Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 571

After realizing that Kaiser had hidden the secret he discovered in the Machine City, Machina,

Lenox finished investigating the remaining facilities of the power plant, gathered the artifacts and data he had obtained, and returned.

“I’ve acquired materials, including daily necessities, from the dormitory and warehouse.”

Ilya, too, seemed to have had her own gains, carrying various books and items like spell catalysts.

“It seems they used a lot of catalysts during the research process, as there are many materials left. If we trace their origins, we might find more clues.”

“Good work.”

Felix said that, then slightly opened his beak upon seeing Lenox, who had arrived late.

“Ban, what’s that…?”

“I found it fallen in the power room.”

Clank!

Lenox replied, having fixed Gilleon’s armored wings with magic and lifted them.

“It’s broken and can’t be used right away, but if we replace the internal parts and reconnect the circuits, we can restore its function.”

Gilleon had possessed unique flight capabilities since decades before antigravity technology was developed.

That was separate from Gilleon’s own mana or abilities; it must be because the armored wings themselves had abilities or functions related to flight.

If he could repair it well and restore its function, Lenox might also gain that ability.

Moreover, since it had some of Kaiser’s blood on it, even though it was contaminated, there was no reason to leave such an item behind.

“Besides that, I’ve acquired a large number of artifacts and research device parts from Kaiser’s lab. Let’s talk in detail once we’re out of the restricted area.”

“That would be good. I’ve finished making some preparations to escort Claude Azlan.”

“What?”

Lenox turned his gaze towards Kyulbaek at those words, then quietly closed his mouth.

Kyulbaek’s neck and wrists were clamped in long steel plates, restrained as if wearing a blade.

Kyulbaek, who had been looking down, smiled at Lenox, looking troubled.

“If this makes you feel safer, I don’t mind….”

“……”

To an 8th-level transcendent, steel plates like these were no different from paper, but it was still better than nothing.

“Enough, let’s move. We’ve got more stuff than I thought, so it’d be good to get a means of transport.”

Lenox said that, then picked a jeep abandoned near the power plant, quickly repaired it, and started the engine.

Woong!

“It’s an old wreck from at least decades ago, and you managed to fix it.”

Felix glanced at the sputtering jeep with a curious look.

Lenox, who was dusting off the steering wheel, replied.

“The parts are old and worn, but the internal structure isn’t completely broken. It must have been working fine decades ago.”

“No, isn’t it broken? If it was parked near the power plant, it must have been heavily affected by the radiation…”

Lenox nodded, seeing Ilya looking puzzled.

“That’s right. The internal wires and circuits were almost all melted away.”

“Then how…?”

“Just replace the paths that supply power to the internal parts with mana.”

“……”

“Materialize mana in the form of thin, long paths, and have it temporarily act as a circuit. It’s not that difficult once you get used to it.”

“It’s not difficult, huh. I can’t even attempt it in the first place.”

“I agree.”

Lenox, taking the group who were responding with bewildered expressions, quickly left the restricted area and arrived at the outer gate of the Kurbas Dam.

Unlike when they first entered the area, the way out was awkwardly smooth.

While Felix explained the situation to Keegan Grimes, who had rushed out with disheveled hair, and handed over Kyulbaek, Lenox leaned against the jeep’s steering wheel and lit a cigarette.

As he scattered the rising smoke and forcibly held onto his consciousness, he saw Kyulbaek being restrained by the soldiers Keegan had brought.

An act of unilateral decision-making and extremely personal and inhumane purpose, not discussed during the operation.

It would be difficult not to address the deviation in an operation started by the Central Council and the Council of Elders.

Claude, too, didn’t seem too surprised, as if he knew this would happen.

Kyulbaek, his whole body bound by the special forces who followed Keegan, stopped abruptly as he walked past Lenox.

“H-hey…!!”

The trembling voice of the special forces member escorting him from behind.

They were escorting him for duty, but they knew how meaningless it was against an 8th-level transcendent.

If Kyulbaek were to lose his reason again and cause a riot, everyone here except Lenox’s group would be torn into pieces of meat.

But Lenox, knowing that, calmly smoked his cigarette as he watched Kyulbaek walk towards him.

Lenox, facing Kyulbaek, whose whole body was surrounded by thick chains and steel ropes like a moving coffin, asked.

“You can walk well even with your limbs bound. Is that also a martial arts technique?”

“You could say that.”

Claude smiled.

“If you want, I can teach you directly.”

“I’ll pass.”

Lenox also chuckled at that reply.

“I’ve been through too much to trust that promise, my head is still ringing.”

“Hahaha….”

Kyulbaek, letting out a weak laugh, said.

“Although Kaiser’s help was there, it was clearly your will that decided my fate.”

“……”

“I will never forget this favor of giving me a chance. I, Claude Azlan, the guardian of the Turyeon Gate, will surely repay you.”

It wasn’t easy to even bow his head with the steel rope wrapped around his neck.

But even so, Kyulbaek slowly bent the restraints around him and bowed his head towards Lenox.

As Lenox watched Kyulbaek disappear beyond the gate without a word, Keegan, who had come next to Lenox, said.

“Mr. Azlan will undergo a military trial and then be transferred to a special prison.”

“Military trial?”

“The matters of the restricted area are treated as operations equivalent to wartime.”

Keegan, looking a decade older than when the operation started, smiled wearily.

“Since he almost ruined the operation itself with his solo actions during wartime, the responsibility will be heavily punished.”

“……”

“As the person in charge of this operation, it will be difficult to avoid charges of treason. He will probably spend a considerable amount of time in prison….”

From the moment he realized he was going mad, he probably had no intention of considering the consequences.

But even though Lenox knew that, the reason he used the pocket watch’s ability to save Kyulbaek at that point wasn’t out of mercy or goodwill.

A rare opportunity to use the pocket watch’s ability on a living human without any consequences or responsibility.

And the existence of the debt that Kyulbaek, who had received that temporary opportunity, would have towards Lenox.

Along with using Kaiser’s power, he thought that if he put Claude Azlan in debt, it would be helpful someday.

Should he hope that he won’t be imprisoned for a long time?

Either way, it was no longer something Lenox could interfere with. Nor should he.

Keegan, with an uneasy and trembling expression, sweated profusely and raised his trembling hand to guide Lenox.

“According to the orders from above, we will first try to settle this matter in the Kurbas Dam control room. Is that alright with you?”

* * *

The conference room of the Kurbas Dam, where they had first planned the operation to enter the restricted area.

The neat scenery of that time was nowhere to be found; the conference room was a mess.

A chaotic scene with all sorts of documents, food scraps, clothes, and even pens and ink rolling around.

It looked as if dozens of people had been staying there for days, working through the night.

Lenox, seeing the dozens of screen transmitters attached to the conference room walls and the dozens of broken communication devices scattered around, easily guessed what had happened.

‘Even when the signal reached us in the middle, they said they had tried about 840 times.’

From the moment they entered the restricted area and lost contact, they must have been trying to contact Lenox while also seeking help from outside to assist with this matter.

As Lenox, Felix, and Ilya took their seats in the conference room, the atmosphere in the room turned heavy.

“……”

They were somehow managing to stay awake, but their attitudes were somewhat dazed.

Even physical ability users of the Saint-level like Felix and Ilya couldn’t help but feel the fatigue from what had happened.

Keegan and the other attendants were no different, all moving with somewhat vacant expressions.

If it weren’t for the settlement of this matter, there would be a lot of people who would have to lie down and rest right away.

Keegan, sitting in the center of the conference room, regained his senses and spoke first.

“About three hours ago, that is, right after communication started to reconnect… we confirmed that the radiation inside the restricted area had completely disappeared.”

“……”

“I would like to congratulate you on the success of the operation inside the restricted area and express my gratitude. It is entirely thanks to you that the water resources of the 20th district were prevented from being completely contaminated and that people were saved.”

At Keegan’s gesture, an attendant who had been standing there with a dazed look hurriedly turned on the projector.

Dark circles were also visible under the eyes of that attendant.

Keegan, who showed the results of the investigation through the projector screen, which showed that the concentration of radiation particles detected in the dam’s water quality had decreased and that the internal landscaping that had not been observed outside the restricted area was now being observed, said.

“However, during the process of carrying out this operation, there were too many violations of responsibility and overstepping of authority on both the field and administrative sides, so I will take responsibility for this matter and step down from my position as manager.”

“……Manager Grimes, is that your own will?”

Felix’s eyes, which had been staring blankly with his beak open, regained focus.

“If it’s not your own will but a result of coercion from others, we can formally raise an objection here.”

“……”

“I know how hard the manager worked for this operation. If you are being forced to take unnecessary responsibility and step down from your position-”

“Thank you for your words, but.”

Keegan smiled and interrupted Felix’s words.

“Stepping down from public office is entirely my own will. In fact, I was thinking about it, which is why I was able to do things without worrying about the aftermath.”

“……I see.”

Felix, looking regretful, closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

Lenox could understand Felix’s thoughts to some extent.

The Kurbas Dam control room, a first-class classified facility where access is strictly prohibited to anyone other than those involved.

Keegan’s judgment was so bold that he invited the chairman of the Cartel, Oliviera, to seek advice, solely with the intention of resolving the incident.

Regardless of how much that judgment helped in this operation, it was natural for Keegan to take responsibility for handling the aftermath.

“What will happen from now on?”

“I’ve been keeping you here to explain that part. I will now tell you how the 25th district will be treated.”

At Ilya’s words, Keegan took a slow breath.

As he gestured around, the other attendants left the conference room in unison, as if they had made a promise.

A quiet scene in the spacious conference room with only four people sitting around the table.

With the soundless stream of water pouring from the dam beyond the window, Keegan quietly opened his mouth.

“Most likely… the 25th district will be released from the isolation measures that have been in place for decades.”

“……”

Everyone understood the meaning and remained silent.

The designation of restricted areas, which had never changed since the districts were divided and developed in the megacity of Balkan.

Was he saying that the 25th district would be the first to end its isolation measures and be released from the restricted area?

“The Upper House of the Central Council had created a manual for changing the use, merging, or dividing districts during the city expansion and development plan. I saw that manual myself a long time ago.”

Keegan continued.

“Among them, there was also a clause that stated that if the purpose of a restricted area was completely exhausted and lost its meaning, the environment of the area would be reconstructed and opened to match the purpose of the surrounding areas.”

“Do you think a manual created decades ago can be followed at this point?”

Lenox asked.

“If it’s just a clause created to prepare for a possible situation, it would be difficult to follow due to the interests of the city government and the council.”

Regardless of whether the relevant clause actually existed, the situation of the megacity had continued to change over the decades.

It wouldn’t be strange if almost none of the city government officials who created the clause at the time were still around.

If it was just a clause created formally to prepare for the future, it would be strange to expect it to be followed.

But Keegan slowly shook his head at Lenox’s words.

“No. The restricted area will almost certainly end its isolation measures and be opened.”

“Why?”

“Because the districts divided by the megacity expansion and development plan are not just the result of simple administrative measures.”

“……”

“The fact that the powerful figures of the past city government erased the names of existing districts and added numbers was not just to make management easier.”

Keegan said emphatically.

“It was their own way of secretly hiding the city’s darkest and greatest secret in the gaps between the districts.”

The city’s darkest and greatest secret.

Who wouldn’t know that it was a byproduct of the failure of the Black Consumer Project?

But the fact that the entire district was reorganized to hide the harm was something even Lenox was hearing for the first time.

Felix, too, didn’t seem to know that fact, as he twitched his bushy eyebrows and moved his beak.

“Are you saying that the byproducts of a project that only existed as a rumor are hidden in the gaps between the districts?”

“Gaps between districts, are you saying that such things actually exist?”

Ilya asked back with a bewildered expression.

“There would be gaps when considering the area of the megacity visible on satellite maps and the actual three-dimensional feel.”

Lenox, who had been thinking while tapping the table, opened his mouth.

“With a bit of spell-like measures, it’s not difficult to create a space that no one knows about during the design phase. Is that what you want to say?”

“No one knows which district has a gap and where in the city that secret is hidden.”

Keegan replied.

“However, the only possibility we can think of at this point, where the truth of the project’s failure exists and it is certain that all the byproducts have not been dealt with, is that.”

“Those are very dangerous words to say while holding the position of manager.”

Felix said, glancing around the conference room.

“Did you dismiss the people from the beginning to explain this fact to us?”

“I thought it was my duty to tell you this after you returned from such a dangerous operation.”

Keegan nodded weakly and said again.

“After receiving a hint from Ms. Maze, I immediately realized what she meant and looked through all the related materials.”

“Maze?”

“Oliviera Ron Maze. It seems you don’t remember the last name.”

Lenox explained instead, seeing Felix tilting his head.

“The chairman of the Cartel gave you a hint directly?”

“Yes. As a result, I realized that the lifting of the restricted area’s isolation measures was not the city government’s own will, but an inevitable measure to maintain the overall structure of the assigned district.”

It wasn’t that they were following a manual that had been set in the past.

Keegan was saying that they had to follow the manual to maintain the district structure of the megacity that they had designated.

Because the countless areas of the megacity that were now assigned through numbers were one of the means to hide their failure.

Keegan, who directly operated the projector and displayed a map of the 25th district, said.

“Since the 25th district is located close to the Kurbas Dam and the 20th residential area, it will probably be used for similar purposes after the isolation measures are lifted.”

“……”

“In the process, various construction projects, development projects, and collaborations will be actively carried out.”

Keegan said that and smiled mischievously for the first time.

“Do you understand what this means?”

“……Huh?”

At Keegan’s sudden question, the group’s expressions changed slightly.

Only then did Lenox understand why Keegan had explained the future of the restricted area while revealing such secrets, and he chuckled.

“I see. Since the city government can’t directly give you compensation, you were thinking of handling it this way?”

“Isn’t it the land of the restricted area that you have directly restored?”

At the same time, the core content of the 25th district redevelopment plan manual naturally appeared on the screen.

It explained where to design the subway and commercial districts, where to build government offices, and how far to expand the district when redeveloping the restricted area.

At that moment, when Felix and Ilya belatedly realized the value of that information and their faces turned slightly pale.

Keegan smiled as he naturally transmitted the map that appeared on the hologram to each of the group’s cell phones.

“Of course, it’s only right that you get the first opportunity to purchase it.”