Chapter 79
Chapter 79
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: How to Survive in Fusion Punk
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Drandre couldn't fall asleep easily.
He tossed and turned for a long while, like someone who just couldn't get comfortable.
Whenever he closed his eyes, nagging thoughts kept overlaying the black backdrop behind his eyelids, so he chose to keep them open instead.
And then, it was a familiar sight.
A ceiling tangled with rusted, yellowish pipes.
His gaze followed the sound of water flowing through them, sliding down the wall, until a modest little office came into view.
A place where even opening the windows couldn't chase away the musty smell,
poorly insulated, sweltering in summer and freezing in winter,
where no matter how hard you scrubbed, the ingrained grime refused to budge.
A beat-up android sitting in the corner of that office creaked its head around.
"Boss, can't sleep?"
"Hooker."
"Yes, boss. Want some water?"
"...Yeah."
The android, Hooker, rose to its feet after seeing Drandre nod.
It pulled a water bottle from the low fridge at waist height, twisted off the cap, and approached.
"Here you go."
"......"
Drandre stared intently at the android's face as it handed over the bottle with perfect posture.
The thing couldn't afford synthetic skin grafts, so it walked around with its bare steel mug on full display.
It was leagues below those bartender bots from ritzy joints—ones so advanced they surpassed human capabilities with insane tech.
That fact had always nagged at him.
"Sorry."
Drandre took the bottle as he said it, gulping down to soothe his parched throat.
"Why sorry, boss?"
"Hell if I know, you punk."
Drandre grumbled pointlessly and crushed the empty bottle.
Then he gazed out the window at the flickering neon lights and asked,
"How long we been here?"
"2,668 days, 11 hours, 40 minutes, 24 seconds and counting, sir."
"...Over seven years already? Time flies like a bitch."
Drandre swept a fresh look over the office.
Suddenly, he recalled the moment he'd first flung open the door to this place.
'Hell yeah! We're makin' history right here!'
A dump he'd scraped together by taking every dirty, dangerous, backbreaking job that came his way, pouring every last credit into it.
Overlapping the image of himself boldly slamming down that nameplate on the desk, he murmured softly.
"...Hooker, you still think I can make it big as a Linker?"
"Of course, sir! This Hooker has never once doubted you! You always said it—prove to this godforsaken city that even a bottom-barrel loser like you could strike it rich!"
"Damn punk, got a memory like a steel trap for useless crap..."
Drandre chuckled and sat up in bed.
As he grabbed the jacket from the rack, Hooker asked,
"Where you headed, boss?"
"Sector 41. The tunnels."
"Huh? Why there all of a sudden..."
"Word's already leaking out about the intel. Feels fishy. Probably hyenas lying in wait. We pull off a clean exit, and then some bullshit goes down? Can't have that screwing my life's biggest op."
"Weren't you just providing intel this time, boss? Not exactly an op..."
"It is an op."
"......?"
Hooker tilted its head.
Drandre, already at the office door, gripped the knob and turned back.
"Getting our Solos home safe. That's my op."
And so, right now.
Enter the Linker blasting grenades and yelling, Protect my family!
"You fuckin' bastards—!"
No sooner had he finished chucking them than he unleashed a barrage from his shotgun—
and on top of that, Jin unfurled his incantation.
Now at tier 2, his imagery had deepened far beyond before.
Naturally, that unlocked Zahard's signature constellation too—a lightning bolt pattern.
From the horde of spells force-fed into his brain, he cast the one that screamed AOE.
Fwwooooosh!
A violet raptor took flight.
Thunder God Bird.
The thunderbird that scatters lightning with every flap of its wings—a divine beast symbolizing Zahard—swept its lofty gaze over the enemies.
"W-what the hell is that?"
"Shit! Run!"
The Treasure Hunters, sensing something had gone seriously wrong, scattered in panic.
But the thunderbird plummeted like a bolt from the blue, detonating its condensed lightning on the ground. Those caught in the blast crumpled like fallen leaves.
Not even a scream escaped them.
Their hearts failed instantly from the overwhelming voltage.
"Insane."
"That's Zahard...?"
Everyone was speechless at the sheer devastating power, but the most shocked was none other than Jin.
"Whoa."
His eyes went wide as he let out a pure exclamation.
The power was nuts, sure, but what really hooked him was the bird's design itself.
Style points off the charts.
If only it didn't guzzle so much mana...
...Nah, that's just greed talking?
By the time that thought crossed his mind, the fight was over in a flash. Drandre came rushing up, frantically checking Jin over.
"You hurt?!"
"Nah."
"Knew it!"
Drandre grabbed Jin's shoulders with a beaming grin, shaking them—and Jin's head bobbed along like a dashboard ornament.
"Heard you leveled up, Solo? Level 4 already!"
"Whoa."
Jin had known from Poh already, but he feigned surprise, rounding his lips and whistling sharply.
Seeing Drandre so thrilled like it was his own win, Jin figured he had to play along.
"We'll throw a party later. Hang on—"
Drandre headed to the fallen Massimo.
They talked, and from what Jin overheard...
"What balls you got comin' all the way here. Tryin' to die?"
"Helped out, didn't I? So extend the contract."
"......"
But Drandre wasn't done hustling—
flashing a predatory grin full of chrome teeth, he approached the other two survivors.
"Natasha, right? Your completion rate's over 92%. We could use someone responsible like you at our office. Here's my card. Interested...?"
"Friend, you a merc? Affiliated? Freelance? Oh, perfect. Let's team up from now on... Why you stutterin'?"
Natasha burst out laughing at the bold pitch.
Jin and Massimo exchanged glances and shrugged.
Finally, the tension eased.
"Ugh."
He face-planted onto the pillow like he'd collapsed.
It was a cheap pillowcase, reeking from skipped washes, but damn if it wasn't welcoming.
Maybe because he'd been trapped in that dank underground for nearly three days without sunlight. This sleazy unmanned motel felt like a five-star hotel.
After lazing around for a bit, Jin reflected.
Drandre really came through big time.
On the way back, the Linker had volunteered to drive, getting the crew back to Downtown late but safe.
Hell yeah, he'd locked in some serious goodwill.
Even snagged verbal contracts with the mercs—his grin had been ear-to-ear.
Honestly, not a bad deal for them either.
Team wiped except for him, minds fraying—who gets a Linker who looks after his own like family?
Jin's take: Solid marksmanship, fix the headspace, win-win.
Just as sleep tugged at him, he snapped alert.
Not yet.
Stuff to check first.
So Jin consciously shut his eyes.
His lids descended slowly, blackening his vision, until stars dotted it densely, painting a galaxy.
Entering his inner world, he turned his head.
His eyes crossed nebulae, capturing constellations: fist-shaped, tree-shaped, lightning-shaped.
Each bearing names [Superhuman], [Mana], [Zahard].
But Jin hadn't come here for the familiars.
A bit further along his gaze.
There—new constellation.
The blazing flame-shaped constellation radiated presence rivaling Zahard.
Surprising, though. Jin had half-expected the new family member's name to be Solard or something.
Whatever the name—didn't matter.
What counted: the flame that had stayed quietly warm till now had gained solid symbolism.
And then he confirmed [Pure Flame] leveled via proficiency, not XP.
"......?"
In a dim corner of the night sky, someplace his eyes rarely wandered, Jin spotted something crouched and shadowy.
Glowing reddish,
it was a grotesque pattern: inverted cross with bat wings.
Familiar name—Jin's eyes bulged.
"You son of a—!"
He reflexively cocked his fist, and the constellation flinched, dimming like it was ducking its head.
But Jin was just as startled.
Did I turn vampire?
He focused hard, scanning the details.
His gray eyes darted over the popping messages.
Then relief.
Still human, basically?
Simple as that—he sorted it and bailed from the inner world.
Didn't even open his eyes.
Just crashed.
Jin had one thing worth celebrating this time.
His terminal was intact.
This junker that had died a million deaths like a cockroach actually held up.
So he pinged his contacts first.
"A day late, but you'll pass. Glad you're safe, Jin."
Survival report to Kalifa first,
then a call with Poh.
"...Vampire, you say?"
The bartender, already obsessed with the Age of Light and Roses, went full throttle on questions at the word "vampire"—enough to leave Jin stammering.
Lucky a customer showed at Anecdote, or he'd have been stuck in unwanted Q&A for hours.
"Oh, about that contract you asked for. Snagged a few properties, but not sure if they'll suit. Sending pics—check and holler back."
"Cool, got it."
Jin scanned Poh's list of residence options and picked one quick.
A big warehouse in South Downtown.
No more parking headaches, and Rum Pump Pump was a three-minute walk—perfect.
[This one.]
True to form, Jin didn't overthink and fired back sharp.
Next up: dinner with Jeki and Jenny.
How many rain checks? Outdoor debt payoff?
Whatever—Jin hit Rum Pump Pump for a fun meal. Seeing the repaired second floor, he grinned like a kid.
Even a heartfelt reunion with the old speaker.
"Missed ya, buddy!"
He hugged it in excitement, and it greeted back with a vintage tune.
The siblings arrived on time, and they demolished a mountain of food, laughing nonstop—until news leaked from the new wall TV.
Some headlines grabbed him naturally, others not—his eyes flicked to the screen and away per interest.
The next one hooked the siblings more than Jin.
"...Clan Rotation? Time flies."
"Y-yeah. Wonder who wins this time."
Jin, mid-bite on sausages, asked,
"What's Clan Rotation?"
"Think of it as a festival for Purists hosted by the seven great families. Next-gen leaders compete to sort the strong from weak."
Jin snorted at Jenny's explanation.
Total cyberpunk dragon tournament vibe.
This city had it all.
That was it for his interest.
Better to catch up with them—stories piled higher than the food.
Time flew unnoticed amid the chatter, until the windows showed pitch black.
Too late for Downtown streets. Jin wedged between the siblings, slinging arms over their shoulders.
"Level 4 Solo escort service. Free for you two, special."
"Sure, sure. So grateful, don't know where to put myself."
"What kinda reaction is that?"
Just banter extension.
Bickering to the destination quick.
Bodysguard duty done smooth, Jin shoved their backs and waved.
"Get in."
"It's late—crash here."
Jin grinned Nah at Jeki and turned.
Nose running in the chill night air, retracing steps—then his terminal buzzed against his chest.
"Yeah?"
[Jin?]
"Yeah, it's me."
Natasha tacked on from the terminal.
[Busy?]
"Nah. What's up?"
[No biggie—just grab a drink?]
"Now? Ain't we meeting tomorrow?"
[That's with Massimo and Drandre. I mean just us.]
Jin scratched his cheek.
"Huh. Booze ain't really..."
[No interest?]
Snacks still room, but liquor spots? Jin was stingy.
His face deepened in thought as he strolled the boulevard.
Silence stretching awkward—
he wrinkled his nose.
"Aw, screw it! Mood's right! I'll bite! Where?"
Big decision for drinks—her voice came back light and excited.
"......"
Jin missed most of it.
Deep shadow, beyond streetlight reach, figures appeared silently, encircling him.
"...Hold up."
He lowered the terminal from his ear quietly.
Their eyes sparked with tiny lightning flickers.