The Scavenger's Hidden Vault
Topher thought, Now our eye levels finally match. It wasn't a metaphor. Their eyes were literally at the same height now. With Topher sitting and Soo standing, they could finally look straight at each other. Why did eye level matter so much? Hell if I know. Topher's head was filled with that kind of nonsense right then.
Soo's expression had changed dramatically from the half-lidded, drowsy look she'd worn while smashing the hounds. How to describe it? Like a kid who'd just had their favorite toy in the world snatched away.
"Uh... boss? Thieves... you mean?"
"Thieves. That's mine..."
"Er... is it?"
"Yeah...!"
Topher recalled the ruins he'd seen during the job. Could anyone really own something like that? In his memory, those ruins weren't meant to be owned—couldn't be owned.
"But boss, no matter how you look at it, that thing was..."
"No matter how you look at it, what?"
Behind Soo, who was stomping her feet in frustration, her tail writhed angrily. Topher's mouth snapped shut. He knew exactly how that tail had pulverized the hounds. If it lashed out at his beloved sofa... the sofa would be toast, and the wall it smashed into would crumble too.
Any old sofa might just break, but Topher's was special. So, no matter what, it couldn't break.
"Yeah, it really does seem like yours—"
"Where is it."
"...You planning to go there?"
Soo's eyebrow twitched. Her tail twisted this way and that, then curved into a question mark. How could such a plump tail move so fluidly? Topher couldn't comprehend it. Didn't want to. He loved the saying: ignorance is bliss.
"You said Topher found it a year ago, right?"
"Yes."
"Then there'll be nothing left if we go now."
Topher shook his head after a moment's thought.
"At least traces should remain. Those ruins were massive—not something Luthien could haul away clean even if they tried. There'll be signs."
He glanced at Soo, then steeled his expression—like he'd made up his mind about something. With that look, he stood and strode toward her.
"Boss."
Soo blinked up at him. Then, for a split second, her face twisted like she'd just gotten a confession from a talking cockroach, and she took a step back.
"Sorry, but you're not my type."
"What."
Topher's resolve cracked.
He hadn't confessed—hadn't even planned to. And with their age gap? But he couldn't call her out directly. Embarrass her into punching him? No thanks.
"Ah, what a shame."
"This face is pretty, sure, but that'd be a problem. You're about to become my personal scavenger piggy bank."
Scavenger piggy bank? Scavenger plus piggy bank? Topher shuddered for some reason, brushing down his arms as he cleared his throat.
"W-well, then, there's something I want to show you. It's in the safe hidden inside the sofa. Mind stepping aside for a sec?"
Soo hopped back quick. Topher plopped onto the sofa. Whirr—a number pad emerged from the armrest.
"Ooh."
Soo's face, which had soured moments ago, brightened instantly. Her half-lidded eyes and lazy expression stayed, but yeah, brighter. A hidden safe in home furniture? A secret passage behind patterned books on a shelf? Stuff no red-blooded guy could resist.
"You get this during your merc days?"
"Ah... no, it's my personal build."
Huh. No wonder the cushioning felt suspiciously plush for scavenger furniture. Mystery solved, satisfaction bloomed. But it didn't last. How could he smile in a world with magic thieves?
Soo's brow furrowed again.
"What's inside?"
"...Boss, this one's a real secret."
"Yeah. My scavenger piggy bank is precious to me."
"...Yes—wait, not yes. I mean, I'll keep it secret from my family too, not just Luthien."
Soo tilted her head. Secret from his family too?
The Topher she'd seen cherished his crew—his family. A guy who'd lived with some renown, lost it all in one mistake, had no choice but to treasure the bonds forged at rock bottom.
Topher seemed especially devoted. But a secret even from them?
"Ah."
Soo's question-mark tail straightened. Her eyes curved softly. Even her straight mouth quirked up a bit.
It wasn't that it had to be secret from family.
It was secret because they were family.
That safe held dangerous intel, no doubt. The kind where knowing it could mean worse than death.
Tell simple-minded scavengers? They'd be the ones in danger. Scavengers crave cash, fame, attention—loose lips when drunk.
"Yeah, got it."
"...Thank you."
"But Topher."
"Yes."
"Living like that—caring about everyone—you'll die young."
A little more cunning, a little less humanity, and life would be easier. Especially in this cyberpunk world.
Just tweak the mindset. Being hunted by corps made dragon dreams impossible, but snake-head status? Maybe.
Lines from Cyberpunk: Eden echoed that. Stick to the machine's lines. Obey the corps. Go with the flow.
"What about just going with the flow?"
Topher paused mid-PIN entry, mulling her words, then chuckled.
"Hear that a lot. 'Don't cross the line. Just go with the flow.'"
"Still hate it?"
"Yeah. I'll live like this and die like this."
His face eased as he tapped the pad. The code was long—minutes passed, no end in sight.
Soo didn't mind. Even these quirks were part of what made Topher—this man—unique.
Even in an AI game, frames existed. Side characters' lives off-script? Never shown.
So Soo savored the wait. She loved the world of Cyberpunk: Eden itself, after all.
"Yeah. That's cool."
"Heh, you can call it stupid."
"No, I mean it. Really cool."
And she loved stories of people keeping their humanity in this world even more.
*****
"Whoa."
Soo's eyes widened.
"You got a death wish or something?"
"N-no, not exactly."
Looked like he did, though. Soo eyed Topher's pale face, then skimmed the paper documents he'd pulled out.
"Whoa."
Even a quick glance drew awe. Paper docs in this world? Wild. But the contents? Wilder.
All about Luthien. Stuff no civilian—or even their employees—should know. Dirty secrets, recent research details, all meticulously noted.
"Revenge?"
"It's only been a year. A year... hah, not enough to forget rage and despair."
Given time, maybe. But Topher still burned for payback against Luthien.
"This is the first ruin ever found in all Eden."
Not a handwritten note—printed doc with neat text. Photos plastered everywhere, but the first thing that jumped out: discoverer's name.
Topher.
"Topher found it first in Eden?"
"Among mercs, at least. Info was probably controlled, though."
Control was standard. Word of Topher's find would've come after corps investigated.
Corps moved like that. But docs prepped and publicized this much? Meant he hadn't tangled with Luthien mid-job.
Which implied...
"Luthien asked for the info."
"...Yes."
"But you upheld your merc duty and loyalty."
"Well... honestly, no. Haha..."
"Mm. Client was a corp too?"
"Didn't know at first. After Luthien made their offer, I pressed the connector. Turned out Neonic. Total shitshow."
Connector wouldn't spill easy. Soo figured Topher killed them for it.
Already hunted by Luthien—no reason to hold back. And the one who'd thrown him to the wolves? Fair game.
Was killing that humane? In cyberpunk? Hell yeah—downright saintly.
"So you weighed it... hah! Figured getting chased by 'easier' Luthien beat Neonic loyalty."
No Neonic protection anyway. Modern folks'd call Neonic bastards, but here? Normal.
Cut the tail. Classic trope.
Topher got ditched by Neonic, chased by Luthien, fled to the Wasteland. Neonic probably hunted him undercover too—at least 30% of those "Luthien" staff were theirs.
Soo swallowed the thought, taking the docs.
"Closest one's Proof Ruins. Zailek Tech just wrapped research, so relatively safe."
Soo couldn't read maps, but she got how close. 2km from here.
"Whoa."
*****
"Per Director Thompson's conditions, we've narrowed Proof Ruins witnesses to about 17 scavengers. Want their family intel too?"
"Elise, you think we need more on those rats?"
"No, sir."
"Right. Beyond no—it's a bad idea. Can't let rat fur clog Zailek's info net."
Thompson stamped the floating AR doc, pulling Elise onto his lap.
"How're the new test subjects?"
"Unfit for troops, but five should handle witness cleanup."
"Good. Handle it today."
"Understood."
Elise's eyes flashed briefly. That instant signal sent Zailek Tech's experiments toward Proof Ruins.