Chapter 161   - God of Crime #3

He already checked that the Shooting Spree skill could be used with taser guns.

‘The problem is the output.’

Once he fired a few shots, all of the stored electricity would be exhausted. There would surely be a lot of clowns waiting in the Clown’s headquarters. In order to fight them, he had to solve the problem of his power shortage.

‘Yes, connect it to Machina’s drive...’

Tae-hyuk carried a big climbing bag. They weren’t visible, but steel parts were stored inside. It contained the mechanical arm Machina. He could connect it directly to a power supply and treat it like his own arm.

It would be better if he could replace his own arm, but he decided to be satisfied with his much. The risk of using Body Modification was too great.

‘Let’s test it out.’

Tae-hyuk focused and moved Machina.

Kkikikikik!

The machine arm protruded from the backpack and smashed the bricks placed in front of it. Tremendous havoc! It was just a prototype, but he could still use it as a weapon.

"Science and technology has developed much more than the public thinks.”

These advanced technologies were being studied by many laboratories in the country. This was what the Clown was aiming for. The pierrots were running around and getting people’s attention. The Clown was preparing to rob the research institutes. Tae-hyuk planned to rescue Ha-ran while the Clown was distracted by that.

"After that, I can sell the name of Phantom.”

The time limit to move Machina was 120 minutes. Furthermore, shooting the taser guns would consume energy as well. After entering the institute, he had to move as quickly as possible. He checked the time and saw that it was currently 8 p.m. In order to infiltrate a place, it needed to be dark so that the opponent’s visibility was restricted.

“...I still have bombs and ammunition for a frontal breakthrough.”

However, there was a chance he would become caught by the Demon Revealing Mirror again. In addition, Seo Ha-ran was a hostage so he needed to make sure she wasn’t in danger. The place where the Clown was based was a secluded area of the research institute.

Tae-hyuk had been here once with Ha-ran so it wasn’t hard to find the way. At that moment, he heard voices as a group of men and women walked out of a building at Wolsang University.

"Are you sure you asked for proxy attendance?’

"Of course! Anyway, the professors of this faculty doesn’t even take attendance properly!”

“Yes... The other day, a man was imitating a woman.”

“Fufufufufu! Isn’t that amazing? That is a bit much...”

They seemed like people attending night classes at the university. They mistook Tae-hyuk for someone attending the same university. They waved and greeted him as they walked by.

“Eh? Are you going to class? I think it’s already started, so you should run.”

The group laughed and disappeared into the darkness. Tae-hyuk shrugged and turned to go down a path. Then there was the familiar sound of a notification.

Ttiring.

[Crime Skill: Proxy Attendance has been learned.]

“...W-What? I can freely skip school if I have this?”

It seemed useless. No, he was already doing well without the help of the crime skills. After becoming a King, it seemed he could learn the skill just by witnessing a crime scene.

"When I think about it, having someone attend class for you is a crime as well.”

It felt cute since he had only learned bloody things for a while. Tae-hyuk licked his lips.

Not long ago, he would’ve used Transformation and have the screen of the Demon Revealing Mirror in the air. But that play was over now.

He firmly made up his mind and headed towards the Clown as naturally as possible. As he got closer, the number of people around started to decrease. Then they completely disappeared. It felt like he had been thrown into a completely different world.

“...I should probably use Spying.”

He didn’t want to, but he had to use the crime skill to figure out the best route of infiltration. From now on, it was a race against time. Ha-ran would be in danger if he didn’t break through the enemy as quickly as possible.

Grunt.

He climbed up a tree and arrived at a window on the second floor. He placed tape on the glass and smashed it with his elbow.

Kwajik!

There was the sound of something breaking and Tae-hyuk carefully crawled into the building.

Kuweeeoooh!

The wails of the mad could be heard from somewhere.

@

"Kuk, kuruk, kueeok...”

The pierrots patrolled the dark corridors.

It was like a zombie in a zombie movie.

Tae-hyuk moved as carefully as possible.

‘How badly did they get addicted to the Psychotropic Incense that they are acting like this?’

They weren’t humans anymore. Their disgusting appearance was enough to cause nausea. Fortunately, it seemed like they would be able to return to normal if they received proper treatment.

"Uw...uweeeok!”

Tae-hyuk hid behind a wall and looked at the movements of the clowns. Their movements had three things in common.

‘First of all, their sense of smell and hearing is very sensitive. They even react to the sound of the wind. In comparison, their eyesight is relatively bad. Aren’t they completely like zombies...?’

However, they were different from the ones in the movies.

They moved according to the orders of the person who gave them the Psychotropic Incense. He checked the map created by Spying and saw a route leading underground. Then the Demon Revealing Mirror started to vibrate.

[Kill the security guards and defeat the ‘Clown’!]

Tae-hyuk spat on the floor as he saw the message.

“Che! You shut up.”

He ignored the messages that continued to pop up and placed the map in a corner.

"First of all, if I handle eight people, then I can get to where Clown is.”

There were approximately 30 pierrots in the building. The equipment he had to fight them was poor.

Tae-hyuk licked his lips and moved.

First, he slowly approached the pierrot guarding the corridor. He held his breath so the opponent didn’t notice Tae-hyuk approaching.

‘The iron pipe will be fine.’

He quietly activated the Violence skill and the pipe appeared in his hand. He swung it and hit the back of the c’s head.

Kwaduk!

"Kihehehehehe!”

There was a loud scream as the pierrot fell to the ground.

“This...”

The scream of the pierrot was louder than he thought. Any guards who heard it would come flocking.

"Eh? Fortunately, it seems okay.”

The sound was loud enough to be heard on the other floors, yet there was no reaction from the pierrots.

"Um...perhaps they don’t respond to each other’s voices?”

They stood still despite the mysterious shriek. If no restraints were placed on the pierrots, they would probably attempt to catch each other. It seemed like orders were given to prevent such a situation.

Tae-hyuk clicked his tongue.

"Then this isn’t secure at all. Tsk tsk. This is why the world would collapse if you use the wrong outsourcing...”

After placing the collapsed clown on the floor, he headed towards his next goal. There were pierrots around, so he couldn’t do down the stairs to the underground laboratory.

He had to use the private passage in a corner of the building. Of course, the stairs that led to it were guarded by three pierrots.

"First, I need to send them elsewhere.”

He could handle one of them silently, but taking down three of them was a harder task. Tae-hyuk smiled as he suddenly came up with a good idea. He immediately checked the contents of a trash can and he was able to find the item he wanted.

‘It would be confusing if this wasn’t present in a laboratory.’

It was an empty bottle of a drink that contained plenty of caffeine and taurine. It was almost piled up in boxes.

’This is a suitable place...’

Tae-hyuk grabbed some of it and threw it at an area that the pierrots couldn’t see.

Bakak!

The pierrots turned around at the sound of the bottle breaking.

"B-Break in, i-intruder, kuhik, kuk!”

"I, go, sound...”

"Hukik! Hugeuk!”

The three pierrots guarding the entrance to the passage immediately ran towards where the sound was heard. Usually, one person would go to look while the others watching carefully. However, the pierrots were affected by the Psychotropic Incense, and could only follow simple commands. Making a rational judgement was impossible.

‘Move through this gap!’

Tae-hyuk ran down the staircase while there were no guards.

Tung tung tung!

The sound of the iron stairs shaking was quite loud. However, he needed to pass through this area quickly.

’If I make a mistake then he might notice. I have to strike before that!’

There was a pierrot guarding the exit of the stairs. His movements were unsteady like he was distracted by something, but the face was covered in white powder and he was half-dressed in rags. He was wearing a bulletproof helmet on his head.

’What type of zombie...’

He couldn’t strike the zombie on the back of the head to knock him unconscious.

“...Come to think of it, they are people, not zombies.”

Tae-hyuk suppressed his laugh and choked the clown from behind with his iron pipe.

"......!"

Cut off the blood flow to the brain was a basic way to make the opponent lost consciousness.

“Kihik! Kuhuk! Keook...”

The pierrot raised his arms and struggled a few times. If Tae-hyuk held it too long, then the person might not wake up forever, so he would end it here.

“Isn’t this too easy?’

The best weapon Tae-hyuk learned after becoming a Noble was the Shooting Spree skill. Once he activated it, the two attributes of Bullet Time and the bullet lines were automatically applied. His mind accelerated and he could know the enemy’s attack route.

Naturally he took advantage of it in a full-scale war. It was a close to invincible power. He didn’t use this skill yet since he could get to his destination so easily.

A smiled flashed on his face at the thought.

’It is because I grew up properly.’

Everything required a process. The Clown right now wasn’t a hardened criminal but a lunatic armed with high-tech weapons.

’These technologies can’t be bough at the open market so it will take some time to obtain. It is just weak timing for him...’

Once he went down to the basement, there were half a dozen people for a tight defense. This was the core of the institute so it was naturally protected.

"Then let’s not worry about saving power!”

It was time to break through.

Tae-hyuk connected the power supply to Machina and moved.