The Genius of Cloning in the Academy City

---

Chapter 7 – Investigation Stopped

The director stopped the inspection of the investigation work near Rust Room’s coastal island. The foundation urgently activated its highest emergency procedures and was transporting all personnel to various locations according to the plan.

Naturally, he, being of a higher rank, was also included in the evacuation plan.

“Can we not use the deadlock corridor?”

A member of the blockade enforcement team responded.

“It’s reactivation time. The designated safe house is within the approach range of the deadlock corridor that we’re controlling. Please board.”

The hunters under Cascadia, who were there to assist in the investigation, asked in confusion, but he simply brushed it off. There was no need to burden them with troublesome matters.

A stealth helicopter landed with a low hum. Since this flight was unplanned, there was no escort, but the director took it lightly and flopped down into a seat.

“The armed level of the Ariel Group barely includes hang gliders and portable anti-air missiles, with a medium helicopter at best. There’s no way to chase this high-speed helicopter with the Foundation’s technology.”

As the helicopter took off, the cawing of crows became unsettling.

Outside the rising window, two crows circled gloomily before landing on a tree. The ominous sight made the director wrinkle his brow.

“Communication from Cascadia has come in. They’re saying they’ll escort us…”

“Decline it. I need to take a nap, so wake me up when we arrive.”

He briefly shut his eyes. And that moment would be his last. The Grim Reaper was approaching.

As the helicopter entered the communication disturbance zone, operations began. There was a marine dungeon nearby.

It was a place frequented often, but the pilot felt unusually anxious. Why?

The prediction was correct. Violet 1, drifting between the waves, lifted her head from atop a buoy. A black figure flew under the bright yellow sky.

“Got it, I’ve spotted the target. To the tactical map coordinates!”

“Three minutes! If we don’t catch it within three minutes, it’ll surely send out a distress signal! We have to catch it, no matter what!”

On one end of the network, a cold sea breeze slammed against the fighter jet. The aircraft swayed as if it were a living creature, trembling in the gust.

The deafening roar of the engines, the dizzying approach of the sea below.

Pilot Violet skillfully maneuvered between the waves and sharp reefs.

Ahead, a labyrinth of islands emerged over the blue sea. Thousands of routes, with only one of them promising to be the perfect hunting ground.

There was no hesitation.

Pushing the controls, the aircraft roared like a beast and shook wildly. It sliced sharply between islands.

Cliffs and beaches brushed past on either side. There was barely a few meters of dangerous gap between the horizon and the aircraft.

In the suffocating tension, Violet couldn’t let her guard down for even a moment.

Slow down, and the prey would slip away.

As she banked out of the strait, the open horizon and dazzling twilight welcomed her.

At the same time, a chill ran down her spine. That was the target.

As the familiar alarm blared, the pilot felt her heart freeze. A radar warning. Somewhere, someone was lying in wait for them.

Turning her head, she saw an enemy fighter approaching, trailing white foamy waves. Attacking with low flight.

“Emergency! Emergency! Initiating evasive maneuvers!”

Her instincts were right. A wave of fear surged forward, taking on the form of a fighter jet.

From the shadow of the islands, the enemy jet sprang out fiercely without a moment’s hesitation.

“30 seconds to escape the communication disruption zone!”

“Fox 1! Fox 1! Launch!”

Decoys poured out, painting the evening sky. It was dizzying to behold, but the fighter jet moved forward without faltering.

Seizing a moment of opportunity, she pressed the launch button hard.

Several missiles exploded in the decoys, veering off in random directions, but the distance was too close.

Luckily for Violet, there was no need to fire the machine gun.

One white trajectory sharply wove through the decoys.

-Boom!

Condensed time exploded.

A blinding flash. A deafening roar. A pillar of fire cutting through the sky. The world shook.

Amid the gray smoke, a cheerful radio call announcing victory broke the silence.

“Killed confirmed! Killed confirmed! Searching for debris before retreating!”

It was the moment Violet’s air squad, now modernized, celebrated their first successful operation.

**

“Agent 7 is missing. We will proceed to select the next personnel as planned.”

“Confirmed.”

Secretary General Fegan’s cold voice echoed in the control room. His gaze, seemingly aimed at empty air, was actually reading streams of augmented reality data flowing across his retina.

Within the vibrating heart of the Foundation’s situation room, only his pupils moved ever so slightly.

The list of personnel scrolled like a hologram. The name and picture of Agent 07 faded like dust erased, as the algorithm of the Luminescent Adaptive Control System filled in new personnel information.

Like replacing old parts with new ones, soon members of the personnel department would bring in a new agent for transfer.

‘Fools.’

One agent had perished. But what significance did that truly bear?

The Foundation’s analysis algorithm produced a cold figure: that the pattern of this incident matched over 87% with the tactics of the terrorist group during the Magnavis strike. A cold smile flickered across Fegan’s lips.

No problem at all. The Foundation was originally designed to operate independently.

Every member of the Foundation was akin to a sophisticated machine. While there might be differences in importance, they were all replaceable entities, whenever necessary. The Secretary General himself was no exception.

His self-serving brother had perfectly grasped this organizational philosophy of Luminescent during his time as an agent as well.

It appeared as a typical large corporation but could disband and escape at a moment’s notice in a crisis, comprised of independent blocks.

The only issue was the swiftness of that ant-like offensive being beyond expectation.

“Continued detection of attempts to acquire shares and assets.”

The stock of Laplacian, which had plummeted since the declaration of a siege by Luminescent, was rebounding.

Was it merely a rise due to simple expectations? The patterns of asset movements appeared troubling.

The control algorithm warned the agents of the hidden dangers behind the acquisition attempts.

If someone were aiming for control of Laplacian, what could their purpose be?

The research laboratories had already sustained severe damage. In fierce market competition, ceasing R&D is akin to annihilating future possibilities for a corporation.

The damage to production facilities was minimal.

There wouldn’t be any immediate problems concerning product production, but… were they really just looking at corporate value? Or were there other ulterior motives lurking beneath the surface?

“The Foundation’s financial department and each cooperative company are defending against stock declines and asset fluctuations.”

“Proceed. Make sure to thoroughly track the backing forces.”

The Foundation recognized.

From the vague combat records and evidence from Circleif, the Ariel Group possessed comparable combat analysis capabilities and multiplication abilities.

Even so, retreat was not an option.

‘This is a matter of prestige.’

Whatever the case may be, they couldn’t appear weak due to the shark-like masses swarming at the scent of blood.

For the sake of their grand undertaking for the world. Unyieldingly!

“How long until the terrorist organization response task force is completed? Restraid and Arsite?”

The control algorithms incessantly analyzed and managed the information spilled out, along with the board members and Secretary General.

Unlike Magnavis, which had cowardly fled to the continent the moment a project halted from a surprise attack, they had no thoughts of retreating.

The declaration of siege was an opportunity to express their resolute will.

“The Arsite Consortium has deployed one operational team. Restraid has decided to urgently dispatch a knight group of two squads. I hear the newly appointed heir will be included as well.”

‘Not the Steel Guard.’

Fegan clicked his tongue inwardly. Still, with the heir receiving training, they must be quite elite members.

They ought to have shown their sincerity, one would think.

Though it was questionable whether there would be anyone as capable as that young Sebastian.

In the torrent of relentless information, Fegan stood up nervously.

Moments later, the Secretary General’s face contorted.

It was a natural reaction. Faced with the eerie presence resembling his deceased brother and the ominous ‘gift’ it had brought.

“Brother, how do you feel? Our Laplacian’s gift. It should be enough to suppress those little terrorist brats.”

**

The Secretary General glared at the entity impersonating his brother with an icy gaze.

“Let me be clear. You are not my brother. You abomination.”

“Oh, to be precise, I am not ‘Chairman’ himself. Secretary General.”

It grinned slyly.

“However, in emergencies, we are programmed to carry out all emergency procedures for Laplacian on behalf of the Chairman and assume responsibility. Isn’t it a bit excessive to be angry at an answering machine for performing its role?”

The shapeshifter smiled naturally, just like his brother might have. The terrifying resemblance sent a shiver of rage down Fegan’s spine.

“To add, we can perfectly mimic the Chairman’s DNA, fingerprints, and even iris? The memories of being family with you, Secretary General, have been preserved as well. So, isn’t it rather ambiguous to dismiss me as ‘Lihan Balance’? A ship that has replaced all its planks, is it a different entity or the same entity?… Would you like to indulge in this philosophical debate?”

“Shut your mouth.”

The Secretary General’s face twisted dangerously. But what truly horrified him was something else.

The Laplacian entity it had brought wobbled large, heavy metallic tubes. The agents examining the contents gasped in shock.

“My goodness, they really completed it? This is insane… Have they forgotten the previous clash with that noble family? They continued to push on without regaining their wits? What on earth were they thinking to create something like this?”

A chill ran across the surface of the observation window, where frost was clinging.

As Fegan wiped the cold glass with a trembling palm, the scene revealed beyond that translucent veil sent chills down his spine.

“They’ve done something unforgivable. This… is a monstrosity that must not exist!”

The shapeshifter laughed coldly.

“Let me convey the Chairman’s last message. ‘By the time this arrives, my company will already be bankrupt, and I will be dead. Do not worry about accountability or conflict’.”

From behind Secretary General, someone shouted angrily and pointed a finger.

“This is madness! This is something that should never happen! It’s gone beyond the line! According to the principles, it must be immediately sealed and destroyed! Plus… look at that! Have they unearthed several graves? Moreover, if the Federation sees those inside, they won’t sit still! What the hell was Laplacian thinking?”

The shapeshifter muttered in a low voice.

“It was something that had to be done. Who do you think you are to dictate and cross lines as you please?”

“What?”

“It’s far more productive than clinging pathetically to the alien relics the Foundation has hidden away. The Chairman prepared for this. To prevent external news from across the Arctic Threshold, to prepare for the wars of our time!”

“Shut him up.”

A deafening explosion erupted. Unable to endure, the Secretary General gave the command, and the bodyguards simultaneously aimed their guns.

As blue plasma beams poured forth, the shapeshifter’s body warped in the heat and crumbled down.

The upper body barely maintained its shape, and its melting face bore a mocking grin.

The monster pointed a trembling arm toward the standing tubes.

“Haha… So… you all won’t really open it, right? Right?”

Having completed its task of conveying the Chairman’s will, the monster gasped.

The monstrosity that inherited memories sneered like the Chairman. They could see hesitation reflected in their eyes.

-Bam!

At the second shot, the monster completely melted away. Now, only the humming metallic tubes remained next to the crackling black debris. They might just be a trump card.

The agents and Secretary General standing before the tubes exchanged anxious glances.

Even the eyes of the Secretary General, who had just ordered the shooting, momentarily shook.

“What… shall we do? About that…”

For a moment, they froze in heavy silence. Only the faint vibrations of the cold storage units could be heard from within the frigid tubes, their warped expressions vaguely reflected on the frosted window.

No one could take the initiative to make a decision, finding themselves standing there as if time had stopped.