SYNO Chapter 29

Fredrick ran a hand through his hair, exasperated.

“Haa… so it all comes down to Ssangryeong again…”

He knew what the Commander was thinking. The reason they had been pursuing Ssangryeong, a Class A wanted criminal, for so long was multifaceted.

The fact that Ssangryeong’s mind held a wealth of information on Home Nation officials was certainly a valuable and dangerous asset enough to be coveted by many.

However, Commander Pienne’s true focus on Ssangryeong stemmed from something else.

‘The Commander suspected that Ssangryeong, in the process of infiltrating the Home Nation and stealing information, must have received help from someone within the Home Nation’s elite.’

Otherwise, it would have been impossible for Ssangryeong, someone from the Dependent Nation to move so freely within the Home Nation. It would have been even more difficult to locate and extract information from the officials’ Name Objects.

After numerous investigations and analyses, the Commander had identified a prime suspect.

It was Brigadier General Lucas Ter Epilox, a man known for his shady dealings. Since there were rumors that he was secretly visiting the Dependent Nation, they couldn’t ignore the possible connection with Ssangryeong.

‘If we can get a confession from Ssangryeong, it will greatly weaken Brigadier General Lucas’ influence. And the valuable information we gain would be a bonus.’

They’d finally captured Ssangryeong after a long and arduous struggle…

And now they had to find him again, even though he might be dead.

Frederick covered his lower face with his large hand, a hot sigh escaping between his fingers.

“I’m not sure this is wise, Commander. I understand you couldn’t let Brigadier General Lucas return to the Home Nation after Ssangryeong’s escape, but… we need to present the Home Nation with convincing evidence to justify your actions.”

Otherwise, they would face severe backlash. The opposing faction wouldn’t stand idly by while their rival was being unjustly targeted.

They had to find evidence so compelling that even the opposing faction couldn’t refute it.

“If Ssangryeong’s body is found, we’ll have to conduct an autopsy. But there’s no guarantee we’ll find any useful evidence from his body. In that case, it would appear as if Brigadier General Lucas was unjustly detained.”

Fredrick continued, troubled,

“On the other hand, if we capture Ssangryeong alive… that also presents its own challenges. Ssangryeong didn’t cooperate even under torture. Even if we find him again, he’s unlikely to give us any useful testimony.”

The situation had already escalated.

Ssangryeong was already a high-profile criminal, making him difficult to handle, and now the Home Nation’s powerful figures were getting involved.

As Frederick sighed repeatedly, the Commander pushed the documents he had been reviewing aside and leaned back leisurely in his chair.

After a moment of silence, he spoke,

“Then do you think I should have let Brigadier General Lucas go in that situation?”

“…….”

“I understand your concerns. I knew the situation would become complicated. From the moment I shot down the helicopter.”

Pienne tilted his head slightly. “So what?”

“…….”

“The culprit who helped Ssangryeong escape was right in front of me, and you’re suggesting I should have let him go? What if I sent him back to the arms of those senile fools in the Home Nation? Brigadier General Lucas would have destroyed all the evidence and acted as if nothing happened.”

“…….”

“It’s better for the situation to become complicated. Even if it’s a longer and more troublesome route.”

Frederick gulped.

The Commander’s straightforward answers always left him speechless.

“I want to ask you something, Frederick. What principles do you live by?”

Fredrick’s eyes wavered at the sharp question.

“I valued you because you were unusually righteous and unyielding. It resonated with my own damn stubbornness. That’s why I kept you by my side.”

The man’s low voice was firm. He stared intently at Frederick with his arms crossed.

“But these days, I’m not so sure. It feels like you’re becoming just another politician.”

“…….”

“I told you many times. About why I want to become the President. Do you remember?”

Fredrick, reeling from his sharp words, was momentarily lost in thought.

A memory flashed through his mind.

What Commander Pienne had said to him when he entrusted him with his authority,

“Frederick. Don’t worship petty power. If that’s your goal, it would be wiser to side with someone else.”

His straightforward blue eyes had a captivating power even back then.

“I’m disillusioned with this society. That’s why I’m considering becoming President. What about you? Do you share my ideals?”

He knew that the Commander’s casually spoken words were sincere.

He had witnessed firsthand the rough and arduous path Pienne had walked.

He had admired Pienne from afar ever since he became a soldier. Being able to work under him was an honor to his family and an unparalleled achievement.

A man like him deserved to become the President of the Home Nation.

He would make it happen.

He had made that vow in front of his deceased parents’ graves.

But had he forgotten what truly mattered, focused solely on his goal?

Frederick frowned. He felt like he really was becoming just another politician.

Lost in thought, Frederick couldn’t answer for a long time. The Commander patiently waited without pressing him.

“…Commander.”

Frederick, finally clearing his cluttered mind, spoke.

“My principle…is you, Commander.”

The Commander stared at him silently as he struggled to speak.

“I’ve thought long and hard about your words, and I still want to see you become President. If necessary, I’m willing to engage in political maneuvering, even if it means committing acts that are… morally questionable.”

“Fredrick.”

“But I’ll stay true to my principles. I’ll follow the path guided by your beliefs. And if I get splattered with filth along the way, if I try to take shortcuts, please reprimand me and scold me, just like you did now.”

Having said his piece, Fredrick stood up and saluted the Commander sharply.

“Then I’ll go and search the Dependent Nation. You should get some rest, Commander.”

Pienne chuckled as he watched Frederick turn and leave.

Me, his principle?

As if the words keep lingering in his mind, he continued to chuckle. Then, he slowly closed his eyes.

The image of the thief who had escaped the building flashed through his pitch black mind. Pienne’s smooth brow furrowed as he recalled Ssangryeong, stark naked, his fair skin completely exposed.

─── ⋆⋅☼⋅⋆ ───

The only light in the dusty room came from the computer screen. Ssangryeong, huddled in a corner, stared intently at the screen with bloodshot eyes.

“Damn it…”

Ssangryeong, lightly biting his chapped lower lip, typed rapidly on the keyboard. The sound of his typing was remarkably similar to the scurrying of cockroaches around him.

Dozens of windows popped up and disappeared. Then, Ssangryeong finally received the message he had been waiting for. His dry eyes darted towards the screen.

[Well, information on Pienne de Laviste is… quite difficult for us to handle. It’s not easy.]

Ssangryeong gritted his teeth at the expected response.

Saying it wasn’t easy meant it was possible. If the price was right.

In other words, the reward wasn’t worth the effort.

Ssangryeong ran his hand through his hair in frustration and placed his hands back on the keyboard.

[I’ll give you five pieces of high-level Home Nation Object information. If that’s not enough, forget it. You’re not the only information brokers, damn it.]

Ssangryeong clicked the send button without hesitation and exhaled slowly.

Despite his confident tone, he was actually the desperate one. The ‘Prime Information Organization’ he was communicating with was on a completely different level from other ordinary information brokers.

They were information brokers who held the lives of prominent figures in their hands, and all of their members were born and operated within the Home Nation.

The fact that they were still operating meant they had powerful backing.

Normally, an organization like that would have been shut down long ago.

‘Should I have accepted their recruitment offer back then?’

He had been too proud at that time and hadn’t even considered it. They were probably testing him now, seeing if the once successful Ssangryeong was still a useful thief.

‘The more you grovel in times like these, the more screwed you become.’

If you appeared weak, you became a target. It was similar to how small, insignificant animals puffed themselves up to appear larger.

“Ah, just reply to me already. I’m dying here.”

Muttering under his breath, he glanced around the quiet surroundings. He didn’t know when or where someone might jump out to capture him. He couldn’t even sleep peacefully.

It had been a week since he escaped from Commander Pienne de Laviste.

The Commander, who he thought would just search the area around the Deruns River and give up, had clearly gone insane.

Ssangryeong, recalling what had happened to him since escaping the government building, exhaled an angry breath.