***

The moment Ga-on realized it, a virtual image overlaid like a filter across his retina.

The person who contacted him was ParadiseMaker.

The message was simple and clear.

'An address, huh.'

Since they said they wanted to make a request, revealing their location was the natural next step.

Though the distance between the two was immeasurably vast, their communications traveled so quickly that such limitations weren't even noticeable.

The ability to use the internet even in outer space was all thanks to quantum communications and the existence of Abel.

This was also why they had been able to successfully complete the raid in Lost Saga just moments ago.

After sending a brief reply and stepping out of the single-person booth, he sensed someone's presence. It seemed another user had just gotten up from the adjacent booth.

When he rolled his eyes slightly, he saw a girl with a peculiar appearance standing there.

She wore black stockings that wrapped around her legs. While they accentuated her leg lines, that wasn't what was unusual.

What was most notable was the smooth and glossy material of—

'A trench coat?'

And it was an oversized fit that concealed her figure. Not only was she wearing gloves, but she had also pulled up her hood so that her face couldn't be seen.

It was quite an extravagant outfit for indoor wear.

If this hadn't been a space passenger ship that only verified citizens could board, she might have been reported as a suspicious person.

That's when their eyes met.

"Um, I don't play things like Lost Saga."

"I didn't ask though."

The girl disappeared with quick steps before even hearing his response, as if she had something to hide, though it wasn't hard to understand why.

The booths installed on one side of the space passenger ship were convenience facilities.

Specifically for working professionals.

To be precise, they were for business use.

The connectors were installed so people wouldn't be late for important meetings, not for playing games indiscriminately.

But would things ever go exactly as intended?

There were quite a few people who used them like Ga-on did.

That's because the journey to Mars took quite a long time.

A full two days and five minutes.

Some might find it odd.

That extra five minutes.

It wasn't an incorrect observation.

After all, humanity had achieved light-speed travel since the invention of the ion drive.

But one shouldn't be mistaken. The fact that something was possible didn't mean it was safe. The technology wasn't yet perfected.

Just as aircraft accidents occur most frequently in the 3 minutes after takeoff and 8 minutes before landing, space passenger ships saw the most accidents during the first and last day of travel.

With aircraft, even if something went wrong, the damage could be minimized depending on the pilot's capabilities.

But with space passenger ships, any incident would inevitably lead to massive casualties.

No matter how much humanity had advanced, that didn't mean everything was perfect.

Compared to the Seconds, they were still like children.

Thorough preparation before activating the ion drive was only natural.

The real journey hadn't even begun.

Sure enough, an announcement came over the speakers.

[One hour remains until light-speed travel. All passengers please return to your seats]

*

When Ga-on entered the cabin, he unconsciously furrowed his brow. An overwhelmingly intense scent had struck his nostrils, as if someone had shattered a bottle of perfume.

Of course, nothing like that had actually happened.

It was merely a phenomenon created by different bodily scents.

First class was filled with the wealthy. Naturally, they had received genetic modifications from birth. And considering how their scents grew stronger in proportion to their talents, the symphony of fragrances currently filling the cabin wasn't particularly surprising.

Though deodorizers were sold in anticipation of such situations, no one used them.

In a way, it was a symbol of wealth.

They couldn't help but take pride in it.

Moreover, their appearances were extraordinary.

From before birth, that is, from the moment of conception, they had only inherited their parents' dominant genes. Even with taxes imposed and checks in place, the transfer of power couldn't be stopped.

The wealth gap wasn't something far away.

It naturally started from what people considered normal.

For Ga-on, who came from the bottom, it wasn't exactly a pleasant sight.

That's when a voice came from the seat next to him,

"It's not good to stare like that."

Though his tone was admonishing, there was an inexplicable gentleness in his eyes.

An opinion delivered with the composure and dignity characteristic of middle age.

Blonde hair and blue eyes. And those perfect teeth slightly visible beneath his square jaw. You might call him the epitome of a 'nice guy,' as if drawn in a picture.

Moreover, his sturdy build showed glimpses of a soldier accustomed to rough work.

"What are you trying to say?"

"Many people don't like that kind of look. You should be especially careful in public places like this. It could cause unnecessary trouble."

It wasn't an unreasonable point. Though the concern was unnecessary. Still, not wanting to cause trouble on the first day, Ga-on nodded quietly rather than arguing.

"It's my first time boarding a space passenger ship. I guess I was unconsciously tense."

"If that's the case, I apologize. I suppose I was being oversensitive."

The man extended his hand for a handshake as if it were only natural, and introduced himself.

"I'm Andrew Sherman. And you are?"

"Baek Ga-on."

The hand he grasped was calloused.

Given his keen observation earlier and the way he surveyed the surroundings like a meerkat, Andrew seemed to be a space marshal.

A marshal affiliated with the city government, not the police.

He was an indispensable member of the space passenger ship. A special personnel standing by in case of any riots or accidents.

'Even so...'

He wouldn't normally reveal himself like this. If he did, it would only be when an incident warranting it occurred.

He must have received some kind of advance notice.

That this journey would be different from others.

Suddenly, an odd sense of discomfort ran down his spine.

He quickly scanned the cabin.

A pregnant woman, a boy, and young couples.

Most passengers had unremarkable impressions. You wouldn't imagine them suddenly turning violent and pulling out weapons.

Of course, such observations were meaningless.

After all, they could be hiding things inside their bodies through cybernetic surgery, or they might turn out to be genetically modified enhanced humans.

Technological advancement had given humans many options.

Whether for good or ill.

"Come to think of it, has your seatmate still not arrived?"

At Andrew's words, Ga-on reflexively turned his head.

Though First Class had wider spacing between seats, it wasn't so wide that one wouldn't notice another's absence.

Moreover, the seat had been empty since departure, making it impossible to ignore.

Of course, no sooner had it been mentioned than someone walked up from behind and took the seat.

Recognizing the familiar appearance, Ga-on unconsciously nodded.

The owner of the empty seat was the girl he had seen in front of the booth.

So that explained why she kept leaving her seat.

"Lost Saga is fun, isn't it? Really fun."

"Please be quiet. I don't play things like that."

The girl responded primly and brought her index finger to her lips. As Ga-on was about to add a few more words—

[Ion drive light-speed travel mode activated. All systems green. Acceleration zone breakthrough. Brace for impact]

He had no choice but to close his mouth at the continuing announcement.

*

Ga-on yawned as he lowered the blanket that had risen to his chest. Though the light-speed travel was over, they still had a long way to go. They would have to wait another day.

He had spent time fiddling with his device, but that only lasted an hour or two before boredom set in once he got used to it. Falling asleep had been a natural progression.

Glancing at the seat next to him just in case, sure enough, the girl had vanished without a trace.

She had probably crawled back to the booth.

Though he wasn't prescient enough to predict someone's behavioral patterns after meeting them for the first time today, somehow he felt that would be just like her.

"A matter of preference?"

Andrew asked with a mischievous smile, but Ga-on pretended not to hear. If he responded even once, he'd have to engage in a lengthy exchange just to alleviate the middle-aged man's boredom.

That's when someone stood up from a seat ahead.

The boy, who looked young at a glance, stood blankly in place for a while.

No one found it strange. They didn't pay attention, thinking he was just playing around.

But that lasted only a moment.

As the peculiar behavior continued for about three minutes, people gradually began to stare. Even with the surrounding whispers, the boy didn't move a muscle.

As it happened to be meal service time, a flight attendant approached the boy first and spoke.

"Please return to your seat, and I'll guide you through the menu options."

Everyone believed without doubt that the boy would comply obediently. But his response was the opposite.

"I don't want to."

After sneering once, the boy curved his fingers into the shape of a gun. The flight attendant's hesitation at this inexplicable action coincided with the boy pointing his index finger at her temple.

"Bang!"

Though it sounded like a playful threat, the result it brought was utterly horrific.

A hole appeared in the flight attendant's head.

No shell casing, no bullet, not even a sound—pure magic.

Before anyone could grasp what had happened, the passengers fell into panic. The woman nearest to the blood spray screamed at the top of her lungs.

The boy, as if annoyed by the sound, pointed his finger gun at her, and her voice was silenced forever.

Having demonstrated his power, the boy murmured softly.

"I'll do this to anyone who stands up from their seat. Any complaints?"

There could be no response.

Only a silence so sharp it stung filled the cabin.

Finally, here and there throughout the seats, passengers—no, the boy's companions—stood up.

Their objective was crystal clear.

To hijack the space passenger ship.

Andrew tried to spring up like he was having a seizure while pulling a pistol from inside his clothes, but the boy, as if he had anticipated this, extended his index finger first.

"There's no place for you to interfere."

Bang.

Without even a chance to counterattack, Ga-on caught Andrew as he collapsed pathetically and let out a sigh. He was no longer breathing. This meant he hadn't just passed out from the impact.

Looking closely, there was a hole the size of a millet seed between Andrew's brows.

As if someone had stabbed him with an awl and run away.

It wasn't a normal gunshot wound.

'What is this?'

Unfortunately, that thought couldn't continue.

Before he knew it, the boy had approached right up to his face and placed his index finger against his temple.

"It's nice to see you taking care of your colleague. But you should have kept hiding until the end."

He could roughly guess what kind of misunderstanding this was.

The boy probably thought he was also a space marshal.

But there was no time for explanations. The boy maintained an unyielding attitude, as if unwilling to give even the slightest chance.

"Bang!"