Chapter 221 Suspicion Arises
"Oh?" Elbert raised an eyebrow. "The Iron Brothers, right? Bodyguards for the Browns?"
It all clicked. No wonder Iron Four was the highest-ranking one here. The other three must be off on missions around the world.
He nodded, ready to leave, but Trinity's voice stopped him.
"Mr. Perry, where are you going?"
"Victoria," he said, his gaze hardening. "Into the lion's den."
Iron Three stepped forward, looking determined. "Sir, let me come with you. I'll have your back."
Elbert paused, patting his shoulder. "Your sniping skills are great, Iron Three, but they won't cut it against the cyborgs in Victoria."
"With all due respect, sir, you're underestimating me," Iron Three said firmly. "I'm the best sniper in the special forces. I never miss, not within 2,300 yards."
"I won't be a burden, sir," he insisted.
Elbert smiled, a bit sadly. "You have potential, Iron Three, real potential. But you still have a lot to learn. I know a sniper whose skills are unmatched. I'll introduce you someday. She'll teach you things you can't even imagine."
He opened his hand, showing a single, gleaming bullet. A Barrett M95.
Iron Three stared, jaw dropping.
"You were 0.3 seconds late," Elbert explained calmly. "A sniper had Trinity in his sights. I intercepted the bullet. If I hadn't, she'd be dead."
Fear washed over Iron Three. He hadn't sensed or seen anything.
Elbert's voice softened. "Don't be discouraged. You're the best, at least among ordinary humans. I know the loyalty and courage of the Iron Family. Come find me when you have time. I can show you a world beyond your dreams."
Iron Three hesitated, torn between his orders and this opportunity. "But sir, Officer Reed told me to stay by your side."
"Your duty is to Miss Trinity now," Elbert corrected gently. "Officer Reed trusts me to handle myself."
He glanced back at the orphanage, his expression grim. "There's a lot to do here, Iron Three. Make sure those responsible for this atrocity face justice. Wipe out these child trafficking rings in Veridiania. Promise me."
Iron Three snapped to attention, saluting sharply. "Yes, sir! You have my word."
Elbert nodded, turning to leave. But Trinity was at his side again, eyes blazing with determination.
"Elbert," she declared, "I'm going with you. To Victoria."
He met her gaze with a hint of a smile. "Alright. You're a Victoria agent, after all. Consider it an official assignment. You can handle the cleanup for me."
Relief and excitement washed over Trinity. She felt like she'd found a hidden treasure.
"Elbert," she said, concerned, "you don't have a car. Let's take mine. It's a long drive to the airport."
Elbert chuckled, shaking his head. He looked up at the sky, a distant whirring sound growing louder.
A sleek, black helicopter descended from the clouds, its rotors beating the air like a giant bird. The number '00001' was emblazoned on its side.
Trinity stared, speechless, as the helicopter landed. Elbert was already climbing aboard.
"Coming, Trinity?"
She snapped out of her daze, scrambling into the helicopter.
The journey was long, even for the Bell-210, a civilian version of a military aircraft. It would take over twenty hours to reach Victoria, with two refueling stops along the way.
As they flew, Trinity tried to process everything. Elbert, the unassuming programmer, was Paul Two, the enigmatic underworld figure. It was a lot to take in.
But the helicopter... that was a whole new level of mystery. Underworld bosses didn't usually travel in such flashy, high-profile rides.
She discreetly uploaded the helicopter's registration info to headquarters. The response left her even more puzzled.
The helicopter belonged to the Creator Group. Specifically, it was the personal transport of the company's CEO—Paul Three— The programming genius. The rising star in international business. The man behind Creator Group, Witness Investment Company, and the newly established Pioneer Industrial Group.
Wealth, status, power... Paul Three had it all.
Trinity remembered Elbert's words: "I'm a programmer, part-time underworld member."
'A programmer.'
'Elbert... you're Paul Three,' she realized, astonished. 'And you're being incredibly modest.'
Her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and awe.
She had thought a man as handsome and charming as Elbert would be easily smitten with her. Now she realized just how extraordinary he truly was.
Trinity stole a glance at Elbert, her heart racing. For the first time in her life, she felt a flicker of insecurity. She, the stunningly beautiful Trinity, had never felt this way in her twenty-something years.
Yet, she couldn't help but feel drawn to him, captivated by his intelligence, power, and commanding presence.
But throughout the journey, Elbert remained distant, his expression unreadable. An invisible barrier seemed to surround him, making even Trinity, a B-level cyborg, hesitant to speak.
Elbert, meanwhile, was preoccupied with global matters. He was coordinating with Robert Williams, using their combined resources to uncover the truth behind the cyborg threat.
Aside from known projects at FutureTech Group and Bennyburg Medical School, their search for human modification institutions yielded no concrete results. Only rumors and unverified reports surfaced.
"Powerful criminals sighted in restricted areas."
"Unexplained phenomena, possibly involving non-human entities."
Elbert frowned. He understood the government and special forces keeping a tight lid on information, perhaps using secure channels beyond the internet's reach. But for private organizations to be so cautious... it was concerning.
'How many more secret modification facilities are out there, operating in the shadows? How many more innocent lives are being sacrificed for their twisted experiments?'
A sense of urgency grew within him.
Meanwhile, a steady stream of emails arrived from the Northern Sea Pavilion's envoy. The underground network they were building was vast, reaching into every major city in Veridiania.
Their ranks swelled daily, now numbering in the thousands. Among them were dozens of modified individuals, each in positions of influence and power.
They were preparing for the day "Godlike" would be unleashed upon the world.
Elbert suspected Steven's plan to reshape the world order wouldn't be as straightforward as he thought. He was underestimating the forces at play, the hidden players waiting for their moment to strike.
Steven was too focused on his own creations, blind to the possibility of a greater power lurking in the shadows, ready to pounce.
Elbert's brow furrowed. He knew his growing influence wouldn't go unnoticed. Creator was a powerful company, yes, but still just a company. The Black Fox gang, for all its might, was composed of ordinary humans.
When the storm hit, he couldn't rely on them alone. He needed to be prepared.
To face the coming darkness, he needed strength. Overwhelming strength.
And in that moment, a long-dormant project resurfaced in his mind: M-069.
"Robert Williams," Elbert said firmly, "it's time we developed our own cyborg technology."
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