Chapter 22: Surprise
“Witch of the Electrosphere?”
When it seemed like Diesel did not know, Sis smiled gently and spoke.
“That’s right. The Witch of the Electrosphere. A mysterious existence said to wander freely through the Electrosphere without any restrictions. She’s famous for supposedly knowing every secret of the Electrosphere.”
“…….”
“The place called the Electrosphere is an unknown realm filled with endless mysteries. We can’t even guess how large the Electrosphere is yet, and as for its origin, all we have are countless speculations. When you think about how deeply the Electrosphere has permeated daily life, it’s almost laughable. But…….”
Sis paused for a moment, then continued.
“The ‘Witch of the Electrosphere’ I just mentioned is said to know all of that.”
“That sounds like some kind of conspiracy theory.”
At Diesel’s guess, Sis answered honestly.
“That’s right. To some extent, it is. Even if the Witch of the Electrosphere really exists, the idea that she knows every secret of the Electrosphere is absurd. But there’s a reason people get so excited about this conspiracy theory. The very incident that made the Witch of the Electrosphere known to the world is pretty interesting.”
She projected a hologram into the air.
A cityscape appeared, filled with towering pitch-black buildings.
“The eastern United States, the ‘city’ of the Gale Consortium Megacorporation.”
Among the ten megacorporations that ruled the world, the Gale Consortium was a name that stood at the very top.
It was a megacorp with power so immense that it owned an entire city outright.
The multi-legged combat vehicle AT-71 that Diesel had faced in the past had been a weapon of that very Gale Consortium.
“At the center of this city is the Gale Consortium’s headquarters. Since it’s a building located inside a city they own themselves, you can imagine what the security is like without me saying it, right?”
Sis raised one finger as she spoke.
“Just once.”
“……?”
“Just once in history, the Gale Consortium’s headquarters experienced a blackout. It lasted only about three minutes, but it was an incident that turned the entire world upside down.”
She displayed another photo.
It was an image of a darkened building with holographic letters engraved above it.
“This is…….”
“You’ve never seen that language before, right? It’s an ancient language that only appears in relics from the mythological era.”
As I looked at the characters, I was so shocked that I couldn’t manage my expression for a moment.
‘This…… I can read it……?’
“If you interpret the meaning of this ancient language, you get this sentence.”
The meaning of the sentence Sis spoke matched perfectly with what I had deciphered.
‘The Witch of the Electrosphere knows everything.’
“The Witch of the Electrosphere knows everything.”
She shuddered slightly as she continued.
“Not only hacking the Gale Consortium’s headquarters to cause a blackout, but even projecting a hologram onto the building……. Even now, every time I see that……. Ugh, I get chills every single time.”
“That was done by the Witch of the Electrosphere?”
“Yes. At first, people thought it was an incident carried out by an internal employee with a grudge against the company, risking their life. But…….”
Several photos appeared.
All of them showed holograms floating above buildings that had lost power.
However, each building looked different.
“On the same day, at the same time. It was revealed that all ten of the world’s megacorporations suffered that terror attack.”
“……Is that even possible?”
“It caused a huge uproar precisely because it was impossible!”
“I doubt the corporations would have just stayed quiet.”
“That’s right. The Corporate Joint Investigation Agency immediately launched an investigation. And even now, thirty years later, there’s still no news at all. In the end, that unresolved case was enough to brand the name ‘Witch of the Electrosphere’ into people’s minds.”
After clearing away all the photos, Sis showed me new ones.
“After that, there were strange incidents like a corporate fleet aircraft carrier crashing headfirst into a port, or an artificial satellite falling directly onto a corporate chairman’s head. People became convinced that all those mysterious events were the work of the Witch of the Electrosphere.”
“Hmm…….”
“And so, little by little, people came to believe it. That within the Electrosphere, the Witch of the Electrosphere is something like a god, that the Witch of the Electrosphere knows everything about the Electrosphere.”
Finding the story quite interesting, I rested my chin on my hand and spoke.
“I get what kind of existence the witch is. But what does that have to do with this job?”
At my words, Sis looked at me.
Then she curved her lips into a gentle smile.
“We’re going to catch that Witch of the Electrosphere.”
Seoul Sector 1-9A.
Inside a shopping complex where a stream called Cheonggyecheon flowed gently across the street.
It was a neighborhood with a joking saying that if you walked one full loop along the river, you could even build a spaceship.
[Then how about this model?]
Among them, the place I had found, ‘Sewoon Electronics,’ was a location that boasted a long history and tradition.
True to its name, Electronics, its main merchandise consisted of Electrosphere-related goods, but on the rooftop floor where I stopped by, they were also selling expensive vehicles.
[AM-1964, a muscle car known as ‘The Monster.’ With a powerful Mach engine and specially manufactured tires, it delivers stable speed on any kind of road. Sturdy bulletproofing comes standard, and as options, it can even be equipped with a minigun and guided missiles—a true monster in every sense. The price starts at a minimum of eighty million Qubits.]
The peddler’s pack-carrying robot continued its explanation while pointing at the hologram catalog.
The reason I came here was to purchase a vehicle I had felt I needed for quite some time.
Every time I took a taxi to the job site, there was the risk of being tracked, and after finishing the job, having to return to the city from the middle of nowhere was extremely inconvenient.
What troubled me was the choice between four wheels or two.
‘Two wheels might be better than four.’
For the vehicles ridden by Ghostcatchers, the most important points were ‘speed’ and ‘maneuverability.’
Most jobs took place in the city or its outskirts, and if I got caught in traffic in a situation where every second counted, it would be the end.
Although two-wheeled vehicles were admittedly less safe, if the goal was to freely roam roads where anything could happen, they seemed like the best option.
“Could I take a look at the two-wheeled vehicles as well?”
[Ah, you’re looking for motorcycles. In that case…….]
An entirely different set of catalogs unfurled before my eyes in a flash.
[The one I recommend the most is this product.]
As the peddler manipulated the terminal, an engine roar echoed as if a gigantic carnivorous beast were roaring.
Then, bold typography reading ‘Beom-03’ appeared, and a motorcycle with a beast-like appearance materialized.
[This is Beom-03, an ambitious work produced by the megacorp Cheonrang. When driven in ‘Hunting Mode,’ it reaches a top speed of 415 km/h in just three seconds—an utterly absurd set of specs. Especially fitting for something made by Cheonrang, its synchronization with the Electrosphere is excellent. The remote control function that lets you command the vehicle freely anytime, anywhere is unrivaled by competitors. And most decisively, the most special feature of this model is…….]
When the merchant tapped the hologram lightly, the motorcycle’s form changed.
[Despite being a motorcycle, it can fly! That’s because it’s equipped with thrust vector control, a feature usually found only on aerodynes.]
“Oh…….”
It was literally like a tiger with wings.
The design, harmonizing a jet-black body that reflected no light with flashes of brilliant red, had a strangely captivating allure.
From its specifications to its appearance, it was a model I liked quite a bit, but as expected, the problem was money.
“How much does it cost?”
[Since it’s a high-quality model, the price is a bit steep. If you compromise a little on the options, roughly this much…….]
“Hm…….”
Maybe expensive things really were worth their price.
I was about to give up after seeing the absurd price tag that made an involuntary gasp escape me.
“Please recommend another model.”
But then.
[Uh……. I apologize. Could you please wait a moment?]
As if he had received some kind of transmission, the peddler brought a hand up to the side of his head.
[Sir. Pardon me, but may I ask your name?]
“Why do you ask?”
[I’ve just received an important transmission. By any chance, are you a Ghostcatcher?]
“…….”
It felt a bit suspicious, but it wasn’t information worth hiding, so I answered honestly.
“Yes. Why?”
At that, the merchant looked flustered, then put his hand back to his ear and continued a silent transmission.
〈Ar, what did you touch this time?〉
〈Hm……?〉
Wondering if Ar had done something, I glanced into my chest.
But the Electrosphere Spirit merely looked up at its master with an innocent expression.
[I’m very sorry for making you wait. This is the first time something like this has happened to me as well…….]
“What is it?”
[Well……. An anonymous individual has sent you a gift.]
“What?”
[The motorcycle you just saw, ‘Beom-03,’ that is.]
The robot spoke as it displayed the motorcycle’s hologram.
‘What in the…….’
The first question that popped into my head was ‘Why?’
But there was no way the staff here would know that, so I asked the second question that came to mind instead.
“Do you know who sent it?”
[Uh……. I don’t know the name, but there is a text message the sender included. Would you like to see it?]
“Please show me.”
When I saw the message, I almost let out a hollow laugh.
「For a successful witch hunt.」
‘What’s the angle here.’
I muttered my thoughts while riding the freshly delivered, still-warm motorcycle down the road.
This was clearly a gift sent by Little Sister.
And an outrageously excessive one at that.
But even knowing that, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse it.
Because the image of a fully optioned, flying motorcycle kept flashing before my eyes.
On top of that, the peddler’s words had been decisive.
-If you refuse, the delivered model will automatically be scrapped.
Wouldn’t that be too pitiful a fate for this kid?
Thinking that, I shut my eyes tight and accepted the gift.
‘She must want something if she’s giving a gift worth this much…….’
There was no such thing as a free lunch.
What kind of compensation could she want in return for paying this much?
‘Is it hush money over what Zeon did?’
That was the first thought that came to mind.
But the amount was too large for that.
Besides, I had already received compensation more than sufficient to upgrade every prosthetic body part I had by one full level.
‘Or maybe it’s simply to curry favor.’
If that was the case, it was a resounding success.
Although Boss Kim had said Little Sister was trustworthy, I was still cautious for now.
〈Ar, I know you’re excited, but slow down a bit.〉
As a test, I had entrusted the motorcycle’s driving to Ar.
As advertised, the model’s synchronization with the Electrosphere was excellent—the Electrosphere Spirit could perfectly control every aspect of the motorcycle.
〈I said slow down a bit.〉
Despite my words, not only did the speed fail to decrease, the beast-like exhaust roar bursting from the engine grew even louder.
〈Master……! Ar is running……!〉
〈…….〉
〈Behold, world! Ar’s magnificent sprint!〉
〈No…….〉
I found myself a little worried that I might have awakened some completely unnecessary sense.