*

After parting with Zenon, Shin immediately prepared for his journey to Mars.

While entering a spaceport would have been unthinkable in the past, he was now a citizen with a device.

All thanks to the wings given by one person.

The weight on his shoulders grew heavier each time he thought about the device at the back of his neck. It could potentially act as shackles. He could no longer hide in the shadows or conceal his identity.

But Shin intended to move forward. So that Thomas's efforts wouldn't be in vain.

That's when the awaited announcement came.

[Attention passengers. Space passenger ship E-401 bound for Mars, Seed Colony at 11:20 is now boarding at Gate 2. Boarding closes 10 minutes before departure. Please prepare accordingly.]

Walking calmly toward Gate 2, he places his hand on the wall-mounted touchscreen.

[E-6294567-34 Baek Ga-on. Boarding confirmed.]

Baek Ga-on.

The device Thomas had procured coincidentally bore the same name he had lost long ago.

He had only mentioned it in passing to Thomas once, yet somehow he had remembered and found an identity that matched.

He knew exactly what emotions drove Thomas's selection. The fact that he couldn't hear it directly from him made it even more poignant.

He must have wanted to repay him.

For helping him escape life in the shadows so long ago.

Thanks to this, he could look back on his past life once again.

Though he had been blessed with a perfect life from the beginning, it was filled with lies.

Everything was a measure to protect himself from being different from others.

But even that had reached its limit. Human technology advanced and progressed with each passing day. Eventually, they might discover means to catch 'humans' who weren't human.

Without making a decision, tragedy would only repeat itself.

Just three hundred years ago, immortality was little more than a pipe dream. Like what Emperor Qin sought and the Tsars pursued.

But now that humanity had expanded beyond Earth to Mars, it had become a symbol of dreams. Though it cost astronomical sums, it was no longer an impossible wish.

People who had far exceeded their life expectancy were appearing one after another.

These were clearly vestiges of immortality.

Times had changed significantly. It had become an era where even the emergence of immortals wouldn't seem strange if there was a clear cause and effect.

This was both a crisis and an opportunity.

And a challenge that would never come again.

No matter how long it took, no matter how much time passed, it didn't matter. He would gather scattered technologies, track down undiscovered mysteries, and end his long wandering.

The name Shin no longer existed.

The fixer Yang Hu was no more.

Here was only Baek Ga-on, a human who had come full circle back to his starting point.

"Well then, shall we begin?"

To become truly immortal.

*

The spaceport's runway doubled as a launch pad.

It used the power of a mass driver, a facility designed to launch massive objects into space.

Therefore, it felt less like moving forward and more like being ejected.

Like the relationship between a gun and its bullet.

Once inside, the projectile could reach supersonic speeds through acceleration alone.

The minimum guaranteed speed was a whopping 8,000 kilometers per hour.

Theoretically, one could circumnavigate the globe in just 5 hours.

Thanks to this infrastructure, the spaceport was popular enough as a means of transportation not only to Mars but also between domes, though it wasn't open to civilians.

After all, no dome's city government would readily permit the entry and exit of such aggressive, even reckless flying objects.

However, there were a few who were exempt from such restrictions.

The woman who had just arrived at the spaceport operated by Dome No.3 was one of them.

The chairwoman of Millennium Code, the most prominent megacorp in Dome No.1.

Lin Chowi.

Wearing a qipao that revealed her sensual figure, she covered her mouth with a folding fan.

Wherever Lin Chowi walked became a fortress. The crowd of security personnel surrounding her was enough to create a bustle.

The man walking beside her grinned broadly.

"I didn't expect the chairwoman to come in person."

"Don't misunderstand, this is just a business trip to fulfill a contract."

Though the man approached her in a friendly manner, Lin Chowi dismissed his goodwill by averting her gaze.

It was well-known in the industry never to trust someone with thread-thin eyes.

Even without that, the man's behavior was suspicious beyond measure.

Perhaps that's why. She hadn't liked him from the start.

"I'm not your dog. Remember that."

"How could that be? We're always grateful for your cooperation, Chairwoman."

Though his words flowed as smoothly as if his tongue were oiled, his gaze remained fixed ahead. It was clear he had no interest in such conversation from the start.

The corner of her mouth twisted self-deprecatingly behind the folding fan.

Sure, it was the right thing to say, but what megacorp leader would come on a business trip to another dome like they were being dragged?

Though Lin Chowi heaved a sigh, she couldn't voice her complaints.

After all, the hierarchy here was clear.

'Dome No.1 City Government Direct Control, Emergency Disaster Response Unit.'

The name sounded impressive, but in reality, it was a special forces unit secretly operated by Dome No.1.

Its founding purpose, unit size, available funds, operational weapons - everything about it was unclear.

The only clear thing was that since becoming aware of Yang Hu's existence during the Millennium Code Gate incident, they had been pursuing him relentlessly.

Jin Geon, the man accompanying her this time, was their representative figure.

Even his aura was different from others.

"Shall we head to the scene first?"

"Why don't you go alone? I don't feel like being dragged around everywhere."

"That's fine with me. But since we've come all this way, shouldn't we get our money's worth?"

Jin Geon, who had brought his face right up to hers, opened his small but distinct eyes.

"Aren't you curious whether this was Yang Hu's doing or not?"

Her hesitation lasted only a moment.

"...It would be impolite to keep refusing your goodwill. Lead the way."

*

The outskirts of the Kollemberg Hotel were cordoned off by intersecting yellow and white hologram lines. The interior was filled with personnel dispatched from various organizations.

Jin Geon, borrowing Millennium Code's name, was one of them.

After quietly observing his expression as he suddenly finished his investigation and came out, Lin Chowi declared.

"It seems the news about Niel Hoover's death was true after all."

"I wonder if we can even call 'that' a death."

Jin Geon shrugged his shoulders, recalling Niel's form displayed on the 10th floor.

Up there now, doctors hired by New Delvier were assembling what used to be Niel, gathering the remains scattered throughout the hotel.

"They must have really gotten on someone's bad side. In that sense, I think the Chairwoman's decision to bring in New Delvier wasn't bad."

"It's a natural conclusion. If we hadn't left room for alternatives, it would be us up there instead of Niel."

Even if they could pinpoint Yang Hu's location by pouring in funds, killing him was another matter entirely.

It was obvious there would be casualties.

Despite being competitors, Millennium Code sought cooperation with New Delvier to use them as shields.

The results were as they appeared.

Niel, who tried to monopolize the achievement, ended up torn apart, and Felix, who failed to manage his household, became deceased.

Even if the situation had been reversed, it wouldn't have mattered.

Even if Yang Hu had been caught by New Delvier and offered as a bargaining chip, Lin Chowi would have silently accepted.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that she, originally an illegitimate daughter, became Millennium Code's chairwoman thanks to Yang Hu. After all, he had dealt with all the troublesome relatives.

Of course, the process hadn't been smooth.

Taking control of a giant like Millennium Code single-handedly had been nearly impossible. Moreover, she had no proper supporting forces.

Everyone had believed without doubt that she would fall.

That's when the current city government readily extended its hand.

In the end, Lin Chowi could only reach the top after borrowing the power of outside forces.

The city government wanted a megacorp they could communicate with, so it could be seen as mutual benefit.

Using Millennium Code's name to search for Yang Hu, bringing Jin Geon with the chairwoman's powerful authority - all of it could be considered an extension of that relationship.

"So, was this really Yang Hu's doing?"

It would be a lie to say she had no curiosity about Yang Hu. To Lin Chowi, Yang Hu was both an enemy and something close to a benefactor.

Of course, even excluding personal feelings, Yang Hu was quite an interesting figure. There were thousands, even tens of thousands who had become fixers following in his footsteps.

"What do you think?"

"With that abnormal swordsmanship, there couldn't be two under this sky. Based on the information we've gathered, it's almost certainly him."

"Is that so?"

"Honestly, it's surprising."

Jin Geon emotionlessly shared his impressions.

For the past 20 years, Yang Hu hadn't left any traces. But that didn't mean there weren't points of comparison. While the process might be hidden, results would always show themselves.

"His physical abilities have grown exponentially compared to 20 years ago. Would you believe he achieved effects similar to a monomolecular blade without any assistance?"

Even Jin Geon couldn't help but be amazed at the cross-section of the powered armor, Phalanx, which gleamed like a mirror.

"I heard he's over sixty? Given that he's still in his prime, do you think he's receiving regular maintenance?"

Though Lin Chowi voiced her opinion that he might be caught if he frequented private hospitals or unlicensed clinics, Jin Geon shook his head.

"He might have special abilities. As you well know, the city government once bombarded Yang Hu."

"You mean that incident where tax money was wasted."

When the Millennium Code Gate incident broke out, the city government, caught in an unexpected attack, wasn't in their right mind. They ended up opening fire. At a single individual, no less.

"At that time, Yang Hu didn't dodge our bombardment. He simply survived without dodging."

"Doesn't that not make sense?"

"If he has abilities similar to a healing factor? It would explain most of the contradictions."

Lin Chowi fell silent as she realized what Jin Geon was talking about.

It was a secret shared only by a select few of the privileged.

'Ability Manifestation Entity.'

Also known as Meta-Human.

They were a branch of humanity who possessed different abilities from birth.

While some celebrated their appearance as the emergence of a new humanity, others tried to restrict them by giving them derogatory names.

"I was uncertain, but thanks to the Chairwoman's help, it's been confirmed. Yang Hu is undoubtedly an Infected."

Infected.

Another name for Meta-Human. And also the derogatory term for the presumed targets that justified the Emergency Disaster Response Unit's existence.