Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 49
Chapter Title: How to Survive in Fusion Punk
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Part of him wanted to unleash a barrage of F-bombs starting with "What the fuck are you—" but Jin swallowed those words along with his skewers, worried it might upset the old man who could be listening.
Instead, he mumbled around his mouthful before asking.
"Want me to help you look for him?"
"What?"
"What's the name of this son who ran off? You sure he's in Downtown?"
It must have caught the old man off guard.
His face took on a strange expression.
Jin, on the other hand, was completely straightforward.
He'd asked with total sincerity.
He wouldn't have bothered if he wasn't serious.
Besides, Jin was practically unemployed right now.
He had time before his next job came in.
He'd spent the last few days crashed out, fully recharged.
Somehow, this old guy reminded him of his own late grandpa, so helping out didn't seem like a big deal. Plus, it was kinda heartbreaking. What was a guy his age doing in Downtown? Downtown of all places.
Not even a single basic auxiliary implant in sight.
Brof had swapped out his elbows and knees for full chrome exoskeletons, and this geezer—easily a decade older—still rocking the pure flesh?
This was exactly why Purists were no good.
Not that he'd actually met many Purists, but with his head full of prejudices, Jin grumbled inwardly before suddenly making up his mind.
He slapped his palm down.
"Hold on a sec."
With a flesh-colored barrier up toward the old man, he stood and headed to the owner.
The mechanical arms were handling everything busily, while the owner himself dozed off with his head nodding.
Jin stretched out his arm and snapped his fingers right in front of the guy's nose.
Snap snap!
The sharp sound startled the owner awake. He gulped and lifted his head.
"Wh-what?"
"Bill. Include the old guy's too."
"Oh. Right. Let me check... Huh?"
The owner spotted the twin towers and froze, blinking rapidly.
No wonder the mech arms were in overdrive.
Turns out one guy was responsible for the whole turnover.
"Haha. I can close up shop early today."
As the delighted owner scanned the plates, Jin winked at the old man.
He finished paying and approached.
"Let's head out."
"Who said you could pay for mine?"
"You said you finished. Time to digest."
Jin pulled the dumbfounded old man up and out of the shop before asking again.
"So, what's your son's name?"
"You think you can find him just by a name? What makes you so special?"
"I'm not special. Let's just go look together. That's it."
The old man snorted and tilted his head back in exasperation.
His wrinkled eyes crinkled into a gentle curve.
But only for a moment.
He straightened his face and said.
"Let's walk a bit first."
Without waiting for a reply, he clasped his hands behind his back and trudged ahead.
Jin stared in disbelief.
What?
A sudden stroll at this timing?
The old man fearlessly headed into the alley, but Jin couldn't just let him go—not after his words, and with everything feeling so ambiguous.
"Jeez."
Jin lengthened his stride.
Soon enough, he fell in step beside the old man. Their feet hit the filthy ground with each advancing step.
Squashed gum hardened into the pavement, cigarette butts rolling like coal ash, octopus-like flyers littering the floor: Missing Person.
And then a voice.
"You alone?"
Jin let out a dry chuckle at the old man's question.
"You sure have a lot of questions. I said I'd help find your son—why keep grilling me like a mark? Got an unmarried daughter or something?"
Still, he played along helplessly.
"Yeah, solo. Problem?"
"Such a mouth on you. Just curious."
"Hmm?"
The odd companionship continued.
Not that it was much—just pointless chit-chat while weaving through alleys packed with bars and eateries.
This really does feel like a walk, Jin thought, glancing sideways.
His eyes met those of a guy munching a hot dog at a street stall.
Their gazes brushed lightly before parting naturally.
The old man spoke up.
"Why offer to help find my son all of a sudden?"
"Uh."
Jin shut his mouth for a second.
Saying he understood a parent's pain after their kid vanished overnight—would that come off as nosy?
Honestly, he was a bit jealous of the guy having a son too.
But this old man could at least poke around Downtown despite the risks. Some parents couldn't even do that, stuck pacing helplessly. Like, how do you find a kid who vanished into a game? Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Ah, fuck...
The last fuck was for a different reason.
His breath suddenly caught, and he'd unconsciously pulled the trigger.
The crashing waves made his nape prickle with chill.
He hurriedly shut his eyes to focus—
Whoosh—
A spark slowly kindled.
The warmth chased away the gloom seeping into his bones, fragile but trying its best.
And he could breathe again.
"Phew—!"
Like he'd held it in for a decade, Jin exhaled deeply. The old man glanced back sharply.
"Why sigh like that?"
"Huh? Oh? My breath? Yeah, huh. Wow."
Was this how primitive humans felt discovering fire?
Jin's jaw dropped.
If this were a comic, a massive Ding! effect would explode over his head.
The spark he'd thought useless could dispel panic attacks?!
Not perfectly, of course.
The gloom still clung damp and dank, like water wrung from a twisted rag.
But it was something.
Flailing in deep darkness? No. Drowning terror? Dodged. Jin unconsciously pressed a hand to his left chest.
Thump, thump, thump.
Feeling his heartbeat.
That's when it happened.
"Ahem—"
"Hm?"
Jin's wandering mind snapped back at the irritated cough.
His narrowed vision widened, revealing the old man's face watching him.
Under that piercing gaze, Jin flashed an awkward smile.
"Uh. What'd you say?"
"Never mind."
The old man strode ahead briskly. Eh? Did I piss him off?
His steps were nothing to Jin's long model legs. One step, two—
He caught up easily.
"Come on, grandpa. Walk together."
Reaching out, he massaged the old man's shoulder.
Not something he'd normally do.
But Jin was in a good mood now.
Fresh off beating his first panic attack,
and that stubborn back faintly overlapped with his late grandpa's image.
So he buttered him up a bit, and—
Hey? It worked.
"Ahem. So why help find my son?"
"Eh, just... got me worried, y'know?"
"Soft-hearted fool."
Gruff words, but his tone had softened.
Jin took it in stride.
Though he did wonder why he was bothering.
Meanwhile,
The random scenery started looking familiar—they'd looped the alley and ended up back at the skewer joint.
They stopped in unison.
The old man spoke first.
"My son has no name. He shed it when he left home. Nameless ever since. And he will be."
"Then why bother looking?"
"I'm his father."
The old man looked at Jin plainly.
"Your help's appreciated. I'll be off now. You go your way."
"..."
Jin didn't argue.
He wasn't the type to hound someone who said they were fine, repeating the same questions—and he'd sensed something during their loop.
So he nodded and replied.
"Take care. Eat well."
The old man curled his wrinkled lips into a smile at Jin's light fist pump, then turned away.
As the hands-behind-back figure receded,
Jin's senses picked something up.
A faint unnaturalness.
Amid the irregular crowd flow, presences slowly shifting in the same direction.
No one but his superhuman senses noticed.
Jin glanced far off.
The hot dog guy from the stall was gone.
"...You've got quite the escort."
He shrugged.
Turning toward his parked Manticore, he paused—then dashed off suddenly.
"Five hot dogs, please. Different kinds."
His stomach wasn't full yet.
The old man trudged onward.
Neither fast nor slow—a plain gait.
Plain looks.
Plain vibe.
The kind you see anywhere.
The kind that doesn't draw eyes.
Maybe that's why.
The punks who hassle anyone passing by—young or old—were on their best behavior today.
They didn't even register the old man brushing past.
Like part of the scenery.
Acknowledged as present, but no more—a background outside their sight.
The old man pressed on.
And shadows gathered in his wake.
Passersby, the snacking stall guy, a woman ignoring leering thugs like bugs, a middle-aged man closing a corpse's eyes on a nearby rooftop.
They merged fluidly, like flowing water.
The old man's shadow stretched.
Filled by followers, outlining a giant.
Step.
Suddenly, someone approached his side.
A man with a rugged jaw exuding toughness.
The one whose eyes had met Jin's at the stall. He bowed deeply, then moved his heavy lips.
"Jin Evernight. A Solo collaborating with Anecdote, a Linker office. Recently active, but growing at an unprecedented rate..."
"Bloodline?"
The interrupting question got a prompt reply.
"Couldn't trace family or lineage. Not even sure if Evernight is his real surname."
"...Distant branch."
The old man murmured softly.
Then a faint smile crossed his face.
The followers startled silently.
Unfamiliar sight from their master—some nearly broke their near-perfect concealment.
"Doesn't matter. Thrilling news. In these times when even direct heirs whimper, a gutter stray forges starlight. The others can learn from him. Following my son's trail led to unexpected treasure."
The old man's smile deepened.
The next instant.
His assimilated presence flickered into view.
Rumble—Boom!
Lightning flashed beyond thunderclouds, scarring Downtown's sky with a massive zigzag.
From North Downtown to South—an overwhelming bolt.
Not ball lightning. Real natural thunder.
"Whoa! What the—?!"
"Sh-shit, what is that?!"
As surroundings erupted in panic,
the man trailing half a step behind spoke.
"Shall we not bring him into the family?"
"Leave him. A flower bloomed in the mud. Temper like Rokan's. Force it, and it'll shatter. Better let it roam free. Not time yet."
"Understood."
The man bowed and withdrew. The old man gazed skyward, murmuring.
"Promising. Wonder how far he'll grow."
Lost City brimmed with urban legends.
One: Zahard's family head ventures out occasionally, seeking the heir who cast himself out.
Zahard's 29th head.
Myriad Thunder
Gabellus Zahard.
Having found a raw gem to replace his runaway son, he vanished into Downtown's shadows with a satisfied smile.
Jin saw the lightning too.
And jumped like everyone else.
"Holy shit! What the hell?!"
Hot dog bits sprayed from his mouth with the slurred exclamation.
His heart's starlight crackled too.
"...Rain? Nah."
Calming his pounding chest, Jin opened wide for another bite—
Bzzzzt—!
"Ack!"
A jolt to his chest made him flinch again. He yanked out his communicator.
Thumbing the screen lit up a short message:
Kalifa.