[ D day - 3 ] [ 2 H : 30 M : 01 S ] [ State capital H ]
Vikram thought to sell at most ten more silver skin gene mods, given he has almost hundreds of them in his hands.
The price is not low, for each one of them. However, he did wonder what in the world an ambassador could offer for more gene modifications.
After all, he did not price them cheaply.
There were no discounts for buying more.
Instead of explaining what he was about to offer, Song Ziyu concentrated on getting the first gene fragment.
Vikram offered it easily.
After all, he got paid for it in crypto. This one, in lite coins - that's also acceptable.
He gave the gene fragment.
When there is no passive, the gene modifier is automatically activated. Unlike Vikram who could switch between gene modifications, those who bought his gene modifiers must equip them.
After he applied the gene fragment, Song ziyu cut himself with the fruit knife.
As expected, nothing happened.
The army men's eyes have gone round at the site.
Their eyes lit up with desire.
Song ziyu started speaking to five of these underlings, who seemed to be arguing over price.
Vikram stood back, and turned on the translator for himself.
As expected, if one wants to fool the machinery, it's not impossible.
They are discussing whether they could give him those items. As long as one doesn't know what the 'items' in this particular sentence represent, there's nothing they could do.
Finally, Song Ziyu said something like " our duty is to people. " and the discussion was over.
Song Ziyu turned to Vikram.
" Come with me. " he said, leading Vikram to the inside of the building.
Vikram walked down, still keeping his mask.
They entered the basement, which was empty.
Ziyu took out a remote, and pressed a button.
The doors opened into an almost hangar-like structure, built underneath the seemingly inconspicuous villa.
" This… F**k ! " Vikram could only swear.
There is a veritable arsenal, full of ammunition in the f***ing consulate !
' What the ! '
What in the world had their government and intelligence been doing while such a great amount of arms are being transferred ?
" Oh! Don't be so surprised. This is actually a small amount. It's here with all proper permits and documents ! " The ambassador assured him.
Vikram cursed more. Then he calmed down.
Their city is on par with mumbai and delhi when it comes to religious tensions and terrorism.
So, It's probably not impossible for the Indian government to allow them to carry a certain amount of arms. However, Vikram was absolutely sure it did not constitute this great amount.
" I bet more than three quarters of arms are here secretly ! " Vikram grumbled.
Ziyu smiled mystically.
" It was never planned to be used, until an apocalyptic event occurs. " Ziyu informed him.
Now, Vikram knows why the ambassador is offering these arms.
They will be found out one way or another, as long as the animals continue digging.
With just three days of time to retreat, there is no way to transport or dispose of this gigantic arsenal. Obviously, as long as it has an owner, the arsenal would be used slowly, and will never be found out.
The other country could play innocent as long as it's not found out.
Vikram glared at the arms and the ambassador alternatively, before he calmed himself down.
He is an ordinary civilian.
He should not be worrying about national safety level matters ! They make him lose his mind !
Damn it ! He did not want to play a hero, he merely wanted to protect his family.
However, knowledge could not be erased, once it entered his head.
Vikram calmed himself down.
" This is not enough. " he told the man.
" what ? " Song ziyu exclaimed in surprise.
" Everything your country owns on this side of himalayas and sindh will be given over to me. We will make a legal agreement about this, with all your subordinates and militia present. For this, I would exchange ten more silver skin mods. " Vikram informed ziyu.
Ziyu agreed easily.
Vikram was surprised once more. Wasn't the government on the other side supposed to be very authoritarian ?
" Why .. Why are you agreeing so easily ? " Vikram was surprised.
" The people here were headed towards S city. As of yesterday, the Government decided not to provide military support to S city, despite it being one of the four largest and most iconic metros in the country. You were right. Government is not people. I just chose people. " Ziyu explained.
Vikram understood. He would do the same. The weapons are going to be nothing but a hot potato waiting to explode when they are left without supervision. Remaining in a foreign country during these unstable times was impossible.
" It still might constitute treason, won't it ? " Vikram asked uneasily.
Vikram felt uncomfortable with the moral dilemma involved. This is literally catching someone with a gun in his bedroom, still letting them go.
" I am the highest authority for all issues concerning this side of the Himalayas, as you said. " Ziyu answered seriously.
Vikram nodded.
" I need not just the weapons, but all the information, dossiers you keep in our country, every last thing that is in your possession in this country. Not a single thing should be missing. " Vikram took a tough stance.
Ziyu still agreed.
As of now, the world is teetering on the precipice of the fathom.
Their own lives are not assured, much less information about the status quo that is about to expire any time soon.
After Ziyu agreed easily, Vikram had that epiphany. In essence, all he is acquiring is really only arms and cars at best.
Vikram felt like he was underselling, and doing a bad deed keeping this from the eyes of the army. He pushed down the feeling ruthlessly.
Organization is not the same as people.
If the politicians who bought the gene mods from him tonight have any example of leadership, it is better that he keeps this card in his hands.
Moreover, he would rather have an ambiguous friendship than an outright enmity.
Looking at Ziyu, he is not a bad person. He was stuck in between a rock and hard place, yet, he was decisive. Hells .. ..he was a nonentity, yet, Song ziyu had the network and foresight to recognize the value of what he is selling.
Wait …
This is an anomaly. Foresight is not enough to know that gene mod is a good thing.
Why was a foreign man so sure the gene mods he sells are a good thing and must be bought ?
So, instead of playing a word game, Vikram asked about it first. After all, he could tell when the man was lying.
" How did you know that gene-mod was real ? " he asked ziyu.
" That .. " Ziyu seems to have regretted agreeing for any information at this moment.
" The government told you ? " Vikram asked.
Ziyu controlled it very very well, but there was a moment of relief on his face.
" Yes.. Yes.. " Ziyu responded.
Vikram spoke just as his guard was down.
" That alone is not enough. How did you know ? "
Ziyu looked like he was eating a bittergourd.
" I bought it online. " he answered.
" Not enough. The entire truth, not the subtly edited version, please ! " Vikram spoke, his voice cold as ice.
" Ah.. it is like this. I have a hacker I go to regularly. He sent me the information, along with the government. "
" I want that information too, the information from the hacker that is; not the government. " Vikram added.
" It's full of bull shit ! The government's one was the more trustworthy ! " Ziyu said, surprised that Vikram wanted such a faulty report over the most believable report from their own government.
Wasn't he stealing information ? isn't this the situation of being sucked dry by a ruthless merchant ?
Vikram shook his head.
" The information about the government, even about the agents, is about to be outdated very soon. So, I know why you agreed to provide all the dossiers easily. After tomorrow, the only useful things are guns and food ! I would rather have contact with a hacker than the bullshit from the government intelligence agents about nothing. " Vikram answered.
" That doesn't mean you could skip or omit the information you promised me. " He added as an afterthought.
Ziyu looked surprised, as were the guards who accompanied him.
" You really believe the information to be useless ?! " Ziyu asked, once again to be sure.
Vikram nodded his head resolutely.
Instead of speaking, ziyu pulled out a document from his suit pocket directly.
The information on the sheet matched what Vikram said, but it said more.
The dungeons drop herd tokens, the document said. Once the first level of portals are cleared, second tier portals open. Second tier portals drop shelter tokens, the document assured.
It's only upon reading the document did Vikram realize he has made the choice for the entire world when he had chosen a grand shelter in the dungeon.
" I believe it." Vikram said waving the document in his hands at Ziyu, who only nodded his head and went on about business this time.
He stuffed the document in his pants pockets, from there on, into the inventory.
Ziyu delivered on his promise. Every last arm in their arsenal, the codes for all the other secret arsenals, which Vikram was informed are not of the same scale. On top of that, Ziyu gave up his contact list, along with the dossiers he made from his own observation.
Vikram was satisfied in the end.
Now, he did not feel too bad for not going straight to the army about this.
Ziyu collected his ten silver skin fragments, gave them to the military men.
Then, the entirety of the embassy left to take the chartered flight to the S city. Before they left, Ziyu whirled to him, and asked him in a low volume.
" If your country did the same to you, would you hate it ? " Ziyu asked Vikram, who was still here.
Vikram thought for a moment. He could see the logic of abandoning so many people, as inhumane as the action was. If they wanted to protect the land border, they had no choice but to abandon all coast. No matter how big the army was, it's not so big as to protect the entire country and borders at the same time.
" Our country may have bad neighbors, your country has strong neighbors. " Vikram answered.
For a moment, Ziyu looked shocked at the simple answer, then he understood what Vikram was saying. Then a kind of calm settled upon his entire being. Ziyu changed from a man full of anger to having endless determination to fight.
" Thank you. " Ziyu said, as he stepped onto the bus. He was the last one to leave.
Vikram could only wish them good luck, for he was sure, the battle they faced was going to be far more bloody than they are imagining at the moment.