Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Code: XTK
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A fact I learned recently: once connected, I could hack sites or games however I wanted.
I started changing the Taker character. Its level shot up to 200 in an instant. All stats became 99999, and the equipped items switched to the game's top-tier gear.
A seven-colored rainbow aura flowed from the character's body.
GM Taker: Still don't believe me?
Anything: Taker, it looks like we'll have to meet in person.
???
Having set up a meeting with Raffles, I returned to reality for now.
There was nothing urgent for me to do right away in the Code: XTK Playful World. I activated auto-progression.
'I'll kill time with auto-progression until the meeting. Plus, there's something I want to experiment with.'
This experiment was about auto-progression.
The avatar is influenced by my actions, demeanor, and values. When I set the Vampire Detective avatar to auto-progress, it prioritizes finding women above all else—heading to Younghyejeong or contacting Hera and Choi Seon-mi.
'And sometimes it puts on a cheap clown mask and goes assassinate Vampire Hunters.'
In other words, the avatar on auto-progression mimics my lifestyle patterns. It responds to variables just like I would. It can use the skills and traits I've acquired in the Playful World. Its physical abilities match mine exactly. But it can't access the inventory.
'The problem is it's not perfectly identical. Short auto-progressions are fine, but long ones are unpredictable.'
Here's the question: What if I don't do much in the Playful World?
'Will it act like real-life me? Or follow the avatar's original setting?'
I predicted the latter.
'Knowing this could come in handy later.'
I stared intently at my smartphone, watching the actions of the Code: XTK avatar, Park Yu-jin.
7 AM. Park Yu-jin and his roommate wake up, have a simple ramen breakfast, and prepare for work.
8 AM. He arrives at the factory. A middle-aged man called the section chief gathers the employees and briefs them briefly on the day's schedule. Then work begins immediately.
The job was making machine parts. To be precise, machines made the parts. Humans managed the machines, loaded materials, and packaged the finished parts.
Park Yu-jin gets singled out by the section chief for nagging and scolding. From what I saw, Park Yu-jin hadn't made any mistakes. His tasks were simple repetitive work anyway. Nothing difficult.
Park Yu-jin just had a bad relationship with the section chief.
Noon. Lunch break, a short rest, then back to work.
2 PM. Here's where the anomaly happened. Park Yu-jin used Hacking to check the section chief's smartwatch. He discovered the chief was siphoning off some raw materials and selling them for personal profit. Park Yu-jin sent the evidence to the factory owner.
3 PM. The owner came looking for the section chief. They faced off, voices rising. Despite being at fault, the chief refused to admit it and got aggressive instead. The owner got angry at the chief's brazen attitude.
The workplace atmosphere was the worst.
In the end, the owner called the police. The section chief, who had been yelling defiantly, shriveled up instantly. In this world, police often drew guns at the slightest sign of resistance.
Park Yu-jin chuckled to himself as he watched the chief get dragged away by the police, unnoticed by anyone.
6 PM. Quitting time. Dinner from a nearby eatery, then off to a PC bang to start gaming. Using Hacking to boost his game character's stats and bully noobs.
"...Park Yu-jin isn't influenced by me much."
He used Hacking, but that was it.
If I were Park Yu-jin, I wouldn't have gone to the factory from the start.
Section chief? If he was truly detestable, I'd hack a machine to kill him in an accident.
I could even hack a bank and make the money mine. In Code: XTK, Hacking had endless applications.
'Confirmed. If I don't act much in the Playful World, the avatar follows its original setting. And if I act diligently, the avatar will be influenced and act diligently too.'
It'd be nice if I could control the avatar at will.
'Meeting with Raffles is at 9 PM. Time to head out.'
???
I opened my eyes in the PC bang and frowned.
'This... fucking hell!'
Park Yu-jin had used Hacking on the game to bully noobs, leaving me unable to use it right away due to cooldown.
'I have to meet Raffles at 9, but cooldown!'
Current time: 7:10 PM. Cooldown ends around 10 PM.
'Of course they'll want a demo of Hacking. Guess I'll arrive an hour late.'
I messaged Anything that I'd be late and left the PC bang.
"...Ugh."
I pinched my nose and grimaced.
The city was noisy with a metallic stench. This was Seoul's outskirts, the industrial zone. Not a great neighborhood.
I looked around. Neon signs flashed, streetlights glowed. But the massive, uniform buildings cast a dark vibe.
1M-tall can-shaped cleaning robots roamed the streets. Their AI didn't look impressive.
'Air's fucking rotten! Shit!'
Some people wore gas masks. Air pollution was severe.
I scowled at one group.
'Why are those guys shirtless, leaning against the convenience store wall? Tech advanced, but civic awareness tanked?'
They looked early 20s, covered in upper-body tattoos. Mechanical devices attached to right shoulders or arms—unknown purpose. Body mods were common here.
'A world where they attach machines to healthy bodies just to look cool.'
Not incomprehensible. Replacing body parts with machines made life easier.
They noticed my stare and flipped me off with chuckles. I smirked, pulled the pistol from my jacket pocket—brought from reality—and aimed. They freaked and bolted into the alley beside the store.
"Bunch of nobodies."
I pocketed the pistol again.
In Code: XTK's Korea, gun ownership was legal. Hell, it was tame—some had miniguns on their arms.
I walked the streets. Air sucked, but neon-lit buildings were a spectacle.
'Never thought I'd enter a webtoon world for real.'
Strolling, I stopped at one shop.
Blade Gun Mart.
Gun Mart. Amusing name. And true to it, they sold guns. I entered without hesitation.
Shop size like a BBQ joint. Steel walls, over five guards inside—all cyborgs.
The middle-aged man at the counter eyed me. Right half his face mechanical. Red cybernetic eye scanned me intently.
"Rookie, huh? Here for a self-defense piece? I can recommend an easy pistol for beginners."
"Do you buy guns too?"
"Selling one? Well, if it's legit, sure. Let me see it."
I placed the pistol on his counter.
HK USP.
HK's universal automatic pistol.
I don't favor specific models. Grabbed this from the pile 'cause it was portable.
"Whoa... plastic? Total antique. Never thought I'd see one in 15 years at this shop."
"It's a good gun."
"Good my ass. It's for show. Showpiece. Rare, but no real merits."
Not much to say about pistols, I shrugged. Don't know much anyway.
He picked it up with his mechanical right arm, inspecting it.
"Ugh, unmodified genuine antique. 50,000 won... nah, gotta value the rarity. Near mint condition... 1.9 million. That's it."
"...1.9 million? Pricier than I thought."
"Unmodified real deal antique. Gun collectors snatch anything. They'd drool over this. HK's long gone. In ten years, at least 7x the price. Sure you wanna sell now?"
"I live for today, not the future."
"Don't regret it later."
I sold him the pistol. Paid via smartwatch.
Learned his name was 'Kim Blade.' Thought nickname, but real name.
"For self-defense, recommend this. Mail Sa's latest auto-pistol. Won't break even dunked in water, low recoil. Perfect for rookies."
I frowned at the gun he pulled.
"Too small."
"Small is good. Self-defense, right?"
"I want combat use, not self-defense."
Blade scanned me up and down, then chuckled.
"You're normal, huh. Body's decently trained, but combat guns are tough without cyborg mods. Why not mod your body if you're fighting?"
Normal.
Meant unmodified humans.
"I'm strong."
"Stronger than my dog, maybe."
"I'm a customer."
"...Oops! Forgot. Sorry for prying. So, rookie customer, what combat gun you want?"
Blade switched attitudes. Proper. I was the customer; he sold.
"Something versatile. High power preferred."
"Recommend this: Black Kite F."
"Black Kite F? What kind?"
"This kind."
He showed a black pistol, similar to my USP but with differences.
"Looks like your antique. Figured you like the style. Internals totally different. Recharge battery with electricity 30 mins monthly. Uses most 9mm mags, even antique ones. Power at least 2x yours."
I gripped it. Great feel. Loved the electronic screen where the hammer was—shows ammo count.
"Nice. Price?"
"7 million. I modded it myself, so premium. Stability and durability top-tier. Uses all special rounds, no heat after 1,000 shots. Ultimate versatility."
"Nice. I'll take it."
Impulse buy. Felt good. Nice to collect one. Might use it someday.
"Quick decider. Scrawny but bold. Service: 10 explosive rounds."
"Black Kite F? Meaning?"
"Kite's a friend. Black guy. He ordered it. Died fighting gangsters before done. F for Friday—day he died."
Shady origin.
Whatever to me.
"Special rounds?"
"Explosive, freeze, AP, spike, shock, etc. Explosive priciest: 30,000 each."
"Regular bullets?"
"400 each. Buy 100, get 10 free."
"Daggers too?"
"Sell a few knives, but guns specialize."
As I finished paying and left, Blade said,
"Don't care who you shoot or where. But as my customer, advice: don't cling to human flesh. Mod to machine. More efficient."
Nagging. In one ear, out the other.
"Yeah, yeah. Sell a lot."