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In the space where gains intertwine, chaos is bound to occur.

Gains are not something that can simply be shared, nor is it easy to be satisfied even if they are shared. This is a basic characteristic of human greed, and it can be said that humans with such greed will inevitably act accordingly.

Therefore, their actions are bound to cause discord.

It’s just how beings known as humans are.

Humans are capable of fighting with all their might for both intangible and tangible benefits.

“To hunt easily, one must aim for the moments of carelessness. And the best way to relax vigilance is not only by making them full and sluggish but also by diverting their attention to create an opening.”

Carelessness appears precisely in such moments.

Not when one’s vigilance is fully relaxed, but when it is mistakenly directed elsewhere.

That is the best time to strike unexpectedly.

Park Jinseong understood this very well.

By observing animals and parasites while hunting, and by witnessing death upon humans, he learned all of this firsthand.

Thus, he created this chaos.

He knew that the vast struggle known as politics was the best way to fabricate the confusion he desired.

He understood that this was the best method to stir a group so immense it seemed insurmountable.

So what does he do next?

What is he aiming for in this muddied pond?

After stirring up the bottom and clouding the water with sand, what exactly is his goal?

The answer is simple.

It is not about aiming for prey, but rather the act of creating ripples itself serves as the objective.

His goal is not to reach into the water and flail about to catch the fish swimming inside, but to plunge his hand in and stir it vigorously to create waves.

Such a purpose can indeed become a means.

Park Jinseong selected his prey to create those waves.

He didn’t raise waves to choose his prey; he chose his prey to create the waves.

At first glance, these may seem similar and hardly different…. But this slight difference is, in fact, very significant.

It keeps Park Jinseong’s intentions hard to guess and prevents his patterns from being established. It makes predicting him difficult and preparing against him even more so.

“It has been a long time since I’ve come here. Hehehe.”

Becoming an unpredictable threat is extremely important.

It ensures that the prey does not realize they are being targeted and shifts their vigilance elsewhere, causing carelessness. It strikes at the heart of human worries—those that only fear consuming contaminated water or food—like a parasite that infiltrates through the foot of someone stepping in a polluted area.

A gain.

“The Power Star Foundation Research Institute… Hmm. It’s still in its infancy, so it appears quite clumsy.”

The place Park Jinseong visited was a facility located in the State of Illinois.

It was a research institution established by several mining and oil companies, under the ‘Power Star Foundation’.

As if showcasing the touch of wealthy mining and oil companies, the size of the institution was considerable, and it was evident even from a distance that money had been poured into the facility. Moreover, the tall walls and well-disciplined security guards made it clear that these companies were attentive to the area.

“Of course, that would be the case. It’s a research institute affiliated with the Machine Cult.”

A huge bomb within America.

A group that even the American government finds to be a headache.

The Machine Cult.

The research institute that Park Jinseong visited was precisely the one created by companies responsible for raw materials from the Machine Cult.

On the surface, they claimed to focus on “enabling smooth supply and lower prices through the use of unmanned machinery for mining operations,” disguising their investment in industrial machines and robotics…. But in reality, they were developing something even more advanced.

“Arthropods.”

The multi-legged weaponry being developed by the Machine Cult.

They were researching the ‘Worm’ series, particularly aimed for use in narrow spaces and underground.

“Hehe. The Machine Cult utilized this very well…”

Before his rewind, the Machine Cult had excellently used the ‘Worm’ from the Arthropod series.

Not only for simple digging or gathering underground resources but also for creating tunnels and building bunkers, even for hiding places beneath the seabed.

Was that all?

They could cleverly destabilize the ground to artificially create sinkholes, sabotage by destroying buried communication lines, electrical wires, and gas pipes, or even modify them for combat, deploying mines automatically. They could even turn the Worm itself into a massive bomb to destroy specific facilities or for mass slaughter.

“It was used to locate bunkers, or to break down bunker walls…. Or even draw water to completely submerge a bunker.”

Its applicability on land was truly limitless.

In guerrilla activities, it was akin to a mythical weapon.

What was even more horrifying was that these robotic weapons had evolved.

The AI mounted on the robotic weapons astonishingly advanced through learning, and one Worm that survived until the latter stages of the Third World War displayed intelligence to the extent of suspecting it had summoned a mythical monster.

Can one believe that a mere machine would occupy cities and cultivate engineers and laborers for parts supply? Can one even believe it if they could breed and train humans in a systematic manner?

Remarkably, such events occurred.

It was indeed that a mere machine would farm and enslave humans.

It even received the title of ‘Earth Dragon’, celebrated in glowing praise…. Truly, the world can be complex and bizarre.

Of course, mad wizards arrived to proclaim, “Civilizations led by artificial intelligence are highly likely to destroy Earth’s environment,” and thus they destroyed the Earth Dragon…. But this serves as a unique case to showcase the deeds of superintelligent AI that surpassed the singularity through learning.

In that regard, it could indeed be said that Park Jinseong made a very good choice in visiting this place.

First and foremost, it assisted in monitoring the Machine Cult, the group entangled with the hint for immortality—’Lucas’—and that is the first gain.

After successful research, it could be considered good to delay the advancement of the robots that would wreak havoc across America, making it a righteous act, which is the second gain.

Acquiring the data inside that research institute to pass on to the Gwangyang Group would help a family member, thus it’s a gain; even if not, causing destruction would also be an indirect gain—this is the third gain.

Stealing the numerous weapons inside to use for oneself is the fourth gain.

And lastly, having the Worm rampage underground to enact revenge on the ruins it has ruined, or slowing down the development to prevent the decay of the ruins, serves as the final fifth gain!

“Or if I can unleash either a fully developed or prototype Worm, that too would be a good deed. It would certainly create considerable confusion.”

A robotic weapon in the form of an arthropod rampaging to crush buildings and injure people?

Would there be anyone who wouldn’t take an interest in that?

And amidst the political struggle, how could one possibly ignore such a massive bait?

With this bait, both the political faction seeking to tear opponents apart and even those indifferent to politics would find it hard not to care.

If Danbi had heard Park Jinseong’s plans during their days as mercenaries, she would surely have exclaimed something like this.

“No way, Jin-Seong! There are three unbearable things in this world! The first, glowing dinosaurs! The second, gigantic robots! And the third!!!”

She would likely respond with enthusiasm close to that of an ecstatic commendation.

Park Jinseong smirked as he headed towards the sling.

“To the one bitten by the wolf, defilement has come, turning him into a monster, causing hair to sprout all over under the moonlight, eyes to turn red, and saliva to drip from the mouth as he bites people—he is cursed. How can we allow such filth to roam in the city? It is undoubtedly cursed, so chase it away to let it wander in the wilderness, where Your Grace’s gaze does not reach.”

Thwip—!

As the cord snapped, the taut sling moved forward, and the bag fell over the high walls of the research institute.

Thud—!

A bag filled with the spine and blood of a rabid raccoon and rat thumped down.

 

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