Chapter 137
Chapter 137
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 137
Chapter Title: Star Fall (22)
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An ID that caught my attention had popped up in the chat room.
- Goldman Sucks: That friend plays in such a grubby way.
- Jokass: Uh.... What brings a noble guest like you to this humble place....
- Goldman Sucks: I'm someone who makes a living off this game too, you know. I couldn't just sit still after hearing the rumor that the two guys I hate most in GG are gathered in one spot, now could I?
- Take a Look: But how'd you get in here? All inflows to the 47th District chat room get dragged to Room 2.
- Goldman Sucks: The password here wasn't that expensive? They told me after I tossed them about ten million ceils, calling it some 'special privilege for ranker exchanges.' There were rumors Dome was starting a big business, and it looks like they're short on cash.
"....Soy Sauce Gaybar?"
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Sorry. We're a bit tight on funds these days. Raptor Society's been sinking hard. Gotta push hard while we're ahead.
- Professor: That doesn't make selling chat room passwords like some event tickets acceptable!
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Aaaah— that's above my pay grade as a lowly clerk— go ask the Director—
- Goldman Sucks: Oho. So even talks about Dome's business directions float around here. A private club for so-called heroes lives up to the name. Ten million ceils feels like a bargain.
- Jokass: Were we... that kind of people?
- Highway Nacho Man: Since when did the 47th District chat room become a private club lololol
- Speed Wagon: This room does circulate some pretty high-end info.
- Goldman Sucks: Speed Wagon? You were active here too?
- Speed Wagon: hi
- Goldman Sucks: Haha, well now. Guess I should send the Surveillance Director a gift. Ten million is pocket change.
That uncle. The ranker known as the richest individual in the wasteland, Goldman Sucks, had barged into the chat room and was chattering away excitedly.
- Professor: Cut the chit-chat, and since you're swimming in money, why'd a cheapskate uncle who still showers with rainwater shell out ten million ceils to get in here?
- Goldman Sucks: I came to watch the broadcast, didn't I? Everyone's got their hobbies. Mine's business. Forget the money— that cutthroat psychological warfare, those battles over gold... it hits deep. Real-world deals don't have that thrill often. Things heat up, and they just pull guns and make low-class threats. The world's full of amateur merchants with no class. But GG's different. Doing business there, you can smell that Wall Street stench of money. Heard Gold Geyser was throwing a hail mary right before bankruptcy, so I came. Embarrassing to admit, but I've never beaten those guys at business. If I had to call it something, rivals?
- Deer Drug Please: Uncle, keep chats to 3 lines or less. House rule.
- Goldman Sucks: That rule changes starting today. How much?
- Deer Drug Please: Fuck, call you boss from today on.
From Goldman Sucks's explanation, thankfully there wasn't any special reason. I'd been worried it was about Ian, who'd gone off to do business with Dome. Like maybe he'd haggled too hard and actually smashed something, and it turned out to be a caravan run by Goldman.
- Goldman Sucks: Anyway, from the vibe here, this room seems to give positive advice to players, unlike the others. When in Rome, right? So I'll throw in my two cents. That pig blabbering next to you? Not the Gold Geyser caravan master.
- Professor: Figured as much, but thanks for confirming. Saved me the trouble.
- Goldman Sucks: I prefer gifts over words for thanks.
- Professor: ㅗㅗ
Truth be told, most people besides me probably thought that fat guy wasn't the real caravan master. For good reason— the Gold Geyser caravan master has never shown his face to the outside world once. Some random dude popping out unprompted yelling 'I'm the Gold Geyser caravan master!' isn't gonna be the real deal. The real one's probably hiding among the porters watching, or maybe not even here.
- Professor: But if you just wanted to watch the broadcast, no need to pay to get in here, right?
- Goldman Sucks: It's the difference between watching the NYSE ticker live, pants creasing in real-time, versus from your home PC screen. And it's not just me who bought a ticket. Heard that bunny grabbed one too?
- Professor: .....Soy Sauce Gaybar?
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: I don't know! I really don't! And that ranker exchange thing is an actual policy the administration's pushing! You know tons of special info about this game too! Dome's been setting up meetings between rankers to facilitate info exchange! Helps with clears!
- Professor: So, how many did you sell?
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Goldman and Levit Princess, just two—
- Professor: Calling the Director.
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Five! Really just five! Excluding the one allocated to the biotech department as research budget, the rest are all rankers!
- Professor: Fork over 30%. Send the buyer list via message.
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Th...! Professor! Between us?!
- Professor: Hate it? Then you do the broadcast.
As if he didn't know— he'd bragged himself about assigning that Azel guy from Dome as our BDSM specialist.
Anyway, I got why Goldman was here. Now I just needed to figure out why 'this guy' was on the ley line, and in this state....
"Hahahahahahaha! Well now! The ways of the world are truly unpredictable! Who'd have thought I'd run into you here, so far from Tobrune! And in such a heartbreakingly ragged state!"
"That's my line.... Why are you here?"
"Hahaha! Drop the formalities! We're comrades who bonded in that hellish lab, aren't we? In my heart, you're like a brother, Professor! Speak freely! Hahahahahahaha!"
That madman-like laugh, unchanged no matter how the other guy scowled.
He'd seemed somewhat normal back then, but now he looked completely unhinged.
"Damn it. Fine, friend, lemme ask. Why're you here? And wearing Gold Geyser caravan clothes!"
"Hahahaha! This Roman Gacia Manson! I got a miraculous burst of inspiration in Tobrune! Ever since, I've left the mage's path for magitech!"
That's right. The mage who'd treated me humanely in Isaac's underground lab in Turan— amid torture-like experiments— taught me water magic, and helped me escape.
Hero unit Roman Gacia Manson. Aka Romance Gacha Man. He was lugging a massive box stamped with the Gold Geyser seal. And not in his clean blue robe, but in porter's rags festooned with sewn-on pockets!
- Jokass: Kekekeke! Romance Gacha Man! Romance Gacha Man!
- Goldman Sucks: With that grim reaper attached, the impregnable Gold Geyser's bankruptcy is nigh!
- Deer Drug Please: Uncle, what can 1.2 billion ceils buy?
- Take a Look: 1.2 billion ceils is chump change— enough for one NPC in GG to burn through!
- Goldman Sucks: Shut up, you bastards!!! I still pop blood pressure meds by the handful thinking about that day!
The two guys Goldman hated most, as he'd said. One was the Gold Geyser caravan, and the other was right here: Romance Gacha Man.
One downside of progressing the game early: hero units you meet haven't powered up yet, like Roman from Isaac's basement.
In that sense, current Roman felt way different from back then.... Closer to a mad scientist. He'd always had a free-spirited vibe, but now he gave off abstract artist painting vibes....
"Where'd you pick this guy up?"
"Hathathat! No need to worry about me! I've thrived everywhere—"
"Caught stealing magistones from our caravan stock."
He'd even escaped worldly norms entirely.
"So, you're working as a caravan porter to pay off stealing?"
"Um.... That was the plan. But some beggar-looking guy sneaks in somehow, stuffing premium magistones like crazy, so I go to chop his hand off as an example...."
"Hathathahat! Turns out this guy was useful!"
Roman, butting into the convo, rolled up his sleeve to reveal mechanical devices wrapped around his wrist and forearm.
"Device I made to swap cards in casinos while drifting post-tower collapse, needing research funds! If a knight hadn't sat next to me, I could've funded everything with it!"
"Wow.... You really hit rock bottom...."
"Anyway, seeing that device block the cleaver changed my mind.... Figured he might be useful alive. Good call. Studies oddball magitech, and his hands are golden. Even the crossbows our caravan uses? He made 'em. He's no longer a porter— full caravan member now. That box on his back? All personal research stuff, not caravan goods."
'So that's how it went down.'
I nodded vaguely at the self-proclaimed caravan master's words, sidelong glancing around. When that fat guy said 'caravan....' just now, I'd caught a brief reaction from someone among the caravan folk.
'He meant to say [The caravan master changed his mind]. So the real master's in the group after all.'
Anyway, all good. If they succeed with Gold Geyser's expedition, they'll be rich enough to build a castle from silver coins— enough to fund Roman's black-hole research.
- Jokass: Hey! Let's open it! That getup! Baggy clothes with handmade pockets stuffed full, hauling a parts box— definitely awakened as 'Magitech Engineer Roman Gacia Manson'!
- Soy Sauce Gaybar: Who else but Romance Gacha Man, lugging a random box! Probably got his current research inside— ask him to open it! You never know? Might be something legit!
- Goldman Sucks: Don't fall for it! That's Pandora's box! If I hadn't bitten on that guy's box....!
'Hah, should I peek?'
I knew better than to expect much, but seeing that huge box on Roman's back made my hands itch. Still a hero unit, right? Even with combat power near zero after handling magistones cut off his magic— still rocking the hero unit tag? Means his gacha pulls pack punch!
'Can't hold back! Let's open it!'
Resolved, Professor approached and asked. Roman agreed eagerly, as if waiting. Sunset had caravan folk busy setting camp and cooking, so plenty of time to chat.
"Eutcha! Better to show than tell!"
Clunk— clunk! Rattle!
"Ooh. Not just any box?"
"Gotta carry lots of small parts."
Roman's box unfolded into small compartments when opened. Inside: magistone shards, mana circuits of various sizes, metal bits, blueprints on the lid, and in the big empty center, a ship-like model. Most unrecognizable, but one blueprint part rang a bell. Something I'd skimmed long ago studying magic alone....
"....Flight magic?"
"Right! Humans have dreamed of flying forever! But flight magic's tough for ground-dwellers to image, and non-wind mages can't read skies' myriad currents to counter— so despite being common imagery-cast like telekinesis or element orbs, it's treated as wind-mage exclusive!"
Click!
Saying so, Roman flicked the switch on the central model ship. Sails unfurled, and it lifted into the air.
"But I figured it out! Mana's everywhere. Natural wind holds natural mana, so suppress needed parts with magistones— no complex current calcs for flight magic! Further, craft mana flows yourself— no mage needed, just preset circuits, mana formulas, magistone flow suppressors! Behold! The great magitech engineer Roman Gacia Manson's masterpiece! Model Airship No. 3! Ha! Hahahahahaha!!!!"
"Ooh! The ship's really floating!"
"Manson, my friend, vanished after saying he had someone to meet in the guardhouse right before that Tobrune incident— we worried, but you've been on this research!"
"Hahaha. Sorry to Baudelaire the mage. Learned much from you."
"Nah! Mages each have their path! Shame you veered off, but this invention's got value! Plenty!"
With Roman's laughter, the model airship bobbed up into the dark sky, emitting magistone purple and mana stone blue, soaring like my briefly cherished dream. Floating happily in imagination, then—
Plop! Crashing down like that airship.
"Uh oh, it's falling!"
"Grab it! My Model Airship No. 3iii!"
Snatch!
Face pale, arms flailing, Roman— I caught the falling model instead. Sturdy for a model, circuits densely etched— effort evident.
"Why'd you gacha this...."
His effort's futility drew a sigh from me.
- Take a Look: Aigoo, and it had to be that one.
- Goldman Sucks: Real master or pretender, go convince 'em well. Fall for that airship bullshit, and Gold Geyser's broke in a flash!
- Highway Nacho Man: That's GG for ya.
Roman took the model back and grumbled, tracing still-lit mana circuits.
"Hey. That's unfinished, right?"
"'Still'! Unfinished, yes— but it already controls flows and floats!"
"You nailed that ages ago? Doesn't it crash constantly 'cause it can't balance?"
"H-How'd you know!"
Airships were one of Roman's famed failures. Famous enough for week-long community debates on potential.
"Give it up, man. Faster to research something else."
Debate conclusion: Jet-like thrust unsustainable efficiency-wise. Must balance minimal thrust in flow-control, flight-magic anti-grav sim— but no gyroscopes this era, and GG explodes if players import real tech, no teaching it.
Bottom line: Can't solve balance? Dead end.
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