Chapter 137
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 136
Chapter Title: The Good Neighbor
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Brof was a familiar name.
Gun shop owner of Good Neighbor.
Porn-loving elder. No, grandpa.
Jin stroked his chin.
Of course, there was no way to know if the Brof he knew was the same one Sylvia was talking about.
In a land this vast, people with the same name were a dime a dozen.
But it was too much of a coincidence to just let it slide.
Come to think of it, wasn't it this guy who'd sold him the Gravis—vanilla version?
A prototype that wasn't even on the market at that.
Something about it felt subtly off, didn't it?
This was definitely worth checking out.
And so, without really grasping how things were turning, Jin opened his mouth.
"For now, let's move once you're better."
"...Nim? ...Client-nim?"
Warm breath tickled his ear.
Jin swallowed dryly and slightly lifted the towel covering his eyes.
"...What?"
There was Sylvia, leaning her upper body toward the bed.
And a voice carrying warm breath.
"Client-nim. I'm all better now. Let's head out."
"No. What."
Even in his drowsiness, Jin wore a baffled expression as he groped around his pillow.
"What time is it now. 3? Dawn at 3?"
"Yes. I know."
"...?"
"...?"
Their gazes met blankly.
Afterward, as Jin rubbed his eyes and checked his terminal again, Sylvia tilted her head and spoke.
"You said to move once I was better...?"
"Ah."
Jin's face went blank for a moment.
Was she this type?
He'd said to move once better, and here she was the instant her condition recovered.
Amazed by her devastatingly literal interpretation for a second.
Jin sat up in the hospital bed.
"Ugh. My shoulder."
"Ah. Client-nim. Is your body uncomfortable?"
"Even people who aren't sore end up patients after staying in a hospital."
"Ah?"
As Sylvia's eyes went wide.
Jin subtly craned his neck to check Mama's room.
Lights out...
Mama was one of Downtown's rare true medical pros, checking patients every two hours.
At 3 a.m., an hour until the next alarm. Perfect time to move if they were going.
He'd planned to contact Kalifa first thing in the morning about Brof, but things being what they were, no choice.
"Alright, let's go. But keep footsteps quiet. That auntie's got ears like a bat."
Sylvia lifted her heels and crept along.
Following Jin in footwork straight out of a thief's playbook.
"See you, Team Leader-nim."
She didn't forget to turn and wave at Wonder, either.
And thus, escape success!
In the biting night air.
Jin sniffed as his feet hit the street.
"Ugh, cold."
"...Me too."
Sylvia agreed, tucking her hands into her armpits.
Come to think of it, both of them looked a mess.
Jin had sacrificed his short-sleeve for bandages, leaving just his ragged aviator jacket over bare skin.
Sylvia had nothing but ill-fitting patient scrubs.
"Clothes first."
"Y-yes! Great idea, Client-nim."
Even superhumans felt the cold.
Before their jaws chattered like woodpeckers, the two hurried to a nearby clothing store.
Shopping wrapped up in a flash.
Aviator jacket, plain short-sleeve, jeans, and leather boots.
Jin was obsessive about wearing the same outfit.
Sylvia was the type where fit was all that mattered.
And so, moments later.
Facing the night air with brighter faces, the two looked at each other and nodded.
"Good."
"Warm! Client-nim!"
"Let's go!"
"Yes!"
No clue why, but anyway—majestic.
Off toward Good Neighbor.
"Hm. Client-nim. No taxi?"
Sylvia glanced at the roadside as she asked.
An old taxi was creeping along to match their pace, tinted windows and all. Jin shook his head at the glass.
"In Downtown, you don't take taxis at dawn. No telling where that thing goes."
"Really?"
"Human trafficking's rampant for a reason. Guy I know woke up in some gang hideout."
As Jin recounted his tale, his hand went to his waist.
Click. Gravis's barrel already trained diagonally on the taxi, twitching side to side.
"Scram."
The taxi revved with a vroom and vanished into the dark.
As Sylvia stared at the fading taillights, her gaze naturally fell on the Gravis in its holster.
"Gravis GZ. You're using it well."
"Damn right. My partner."
"Hearing that makes me happy. Heehee. Truth is, Team Leader put a ton of work into the upgrade."
After that, Wonder hounded the techs mercilessly. She'd been mortified in the meantime, but the result was solid, and everyone was satisfied. Sylvia went on with gestures aplenty.
Its own little origin story.
Jin listened to Sylvia with a smile.
Then, at some point, he smoothly shifted topics.
"So. What about the board targeting Wonder?"
"Ah. That..."
The explanation continued.
Luger's disappearance.
The pro-Dolman faction's rise because of it.
And the crackdowns on the few remaining rivals.
"Hmm."
Jin pieced together the situation.
CEO's prolonged absence blah blah.
Major shareholders exercising rights blah blah.
Forced share buyback option triggering blah blah.
This was the corporate infighting he'd only heard about!
That world's no joke.
Felt like experiencing a new world.
So Jin summarized the current state in his head.
The butterfly effect from Luger's disappearance.
Hell, if he hadn't vanished, Wonder wouldn't have been sniped wandering alone on the brink of death.
No.
Not Luger or Wonder's fault. Blame the Dolman whatevers rampaging to erase traces despite failing to find the missing partner.
Jin tsked.
"Wonder's got skills, so why'd he endure the cold shoulder? Others all signed those secrecy contracts and bailed with fat stacks."
Sylvia puffed breath into the night air midway through a hoo— and replied.
"Team Leader's an R&D scholarship kid. Don't know details, but heard the company's sponsorship got him through tough times."
"What. Youth program alum? And they still try to off him over 'lines'? Ugh, corps..."
Jin made a shit-eating face.
If sent back in time and asked street rat or corp, he'd pick family without hesitation. Family, yo.
Speaking of, how were the Yongbongjihoe crew faring? Needed to swing by Jahad. Kendrick, you good there?
As Jin looked up at the sky thinking that.
"...So I want to repay Team Leader too!"
Sylvia's vow pierced his ears—seemed like he'd missed the important buildup, left with just the punchline.
Jin awkwardly cleared his throat.
Pretending ignorance was one thing, but curiosity won.
"What'd Wonder help you with?"
"Everything! From when I couldn't adapt to the bodyguard team. 'Sylvia, you'd fit sales better. No client's staying frosty around you.' Ever since then!"
Sylvia nailed Wonder's impression (spot-on) and giggled her usual heehee.
Maybe 'cause she was in a hoodie and jeans instead of office wear. Her beaming face looked especially youthful.
Hm. Wonder had a point.
Jin inwardly agreed with the assessment.
Before long, the two faced a narrow alley.
A side path between two buildings pressed too close.
At the shaded end, a two-story building.
Red blinking LED sign.
Good Neighbor.
"There."
Jin said and stepped forward.
Despite the late hour, dim light shone from the shop.
Makes sense—no early bed at that age.
Though maybe a bit too early.
"Come on in."
Jin pushed open the frosted glass door.
The usual chill of metal greeted him.
Against the wall lined with every kind of gun, Brof was chatting with a customer.
"Grandpa! Uh... um."
Jin started to greet warmly but lowered his hand midway.
Brof looked different from usual.
A grave face he'd never seen.
And a small data chip atop the display case.
He knew he shouldn't, but Jin quietly perked his ears.
"...Sure about it?"
"Told ya. How many times."
"You said that last time. Wasn't."
"That was... an accident. Actor got too into it, a little mishap..."
"Ruined my immersion. Suddenly yelling his real girlfriend's name."
"Ehey. Refunded 40%, didn't I? Why fuss every time."
"..."
"Checked this one thorough. No immersion-killers, and the storytelling slays. Retired teacher, school's top beauty student drops by with troubles. Normal so far? But turns out that girl..."
Brof's face kept shifting at the man's words.
Ahem and cough,
ooh in admiration,
oh no, forehead slap and head shake.
Jin was no different, eavesdropping.
Summary of what he'd heard:
Thought she was a pure S-rank cool beauty purist, but turns out she's a hidden noble lady disciple who's secretly pined for me forever and starts obsessing—but I already have my beloved partner android maid.
...A horrific sentence-title begging to be born. Now laced with 29-gold spice.
Insane. For real.
Jin felt faint dizziness.
Brof, who'd been glued to the pitch, finally spoke.
"Fine. I'll trust you one more time."
"Kuh. Knew it."
Their handshake followed. Not just any—credit transfer.
"Got it. Issues, call anytime. Crave deeper immersion? Wire 10% extra. I'll swap the protag name to Brof."
The man turned to leave but flinched.
Spotted Jin and Sylvia side by side by the door, flashed an awkward smile.
"Customers."
He started walking again, but stopped with a head tilt, turning back.
"Hm. You two. Ever thought of working with me?"
He proffered a business card: some video something director scribbled on it.
Jin silently scanned it, then snatched it with index and middle finger.
The man's face lit up that instant.
Whoosh—
The card turned to ash in a blink.
Paled at the scattering embers, the man spun and bolted.
"Ex, excuse me."
Jin watched his fleeing back down the alley, then turned to Brof pocketing the data chip.
"Grandpa."
"B-brat? Say something when you...!"
"BH now, of all things?"
"...Nothing better."
Cornered with no outs, Brof's voice crept low.
"B-but not illegal. Actors are big names here, certified even—super credible. Uh, anyway, what's up this dawn? Ammo dry?"
"Nah. Not that."
Jin sidestepped casually.
Sylvia popped out from behind with a ta-da.
She gulped, clasped hands, and cried out.
"Hello, sir. I'm Sylvia from R&D sales. Are you Brof Luger, by chance?"
"...?"
Brof tilted his head, shooting Jin a clueless look.
"What the kid saying? Brof Luger?"
Jin said nothing.
Just shrugged once.
Calm as ever, observing. Meanwhile, Sylvia pressed on.
"Brof Luger. R&D co-founder and chief engineer. Known that no one but Dolman chairman and a few aides know your face...! Isn't that right? Huh?"
"Hey, young friend. Seems like a mix-up. Name's Brof, sure, but no Luger. And if I were that big a deal, I wouldn't be stuck in this shithole. Right?"
"Ah. Th-that..."
Sylvia's face darkened.
Then teary-eyed.
"...So you're not."
"Obviously. Brat tell you I was? Why, 'cause I unloaded that Gravis on him?"
Brof's gaze hit Jin again.
"What'd you go blabbing, anyway. Tsk. Whatever."
As he tsked tiredly, Jin thought to himself.
Really not...
Makes sense. Guy in hiding wouldn't flaunt the name.
Still...
Something nagged.
Time to push hard.
Now, this was pure gut.
The so-called 'vibe.'
It stood sharp in place of his quiet lower gut.
Careful step-by-step?
One stitch at a time?
What even was that?
And so.
Born-to-headbutt dinosaur Jin spat it raw. With a dash of lie.
"You up and vanished, left a perfectly fine sales team leader to get shot dead struggling. That's not all? Others signed those secrecy deals and poof—vanished without a trace."
To the still-blank Brof, Jin tacked on.
"If you're gonna keep playing dumb, can't help it. Just know that's the word."
Grabbed Sylvia's wrist and turned.
"Let's go."
Jin shoved open the door and left the gun shop.
A few steps in, sniffles from beside.
"Client-nim, what now? Didn't think we'd find Luger-nim this easy, but... still hoped, y'know."
But Jin just strode on without a word.
Finally, as they entered the alley.
"Wait! Brat!"
Brof came huffing after them, calling Jin.
"Hold up. Huff. Stop."
Jin glanced back.
No words—just an eyebrow twitch.
"That talk earlier. Spill."
"Not Luger, why bother?"
"No, just—assume yes! More details!"
"So yes?"
"Assuming yes!"
As Brof mounted pointless resistance.
Jin slyly smiled at the old man.
Precisely as a (Complete!) alarm faded before his eyes.
(Complete!)
As expected, me.
Aaah, scary.
My sense.
My feeling.
My gut.
Jin closed his eyes, shaking his head in self-praise.
Of all moments, the status window popped up then.
Frozen Yearning
Of course, Jin didn't see it.
Anyway—deduction success!