67. The Junkyard
Northrica looked exactly as Miko had described it. A city of glass, they called it. And it truly was. No matter where I looked, it was filled with sparkling buildings. Far from the grim atmosphere typical of cyberpunk, there wasn't even a trace of the smog that blanketed the city for 200 days a year.
Blue, clear, shimmering—a serene city so bright it hurt the eyes, yet perfectly quiet. If anywhere deserved the name Eden, it was here. Northrica was a true utopia.
"What's got Soo so excited?"
"Everything."
Gazing at that utopia, Soo’s eyes sparkled like never before. The usual languid boredom was gone. Her face lit up with pure curiosity and thrill.
As expected, there was a world of difference between seeing it in a game and seeing it for real. No matter how good the monitor, it couldn't capture the grandeur of the real landscape, Soo thought once again.
"Indeed, that's the Neonic headquarters..."
Enoch was just as excited. It hadn't been long since he'd insisted that a mercenary taking a personal job from Salvador Ortega had to maintain some dignity, but now he looked like a total country bumpkin.
"Aegis System... Even from here, I can feel the heat rising from the excessive computations."
"...Um, Enoch. Isn't that just light reflecting off it?"
"No. That's real heat haze."
Soo nodded in agreement with Enoch. Far off, atop the black tower that was Aegis System's headquarters, she could see the air shimmering with heat.
"You two aren't entirely wrong. Aegis System does periodically vent internal heat. Looks like it's right on schedule."
"What? For real? How do you know that, Angela?"
"I picked it up while doing some netwatcher gigs."
"Oh, ahaha... Right? Not like you used to work for Aegis or anything?"
"Heavens, no."
Angela smiled softly, reassuring Frey. Being an Aegis employee would naturally raise suspicions. As one community post Soo remembered put it, it was like a warrior who'd escaped an assassin guild in a wuxia tale. Soo agreed.
The culprits behind the Abyss War had been Aegis System employees. Of course, Eden had won that war, and the ringleaders were all reported killed. But in this world, corps could manipulate the media at will. Even paid news channels weren't entirely trustworthy.
So Aegis employees still drew wary glances. The resentment had faded, but not vanished. Deep down, Eden's people harbored unease and animosity toward Aegis. That's why the corps and government monitored them closely—to prevent a second Abyss War, which would spell Eden's doom.
"So really, you're secretly a Phantom Protocol employee or something? Kyahaha!"
Frey tossed out nonsense to lighten the tense mood. But soon, glancing around nervously, she blushed and whispered,
"Buuut... I trust you anyway. So what if you're from Aegis? You've saved Enoch tons of times. Angela's a good person."
"We helped each other out. It wasn't all one-sided."
Angela humbly brushed it off and turned toward where Soo was looking. Next to the sharply pointed black tower of Aegis System stood the bland, utilitarian Zailek headquarters.
She's probably working right now.
Elise Meyer. Angela wondered about her sister's well-being but had no desire to see her face. Meeting would only weaken their resolve and stir up old wounds unnecessarily. For their revenge to succeed, the sisters had to remain strangers. It had to be that way.
"Argh."
"Oof."
Feeling unexpectedly lonely, Angela pulled Soo into a hug and rubbed her cheek vigorously against the top of her head. Angela's elevated body temperature—so much higher than a normal person's—soothed her troubled heart a bit.
A moment later, Soo lifted her squished face, wriggled her hips, and offered her tail.
"Wanna touch?"
"Can I?"
"Here."
Soo slipped out of Angela's arms after handing over her tail. Enoch wanted to tease her about being a lizard but held his tongue, unable to predict the fallout.
*****
"Just park up ahead."
"Anywhere's fine?"
In Southpeak or Westtown, sure, but this was Northrica. There might be unwritten rules Enoch didn't know, and fines could be unpredictable.
"Yeah, it's fine. Why would the elite come to a junkyard?"
"True enough."
Enoch nodded readily but drove to a spot hidden from view. What if the owner reported them? He trusted Frey, but Enoch was always cautious with money matters.
"Nngh."
The moment they parked, Soo bolted out like she'd been itching to escape. She stretched long and hard... then scrunched up her face.
"Ughk."
The stench was horrific. Even normal people gagged on their first visit, and with Soo's sense of smell several times sharper, it was torture. She shuddered, swallowing a retch.
Behind her, Frey hopped out humming and pulled out a small tube.
"Hehe, knew you'd need this~"
It looked like toothpaste or ointment—pink and tube-shaped. Frey squeezed some onto her hand. A soothing fabric softener scent wafted up, easing her expression.
"Here, Soo. Smear it under your nose."
"Toothpaste?"
"Fabric softener-flavored toothpaste? That'd be nightmare fuel."
Giggling, Frey rubbed it under her own nose and offered it to Soo.
"It's for folks like us without scent filters. Think of it as scented cream—or perfume you just apply."
Soo glanced back at Enoch and Angela, who seemed unfazed by the smell.
"You two have filters?"
"Got a Scent Gate added during the procedure. Cost a bit."
"Sis has Nasal Refresher. Been a while since hers."
"Where do they go?"
Soo smeared the cream under her nose as Frey explained. Nasal Refresher, Scent Gate—implants she'd never heard of. Unnecessary in the game. Why would the protagonist need smell blockers? She'd always skipped over any "the stench is awful" monologues.
But scent purification filters? Intriguing.
"Both go in the nasal mucosa. Nasal Refresher's semi-permanent, no maintenance. Scent Gate needs upkeep every six months. Right, Enoch?"
"...Yeah. But it's a tenth the price."
"Eek."
Frey's eyes widened. Enoch had bragged about the cost, so Scent Gate was pricey enough—yet Angela had ten times that.
...She's Enoch's ally, but she might make a great customer?
Cha-ching. Frey heard money counting in her head.
"Thanks, Frey."
Soo took a deep breath, her face relaxing, and strode ahead.
"Where do we go in?"
No need to look far. Towering walls everywhere, glimpses of trash piles beyond. But no visible entrances.
"Uh... Just follow Soo? Have you been here before, Soo?"
"Nope."
"Really?"
She seemed to know the way, though. Frey fell into step beside her—pure coincidence, their similar heights matching their pace naturally.
"They wouldn't notice even if I dumped a body."
"In Southpeak, it'd rot among the rest and go unnoticed quick."
"Hmph, good point."
Enoch and Angela trailed the two, chatting lightly.
"No rotting corpse stink means Northrica's livable, huh."
"Even junkyards have caretakers here. No wonder—seven-tenths of Eden's money flows this way. Not just idle talk."
Nine-tenths, closer to eight, but only Soo knew that. And most of it was true anyway—no need to correct.
"Frey? This the right path?"
"Yup."
"Feels like we're heading deeper into the shadows. An entrance here?"
Frey spun around, walking backward with a grin.
"Yup. I made a side path."
"...Side path? You made it?"
"Brought in a big grinder and dug it out."
She'd made it extra wide, thinking of Enoch. Burned through 17 blades, but worth it. That's why they could come together now. Ironic spot for a reunion, but better than him being barred.
"...Sneaking in?"
"Duh. How else on private property?"
"If we get caught after all that—huh?"
Enoch's eyes widened slowly. Ignoring him, Frey pouted, dismissing his worries.
"No catches in five years. Made over seven million credits from stuff I scavenged. Just follow me—CCTV spots mapped. Hehe."
She spun back. Trash leaked everywhere now—watch your step. Owner's gaze? No worry. Five years, never crossed paths hauling loot. Safe today too.
Safe... it should be.
"Gasp..."
Frey's face went pale.
"You've been coming since five years ago."
Their eyes met the junkyard owner's.