Chapter 56
Chapter 56
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 56
Chapter Title: Code: XTK
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10 PM.
I stepped into the café where I'd arranged to meet Raffles. It was tucked away in some alley in Seoul.
As soon as I entered, a man greeted me. He wore a black mask over his face and scanned me with mechanical eyes before speaking.
"You Taker?"
"Yeah, that's me. Sorry I'm an hour late. Something important came up. But you're Anything?"
"Anything's not me—it's the leader. You've got a pistol tucked in your coat."
"...I figured it wouldn't show. X-ray vision or something?"
"X-rayder. You're no cyborg. So why the smartphone? You into antiques?"
"Smartphones are perfection itself, friend."
"Talk about nonsense. Follow me. The leader's waiting."
"What's your name?"
"Jackie."
"Ah, foreigner, huh."
"Korean. Jackie's just my alias. Names mean nothing to us."
"Guess I'll stick with Taker, then."
I followed Jackie deeper into the café. There was a fairly spacious meeting room.
Eight people were waiting for me there.
"Brought him. Looks normal on the outside, and his only weapon's that one pistol."
Jackie announced it. Their eyes turned to me.
All cyborgs.
Six men and just two women. Neither woman was my type. Not even a little.
The man at the center approached me and spoke.
"Welcome. I'm Son Jung-hu, leader of Raffles. I'm Anything, the one you talked to. My crew just calls me Leader."
Anything—no, Son Jung-hu—spoke with a soft vibe, nothing like the stiff dialogue of a game character. He was dressed in casual clothes; he could pass for a college student.
He looked mid-to-late twenties, and on the surface, normal.
'But in reality, he's a cyborg with everything but his brain mechanized.'
Son Jung-hu was the most dangerous guy in Raffles. He'd smile while massacring kids or elders if it served his goals.
"Taker, real name Sung Yu-jin. You're joining Raffles starting today, right?"
"Kinda suspicious. We've only just met. But I'm still thinking of letting you in. Your skills are too tempting."
Son Jung-hu extended his hand. I shook it slowly, staying on guard.
'In the original story, Son Jung-hu doesn't even trust his own crew. Even after years together, he'll discard them without mercy if they're no longer useful.'
Son Jung-hu was untrustworthy. Best to avoid tangling with him if possible.
I was approaching Raffles only to get the Illuminator in the shortest time possible. Once I had it, I'd auto-progress the game and end this Play. No real interest in it.
Advanced machines far beyond reality? I could get those in other creations. No need to obsess over Code: XTK for that.
"Hold on, Leader. You said we'd get a say when taking on new members."
It was a Mohawk guy in sunglasses. Name: Mudan. Wheels on his soles.
"...Yeah. Mudan's right. Sorry, got a bit dictatorial there. Anyone against Taker joining us? Raise your hand."
Three raised their hands, Mudan included.
"We usually go by majority vote... so Taker's in. But we can't ignore the minority. Mudan, Train, Hyun-ji. Why the opposition?"
Mudan spoke first.
"Can't trust him. Way too shady. Could be a spy from another group or the government's dog."
"Fair enough."
Son Jung-hu stared into my eyes and asked.
"You a spy by any chance?"
"Nah. Just a factory worker making machine parts."
"Why join Raffles? You know who we are... so you know how dangerous our work is."
"Wasting my hacking skills doing nothing would be a shame. I want to make waves with them. Boring life's not for me."
"That doesn't explain picking Raffles. Government or cops would love your skills. Other crime syndicates too."
"Can't trust the government. Rumors say they kidnap kids for experiments. And other syndicates are boring. If I'm jumping in, it has to be at least Raffles level."
Son Jung-hu flashed me a smile, then looked away. His gaze landed on a big guy with his shirt off, wires coiled around his abs. Train.
"Train. You?"
"Motive. We all have our reasons for Raffles. Haven't heard his yet."
"Taker. Hear that? What's your motive?"
I'd expected this. Revenge for parents, hatred of government, thrill of crime—plenty of options. But I went simple.
"Money. Wanna make bank with my hacking. Not by cracking banks or lame stuff. Raffles fits the bill."
"True. We're elite few, split shares fair. We take hits, occasional heists. No boredom. Good choice."
"...Still suspicious. Whatever. Leader doesn't care."
Train muttered and turned away. Seemed disinterested in me.
"Hyun-ji. You?"
"He looks weak."
The short-haired woman perched on the desk walked over. Buzzcut side, half her face and both arms mechanical.
Hyun-ji stopped three steps away, eyeing me like prey.
"Body's trained, sure. That's it. Looks like a plain normal, no mutant traits. We're elite, so everyone needs combat chops. What use is a hacking-only weakling?"
"You think I'm weak? Could kill you in five seconds."
"...Oh? Got some guts."
Hyun-ji raised her right arm. A blade popped from her wrist. Whirrr. Mechanical whine from her arm. I clocked it instantly: monomolecular vibroblade.
"Guess you don't believe me."
"I do. That's why I want a demo, newbie!"
"Hell of an initiation."
I grinned as I said it.
This was exactly what I wanted. Chance to burn my abilities into their minds.
Hyun-ji's right arm turned not toward me, but her own throat.
"...Huh?"
Hyun-ji grabbed her right wrist with her left hand in panic. But the arm didn't stop. The vibrating blade hovered at her neck.
"Actually took less than five seconds."
"No way! Hacking a cyborg? My arm's not even networked!"
"My hacking isn't regular stuff. It's a superpower. Networked or shielded... if it's mechanical, I hack it."
"What?! If that's real, cyborgs can't even compete!"
"Yep. And cyborgs aren't rare in this world. Now you get my power? Don't worry about combat. Even without hacking, I'm no ankle-biter."
I glanced around. Raffles members had surrounded me, guns trained. Atmosphere turned hostile in a flash.
Their implants were custom, not mass-produced. My hacking duration drops sharply on complex, high-end gear.
'Hack everyone here... three seconds? That's about my limit.'
If they were full machines, I could take them. Just kill the power. But cyborgs, only parts mechanized. Impossible to drop them in three seconds via hack.
"Whoa, whoa, calm down. Just an initiation. Hyun-ji started it. No need to escalate."
Raffles' leader, Son Jung-hu, intervened.
He circled me and Hyun-ji, then placed both hands on my shoulders.
"Enough. Taker. Hyun-ji gets it now. Everyone knows your amazing power. You're more than qualified for Raffles skill-wise. I... we need your abilities."
I released control of Hyun-ji's right arm. It dropped. She still glared at me in disbelief.
"Hyun-ji, chill. Everyone, holster up. Welcome Taker, our new teammate."
"......"
No one responded to Son Jung-hu's chatter. They lowered weapons and returned to seats.
"Okay, settled. But just to be sure: anyone against Taker joining?"
"......"
Silence. No hands.
They'd seen my power with their own eyes. A rare, top-tier superpower impossible to find anywhere.
"Mood's stiff. Order some pizza?"
???
I chewed on a potato pizza. Tasted the same as in reality.
"Newbie eats well. Pizza fan?"
A goateed uncle beside me spoke up. Name: Yoo Geun-tae. Nice guy lugging an oxygen tank on his back.
"It's alright."
Thanks to this friendly uncle, I'd exchanged names with the Raffles crew. That was it.
"Listen while you eat."
Son Jung-hu returned from somewhere and said it. He projected a screen on the wall via smartwatch.
"Just got a commission. Assassination. Target info's on screen."
I looked.
Photo of a rough-looking guy in his 50s. Profile: Mok Shin-su, boss of Wood God mafia family active in Seoul.
"Fee's 15 billion total. 5 billion upfront, rest after confirming death."
Yoo Geun-tae whistled at the sum.
"15 bil? Nice haul!"
"Wood God's ruling Guro-gu mafia. Deadline's tomorrow. Kill before then. So, giving this one to the newbie."
Hyun-ji objected.
"Wait, what? Why him suddenly? We usually take volunteers first."
"His skill test. Not sending him solo—adding three more. Who's in?"
Three hands went up.
Yoo Geun-tae, Hyun-ji, Ulla.
"Perfect. Taker, you in? Fee split four ways, obviously."
"Sure, if it means cash. But won't divide evenly?"
"You four sort it. Call me if stuck; I'll mediate."
"Fine then... But that's Ulla? Looks young. She okay?"
I pointed to Ulla in the back. Woman like Hyun-ji.
Gray coat, height barely 120cm. Deep hood hid her face.
I knew her true identity, of course. Late 30s, full cyborg except brain like Son Jung-hu. Original fans loved her kid-like look.
Not my type.
"Ulla's ace sniper. Hits from 6km."
"Ah. Cool."
I said it flatly. No interest.
Per my plan, time with these guys wouldn't even hit 30 days.
'Gotta go all-in on this job. If Son Jung-hu thinks my skills lack... he might not take me along that day.'