LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 53 – Paranoia
July 1st, 15:20 (GMT +8)
China Shanghai
Shanghai Pudong International Airport
Trr*
Screech* Screech* Screech*
Our plane successfully landed, and I could finally stand without holding the cargo for support.
I looked to my right and saw a young, busty Asian woman in her early twenties wearing short jeans, a black tank top, a white jacket, and white sports shoes. Her black hair was long and straight and looked fair and pretty.
Meanwhile, I looked like a handsome Chinese guy wearing summer clothes.
"Are you ready, Tess?" - I asked.
"Yes, Iver. I already concealed my mental energy." - Tess answered.
"Good. Prepare yourself. We will teleport in a moment." - I said and walked to the side window.
Looking outside, I didn't see any police or anything, which struck me as odd.
"Weird. I thought they would make a trap or something. Was I overthinking it?" - I thought.
"What's wrong, Iver?" - Tess asked.
"... Nothing. Give me your hand." - I extended my hand to her.
After Tess held my hand, we teleported on the airport's roof and then teleported two more times before we were in an alley somewhere.
"Phew... Okay. The first step is done." - I sighed in relief and put on Arly.
"Arly, make an encrypted call to my sister." - I said.
I first had to check how Jess was doing. I didn't take her and Ewan with me before because I can't babysit them all.
It might sound cruel, but I believe she wouldn't get hurt, at least not immediately.
However, if they try doing anything to her, I plan on threatening to commit Mundicide, the killing of everyone. And if they start hurting her and threaten me to surrender myself, I plan on going through with it.
Cyber attacks, diseases, and terraformer fruits. I would hit them like a hammer.
They won't even have the chance to defend themselves. This world would become an Ascended world.
No more world hunger. No more disease. No more wars. No more greedy bureaucrats.
There would be world peace, and harmony would be restored to this dystopian world.
And although I would feel guilty about doing this, I will do it.
"Of course, that is under the premise they start torturing her." - I thought.
Drr*
Bip*
{Iver? Why are you calling so late? It's midnight...} - Jess said tiredly.
I looked up at the sky. It was still bright and shining.
"Ah, right. There is a 15-hour difference."
"Sis? Is everything okay on your side?" - I asked.
{Yawn* It was until you called.} - Jess grumbled.
"Okay, sorry to bother you. Good night." - I said.
{Good night, Iver.}
Bip*
"... Somethings off. She should have been captured by now." - I frowned.
Logically speaking, they should have targeted her by now, likely to extract info on me, so it was weird to hear she wasn't.
Of course, I am happy they didn't. It's just that it was weird.
"Maybe they are just monitoring her?" - Tess suggested.
"... Maybe." - I muttered.
I then thought of something.
"Arly, did I get any messages or emails?"
[Yes, Iver. Here.] - Arly said and showed me my messages and emails.
"Hm... Junk, Junk... what's this? Sun's Advent?" - I raised an eyebrow.
The name struck me as odd and almost familiar, especially the word "Sun.".
I opened it and saw an apology letter from someone named Filip Manners.
Dear Gulliver Goodman, the new True Sun,
Representing my group, Sun's Advent, I apologize for any inconvenience or stress we have caused you.
We are a world-spanning secret society dedicated to creating a new True Sun, which is you now, and ushering in a new era for humanity. Know that we are not your enemies but your allies.
To amend any strain between us, we have taken the following actions:
First, we have called back all our forces hunting you, and from now on, Sun's Advent forces will never target you again. And, of course, any damage done will be reimbursed.
Second, we placed personal protection on your close relatives. This is not a threat but a gesture of goodwill. If you don't wish them to be protected, send back a message, and the bodyguards will be called off.
And third, I give you the True Sun seat of Sun's Advent, which makes you the de facto leader and living god of Sun's Advent.
I also have a Swiss bank account which I transferred under your name, containing $1B, but I suppose you are rightfully too scared to use it since money can be traced. I left the details below in any case.
Anyways, I suppose you will only pop up when you feel safe enough but know we welcome you with open arms.
Sincerely, Filip Manners, Guardian of Sun's Advent.
====
Here are the credit card details:
Account number: *******
.
.
.
"... What the fuck...?" - I uttered.
That was so out of the blue I couldn't even start explaining my exasperation.
"What?" - Tess asked beside me.
"See for yourself." - I said and handed Arly over.
Tess put on Arly and read the message.
A few moments later...
"What the fuck...?" - She made a weirded-out face.
"I know, right?" - I gave a knowing look.
"Do you think it's a trap?" - Tess asked.
"I have no idea, but I plan on following the suggestion in that letter and waiting until I am confident enough." - I said and took back Arly.
In any case, I should now have time to develop a little. I guess that, by September, I'll have the confidence to face them.
"So, what do we do now?" - Tess asked.
"Simple. Since they are not looking for us anymore, we can go around making rich or powerful "friends."." - I smiled.
...
Sometime earlier...
Inside an interrogation room.
A pretty woman in her mid-twenties sat facing two empty seats.
"Where is my lawyer?! I want to see my lawyer!" - The woman demanded.
However, no sound was heard.
"Ugh... What the hell did Iver do? Terrorist? And pigs fly. Did Iver get some bad friends? Or do they want something from him?" - The woman thought.
Just as she was thinking that...
The door was opened, and an aged man in a tailored suit and a middle-aged blond woman with a black uniform entered the interrogation room.
The young woman defiantly glared at them as they sat facing her.
"Jessica Goodman, do you know why you are here?" - The blond woman asked.
"I'm not speaking a word until my lawyer comes." - Jessica glared at them.
"Yes, you will. Look into my eyes." - The blond woman said, her blue eyes shining a pink hue.
"Hah...? I... Yes... I will answer." - Jessica's eyes turned dull.
"Sir Filip, everything is ready." - The blond woman said respectfully.
"Hm." - The aged man nodded.
He then started asking his first question.
"Your Great Grandfather had an amulet with a black stone. Where did he get it?" - Filip asked.
"He claimed it came from an adventure during his younger days in Alaska. I am unsure if it is true or false." - Jessica answered.
Filip nodded and continued.
"Does your brother have the amulet?" - He asked.
"Yes. Great Grandpa gave it to him." - Jessica nodded.
"Do you know what it is used for?" - He asked.
"Tacky piece of jewelry." - Jessica responded.
"... Ignorance is truly bliss." - Filip shook his head.
Jessica didn't answer, her eyes still dull.
He then continued questioning.
"Where is Gulliver?" - Filip asked.
"In his rented apartment." - Jessica answered.
"Which he left several days ago. It seems they are not that much in contact, or perhaps he wanted to leave it as a surprise." - The blond woman said.
"No matter. Where would he go if being hunted down?" - Filip asked.
"Anywhere. He is not bound by anything." - Jessica answered.
"Hm. Any behavior patterns or weaknesses you know?" - Filip asked.
"I am unsure about his current behavior, but he is relatively gentle, kind, upright, hardworking, a hardass, and likes making money, but is unpredictable, selfish, and paranoid. As for weaknesses, he has a weakness toward women but suffers from an undiagnosed childhood trauma that makes his romantic life difficult. And he tends to be greedy when a large opportunity presents itself. And he also tends to overthink things but gets easily influenced by social pressure. He doesn't have any other weakness." - Jessica absent-mindedly answered.
"Oh? Even you are not his weakness?" - Filip asked, a bit surprised.
"No. Although Iver cares about me as his big sister and likely the person he cares about the most, I wouldn't go as far as say I am a weakness." - Jessica answered.
"So if I somehow let him receive a video of us chopping off one of your fingers, threatening to chop you piece by piece if he doesn't surrender... What will he do?" - Filip leaned forward and darkly asked.
"It would backfire on you. We were taught to be unyielding in the face of threats, so he will likely consider me dead then and there. He would then start planning revenge with all his resources, possibly lasting for years, before causing the most damage he can, disregarding innocent lives. In his words, he would rather burn the house with the burglars inside instead of giving them what they want." - She numbly said.
"... And if he perceives all the world governments as his enemy, but the people are innocent, and he has the power to destroy the world, would he do it?" - Filip asked, his face gloomy.
"It depends on the situation, and it would pain him greatly, but I believe it isn't beneath him to kill every living being on the planet. However, he likely won't do it since he values his life." - Jessica said.
"... And what if he has a way to go to another world identical to Earth?" - Filip's face turned ugly.
"Then he won't have many qualms about it." - Jessica answered.
Filip's face turned even uglier.
As for the middle-aged blond woman, her face turned pale.
Jessica remained silent and unmoving, only breathing the air she needed to survive.
After half a minute, Filip finally exhaled.
"... Send her back to her cell. And bring her boyfriend next." - He ordered.
"Yes, Sir!" - The blond woman saluted and turned to the girl.
"Follow me." - She ordered.
"Okay." - Jessica numbly stood up and followed.
Several minutes later...
"Who are you guys?! Why are you doing this?!" - Ewan demanded.
"You don't need to know. Do it, Cara." - Filip ordered.
"Be obedient now..." - The blond woman, Cara, said. Her eyes shined pink.
Ewan's eyes behind his glasses went vacant.
"Now, tell me, what do you know about your girlfriend's brother, Gulliver?" - Filip asked, not expecting much.
"He is a dangerous person. At the very least, I believe he either has strong backing or is the top-most programmer and hacker in the world." - Ewan said.
"Hm? Why say that? Tell me the full details." - Filip raised an eyebrow.
"It all started..."
And then Ewan told him what happened when he drank with Iver and their plan to use games Iver provided to make Billions.
"... Send him out... Oh, and bring me a report on Tess Hudson's recent activities. That one with the stocks." - Filip suddenly said.
"Yes, Sir!" - Cara saluted, but her face was noticeably paler.
A few minutes later...
Cara stood beside him while Filip looked over Tess's earnings in the last month.
Tess didn't earn much until this Monday when her money-earning pattern suddenly rose to an average of $200,000.
At first glance, it isn't much, but when you add the previous clues, things start to add up into a bad premonition.
"... He went to a futuristic world, didn't he?" - He concluded with an ugly expression.
The alien texts in the Alaskan ruins spoke of the amulet and its godly powers. And one of those powers is the ability to travel between realities.
And one of the worst-case scenarios they could think of is a futuristic world.
Such a world should be filled with diseases and plagues, the type their world is poorly equipped to face. It could make COVID look like a damn joke in comparison. It would be like the black death all over again, but worse.
And if he gets his hands on some advanced AI with the power of a supercomputer, he can very well damage the foundations of modern society, causing incalculable damage.
"... We just messed with an elusive, paranoid, and dangerous psychopath with a world-ending button at his fingertips and a safe escape route. And we are this close to making him push the button..." - Filip concluded, his face haggard, looking like he aged ten years.
"... Do we surrender, sir?" - Cara asked with a scrunched face.
"... Call off the net, cancel their status as internationally wanted terrorists, and fix their house. Also, delete those two's memories of being here. And they have a trip to Paris, am I right?" - Filip asked.
"That is correct, Sir." - Cara nodded.
"Good. Give them first-class seats, hotel lounging, and food. My treat. Say it is some secret lottery. And make sure to arrange special bodyguards for them. If even a hair on their head gets damaged, we might not be able to bear the consequences." - Filip grimaced.
"Of course, Sir. But... we give up just like that, Sir?" - Cara strangely asked.
"What do you want me to do? Cause armageddon? Sun's Advent is all about the betterment of humanity as a race by creating ourselves a god since the Abrahamic god is certainly dead, and if we can't have the amulet for ourselves without causing doomsday, then let the little punk have it and become our new god. At least he isn't worse than the other candidates." - Filip spat.
"But what will the other elders say?" - Cara asked.
"Those old senile fools are a bunch of cowards who like manipulating behind the scenes but don't have the orbs to face life-threatening danger. They will break at the first sign of trouble. Chances are, they would even try to curry favor with the little punk so he will extend their lifespans." - Filip disdainfully said.
"And what about him? Do we call for peace?" - Cara asked.
"I will send a message to his old phone and email, but he would probably not believe it since he is paranoid. He would likely wait until he has absolute confidence before he does anything again." - Filip grumbled, feeling a headache.
"Hopefully, he doesn't cause too much chaos until then. Hah... I'm too old for this shit." - He sighed.
