IBACT Chapter 5

Guilty (5)

I don’t remember exactly when it happened, but it couldn’t have been too long ago.

The terrible tragedy at the food factory where numerous people died due to a mechanical malfunction.

Since it happened before the “protagonist” appeared and I haven’t heard about it yet, it must have occurred within the last 1-2 years.

“If you have something to say, say it.”

My secretary kept glancing at my seat through the rearview mirror.

Although she was sitting in the driver’s seat, the driving was done by artificial intelligence. Stealing a glance wasn’t dangerous at all.

But her gaze was somewhat scary.

No matter what anyone says, my secretary knew Han Sanwoo best. Being suspected by her wasn’t particularly pleasant.

She wasn’t absolutely on my side either. At least within Stella City, she was like my arms and legs, but when it came to the Hansan family, things were a bit different.

Even if some ordinary person reported something about me, the Hansan Group wouldn’t bat an eye, but if she reported something, the story would be quite different.

It was dangerous if she thought my behavior was either unlike Han Sanwoo’s or too extreme and causing significant harm to the group.

“Still, your temper has improved a lot. That’s good.”

But my secretary’s gaze was much gentler than I had expected.

“…What?”

“At least you acted according to the group’s rules. It may not help immediately, but it will benefit the group’s interests in the long run.”

Of course, there was no way she genuinely thought that.

Though a branch family member, she was still a Hansan. A person who eats Hansan’s food, lives in buildings made by Hansan, with Hansan blood flowing through her veins.

There was no way she would genuinely believe nonsense like ‘following safety rules and respecting workers will eventually bring greater benefits!’

Even if there was a rare kind-hearted gang, they wouldn’t feel guilty about light drug dealing or theft.

Even if they did, they wouldn’t sincerely despise fellow gang members who commit such crimes without a second thought.

The opposite was also true. Regardless of her personal character, there was no way she would genuinely be happy about something that didn’t benefit the company.

From a corporate perspective, the most favorable interpretation of my actions would be, ‘It’s desirable that Hansan’s consistent rules are upheld without exception.’

“Well, as long as you understand.”

Though I was sighing deeply inside, I maintained a composed expression on the outside.

What on earth did this previous Han Sanwoo do to be treated this way?

Still, it was fortunate for now. If I could live without being suspected while doing what I wanted to do, I could endure this level of humiliation.

My body hasn’t undergone cybernetic implant modifications. In terms of a 21st-century modern person, it’s like someone without their own mobile phone.

Whether I liked it or not, she and I were essentially bound by fate.

“……”

I turned my head to look out the window.

The view of Stella City from the elevated road wasn’t so bad.

Except for the apartments stretching high into the sky, the places where the slum dwellers lived weren’t visible from this height.

The city center was located in a relatively high area.

The relatively wealthy areas among the slums were underground for those living in the downtown area. Dangerous and rough streets; you had to take an elevator to reach.

It would be good if I could find a reason to go there. But I couldn’t think of a suitable excuse right away.

“Kugh!”

A huge exhaust sound is heard. From below, at that.

As I had my face slightly sticking out the window, I felt dust and exhaust fumes sticking to my face.

“Rude bastards…”

The secretary hurriedly closed the door.

“Please wait right there. I’ll activate the internal cleaning management system.”

“Uh… alright.”

A flying vehicle soared onto the elevated road.

“It accelerated suddenly. I don’t want to get involved. Suhwa, increase the speed.”

Come to think of it, right below was exactly the conflict zone.

“Isn’t that a new product made by General Machina? I heard it’s quite good. Have you heard of it?”

Just because it’s the Hansan Group doesn’t mean they boast the best performance in all fields.

General Machina’s cutting-edge technology was at an amazing level. Unlike Hansan, where businessmen held power, it was a company where engineers and practitioners had sovereignty—literally a dream company for technicians.

A company where the freedom of technicians and scientists was guaranteed, allowing them to fully unleash their imagination without petty constraints like money and ethics.

Of course, they were ultimately a corporation in this world, and from my perspective, they were no different from mad scientists.

“It’s not that great. It may look flashy on the outside, but it’s not that practical.”

“We think alike. Can you increase the speed a little more?”

Flying cars are cool, of course. But cars don’t necessarily need to fly.

It wasn’t a technology that Hansan hadn’t tried. But it lacked practicality.

It might be worth trying to deploy soldiers in emergencies or move urgently needed supplies, but that’s about it.

The amplitude of shaking in all directions was not small, and it was so dangerous that someone not properly equipped with combat gear would not want to ride it at all.

Moreover, it even soared up into the sky suddenly. No matter how lax Stella City’s laws regarding aerial vehicles were, there was no way such driving would be commonplace.

“Be careful of the impact.”

“I saw it too.”

An anti-tank missile flew in. Looking back, with a huge explosion, General Machina’s aerial vehicle was plummeting to the ground.

“Oh, that’s too bad.”

Sadly, my sensitivity was also withering away.

In this city, if you carried around such expensive and unstable items, crazed gangs or mercenaries would strip them from you in no time. It was only natural.

Seeing that made me feel more urgent.

In a normal, conventional company, the rules of engagement and ways to win would be established.

Making better products, increasing management efficiency, or competing through mergers, acquisitions, or legal disputes.

But in this city, that wasn’t enough.

“Who could it be?”

“It’s General Machina’s, isn’t it? Are they related to us? I don’t know.”

“That… I’m not sure. We haven’t provided such weapons, but… well, such primitive anti-tank missiles, anyone with money can buy them on the black market.”

If there was a journalist who might spread information endangering the company, it would be better to just put a gun to their head or erase the evidence through a mercenary with hacking capabilities rather than buying them off with money.

Rather than making a better product than a rival company, it’s better to hire skilled mercenaries at a high price to destroy the core data of the factory.

Of course, antagonizing a corporation with mercenary-level personnel was a gamble more likely to fail.

Still, I need to create my own personal forces. Moving gangs connected to the Hansan Group is neither a wise choice nor a convenient one.

My car continued speeding along the elevated road. As if the previous accident was nothing.

***

“It’s been three days since General Machina’s aerial battleship was destroyed in broad daylight.”

The announcer’s frivolous and cheerful voice stuck in my ears. I thought his voice was peculiar when I saw him on TV, but hearing it in person was even more unique.

“It was shocking, wasn’t it? I never thought such an incident would happen in broad daylight. Not only that, but there were also reports that the broken chassis and debris fell on passing pedestrians.”

But my presence here was unrelated to that incident. Actually, I didn’t expect it to be this quick. The timing was bad.

“What was even more shocking was the behavior of Stella City police. Far from catching the perpetrators, the continued street battle only added to the confusion.”

No. Perhaps it was the optimal timing. If I had been a little late, people might have died in our factory too.

“The police chief, who opposes ‘security efficiency,’ seems to have taken a big hit due to this incident and its aftermath.”

It was a ridiculous statement. What they claimed as security efficiency was the privatization of the police, and it was ultimately the media that shook up the police to prevent them from doing their job properly.

But there was no need to blame anyone. Hansan Group’s lobbying was generously flowing into this media company, and Hansan was among the corporations looking to profit from that ‘security efficiency.’.

To begin with, the media is no different from a corporate dog.

It’s not that there aren’t some conscientious journalists, but their articles aren’t covered in mainstream media.

It’s not profitable, and capable people don’t join. The end for conscientious journalists and media outlets was either becoming corporate dogs or being forgotten after losing public support.

“Let’s move on to the next topic! Just yesterday! There was an incident where many people died in factories due to machine malfunction. Hold on, I’d like to take a moment to express our sincere condolences with our viewers.”

For a few seconds, a very short time, his quick and frivolous speech stopped.

And that was it.

“But! Even in this situation, there’s a company that minimized casualties through excellent response and decisiveness. That is… the Hansan Group!”

In an instant, a smile grew on his face. The mourning didn’t last long.

Despite it being an incident where over a hundred people died and twice as many were injured.

Again, I was in no position to blame anyone.

The fact that he was promoting our “good side” like this and giving me a chance to explain was also the product of accumulated lobbying.

“You’ll be surprised to hear who we’ve invited. Probably the most famous, groundbreaking, and massive business person in this Stella City.”

“You can get ready now!”

Before the staff finished speaking, my secretary adjusted my attire.

“We have invited Han Sanwoo, the president of Hansan Electronics!”

With a huge sound effect, a spotlight was poured on the place where I should advance.

It was time to reveal myself.

“…Pleased to meet you.”

“You’re so proper! I’ve met all sorts of people, but it’s my first time hosting a big shot like President Han Sanwoo.”

As I sat in the chair in front of him, I could feel the gaze of numerous broadcasting station people focused on me.

“Normally, I’d have to tell the guest, ‘Calm down, nothing’s going to happen…’ but my heart is pounding!”

After his playful remark, the host brought up the prepared topic.

“As you know, food companies in Stella City have been shattered, right? But Hansan remained intact. What do you think is the secret?”

“It’s the system. The right system and values may seem foolish at first, but they show their strength in times of crisis.”

“Is that so~? Rumor has it! There’s a story that Han Sanwoo personally went to the food factory shortly before this incident?”

At first glance, it seems like he’s attacking me, but this is a question that’s already been guided to me.

“Of course, maintaining that system isn’t easy. There’s no particular reward either. If you don’t constantly strive, the system breaks down in an instant.”

“What do you think about the rumors that the Hansan Group caused the accident?”

“It’s nonsensical rubbish. As you can see from the prepared materials here, this is a human-caused disaster.”

At the exact time, my secretary displayed dense materials in front of me as a hologram.

People watching this on TV won’t gain meaningful information from this. What’s needed is the image.

The image is that there are ‘anyway’ materials, implanting the image that this accident wasn’t a special incident at all and that it could have been prepared for and anticipated.

“It could have happened at any time, and rather, the fact that nothing happened until now… no, that it was buried with the deaths of a few people is more strange.”

Taking a deep breath, I shouted at the camera.

“The Hansan Group has no connection whatsoever to this accident.”

At least this one statement was one of the few facts among the words spoken on this broadcast.