Chapter 20: Illegal Alien (18)
Checkpoint.
Its official name was Descent Gate 0, the only authorized access control facility separating Magiterra's Surface Level and Lower Level.
Managed by Gardin Security Corporation, this place was known as the second most heavily guarded facility in Magiterra.
Outfitted with countless surveillance drones and automated turrets, the gate processed a significant volume of supplies daily, making it a major client for defense contractors.
If this had been an airport, perhaps there would have been a VIP lane.
But no such thing existed.
After all, there was no reason for a VIP to come here.
Most people passing through this gate were headed down.
Convicts, tax evaders, lower-class citizens stripped of residency permits, or corporate castoffs.
And finally, those deemed useless to society.
Of course, they said people occasionally came back up.
But the staff at Descent Gate 0 treated such stories purely as urban legends, scoffing at anyone who believed them.
Those who went down did not return.
No, they could not return.
At least, in all their time working here, they had never seen anyone come back up.
That was why they did not treat the people passing through here like human beings.
Sexual harassment was standard procedure if a decent-looking woman passed by, while punches and kicks awaited any man who looked weak.
They were nothing more than sandbags for stress relief.
That day was no different.
A male guard held a scrawny man in place.
Another guard flipped through the man's documents and smirked.
"Removal of food scheduled for disposal?"
A colleague stepped over and glanced at the papers in his hand.
"What is it?"
"Look at this. He phrased 'digging through trash' real nicely."
At those words, the colleague burst out laughing.
"That's theft of corporate assets."
"Exactly. Doesn't he know even the trash belongs to the corporation?"
The two took turns mocking the man, but the scrawny man could only keep his head bowed in silence.
A guard shoved his shoulder, and the man collapsed onto the floor.
"Get up."
As the man tried to push himself up, the guard stepped on his hand.
"Nah, take it easy. Screening isn't over yet."
Pain contorted the man's face.
It was then—
A low engine rumble echoed from the distance.
Several luxurious black vehicles came into view.
The unusual scene made the guard lift his foot off the scrawny man.
"What's this?"
The colleague muttered.
"Those look like super expensive cars, don't they?"
"Why are they coming here?"
It happened occasionally.
Rare occasions when a high-and-mighty elite was forced to descend to the Lower Level.
Whenever that happened, the checkpoint staff thought they had hit the jackpot and thoroughly enjoyed the situation.
Because the upper elites, who usually looked down on them like bugs, had to wait for their permission in front of this gate.
Holding back a snicker, the male guard walked toward the convoy.
As several automated turrets tracked the approaching vehicles, the fleet stopped right before the inspection line.
The male guard gave the car window a slow, deliberate knock.
Tap, tap.
"Inspection. Roll down your window and prepare for identity verification."
There was no response from inside the car.
The guard frowned.
"Can't you hear me? This isn't a place you can just breeze through."
He gestured for them to lower the window.
"I said, roll down the window!"
As the car window slowly rolled down, the guard was struck speechless.
Because staring back at him past the glass was not a face, but the barrel of a gun.
In that instant, all his composure vanished completely.
"Uh…"
Barely swallowing a gasp, he peeked past the barrel into the back seat.
An old man with silver-white hair sat inside.
"Uh, u-uh…"
Not just any old man, but one whose face was everywhere.
Sometimes on the corporate promotional screens in the checkpoint lobby, sometimes on economic news during public broadcasts.
Blood drained from the guard's face as he recognized Edrian Arkwright, the Director of Seraph Industries.
Whose window had he just dared knock on to demand identity verification?
Only then did he realize Edrian wasn't even looking at him.
The old man uttered a single command.
"Open."
A single word.
That was enough.
The guard stumbled backward and yelled.
"O-open the gate!"
A flustered voice came through from the control room.
"But procedure says…"
The guard screamed at the top of his lungs.
"It's Arkwright! Open the gate!"
* * *
The hidden elevator descended soundlessly.
Inside, Edrian Arkwright stood with his hands clasped behind his back, eyes fixed on the floor indicator.
[LL-12]
[LL-13]
[LL-14]
Every time the number ticked down, it felt as if his heart sank along with it.
He was anxious, but he did not show it.
For he was Edrian Arkwright, the Director of Seraph Industries and the current head of the Arkwright Family.
He could no longer afford to show any weakness in front of his subordinates.
A bodyguard standing beside him asked carefully.
"Director, are you all right?"
Edrian replied without shifting his gaze.
"I'm fine."
But how could he be fine?
He could only think of what Rin Arkwright, his granddaughter, might have endured in the Lower Level over the past few days.
[Arrived at LL-20.]
A soft chime sounded inside the elevator.
As the doors parted, the sight of the Lower Level met Edrian's eyes for the first time.
Even the air was different.
And above all…
So were the people.
Edrian was briefly rendered speechless by the shockingly bleak reality of the Lower Level.
Rin is in a place like this…
He had known through reports, but those were merely numbers vaguely checked on paper.
"…"
As Edrian's anxiety deepened—
"Director."
The new security chief spoke softly.
"Please stay behind us."
As Edrian gave a slow nod, the guards moved immediately.
Two in front, two flanking, one at the rear.
The rest stayed close to protect Edrian.
The residents of the Lower Level parted on their own as the group passed, but those who failed to know their place and blocked the way were thoroughly punished.
Edrian said nothing as he watched, but a corner of his heart grew even heavier.
Did Rin also walk through a place like this? Constantly hunted, unable to trust anyone.
Every time that thought crossed his mind, Edrian wanted to kill Pale all over again.
Before long, the security chief raised a hand.
At the hand signal, the group halted in unison.
LL-20, Room 1409.
Edrian's heart pounded wildly.
One officer took position by the door while two others covered the flanks.
The security chief gave a silent countdown with his fingers.
Bang!
An operative kicked open the door and breached the room.
"Left clear!"
A second followed instantly.
"Right checked!"
The third and fourth operatives swept inside in quick succession.
Gun barrels swept the room.
"Targets spotted!"
"Two adult males!"
"No weapons visible!"
Edrian looked inside from behind his guards.
It was a cramped, dark, and run-down room.
His eyes landed on the two standing in the center.
A young man with black hair and black eyes, and an old man with a magnifying lens over one eye.
Both held their arms up to show they were unarmed.
While the old man broke out in a cold sweat, the black-haired youth remained unnaturally calm—as if he had known all along they were coming.
Even with multiple guns trained on him, he did not bat an eye.
Edrian's gaze paused on the young man.
At that moment—
Hearing a tiny breath from behind a curtain, Edrian turned his head.
One of the bodyguards immediately aimed his weapon toward the curtain.
"Someone's behind there!"
Edrian's heart sank into his stomach.
And then—
"Don't shoot!"
He shouted reflexively.
The worn curtain swayed slowly, revealing a small figure.
She was far more emaciated than a few days ago, but she was alive.
Rin Arkwright was right there.
Edrian felt his breath catch for a moment.
"…Rin."
Rin's blue eyes trembled at his raspy voice.
At first, she could say nothing.
Then she finally managed to part her lips.
"Grandpa…"
In that instant, the mask slipped from Edrian's face.
The Director of Seraph Industries, head of the Arkwright Family, and the man feared by countless people on the Surface Level…
None of those titles mattered.
He was merely an old man who had almost lost his granddaughter.
As he stepped past his bodyguards and moved forward, Rin took a cautious step before throwing herself into Edrian's arms.
"Grandpa!"
Holding Rin close, Edrian felt her small body trembling.
His grip tightened involuntarily, just to confirm, and confirm again, that his granddaughter was truly alive.
"It's all right."
Edrian continued in a slightly shaky voice.
"It's all right now. I'm here."
Rin could not speak; she only clutched tightly to his coat.
Sobs broke from her, as if the breath she had been holding finally burst forth.
"I was so scared…"
Hearing that, the edges of Edrian's eyes hardened.
"I know."
He gently stroked Rin's hair.
"I'm sorry."
Rin shook her head.
"No. It was… I acted on my own…"
"No."
Edrian spoke firmly.
"It is not your fault."
He grasped Rin's shoulders and examined her face closely, making sure she was not hurt or sick.
"What about Pale?"
Rin's face stiffened.
That reaction alone told Edrian everything he needed to know.
The girl bit her lip, tears dripping as she continued.
"He… He tried to kill me."
Edrian closed his eyes briefly.
He had already suspected it, but hearing it directly from his granddaughter's lips brought indescribable anguish.
"I understand. You don't have to worry anymore."
Rin buried her face back into Edrian's chest.
Edrian held her in silence for a while.
It was then.
An excessively nonchalant voice cut into the room.
"Sorry to break up the touching reunion."
Edrian's gaze slowly turned toward the owner of that voice.
The black-haired, black-eyed young man stood there with his hands still raised.
Without caring much that multiple gun barrels were pointed straight at him, he asked calmly:
"Is there no reward?"
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