Chapter 46 Long Time No See

The night was deep.
On the elevated highway flanked by standing streetlights, a sedan sped past.
The vehicle’s climate control system was adjusted to the optimal body temperature. The windows, made of a special glass material, were completely free of any condensation, effectively shutting out the biting cold wind.
[Respected user, you...]
"Cancel smart driving mode, switch to manual operation."
Keng placed both hands on the steering wheel and slowly let out a breath.
Whenever he felt somewhat upset or distracted, he would choose to drive himself. This forced him to concentrate and temporarily cast aside other troublesome thoughts.
Milton hadn't contacted him for more than a day.
Although that grinning fellow often pulled this kind of stunt in the past, playing the disappearing act of leaving messages unread, Keng could tolerate it somewhat given that the other party's operational competence was passable.
But this time was different.
He had already emphasized bringing the person back as soon as possible, yet the other guy was still pulling this routine—there was no shortage of people within the Corporation who wanted to use him to ingratiate themselves with rival factions. They were watching him closely, and his cover-up wouldn't hold out for much longer.
If he managed to capture and bring the target back, his failure would at worst be categorized as a mere "miscalculation." But if he failed to even capture a welfare home orphan, then he would be labeled "incompetent"!
Emerald Pharmaceuticals had no need for incompetent people.
Besides, a newly awakened "Psion"—that was a rare experimental subject.
Furthermore, the target definitely harbored quite a few secrets, but once brought back and injected with a couple of doses of truth serum, all those secrets would become his own assets.
Damn Milton...
If it weren't for the fact that he couldn't find a more suitable candidate on short notice, he never would have chosen him.
"Vidane, what is it?"
Keng shook his head to calm his emotions, and connected to the incoming communication labeled "Vidane."
"Teacher, the boss of Kela Pneumatic Co., Ltd. wishes to meet you."
Keng remained silent.
Vidane, understanding her teacher's personality on the other end of the line, explained further: "He hopes to establish a partnership with the research institute to obtain certification for the 'Employee Medical and Health Safety Protection System' for his factory."
"Although the workers' protests in the Tower District have largely ceased since the Security Bureau stepped in, he received word that the United Government is already preparing a statement to appease public sentiment."
"A policy?" Keng finally spoke.
"Yes."
Vidane said: "According to him, the United Government will promulgate the 'Palosse Provisional Production Safety Protection Regulations' in four days."
"He hopes to preempt this by establishing an 'Employee Medical and Health Safety Protection System' for his factory, in exchange for subsequent United Government support funds and tax-preferential policies."
"...Support funds, tax-preferential policies?"
Keng repeated these words, already grasping the cause and effect.
Behind this "provisional regulation," it was obvious that the major factory owners in the Rota District had jointly pressured the government into promulgating it, their target being precisely these support funds and tax-preferential policies—after all, what better pretext could there be than this to openly feed on the United Government's fiscal revenue?
Moreover, it would also appease the workers' emotions. What a cost-effective deal.
As for why they came to him...
When it came to the authority of "medical and health safety protection," who could compare to [Emerald Pharmaceuticals]?
Even though the Palosse Third Mind Research Institute was merely a subordinate branch of the former, it nominally belonged to [Emerald Pharmaceuticals] nonetheless.
As long as he, representing the institute, issued a certificate of recognition, then when the United Government's evaluation panel arrived at the other party's factory, they would be forced to acknowledge that the factory's "Employee Medical and Health Safety Protection System" was qualified, excellent, and exemplary.
Regardless of what the actual condition of this "Employee Medical and Health Safety Protection System" truly was.
No one could challenge the authority of a megacorporation.
—No one had in the past, no one did in the present, and no one ever would in the future.
"Mmm... What is his proposal?"
Thus, Keng spoke.
"He will set us as the designated medical cooperation unit for his affiliated factories, providing a large-scale medical equipment procurement order divided into three installments. At the same time, in his personal capacity, he will provide you with a private research fund of seven hundred thousand credits."
"Heh..."
Pondering for a moment, Keng suddenly chuckled.
He gently tapped the steering wheel: "In my eyes, compared to you, these seven hundred thousand are utterly worthless."
Ever since Keng was transferred to the research institute a few years ago and his status had declined considerably, his income had shrunk drastically as well. These seven hundred thousand credits were his largest haul in years—yet at this moment, his tone was filled with gratification.
"Teacher..."
"Before you initiated this communication, you had already completed the entire negotiation. Now, all I need to do is sign my name, and the matter is concluded."
Keng said slowly: "Vidane has done exceptionally well. Vidane has done better than Keng at the same age back then—and Vidane is my student, the student of Keng Triss."
"Vidane, you will certainly go further than I have."
If anyone from the research institute were present at this moment, they would be astonished to find that this bald middle-aged man, who usually wore a cold expression day in and day out, was actually wearing a genuine smile from the bottom of his heart.
"You possess sufficient talent in research, which is good, but there are too many people with such talent in Emerald Pharmaceuticals. You need to build upon that and make yourself more advantageous than them—and you have achieved it."
"The matters and connections I delegated to you over the past few years, you have handled them all very well."
A hint of emotion surfaced in Keng's eyes: "Emerald Pharmaceuticals... we have never lacked ordinary researchers, nor do we lack mediocre managers. What we constantly crave are true 'talents'."
"You are my student, so strive your hardest to climb upward, Vidane."
"...I understand, teacher."
"Mmm."
Keng hung up the communication. Unnoticed by him, the irritability that had previously filled his heart had vanished. He even had the car's audio system play a leisurely, unknown melody—something he almost always rejected, as he deemed such things disruptive to one's emotions.
The man glanced at the navigation; he would arrive home in about half an hour. The highway leading from the Rota District to the White Gate District was always well-maintained.
However, this stretch of winding mountain road was somewhat rugged. Just as Keng was considering whether to switch back to autonomous driving, a flash of fire suddenly erupted in the distance.
What...
Even as the thought was still processing in his mind, his high-grade implanted prosthetic eyes automatically focused on the fire, revealing its true appearance.
That was... a rocket-propelled grenade, its surface paint somewhat faded, with the manufacturer's logo and serial number erased, propelled by the thrust of its tail fins.
Boom!
A scorching blaze soared into the sky, and a massive shockwave swept outward, churning up billowing clouds of dust and ash.
Immediately afterward, the heavily damaged sedan crashed through the thick, dark smoke, spinning continuously along the highway and leaving a dazzling streak of fire in its wake.
The next instant, a distant figure casually tossed aside the rocket launcher and leaped down from the mountain.
The overturned car's bulletproof glass windows were riddled with cracks, failing to shatter completely even after taking a direct hit from a rocket.
However, following closely behind, Blackpowder leveled his firearm at the window, emptying the magazine in one breath and forcefully shattering it.
Blood-stained and bedraggled, Keng managed to raise his head, just in time to see a shadow loom over him, completely blocking out the light of the streetlight.
Song Shi squatted down and forcefully dragged the man out from the twisted, deformed driver's cabin.
He gazed down at the man, smiling as he drove a monomolecular blade into the latter's abdomen.
"Long time no see, Director Keng. Nice to officially meet you, I am Song Shi."