s no other choice.”
“Yeah, damn it.”
Veritas closed his eyes.
He would eventually have to meet Dr. Kim, but sitting down to negotiate with someone who had been tearing the Foundation apart until yesterday wasn’t exactly pleasant.
Whether he liked it or not.
The surviving Administrators now had to face and talk to Dr. Kim. If they wanted to rebuild the Foundation, whose upper echelons had been completely shattered.
“You guys go meet him first. We can’t just convene the Administrator Council like this. It’s also difficult to enter Facility No. 1.”
Libertas nodded.
“So, just meet him and come back?”
“We need to convey our side’s opinion. We’ll respect his power and position, but we’ll ask him to make some effort for the sake of order.”
The Administrator of Truth looked at Liber.
“That’s a cliché strategy.”
“Hey, what do you want me to do?”
Veritas shrugged.
The old-generation Administrators had been completely defeated. The systems that had sustained the Foundation for decades had been dismantled due to a kind of complacency.
The Administrators, who had reigned like gods over the material world, were now bewildered by an enemy of equal standing.
Anyway.
The conclusion was reached. Libertas would start negotiations with Dr. Kim to resolve the situation.
The Administrator’s transport plane flew over the desert.
Libertas scratched his head.
On a slightly different note, there’s no country as good for land-grabbing as the United States. What’s the U.S. election? It’s a giant game of land-grabbing by state.
These days, such power struggles have become less common. But as Dr. Kim’s case shows, it’s impossible to completely eliminate them.
If Dr. Kim were American, he would have started by grabbing land state by state, city by city, just like in the old days.
Libertas remembered the past.
Dr. Kim’s influence had certainly reached the United States. Now that Facility No. 1 had been occupied by Dr. Kim’s group.
Nevada was definitely under Dr. Kim’s control. Other regions would need to be considered.
A few minutes later, Administrator Libertas successfully landed at the Foundation’s Las Vegas Branch.
Accompanied by the Administrator Royal Guard under the command of the 2nd Administrator. Now, all that was left was to wait for Dr. Kim in this city……
Who knows what Dr. Kim is thinking? If anyone knew, the Foundation Headquarters wouldn’t have been turned into a beehive like this.
Libertas looked at the white monster he had brought along. The monster turned its head.
“Why?”
“Enigma. What do you think?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you even know?”
Enigma’s vertical pupils narrowed.
“Well, sir. You must have asked the 1st Administrator too…… Honestly. How would I know something even the God of Truth doesn’t know?”
“That’s a fair point.”
This Foundation Branch was friendly.
Though he was a bit worried, realistically speaking, there’s no Foundation member crazy enough to directly threaten the Administrator of Freedom.
Including Dr. Kim himself.
Probably?
[※ This document is classified as confidential by order of the Administrator Council. Reading it may result in death. If you do not have permission, turn back now. ※]
[※ VERITAS ※]
[※ LIBERTAS ※]
[※ JUSTITIA ※]
[Dr. Kim. I request a private meeting.]
[The Statue of Liberty stands.]
I couldn’t help but ponder over the strange official document that had come down from the Foundation’s upper echelons. What’s going on now? How should I respond?
The 2nd Administrator, who called herself the Statue of Liberty, was proposing a private meeting with me.
Meeting her isn’t difficult, but I’m worried it might be a trap.
On the other hand, other Foundation Branches might be safer than Facility No. 1. Missing the chance to meet Libertas wouldn’t be a rational choice either.
I didn’t really want to believe it, but Libertas was an ally who had lent me two Special Forces teams. I should probably repay that favor.
Thinking about it, there was only one conclusion I could reach. I couldn’t ignore the trust I had been given, so I had to go and respond.
I grabbed my weapons and headed for the transport plane. I didn’t have a Royal Guard, but at least I could bring Nanami with me.
Nanami frowned.
“I have a question. Does that ‘Cognitive Disaster’ that kills you if you see it really exist?”
“There are many Cognitive Hazards that are bad to see. But they’re rarely used for security purposes. There are too many safety incidents.”
Thinking about it, it was obvious. If employees started dying just because they opened a cognitively hazardous email, how annoying would that be?
Anyway.
“The 2nd Administrator. Are you going to see her?”
“I have to. Libertas sent me Special Forces to help me. Anywhere would be safer than Facility No. 1, right?”
“I guess so.”
Nanami nodded.
And, shortly after.
Outside the walls of Facility No. 1, three transport planes were waiting. All my allies, wearing the black combat uniforms of the Foundation, had gathered.
Whatever trick this is, we’ll arrive at the scene with maximum firepower.
Nanami.
Dr. Chae.
The Hero.
Hasti.
Lee Se-ah.
And my Special Forces.
“We’re not going to fight today. The 2nd Administrator called me, but I don’t know why. I’m just preparing as much as possible before going.”
With this, we have enough power to conquer a small country. But I still don’t know what Libertas wants.
In a meeting room at the Las Vegas Branch.
It was a somewhat ridiculous sight. We had entered the meeting room, but neither Libertas’ group nor mine had any intention of surrendering our weapons.
The employees of this Foundation Branch didn’t seem to have any intention of demanding disarmament either. Even if they did, it wouldn’t change anything.
Nanami could easily split a table with her bare hands and throw the pieces at bullet-like speeds, for example.
The other side would be similar, I guess. The employees of the Las Vegas Branch, having thought this far, immediately vacated their seats when I entered.
I awkwardly greeted Libertas.
Still holding a submachine gun in my hand.
“Long time no see, Dr. Kim.”
“It’s been a while.”
“I heard that Dr. Kim’s soldiers are occupying Facility No. 1. The Chairman said so? He said to reconcile with Dr. Kim and come back.”
“Oh?”
“He said he’d let you take the positions of the Foundation’s high-ranking executives or the Administrators you killed, so he wants you to stop fighting.”
I looked at Libertas.
“Then. Can’t I talk directly to the Chairman? I didn’t know you came to convey the Chairman’s opinion.”
“The Chairman’s opinion is the Chairman’s opinion. I also have something I want to say.”
What is it?