SWNOVELXO Chapter 190
Episode 190. Clockwork Heart (1)
Research Department Head, Lee Se-ah, took a step back in the Large-Scale Containment Room. She had seen many supernatural phenomena, but something that gave off this kind of feeling was rare. How should she describe it?
It felt like the drum and bass sounds from concert speakers were synchronized with a heartbeat. The ground trembled, and the vibrations could be felt in her bones.
To put it simply, it was the power of ancient gods.
The marching songs and footsteps of an unknown legion she had never seen before. The cheers of tens of thousands of people looking up at a high priest who had received a revelation. Something was pleading for obedience, worship, and participation.
– No metal beyond this line.
At the center of a massive plastic cube, designed to prevent any metal from coming within several meters, was an object.
This entity, housed in the Large-Scale Containment Room, was the Clockwork Heart of the Clockwork God. The Clockwork Heart twitched once every second.
Like a living, beating heart. Bishop Oh, standing next to Lee Se-ah, frowned.
“It’s horrifying.”
“Yes.”
“Hmm. The supernatural phenomenon is smaller than I expected? I thought it would be much larger since it was installed on a Soviet aircraft carrier.”
This was the supernatural phenomenon cut from the heart of the Clockwork Dragon months ago in an abandoned factory. It was a tricky phenomenon because metal couldn’t be brought near it.
Lee Se-ah shook her head.
“That thing attracts surrounding metal. When we found it, it was covered in tons of metal and clockwork devices. After cutting it all away, only the unscathed core remained.”
“I see.”
“It’s one of the most dangerous supernatural phenomena we’ve found. We’re suppressing its power with a Reality Anchoring Device and some other supernatural means.”
The researchers behind Lee Se-ah raised their hands. She turned her head back.
“But, what’s going on with that?”
“The Director wants to use it as a weapon. I don’t know the specifics.”
The researchers frowned. If the Clockwork Heart were removed from the containment room, the followers of the Clockwork God would swarm in, making the term “swarm” an understatement.
I waited. The radio connected to the Los Angeles Director crackled ominously.
[Well……. Just one thing.]
The Director of the Los Angeles Branch glanced around, as if checking if there was anything behind them. I listened closely.
[Administrators like the sea, don’t they? There’s nothing safer than hiding in a deep-sea nuclear submarine. Absolutely impossible to find.]
“Yes.”
[But Pixel needs a lot of generators and wired communication lines, so they have to be on the mainland, right? They also need a lot of coolant. If you’re going to manage heat, the northern regions would be better.]
Ah. I think I know where they are.
Mainland USA, north. Deep sea, coolant.
They must have hidden the facility in the Great Lakes, huh?
That makes sense. It would be difficult to attack there. Enemy approach would be tough, and they could just dive underwater if things got dicey.
“I understand what you’re saying.”
[Well, anyway, I didn’t say much. Hope to see you again sometime.]
They were more friendly than I expected. It might seem strange to others, but considering my time as a Director, I can understand that reaction.
What do the Administrators care about what I do?
As long as no problems arise in front of me, that’s what matters. I thought there’d be a war in downtown Los Angeles, but they’re not doing it? I thought I’d get a call and die, but they’re stopping the Data Center terrorism too?
Since the problem was solved, it’s good for now, right? Whether the Administrators kill each other or not, it’s not Director Brown’s concern.
Pixel is in Michigan.
Now that I’ve found the target, I need to ask for help. Seoul Branch’s reach extended to Beijing somehow, but this time it’s different.
I’ll convene an Administrator Council. This time, I’ll gather the Administrators who are at least somewhat on my side.
Hasti and the Hero were standing far behind me, watching the Administrator Council. These idiots would definitely be disappointed if they saw it in person.
[Administrator Council]
[Attendees:]
[2nd Administrator Libertas]
[8th Administrator Yustitia]
[9th Administrator Patreus]
I thought it would take a while, but everyone joined within 10 minutes. Everyone seems to be on edge, watching how the civil war unfolds.
[Libertas: Hi?]
Libertas’s eyes were a sharp cobalt blue, hard to see outside a computer screen. Not that I’m seeing them outside a screen now, of course.
“Hello.”
[Libertas: You made quite a splash in Beijing. The Peacekeeping Force must have woken up to the sound of banging on their windows……. Even non-Foundation people got caught up in someone else’s family feud.]
The Peacekeeping Force was no better than the Foundation. Which country they were mainly based in, who they supported, and who supported them.
That’s not important right now. I tried to ignore the noisy Administrators and got straight to the point.
“I’ve found Pixel.”
[Libertas: 20 hours later than expected.]
“Sorry.”
[Libertas: What do you want?]
I had already thought about it.
“A Special Forces squad for deployment. And a flight to Michigan.”
[Yustitia: What, I thought you’d ask for intervention. This is simpler than I expected.]
“You wouldn’t agree, would you? Flies are caught with fly swatters, and the more you rely on others’ power, the less meaningful your achievements become.”
[Patreus: Well, maybe.]
[Libertas: Michigan? Why Michigan?]
“Pixel is in Michigan.”
[Libertas: I thought they’d be in California. If you say so.]
“Yes.”
[Yustitia: So that’s why there are four destroyers patrolling Lake Superior? I thought Canada was being invaded.]
“Invading Canada doesn’t make sense.”
[Yustitia: Says the guy who occupied Beijing?]
Yustitia was right, so I had nothing to say. In that situation, doing something predictable and sensible would have been countered.
It couldn’t be helped.
[Libertas: Alright. I’ll arrange a flight to Michigan and three Special Forces squads.]
“Wait, really?”
I didn’t expect them to actually prepare a flight. I could have gotten to Michigan on my own, though Hasti’s power would have been drained a bit.
[Libertas: With four Administrators gathered, that’s nothing. Pixel’s surveillance network is already down. But the schedule might be tight, so keep to the timeline.]
I nodded.
[Yustitia: One question. Dr. Kim, how do you teleport around?]
“I have pet mages. And, you know, I borrow the power of the Librarians.”
Patreus perked up his ears.
[Yustitia: The Infinite Library?]
“Yes.”
[Patreus: Anyway, good luck.]
[Libertas: Dr. Kim. My transport will arrive there in 15 minutes. Good luck.]
“Send some equipment too.”
[Libertas: You’re asking for a lot, Dr. Kim.]
“Ah, just a little.”
I shamelessly pushed as much as I could. Libertas thought for a moment, then sighed.
[Libertas: Fine, I’ll send four semi-submersibles for the Special Forces to Lake Michigan. But that’s all I can do. I don’t want to confront other Administrators head-on either.]
“Understood.”
The Administrator Council ended like that.
Libertas, what do you want?
The scariest thing about fighting the Administrators so far wasn’t their evilness, or how billions of lives could be at the mercy of their whims, or their use of weapons that surpassed natural laws.
It was that the Administrators who went into battle had no greater purpose. I couldn’t tell what they wanted, or if they even wanted anything…….
This organization is rotten to the core, almost turned to coal. I’ll kill all the Administrators who tried to kill me and sweep away the Foundation Headquarters.
Anyway. I’ll think about it after getting to Michigan. The battle to take down Administrator Pixel is right in front of me.
To board Libertas’s transport, I need to move to a location with a clear view of the sky. A location with a clear view of the sky is also a vulnerable location…….
I arrived in Michigan alive.
We occupied a lighthouse on Lake Superior and looked out at the lake. It was the first time I’d seen a horizon that wasn’t the sea.
“What’s the evidence that Pixel is here?”
I looked at Hasti.
“Because it’s the northernmost point.”
“Ah.”
There was more evidence.
“After checking, there are five facilities. But the only lake with US Navy destroyers currently patrolling is Lake Superior. So here.”
“Makes sense.”
“The plan is this. We’ll deploy a warship on the lake to distract the enemy. On-site, there are not only Administrator Pixel’s forces but also US Coast Guard cutters and US Navy destroyers.”
“Okay.”
“Once the exact coordinates of Pixel’s facility are confirmed, our Special Forces will attempt to infiltrate the facility.”
This time, the Hero frowned.
“Where are you getting the warship from?”
“There’s a way.”
Jörmungandr, after being struck by the Hero’s holy sword, was taken down by an anti-tank missile. Jörmungandr’s physical strength might not be that great.
Anyway. The important point is that Jörmungandr’s subspace contains several ships. Especially large, vintage warships.
“The plan is this. We’ll summon Jörmungandr, and Jörmungandr will deploy a large warship on the lake. Then we’ll modify the warship using Clockwork Device supernatural phenomena.”
It’s an unnecessarily complicated plan, but that’s intentional. The key is to let the Special Forces brought by Veritas infiltrate the facility.
“Does that make sense?”
“It doesn’t.”
That’s the point.
To counter the enemy’s precognition, the strategy must be far beyond what they can predict or what is conventionally possible.