ushernet Chapter 45
Chapter 45
[Translator - Clara]
[Proofreader - Gun]
Chapter 45: Deciphering the Code (2)
Former Mayor Buzz Hoover wanted to change the outside perception of Baran.
The prejudice of being a city of gambling and alcohol.
Homeless people wandering the streets high on drugs, with corrupt corporations that not only ignored the problem but even encouraged it.
He argued that everything needed to be overhauled for a better future for Baran.
"I heard there was intense behind-the-scenes debate between the city and the corporations. In the end, they agreed to cut just one thing from the equation."
Oscar, listening to Killian’s explanation, muttered,
"It must be drugs."
The corporations would never give up the city's main industries of alcohol and gambling.
Instead, they likely decided to sacrifice the drug industry, something they couldn’t control directly.
"Correct. In fact, Buzz Hoover declared war on drug trafficking organizations."
"And the result?"
"I heard that within just two years, drug distribution in the city decreased by 86%."
"Oh."
It was a far more positive outcome than expected.
Since drug deals were conducted covertly, cracking down on them was extremely difficult.
"But right before the opening of a treatment center for drug addicts, he suddenly died at his home."
"...That sounds a bit suspicious, doesn't it?"
"There are people who believe that drug trafficking organizations assassinated him, while others speculate that a powerful figure, high on drugs, hired the Purple Brigade. But no one knows the truth."
After hearing enough background information, Oscar asked,
"So, what exactly is the material we need to decrypt?"
"I don’t know either. I just heard it's one of the most confidential pieces of information Buzz Hoover possessed."
Most likely, it contained information about political rivals who might have wanted him dead.
At that moment, Oscar thought of the Ara Sweet and asked,
"What about the Sweet family? Did they have any issues with the Hoover family?"
"Hmm? Quite the opposite, actually. Mark Sweet was a staunch supporter of Mayor Buzz and took the lead in the anti-drug campaign. Thanks to this, he’s currently the frontrunner to become the next mayor."
"...Really?"
Maybe his father is a better man than expected?
If that's the case, perhaps spoiling his only daughter was his biggest mistake.
"Hey, they’re coming."
As they rose from the lavish drawing room sofa, the door opened, and a boy, about 13 years old, entered.
Flanking him were six mercenaries standing at attention.
‘All level 4. They must have spent quite a bit.’
Oscar quickly assessed their level and then looked away.
The boy bowed his head politely.
"Nice to meet you. I am Jake Hoover, the eldest son of the family. I heard you are mages from the White Tower?"
"Yes, I am Oscar Crucian, a level 3 mage, and this is..."
"Killian Lockwood, level 4."
"...Killian Lockwood?"
Jake blinked twice and then suddenly exclaimed.
"Oh! Are you the one who recently acted as a bodyguard for Miss Marin Maria?"
"......"
Killian stared blankly at him.
Well, it couldn’t be helped.
Explaining it all would be a hassle.
Oscar shrugged his shoulders and spoke up.
"Yes, this is the renowned saint from the White Tower who dealt with the Udok brothers."
"I never imagined that such a distinguished individual would come to visit us."
Jake, his eyes sparkling with excitement, offered them seats.
He then called for tea to be served and started speaking.
"Did you two come here knowing why I’ve hired mages?"
His gaze remained fixed on Killian, assuming he was the one in charge.
On the other hand, Killian glanced at Oscar every time he was asked a question.
‘He thinks I’m the one making the decisions here?’
Oscar had no choice but to respond.
"I heard you’re looking for someone to decipher an encrypted document."
"Yes, that’s correct."
Realizing that Oscar was the one to converse with, Jake turned his head.
"My father once mentioned that the document contains some of the most confidential and shocking information in Baran City."
"You suspect that the document is related to your father’s death, don’t you?"
"...Yes. To be honest, I was initially skeptical, but I’ve become certain recently."
Oscar replied with a question.
“Who obtained these oath scrolls?”
“I had one of the servants fetch them.”
“Have that servant detained along with these two.”
Oscar waved the scrolls of the two subdued individuals.
“They’re fakes. Ordinary paper, without the divine power of the El Tera Church.”
“...!”
Jake’s eyes widened in shock as he stammered.
“Th-that means...”
“Yes. Those two are not bound by this agreement. They’ve likely already leaked internal information.”
Since they had only signed on fake oath scrolls, they weren’t actually bound by the pact.
Jake, shocked, slumped onto the sofa.
“Is this really possible? Spies...?”
“By now, the other side probably knows everything about what’s happening here.”
Oscar approached Don Frank, who was sweating bullets after being subdued by Killian.
He crouched down, giving him a cold look.
“Who are you working for?”
“D-damn it! I was hired remotely, I don’t know.”
“...”
It wasn’t a lie.
In other words, the employer had prepared thoroughly to cut off any loose ends.
“What kind of information did you leak?”
“The number and level of the hired mercenaries...”
The implication was clear: the opponent knew exactly what to do next.
Oscar turned his head toward Jake.
“They’ll be coming soon to seize the documents. With forces stronger than the mercenaries here.”
“...”
Seeing Jake’s face turn ashen, Oscar threw him a lifeline.
“Hmm. Deciphering the code will cost you 500,000 bels, and hiring me and Killian as mercenaries will be another 500,000. A total of one million bels. What do you say?”
It was probably more expensive than hiring the six mercenaries currently in the room.
But with no time to waste, Jake nodded frantically.
“D-deal. We have a contract.”
“You won’t regret it.”
Oscar smiled lightly and signed the oath scroll.
* * * *
With the enemy possibly attacking at any moment, time was of the essence.
Oscar immediately received the encrypted item.
“This is the bag containing the documents, right?”
“Yes, I found it in my father’s private vault.”
While there was no issue holding the bag by its handle, a powerful magical repulsion occurred every time someone touched the button to open the lid.
“Hmm. There’s quite a lot of protection on this.”
The bag was protected by three spells: ‘Triple Encryption,’ ‘Repulsion,’ and ‘Explosion.’
Any physical attempt to open it would result in the bag and its contents being destroyed.
Jake swallowed hard, his mouth dry.
“...Is it possible?”
“Yes, it is.”
Oscar’s confidence was simple.
These were the kinds of spells he had dealt with countless times in his previous life.
‘During the war, every piece of information had to be encrypted.’
If the documents ended up in the hands of demons, the course of the war could change, holding critical information about the empire and humanity.
Such documents were always subjected to multiple layers of encryption before being sent out.
‘Compared to those, this is... well, triple encryption is child’s play.’
Oscar summoned his magic without hesitation and infiltrated the lid of the bag.
“...”
A multitude of magical codes appeared before his eyes.
Observing them briefly and deducing the patterns, Oscar extracted the correct code and entered it.
It only took him 12 seconds.
As the lid clicked open, Jake blinked in surprise.
“Is it... really done?”
“Yes.”
“...”
Was there a problem?
[Translator - Clara]
[Proofreader - Gun]