*

Miyata Ito has been working at Maximum Noise for nearly 30 years.

Thanks to dedicating his entire youth, he managed to rise to a high-ranking position.

His meeting with Allen was inevitable.

One day, an illegitimate child suddenly appeared and passionately engaged in work, as if he could fill the void left by his sibling.

Unfortunately, it was a well-known secret that Colin was devoted to his biological child, Doby.

Ito quickly realized that Allen’s wish was unattainable and foresaw the potential disaster it could lead to.

Therefore, he proposed a deal—an irresistible one.

For Ga-on, who rushed over after hearing the truth from Norman, the story was disappointing.

The plan was to kill the only heir, Doby, while Colin was bedridden due to illness and take over Maximum Noise.

Ito would silence any noise arising from the process, and Allen, who would become the chairman, promised Ito the vice-chairman position in return.

“Really, it’s quite trivial.”

While acknowledging their ambition, there was a flaw in their plan.

“What will you do when Chairman Colin wakes up?”

“……”

Ito remained silent, but Ga-on understood his intentions. He likely planned to deal with Colin the same way as Doby.

“Fine, but why make such a fuss?”

“To make it look like someone with a personal grudge against Maximum Noise did it, so we can avoid suspicion.”

“It makes sense.”

If only Chairman Colin hadn’t conveniently collapsed.

His sudden change in condition caused many chemical reactions, naturally leading to a sense of unease.

However, Ga-on’s thoughts were interrupted as he glanced at the battered bodyguards and Ito quietly asked, “What will you do with me now?”

“You know the answer.”

Ga-on gestured with his head, pointing at the device with his index finger.

“Call.”

*

After receiving a report from Ito that Doby had been assassinated, Allen headed straight to his residence at Tower Palace.

When he heard that someone had escaped with Doby, he was worried the situation might turn, but it ended up being unnecessary concern.

It felt like a toothache had been relieved.

With a lighter heart, Allen reached for the doorknob but hesitated. Inside was an unexpected figure.

“Who are you?”

The face was unfamiliar but had been seen at the mansion.

“You’re late. Didn’t your parents teach you to keep time? Oh, right, you don’t have any.”

At the feet of the man who casually scolded him lay Ito’s corpse. Allen’s eyes darted around as he stepped back. Seeing Allen’s intention to manipulate the device, Ga-on subtly warned him.

“Reporting to the police won’t help.”

The house had already been hit by an electromagnetic pulse, thanks to one of the items borrowed from Norman.

“And running out will only get you killed.”

Allen couldn’t help but growl at Ga-on’s display of handling a folding knife.

“You bastard…”

“At least you have some spirit until the end. Not bad.”

Ga-on kicked a nearby chair, which slid to Allen’s feet.

“What are you doing? Sit.”

An invitation to the grave. But Allen had no other choice. Reluctantly, he sat down and composed himself.

“You’re the one hired by Doby, right?”

“So what if I am?”

“Tell me what you want, and I’ll give you anything. There’s a limit to what you can get from someone who can’t even function in society.”

“Are you trying to bribe me?”

“You must be stalling because you want that.”

As Ga-on approached with a sigh, Allen clenched his fist secretly. It was settled. After all, a mere fixer could be controlled with money.

But contrary to Allen’s prejudice, Ga-on handed him the folding knife and casually declared, “Kill yourself, and I’ll bury your disgraceful acts forever. How about it? Not bad, right?”

“You worm…”

“Why, I’m just saying what I want, as you suggested.”

Enraged by being mocked, Allen swung the folding knife, but Ga-on easily twisted his arm to stop him. Kneeling helplessly, Allen shouted, “Do you also prefer that incompetent guy like Father? What do I lack compared to him?”

“At least the difference in character is immeasurable.”

“Ha, nonsense. If the roles were reversed, he’d be worse than me.”

“Well, personal delusion is free.”

If they had tried to resolve it through dialogue, there wouldn’t have been a need for bloodshed between brothers.

Allen was the one who thought of dealing with it before any negotiation. There was no room for rehabilitation.

“You may have lived as you pleased until now, but it’s time to pay for your sins.”

“So you’re going to kill me?”

That was one way, but there was one thing Allen had that Ito didn’t.

“Tell me where Chairman Colin is, and I’ll at least send you off without pain.”

“Oh, come to think of it, you don’t know Father’s whereabouts?”

Allen chuckled lowly, taunting.

“What if I can’t tell you?”

At this point, it was all or nothing. If he couldn’t have Maximum Noise, he might as well destroy it.

If Colin’s whereabouts remained unknown, the company would be left in limbo. The rest would be torn apart by the wolves. And—

“I instructed them to report to the police if I didn’t show up by a certain time. Then it’ll be a matter of moments before you’re caught, even if I die.”

Suddenly, Ga-on missed the girl. If she were here, she could have easily scanned the device’s information without any argument.

“Judging by your appearance, you couldn’t even find a decent tuner. That’s your limit.”

It’s not a limit. It’s just—

“I was worried you might break before you could talk.”

“What…?”

He had experienced something similar not long ago. Come to think of it, wasn’t it also a third-generation chaebol back then?

“You seem tense. Shall we start by quenching your thirst?”

One cup of water is beneficial to health, but a hundred cups can be toxic. Water intoxication is that dangerous. It will probably be the same this time.

“Because water knows the answer.”

*

Outside, Sarah was waiting in the parking lot. She seemed curious, having rushed over after getting information from Norman without a word. Perhaps about the horrors upstairs or the battle outside the Seed Colony. Of course, even if she asked, there wasn’t much Ga-on could say.

“Miss Siri.”

“Have you finished your business?”

“Yes.”

“Then why did you bring Young Master Allen?”

Sarah glanced at the unconscious Allen, tilting her head. Was it just her imagination, or did his abdomen seem unusually swollen?

“There must have been a better way than binding him.”

Sarah spoke chillingly, but it wasn’t incomprehensible. Ga-on would have done the same if he were in a similar situation.

“Eliminating him is certain, but something’s bothering me.”

“Are you planning to let the law handle it?”

“That depends on Chairman Colin.”

“But the chairman is…”

“I know what you’re getting at, but don’t worry. I’m planning to meet the chairman.”

*

Colly Clinic, located at the edge of District 31. It was a private hospital established with Allen’s personal funds. Although it had been open for years, it had never actually treated anyone. It was just a facade. As if to prove it, the only staff employed were two androids.

“So that’s why it couldn’t be found.”

“Well, you would have found out even without trying.”

“What do you mean…?”

Leaving Sarah’s question behind, Ga-on walked inside nonchalantly.

The clinic was large, but there were only a few patient rooms. It wasn’t surprising since it was a terrarium prepared solely for one person. It didn’t take long to find where Colin was staying.

There was only one room with anima. Sure enough, when he peeked inside, he saw the face of the person whose whereabouts had been unknown.

If Doby matured a bit more, would he look like this? Colin, the chairman of Maximum Noise, was sleeping soundly, unaware of the commotion outside.

Sarah, who checked Colin’s condition through the display, spoke up.

“Should we call a doctor?”

“Why?”

“Because the chairman can’t wake up. We need someone else’s help for an accurate diagnosis, don’t we?”

“No need. I can wake him up soon.”

He had been unsure earlier, but facing him directly, he understood. Pretending to be dead was a foolish act for someone who had experienced death. Ga-on grabbed the cover of the anima and tore it off.

Crack.

The anima stopped functioning with a warning sound in an instant.

“What are you doing to the chairman!”

Sarah shouted in surprise, but her concern was unfounded as Colin’s complexion remained calm.

“Stop playing around and get up.”

“You noticed, huh.”

“Your acting was so bad that it was hard to pretend not to know.”

“Was it really that bad?”

Colin replied to Ga-on’s words, coughing and raising his upper body. Only Sarah, who didn’t understand what had happened, alternated her gaze between the two.

“What happened?”

“What happened is that he wasn’t bedridden due to illness; he was just resting. He was probably receiving reports through another line.”

“Your insight is impressive.”

“It was a simple deduction.”

Colin collapsed the moment Allen and Ito conspired? It was so dramatic that it didn’t even bring tears. A leader’s play to see the true intentions of the successor was as common as sibling rivalry.

“Were you dissatisfied with the son you finally got?”

“Rather than that, it’s because he harbored desires beyond his means.”

Colin likely wished for Doby to live peacefully even after his passing. Adopting Allen was probably for that reason, as a second guardian. But since the original plan changed—

“If it’s a problem that will eventually arise, it’s better to use it as a basis for sorting out the hierarchy.”

“I gave him a chance.”

“By pretending to collapse and exiting the stage.”

It was a cold topic that a third party couldn’t easily defend. Sarah, who had been listening quietly, interjected at that moment.

“But this time, it was too much. You didn’t take any measures. If it weren’t for Mr. Ga-on here, Young Master Doby would be…”

Ga-on stopped Sarah and shook his head. Then he turned his gaze to Colin.