Chapter 31
Chapter 31
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Ep. 31
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‘I’ve been to places like this so many times it’s boring in games, and now I’m here in real life.’
I’m currently in a dark alley in the port district of Earth. There are no cameras, and the path itself is blocked by buildings, letting no light in.
Specimen 26, nestled in my embrace, sent out waves complaining of stuffiness.
｢Stuffy.｣
[Zzuzzuzz (Just hold on a little longer)]
｢Okay.｣
I stroked it to calm it down and looked out from the alley.
Far off, under the artificial night sky created by a massive dome-shaped screen, lights from billboards flickered chaotically. It looked flashy on the surface, but I knew the true nature of this city all too well.
‘A diseased place.’
It wasn’t as bad as Earth, the capital of Mega Corp, but this was still a hellscape in its own right. There were plenty of people who treated human lives like flies, and degenerates addicted to pleasure committed horrific crimes without hesitation.
Lots of people came in for tourism or jobs, but many left in body bags. That was the T&C Special Trade Center.
‘That’s why I chose this place. So, where to first?’
This space city was divided into five districts: four main ones and a central administrative zone.
The eastern port district, western residential district, southern entertainment district, northern commercial district, and the central administrative district overseeing them all.
Of these, the two with the worst security were the entertainment and residential districts.
The entertainment district was full of shops where Mega Corp citizens “employed” slaves to indulge their secret desires. Just like certain red-light districts in the real world were lightly monitored due to influential patrons, the same applied here. There were hardly any surveillance cameras, but combat androids patrolled to catch criminals.
Androids were tricky opponents, so heading to the entertainment district right now was out of the question. The district I needed was elsewhere.
‘The residential district.’
Despite the name, it was practically a slum. It was home to lower-to-mid-tier capitals within Mega Corp and alien species with jobs in the city, but calling it safe would be a stretch even politely. Like any city, areas where the poor lived had weak security.
On top of that, residents of the residential district had a habit of blowing all their daily earnings in the entertainment district. With so many living for the moment, no one batted an eye if a neighbor vanished. As long as I avoided patrolling cops and androids, steady growth shouldn’t be a problem.
‘Good. Destination set. Next up...’
How to get there.
Sticking only to back alleys had its limits. Unlike the research ship, the space city was well-equipped with security systems and crawling with androids.
A route that avoided human eyes but could reach anywhere in the city. I knew exactly two that fit the bill.
‘Sewers and the subway.’
Both were key facilities built alongside the space city itself—handling water and transportation, the essentials of life. They essentially served as the city’s veins.
‘In the game, I’d take the sewers, but since this is reality, it might be tough.’
You couldn’t extract water from space, so the city supplied residents via two methods: recycling sewage through purification and periodic shipments from outside.
In the game, it was just lore, but here it was real. The sewers were likely managed far better than I remembered.
‘Too bad, but subway it is.’
I moved out with Specimen 26. Sometimes crawling through dim alleys, other times hopping across rooftops. The central administrative district had plenty of skyscrapers where someone might spot me, but the port district lacked tall buildings. Street-dwellers didn’t notice anything passing overhead.
‘Let’s see. The passage should be around here.’
Obviously, I wasn’t walking in through the station entrance. With androids and cameras guarding it, that’d cause an instant uproar.
I’d infiltrated this place hundreds of times. Not always the same route, but I had a favorite secret path. It was a side route originally used by rail construction workers, forgotten after completion.
‘No one knows about this spot but me.’
I recalled enraged players bickering after failing to block me despite tight surveillance nets. One clan even abandoned their base after repeated raids.
Chuckling inwardly, I lifted the rusted manhole cover with my four arms.
This spot, on the edge of the port district, was my private little entrance.
Among Mega Corp’s Noble Capitals, the T&C family stood out for its intensely corporate nature compared to others.
That made sense—they’d started as an insurance company in a city once called New York.
Perhaps because of that.
The motto of Earth’s royal T&C family was this:
｢To stand still, you must keep running.｣
The Red Queen effect from business theory was their survival philosophy. Just as the Yujin family became Earth’s kings through genetic research, T&C had its own focus for prosperity.
Space colony development.
Instead of clinging to the worn-out Earth and solar system, they aimed to pioneer new frontiers. Rather than squabbling over the pie, they sought to expand it, pouring credits into artificial habitats and terraforming tech.
They started with orbital stations in the solar system, then Mars terraforming and orbital habitats to build their base. One fruit of those labors was the T&C Special Trade Center, a space colony in deep space.
Planned as a trade hub relaying between the solar system and outer space, the T&C Special Trade Center boasted a staggering 60km diameter. As the oldest space colony, it still wielded considerable influence thanks to its status as the first space city.
Even today, countless alien species visited to see humanity’s historic creation.
The smuggled animal surveillance team office in the port district was noisy as ever with the sounds of contraband creatures.
“I’m heading out first.”
“Hey, Ras, you crazy bastard! We’re all losing it over these mountain crawler hatchlings, and you’re clocking out early?”
“I don’t do overtime. You guys handle it.”
“You selfish prick!”
Ras waved dismissively at his cursing team leader.
Stepping outside, he found the black night sky crafted by AI overhead.
Artificial starlight, garish billboard glows, and people swarming like moths. Ras gladly blended into the illusory lights.
‘Who should I play with tonight?’
Arriving at the entertainment district via subway, he tapped the digital menu outside a special entertainment venue. A hologram popped up, displaying faces, profiles, and services of the “employed” staff.
This was an official Mega Corp spot where hires provided special services. A place of total submission to any demand—hell for some, paradise for others.
‘She’ll do.’
Ras picked a woman resembling a coworker. No guilt—he knew that coworker was a regular here.
Whistling, he entered.
Two hours later.
Ras washed bloodied hands in the venue’s bathroom.
With his arm replaced by machinery, he occasionally enjoyed this “lubrication.”
Blood and oil from living flesh.
Blood dried and rusted if left, so he wiped it moderately.
‘Went a bit overboard?’
He glanced at the bedroom. The white sheets were soaked red.
He considered cleaning up but shook his head. The staff would handle the “remains.” That’s what he paid for.
Refreshed, he left and suddenly craved a drink.
‘One round before bed.’
Self-approving his choice, he bought synthetic booze and headed to the residential district.
Stepping off the subway, silence greeted him. Unlike the neon frenzy of the entertainment district, it was quiet here.
High-tier capitals lived in administrative skyscrapers or luxury zones, but Ras was low capital. Better than non-capitals in sleep pods, but the residential district wasn’t comfy. Dingy, dirty apartments with poor security—his team called it the chicken coop.
“Fucking streetlights! Someone smashed them again.”
Streetlights should’ve lit the way, but every one was broken. They’d fix it in days, but until then, navigating the dark annoyed him.
Grumbling, Ras pulled a flashlight from his bag. White light beamed ahead.
Crunch, crunch.
Glass shards shattered the silence. On his usual path, he felt an odd vibe today.
‘What’s that smell?’
An unpleasant odor wafted from the street. Thinking sewer break, he spotted a manhole cover.
Normally shut, it was ajar.
‘Fucking idiots. If you’re doing construction, close it properly.’
Pinching his nose, he walked on.
The smell lingered past the manhole. The whole street reeked ominously.
Something was wrong.
He couldn’t say why, but Ras sensed trouble brewing. The stench and darkness quickened his unwitting steps.
Practically running home, he spotted something in the road’s center.
“Shit!”
Startled, Ras yelped. The figure in the dark turned—maybe hearing him.
It was a young man.
‘F-fuck, thought I was done for.’
Monster scare turned human relief. Inspecting closer, the man wore work clothes, likely port labor. Average face, carrying a reddish orb under his arm.
‘What’s this guy’s deal?’
Ras felt uneasy. Before he arrived, pitch black everywhere. Standing still with that weird orb? Suspicious.
“What’re you doing?”
“Heading home.”
The flat reply sounded normal despite odd demeanor, easing Ras slightly.
“Ahem, watch yourself. I’m off.”
“Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s dark. Mind if I walk with you?”
Ras hesitated. Unpleasant guy, but dark streets were real. He agreed.
“...Follow me.”
“Thanks.”
The man trailed as they walked the quiet street.
Then he spoke.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“You’re a cyborg, right?”
“...Yeah.”
“I see.”
Silence followed.
‘What the fuck?’
Thinking discrimination against cyborgs in Mega Corp, Ras nearly snapped. Half-opening his mouth, a foul smell hit again.
Thicker, worse. Coming from behind—from the man.
“......”
Swallowing his curse, Ras glanced back. Chills froze his spine.
The man wasn’t watching the light. Unblinking eyes fixed on Ras.
Creepy enough, but then Ras saw it.
The red orb twitching.
‘Holy shit!’
He’d heard from a coworker: upper capitals who kept only heads alive for playthings.
Coincidence? The orb was head-sized.
That broke him. House nearby, he bolted, ignoring the man.
“Huff, huff, huff...”
Glancing back, the man stood in darkness. Thick shadow hid steps, but Ras felt it.
Staring blankly.
Luckily, nothing happened till home.
Sweaty from run or fear, he uncapped cold-beaded synth booze.
Gulping, fiery buzz spread.
“...Ugh, gotta report this tomorrow.”
Alcohol loosened tension. Safe at home, he sighed relief.
“...Fuck this shithole. Save up and move.”
Muttering impossible dreams, he flicked on old virtual TV. The cramped room filled with noise, fear fading.
Approaching the window, he peered out.
Only darkness, no figure.
‘He ran off.’
The cyborg fled in a hurry. I could guess why.
‘Subtle discomfort.’
He didn’t know I was a monster outright, but sensed something off. Sensitive types might pick up faint chemical signals in my pheromones.
Still, the mimicry organ was just for ambushes. No need for mingling—this was enough.
｢He was scared of me.｣
[Zz zuzzuzz (Why?)]
｢Dunno.｣
The cyborg found me creepy too, but his heart raced most at 26. Peak when he eyed it.
‘What’s scary about 26?’
First time seeing someone fear a healing mascot like Bubble Amoeba. Sure, 26 was a mutant, but looked identical—nothing frightening.
This cute thing? Incomprehensible cyborg.
‘Come to think, he was a cyborg.’
Psionium effects worn off, I was back to juvenile. One more cyborg for subadult evolution.
‘Perfect timing.’
He didn’t know, but I’d tracked his home.
The scent trail lingered in the air.