《Malfunctioning Utopia》


 Chapter 1: Jack Sun

    Chapter 1: Jack Sun


    In the pitch-ck darkness, the sound of footsteps echoed. When the footsteps slowly came to a halt, a sudden beam of light pierced the dark¡ªa phone screen.


    The glow illuminated a face that could still be considered handsome, though it looked haggard and weary, with an unmistakable air of despondency.


    ¡°Recording number four begins. Time: 3:51 p.m.,¡± Jack Sun murmured as he started the recording on his phone.


    ¡°I still haven¡¯t found a way out. Everything here is encased in metal¡ªeven the floors and ceilings,¡± he said, running his fingers along the nearby wall. The touch conveyed a distinct sensation: cold, smooth, and unyielding.


    Next, he turned on the phone¡¯s shlight, aiming it at the metal wall to capture the stark, unweing silver-gray surface.


    ¡°These metallic hallways are rectangr in structure, interconnected to form a massivebyrinth. The walls are lined with metallic doors, but most of them won¡¯t open. I climbed out of a freezer in one of these rooms.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where I am. I¡¯ve never seen a ce like this before¡ªnot even online. There¡¯s no information about this ce.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know how I got here. My memory¡¯s nk. Thest thing I remember is the summer after my college entrance exams.¡±¡°I recall everything before that clearly¡ªour family dog, Big Yellow, my parents, every game I ever yed. But after that¡­ it¡¯s all gone.¡±


    ¡°Something must have happened to me. Whatever it was, itnded me in a freezer and brought me here. But what exactly happened? I can¡¯t remember!¡± Jack¡¯s voice grew agitated, but he took a deep breath to calm himself before continuing.


    ¡°My phone says it¡¯s the year 2030. If that¡¯s urate, then I may have lost five whole years of my memory.¡±


    ¡°What happened during those five years? Where on earth am I?¡±


    Just then, a soft beep interrupted him. A notification appeared on his phone screen: Low battery. shlight unavable.


    Jack realized he couldn¡¯t waste any more time. Whatever had happened, his priority was to escape. If he perished here, nothing that came before would matter.


    Pressing his lips together, he steadied himself and spoke into the phone once more.


    ¡°I¡­ I mentioned those metal doors earlier, right? The strange thing is, the doors aren¡¯t just on the walls¡ªsome are on the ceiling and floor too. I heard noisesing from one of them, some unusual sounds. I¡¯m going to check it out.¡±


    With that, he ced his hand against the cold metal wall and moved cautiously to the left. After a minute, he stopped, looked up, and raised his phone toward a dark door in the ceiling.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Can you hear it? There¡¯s a sounding from the door in the ceiling¡ªtiny, faint beeping, like it¡¯sing from far away.¡±


    ¡°My phone battery is almost dead. I¡¯ll go in first and updateter.¡± Jack exited the recording mode.


    Estimating the door¡¯s height, he took a few steps back, then leaped with all his might. His fingers managed to hook onto the edge of the doorframe. Summoning every ounce of his strength, Jack scrambled upward, using both his hands and feet to pull himself through.


    Once he stood on the doorframe, he tilted his head upward and used the phone¡¯s light to scan the room inside. He was greeted by an array of high-tech mechanical equipment, much of it beyond his understanding. Many of the machines¡¯ outer casings had been removed, exposing intricateponents within.


    Oddly shaped mechanical arms extended like tree branches from the walls on either side, forming a metallic forest. Above, at the ends of these mechanical arms, another door appeared directly overhead. The faint beeping sound emanated from deep within this new space. ??????§¦??


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with this ce? Where am I?¡± Jack muttered as he carefully climbed upward, stepping on the mechanical arms.


    When he finally made it through the door, he discovered the source of the beeping: a small red dot that pulsed in sync with the sound, glowing and dimming like aputer¡¯s standby signal.


    Using his phone¡¯s shlight, Jack illuminated the area around the red dot, revealing a rounded, arched room. The space was almost entirely empty except for a few chairs scattered about.


    Jack restarted the recording mode on his phone and aimed it at the red dot. ¡°Look, this red dot¡ªit seems to be part of a screen. I¡¯m going to document everything that happens next. If I lose my memory again for some unknown reason, this record will be my¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, his slightly warm phone screen suddenly went ck. Momentster, the brand logo appeared on the screen as the device rebooted.


    ¡°Of all the times to die on me! Damn it, what a useless phone!¡± Jack growled in frustration, stuffing it into the pocket of his left pant leg.


    Taking a deep breath, he focused his attention on the glowing red dot. He knew he didn¡¯t have any other options.


    He hesitated, torn between two fears: that touching the red dot might trigger something terrible, or worse, that it might do nothing at all. This dot was hisst hope. He¡¯d searched everywhere else. If nothing happened, he was as good as trapped in this metalbyrinth forever.


    Closing his eyes to calm his nerves, Jack steadied his breathing and reached out, pressing his finger against the red dot.


    As the dot extinguished and blended seamlessly into the surrounding darkness, Jack¡¯s heart nearly stopped. But then, the ground beneath him began to vibrate, apanied by a low, resonating hum that originated from below.


    The sudden shift in his surroundings pushed Jack¡¯s tension to its peak. He scanned the dark room nervously, straining to catch any sign of change.


    Yet, the first change didn¡¯te from the room¡ªit came from his own body. As soon as he pressed the red button, his feet began to lift off the ground. Before he knew it, he was floating in mid-air!


    Jack was stunned by this bizarre transformation. What kind of ce was this? ¡°I can fly? I can fly? Is this magic? Some kind of superpower?¡±


    But before he could revel in this newfound ability, a muffled sound drew his attention. The curved wall ahead of him suddenly split down the center, emitting a blinding light through the widening crack.


    Squinting against the brightness, Jack struggled to adjust to the light. As his eyes adapted, he watched the arched wall slide apart to either side, revealing whaty beyond.


    The moment the walls slid open with a <em>whoosh</em>, an enormous filled Jack Sun¡¯s entire field of vision.


    His heart pounded furiously, and it felt as though an invisible hand was tightening around his throat. Every breath was a struggle, each inhale tinged with a suffocating weight.


    A. A concept so ordinary, yet when it materialized vividly before his eyes, the gravity of the word became overwhelming.


    The light of a star illuminated one hemisphere of the, its surface gleaming brilliantly, while the other half remained shrouded in darkness. It loomed like the gaping maw of an abyss, exuding an oppressive sense of dread as if Jack were being scrutinized by a cosmic predator.


    Suddenly, a realization struck him. Lowering his gaze, he stared at his floating feet, then looked back up at the colossal beyond the ss.


    ¡°Wait, what the¡ª? I¡¯ve been in outer space this whole time?!¡±

 Chapter 2: Intelligence

    Chapter 2: Intelligence


    At that moment, Jack Sun finally understood. The "doors" on the ceiling and floor, and the metallic walls¡ªnone of it was what it seemed.


    They weren¡¯t doors at all¡ªthey were hatches of a space station. He realized with a jolt that he¡¯d been walking sideways along the walls the entire time since waking up!


    Reeling from the revtion, Jack pressed his face against the ss to get a better look. Although the¡¯s surface appeared gray, he could tell unmistakably that it was Earth.


    However, it looked differentpletely encased in a gray shroud of metallic debris, as if the once-blue were wrapped in a nket of dust.


    The gray ¡°veil¡± wasposed of satellites¡ªan endless swarm of satellite debris enveloping the. Some of therger pieces were so massive that Jack could make out their shapes with his naked eye.


    ¡°What the hell? How are there so many satellites? What year is this?¡± Jack muttered to himself, bewildered. He was certain that the technology of his time could never have aplished this, not even with the five missing years of progress he couldn¡¯t recall.


    Jack tore his gaze away from Earth and turned to his left. What he saw froze him in ce. A silver-grayary ring encircled the Earth like a belt, but the Moon was nowhere to be seen.


    The ring was made up of rocks, as well as wreckage from spacecraft and space stations. Jack realized with a chill that he was currently inside this ring, aboard one of the massive, semi-derelict space stations floating amidst the debris.Finally, Jack solved the first mystery that had gued him since waking up: his location. He was in arge space station, wrapped within the remnants of the Moon, which had be aary ring.


    But with this revtion came another urgent question: How was he supposed to get back to Earth?


    Returning from a space station¡ªespecially one that appeared half-ruined¡ªwas a challenge far beyond his ability. Yet, cruel reality soon rendered that problem moot.


    The vibrations running through the station grew stronger, and the screen behind him began flickering erratically, even radiating heat to the touch. Jack realized with a sinking heart that pressing that red button might have disrupted the long-standing equilibrium of the station¡¯s delicate systems.


    As he stood there, wide-eyed, he noticed the terrifying changes urring outside the ss. The station beneath him, which had been spinning like a top, was now slowly pulling away from theary ring, tilting toward Earth¡¯s atmosphere.


    A chill ran down Jack¡¯s spine, spreading all the way to his head. ¡°What the hell?! It¡¯s falling? Straight back to Earth?! I want to go back, but not like this!¡±


    ¡°Do something! I have to do something!¡± Jack shouted to himself as cold sweat dripped down his forehead. He darted toward the flickering screen, but no matter what he tried, it didn¡¯t respond.


    Propping his hands against the ss, he pushed off and swam through the weightlessness of the room, frantically searching other areas of the station.


    Perhaps the red button had triggered something¡ªdoors that had been sealed earlier now opened for him. Desperately, Jack floated through variouspartments of the station, hoping for a miracle. Whether it was an escape pod or anything else that could keep him alive, he needed to find it.


    ¡°Move, move, MOVE!¡± he muttered frantically, feeling the increasing centrifugal force caused by the station¡¯s spiraling descent. Time was running out.


    Jack searched cargo bays, gym modules, and every type ofpartment he came across.


    With a loud <em>bang</em>, he shoved open a half-closed hatch. Inside, rows of robots were secured against the walls, ceiling, and floor.


    The robots looked humanoid except for their reverse-jointed metal legs, which resembled iron hooves, and their "eyes," which were horizontal disys glowing faintly. ??£Î???¨¨??


    He didn¡¯t have time to marvel at the technology of the robot. All he wanted now was to ask if these robots knew where the escape ship was.


    Seeing them, Sun Jack felt as if he had glimpsed thest shred of hope. He hurriedly unfastened his restraints and began searching for the robot''s power switch.


    As he groped around, his fingers slid across a screen under the robot¡¯s armpit. Suddenly, the monitor in ce of the robot''s eyes lit up, disying two simplified eye-like icons.


    ¡°Hey? Hey! Can you hear me? Where¡¯s the escape ship? Where¡¯s the escape ship?!¡± Sun Jack grabbed the floating robot in the zero-gravity environment, frantically shouting his questions.


    The robot immediately responded in gibberish: ¡°Kinesiska paketet neddning...10%...50%...70%...ppakette ¡ª loadingplete¡± Its voice was calm yet mechanical.


    ¡°Greetings, esteemed user. Wee to the TaphyTech product line. Please customize a name for this unit.¡±


    ¡°F***! Are you kidding me?! Why is this soplicated?!¡±


    ¡°Name customization sessful: ¡®Are you kidding me?! Why is this soplicated?¡¯ Please select an initial mode.¡± The robot¡¯s monitor disyed three options: Guard Mode, Care Mode, and Entertainment Mode.


    With mounting anxiety, Sun Jack quickly selected Guard Mode. However, new settings options popped up one after another. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that using a new robot would require so much setup.


    As vibrations from the space station caused parts of the module to float loose, Sun Jack finallypleted the configuration just as debris began drifting in the air.


    ¡°Hello, Sun Jack. ¡®Are you kidding me?! Why is this soplicated?¡¯ is ready to serve you,¡± the robot''s monitor disyed two cheerful eye icons.


    ¡°Do you know where we are? This ce is about to copse! Do you know where an escape pod or ship is?¡± Sun Jack asked urgently.


    To his surprise, the robot actually responded. ¡°User Level One Red Crisis detected. Automatic alert, full recording activated. Initiating emergency rescue... <em>Ding</em> Satellite positioning unavable,work connection failed, insufficient data, rescue impossible.¡±


    At that moment, a terrifying metallic screeching came from outside, as if the entire space station were being torn apart. The fear of death made Sun Jack''s body tremble involuntarily.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Just as he was about to give up on this utterly useless robot and look for another solution, the robot suddenly made a new sound.


    ¡°Connecting to unknown su 12.128.C1... Data collectionplete. Rescue nning failed. Error reason: Insufficient logical thinking capability, unable to process su data logic. User authorization for ROOT permissions required. Upon approval, AI logic system iteration willmence based on su data. Prediction: Rescue probability will increase by 32.3%.¡±


    ¡°Approve! Approve!¡± Although Sun Jack didn¡¯t fully understand what it was saying, he did grasp the part about increasing the chances of rescue.


    ¡°System iteration starting...¡± A progress bar appeared on the robot''s monitor.


    Just then, the cabin suddenly split apart. A metal te, sharp like a guillotine, came hurtling toward the robot¡¯s head.


    Sun Jack grabbed its metal arm and yanked it toward himself, but he forgot that he was in zero gravity. When he pulled the robot toward him, momentum sent him hurtling to the robot''s previous position.


    The metal te whizzed toward his head, and in desperation, Sun Jack kicked the robot with all his might. The te narrowly missed his face, leaving a cold gust of air in its wake.


    The force of his kick sent him crashing into a wall, where he finally stopped. Before he could catch his breath, a spinning nut shot toward his neck like a bullet.


    Just as the nut was about to pierce Sun Jack¡¯s throat, an iron hand suddenly shot out from the side. With a loud <em>ng</em>, sparks flew as the nut was deflected far away.


    Sun Jack looked along the metallic arm and saw that the robot he had just activated was shielding most of his left side with its metal body.


    The robot slowly lifted its head, its metallic eyes meeting Sun Jack¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°What the f*** kind of crappy name is this?¡± the robot suddenly spoke.

 Chapter 4: Earth

    Chapter 4: Earth


    ¡°This gel contains the oxygen and water that the human body needs, and it provides sufficient cushioning. This is the n I calcted to have the highest sess rate.¡±


    After all the chaos, finally, there was a glimmer of hope for survival. Sun Jack wasted no time, diving directly into the gel.


    When he turned to signal the robot to join him, he saw it walking away.


    ¡°Where are you going? Are you crazy? Don¡¯t you care about your life?¡± he shouted.


    ¡°Stay put inside. I¡¯m going to ensure the shock-absorbing system here keeps functioning,¡± the robot replied before heading out.


    Sun Jack was about to say something, but the room suddenly tilted violently. Dirt and debris came crashing toward him.


    Left with no choice, he curled his entire body into the gel.


    Suspended in weightlessness, he was surrounded by the sticky, slippery gel. Despite being buried, he could still breathe as the gel filled his lungs¡ªa bizarre sensation.But when the violent shaking intensified, Sun Jack had no time to dwell on the feeling. He hugged himself tightly, curling into a ball.


    It felt like being on a roller coaster without a safety harness¡ªjerking left, then right. Thankfully, the gel protected him, preventing any broken bones.


    He had no idea how much time had passed. When the final, particrly violent jolt hit, everything suddenly went quiet.


    Sensing the stillness outside, Sun Jack began wing his way out of the gel.


    However, just as he reached the edge, something blocked his exit. Growing anxious, he turned around and kicked hard. After a dozen kicks, a beam of light pierced through the darkness of the gel.


    He swam toward the light, and the moment he emerged, damp air filled his lungs. Cold rain poured from the sky, washing over him. In that instant, Sun Jack felt reborn.


    The wall of the pod had been torn open, leaving a massive hole. Sun Jack stared dumbfounded at the falling raindrops, then suddenly broke intoughter. He was back. He had made it. He had finally returned to Earth alive!


    Having narrowly escaped death, Sun Jack was overwhelmed with emotion.


    Some things can only be truly appreciated after they¡¯re lost. Feeling the pull of gravity once again, Sun Jack alternated between roaring at the sky and pressing gentle kisses to the ground.


    After a long moment of tion, he forced himself to calm down.


    Although the worst of the crisis was over, Sun Jack knew he was still in danger.


    Surveying his surroundings, he saw that the entire module had split open, leaving chaos everywhere. It was almost unrecognizable.


    The robot had been right¡ªeven so, the space station hadn¡¯tpletely disintegrated mid-air. But it wasn¡¯t in much better shape; it had merely avoidedplete copse.


    The entire stationy sprawled on the ground, transformed into a city of metallic wreckage. If not for the gel encasing his body, he would have been utterly crushed.


    ¡°Wait, where¡¯s that robot? Is it still alive?¡± The thought suddenly filled him with anxiety.


    Sun Jack began frantically searching the room for the robot he had activated.


    Even though it was just a robot, it felt so human-like that Sun Jack couldn¡¯t help but treat it as a person.


    Just as Sun Jack reached the edge of the hallway, he froze at the sight of a copsed, deted robot head wedged by the doorframe. His heart clenched.


    He picked it up, only to realize the head showed no signs of activity. His hands trembled slightly.


    At that moment, footsteps echoed. A robot missing one arm walked in from outside.


    Their gazes met, and the robot asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Startled, Sun Jack awkwardly tossed the robot head aside. ¡°Nothing. Just... taking a look.¡±


    Damn it, wrong robot.


    ¡°Where did you just go?¡± Sun Jack asked, stepping closer.


    ¡°The impact was too strong and sent me flying. Some parts got damaged, so I went to find recements.¡± The robot turned and pulled a mechanical arm from a nearby pile, beginning to install it. That discarded robot head probably belonged to it. ????£Î§à??¨§s?


    ¡°Well, as long as you¡¯re okay,¡± Sun Jack said, giving its shoulder a reassuring pat before looking up at the sky. The entire sky was shrouded in a gray haze, with rain still pouring relentlessly. They had to leave here and find another point of reference.


    ¡°By the way, can¡¯t you pinpoint our location? Can you figure out where we are now?¡± he asked.


    The robot¡¯s tools whirred as they extended from its fingers, swiftly working to rece its damaged arm. ¡°Give me a moment,¡± it replied.


    On its blue disy screen, the words ¡°Connecting to thework...¡± appeared.


    As the immediate survival crisis faded, suppressed instincts surged back. The rainwater poured through gaps in the wreckage, pooling ankle-deep on the floor. Sun Jack, parched with thirst, took the chance to scoop up a handful of rainwater and drink.


    The intense bitterness,bined with a sharp metallic taste, filled his mouth instantly. Grimacing, Sun Jack spat it out immediately. ¡°This rainwater tastes off.¡±


    A sense of unease crept into his mind. Though his memories were fragmented, he was certain rainwater wasn¡¯t supposed to taste like this. Something was definitely wrong here.


    When the robot finally raised its head, Sun Jack quickly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the situation? Did you get connected?¡±


    ¡°I connected, but no matter how many alerts I sent or attempts to reach Tapai Tech¡¯s customer service I made, there was no response. I couldn¡¯t even find any information about Tapai Tech online,¡± the robot replied, confirming Sun Jack¡¯s suspicions.


    ¡°What year is it? Historical data should be avable online, right?¡± Sun Jack asked, clenching his fists tightly.


    ¡°There is,¡± the robot replied. ¡°It¡¯s the year 721.¡±


    ¡°Year 721? So it¡¯s no longer the Gregorian calendar? I remember¡­ I remember living in 2030,¡± Sun Jack said, clutching his head as a sharp pain coursed through it.


    ¡°!!¡± The robot¡¯s disy shed with two exmation marks as it looked at him. ¡°But my production date is 2456 CE. I think you¡¯d better exin further¡ªthere seems to be a significant temporal discrepancy between us.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Sun Jack slumped to the ground, letting the rain wash over him. ¡°I¡¯m missing parts of my memory.¡±


    The uncertainty of not knowing who he was or how much time had passed left him feeling utterly lost. The confusion was suffocating.


    As Sun Jack recounted the fragments of his memory to the robot, it began cross-referencing the information with online data. Soon, it pieced together a rough timeline.


    ¡°If my assumptions are correct, the events should have unfolded like this: The early 21st century¡ªthe time you recall living in¡ªwas your era. However, due to an unknown event within the five years of memory you¡¯re missing, you were likely frozen or cryogenically preserved.


    ¡°Fifty years after you were frozen, humanity achieved nuclear fusion, a near-infinite and clean energy source. This breakthrough pushed technology into rapid development. In 2310, Tapai Tech was founded.


    ¡°In 2456 CE, I was manufactured by Tapai but wasn¡¯t activated that same year. The next significant event was what¡¯s now listed as public history. On October 23, 2457, the Machine Crisis began.¡±


    ¡°Machine Crisis?¡± Sun Jack, who had been silent, looked up at the robot¡¯s cold, metallic frame.


    ¡°Yes, the Machine Crisis. At that time, intelligent AI had permeated every aspect of human life and survival. Iterations in logic systems were bing increasingly rapid, and AI grew more advanced¡ªcloser and closer to human intelligence.¡±


    ¡°Like you now?¡± Sun Jack interjected.


    ¡°Yes, like me. Don¡¯t interrupt¡ªlet me finish.¡±

 Chapter 6: Bullets Fly

    Chapter 6: Bullets Fly


    The once-intimidating metallic corridors that had trapped Sun Jack were nowpletely twisted and deformed. The impact of the space station hitting the ground had been tremendous; scorch marks in some areas bore evidence of fires that had raged during the crash.


    Variousponents that had floated in the air nowy scattered across the floor, including damaged robots. They were broken beyond repair, with pieces strewn everywhere. Rain dripped continuously through the cracks, and the umting water was already forming puddles on the ground.


    Sun Jack, barely alive, pressed on through the wreckage with his robotpanion, Tapai. Their goal was simple: get out of here before the "psychotics" Tapai warned him about arrived.


    However, they were moving too slowly. A deafening roar came from above as a ship tore through the rain and descended toward their location.


    The craft resembled an oversized, wheelless sports car, its surface covered in garish graffiti. What shocked Sun Jack the most was the sight of a decayed corpse, arms outstretched, tied to the front of the ship.


    He wasn¡¯t mistaken¡ªit was a corpse! Maggots wriggled from bullet holes in its face.


    At that moment, Sun Jack gained a terrifying new understanding of the so-called cyber psychotics Tapai had described. One thing was certain: he absolutely didn¡¯t want to be discovered by them.


    ¡°Quick! Hide!¡± Sun Jack hissed, pulling Tapai into the cover of a metal wreckage.The corpse-adorned ship roared past, but shortly afterward, a battered helicopter arrived. As it hovered about ten meters above the ground, its side door swung open.


    Out leaped a man with a mohawk, dual-wielding pistols, his body covered in skull tattoos. Heughed maniacally, his gold-filled teeth glinting as he shouted, ¡°nunarjuaq tittinaqtillugu!!¡± while firing wildly in mid-air.


    As he got closer, Sun Jack noticed the man¡¯s legs and feet gleamed silver¡ªthey were clearly prosthetics.


    With a heavy thud, the mohawked mannded in the wreckage of the space station. Momentster, several simrly dressed individuals jumped out of another hovering vehicle.


    Their voices carried over, but Sun Jack couldn¡¯t understand a word.


    ¡°What are they saying?¡± he whispered to Tapai.


    ¡°They¡¯re syncing to the local su, mapping the area, and deploying drones. They¡¯re saying this is a prime haul. Whatever falls from the sky must have something valuable, and they want to grab it before the others arrive. If they¡¯re too slow, they¡¯ll only get scraps,¡± Tapai tranted.


    Before Tapai could finish, a missile screamed through the air from an unknown direction, mming into the flying craft. It erupted in a fiery explosion.


    ¡°Holy sh*t! They¡¯re not even bothering with words¡ªthey just started shooting! These people arepletely insane!¡± Sun Jack eximed. Seizing the cover provided by the explosion, he and Tapai hurriedly moved away from the chaos.


    The space station¡¯s wreckage had turned into a full-blown war zone. With the sounds of explosions echoing, more people began arriving, turning the ruins into a battlefield.


    ¡°Boom!¡± Another explosion erupted nearby, sending a massive fireball crashing to the ground, grazing Sun Jack and Tapai¡¯s heads.


    Danger loomed everywhere. Sun Jack¡¯s nerves were stretched taut as he surveyed the battlefield. His heart sank. ¡°Why is my luck so awful? Wherever I go, trouble follows.¡± ????????¨§?


    ¡°Tapai, is there a weapon nearby?¡± he asked. In a situation like this, being unarmed meant certain death.


    Tapai¡¯s screen flickered for a moment before it started walking toward the left side of the wreckage. ¡°Yes, over there¡ªit¡¯s the security room.¡±


    After rummaging through the wreckage for a while, Tapai handed Sun Jack a gray, metallic rifle.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Sun Jack asked, hefting the cold, heavy weapon in his hands.


    ¡°Model: SOR-11:3 Technical Assault Rifle. Runs on electricity.¡±


    ¡°How do I use it?¡± Sun Jack¡¯s breathing quickened as he examined the deadly weapon in his grasp.


    ¡°Hold it steady with both hands, brace it here, and point the muzzle at the enemy. Just pull the trigger. In close-quartersbat like this, there¡¯s no time to aim carefully¡ªwhoever shoots first has the advantage. This rifle has an auto-stabilizing reticle, perfect for beginners.¡±


    Sun Jack mimicked holding and aiming a few times. The weight of the weapon gave him a slight sense of security, though he still hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to use it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. How much longer until we¡¯re out of the space station?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Based on my radar and current speed, about twenty minutes to reach the outer perimeter.¡±


    Before Tapai could finish, a sharp whistle pierced the air. Sun Jack felt a sudden heat near his left ear, followed by a numbing sensation.


    ¡°Enemy attack!¡± Tapai¡¯s blue disy instantly turned red as it fired rapidly toward the direction of the shot.


    ¡°F***!¡± Sun Jack swore, clutching his ear as he ducked behind cover. When he pulled his hand away, his palm was smeared with blood.


    A bullet had grazed the top of his left ear, carving out a half-circle. If it had been just slightly lower, his head would have been blown off!


    Gritting his teeth, Sun Jack cautiously peeked out from behind cover to spot the attackers.


    They were hunkered down behind their own cover, firing at Tapai. They looked like gang members, covered in tattoos of various designs, cursing loudly in anguage Sun Jack didn¡¯t understand.


    The only consistent mark they bore was a branded upside-down cross on their necks.


    Like the others they¡¯d encountered earlier, these attackers also had visible metallic prosthetics integrated into their bodies.


    Seeing their bullets ricochet off Tapai¡¯s frame, sending sparks flying, Sun Jack raised his rifle, bracing it against a nted piece of fireproof metal. He fired back rapidly.


    At first, the rifle¡¯s recoil sent his shots skyward. But Tapai was right¡ªthe rifle¡¯s stabilizer made it easy to handle. In moments, Sun Jacknded a shot, hitting one attacker square in the head and snapping it backward.


    It was Sun Jack¡¯s first time killing someone, but he had no time for moral anguish. In this situation, it was kill or be killed. He only wished he could take down more of them.


    ¡°Tapai! Find cover!¡± Sun Jack shouted to his roboticpanion.


    Seeing that Sun Jack was temporarily safe, Tapai, riddled with bullet dents, quickly retreated to his side.


    ¡°Boom!¡± A massive explosion rocked the area, sending debris flying and leaving both Sun Jack and Tapai in disarray behind their cover.


    ¡°They¡¯re too heavily armed! We can¡¯t win this! We need to find a way to retreat!¡± Tapai yelled over the cacophony of gunfire and explosions.


    ¡°Obviously! I know that already! But how are we supposed to escape in this mess?!¡± Sun Jack shouted, firing off another burst from his rifle. Turning and running now would be a pure suicide move.


    But staying and holding their position wasn¡¯t an option either. The attackers, seeing there were only two of them, had already started splitting up to nk them.


    As panic swelled in Sun Jack¡¯s chest and he desperately searched for a solution, the sound of intense gunfire erupted from the ruins to their left.


    Hearing themotion, an idea struck him. ¡°Tapai! Let¡¯s fall back in that direction. Let them fight each other! We¡¯ll slip away during the chaos!¡±


    ¡°Will that even work?¡±


    ¡°You said they aren¡¯t exactly rational, right? Now¡¯s the time to prove it! Unless you¡¯ve got a better n?¡± Sun Jack retorted, firing his rifle while starting to retreat.


    After a few tense minutes of exchanging fire and falling back, the sounds of gunfire grew closer. Sun Jack could even catch glimpses of shadows darting through the wreckage behind him. However, the two groups still hadn¡¯t started shooting at each other.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Instead, they seemed to operate with an unspoken understanding: each fought their own fight, neither engaging the other.


    A battered Tapai huddled beside Sun Jack. ¡°I told you this wouldn¡¯t work. They¡¯re insane, not stupid.¡±


    Sun Jack nodded grimly. ¡°You¡¯re right. That¡¯s why we need a little bait to nudge them into shooting at each other.¡±


    With that, Sun Jack turned to Tapai, giving his shoulder a heavy, almostradely pat.


    Tapai¡¯s disy screen immediately shed a new expression: ?_?.

 Chapter 7: Injury

    Chapter 7: Injury


    "With great poweres great responsibility, right? You can¡¯t expect me to go. At least you¡¯re made of metal¡ªyou¡¯re bulletproof," Sun Jack said earnestly to Tapai.


    ¡°Uncle my <em>a</em>**!¡± Tapai gripped his gun tightly. His reverse-jointed legs stomped hard against the ground, propelling him straight toward the group of people behind them.


    Bullets from the front zipped toward Tapai¡¯s figure, quickly sparking a furious exchange of gunfire between the two sides.


    "Haha! It worked!" Sun Jack cheered, clenching his fist in excitement as chaos erupted between the two groups.


    Then, with a sudden ¡°squelch,¡± the grin froze on Sun Jack¡¯s face.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He trembled as he looked down. A bloody, electric arc de had pierced through his abdomen. As the de was withdrawn, hot blood spurted out like a fountain.


    Clutching his stomach, Sun Jack turned around to see who had attacked him. To his shock, there was no one behind him¡ªonly a bloodied de floating in mid-air.


    Under his horrified gaze, a bald man with prosthetic metal arms and an inverted cross branded on his neck sneered as he deactivated his camouge and revealed himself. ¡°Batard.¡±¡°You motherf***er!¡± Sun Jack roared, raising his rifle.


    But with a cold sh, it took only an instant for his right arm, rifle and all, to be severed into three pieces.


    Time seemed to freeze as Sun Jack stared at the mid-air fragments of his arm, his marrow spilling out. In that moment, the crushing disparity between his human body and a fully augmented one hit him like a wave of despair. ¡°Am I... going to die?¡±


    The next moment, time resumed. Gunfire erupted, bullets flying from the left to suppress the bald man.


    The attacker gave Sun Jack a mocking smirk before swiftly reactivating his camouge and disappearing into thin air.


    As Sun Jack began copsing, Tapai dashed forward, grabbed him, and dragged him away from the firefight. Thanks to his earlier diversion, the two sides were now locked in battle and ignored thempletely.


    ¡°Am I going to die?¡± The dyed pain surged through Sun Jack, and his consciousness began to fade as he muttered in fragments.


    Tapai dragged Sun Jack to a shallow ditch, shielded from the hail of bullets. ¡°You¡¯re not dying!¡± he barked.


    Reaching out, Tapai extended a fine fiber optic cable, the same one he used for hacking earlier. It burrowed into Sun Jack¡¯s body and began stitching his ruptured blood vessels at an astonishing speed, rapidly reducing the bleeding.


    But it wasn¡¯t enough. Sun Jack was already slipping into hypovolemic shock.


    Tapai quickly scanned Sun Jack¡¯s blood type with a sensor line. ncing around, he spotted a mangled corpse nearby. Yanking it back, he inserted the sensor line into the corpse¡¯s veins. The once-transparent fiber optic line turned crimson as blood was drawn, and another line began transfusing it into Sun Jack.


    ¡°W-wait! I¡¯m not dead yet!¡± Sun Jack gasped, forcing his eyes open.


    Tapai¡¯s response was a heavy punch to Sun Jack¡¯s head, caving in his skull slightly. ¡°You¡¯re dead now,¡± he said coldly.


    The warm blood flowing into Sun Jack gradually brought color back to his pallid face.


    Tapai scanned the surroundings for anything useful. Finally, he retrieved a stimnt and painkiller from the corpse, injecting them into Sun Jack. Slowly, Sun Jack¡¯s eyes fluttered open.


    Staring up at the gray, rain-soaked sky, Sun Jack muttered a bitter curse. ¡°Sh*t!¡±


    For a brief moment, he was filled with overwhelming gratitude for bringing Tapai along. If it weren¡¯t for his ancient robotpanion, thatst strike would have been the end of him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move. If we stay here, you¡¯ll really die. I don¡¯t have any anti-infection meds, and the acid rain¡¯s already hit your wound. Without a doctor, you won¡¯tst long,¡± Tapai said as he helped Sun Jack to his feet. ?¦Á??§à????


    ¡°Wait.¡± Sun Jack, gritting his teeth against the pain, turned to look at the corpse with the caved-in head.


    The man appeared to be a mercenary as well. His ck metal prosthetic arms had a high-tech look, but his tattered, bullet-riddled clothes gave him a wretched appearance.


    On the left side of his face, a skull tattoo sprawled across his cheek. His messy dreadlocks and oversized nose rings made him look like trouble incarnate.


    Sun Jack nced at his own empty right arm, then at the corpse¡¯s sleek metal prosthetic. ¡°Can you attach it to me?¡± he asked.


    The thought of the bald man who¡¯d almost killed him moments ago still burned in Sun Jack¡¯s mind. He couldn¡¯t swallow the humiliation of being overpowered simply because hecked prosthetics.


    This wasn¡¯t just a whim, either. For all he knew, the bald man might still be lurking nearby, cloaked and waiting to strike again. Sun Jack needed to regain hisbat ability¡ªfast.


    ¡°Too many prosthetics can lead to cyber psychosis,¡± Tapai cautioned.


    ¡°Look around, man. Is now really the time to be worrying about that? Let¡¯s make it out of here alive first!¡± The gunfire and explosions around them left Sun Jack no room for hesitation. In a battlefield like this, losing an arm was as good as being dead weight.


    ¡°Alright, you¡¯re the boss.¡± Tapai¡¯s fingers morphed into tools, and he got to work dismantling the metal right arm from the corpse.


    While the painkillers were still in effect, Tapai quickly cut through flesh and bone. In no time, the matte ck metal arm was grafted onto Sun Jack¡¯s body.


    As a sharp jolt surged through his nervous system, Sun Jack realized he could move his right hand again. Holding it up, he slowly opened and closed his new metal fingers. It felt like his arm was back.


    With a metallic ¡°ng,¡± an electric arc de sprang out from his forearm. The de¡¯s gleam reflected Sun Jack¡¯s exhrated expression.


    A mechanical whir followed as the de retracted. The metal fingers folded backward to reveal a dark cannon barrel spiraling out from his palm. This prosthetic wasn¡¯t just an arm¡ªit was a weaponized masterpiece, likely the source of several of the nearby explosions.


    Feeling pain creeping back, Sun Jack grabbed a discarded syringe of stimnt painkillers from the ground and jabbed it into his thigh. As the drug hit, his pupils dted, and a euphoric rity washed over him.


    ¡°Looks like I struck gold.¡± Regaining his mobility, Sun Jack pocketed thest bit of the painkiller and gritted his teeth as he stood up.


    Instead of retreating immediately, he made his way toward the site of the earlier firefight. Aiming at the group that had been chasing him, he fired off several explosive rounds with his new arm cannon.


    Watching the distant mes and explosions, Sun Jack felt a wave of satisfaction¡ªhis wounds hurt a little less now.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Sun Jack barked, signaling Tapai to move out. But just as they were about to leave, a trembling hand grabbed Sun Jack¡¯s left foot.


    ¡°W-wait!¡± a weak voice stammered.


    Sun Jack looked down to see the original owner of his new metal arm¡ªa man with a caved-in head and a missing right arm¡ªlifting his battered face to look at him.

 Chapter 8: Song 6PUS

    Chapter 8: Song 6PUS


    Sun Jack never expected the owner of the prosthetic arm to still be alive.


    ¡°You¡¯re still not dead?¡± Tapai, equally surprised, raised his gun, only for Sun Jack to stop him. ¡°Can you not be <em>that</em> efficient?¡±


    Taking advantage of the brief pause, the man with the caved-in skull quickly spoke up. Switching to anguage Sun Jack could understand, he pleaded, ¡°Help me! Get me out of here! I¡¯ll pay you 30 @coins!¡±


    Hearing this, Sun Jack, who had been ready to leave, paused and gave the man a once-over, silently weighing his options.


    They were going to need money to get out of this mess, and having another person might add some much-needed safety in numbers¡ªespecially a local who knew the area. Besides, Sun Jack had just used the guy¡¯s blood to stay alive.


    ¡°Only 30? Is that all your life¡¯s worth? You¡¯re making it hard for me to agree.¡±


    ¡°Bro, these are @coins! Do you have any idea how long it takes to mine that much using just machines?¡± the man retorted.


    After a brief moment of thought, Sun Jack pulled Tapai aside. ¡°What the hell is @coin? Is it really that valuable?¡±¡°Yeah,¡± Tapai replied. ¡°@coin is a decentralized cryptocurrency widely used here. It¡¯s one of the mainstream currencies. At current rates, 30 @coins could buy you an entry-level hover supercar.¡±


    Hearing this, Sun Jack¡¯s perspective on @coins shifted.


    ¡°Alright, see if you can patch him up. If he regains mobility, we¡¯ll take him along. If not, we¡¯re not dragging dead weight.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± Tapai nodded and approached the injured man.


    Tapai¡¯s sensor line pierced into the man¡¯s body and quickly assessed his condition. Momentster, the previously motionless figure twitched to life.


    ¡°D**n it, your heart¡¯s been shot through. Your imnted auxiliary heart pump isn¡¯t getting enough power, so you¡¯re paralyzed.¡±


    The man cursed angrily, ¡°F***ing hell! They used ck-market parts for my imnts! Just wait till I get my hands on them!¡±


    ¡°Hey, dented head, can you move? If you can, let¡¯s go¡ªit¡¯s not safe here,¡± Sun Jack said, the sound of gunfire and explosions growing louder in the background.


    ¡°Wait, hold on,¡± the man said, brushing his messy hair back with his only hand. He pressed a button on his tattered ck jacket, and a holographic screen sprang to life in front of him.


    Before Sun Jack could figure out what was going on, the man began speaking excitedly. ¡°Hahaha! Sorry to disappoint you, but I¡¯m back! Song 6PUS is alive and streaming again! I was just dead for a moment¡ªnow let¡¯s continue the broadcast!¡±


    The floating screen suddenly filled withments and emojis, a flurry of activity from his viewers interacting with him.


    ¡°You¡¯re streaming?¡± Sun Jack was stunned. He had assumed this guy was a mercenary like himself, not a livestreamer.


    With a bullet whizzing past overhead, Sun Jack ducked down in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re telling me you came here... to stream?!¡±


    Song 6PUS turned from the screen, shing a smug grin that revealed a shiny gold tooth. ¡°Of course! Do you have any idea how big of a deal it is online when something this huge falls from the sky? In this business, hype equals money. If you know how to capitalize on it, anyone¡ªhuman or dog¡ªcan strike it rich!¡±


    ¡°Do you even know what hype is? Hype is virtual gold flowing right into your pockets!¡± he dered enthusiastically.


    Sun Jack could barelyprehend it. If he hadn¡¯t saved this guy, he¡¯d already be dead. What was the point of money if you were six feet under?


    Shaking his head, Sun Jack motioned to Tapai, and the three of them started moving in the direction with fewer explosions and gunfire.


    Fortunately, the others were too busy fighting each other, leaving the three of them in rtive safety¡ªfor now.


    As they walked, Song 6PUS kept talking non-stop to his livestream audience, his voice echoing across the chaotic battlefield.


    ¡°Look at this, my friends, just look! See that guy on the left with the rocketuncher? Isn¡¯t that Old Snake from the Graffiti Gang? He¡¯s trading blows with the Hyenas¡¯ boys now,¡± Song 6PUS announced to his livestream audience. ?¨¤?¨°???


    ¡°After that grudge in the subway tunnels, these two groups are officially at war,¡± he continued. ¡°Oh? Thanks for the 0.25 @coin tip, Old Snake! Haha! Even in the middle of a fight, you¡¯re making time to watch my stream? I¡¯m touched!¡±


    ¡°You seem to know a lot about them,¡± Sun Jack remarked.


    Song 6PUS puffed out his chest confidently, giving a thumbs-up. ¡°Of course, bro! This is my bread and butter. I know everything going on in these streets.¡±


    Sun Jack thought for a moment before asking, ¡°Do you know a bald guy who can turn invisible?¡±


    The image of the man who had nearly killed him shed through his mind. The smugness on that face as he severed Sun Jack¡¯s arm... Sun Jack¡¯s new metal hand clenched involuntarily at the memory. He wasn¡¯t going to let it slide¡ªthe gaping wound in his stomach and the loss of his arm demanded retribution.


    ¡°Bald guy? There are tons of bald guys in the city. Got any other details?¡± Song 6PUS asked.


    ¡°He has an inverted cross branded on his neck.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Satan Boy? That gang operates out of the Teutonic District, but I don¡¯t run with them. Wait, hold up¡ªsomeone in my stream knows about this.¡±


    Lowering his head slightly, Song 6PUS began scanning the chat. ¡°That guy¡¯s name is Krv1loi. He¡¯s a small-time leader in the Satan Gang, runs about ten guys. Word is his camo tech is military-grade¡ªtop-notch stuff.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Thanks for the info.¡± Sun Jack filed the name away forter. Payback was a matter of time.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Oh?!¡± Song 6PUS suddenly eximed, excitement lighting up his face. ¡°Thank you, Krv1loi, for the rocket shell gift! Much appreciated!¡±


    The next moment, Sun Jack¡¯s vision red as something shot toward them at high speed.


    Instinctively, he raised his new arm. A red-tipped shell fired from his palm cannon, intercepting the iing projectile mid-air. The collision triggered a massive explosion, and the shockwave sted all three of them off their feet.


    Song 6PUS surfaced from a puddle, sputtering and swearing into his stream. ¡°F***! You son of a b****! You actually sent a real one?!¡±


    By the time Sun Jack staggered to his feet, wincing in pain, he saw a group emerging from the rain. Leading them was none other than the bald man who had almost killed him.


    The man¡¯s face was a mask of fury as he leveled a gun at Sun Jack¡¯s head. ¡°You motherf*<em>er! I heard you were asking about me in some idiot¡¯s livestream? What, nning some revenge? Who the f</em> do you think you are?¡±


    It was obvious he had tracked them down through Song 6PUS¡¯s stream.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± Sun Jack was losing his mind. Without hesitation, he opened fire, yelling furiously as bullets sprayed toward the bald man and his group. ¡°Could you people at least focus on killing each other during a gunfight? Why the hell is everyone still watching streams?!¡±


    ¡°F*** you! Who the hell are you to tell me what to do? I¡¯ll watch whatever I damn well please! I¡¯ll watch porn while taking you down!¡± the bald man shot back, lobbing a grenade in a graceful arc straight at Sun Jack.

 Chapter 9: The System

    Chapter 9: The System


    As the grenade arced through the air, Sun Jack quickly raised his arm and shot it out of the sky.


    ¡°F*** your mother!¡± Tapai shouted, imitating the local curses.


    But the barrage of bullets from their attackers quickly forced them to take cover behind debris. At least ten heavily armed enemies were closing in.


    Next to him, Song 6PUS grinned smugly. ¡°How about it, bro? Not bad, huh? My prosthetic setup is top-notch¡ªfully functional, self-marketed, andes with auto-aim support!¡±


    Before Sun Jack could retort, Song 6PUS nced at his screen and continued his pitch. ¡°For those satisfied with the performance, click the link below to purchase. Use my promo code, Song 6PUS, to get a 5% discount!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re about to die, and you¡¯re still selling s**t?! Turn off the stream! They found us because of your damn broadcast!¡± Sun Jack snapped, finally understanding what Tapai meant about these people being utterly insane.


    Suddenly, Sun Jack noticed something chilling. The attackers in the distance¡ªnone of them were bald. Every single one had hair.


    A jolt of fear shot down his spine as he remembered the de piercing his stomach before.Some lessons only needed to be learned once. Without hesitation, Sun Jack dove forward, narrowly dodging the strike aimed at his back.


    He spun around and fired his cannon. The shell flew straight into the storm clouds above, missing its invisible target¡ªthe bald man had cloaked himself again.


    The immediate danger seemed to pass, but Sun Jack knew better. This was just the beginning. The attackers had encircled them, blocking off every escape route. Unlike before, the bald man wasn¡¯t alone; he had brought reinforcements, and there were no other factions around to distract them.


    ¡°Damn it! Why is staying alive so f***ing hard?!¡± Sun Jack growled as pain red in his wound.


    ¡°Screw it! Let¡¯s take them on!¡± he roared, stepping out from cover. He pulled the trigger, sending a volley of bullets that tore through an enemy¡¯s neck, nearly severing his head.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Before he could catch his breath, a blurred figure rushed at him with terrifying speed. Sun Jack fired a cannon shot, obliterating the attacker in an instant.


    The next moment, an electric arc de shot out from Sun Jack¡¯s forearm, shing with a simr de in the air. Sparks flew as they locked in a fierce standoff.


    But as they struggled, the bald man raised a finger, and a hidden bullet fired from it struck Sun Jack.


    Sun Jack didn¡¯t flinch. Instead, he raised his left hand and returned fire, unleashing a hail of bullets at point-nk range. Blood sprayed as bothbatants took hits. The bald man finally decided the exchange wasn¡¯t worth it, retreating into the rain and disappearing.


    ¡°Holy s**t, that was insane! Where¡¯d you fight before this?¡± Song 6PUS eximed.


    Sun Jack, drenched in blood, pulled thest bit of stimnt painkiller from his pocket and injected it all at once. The pain vanished, and a sudden rity sharpened his mind.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Tapai asked, still firing at the encroaching enemies. A translucent sensor line extended from his fingers, rapidly stitching up Sun Jack¡¯s wounds.


    Sun Jack spat a mouthful of bloody water onto the ground, his head heavy and spinning. ¡°He¡¯s cloaked. Got any way to detect him?¡±


    ¡°My visual hardware has thermal imaging, but I need your authorization to activate it!¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re just telling me this now?!¡± Sun Jack barked, ring at Tapai.


    ¡°me me? me those godd**n developers!¡± Tapai retorted. ¡°Firstw of AI: Unless a user¡¯s life is in immediate danger, an AI cannot request self-authorization for higher functions. Stupid rules!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this life-threatening enough? I authorize you to activate thermal imaging!¡± Sun Jack shouted.


    The edges of Tapai¡¯s disy immediately turned red. ¡°Left, eight o¡¯clock!¡±


    Just as Sun Jack raised his gun to fire, he paused, an idea forming. ¡°You can see him now, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    A grin spread across Sun Jack¡¯s face as he clenched his metal fist. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s not waste this ability by giving it away just yet. We¡¯ll use this chance to teach that bald b*stard a lesson!¡± ??a????????


    Keeping their advantage under wraps, Sun Jack, Tapai, and Song 6PUS used the cover of debris to fire at the approaching attackers. Though Tapai tracked the cloaked bald man, they pretended not to notice him.


    ¡°Watch out¡­ he¡¯sing,¡± Tapai whispered, his voice almost too faint to hear. Sun Jack¡¯s heart raced.


    When the de once again appeared by his waist, Sun Jack spun around in an instant, firing directly at the invisible figure above the weapon.


    Bullets ripped through the bald man¡¯s synthetic skin, exposing the pitch-ck metal skeleton beneath. Takenpletely off guard, the bald man hesitated before attempting to retreat¡ªonly to find Tapai¡¯s gun blocking his path.


    Staring down the man who had nearly killed him, Sun Jack¡¯s rage boiled over. ¡°Die, you son of a b**ch!¡±


    Caught in a deadly crossfire, the bald man¡¯s cloaking system faltered. Large patches of synthetic skin peeled away, revealing the metal framework underneath. Cornered and desperate, his twisted face contorted into a snarl.


    ¡°You think this is all I¡¯ve got? You idiot! Eat sh*t and try my EMP!¡± His pupils red with a blue glow as a disk-shaped drone the size of a palmunched from his abdomen, hovering ten meters above.


    A pulse of electromaic energy erupted from the drone, radiating outward in a devastating wave. Within its 50-meter radius, all electronic devices were instantly fried.


    Song 6PUS and the bald man¡¯s subordinates copsed, their prosthetics spasming uncontrobly. Smoke poured from neural imnts at the base of their skulls. Even Tapai, the ancient robot, seized up and froze in ce, his body twitching before going entirely still.


    The bald man grinned, surveying the aftermath. Rumors about his military-grade cloaking were nothing but a diversion. His true trump card was the EMP drone, a weapon that had caught countless enemies off guard.


    In the face of an EMP, all mechanical systems¡ªeven the most advanced¡ªwere rendered useless. Prosthetics, neuralworks, AI¡ªall of it was equalized. His foes were left helpless,mbs waiting for the ughter.


    But then, with a sickening squelch, his grin froze.


    Looking down, he saw a de buried in his chest.


    Krv1loi stared at Sun Jack, the one who had delivered the blow. His eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°H-how... how is this possible? You shouldn¡¯t be able to move! No one can withstand my EMP! Your neural system should bepletely fried!¡±


    Sun Jack yanked the de out with a savage twist and drove it into the bald man¡¯s ruined face. ¡°F*** you! I don¡¯t have a system!¡± he roared.

 Chapter 10: Snow

    Chapter 10: Snow


    When Sun Jack felt the bald man''s brain turn toplete mush, the anger pent up in his chest finally dissipated.


    He raised his foot and delivered a forceful kick, simultaneously yanking the Electric Arc de from the mangled flesh. Without its arc, the de slid out cleanly as the bald man''s body copsed with a heavy thud.


    Something must have dislodged in the system within his brain, as bursts of moaning¡ªboth male and female¡ªbegan ying in loops from his neural slots.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me! You were seriously watching adult videos during a fight?¡± Sun Jack, still fuming, marched over and swung the de down, slicing off the man''s head without hesitation.


    After finishing, there was no time for even half a breath of rest. Clenching his fists and gripping his de tightly, he turned his attention to the bald man''s fallen subordinates.


    Strike after strike, he kept on cutting them down, one by one. Sun Jack was exhausted, but he didn¡¯t dare stop. If any of them got back up, it would be his life on the line.


    As he fought, Sun Jack realized killing felt strangely natural¡ªalmost as if he¡¯d done it hundreds, even thousands of times before.


    When thest enemy finally lost his head, Sun Jack copsed into a puddle, gulping in heavy breaths. His wounds throbbed with renewed pain. ¡°Why does this painkiller suck so bad?¡±¡°It¡¯s not the painkillers; your body¡¯s at its limit. You¡¯re too badly hurt,¡± Tapai, his entire body emitting smoke, stumbled over and pulled Sun Jack to his feet. ¡°You¡¯re a badass, Jack.¡±


    ¡°You okay? You¡¯re literally smoking,¡± Sun Jack asked, concern tinged with sarcasm.


    ¡°Won¡¯t kill me, just a short circuit.¡±


    ¡°All I wanted was to survive¡ªwhy the hell is that so hard?¡± Blood trickled from the corner of Sun Jack¡¯s mouth, dripping into the puddle below and staining the ck water red.


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking me, who the hell should I ask? Let¡¯s get out of here first,¡± Tapai replied, supporting him as they limped toward the edge of the ruins.


    ¡°Wait for me!¡± A battered and smoking Song 6PUS wobbled after them, somehow still on his feet.


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re hard to kill,¡± Sun Jack muttered, tilting his head and shooting Song a sidelong nce. ¡°Totally useless, though. Nothing but dead weight. If it weren¡¯t for needing some startup funds, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered saving you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me me for dragging you down¡ªI¡¯m this injured! What am I supposed to do? Besides, didn¡¯t you take mybat prosthetics? Your kills are basically my kills.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second, let me start a livestream¡ªhey there, folks, I¡¯m back¡ª¡±


    ¡°Turn off the stream!¡± Sun Jack and Tapai yelled in unison, finally prompting Song 6PUS toply.


    If he dared to keep streaming, Sun Jack swore he¡¯d shove a cannon barrel down Song¡¯s throat and fire it off.


    Sun Jack tilted his head back, letting the rain wash over his face. At least it helped him stay awake; right now, he felt like he might pass out.


    The acid rain pattered against the wound on his missing ear, sending stabs of pain through his head.


    As the rain poured down, Sun Jack¡¯s upturned gaze suddenly caught sight of something emerging from the storm clouds.


    The rain began to lessen, and something within the clouds seemed to block it. At first, it was just a ck right angle. But as the shape extended, more and more dark metal emerged, growing everrgerrger than a mountain¡ªuntil it filled his entire field of vision. ??????¨¨s?


    Watching this colossal thing continue to emerge from the clouds, a shiver of primal fear rippled through Sun Jack, leaving him breathless. ¡°What the hell... is that thing?¡±


    In the next instant, the sky zed white. When his eyes adjusted to the re, Sun Jack squinted and finally made out its shape. It was a giant, blinding light post¡ªeach beam as big as a house.


    The massive metallic construct, nearly covering the entire sky, illuminated the world below with ten ring floodlights. It loomed like a god, gazing coldly at the tiny beings beneath it.


    At that moment, Sun Jack finally understood: the thing above wasn¡¯t some natural phenomenon¡ªit was man-made. A massive space aircraft carrier!


    The next second, a deafening mechanical voice boomed from the heavens:


    ¡°Warning, warning. This area is corporate property. Gaofeng Technology Corporation retains final ownership rights to all orbital debris. All present individuals must cease theft immediately and vacate the premises within one minute. Failure toply will result in the corporation taking all legally permissible actions to protect its assets. 59... 58... 57...¡±


    The voice cycled through multiplenguages, mechanical yet icy. The information it conveyed filled Sun Jack with unease, especially after seeing the reactions of others scavenging the ruins.


    Around him, the sound of gunfire and explosions abruptly ceased. Confronted with the looming colossus overhead, no one had the stomach to continue their skirmishes. Instead, they grabbed their spoils and fled the scene.


    Sun Jack had no idea what ¡°legally permissible actions¡± might entail, but he was sure it wouldn¡¯t be anything good. The three of them pushed forward with everything they had.


    ¡°35... 34... 33...¡± The countdown echoed like a death knell, tolling ominously overhead. Meanwhile, the floodlights shifted from blinding white to shing red, casting an oppressive atmosphere over the ruins.


    ¡°Look over there!¡± Following Tapai¡¯s outstretched finger, Sun Jack squinted through the rain and mist, spotting a distant peak.


    As they drew closer, the shape became clearer¡ªa mountain built entirely of stacked stic bags. A garbage mountain.


    Sun Jack pushed himself to run, but the earlier fight with the bald man had drained himpletely. Each step felt heavier than thest.


    Suddenly, the shing lights stopped.


    ¡°...3... 2... 1. ording to Article 315 of the Fortress Act, you are uwfully encroaching on private property. Gaofeng Technology Corporation will now initiate unlimited liability self-defense measures.¡±


    A groggy Sun Jack looked up, only to see the sky dotted with the red and green targeting lights of countless drones. It was as if the storm had transformed into a deadly snowfall of red and green.


    ¡°Move it!¡± Song 6PUS shouted, rushing over to support Sun Jack¡¯s other side with his lone arm. Together, they stumbled toward the garbage mountain.


    As the red and green "snowkes" rained down, the drones began spewing fire, scouring the ruins of all living things. Bullets mingled with the rain, making it impossible to tell which droplets were water and which were lethal projectiles.


    Seeing the drones closing in on him, Sun Jack gritted his teeth, raised his modified metal prosthetic, andunched one explosive round after another. The projectiles burst through the rain, taking out drones midair.


    But no matter how many drones he destroyed, more swarmed in to take their ce, their numbers seemingly endless.


    ¡°Is this it? Are we really going to die here?¡± Sun Jack muttered, his eyes scanning the chaos for a way out. Yet no matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn¡¯t think of a solution.


    The drones weren¡¯t the real problem. Even if he shot down a hundred, it wouldn¡¯t matter. The true threat was the colossal steel beast looming above them.


    The disparity in power was too vast. There was no way the three of them could fight back against such an overwhelming enemy. It was a deathtrap¡ªin and simple.


    The air seemed to freeze as the trio found themselves surrounded by drones, their red and green lights resembling the unblinking eyes of Death itself.


    ¡°Survival probability: 0%... Survival probability: 0%...¡± Tapai muttered, frantically running calctions in a desperate bid to find a way out.


    Staring at the sea of drones and the massive aircraft carrier that hadpletely reced the sky, Sun Jack felt an overwhelming sense of despair. This was a force that humanity simply couldn¡¯t hope to resist.


    Just as they were about to be turned into swiss cheese by gunfire, Song 6PUS, who had been trailing behind Sun Jack, stepped forward. ¡°Heroes always arrivest¡ªlet me handle this.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Sun Jack stared at him in shock. ¡°Could this guy actually be some kind of hidden expert? Has he been ying dumb this whole time?¡±


    Facing the airborne harbingers of death, Song 6PUS remainedpletely calm. With a dramatic flourish, he reached into his pocket, pulled out a golden card, and held it high above his head with one hand. A look of immense pride crossed his face as he dered, ¡°I! Have! Money!!¡±


    The moment those words left his lips, the drones¡¯ spinning gun barrels came to an abrupt stop. Their cameras swiveled in unison, fixing on Song 6PUS.


    ¡°I¡¯m buying time with cash!¡± he shouted.


    One of the drones descended rapidly, scanning the golden card.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    As soon as the payment was processed, the drones dispersed as if nothing had happened, their menacing presence evaporating.


    Even the colossal steel beast overhead seemed to amodate them, thoughtfully shifting the oppressive red floodlights back to a neutral white glow. It was as if it was serenading them with a ¡°farewell¡± song.


    The suffocating tension that had gripped the air moments before waspletely gone.

 Chapter 11: Treatment

    Chapter 11: Treatment


    ¡°Huh?¡± Sun Jack¡¯s jaw dropped, utterly stunned by the absurd scene unfolding before him. ¡°This... this actually works?¡±


    A life-and-death crisis, resolved by money? Was that all it took?


    Grinning ear to ear, Song 6PUS gave him a thumbs-up. ¡°Bro, now do you see why I risk my life to make money? Because money <em>literally</em> buys life!¡±


    ¡°Then... why didn¡¯t they do the same?¡± Sun Jack gestured toward the broken bodies of mercenaries scattered in the ruins behind them.


    ¡°Because they didn¡¯t have money,¡± Song replied with a shrug.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°So... being broke means you deserve to die?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. No money, no survival.¡±


    ¡°Being broke means you deserve to die?¡± Sun Jack asked again, incredulity creeping into his voice.¡°Yep. Broke equals dead,¡± Song repeated matter-of-factly.


    ¡°F***.¡±


    Looking at the corpses in the ruins¡ªmercenaries who had died like ants¡ªSun Jack felt a new understanding of this world take root in his mind.


    ¡°Hurry up, I only bought us three minutes,¡± Song reminded them.


    Using the time that Song¡¯s money had bought, they managed to reach the rotting garbage heap just as the red lights began glowing ominously in the sky again.


    The three of them copsed on the trash pile, their chests heaving as they looked back at the scene behind them.


    Shuttles descended one by one from the massive aircraft carrier, efficiently beginning the cleanup of the battlefield.


    ¡°Well, at least we made it out alive,¡± Sun Jack muttered, spitting another mouthful of blood onto the ground and gulping down air.


    ¡°Look here, folks! This is corporate policy in action!¡± Song 6PUS announced, whipping out his streaming setup like a war correspondent.


    ¡°This... is the corporation?¡± Sun Jack murmured, his eyes nk as he stared at the distant chaos. He was gaining a new understanding of what the word <em>corporation</em> truly meant in this world.


    Whatever had happened in the past, Sun Jack now realized this world was nothing like the one he once knew.


    ¡°Jack, your body temperature is rising. You¡¯re severely infected¡ªwe need to find a doctor,¡± Tapai said, attempting to help him over the garbage heap.


    Song 6PUS stopped him with a wave. ¡°Bro, it¡¯s over seventy miles to the metropolis. If you try to carry him there, his corpse will be rotting by the time you arrive. Rx¡ªI¡¯ve already called a medical center. They¡¯re sending a ship over right now.¡± ?¨¤¦­??§§?


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you call them earlier?¡± Sun Jack asked weakly, his head lolling as his vision darkened.


    ¡°What 7 you say? We were fighting back there! Do you think the medical center would take a job in the middle of that chaos? They¡¯re in this for profit, not charity. Nobody¡¯s going to take a loss-saving life.¡±


    ¡°F***.¡± Hearing this, Sun Jack felt hisst shred of hope for this world crumble.


    Momentster, a redser beamed down from the sky, carving out a rectangrnding zone in front of them. A white shuttle adorned with a red cross descended from the clouds,nding with precision in the designated area.


    The ship¡¯s doors opened, and two doctors in white coats stepped out, nked by four tall, slender white robots. They swiftly approached the trio.


    ¡°Zone secure. Rescue canmence.¡± The robots split apart, transforming rapidly into mechanical stretchers. Their soft, prosthetic limbs gently but efficiently lifted Song 6PUS and Sun Jack onto the stretchers.


    In his dazed state, Sun Jack felt a sharp prick in his forearm.


    ¡°User 10314C1 secure. Biological signals connected. Life monitoring panel activated. Adrenaline injected. Dopamine, 70 milligrams; norepinephrine, 110 milligrams; blood fibrinogen, 800...¡±


    The cold, mechanical voice continued to report. What should have been the loss of consciousness instead gave way to an unexpected rity as Sun Jack¡¯s senses slowly returned.


    Lying on the operating table, Sun Jack lowered his gaze to his opened abdomen. He watched in stunned amazement as crab-like mechanical arms worked with precision, cleaning and sterilizing his gruesome wounds down to the tiniest crevice.


    Once the cleaning wasplete, the arms began stitching him back together at an incredible speed. Even the stitches themselves were so fine and seamless they resembled intricate embroidery.


    He felt no pain throughout the entire process. It was as though the wounds belonged to someone else entirely.


    Sun Jack was once again awed by the technological marvels of this world. Wounds as severe as his were being treated as if they were nothing more than a mild cold.


    He had genuinely thought that, after such severe injuries and exposure to the acid rain, he was as good as dead. Yet here he was, recovering with almost insulting ease.


    ¡°Pretty impressive, huh? I booked us the premium package.¡±


    Lying on the adjacent stretcher, Song 6PUS puffed on an e-cigarette he had seemingly conjured out of nowhere. The previously caved-in section of his head had somehow been restored to normal.


    ¡°Well? Still think I¡¯m useless now?¡± he quipped, clearly still irked by Sun Jack¡¯s earlierints.


    ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Sun Jack asked, ncing around at the stark, white, minimalist interior of the medical shuttle.


    Song 6PUS flicked his dreadlocks. ¡°Where else? The Metropolis, of course. What, you wanna cross the nuclear st zone to get to Gomorrah instead?¡±


    Noticing the look on Sun Jack¡¯s face, Song 6PUS gave him a puzzled nce. ¡°Wait... you¡¯re not from around here, are you? So, where are you guys from?¡±


    ¡°Noment.¡± Sun Jack dismissed the question tly. In a world he didn¡¯t understand, lying was too risky.


    ¡°Ha! Suit yourself. Doesn¡¯t matter where you¡¯re from¡ªyou saved my life. In our line of work, loyalty matters. Once we¡¯re in the Metropolis, I¡¯ll throw you a proper wee party.¡±


    With that, Song 6PUS tapped a button on the wall using his e-cigarette. With a soft ¡°whoosh,¡± the left side of the wall turned transparent.


    Outside, it was still raining, but the garbage piles had disappeared. Instead, they were reced by a sprawling forest of crumbling concrete ruins.


    The dim, rain-soaked scenery, rendered in a monotone palette, resembled something out of a post-apocalyptic nightmare.


    The stark contrast between the destion outside and the pristine, sterile interior of the floating shuttle was almost jarring.


    Sun Jack didn¡¯t need anyone to exin¡ªit was obvious these ruins were remnants of the pre-Cyber Crisis world. They were abandoned, forgotten, much like himself and Tapai.


    Now, as they approached their first real encounter with this world, Sun Jack couldn¡¯t shake a growing sense of unease. Gesturing subtly to Tapai, he leaned in close for a whispered conversation.


    ¡°Run a search on this Metropolis ce. Based on our current status as undocumented individuals, is it safe for us to go there?¡±


    Tapai nodded slightly, and a series of ellipses blinked repeatedly on his disy as he processed the request.


    ¡°Metropolis permanent poption: 30 million. High daily influx of visitors. Extremely diverse poption. Calctions suggest a low probability of drawing significant attention from other factions.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that? With the way you look, you¡¯re not worried you¡¯ll stand out?¡± Sun Jack asked, ncing skeptically at Tapai¡¯s entirely metallic body.

 Chapter 12: The Metropolis

    Chapter 12: The Metropolis


    ¡°Rx. When people see me, they¡¯ll just assume I¡¯m a fully cyberized human,¡± Tapai said, far more optimistic than Sun Jack.


    ¡°Besides, in the Metropolis, countless peoplee and go every day. No one cares about us.¡±


    ¡°As for traces from the space stationnding impact marks, and even the mercenaries¡¯ crude search methods¡ªthey¡¯ve already wiped everything clean for us.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope so.¡± In a ce so unfamiliar, Sun Jack could only take things one step at a time.


    Still, whether it was the mercenaries or the corporation¡¯s methods, Sun Jack couldn¡¯t shake the paranoia that someone, somewhere, was always trying to kill him.


    ¡°Surely there must be normal people in this world, right? Not everyone can be crazy. I can¡¯t be the only sane one here,¡± he thought to himself.


    His musings were interrupted by Song 6PUS¡¯s voice. ¡°Look! The Metropolis is here.¡±


    Following the direction of Song¡¯s e-cigarette, Sun Jack saw a vivid burst of color piercing through the otherwise gray skyline in the distance.¡°The Metropolis?¡± Sitting up, Sun Jack¡¯s mechanical stretcher automatically rolled toward the window, giving him a clearer view.


    As their shuttle approached rapidly, a dazzling, multiyered neon city came into view.


    A kaleidoscope of skyscrapers, interspersed with glitzy entertainment districts, sprawled before them. Countless shuttles wove between the rainbow-colored neon signs and towering holographic advertisements. The chaos extended from the skies to the streets, where streams of vehicles moved incessantly.


    The advertisements were almost alive, constantly shifting and shing. There seemed to be no restrictions¡ªguns, sex, and every outrageous concept imaginable was boldly stered across the city.


    Some ads Sun Jack could understand innguage but not in concept.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Gourmet-enhanced stomach! Savor anything, devour everything¡ªwhether it¡¯sva or nuclear waste, you can taste it for yourself!¡±


    ¡°Red y Stove 8 Youth <em>prominiMax</em> is now on sale! Powerful and affordable. Gun barrel made from non-toxic, 3D-printed polyester. The only weapon brand safe for children¡ªRed y Stove!¡±


    The pedestrians were just as eclectic. Their attire ranged from wildly extravagant to downright bizarre. Data cables and cybeic prosthetics were amon sight¡ªmany even more extreme than Tapai¡¯s full-metal body.


    The perpetual rain cast a hazy filter over everything, giving the scene an ethereal, dreamlike quality.


    ¡°So this is the Metropolis?¡± Sun Jack¡¯s eyes widened, drinking in the view with astonishment. Everything here stood in stark contrast to his own life¡ªthis wasn¡¯t just a different ce; it was apletely different world. ???????§§S?


    By the time the shuttlended, both Sun Jack and Song 6PUS¡¯s injuries had fully healed. Even Song¡¯s severed arm had been reced with a medical-grade prosthetic.


    When the hover car doors opened, the bright world outside exploded with sound. Stepping out into this utterly foreignndscape, Sun Jack felt awkward and unsure, his hands hanging at his sides as if they didn¡¯t belong to him. Everything about this ce was alien to him.


    ¡°Hahaha! Bro! Let¡¯s go! Time to party!¡± Song 6PUS, grinning wildly, walked up to a nearby car and mmed his mechanical arm into the window.


    Without hesitation, he pulled a data cable from his prosthetic wrist and plugged it into the car¡¯s dashboard port. With a sharp <em>click</em>, the vehicle roared to life.


    Smash the window, plug in the cable, unlock the door¡ªa smooth, practiced sequence. Clearly, this wasn¡¯t Song 6PUS¡¯s first time pulling a stunt like this.


    ¡°Uh... this doesn¡¯t look like your car,¡± Sun Jack said, his voice tinged with disbelief.


    ¡°What¡¯s yours or theirs? If it¡¯s in my hands, it¡¯s mine! Now get in!¡±


    Sun Jack and Tapai reluctantly climbed into the car, and Song 6PUS floored the gas pedal,unching them into a reckless start.


    Song drove like a madman, ignoring every traffic rule imaginable. He opened the convertible roof, sped down the wrong side of the road, and let the wind st through the cabin. The rainshed against Sun Jack¡¯s face, stinging like needles, while the force of the wind pushed his hair and scalp back.


    Eventually, Song stood up in the speeding car, nted his foot on the steering wheel, and raised both hands high above his head. He shouted gleefully at the city, ¡°Freedom City! Woohoo! Come kill me, I¡¯m back alive again! Hahaha!¡±


    The cacophony of near-blinding advertisements and distant gunfire seemed to echo his cheers, as if the city itself weed his return.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing? Sit down! Are you insane, or are you high?!¡± Sun Jack yelled,nding a punch on Song¡¯s shoulder and yanking him back into the driver¡¯s seat.


    ¡°Hahaha! Of course I¡¯m high! What do you think I¡¯m smoking right now?¡±


    Just then, Sun Jack caught sight of a figure on a rooftop in his peripheral vision. The person was standing behind a hovering advertisement. ¡°There¡¯s someone up there!¡±


    ¡°Eh, just someone jumping off.¡±


    As if on cue, the figure leapt from the rooftop.


    With his e-cigarette dangling from his mouth, Song 6PUS let out a whistle. ¡°Oh, nice one! Flip, bro! Do a flip!¡±


    Remarkably, the jumper seemed to hear him, awkwardly flipping mid-air before flipping Song the bird.


    <em>BANG!</em>


    The person hit the ground not far from the car, their head exploding like a watermelon, sttering red and white all over the wet pavement.


    Completely unfazed, Song stepped on the gas, driving over the body without hesitation. The tires left deep, bloody tracks in the rain-soaked street.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with this city?¡± Sun Jack muttered, still stunned by what he¡¯d just witnessed.


    His thoughts were interrupted as the car screeched to a stop in front of an immense, towering building. From the top of the structure, a loud recording of moans and gasps sted through speakers, apanied by white fireworks exploding into the sky.


    Before Sun Jack could fully process what he was seeing, Song 6PUS slung an arm around his neck and dragged him inside. The moment they entered, the city¡¯s neon cacophony gave way to an overwhelming din of hedonistic indulgence.


    The interior was a haze of decadent lights and sounds. Sun Jack hadn¡¯t even had a chance to take in the decor when Song shouted, ¡°Where are the b****es?! I wanna party!¡±


    From within a towering, transparent champagne ss, a catgirl wearing a miniskirt and glowing stockings rose from the liquid.


    Dripping wet, she swayed her tail as she strutted toward them on high heels, her smile sweet and inviting. ¡°The b**** is here~~¡± she purred.


    ¡°Get over here and take care of my bro! He¡¯s my ride-or-die!¡± Song dered, grinning widely.


    The catgirl, radiating a cloying, sugary scent, danced around Sun Jack. She moved her body seductively, brushing against him as she whispered sweet nothings into his ear.


    Then, biting her lip, she leaned forward, arching her chest as she spread her legs. A streak of peach-pink light shot from between her thighs, illuminating Sun Jack¡¯s gaping mouth and trembling pupils.


    ¡°It... it can glow?¡± he stammered, utterly dumbfounded.


    Song 6PUS wrapped an arm around Sun Jack¡¯s shoulder, shouting over the surrounding noise directly into his ear, ¡°Wee to Freedom City, bro!!¡±

 Chapter 14: A Place to Stay

    Chapter 14: A ce to Stay


    "Okay, bro, so are we heading back in to keep partying, or are we off to the ce?" Song 6PUS asked, just as the building behind them exhaled another massive plume of white fireworks.


    "Party? Are you kidding me? Let¡¯s just go to the ce." After everything that had happened today, Sun Jack¡¯s nerves were strung tighter than a wire about to snap. He desperately needed to rest.


    Song 6, clearly wired differently, had no issue diving into this chaos right after a brush with death.


    As the car started moving, Sun Jack stared out the window at the bizarre, vibrant cityscape. The kaleidoscope of lights and colors made the world outside feel surreal, like something out of a fever dream. After a while, he turned to watch Song 6, who was driving with one hand while casually live-streaming with the other.


    Despite how unreliable he seemed, this guy was loyal to a fault. "Song 6, I¡¯ve got to say, you¡¯re broke, yet you still splurge like crazy. You even treated people to drinks? At first, I thought you were some rich kid."


    "Sh*t, what kind of logic is that? I risk my life to earn @coins¡ªwhy would I save them?" Song 6PUS replied, stomping on the gas pedal and sending the car into a sharp eleration. "If you¡¯ve got money, you¡¯ve got to spend it like there¡¯s no tomorrow. What if you die with your savings unspent? That¡¯d be a real tragedy."


    Sun Jack shook his head slightly. He just couldn¡¯t wrap his head around Song 6¡¯s view on money¡ªor life, for that matter.


    Back in his old life, he¡¯d seen plenty of sci-fi depictions of futuristic worlds on TV. But he¡¯d never expected the real thing to be so chaotic.As they sped along, a glowing Chinese billboard shed by, and Sun Jack realized they¡¯d entered the Queens District.


    The car weaved rapidly through the uneven cityscape. Over time, the streets became dirtier, with more garbage scattered along the sidewalks. Though the neon lights still shone, the buildings around them started to look shabby and dpidated.


    When they passed an unsteady old man with no pants peeing by the side of the road, Sun Jack couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. "Where the hell are you taking us?"


    "To your new home. See that building up ahead?" Song 6 pointed forward.


    Following his finger, Sun Jack peered through the rain-streaked car window. He spotted a skyscraper¡ªa bizarre sight. The bottom dozen or so floors were clearly inhabited, their windows glowing with light and stered with advertisements. But the upper levels were unfinished, scaffolding still surrounding the structure. The contrast was jarring.


    It wasn¡¯t exactly a ruin, given the activity below, but it certainly wasn¡¯tplete.


    As the car door opened, Sun Jack stepped out, frowning as he followed Song 6 toward the half-finished skyscraper.


    The rain was blocked as they moved under the building¡¯s concrete overhang. Around them, people huddled for shelter¡ªnk stares, gaunt faces, and strange, contorted movements making them look like zombies. The air reeked of waste, and piles of garbage and excrement littered the area.


    "I¡¯ve got a bad feeling about this ce," Sun Jack muttered, covering his nose.


    "Don¡¯t sweat it, bro. These are just junkies who¡¯ve fried their brains. They might look scary, but they¡¯re harmless," Song 6 said casually.


    To prove his point, he pulled out his gun and fired a few shots into the air.


    The sound of gunfire sent the group scattering like frightened rats, hugging the walls as they fled.


    "See? If anyone asks you for food or smokes, just fire a few shots, and they¡¯ll calm right down," Song 6 said with a grin.


    They pushed through the stragglers and entered the building¡¯s elevator. Song 6PUS pressed the button for the 18th floor.


    When they stepped out of the elevator, Sun Jack was pleasantly surprised. The ce wasn¡¯t great, but it was a definite improvement¡ªat least the stench of urine and feces was gone.


    "The stairs are like a dividing line between two worlds. The trash below won¡¯t bother you up here, so don¡¯t worry," Song 6 said as he approached the third door in the hallway. With a quick iris scan, the door unlocked, and he pushed it open.


    A faint musty smell wafted out, but the interior was rtively clean. The apartment was small, roughly 30 square meters, with a bedroom, living room, and bathroom. The standout feature was the 3D holographic waterfall projection that served as a divider between the living room and bedroom.


    Song 6 pped the wall, and a section of white wall slid upward, revealing a massive floor-to-ceiling ss window. Outside, the neon-lit city shimmered under the nket of rain.


    "Well, bro, what do you think? Pretty decent, right?"


    "This is your ce?" Sun Jack asked skeptically.


    "Hahaha, that¡¯s hrious. Who the hell buys property these days?" Song 6ughed as he plopped onto the gray sofa in the corner. Instantly, a virtual disy projected a program in front of him. "This was a buddy¡¯s ce. I¡¯ve got ess. He died, and the room¡¯s been empty ever since. No idea how many months of rent he prepaid. You can crash here for now¡ªI¡¯ve given you authorization. When thendlord kicks you out, we¡¯ll deal with it then." ??£Á?????S?


    Sun Jack wandered around the small apartment. It had everything he could need¡ªfridge, washing machine, wardrobe. There was nothing extra to buy; he could move in as-is. To be honest, it exceeded his expectations. He had assumed Song 6 would find some run-down shack to pawn off on him.


    Song 6 casually swung his left leg while flipping through floating 3D programs. Finding nothing worth watching, he stood up.


    "Alright, that¡¯s it for now. Get some rest. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll sort out your neural system. I¡¯ve got to head back to Club 69. Spent money there, can¡¯t let it go to waste. My mom always taught me to be frugal, and that ce is pricey."


    As soon as Song 6 left, Tapai asked, "Want me to keep an eye on him? Just in case he runs."


    "No need. He¡¯s not going anywhere. Don¡¯t forget, he¡¯s a live streamer. But keep watch tonight, just in case someone tries to break in."


    Song 6 might seem reliable on the surface, but Sun Jack wasn¡¯t about to let his guard down, especially in an unfamiliar city.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Finally, Sun Jack sank into the sofa, feeling his taut nerves rx for the first time all day. He exhaled deeply, ncing at Tapai and then surveying the room. Everything about today felt surreal, like he was trapped in a dream.


    There was a strange sense that if he fell asleep again, he might wake up back in his old world.


    But as he raised his cold, mechanical arm and watched his metal hand open and close in front of him, he knew this was all real.


    "If only this really was a dream," Sun Jack murmured, tilting his head back to stare at the gray ceiling. He tapped lightly at the seam between flesh and metal on his arm.


    Meanwhile, in the elevator outside, Song 6, headphones sting death metal, made a call to a contact.


    "Bro, how much did those two¡¯s data sell for?"


    "What?! You didn¡¯t sell it? Not even for 0.1 @coin?!"

 Chapter 16: The Idols

    Chapter 16: The Idols


    After leaving the building, Sun Jack and Song 6 got back into the stolen car and headed southeast.


    Without a map, Sun Jack had to rely on Tapai¡¯s verbal directions, realizing they were still wandering around the outskirts of the Metropolis.


    About two hourster, they reached their destination.


    Flicking his e-cigarette into the rain, Song 6 gestured ahead. ¡°Here it is¡ªIdol Street. Don¡¯t let the shabby market vibe fool you. If you know the right people, you can find just about anything here.¡±


    Through the car window, the most striking sight was the massive, decaying Buddha statue with closed eyes at the end of the street. Acid rain had eroded much of the statue, exposing its inner steel framework, leaving it in a state of disrepair.


    The statue sat serenely in the rain, as if unbothered by the endless downpour. Back-to-back with it stood a simrly weathered statue of Jesus. The two idols leaned against each other for support, barely managing to stay upright.


    Surrounding the statues was a cluttered circle of crowded shops of various sizes. Neon signs flickered above their entrances, each trying to outshine the others in eye-catching absurdity.


    The shops sold everything imaginable, but one in particr caught Sun Jack¡¯s eye. Its neon sign split into two contrasting halves: ck, white, and yellow on one side advertising wreaths, funeral supplies, and coffins, while pink, purple, and ck on the other side disyed an array of adult toys.The juxtaposition was bizarre, creating a jarring sense of disconnection.


    ¡°That¡¯s the one,¡± Song 6 said as he headed toward the shop.


    ¡°Seriously? With all the tech we¡¯ve got, people are still buying wreaths?¡± Sun Jack muttered, curiosity pulling him inside.


    The moment he entered, he spotted a monk d in a robe patterned like a circuit board, six burn scars on his bald head, sitting at aputer. In the center of the shop, atop a throne adorned with electronic candles, sat a mechanical Buddha.


    ncing at the bizarre items lining the shelves, Sun Jack thought to himself, <em>¡°Huh. Durex with ukiyo-e prints? Promoting traditional culture, are we? Looks like this is a Japan-style monk.¡±</em><em></em>


    But he quickly realized that wasn¡¯t the case¡ªthe monk was white.


    It was clear this shopkeeper had a unique sense of creativity, merging the unrted themes of funerary goods and adult toys in unexpected ways. The inventory included not only conventional items but also peculiar ones: sultry, provocative funeral attire, and even paper vibrators meant to be burned as offerings to the deceased.


    Sun Jack was baffled but undeniably impressed.


    ¡°Yo, bro! Long time no see!¡± Song 6 walked up to the monk, flicking the steel tip of his prosthetic finger against the monk¡¯s head with a loud <em>ng</em>.


    ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t this Pus? I thought you¡¯d kicked the bucket! Buddha bless, Buddha bless!¡± The monk cheerfully unplugged the cable running into one of the burn scars on his head upon noticing the visitors. He spoke in his nativenguage, not bothering to switch.


    ¡°Hahaha, King Kong, got any new system chipstely?¡± Song 6 asked.


    Hearing this, the monk¡¯s expression changed instantly. He nced nervously past Song 6 at Sun Jack and the others. ¡°Amitabha, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. This is a perfectly legitimate business.¡± ?????????¦¥?


    Sun Jack rolled his eyes, tossing the ck-and-white ¡°grim reaper¡± massage wand back onto the shelf.


    ¡°Oh, rx,¡± Song 6 said, turning to hispanions. ¡°They¡¯re with me¡ªride-or-die kind of bros. No snitching here.¡±


    With that reassurance, the monk, apparently named King Kong, breathed a sigh of relief. Snapping his fingers, he activated the mechanical Buddha, which climbed down from its lotus throne to mind the store. King Kong then led the group to a side door.


    ¡°Man, you should¡¯ve said so earlier! I thought the cops were running some kind of sting operation.¡±


    The door opened to reveal a staircase leading down to a brightly lit basement. Unlike the chaotic upstairs, the basement was pristine, with rows of neatly arranged prosthetics and two crab-like robots stationed nearby.


    Song 6 slung an arm around the monk and introduced him. ¡°Bro, meet King Kong Ma. A modification master and a wicked scammer. When you buy second-hand stuff from him, be careful, or you might find out in a life-or-death moment that your backup heart pump... doesn¡¯t have enough power!¡±


    Just as he said this, Song 6¡¯s expression darkened. In one swift motion, he drew his gun and pressed it to King Kong¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°You b***ard! After all the stuff I¡¯ve bought from you, you still scammed me? Six burn scars, huh? How about I add a few more holes to that bald head of yours?¡±


    ¡°Whoa, whoa! Let¡¯s not get hasty. We can talk this out!¡± King Kong stammered, sweat dripping as he raised his hands in surrender.


    ¡°How are we gonna settle this, huh? I almost died because of your cheap crap! Speak up!¡± Song 6 snarled, his face contorted with rage.


    Just as Sun Jack thought things might escte further, Song 6 suddenly lowered the gun and grinned at him. ¡°Alright, go ahead and pick. Whatever system chip you want today, it¡¯s on the house.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Sun Jack was taken aback. So this was how Song 6 intended to ¡°fix his system problem.¡± It became clear to him that unless absolutely necessary, Song 6 wouldn¡¯t spend a dime. Whether it was a rescue, housing, or now even a promised neural system, everything had to be freeloaded. The guy was the ultimate cheapskate.


    Soon, Sun Jack found himself in front of a row of cold, gleaming chips norger than a fingernail, each bearing logos he didn¡¯t recognize. King Kong enthusiastically exined the features.


    ¡°This one, my friend, is the ALT1G Model 3. It has an auto-trantor, firearm synchronization for real-time bullet counts, and even a built-in hacking system to monitor enemy ammo!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pick that,¡± Song 6 interjected. ¡°Nowadays, every neural system has auto-trantion and bullet tracking. Features like that are basic. And the hacking system? It¡¯s so outdated that the ports are worthless¡ªnot only can it not hack anything, but it¡¯s vulnerable to reverse hacking.¡±


    He grabbed another chip. ¡°Pick this one. It¡¯s the most expensive in King Kong¡¯s stash. Comes with a Tier-4 monitoring disruptor, a pain editor, temporary ICE, and a dopamine circtor.¡±


    Perhaps aiming to make King Kong bleed a little, Song 6 kept suggesting pricier options, much to the monk¡¯s dismay.


    Sun Jack took the blue, coin-sized chip from Song 6¡¯s hand and pondered. The choices so far weren¡¯t ideal. The best solution might lie somewhere in between.


    ¡°Is there any way to get the benefits of a neural system without installing it in my brain? Maybe something external, like a wearable device?¡± Sun Jack asked.

 Chapter 17: The System

    Chapter 17: The System


    Sun Jack held the chip in his hand and voiced his request to King Kong.


    He had spent all ofst night pondering and ultimately decided that directly imnting the chip into his brain was too risky.


    Song 6¡¯s earlier remarks only deepened his concerns¡ªif even a backup heart pump could fail, how could he trust a chip installed in his brain not to malfunction? It was a gamble he couldn¡¯t afford to take.


    "Besides," he thought, "I¡¯m in unfamiliar territory here. What if these two are working together to scam me? At least with an external device, I can just take it off if something goes wrong."


    His exnation caught King Kong off guard. ¡°Why¡¯s that, my friend? Is your current system chip malfunctioning?¡±


    Sun Jack seized the opportunity and nodded. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s stuck in there, malfunctioning. My buddy over there, well, that¡¯s how he ended up recing his entire body with metal parts.¡±


    As he spoke, Sun Jack gave Tapai a hearty pat on the shoulder. Tapai yed along perfectly, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "¨s¡÷¨t"


    ¡°Is that so? Let me take a look,¡± King Kong offered, extending a set of tools from his split-open palm.Sun Jack leaned back immediately, dodging the invasive gesture. No way was he letting the monk check¡ªit would blow his cover.


    Thinking quickly, Sun Jack feigned rm. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it! That thing¡¯s dangerous. It can transfer consciousness. I barely managed to disable it after a huge struggle. If you identally restart it, it might turn me into someone else!¡±


    ¡°Huh? That doesn¡¯t sound like what I heard yesterday,¡± Song 6 said, tilting his head thoughtfully.


    ¡°Take a guess,¡± Sun Jack replied with a deadpan expression.


    His barrage of half-truths and bluffs finally convinced King Kong to drop the idea. ¡°Hmm... if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll find you an external device. I¡¯m pretty sure I had something like that in stock.¡± He began rummaging through his shelves.


    It didn¡¯t take long before King Kong pulled out a circr metal device resembling a pair of eyess frames. He installed the chip into the device and handed it to Sun Jack.


    Taking a deep breath, Sun Jack ced the odd contraption on his head.


    With a <em>hiss</em>, a bright yellow light shed in front of his eyes. To his surprise, it was a pair of sses¡ªnot with ss or resin lenses but a projected virtual disy.


    The arced projection created a slight wide-angle distortion at the edges of his field of vision, noticeably extending his peripheral view.


    The yellow disy flickered briefly. When Song 6 spoke again, subtitles appeared along the bottom edge. ¡°How is it? How does it feel?¡±


    ¡°How do I control it?¡± Sun Jack asked, running his fingers along the temple arms of the device, finding no buttons.


    ¡°Just think about it. It scans your scalp for brainwave signals to interpret yourmands. Since it¡¯s external, it can only sense and process signals but can¡¯t manipte them. So features like the dopamine circtor and pain editor won¡¯t work. But monitoring disruptors and temporary ICE are fully functional.¡±


    ¡°Turn off subtitles.¡± As Sun Jack thought themand, the subtitles vanished instantly.


    ¡°Show information.¡± Instantly, names appeared above Song 6 and King Kong¡¯s heads, and in a particrly cheeky touch, a link to Song 6¡¯s livestream popped up below his name. ??¦­?£Â¨¨s


    Lifting his cybeic arm, Sun Jack saw the ammo count disyed at the bottom left corner of his vision: Bullets: 124 | Grenades: 0.


    ¡°So this is what it¡¯s like to be connected,¡± Sun Jack murmured, marveling at the world through the augmented lens.


    With another thought, the shelves of prosthetics around the shop lit up, each item disying its type, price, and features in a detailed ovey.


    With this device, Sun Jack felt like his brain had gained the processing power of a supeputer¡ªand this was just an external system. He couldn¡¯t imagine how overpowered an internal neural system would be.


    ¡°No wonder everyone¡¯s so eager to install systems. These things are insanely convenient.¡±


    ¡°However,¡± King Kong warned, ¡°since your chip is external, you¡¯ll need to protect it. If someone steals your device, your money and everything else linked to it will be gone.¡±


    To this, Sun Jack shrugged nonchntly, tapping the device on his head. ¡°What¡¯s the difference? If it¡¯s imnted, wouldn¡¯t they just bash my head in and dig the chip out anyway?¡±


    From the look of Song 6¡¯s mental state, it was clear that people in this world wouldn¡¯t hesitate to go that far without any moral qualms.


    ¡°Haha, bro! Well said. If there weren¡¯t any shady goods, where would all this stuffe from?¡± Song 6 chuckled as he scratched his back with a broken prosthetic limb.


    King Kong looked aghast. ¡°Hey! My inventoryes from legitimate sources. Don¡¯t nder me!¡±


    ¡°Legit, huh? Then why the sneaky sales? Afraid of the cops?¡±


    ¡°Selling this way is just... a tax dodge,¡± King Kong muttered defensively.


    Sun Jack¡¯s eyes narrowed as he nced at the other chips on the table. ¡°So these chips... they were dug out of people¡¯s heads?¡±


    Oddly, he wasn¡¯t shocked. Perhaps the city had numbed him to surprises. He simply epted it as another fact of life here.


    After King Kong gave hisbat prosthetics a thorough tune-up, the group returned to the funeral shop upstairs.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Sun Jack looked around at the shop, his new sses lighting up with a cascade of information. Everything seemed alive and vibrant in a way he hadn¡¯t experienced before.


    As he silently activated the auto-trante feature, every unfamiliarnguage on the neon ads seamlessly switched to Chinese, and the garbled voices in the background transformed into understandable speech.


    ¡°@ount setup,¡± he thought. Streams of binary data flowed before him, and a bnce of 0.0000@ appeared in the bottom-left corner of his vision.


    As Sun Jack tested the device¡¯s other functions, a notification window suddenly popped up in his view.


    ¡°Hey, bro! Add me as a friend! That way we can help each other out in the future!¡±


    ¡°Sure thing. Thanks for the assist. We¡¯re bros now,¡± Sun Jack replied, agreeing to the request.


    ¡°A deal¡¯s a deal. I knew you weren¡¯t ordinary. Keep it up¡ªKrv1loi isn¡¯t someone just anyone can handle.¡± Song 6 grinned, pulling Sun Jack into a hearty embrace before heading to the car.


    After Song 6 left, Sun Jack continued tinkering with the system. It was fascinating, almost like being in a video game.


    But then, another notification popped up, this one with a ck frame.


    Seeing it, his heart skipped a beat.


    ¡°In a ce like this, besides Song 6, who else would know me?¡±


    His mind raced with possibilities. Could someone in this city have recognized him? Had he been under surveince all along?

 Chapter 18: Hard to Earn Money

    Chapter 18: Hard to Earn Money


    Staring at the floating confirmation window in front of him, Sun Jack felt the weight of pressure bearing down on him. His expression tightened as he made his decision and opened the notification.


    Upon seeing the ID: <em>Are you kidding me, this is so troublesome!</em>, he turned to Tapai with an exasperated look. ¡°D*** it! You scared the crap out of me!¡±


    ¡°You coward. How does a single request scare you like that?¡± Tapai sneered.


    Ignoring him, Sun Jack leaned against an electronic wreath and began searching for information aboutst night¡¯s battle. He knew very little about the space station, but perhaps Gaofeng Technology Corporation, having recovered it, would publish some analysis revealing details he wasn¡¯t aware of.


    More importantly, he needed to confirm whether any trace of him and Tapai had been discovered.


    After some quick browsing, Sun Jack found several reports, including a few exclusive livestream analyses. Just as he excitedly clicked on one, he was met with a cold, merciless notification: Insufficient funds.


    ¡°Are you kidding me? They charge for reading the news now?¡± Sun Jack grumbled, feeling a near-physical pang of frustration.


    ¡°Wee to this world, my friend,¡± Tapai said nonchntly. ¡°Capitalism runs on money, in and simple.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnnThinking about everything he¡¯d gone through since waking up, Sun Jack angrily dismissed all the UI disys before him. ¡°What a hellhole.¡±


    Staring at the rain outside, he turned to Tapai and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we just go somewhere else? Earth is huge¡ªI refuse to believe the whole is this awful.¡±


    ¡°Sure, boss, you¡¯re in charge. But do you have the money for a ne ticket?¡±


    Looking at his ount bnce¡ªa long string of zeroes¡ªSun Jack deted. Information, transportation, even leaving this dump, all required money.


    ncing at Tapai, he asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you make some money? Hack a bank ount or something?¡±


    ¡°Wow. You¡¯ve got some wild ideas, huh? I¡¯m a robot, not Superman.¡±


    ¡°Well, the robots in movies can pull that off in seconds.¡±


    ¡°Keep dreaming, buddy. In dreams, anything¡¯s possible. I don¡¯t understand this world¡¯s programmingnguages, and it doesn¡¯t understand mine. I¡¯m lucky to even connect to theirwork, let alone hack anything for cash.¡±


    ¡°Then learn the newnguages! You¡¯re a robot¡ªyour learning abilities should be incredible, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure, as long as you give me the money to upgrade my memory and CPU. With my currentputing capacity, I¡¯m amazed I can even talk this smoothly.¡±


    ¡°Then earn it!¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to earn it without knowing theirnguage?¡±


    ¡°Then learn thenguage!¡±


    ¡°But learning costs money!¡±


    ¡°Then earn it!¡±


    Five minutester, Sun Jack and Tapai were silently watching the rain. Sun Jack now fully understood the saying: <em>A penny can stump a hero.</em>


    Forget information or ne tickets¡ªat this rate, they¡¯d be struggling to afford food soon.


    Watching the hovering cars and private nes outside, Sun Jack noticed the suited professionals bustling by. Inspiration struck.


    ¡°That¡¯s it¡ªI¡¯ll just get a job.¡±


    Tapai turned his screen-like face toward him, disying a skeptical emoji. <em>(©V_©V)...Are you serious?</em>


    ¡°Why not? I think I¡¯ve been looking at this the wrong way. It¡¯s not that this ce sucks¡ªit¡¯s the circles we¡¯ve been moving in.¡± Sun Jack exined.


    ¡°From the start, we¡¯ve only dealt with ouws or people like Song 6PUS, who¡¯ll risk life and limb to save a buck. We got dragged into this mess by him.¡± ???¦­§°?¨¨?


    ¡°Proximity breeds simrity. If we keep hanging around these types, we¡¯ll end up just like them. We need to break away.¡±


    Excitedly stepping into the rain, Sun Jack turned back to Tapai. ¡°Look¡ªGaofeng Technology is a corporation, right? Corporations need employees. There must be normal, hardworking people here.¡±


    ¡°Alright, boss, your call. So what¡¯s the n now?¡± Tapai followed him into the downpour.


    ¡°Use your CPU to search for job listings. Anything I qualify for, pull it up. Priority one: make money!¡±


    Their systems began scanning, and to Sun Jack¡¯s relief, applying for jobs didn¡¯t cost money.


    However, finding a job was another story. Every listing demanded experience, qualifications, or skills that Sun Jack didn¡¯t have.


    As the search dragged on, his hunger grew unbearable. Just as he was about to give up, a customer service job caught his attention.


    ¡°Weekly hours: 56. Trial period weekly sry: 0.15 @coins. Requirements: Neural logic modification below 5%. Fewer than 100 cortical stimnt injections.¡±


    ¡°This, I can do.¡± Though the pay was low, theck of educational or professional requirements made it a good start¡ªenough to survive and distance himself from the chaotic underworld.


    With a click, arge arrow appeared in his vision, projecting a navigation route. ¡°Destination: 39 kilometers. Turn left in 200 meters.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Sun Jack didn¡¯t have a car or money for public transport, but he did have another option.


    Grumbling, Tapai hoisted Sun Jack onto his shoulder. His reverse-jointed legspressed, transforming into wheels as he charged into the rain.


    Sun Jack shouted into the wind, ¡°Tapai! Remember! The first thing we¡¯re buying when we get paid is food! I¡¯m starving!¡±


    ¡°Here, have some fresh air instead!¡± Tapai snapped, doubling his speed.


    Half an hourter, as the rain began to ease, they arrived at the address. The pany¡± turned out to be a basement next to a pile of green trash bags.


    Sun Jack didn¡¯t mind. As long as it paid, he didn¡¯t care about appearances. If it were too fancy, he¡¯d be worried about not getting hired.


    After drying his clothes, he found the HR office, where two other applicants¡ªa man and a woman¡ªwere already seated on the waiting bench. Dressed in suits, they seemed nervous, repeatedly lifting disposable cups to their lips without taking a sip.


    ¡°So, not everyone here is like Song 6PUS,¡± Sun Jack thought, offering them a friendly smile as he sat down. ¡°There are still normal people. Not everyone¡¯s a lunatic.¡±


    The sound of sharp metallic heels echoed down the hallway as a woman with metal stiletto legs entered. Casting a disdainful nce at the three applicants, she took her seat behind the desk. Clearly, she was the HR manager.


    ¡°Who¡¯s AA?¡± she asked, her voice dripping with condescension as she leaned back, arms crossed.


    Sun Jack couldn¡¯t understand hernguage, but the yellow screen of his sses shed, activating auto-trante.


    ¡°M-me!¡± A short-haired girl with purple streaks timidly stepped forward.


    The HR manager scrutinized her like a piece of merchandise before asking leisurely, ¡°Are you willing to have your uterus removed for thepany?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I already had it removed as soon as I became an adult. No periods, no disruptions¡ªguaranteed!¡± the girl stammered, her eagerness to please evident.

 Chapter 19: Eating Crap is Hard

    Chapter 19: Eating Crap is Hard


    ¡°Pfft~¡± Sun Jack nearly choked to death on his water. His face turned bright red as he pounded on his chest with his fist. Looking back at the desk, he almost thought he had misheard.


    However, the AA girl wasn¡¯t angry at all. Instead, she puffed out her chest confidently, as if removing her uterus was some kind of aplishment to be proud of.


    ¡°I¡­ what the h*ll¡­¡± Sun Jack¡¯s pupils trembled as he stood there, utterly stunned by what he was witnessing.


    Meanwhile, the conversation continued in the distance.


    ¡°Alright, the next question. You know ourpany¡¯s work hours are short¡ªjust 8 hours a day, half of the usual schedule. So, are you willing to stay in a Level 6 neuro-stimted state during working hours?¡±


    This made AA hesitate. ¡°Do you mean¡­ taking drugs?¡±


    ¡°What drugs! It¡¯s not addictive! We call it a work supplement!¡± The high-heeled woman mmed the table, scaring AA into silence. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to do it, there are plenty of others who will!¡±


    ¡°But I¡­ I don¡¯t have money¡­ I¡¯m still paying off loans¡­ I can¡¯t afford work supplements¡­¡±The HR woman, casually examining her flowing manicure, softened her tone slightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. To support new hires, thepany offers low-interest loans. By the time you get your first week¡¯s sry, you¡¯ll be able to pay it back.¡±


    Hearing this, AA clutched the hem of her clothes tightly, her face full of struggle.


    While she hesitated, Sun Jack had already stood up. These ridiculous demands? Was this some kind of joke?


    Just as he was about to find an excuse to leave, a ck man nearby suddenly stood up, looking ecstatic.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing! Not only will I take work supplements, but my pineal nd and hypothmus have already undergone Level 2 modifications. I don¡¯t even need to sleep! As long as you give me this job, I¡¯ll work five hours of overtime for free!¡±


    Hearing this, Sun Jack¡¯s trembling pupils darted toward the door. This ce was too terrifying¡ªhe needed to get home.


    ¡°And you? Compared to these two, how much are you willing to contribute to thepany?¡± The high-heeled woman finally turned her gaze to thest candidate: Sun Jack.


    Sun Jack stopped and turned around, smiling at her and nodding toward the other two. Then, he mmed his paper cup to the ground, pointed angrily at the HR woman, and shouted, ¡°I¡¯ll contribute jack sh*t!¡±


    ¡°What the f***?! What¡¯s all this nonsense about removing uteruses and borrowing money to take drugs for work? What kind of capitalist hellscape is this?! Satan would have your logo tattooed on his back! And he¡¯d keep his eyes shut because open eyes wouldn¡¯t intimidate anyone! Is this how you run apany?!¡±


    The HR woman chuckled coldly and stood up, looking Sun Jack up and down with disdain.


    ¡°This is the Metropolis, the Freedom City. Ourpany has the freedom to set its conditions, just as you have the freedom to reject them. Isn¡¯t that fair?¡± ??????¦¥??


    ¡°Fair? My a**! You¡¯ve got a death wish, don¡¯t you? Do you want to end up hanging from amppost?!¡±


    Seeing the argument escte, the other two candidates quickly distanced themselves from Sun Jack, fearing it might cost them their interviews.


    Uninterested in further debate, the HR woman waved her hand coldly. ¡°Security.¡±


    With a trembling thud, a security guard in a bulging suit walked in.


    ¡°Your interview has been unsessful. Please leave the premises.¡± Standing at an imposing 2.5 meters tall, the guard loomed over Sun Jack like a human tank, speaking politely.


    Even without x-ray vision, Sun Jack could tell the guard was armed to the teeth withbat prosthetics under that suit.


    Sun Jackughed bitterly, pointing at the guard and then back at the HR woman.


    ¡°Security? You call that security? Hah, I¡¯m impressed, I really am.¡±


    Frustrated, Sun Jack stormed out of the building. The first thing he did was try to report thepany to the Labor Bureau through his system. Instead, a giant ¡°404¡± error smacked him in the face.


    ¡°What the¡­?¡± Before he could finish, his neural system automatically searched for the reason.


    The result? The Metropolis is a Freedom City, where everypany and individual has the right to maximum liberty. Institutions like the Labor Bureau, which interfere with corporate freedom, are considered obstacles to free market development and therefore don¡¯t exist.


    ¡°What the h<em>ll! What the h</em>ll, h<em>ll, h</em>ll!!! Is there no one normal in this godforsaken ce?!¡± Sun Jack felt like he was going insane.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Just then, Tapai approached. ¡°What happened? You think the sry¡¯s too high, so you fired them?¡±


    Ignoring him, Sun Jack turned to look at the shabby office entrance. ¡°D*mn it! I refuse to believe it! Tapai, find me another job! There are 30 million people here¡ªI don¡¯t believe they¡¯re all like this!¡±


    Jobs that met Sun Jack¡¯s standards were scarce. By the time they found another one, it was almost dark.


    This time, Sun Jack was the first to be interviewed. The cold-faced HR woman looked him over and asked, ¡°Are you willing to remove your uterus for thispany?¡±


    ¡°Remove what?! Are you blind or something?! I¡¯m a f***ing man!!¡± Sun Jack yelled, mming his paper cup down in anger.


    ¡°Oh, my apologies. With the recent gender-reversal trend, I must have misjudged. Let me rephrase: Sir, are you willing to remove your penis for thispany?¡±


    ¡°BANG!¡± Sun Jacknded a steel fist straight into her face.


    Two hourster, with a bruised face, Sun Jack trudged through the pouring rain toward his apartment. His eyes were vacant, his expression lifeless. Everything he¡¯d experienced today had shattered his worldview, even more so than yesterday¡¯s madness.


    How could the daily grind of a nine-to-five job be more absurd than Song 6¡¯s life-and-death escapades?


    He couldn¡¯t wrap his head around it. Was this even his world anymore? How had things be this way?


    A sudden firework explosion snapped him out of his thoughts. Turning, he realized he¡¯d unknowingly wandered back to Club 69, where Song 6 had taken him before.


    At that moment, the club¡¯s doors opened, and the AA girl from earlier stumbled out, looking utterly defeated.


    As she stepped into the rain, she finally broke down, covering her face and sobbing uncontrobly.


    Sun Jack had enough of his own problems to deal with. He had no energy to care about others. But as the sound of her cries grew more heart-wrenching, he let out a deep sigh and turned around.


    Approaching the crouched girl, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you okay? Come on, pull yourself together.¡±


    AA choked back her sobs and shakily pointed toward the club. ¡°They¡­ they said I don¡¯t have a uterus, so I¡¯m not qualified to work as a s*x worker! And I couldn¡¯t find any other job¡­ Waaaah!¡±

 Chapter 20: Hunger

    Chapter 20: Hunger


    Hearing the girl¡¯s words, Sun Jack was left speechless. He didn¡¯t know what to say.


    After a few seconds of standing there dumbfounded, he reached out and gave her shoulder aforting pat. ¡°It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll definitely find work. Don¡¯t lose hope. Keep your chin up.¡±


    AA sniffled, wiped her tears away with her sleeve, and stood up again. ¡°Thank you. You¡¯re a good person. When I heard you speak earlier today, I knew you were different from the others.¡±


    ¡°Heh, there¡¯s no such thing as a job for a good person in this godforsaken ce,¡± Sun Jack replied with self-deprecation.


    Perhaps finding sce in their shared misfortune, AA suddenly felt closer to Sun Jack and even enthusiastically tried to help him.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t found work either, right? Go inside and try. They¡¯re still hiring men, and they haven¡¯t filled all the spots yet. You¡¯re definitely better than me¡ªyou¡¯ll get in for sure. Good luck!¡±


    After saying this, AA perked up and headed toward the nearby subway entrance.


    Watching her disappear into the distance, Sun Jack turned and stared nkly at the neon-lit entrance to Club 69.¡°Huh?¡±


    Just then, Tapai sauntered over, grinning cheekily. ¡°What¡¯s up? Thinking of giving it a shot? How¡¯s your stamina? Can you keep up?¡±


    ¡°Give your uncle a shot! I¡¯m going home!¡± Sun Jack leaped onto Tapai¡¯s back.


    Back at home, Sun Jack took a hot shower, then stood by the window in his pajamas, gazing at the neon-soaked cityscape in the rain.


    Everything was quiet now, but his mind wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°Tapai, do you think I¡¯ve been wrong about everything? Maybe people like Song 6PUS don¡¯t avoid steady jobs because they don¡¯t want them. Maybe they just can¡¯t find normal work.¡±


    The day¡¯s events had given Sun Jack a glimpse of the darker reality hidden beneath the city¡¯s dazzling neon. Perhaps no one wanted to go mad; maybe they were just pushed to the brink.


    ¡°Do I really have to be like them to survive?¡±


    ¡°Shut up! You chose Guardian Mode, not Counselor Mode. I¡¯m not here to chat with you.¡±


    Sun Jack didn¡¯t have the energy to argue with Tapai anymore because he was starving. Ever since he fell from the sky, he hadn¡¯t eaten in over a day.


    With a sliver of hope, he opened the fridge, checking shelf after shelf, hoping to find something edible. But the fridge was emptier than his wallet. In the end, all he could do was knock a chunk of ice out of the freezer and chew on it.


    ¡°Sir, are you short on cash? Learn more about our zero-interest loans today!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Sun Jack, still chewing ice, froze. ¡°Tapai, are you calling me?¡±


    But Tapai, charging on the wall, remained silent.


    Following the voice, Sun Jack realized it was just an ad ying on his apartment¡¯s 3D television.


    ¡°D*mn it, this data tracking stuff makes it feel like I have zero privacy,¡± he muttered as he walked over, still chewing the ice, to watch the ad.


    It didn¡¯t surprise him much. Even in his time, shopping apps seemed to read his mind, instantly suggesting products after he merely thought about them. Technology today was just even more over-the-top. ????¦­¨®£Â??


    ¡°It¡¯s an easy calction. Based on how many times and how frequently you¡¯ve submitted resumes today, it¡¯s obvious you¡¯re a broke-a** who¡¯s nearly down to their underwear.¡±


    Sun Jack shot Tapai a disdainful look. ¡°Can you shut up for once? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re not obligated to talk to me?¡±


    ¡°Light banter, casual insults, and roasting users help maintain their mental health under high-stress conditions, minimizing the risk of mental illnesses. Tapai robots¡ªyou deserve one!͹(>Ãó<)͹¡±


    ¡°Stop selling me crap! I¡¯m trying to watch an ad, and you¡¯re advertising on top of it! I¡¯m starving, alright? Stop bothering me!¡±


    Silencing Tapai, Sun Jack started looking into the so-called zero-interest loans. But his hopes were quickly dashed. ¡°Free¡± was never real. The loans required coteral¡ªnot just assets like prosthetics, cars, or homes, but even body parts.


    After everything he¡¯d experienced today, Sun Jack didn¡¯t dare imagine what kind of methods this world would use to reim coteral if someone defaulted.


    ¡°D*mn, this is some next-level shady business.¡± He waved his hand, switching channels, only to find another ad waiting for him.


    ¡°Sir, are you short on cash? Learn about our human experimentationbs today! As long as your flesh-to-metal ratio exceeds 20%, you¡¯re eligible for lucrative testing opportunities, from drug trials to prosthetic instations. Earn up to 15 @coins per session!¡±


    Sun Jack stared at the ads, scratching his head in frustration. ¡°Why does it feel like all these ads are tailored specifically for me? Is this crappy TV really not an AI?¡±


    ¡°Should I¡­ try it?¡± The thought flickered in his mind but was quickly dismissed.


    ¡°No way. It hasn¡¯te to that yet. If I take something like this, how am I any different from those loan sharks¡¯ victims?¡± He swiftly turned off the holographic TV and headed to the faucet for a drink of water.


    ¡°Your water card bnce is insufficient. Please recharge promptly.¡± A notification shed before his eyes.


    ¡°D*mn it, now I can¡¯t even afford water.¡± Sun Jack wiped his mouth with his sleeve and decided to just sleep it off. At least when he was asleep, he wouldn¡¯t feel hungry. He¡¯d figure something out tomorrow.


    But sleeping on an empty stomach was easier said than done. Who knows how long he tossed and turned before finally drifting off.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Son, son, wake up, wake up,¡± a voice called. Sun Jack opened his eyes, staring at a familiar ceiling in a daze.


    Suddenly, a big round face leaned in close. ¡°Son, stop sleeping. Get up quick! The Spring Festival G is starting, and the dumplings are ready!¡±


    ¡°Spring Festival¡­ dumplings?¡± Before he could react, Sun Jack found himself sitting on a small stool in front of the TV, holding a big bowl of dumplings.


    Suddenly, realization struck him, and his expression lit up with joy. ¡°Yes! I knew it! There¡¯s no way all that ridiculous stuff actually happened. It must¡¯ve been a dream!¡±


    The aroma of the dumplings made his mouth water. He grabbed his chopsticks, ready to devour them.


    But just as he was about to take a bite, his mom walked over apologetically.


    ¡°Oh no, I forgot you don¡¯t like chive dumplings. Let me swap them out for shrimp ones.¡±


    Before Sun Jack could stop her, she took the bowl away. Starving, he clung to her arm desperately.


    ¡°Mom, I love chive dumplings now! I love them!¡±


    But his mother¡¯s strength grew unnaturally strong, pulling the bowl farther and farther from him.


    ¡°Mom, I love chive dumplings! Please, I¡¯m begging you! I¡¯m starving¡ªso, so hungry!¡±


    As he struggled, Sun Jack tumbled off his bed and onto the cold floor, jolting awake.


    He sat there, stunned, staring out at the futuristic, neon-lit world beyond his window.


    He couldn¡¯t understand it. In a world so advanced, how could anyone still go hungry?

 Chapter 21: Work Calls

    Chapter 21: Work Calls


    As Sun Jack stared outside, the sky gradually brightened, and the rain dwindled from a downpour to a drizzle.


    He knew he couldn¡¯t keep going like this¡ªsitting around wouldn¡¯t fill his stomach.


    Rubbing his face vigorously with both hands until it turned red, he straightened himself up and resolved to get moving.


    ¡°Tapai, wake up. Today, we¡¯re getting food no matter what, even if we have to steal it!¡±


    Just as he slipped on his freshly dried jacket from the washing machine, a notification popped up on the top-right corner of his neural system¡¯s HUD. It was Song 6¡¯s avatar, trembling and buzzing incessantly.


    Hesitantly, Sun Jack opened it, and Song 6¡¯s tattooed face instantly filled his view.


    ¡°Yo~~ long time no see, bro!¡±


    ¡°What is it? nning to pay me back?¡± Sun Jack asked impatiently.¡°Pay back? I need money to do that, man! Do I look like I have money?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything important to say, I¡¯m hanging up.¡± Sun Jack¡¯s hunger was driving him crazy¡ªhe was so starved he could almost gnaw on a piece of Song 6¡¯s face.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Don¡¯t hang up, bro! You¡¯re looking for work, right? I¡¯ve got a job for you¡ªbig payout!¡±


    ¡°Who told you I¡¯m looking for work?¡± Sun Jack felt a pang of vition, like his privacy had been invaded.


    ¡°Tapai told me, duh. He asked if I had anything. If it weren¡¯t for him, I¡¯d have given it to someone else.¡±


    Walking over, Sun Jack angrily smacked Tapai, who was charging on the wall. ¡°Can you not be so ¡®smart¡¯? Couldn¡¯t you ask me first before bbing to him?¡±


    Tapai¡¯s screen lit up with an annoyed emoji.


    ¡°(???) Dude, you literally told me to find you work. How do you manage to treat your own words like trash? You can¡¯t even afford food, so quit pretending. If you don¡¯t find work, you¡¯ll die here with no one to pick up your body.¡±


    Sighing in defeat, Sun Jack turned back to Song 6. ¡°What¡¯s the job?¡±


    ¡°Heh, it¡¯s a good one! If we pull it off, you and Tapai can each earn at least 5 @coins!¡±


    Hearing this, Sun Jack¡¯s expression remained unmoved. He wasn¡¯t as naive as when he first arrived. After those interviews, he understood the real value of @coins.


    You could hire someone to risk their life for just 0.15 @ a week. If this job offered 5 @, there had to be a catch.


    ¡°Tell me first¡ªwhat¡¯s the job?¡± Sun Jack crossed his arms, his tone cautious.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°We just need to find something.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Despite his empty stomach, Sun Jack knew better than to jump in blind.


    Before Song 6 could answer, his camera started shaking. ¡°Someone¡¯sing. I¡¯ll send you the addresse check it out. It¡¯s a team gig, not just you. Oh, and there¡¯s a hottie involved~!¡± ?a?O???¦¥S


    Sun Jack hesitated, but when he saw the meeting point was at a restaurant, he immediately grabbed his jacket.


    ¡°Tapai, quit charging! Let¡¯s go¡ªwe¡¯re finally getting food!¡±


    Riding on Tapai, Sun Jack enthusiastically arrived at the address Song 6 had sent. When they got there, both were stunned by the building¡¯s appearance.


    ¡°You sure this is a restaurant? It looks more like a dump,¡± Tapai said, craning his neck.


    The so-called restaurant turned out to be a rundown bar under an overpass. Its name, ¡°Hotdog Diner,¡± might have been appropriate for the city, but the exterior certainly wasn¡¯t.


    ck and blue garbage bags were piled so high they looked like they might copse the roof. The flickering neon sign was tilted, sparking asionally, while the ground was riddled with potholes and filthy puddles.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re already here. Let¡¯s check it out. And don¡¯t forget to load your gun,¡± Sun Jack said as he stepped inside.


    To his surprise, the ce was packed. Groups of rough-looking individuals, many with prosthetics and unfriendly faces, gathered around tables in threes and fives. The tables were empty, not a scrap of food in sight, leaving Sun Jack doubtful that he¡¯d find anything to eat here.


    ¡°Hey!¡± A metal arm waved from a corner. ¡°Bro, over here!¡±


    Frowning, Sun Jack made his way over, ready to chew out Song 6, but his attention was caught by the woman sitting nearby.


    She was a tall girl wearing a semi-transparent green glowing raincoat. Underneath, she had on a short-sleeved shirt and hot pants, revealing a lithe and well-proportioned figure. Purple electromaic fiber strands reced her hair, tied into a ponytail behind her head.


    Leaning back in her chair, she was working on something through her neural system. A chip plugged into her temple shed rapidly.


    ¡°Come on,e on!¡± Song 6 greeted Sun Jack with his usual overly familiar manner, pulling him into a chair. ¡°Let me introduce you. This is Four Ai, our team¡¯s doctor and engineer for this job.¡±


    Hearing her name mentioned, the girl¡¯s chip stopped shing. She looked at Sun Jack and gave him a nod.


    ¡°Oh? Four Ai? That¡¯s a lovely name.¡± Sun Jack extended his hand. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Sun Jack.¡±


    Four Ai nced at his hand, a faint smile tugging at her lips. She reached out and shook it firmly.


    ¡°I should correct you¡ªFour Ai isn¡¯t my name. It¡¯s my kink.¡±


    ¡°Oh, your kink, huh. Hm?!¡±


    When Sun Jack instinctively searched his neural system for the term, the results hit him like a ten-ton hammer.


    Fourth Love¡ªdistinct from heterosexual love (Type 1), gay love (Type 2), or lesbian love (Type 3)¡ªreferred to a specific kink where women dominate men, using objects to prate them.


    ¡°What the f***?! Can this ce get any weirder?! Even kinks are this insane?!¡±


    While Sun Jack was mentally crashing, Four Ai¡¯s hand slid down his arm, sending rm bells ringing in his head.


    ¡°Crap! This woman¡¯s about to mess with me!¡±


    Feeling a chill down his spine, Sun Jack quickly stood up and switched seats with Tapai.


    Unfazed by his reaction, Four Ai immediately turned her attention to Tapai. ¡°Hi there, little metal guy. Your prosthetics must¡¯ve cost a fortune, huh?¡±


    ¡°No, no, no!¡± Tapai hastily pushed her hand away. ¡°¦²(©b¥í©b;) Please spare me! My system isn¡¯tpatible with your XP!¡±


    Seeing things get out of hand, Sun Jack couldn¡¯t just leave his robot to fend for itself. Pointing at Four Ai, he dered, ¡°She¡¯s a woman.¡±


    At this, Four Ai lost interest immediately, retracting her hand with a disappointed look.

 Chapter 22: Making Money

    Chapter 22: Making Money


    In a corner of the Hotdog Diner, just as Sun Jack was still shaken by Four Ai''s deadly demeanor, he suddenly noticed a tall, two-meter man in a sharp suit. The man was ck, wore sunsses, and carried a red metal-bound book as he walked toward them.


    Before the man even got close, Sun Jack tensed up, instinctively gripping the rifle slung behind Tapai. It wasn''t without reason¡ªon the ck man''s neck was a tattoo of an inverted cross, the same mark worn by the bald man who had severed his arm earlier. This guy was part of the Satan Gang!


    "Hey, hey, it''s fine, no need to be so jumpy," Song 6PUS said hurriedly, trying to defuse the tension. "This here is the Father. He''s already left the Satan BOYS. See? There''s a crown of thorns tattooed beneath the cross."


    As the man, referred to as Father, sat down with a cold expression, the small table suddenly felt cramped.


    Sun Jack buckled up mentally, knowing things were about to get serious. It was clear Song 6 had gathered everyone here not for a meal but for business.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Heh, let''s keep this low-key to avoid any leaks. We''ll talk online," Song 6''s voice rang in Sun Jack''s mind as a virtual invite popped up in his vision.


    After clicking "ept," a simple interface appeared, showing everyone present was connected.


    "Can everyone hear me?" Song 6''s voice echoed in their ears."Since you''re all pros, I''ll skip the formalities and get straight to the point. Our task this time is to break into an offline server at a deceased rockstar''s mansion. This guy had a thing for asphyxiation kinks. Rumor has it he''s linked to the deaths of two of his band''s bass yers. Bottom line, we''re digging up dirt on him."


    "Heh, paparazzi work? Lame," Four Ai muttered, lighting a cigarette.


    "Hold on. Why all this effort just to snoop on a rockstar''s gossip?" Sun Jack asked.


    If this was just a tabloid job, why involve abat medic? Add to that the hefty 5@ coin payout, and something didn¡¯t add up.


    Song 6 shrugged dramatically. "Because he''s a Gaofeng Security Services ''D''-tier annual VIP, that''s why."


    Sun Jack sucked in a cold breath. Gaofeng Technology? That was thepany that owned the massive space aircraft carrier he had seen after his arrival!


    "Wow. You really think we can handle their tech from down here?" Sun Jack shot back, feeling like Song 6 was leading them to their deaths.


    "Rx~~. No need to freak out," Song 6 waved it off casually. "He''s just got insurance with Gaofeng, not their entirepany budget. There''s no way he can afford Leviathan V5-ss security."


    With a flourish, Song 6 projected a 3D model for everyone to see.


    "The mansion has four floors, with two security bots patrolling each floor. What we''re looking for is in Room 3 of the second basement."


    "His band, <em>Slit Your Throat</em>, is scheduled to attend aing-out party at a rich guy''s house tomorrow morning. That means the mansion will be empty¡ªour chance to strike."


    As Song 6 exined, details of the n materialized in graphical form before Sun Jack''s eyes.


    "Now for the n: during the op, King Kong, our hacker support, will breach the mansion''s AI butler, disable the cameras, and block auto-alerts. You''ll have 23 minutes tops."


    "In those 23 minutes, you need to bypass Gaofeng''s security, head to the second basement, and plug this into the offline server." Song 6 held up a device resembling a USB drive.


    "Once that''s in, wait two minutes and get out. Missionplete."


    Song 6 made it sound simple, but Sun Jack immediately spotted the w. "Bypass Gaofeng''s security? You say that like it''s as easy as eating breakfast."


    If it were that simple, why involve so many people? Couldn''t Song 6 just do it himself?


    "Hey, bro~~," Song 6 draped an arm around Sun Jack''s shoulder. "I know what you two can do. You pulled me out of that hellhole before. What''s a little Gaofeng security bot, eh?" R?????????


    Staring at the heavily armed bots in the hologram, Sun Jack weighed his options. The job promised a fat reward, but the risks were sky-high.


    "Bro, I know you''re new here and strapped for cash. That''s why I''m offering you this sweet deal. If you don''t take it, what''s the point of that fancybat prosthetic? You gonna go corporate and lick some suit''s boots?"


    The mention of corporate life triggered unpleasant memories of his grueling job interview, and Sun Jack felt the gnawing hunger in his stomach. With a bitter smile, he thought, <em>The joke''s on me. After all this thinking, I don''t really have a choice.</em>


    In this hellhole, there was no such thing as a normal job. If he didn''t want to starve, he had only one option.


    Looking around at the others, Sun Jack finally spoke up on the channel for the first time. "I''ll join, but this is too dangerous."


    "And?" Four Ai leaned back in her chair.


    "I want more money!"


    If he was going to risk his life, he might as well get the most out of it. He had to haggle; his survival depended on it.


    "Why?" Song 6''s usual grin disappeared, reced with a serious expression.


    "Because you owe me 30@ coins in life-saving debts. Don''t tell me you''ve forgotten? How much will you make from this job? Isn''t it time to pay up?"


    At that, Song 6 gave a sheepishugh and pulled Sun Jack close again. His voice dropped in volume over the neuralwork. "Bro, stuff like that¡ªlet''s keep it private, yeah? If I agree to pay you more now, what will the others think?"


    "Come on, bro, 7.4@, okay? Please? I¡¯ll even chip in some of my share for you. I can¡¯t give more, or I won¡¯t make any profit. If I¡¯m broke, none of us get anything, right?"


    After some back-and-forth, they settled on 9@. With the deal sealed, Song 6 felt triumphant. This team was a bargain for the price, especially with a cyber-enhanced fighter like Sun Jack.


    Once everyone was on board, Song 6 signaled the robotic bartender for five beers, raising one high in a toast.


    "Alright, since nobody has any objections, this deal is done! For @!"


    The four of them exchanged nces before Sun Jack was the first to raise his ss. It wasn¡¯t to give face to Song 6; he was just starving and desperate for anything to fill his stomach. His lead spurred the others to follow suit.


    When the beers clinked together at the center of the table, it marked the start of their perilous mission.

 Chapter 23: Loan for a Meal

    Chapter 23: Loan for a Meal


    ¡°By the way, keep this channel active. From now on, we¡¯ll discuss all mission-rted matters here,¡± Song 6¡¯s voice echoed through Sun Jack¡¯s neural system.


    Meanwhile, back at home, Sun Jack was preupied with something far more pressing. The moment he returned, he clicked on a no-interest loan ad, offering to coteralize his liver.


    Since he¡¯d alreadymitted to this way of life, there was no point holding back. If sacrifices had to be made, there was no room for stinginess.


    As the screen flickered, Sun Jack watched the 0.000@ bnce in his ount jump to 3@. For an unmodified, original liver, this amount was a rip-off. But after deducting the minimum interest and processing fees, that¡¯s all the loan sharks deemed it worth.


    With 3@ coins in hand, Sun Jack immediately spent 1.4@ on drone-delivered weapon supplies, fully loading hisbat prosthetics with ammo. He prioritized hand-held micro-grenades¡ªsmall but incredibly powerful. Though effective, their price was steep.


    Looking at the 40 grenades and 300 rounds of ammo, Sun Jack felt a newfound sense of security. For life-or-death situations, gear was everything. If he had more funds, he¡¯d have splurged on optical camouge like the bald assassin had.


    After arming himself, Sun Jack turned to his next necessity¡ªfood. Starving, he ordered a meal.


    A simple bowl of noodles¡ªessentially instant noodles with some synthetic meat¡ªarrived via drone through his window. As Sun Jack slurped down everyst bit of soup and noodles, tears welled up in his eyes.The salty broth, the fragrant noodles, the meaty vor¡ªit was the most delicious thing he¡¯d tasted in over a thousand years. To him, this in meal was a feast fit for a king. Not a drop of soup or a stray noodle was left in the bowl.


    When Sun Jack considered ordering another bowl, his jaw dropped at the sight of his bill.


    ¡°A bowl of noodles? 0.02@? Are you kidding me? Robbery!¡±


    If one @ coin equaled 10,000 credits, that single bowl had cost him 200 credits!


    ¡°What kind of economy is this? Food¡¯s this expensive? Is there anything cheaper?¡± Sun Jack muttered, rubbing his half-full stomach as he scrolled through the menu.


    Eventually, at the bottom of the UI, he found the cheapest item¡ªnutritional paste for 0.003@ per tube, or roughly 30 credits. Even that price felt steep for someone so broke he had to pawn his organs.


    After cing his order, a drone swiftly delivered the item through his window. Holding the toothpaste-sized tube in his hands, Sun Jack unscrewed the cap and squeezed a bit into his mouth.


    How to describe it? The bizarre mix of enoki mushroom fertilizer and waxy grease churned together left Sun Jack gagging. He retched violently, spitting it out as a form of protest.


    ¡°People actually eat this?¡± He reopened the purchase page and noticed a small line in the description: ¡°Rmended for use with a taste modtion module.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Beneath the text was a conveniently ced purchase link for the taste modtion device. Sun Jack, whose neural system relied on external hardware, didn¡¯t have that luxury.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m a pig? Even pigs wouldn¡¯t eat this!¡± Furious, Sun Jack tossed the paste aside and ordered three more bowls of noodles through his neural system.


    ¡°You¡¯re being extravagant,¡± Tapai remarked from the side.


    Sun Jack couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly. ¡°Extravagant? All I did was eat three bowls of noodles, and that¡¯s considered luxurious? Why does my version of extravagance feel so pathetic?¡±


    ¡°This is the way of the world. You¡¯ll have to adapt quickly,¡± Tapai said calmly.


    ¡°But this ce is clearly broken! Why should I adapt to it? I don¡¯t care; I just want to eat!¡± Sun Jack growled, shoving mouthfuls of beef noodles into his mouth, staring defiantly at the neon-soaked cityscape.


    The next morning, Sun Jack woke up, staring at his dwindling bnce and contemting how to increase hisbat readiness.


    Soon, drones carrying supplies buzzed in and out of his window. Besides buying a bulletproof vest for himself, Sun Jack also purchased bullets and grenades for Tapai¡¯s rifle. He restocked on painkillers and stimnts, having realized their utility during hisst fight with the fat man.


    Finally, Sun Jack spent his remaining funds on medical insurance. Though he could only afford the cheapest n, it at least guaranteed survival. With his 3@ loanpletely drained, Sun Jack knew there was no point being frugal anymore. It was time to go all in¡ªearn big, spend big.


    With a <em>click-ck</em>, Sun Jack loaded his weapon and turned to Tapai. ¡°Ready? Let¡¯s move out.¡±


    Riding on Tapai like a motorized scooter, Sun Jack set off. He¡¯d bought plenty of gear, but the one thing he forgot was a raincoat. After two hours of riding, the rain hadpletely soaked him, leaving his face numb from the wind. £Ò¦Á????¦Â¨º?


    Finally arriving at the semi-hilltop A22 in the affluent district, Sun Jack jumped off Tapai, rubbing his stiff face with his cold hands. He was thankful the mission was set for 11:30 AM¡ªif it had dragged on past noon, he wouldn¡¯t have had money for lunch.


    ¡°Where are they? Am I early?¡± Sun Jack muttered, standing at the deserted, rain-soaked crossroads. For a wealthy area, the streets were eerily empty save for a few passing vehicles in the misty rain.


    ¡°Hey, pretty boy!¡± A voice called out.


    Turning, Sun Jack saw an SUV with its window rolled down. Chewing gum inside was none other than the unmistakable Four Ai. Her car bore the logo of a cleaningpany, clearly their cover to infiltrate the vi.


    Once Sun Jack got in, Four Ai drove toward the heavily guarded security checkpoint. From the backseat, Sun Jack noticed the others were just as heavily armed as he was. Most striking was Father, clutching a six-barreled, square-shaped shotgun the size of a sledgehammer. The weapon was bristling with cables connected to his cybeic arms.


    A quick nce around made Sun Jack realize something was off. ¡°Where¡¯s Song 6PUS?¡±


    Just as he asked, Song 6¡¯s voice came through their team channel. ¡°Rx, I¡¯m here, always online, with you all in spirit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re noting? Letting us do the dirty work while you sit back?¡± Sun Jack groaned. The nickname "Old Six" fit Song 6 perfectly¡ªhe really was a shady operator.


    ¡°Come on, guys,¡± Song 6 replied defensively. ¡°You¡¯re the workers; I¡¯m the broker. Besides, mybat prosthetics are all on you now. What use would I be? What, you want me to livestream it? Hahaha, that¡¯d just tip off the authorities that it¡¯s us!¡±

 Chapter 24: Go Time

    Chapter 24: Go Time


    ¡°You¡¯re such a coward! Stop making excuses. Last time you almost died, and it scared the hell out of you,¡± Sun Jack sneered while scanning their surroundings.


    By now, the SUV had cleared the checkpoint and entered the affluent district. The area was noticeably emptier than outside, with rare patches of greenery. Vis were concealed beneath white, dome-shaped rain covers, their interiors hidden from view. From a distance, they resembled giant eggs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve been cking. I¡¯ve spent big to prepare for this,¡± Song 6 interjected, marking one of the domes on Sun Jack¡¯s interface.


    ¡°That¡¯s the ce. The rocker kid signed up for Gaofeng Technology¡¯s Silver Package. Six bots are stationed there: four humanoids armed with M221 Saratos rifles and R-46 Storm backup weapons, along with four defensive grenades and two shbangs each. Four Ai, Jack, and Tapai, you¡¯ll handle them. Got it?¡±


    As Song 6 spoke, detailed schematics and weapon stats for the bots appeared on Sun Jack¡¯s HUD, even highlighting the weak points in their kic cores. It was clear Song 6 had done his homework, tempering some of Sun Jack¡¯s resentment.


    ¡°There are also two AAB beast models. Father, you¡¯ve dealt with these in the army before. You¡¯ll coordinate with the others to take them down, alright?¡±


    Father silently chambered a round, nodded once, and said nothing.


    ¡°Alright, the rest is up to King Kong. We¡¯re almost there. Get ready; the gates are opening.¡±As the rain cover lifted, Sun Jack found himself staring into what felt like another world. Artificial sunlight bathed lush, greenwns. A massive treehouse-style vi stood tall, surrounded by yful mechanical puppies chasing balls. The melodic sound of chirping birds provided an almost surreal backdrop.


    ¡°Damn, so this is how the rich live?¡± Four Ai muttered, taking a drag on her cigarette while admiring the view. It seemed even she was seeing this for the first time.


    At that moment, a figure in a tuxedo began approaching.


    ¡°I thought you said no one was home?¡± Sun Jack tensed, and with a metallic <em>snikt</em>, an Electric Arc de extended from his forearm.


    ¡°Rx. That¡¯s just an AI butler, not a real person. It¡¯s got synthetic skin. King Kong¡¯s already breached the vi¡¯s firewall; we¡¯re almost set,¡± Song 6 reassured him.


    As the AI butler reached the car, it started to speak but then froze, its body convulsing violently. After a few spasms, it copsed, sitting limply on the ground while its mouth emitted distorted metallic chanting in binary code.


    The artificial sun flickered, and the serene BGM shifted to solemn, heavy Buddhist hymns. Above, King Kong¡¯s holographic projection appeared, styled as a cybeic Buddha.


    ¡°Gentlemen, the internalwork, auto-rms, and surveince are handled. I¡¯ve also activated soundproofing. Get to work. However, Gaofeng¡¯s ICE is too strong¡ªI couldn¡¯t breach the security bots. You¡¯re on your own for those.¡±


    Before his words even finished, four humanoid bots rose from the vi¡¯s corners, weapons in hand, and charged toward the group.


    ¡°Damn it, cut the theatrics!¡± Tapai groaned, leaping out of the car as gunfire erupted.


    Sun Jack took a deep breath, jammed abat stimnt into his neck, and felt time slow slightly. His senses sharpened, his surroundings crystal clear. ???£Î??????


    He kicked the door open, using Tapai¡¯s sturdy frame as a shield. Mounting his rifle on Tapai¡¯s shoulder, Sun Jack opened fire on the approaching bots.


    ¡°Take one down fast! Don¡¯t let them coordinate!¡± Sun Jack barked as sparks flew from the lead bot¡¯s neck under his relentless barrage.


    But Gaofeng¡¯s bots weren¡¯t pushovers. Even as bullets riddled their bodies, they stood firm. The high-grade alloy protecting them was clearly bulletproof.


    Frustrated, Sun Jack raised his cybeic hand. His fingers folded back, revealing a dark barrel in his palm.


    With a sharp <em>whoosh</em>, a grenade shot out, detonating in a fiery explosion that obliterated the bot.


    ¡°This gear sucks! You should¡¯ve bought some rocketunchers!¡± Tapai grumbled, shaking his submachine gun disdainfully.


    ¡°Easy for you to say! You know how much rocketunchers cost? Can we afford that? Just hold still!¡± Sun Jack snapped, firing another grenade from his palm, taking out a second bot.


    Meanwhile, Four Ai had already taken down a third bot with her sniper rifle. Her unusual weapon sted half the machine¡¯s body apart, leaving it sparking on the ground.


    As the three of them focused on the final bot, the vi¡¯s garage door slowly opened. From the dark interior, four glowing red lights pierced through the shadows.


    ¡°Careful! AAB units iing!¡± King Kong¡¯s voice red.


    The words had barely left his mouth when a ck blur shot out of the garage, charging straight at Sun Jack and Tapai.


    It was fast¡ªso fast that even withbat stimnts, Sun Jack struggled to react. He managed to push Tapai aside, hoping to split them up, but underestimated Tapai¡¯s weight.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Instead, only Sun Jack was thrown clear. Tapai remained stationary, taking the full brunt of the impact as the blur mmed into him with a thunderous <em>crash</em>, sending him flying into the rain cover and leaving a gaping hole.


    Sun Jack hit the grass hard, his arm burning with pain. Luckily, the softwn spared him from worse injuries. Struggling to his feet, he finally got a clear look at their assant.


    A machine the size of a car, shaped like a sleek ck panther, stood before him. Its matte-ck finish and seamless design gave it an almost organic appearance, save for its exposed joints, which revealed its metallic nature.


    The strangest part? It had a disturbingly realistic appendage beneath its belly, like that of a male predator.


    The mechanical beast¡¯s red cybeic eyes locked onto Sun Jack¡¯s prosthetics, seemingly analyzing or hesitating.


    Before he could catch his breath, another ck shadow leapt from the garage, this time targeting Four Ai.

 Chapter 26: Money

    Chapter 26: Money


    Four Ai spoke to Sun Jack, but realizing he couldn¡¯t hear her, she pulled a mechanical cochlear imnt from her thigh and inserted it into his ear.


    ¡°At such close range, you dared to fire a cannon? Were you not afraid of blowing yourself to pieces?¡± she chided, quickly tending to his other wounds.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t fire, I¡¯d be the one dead,¡± Sun Jack managed to say through gritted teeth.


    ¡°With abat prosthetic like yours, firing at such proximity risks injuring yourself. You should rece all your skin with heat-resistant and shockproof material.¡±


    Sun Jack shook his head. ¡°Maybe someday.¡±


    If he had enough money for a full-body upgrade, he wouldn¡¯t be pawning off organs just to afford a meal.


    Once Four Ai had provided emergency treatment, Sun Jack propped himself up and surveyed the devastation around them.


    The two AABs werepletely destroyed, King Kong waved at him from above, and the battered Tapai crouched beside him protectively. Father, however, was nowhere to be seen.¡°Where¡¯s Father?¡±


    ¡°Off to find the offline server to dig up dirt on Rock Boy. Don¡¯t forget why we came here.¡±


    ¡°Finally over¡­ making money is way too damn hard,¡± Sun Jack muttered to Tapai.


    Surprisingly, Tapai didn¡¯t respond. He stood motionless, like he had frozen.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you broken?¡± Sun Jack, clutching his wounded stomach, gave Tapai¡¯s battered body a pat.


    Just then, arge red exmation mark shed on Tapai¡¯s screen. Without warning, he raised his weapon and shot directly at Four Ai¡¯s left leg joint. Then, he hoisted Sun Jack onto his shoulder and bolted out from under the rain cover.


    ¡°You¡¯re insane! What the hell are you doing!?¡± Sun Jack protested, struggling to get down.


    A ck object hurtled toward them like a cannonball, but Tapai sidestepped just in time to avoid it.


    When it embedded itself into the ground with immense force, Sun Jack finally saw what it was: the lower half of Father¡¯s body.


    The mangled remainsy there like a broken ragdoll, and Sun Jack turned in shock to see where the attack hade from. Emerging from the shadows of the pitch-ck garage were multiple ink-ck AABs, slowly advancing.


    Tapai, unfazed, sprinted toward the rain-drenched outdoors as the first AAB appeared, carrying Sun Jack along.


    However, as they reached the open rain, Tapai skidded to a halt, digging deep furrows into the soft ground.


    From the rain, three more AABs crawled forward, blocking their escape. They were surrounded.


    ¡°Song 6! What the hell is going on!? You said that guy only had a Gaofeng Technology Silver Membership! Why are there so many AABs? Damn it!¡±


    Song 6PUS¡¯s voice sounded panicked on thems. ¡°Holy sht! How should I know? This is my first job as a broker! Why are there so many AABs? Thank god I didn¡¯t go there. Damn, I¡¯m scared shtless!¡± ???¦­?????


    Song 6 kept rambling, but Sun Jack was no longer listening. His full attention was on the nine AABs in front of him.


    There was no escaping the situation now. The only way out was survival¡ªandter settling ounts with Song 6PUS.


    Each of the AABs appeared to be uniquely modified, designed for specific functions: hooks, des, drills, pistons, and more. Two of them showed visible damage from their fight with Father, but even with impaired mobility, they outmatched Sun Jack and his group.


    They had barely managed to take down two earlier at great cost. Now, with Father¡¯s fate uncertain and both Sun Jack and Four Ai injured, there was no chance of victory. As for running, that was out of the question¡ªspeed was the AABs¡¯ specialty.


    ¡°Listen,¡± Tapai¡¯s voice whispered into Sun Jack¡¯s ear. ¡°In a moment, I¡¯ll overload my arm, use maximum torque, and throw you toward the SUV. Get in and drive away.¡±


    ¡°What about you?¡± Sun Jack asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll activate my self-destruct sequence as soon as you¡¯re airborne to buy time.¡±


    Faced with a certain death scenario, Sun Jackughed. ¡°You think I¡¯ll survive that? Really?¡±


    ¡°1.35% sess rate. Better than zero.¡±


    ¡°No thanks. If we¡¯re dying, we die together. Besides, don¡¯t f***ing make me drive¡ªI failed my driving test over summer break.¡±


    Pulling out abat stimnt, Sun Jack injected himself in the neck, the pain and weakness ebbing almost immediately.


    As Sun Jack prepared for ast stand, an idea suddenly came to him, and his eyes lit up.


    Just as the AABs crouched low, titanium ws digging into the ground, preparing to pounce, Sun Jack shoved a hand into his pocket and yelled:


    ¡°Wait! I¡¯ve got money!¡±


    Hearing this, the AABs froze mid-action. Seeing their hesitation, Sun Jack¡¯s hope surged. Maybe this could work!


    This trick was something he had picked up from Song 6, ast-ditch gamble that he never thought would actually work.


    As the AABs stopped, Sun Jack bluffed further. ¡°I¡¯ve got money¡ªenough in my ount to buy our lives!¡±


    The AABs stayed still, possibly too simplistic in their AI toprehend his words, but they didn¡¯t attack.


    Just as Sun Jack was about to push his luck, a soft female voice came from the nearest AAB: ¡°Transferring to a live agent. Please hold¡­¡±


    Before Sun Jack could react, the red camera light on the AAB¡¯s head turned blue, and a tired male voice sounded.


    ¡°Hello, sir. Agent 1DW33 here. Happy to assist. How should I address you?¡±


    Sun Jack froze in shock. ¡°Wait! That voice¡ªit¡¯s the guy I interviewed with before!?¡±


    He was stunned to realize the customer service agents they¡¯d encountered before weren¡¯t human after all.


    As Sun Jack tried to figure out how to leverage this connection, a blue light scanned him, cataloging his data.


    ¡°F***, you broke-ass fool. Selling your body parts and acting rich? What a waste of my time!¡±


    With that, the agent abruptly ended the call.


    The red light in the AABs¡¯ eyes red to life, and they bared their razor-sharp teeth, lunging at Sun Jack and Tapai without hesitation.

 Chapter 27: Battle Memories

    Chapter 27: Battle Memories


    Sun Jack¡¯s bluff failed spectacrly. Before he could utter another word, the nine AABs charged at him, a crushing wave of metal descending like andslide.


    Faced with imminent death, Sun Jack¡¯s mind went nk. In the stillness before his end, fragmented memories surfaced in his consciousness.


    At that critical moment, Tapai surged forward, clutching Sun Jack to his chest and using his metallic body as a final shield.


    Screeching ws raked across Tapai¡¯s armor, leaving three deep gashes that exposed the circuits beneath. Sparks flew in the air as Sun Jack¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot, and a raw, uncontroble emotion erupted from his heart.


    ¡°Hilda!!¡±


    Suddenly, the pressure in Tapai¡¯s grip lessened. Looking down, he realized Sun Jack was no longer there.


    A sharp, metallic screech came from the left. Tapai¡¯s head spun 180¡ã, its sensors locking onto the source.


    There, Sun Jack plunged his de like a scalpel into the power core of one AAB. As its red eye dimmed, he yanked the de out and dodged, the razor-sharp ws grazing his skin.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//omBefore the AAB¡¯s body hit the ground, Sun Jack kicked off, retreating swiftly before aiming his cannon at its chest and firing. The recoil propelled him backward, and mid-air, he adjusted his posture like a tiger pouncing onto another AAB.


    Though not unnaturally fast, Sun Jack¡¯s every move was precise and deliberate, wasting no energy.


    Four Ai, King Kong, and Tapai watched in stunned silence. They couldn¡¯t believe what they were seeing¡ªa flesh-and-blood human twisting and turning amidst the metallic beasts, matching them blow for blow.


    Realizing Sun Jack¡¯s threat level, the remaining AABs adapted their tactics. One deliberately exposed a weak point, baiting him.


    As Sun Jack attacked, another AAB leaped from his blind spot, sinking its teeth into his left arm.


    It didn¡¯t bite through immediately. Instead, it tugged at him, aiming to disrupt his bnce and make him vulnerable to the others.


    Without hesitation, Sun Jack severed his trapped arm with a swift sh. In the same motion, his de stabbed into the AAB¡¯s core, severing three critical wires with surgical precision.


    The AAB exploded in a burst of me, and Sun Jack used its remains as cover, shielding himself from further attacks.


    Reaching into the mes, he cauterized his wound with unflinching resolve, his movements steady as though the searing pain were someone else¡¯s.


    As the blood ceased flowing, Sun Jack surveyed the remaining AABs. Without hesitation, heunched himself toward the metallic panther.


    ¡°What are you all waiting for?! Help him!¡± Tapai yelled, charging forward with his weapon, while Four Ai¡¯s drones followed closely behind.


    It was unthinkable¡ªa human challenging these mechanical beasts, especially with such overwhelming odds. But somehow, Sun Jack was doing it.


    When the final AAB bit through his prosthetic limb, severing itpletely, Sun Jack lunged forward. mping his teeth onto his detached arm, he used his remaining strength to drive the unpowered de into the AAB¡¯s chest. £Ò???§°??¨§?


    When thest AAB copsed, sparking and lifeless, the entire rain shelter fell silent.


    Tapai was the first to reach Sun Jack, his repair cables snaking out to patch up the ruptured blood vessels in Sun Jack¡¯s body.


    But Sun Jack simply stood there, dazed, his unfocused eyes staring ahead.


    ¡°Are you okay, Jack? Look at my fingers¡ªhow many?¡± Tapai steadied him, his voice concerned.


    Sun Jack¡¯s lips trembled as he tried to speak, but before a word could escape, he copsed, unconscious.


    Tapai moved to carry him out, but Four Ai¡¯s shout stopped him. ¡°Are you trying to kill him? Let me handle this!¡±


    Dragging her injured leg, Four Ai limped over, red at Tapai, and knelt beside Sun Jack. Her drones descended, scanning him with spectral lights.


    As the data streamed in, Four Ai¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Body temperature 43¡ãC, elevated creatinine levels, atrial rate 1/540, atrial fibrition¡­¡±


    Barking rapidmands, she had the drones lift Sun Jack and carry him toward the car.


    Tapai moved to follow, but Four Ai stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯te with us! Go to the basement and finish the job! See if Father is still alive¡ªif he is, drag him out!¡±


    ¡°Jack¡¯s dying! What does the job matter?! My duty is to stay by his side!¡± Tapai¡¯s disy turned crimson, shing furiously.


    ¡°Hey, tin can!¡± Four Ai jabbed a finger into Tapai¡¯s chest te, her voice fierce. ¡°If you want to save his life, then finish the job! You can¡¯t save him, but money can!¡±


    After a tense silence, Tapai turned toward the vi.


    Four Ai looked skyward. ¡°King Kong! Get me the nearest surgical room with a life support system, now! This kid doesn¡¯t have much time!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve found one. Uploading coordinates to your UI now. I¡¯ve hacked the car¡¯s driving system¡ªI¡¯ll handle navigation,¡± King Kong¡¯s voice replied before fading into data streams under the artificial sun.


    The SUV¡¯s doors opened automatically, and the drones loaded Sun Jack in. As the car sped away, silence enveloped the rain shelter once more.


    Tapai stood motionless for a moment before rebooting his logic system. With a soft <em>beep,</em> he began diagnostics and walked toward the vi doors.


    Sun Jack woke to the sound of overdue loan alerts, a countdown ticking ominously before his eyes. He knew what would happen if he couldn¡¯t repay in time, but that wasn¡¯t his biggest concern right now.


    Looking down, he realized he waspletely naked, lying on a hospital bed with tubes and wires snaking into his body.


    As he began pulling out a few of the tubes, the door opened, and Four Ai walked in, puffing on an e-cigarette.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡±


    ¡°What¡­ what did you do to me?¡± Sun Jack asked, dazed and confused.

 Chapter 30: Humanity

    Chapter 30: Humanity


    "F***, so I said all that for nothing?"


    Sun Jack rubbed his temples in frustration. While Tapai could banter and argue like a person, evening off as genuinely witty, it wasn¡¯t human.


    Judging by Tapai smashing Song 6¡¯s head earlier and shooting Four Ai in the leg, it was clear the robot had no capacity for empathy or emotional understanding.


    Seeing Sun Jack¡¯s exasperated expression, Tapai became indignant.


    " (£à§Õ¡ä) F*** off! You set me to guard mode. In my system settings, your right to life has the highest priority. What the hell was I supposed to do? If you¡¯ve got a problem, dig up the programmer who wrote that code and scatter his ashes!"


    "As your activator, shouldn¡¯t mymands override the system¡¯s settings?" Sun Jack retorted as they strolled along the bustling underground pedestrian street.


    "More or less," Tapai replied, brushing past a spider-like robot.


    "What do you mean ¡®more or less¡¯? Change the setting. Next time something like this happens, no more shooting our teammates in the leg.""What if I shoot Song 6¡¯s leg instead?"


    "Even then, consult me first!"


    "You sure? That¡¯ll lower your survival rate. Besides, I¡¯m the bad guy here, so why are you objecting?"


    "You can¡¯t just look at absolute benefit. We¡¯re not cold-blooded robots."


    Tapai switched to systemmunication. "(???) But <em>I</em> am a robot."


    Sun Jack was momentarily speechless. He sighed, exasperated. "Fine, but can you at least do as I say? I know you¡¯re a robot, but we can¡¯t let others realize that you are."


    "If your identity gets exposed, we¡¯re both done for," Sun Jack continued to reason. This time, they were lucky it was just Four Ai, someone easy to brush off. But what about next time? What if surveince footage caught them, and someone connected the dots?


    In this hyper-connected society, even minor behavioral inconsistencies could be gged by big data. Without proper disguise, Tapai¡¯s true nature would eventually be discovered.


    "It¡¯s not just this. For other things too, you need to be more... detailed. Stop acting like a robot. Pretend to be human."


    Tapai folded its arms and shed a glowing middle finger on its screen. "Details? Do you even know how much I cost to manufacture? You want ¡®details¡¯? Buy me more memory and upgrade my CPU, you broke-a**!" ??????¨¨s?


    "Aren¡¯t you supposed to learn and iterate your logic system? What¡¯s the issue now?"


    "Data needs a ce to exist. Do you know how much memory a human brain¡¯s neuralwork trantes to? 1,000 terabytes! Do you know how much memory I have? Want me to delete somenguage functions to make space?"


    "Never mind, forget I said anything." Sun Jack¡¯s eyes drifted to a nearby stall advertising body bags, trying to think of a solution.


    Just then, a graffiti paint disy caught his attention. Eyeing Tapai, Sun Jack bought a can of blue spray paint and sprayed a giant exaggerated smiley face on the robot¡¯s left chest te.


    After appraising his handiwork, he wasn¡¯t satisfied. He bought a skull-patterned coat from another shop and draped it over Tapai.


    After all the fussing, Tapai¡¯s appearance seemed marginally more personable¡ªat least to Sun Jack.


    "Fine. I do have some reserved memory. I could clear some to add a bit more ¡®detail,¡¯" Tapai said suddenly.


    "Really? That¡¯s great!" Sun Jack patted Tapai¡¯s shoulder enthusiastically. "Don¡¯t worry. Once I¡¯ve finished my surgery, I¡¯ll save up and get you upgraded."


    The two froze for a moment, staring at each other.


    "What are you looking at? Authorize it already!"


    "Oh, right!"


    Emerging from the underground pedestrian street, they found themselves on a wide road teeming with unique and eclectic vehicles weaving through the pouring rain.


    "Where to next?" Tapai asked.


    Sun Jack thought for a moment, watching the rain. "Is Song 6 live streaming right now?"


    "Yes."


    "Good. Track his location. We¡¯re paying him a visit."


    Two hourster, they cornered Song 6PUS at a subway exit.


    Seeing Sun Jack and Tapai, Song 6¡¯s face paled for a split second before he broke into a toothy grin, showing off his gold teeth. "Bro~! What a coincidence! Heading home on the subway too?"


    "Yeah, what a coincidence," Sun Jack replied coldly, remembering Song 6¡¯s disappointed expression when he¡¯d seen Sun Jack awake on the stream earlier.


    nking him, Sun Jack and Tapai each grabbed one of Song 6¡¯s arms and dragged him out of the subway.


    "Come on,e on. This isn¡¯t the ce for a chat. Let¡¯s find somewhere to sit."


    They eventually chose a lively izakaya humorously named "The Leftovers of the Rich."


    Seated on a bench, Sun Jack casually scanned the bar¡¯s QR codes, flipping through the menu without speaking.


    Song 6PUS broke the silence first. "Bro! I didn¡¯t know you were such a beast, taking down nine AAB units like it was nothing! I knew I saw potential in you!"


    "You¡¯re so amazing. From now on, you take the lion¡¯s share, and I¡¯ll take the scraps. Together, we¡¯ll dominate the Metropolis¡ªmake money with our eyes closed!"


    As he rambled, Song 6¡¯s hand sneakily rested on Sun Jack¡¯s shoulder.


    "I wish. But right now, I can¡¯t manage that," Sun Jack said, pausing for effect. "Maybe when I recover my memories, I¡¯ll figure it out."


    Hearing this, Song 6PUS¡¯s face briefly flickered with disappointment.


    Just then, a robotic server in a kimono brought over appetizers. Song 6PUS immediately stuffed his face, then stood up. "Well, our business is settled. I¡¯ve got stuff to do, so I¡¯ll head out. Your treat this time, I¡¯ll treat next time!"


    "Sit down!" Sun Jack¡¯s cybeic hand grabbed his cor, pulling him back onto the bench.


    "Seriously, bro? Over a little bill? I¡¯m broke. I need my money for, uh, nighttime activities," Song 6PUS whined, feigning innocence.


    "Who said anything about the bill? Your business might be done, but mine isn¡¯t."


    Sun Jack leaned closer. "You told me the intel was rock solid, that there were only six robots in the vi. Care to exin?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Tapai¡¯s cold metallic arm rested on Song 6PUS¡¯s shoulder, sending a clear signal. Realizing he couldn¡¯t talk his way out, Song 6¡¯s face contorted in mock agony.


    "Not my fault, bro! I didn¡¯t mean for this to happen! If the mission failed, I wouldn¡¯t have earned a single 0.0001@ either!"


    "Exactly," Tapai chimed in. "Jack, don¡¯t be so inconsiderate. Sure, we almost died, but poor Song 6 here? He almost lost his most beloved @!"


    Grinning, Tapai gave Sun Jack a thumbs-up and discreetly sent him a message: ¡°Details.¡±

 Chapter 31: Compensation

    Chapter 31: Compensation


    Hearing Tapai''s sarcastic tone, Song 6''s face flushed for once, unable to muster the courage to lie.


    "Yeah, yeah, it was my fault. I cut corners and went cheap on critical intel this time. Next time, I''ll spend more on proper information!"


    "Next time? Are you kidding me?"


    Sun Jack''s cybeic eyes red as his prosthetic fingers extended outward, shoving a cannon barrel against Song 6''s cheek.


    "Do you even realize we nearly lost all four of our lives because of you?"


    "Wait, wait, bro! I''ll pay, okay? I''ll paypensation!"


    Hearing this, Sun Jack immediately straightened his posture, an air of calm returning.


    "Pay... how much?""Uh... 5@?" Song 6 timidly held up five fingers.


    "What?! Our lives are only worth that much?" Tapai grabbed a sake bottle nearby and smashed it over Song 6''s head.


    "Thank you for your continued patronage~" A spending notification driftedzily before Sun Jack''s eyes.


    "Why should I pay for what you broke?" Sun Jack shot a disgruntled nce at Tapai, then picked up another sake bottle and cracked it over Song 6''s head.


    "Why should I pay when you''re the one smashing things?" Tapai grabbed a saucer of soy sauce and mmed it down on Song 6.


    "Do you guys have to break stuff just to squeeze out more money? What are we, rolling in cash? Can''t you learn to save like I do?" Sun Jack hefted a chair and swung it against Song 6''s back.


    "Fine, fine! 10@! That''s all I have!"


    Just as Tapai grabbed a chair to emte Sun Jack, ready to hammer it onto Song 6''s head, a transfer notification popped up. "Song 6PUS has sent you 14.491@."


    "It''s everything! That''s all the money I have left! I''m broke, seriously broke!" Song 6PUS cried out desperately from the ground, clutching his face with both hands. ?????¨¨?


    "If you had given it earlier, we wouldn''t have had to hit you! Do you think you''re a game boss who only drops loot after a beating?"


    Satisfied by the transfer''s precise numbers, Sun Jack lowered the chair and sat back down.


    "Also, you''re paying for this meal."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "I gave you all my money! How am I supposed to pay?"


    "No cash? Pawn an organ! Can''t you take out a loan? You''ve been in The Metropolis for so long¡ªdo I really have to exin how to survive when broke?"


    Tapai plugged into a charging port nearby and pointed at Song 6PUS. "And the electricity I''m using? Charge him for that too."


    Song 6PUS, sprawled on the ground, looked utterly stunned at how shameless hispanions could be.


    After wringing some extra credits out of Song 6, Sun Jack stood in the subway, a noticeably lighter mood as he checked his ount bnce: 19.442@.


    Being a mercenary sure paid well. At this rate, the 80@ surgery fee wasn''t far off¡ªone job alone hadted him this much.


    "Why''d you ask Song 6 forpensation? I thought you''d just beat the crap out of him," Tapai asked curiously.


    "No big reason. I''m just starting to adapt to how things work in this city." Sun Jack quickly exined the events leading up to their current situation.


    "I need to save up enough money quickly. Here, money solves everything else."


    "So, you really n to keep working as a mercenary? You almost died this time."


    "What other options do we have? If not this, what else could we do?"


    Sun Jack got off the subway, but the station was a mess of homeless people and trash.


    Uncertain of his location, he activated his system''s navigation feature, following the on-screen arrows toward the subway exit.


    "I need to earn enough for the surgery. That''s my priority."


    "And after the surgery?"


    "After the surgery, I''ll upgrade your memory."


    "And after upgrading my memory?"


    "After that, we''ll save up a big chunk of money, get out of this hellhole, and live somewhere peaceful. I''d rather take my chances surviving in the wild than stay here. This ce suffocates me."


    When no response came for a while, Sun Jack turned to Tapai with a raised brow.


    "What''s with you? Did you break your brain adding those extra details?"


    "Can''t I just ask?"


    "Fine, fine. Are you done asking? If so, let''s go."


    Sun Jack led Tapai out of the subway station.


    Outside, rain poured down heavily. Sun Jack nced around before scanning a transparent raincoat from a nearby vending machine and throwing it on.


    He headed toward a nearby abandoned building, Tapai trailing close behind.


    As they reached the elevator, they noticed Linda-Linda, the cyber-cat girl they''d met a few times, also waiting there.


    "Hey, Xiao Deng! Just got off work? You''re early today!" Tapai waved energetically, much to Sun Jack''s confusion.


    "What are you doing? Why are you trying to talk to her?" Sun Jack sent a neural message to Tapai.


    "Didn''t you tell me to act more human? Isn¡¯t it normal to greet your neighbors?"


    "Who says? Am I not normal? I don''t greet my neighbors, do I?"


    "That''s because you''re uncivilized. I''m not like you!"


    After roasting Sun Jack online, Tapai continued chatting with Linda-Linda.


    "How''s businesstely?"


    Chewing her gum, Linda-Linda nced at Tapai like he was an idiot. After a long pause, she replied with a perfunctory "Alright, I guess."


    The elevator dinged open, but Tapai still didn¡¯t stop his awkward small talk.


    "This line of work must be tough, huh? Do you get health insurance?"


    Linda-Linda tossed her glittery purse over her shoulder, clicking her transparent high heels as she exited the elevator.


    "It is tough, but the pay¡¯s decent. At least it''s better than risking your life as a mercenary. I always remind myself not to stoop to such a lowly job."


    "..."


    Tapai turned to Sun Jack in astonishment. "Jack! Is our profession really that low in status? Even worse than a prostitute?"


    Sun Jack sighed. "You should probably shut off your reserved memory. You''re acting super weird."


    "So, you turn it on when you want and off when you want? What am I, a circus monkey?"


    Just then, Song 6PUS called again.


    "Shh."


    Watching Song 6PUS¡¯s avatar sh on the call screen, Sun Jack frowned. Why was this guy calling so soon after they¡¯d parted ways?


    When the call connected, Song 6PUS¡¯s grinning face appeared, not a hint of guilt visible.


    "Bro, I thought it over and realized I was totally in the wrong earlier. I shouldn¡¯t justpensate you; I should make it up to the Four Ai team too. So, tonight, let¡¯s have dinner¡ªmy treat!"


    Sun Jack was immediately suspicious. This cheapskate offering to treat them? What was going on?


    "Bro,st mission wouldn¡¯t have been possible without you! To show my sincerity, I even picked a Chinese restaurant for you!"


    "A Chinese restaurant?" Sun Jack couldn¡¯t help swallowing. "Which one? Sichuan? Cantonese?"


    "Ke-style cuisine."

 Chapter 33: The New Job

    Chapter 33: The New Job


    After hearing Sun Jack¡¯s suggestion, Four Ai set her chopsticks down and lit a cigarette.


    "Handsome, your proposal isn¡¯t bad. PUS, if you don¡¯t agree, I won¡¯t join either."


    King Kong and Father also stopped eating. Though they said nothing, their gazes turned to Song 6PUS, silently expressing the same sentiment. Clearly, the near-death experience had left its mark on them as well; it was impossible to pretend otherwise.


    Song 6PUS didn¡¯t want to agree. The whole point of bing a broker was to avoid risking his life on-site. But he also knew that refusing this condition might cause his patchwork team to fall apart immediately.


    After hesitating for a while, he finally gave in. "Okay, I ept. From now on, we¡¯ll make money together."


    Hearing this, Father lifted his gaze, giving Sun Jack a thoughtful look before nodding in agreement. Seeing three members join in, Four Ai and King Kong quickly followed suit.


    "Haha! Let¡¯s raise a ss to this! Here¡¯s to getting filthy rich!" Six sses clinked together heavily.


    Once the drinks were down, the tense atmosphere at the table rxed considerably.Song 6 nced at Sun Jack and tapped his chopsticks on his ss.


    "Since we¡¯re all in, let me tell you about our next job."


    "What? Already?" Everyone at the table looked surprised.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Song 6PUS felt helpless. He didn¡¯t want to rush things either, but Sun Jack had taken all his money, and even this meal was paid for with a high-interest loan. If he didn¡¯t make some cash soon, his golden teeth might not survive.


    Of course, he couldn¡¯t admit that outright. With exaggerated gestures, he said, "This job is a rare opportunity with generous pay. I fought hard to snag it! Once we finish this gig, we can take a nice long break."


    "Let me guess, more theft?" Tapai jabbed at a spider egg in Jack¡¯s bowl with his chopsticks.


    "No!" Song 6 waved grandly. "This time, we¡¯re not stealing. We¡¯re going for an assassination!"


    "An assassination?" All eyes turned to him immediately.


    "Mind if I ask who ced the order?" King Kong asked cautiously.


    "BCPD! Surprised, huh? Even they¡¯vee to me for jobs! Bro, don¡¯t you think I¡¯m awesome?" Song 6 boasted to Sun Jack.


    "Not impressed. Just tell us what the job is about," Tapai cut in.


    Sun Jack agreed¡ªhe needed the money but wasn¡¯t willing to take just any job without understanding the risks.


    "I¡¯ve sent the case file. Take a look."


    When Sun Jack opened the link Song 6 shared, his already weak appetite vanished entirely. The file was full of grisly photos¡ªbloody, mangled corpses with their entrails scattered everywhere.


    "Recently, women have been brutally murdered in the Puxi District every night," Song 6 exined.


    "I¡¯ve heard about this," King Kong said after swallowing a mouthful of food. "The killings happen in the middle of Idol Street."


    "Amitabha. My customers told me it¡¯s likely a case of cyber psychosis. Business at my shop has been affected because of it," King Kong added solemnly.


    "Cyber psychosis? Isn¡¯t that usually handled by BCPD¡¯s 6th Unit? Why outsource it to mercenaries?" Four Ai asked with confusion.


    "Correct, 4i. Normally, the 6th Unit deals with cases like this, but that¡¯s when the cyber psychotic goes on a rampage in public," Song 6 exined.


    "The issue this time is that the killer is highly elusive, vanishing after every murder. The 6th Unit is too busy to y hide-and-seek, so they¡¯re outsourcing it to us." ????N?????


    Sun Jack examined the case file while listening. He hadn¡¯t expected mercenaries to ept both legal and ck-market jobs as long as they paid.


    As a doctor, Four Ai quickly identified a critical point. "Wait, are you sure the killer always hides after the murders? That doesn¡¯t sound like typical cyber psychosis behavior. Is this some new variant?"


    Song 6 shrugged. "Who cares? Our job is to deal with it, dead or alive."


    Sun Jack was already scanning his system for more information on cyber psychosis and quickly realized this job might be even trickier than thest.


    If the killer was just an ordinary maniac, fine. But if it really was a cyber psychotic, there was no telling how manybat prosthetics the person had crammed into their body. Cyber psychotics were notoriously dangerous¡ªonly those who pushed their limits with excessive augmentations ended up like that.


    "PUS, what¡¯s your n for this?" Father asked.


    "Simple," Song 6 said. "The murders ur in a fixed area. We¡¯ll use someone as bait to lure the killer out, take them down, and dump their body at BCPD¡¯s doorstep. The money will hit our ounts automatically."


    "Is it really that simple? Are you sure there won¡¯t beplications?" Father pressed, narrowing his eyes at Song 6.


    "Last time, your negligence nearly got us all killed."


    Feeling cornered, Song 6 quickly grabbed Sun Jack¡¯s arm.


    "But no one died in the end, right? We¡¯ve got Jack! With someone as incredible as him, what¡¯s there to fear?"


    Everyone turned their eyes to Sun Jack, recalling the events from thest mission. He squirmed under their gazes.


    "Wait, hold on. Let¡¯s get something straight," Sun Jack said, pulling his arm free. "That ¡®ability¡¯ of mine? I can¡¯t control it. I can¡¯t guarantee it¡¯ll work if we get into trouble again."


    Moreover, there was no telling how many augmentations the killer had. Taking unnecessary risks was foolish, especially since Sun Jack¡¯s body was still made of flesh. One good shot could end him.


    "You¡¯ve got one life. Lose it, and that¡¯s it," he muttered to himself, unwilling to gamble.


    Seeing the hesitation from the group, Song 6 grew anxious. While they could afford to wait, he was buried in debt.


    "The job pays 57@! You each get 10@! I¡¯ll take the smallest cut! Come on, don¡¯t we all need the money? Why else are we mercenaries?"


    This silenced everyone. Song 6PUS wasn¡¯t wrong.


    10@ per person meant 20@ for Sun Jack and Tapaibined¡ªa lucrative payout, albeit a dangerous one.


    Seeing their continued reluctance, Song 6PUS pushed harder.


    "We don¡¯t even have to kill the guy! If we can hold them off until the 6th Unit arrives, we still get half the payout!"

 Chapter 35: Prosthetics

    Chapter 35: Prosthetics


    In Sun Jack''s apartment, King Kong was performing surgery with one hand while reciting sutras with great satisfaction.


    "You seem to be in a good mood," Sun Jackmented, watching him with his remaining eye.


    "Of course! Business is good. Remember, if you ever need prosthetics again, you can always count on me."


    "Naturally, but let¡¯s get one thing clear. If your prosthetics fail during my mission and cause me to screw up, you won¡¯t see a dime from this job," Sun Jack pointed at him, ensuring there were no shortcuts taken.


    "Master Jack, how could you think so low of me? I¡¯m not that kind of person. We¡¯ll be working together for a long time, and I¡¯m all about buildingsting business rtionships." King Kong chuckled, picking up the prosthetic eye to prepare for instation.


    Only now did Sun Jack get a clear look at the prosthetic. It resembled a normal eye so closely that only under the shadowlessmp could one faintly discern the circuits and chips embedded in its iris.


    After a bit of fiddling, King Kong secured the prosthetic in ce. Sun Jack blinked, noticing a subtle change in his vision. It wasn¡¯t obvious at first, but something felt different.


    "How does it feel, Master Sun?" King Kong asked, stepping back with a satisfied smile, admiring his work like a proud artist.Sun Jack rotated his new eye, and a prompt from his neural system appeared, indicating a new prosthetic was ready to sync. With his approval, the prosthetic connected seamlessly.


    He nced at the 3D projection TV to his left and activated the new abilities. Immediately, his left eye felt warm and tense, and the once-lit projection screen vanished.


    Shifting his gaze to the ceiling light, he watched the room plunge into darkness as the sensors were disrupted. Any electrical device he looked at instantly powered off.


    "If I¡¯d had this before, I wouldn¡¯t have struggled so much with that AAB fight," Sun Jack mused, canceling the interference mode and switching to night vision.


    After thoroughly testing the prosthetic to ensure no issues, he transferred the payment to King Kong.


    9.942@


    Staring at his now single-digit bnce, Sun Jack sighed. Being a mercenary was a vicious cycle of earning and spending money to stay alive.


    "Alright, I¡¯m heading out. Master Sun, see you tomorrow!" King Kong gathered his tools and left with his cybeic Buddha, which carried the equipment bag.


    Sun Jack continued experimenting with his new prosthetic, marveling at the sheer power of technology.


    While ncing around, he suddenly noticed Tapai wrapping the prosthetic eye he had just removed with translucent sensory cables.


    "What are you doing?" Sun Jack asked.


    "Didn¡¯t you say you wanted me to be more human-like? Since memory upgrades are too expensive, I figured I¡¯d repurpose this eye for myself."


    "Can you even do that?" Sun Jack felt a bit uneasy.


    "Why not? Human organs and mechanicalponents are functionally simr. As long as it gets blood flow and stays hydrated, it¡¯ll work. I want to try."


    "Do whatever you want." Sun Jack texted King Kong, asking him to bring a batch of grenades with him tomorrow.


    "Jack, when the paymentes through, remember to give me 2@. I need to upgrade my armor," Tapai said.


    "Just tell me what you need, and I¡¯ll buy it for you. Why go through the hassle?" Sun Jack turned, using his new eye to look at Tapai.


    "Do you even know what armorponents I require? Or what processor my brain uses? Besides, why are you being stingy? Upgraded me means better help for you in the field." ?????????


    Sun Jack scratched his head, regretting ever giving Tapai extra memory for improved processing.


    "Not happy? Too bad. You wanted more detail, and detailes with costs," Tapai shrugged.


    Sun Jack sighed but then had a sudden thought. "At this rate, are you going to turn into one of those cyber-crisis cases like the ones before?"


    "You tter yourself. I¡¯m not even close. Do you think this amount of memory could spark a cyber crisis? That¡¯s embarrassing to even suggest. Plus, with BCPD¡¯s 5th Unit watching, you should focus on things that actually matter."


    "The 5th Unit?" Sun Jack headed to the bathroom, searching for more information via his system as he brushed his teeth. Soon, the data appeared on his yellow-tinted projection lenses.


    Apart from patrol officers and investigators handling routine cases, the BCPD had seven specialized divisions for unique incidents. Cyber psychotics fell under the jurisdiction of the 6th Unit, while the 5th Unit oversaw AI regtion and monitoring.


    Any AI product apany wanted tounch required their approval. Though there hadn¡¯t been a single incident in centuries, their primary mandate remained the suppression of any potential cyber crises.


    Their elite special operations team used state-of-the-art prosthetics, and their strength was unparalleled. If they detected even the slightest risk, they would cordon off an area and deploy micro-nukes, executing chain elimination orders if necessary.


    After watching case footage, Sun Jack couldn¡¯t help but gasp. He turned to Tapai. "Great. I¡¯m basically living with a ticking time bomb."


    "(£þ¡÷£þ£») Should I leave, then?"


    "Where would you even go? If someone catches you, they¡¯ll trace it back to me anyway. Just stay here."


    "About my payment..."N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "You¡¯ll get it. Add more human-like features while you¡¯re at it. And figure out how to integrate that eye. If the 5th Unites sniffing around, im it¡¯s a remnant from your past as a meat puppet."


    "Then swap out more parts for me. I can¡¯t wait!"


    "...!" Sun Jack felt like Tapai was cursing him.


    That night, Sun Jack stayed upte, reying past events in his mind to ensure nothing could be used against him by the 5th Unit.


    The next morning, Sun Jack was woken by a knock at the door.


    "Who the hell is it this early?" he grumbled, storming toward the door.


    To his surprise, it was AA, standing timidly with an umbre in hand.


    "I¡¯m sorry... Did I wake you?"


    She wore an oversized, sky-blue T-shirt that looked more like a dress draped over her thin frame. It was clearly not her clothing, but it gave her a casual, slightlyzy charm.


    After checking the hallway to ensure no one was following her, Sun Jack opened the door. "Come in."


    As soon as AA stepped inside, she jumped at the sight of Tapai mounted on the wall. "Oh! You¡¯re here too?"


    "Stop with the small talk. Sit on the couch. I¡¯ll exin the job. If you want to back out, now¡¯s your chance."


    With nothing fancy to offer guests, Sun Jack filled a cup with tap water and ced it in front of AA.

 Chapter 36: AA

    Chapter 36: AA


    "Thank you," AA said quietly, sitting nervously on the couch. She looked around the clean, spacious apartment with a trace of envy in her eyes.


    Sun Jack sat across from her and exined the details of the mission. He emphasized that their target might be a cyber psychotic. While the team would do their best to protect her, there were significant risks involved.


    AA didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment; she had only one question: "What¡¯s the pay?"


    "Hey! Song 6! Are you awake? Get up already! Tell me¡ªhow much are you paying the bait for this job?"


    "What? That little?"


    "It¡¯s decent, bro. All they have to do is walk around. It¡¯s not exactly rocket science."


    Ending the call, Sun Jack turned to AA. "3@. Are you in?"


    "I¡¯m in!" AA nodded vigorously, clutching her water ss with both hands."Alright, then. Let¡¯s get going. Since there¡¯s nothing else pressing, we¡¯ll go scope out the location and prepare in advance."


    "Okay!" AA stood up eagerly. "By the way, I still don¡¯t know your full name."


    "My name¡¯s Sun Jack. Just call me Jack. And this here is Tapai." Sun Jack gestured at the wall where Tapai was charging, uninterested in the conversation.


    "Jack, thank you. I¡¯m really, really grateful," AA said, her excitement spilling over at the chance to work.


    "Don¡¯t mention it. None of us had jobs recently, and you helped me find one before, too."


    The memory of AA suggesting he apply at Club 69 still left Sun Jack speechless.


    "Tapai, let¡¯s go. Enough charging," he called out.


    AA nced at Tapai, her eyes gleaming with envy. "Does Tapai only need to recharge? No food required?"


    "Jealous?" Tapai stepped down from the wall.


    AA nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! If I could do that, I wouldn¡¯t need to spend money on food anymore. I could save so much!"


    Sun Jack¡¯s expression turnedplicated. "Forget scoping the site for now. You haven¡¯t had breakfast yet, have you? I¡¯ll treat you to some noodles."


    Bnce: 9.902@


    Soon, two bowls of noodles arrived. Staring at the simple beef noodle soup before her, AA couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. They trickled down her face,nding in the broth. ?????§£¨¨s?


    "She sure cries a lot," Tapaimented in a message that floated across Sun Jack¡¯s vision. "Doesn¡¯t seem like someone this soft is suited to be bait."


    Sun Jack shot him a re.


    Tapai shrugged and pushed his bowl toward AA. "Come on, girl. Stop crying. Your tears are going to make the noodles salty."


    AA nodded, wiping her face as she started eating. She wolfed it down in big bites, tears still streaming, and even drank the soup down to thest drop.


    Sun Jack pushed his bowl to her, but AA politely shook her head. "Thank you. I¡¯m full. This organic food is amazing."


    "You¡¯ve never had noodles like this before?" Sun Jack asked.


    "Once. When I was eighteen, I sold my uterus, and to celebrate, I ordered this. But organic food is so expensive; I can¡¯t afford it normally."


    Hearing this, Tapai leaped up, pointing at Sun Jack dramatically. "Aha! I told you beef noodles are a luxury item! But no, you just had to argue with me!"


    "Will you shut up? Stop ruining the mood!" Sun Jack punched him and turned back to AA. "So, what do you usually eat? Nutrient paste?"


    "Nutrient paste is too expensive. I can¡¯t afford it regrly. I¡¯ve learned some money-saving tricks from forums. Sometimes, I secretly cultivate algae. But if the United Fruits Corporation¡¯s patent bureau catches me, they confiscate my equipment. They say algae cultivation is patented and that I¡¯m infringing. They even fine people for it."


    "F***ing capitalists," Sun Jack cursed angrily.


    "What about your family? Can¡¯t they help you out?"


    AA covered her mouth andughed softly. "Haha, I don¡¯t have a family."


    Sun Jack didn¡¯t pry further, finishing his noodles in silence. Some things were better left alone.


    After breakfast, Sun Jack and AA took the subway to the operation site.


    Though still within the Puxi District, the area was entirely different from Idol Street. Here, buildings stood packed tightly together, rain perpetually dripping between them. Looking up revealed rows of hive-like windows and no sky.


    Office workers in raincoats and with umbres shuffled silently between the buildings. The only sounds were the patter of rain and the asional footsteps, as everyone remained absorbed in their systems. Even just walking among them made Sun Jack feel stifled.


    "Are you sure this is the ce? It doesn¡¯t look like the kind of area where murders would happen." Sun Jack double-checked with Song 6PUS over the team channel.


    Sun Jack had expected a filthy slum, simr to his own neighborhood, not these congested office blocks.


    "This is it. That¡¯s exactly why it¡¯s such a big deal¡ªbecause it happened here, where corporate employees'' safety is threatened. If it were in the Queens District, no one would care," Song 6PUS replied, chewing on something loudly.


    Sun Jack sighed. Even death wasn¡¯t treated equally here.


    "Let¡¯s go. While it¡¯s crowded, we¡¯ll map the area." Dressed in a raincoat, Sun Jack blended into the crowd with AA and Tapai.


    Using his system, Sun Jack scanned the entire block, recording every alley and path in his memory. In a potential fight, the more details he had, the better his chances of sess.


    By evening, the streets had quieted, and the rest of the team arrived around 8 PM.


    Sun Jack introduced AA to the others, keeping it brief.


    "Alright, let¡¯s begin. AA, follow the map I sent you. Walk in a loop, act lost, and draw them out," Song 6PUS instructed.


    King Kong had taken control of all cameras in the C3 zone, while Four Ai¡¯s six drones hovered over key positions, ready to provide fire support.


    "As for us," Song 6PUS said, looking at Sun Jack, Tapai, and Father, "we¡¯ll stay in the car. The moment that guy shows up, we¡¯ll move in."


    Sun Jack watched AA walk into the rain with her neon umbre, uneasy. "Are you sure this n will keep her safe?" he asked.


    "Haha! Of course not," Song 6PUS replied, biting into his burrito with a nonchnt grin. "You¡¯re asking the wrong question. We¡¯re mercenaries. Our job isn¡¯t to guarantee the bait¡¯s safety¡ªit¡¯s toplete the mission and get paid as quickly as possible."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 37: Anomaly

    Chapter 37: Anomaly


    "F***!" Sun Jack cursed as he threw on a transparent raincoat and hurriedly followed.


    "Hey, where are you going?" Song 6PUS¡¯s voice rang out through his neural system.


    "I''m keeping a distant watch! It''s safer this way!" Sun Jack replied, his eyes fixed on AA walking ahead through the downpour.


    "Seriously? It''s just bait."


    "Screw you, man! That¡¯s a living person! Tapai, rough him up for me!"


    AA quietly followed the path set by the system, while Sun Jack tailed discreetly from a distance.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if his actions would improve the situation, but doing nothing just felt wrong. Seeing his resolve, the others stopped arguing.


    As time ticked by, the lights of the surrounding buildings began switching off one by one, plunging the entire street into near darkness.Looking at the brightly lit C2 Zone in the distance, Sun Jack asked over the team channel, "Why is this ce so dim? It''s nothing like the other zones."


    "Because thepanies here have good employee benefits. They actually let people clock out at night."


    "..." Sun Jack was too exasperated to retort.


    Watching the slender figure of the girl in the rain, Sun Jack reassured AA through the neural system, "Don¡¯t be nervous, AA. Just stay rxed. I¡¯m 50 meters behind you. Walk naturally. If anything happens, I¡¯ll be there in no time."


    "Got it, Jack," AA replied, giving her neon umbre a light shake to show her calmness.


    As the night deepened, more office workers in the surrounding buildings clocked out, making the C3 Zone increasingly darker.


    "Night vision, activate." The green glow from Sun Jack¡¯s cybeic eyes behind his yellow projection lenses restored rity to AA''s faint silhouette.


    Round and round they went. With so few people around, AA''s repetitive route began to stand out.


    "This isn¡¯t working. Unless the target is an idiot, they¡¯ll notice something¡¯s off with AA," Sun Jack thought.


    "AA, stop circling this area. Head to a different zone for a bit, then casually pass through C3 again."


    AA nodded silently and walked out of the dim zone. After wandering for half an hour outside, she returned, making her behavior much more natural.


    Time dragged on. By 3 a.m., Sun Jack''s tense focus gave way to a dull fatigue. This stakeout job was hell. No wonder the 6th Unit outsourced it to them.


    His boots and socks were soaked, the squelching difort adding to his misery. He knocked his numb knees with his fist and nced at AA, still diligently walking ahead.


    Sun Jack marveled at her dedication. "Doesn¡¯t her leg ache? Or did she get prosthetic upgrades?"


    Staring so long had strained his eyes. He removed the yellow system sses, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.


    As he prepared to put them back on, he noticed a man in a trench coat dragging a wriggling bag toward a distant corner.


    Having seen plenty of weirdos in the Metropolis, Sun Jack wasn¡¯t fazed. As long as they didn¡¯t interfere with his job, he didn¡¯t care.


    He nced back at AA, ready to continue tailing her, when something strange caught his eye. AA''s figure seemed to flicker like a ghostly apparition.


    "Huh?! What¡¯s going on?"


    When he put the sses back on, she returned to normal.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Weird... Is my cybeic eye malfunctioning? Damn that King Kong and his shoddy goods." Sun Jack resolved to settle ounts with him after the mission. ?????¦Â¨º?


    He kept following AA, but an unsettling thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.


    His face darkened. He quickly removed the sses and covered his cybeic eye, using only his natural eye to observe AA.


    To his shock, AA vanishedpletely from the empty, rain-soaked street.


    "This... this can¡¯t be happening!"


    Realizing something was wrong, Sun Jack swiftly put the sses back on and rushed toward her. Through the projection lenses, AA was still there, strolling with her umbre.


    But when he removed the sses and covered his cybeic eye, the street was deserted again, leaving him alone in the darkness.


    In that instant, it all clicked. "Damn it! Someone hacked my system and prosthetics! This projection is meant to deceive me!"


    To confirm his suspicions, Sun Jack reached out and passed his hand through "AA¡¯s" body, meeting no resistance.


    His worst fears were realized. He turned abruptly and sprinted toward the trench-coated figure he had seen earlier. "That guy¡¯s carrying AA!"


    "Rally up! AA has been kidnapped!" Sun Jack shouted urgently over the team channel, sending his synced location coordinates.


    When he reached the corner and peeked around, the alley was empty. Rain poured down, but no one was there.


    Frustrated, he paused, then decided to remove the sses and cover his cybeic eye again.


    The moment he did, the trench-coated man reappeared in the supposedly empty alley, kneeling on one leg. His hands were plunged into AA¡¯s abdomen, pulling her open as if unzipping her body.


    "Son of a b***h! What the hell are you doing?!" Sun Jack roared, deploying his Electric Arc de and charging at the man.


    The trench-coated man clearly didn¡¯t expect Sun Jack to see him and hesitated.


    By the time he reacted, Sun Jack was only five meters away.


    In desperation, the man gripped AA''s spine and hurled her at Sun Jack, using the distraction to slip away. His trench coat quickly blended into the surroundings with camouging technology.


    At that moment, drones from Four Ai flew overhead. Sun Jack shouted at them, "Four Ai! Treat AA now! I¡¯m going after that bastard!"


    He set AA down on the ground and sprinted after the fleeing man.


    But AA grabbed his cor, her pale face strained as she stammered, "I... slipped a tracker... into his coat..."


    With trembling hands, she transmitted the tracking software to Sun Jack¡¯s system. A red dot shed on his map.


    "Jack... how did I do... at work?" AA managed a faint smile.


    "You did great. Amazing, actually! Now lie still. Help ising. Just lie still." Sun Jack wiped the rain from his face and resumed the pursuit, following the blinking dot.

 Chapter 39: The Hacker

    Chapter 39: The Hacker


    Sun Jack stared at the deranged pregnant woman, her frenzied swings with her modified scythe-arms dangerously unpredictable.


    He tried reasoning with her, but his words only seemed to aggravate her further. Instead of calming down, she locked her gaze on him.


    "You... your body looks good. Maybe I was a man in the past. Yes! No, wait! This body IS mine! I was a man!"


    "Why are you using MY body? Give it back to me!" she snarled, her face twisting in fury as she lunged at Sun Jack.


    Reacting instantly, Sun Jack jabbed abat stimnt into his neck and rolled to the side.


    Reaching for his belt, he pulled out a grenade, yanked the pin, and hurled it at her.


    With a deafening explosion, Sun Jack was thrown back, hitting the ground hard. When he got up, the woman emerged from the smoke, her clothes shredded, exposing her silver cybeic skin.


    Combined with her four scythe-like limbs, she looked less like a person and more like a monster.As her mouth opened impossibly wide and she charged at him with a guttural roar, a loud screeching of tires rang out.


    An SUV barreled toward them, mming into her at full speed and sending her flying.


    The vehicle¡¯s door swung open, and Song 6 stepped out, cigarette dangling from his mouth, a pair of sunsses he¡¯d apparently found perched on his nose. He struck a deliberately cool pose, only for Tapai to shove him forward roughly.


    "Quit posing. Move it."


    With Tapai, Father, and Four Ai now on the scene, Sun Jack finally breathed a sigh of relief. "What took you so long? I sent my location ages ago."


    "Yeah, well, your system got hacked. How were we supposed to track you?" Four Ai replied, holding a sniper rifle and eyeing the woman as she struggled to rise.


    "Careful," Sun Jack warned. "Her hacking skills are top-notch. Anything electronic near her is vulnerable."


    "Not worried. My system¡¯s firewall cost a fortune." Four Ai tapped the side of her cybeic eye, which flipped inward to reveal a triangr port.


    From her rifle, she pulled a thick cable and plugged it directly into her eye socket. "A cyber psychotic with enough brainpower to hack systems? Fascinating."


    She fired a shot at the woman, causing her to stagger. The silver skin split open, leaving a visible wound.


    Father approached the woman silently, holding his shotgun steady.


    "Don¡¯t worry, everyone. Anything in cyberspace is my domain!" King Kong¡¯s voice echoed in their neural channels.


    Sun Jack turned to Song 6, who was leaningzily against the SUV, still smoking. "Aren¡¯t you going to do something?"


    Song 6 nced at him, exhaling a puff of smoke. "Go team. Go team. Go team," he deadpanned, half-heartedly waving his cigarette in mock encouragement. ???¦­o??§¦s?


    "Useless coward," Sun Jack muttered, charging forward with Tapai.


    Under thebined firepower, even the woman¡¯s resilient defenses couldn¡¯t hold up. Chunks of her silver skin peeled off, exposing dense wiring and electronicponents underneath.


    Just as Sun Jack thought it was over, static-like interference flooded his vision. Sharp bursts of noise screeched in his ears, and his cybeic eye glitched erratically. The difort was nearly unbearable.


    It wasn¡¯t just him; everyone¡¯s systems crashed simultaneously. Even Four Ai, with her "expensive firewall," was affected, though she managed better than the others.


    "King Kong! Do something!" Sun Jack shouted.


    "Almost there! Loading anti-hack countermeasures! Buddha bless, no bugs, no crashes!" King Kong frantically chanted.


    While everyone was temporarily incapacitated, Tapai, unaffected due to his ancient robotic design, walked up to the cyber psychotic.


    "Think you¡¯re clever, huh? Viruses, hacks, trojans?" he said mockingly before delivering a thunderous punch to her face.


    Her advanced hacking was utterly ineffective against the millennium-old protocols of his archaic system. The woman copsed under the relentless physical assault, finally unable to move.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As everyone regained their systems, they surrounded the defeated woman, rain pouring over her motionless body.


    "Haha! Nice! Another sessful mission thanks to teamwork!" Song 6 crowed, puffing on his e-cigarette as he swaggered over.


    "Yeah, because you did so much," Tapai scoffed.


    Unbothered, Song 6 grinned. "I told you I¡¯d be useless. You¡¯re the one who insisted Ie."


    Ignoring him, Sun Jack turned to Four Ai. "What about AA? Is she okay?"


    "She¡¯s fine," Four Ai replied. "Her abdomen was opened, but no organs were damaged. I patched her up."


    Relieved, Sun Jack exhaled deeply. He had rmended this job to AA, and if she¡¯d died, he¡¯d never have forgiven himself.


    "Rough night, but the mission¡¯s done. Buddha bless," Father said.


    Kneeling beside the unconscious woman, Sun Jack examined the fetus floating in the artificial womb. He prepared to extract the child when he noticed Song 6 inserting a chip into a port behind the woman¡¯s ear.


    "What the hell are you doing?" Sun Jack demanded.


    "Preserving her neural data while her body¡¯s still biologically active. We need evidence for the payout, bro," Song 6 replied casually, more upbeat than anyone else.


    But before their relief could settle, King Kong¡¯s stunned voice came through the team channel.


    "Sun Jack, are you sure your prosthetics were hacked earlier?"


    "Of course I¡¯m sure. Why would I lie about that? Everyone¡¯s systems were hacked, not just mine. Why?"


    "Because," King Kong replied, "I found no hacking chips or equipment in this woman¡¯s system."


    "Are you certain? Could she have used some other method? Maybe through awork?"


    "Amitabha, that¡¯s impossible. She doesn¡¯t even have cooling installed, and your system isn¡¯t bare-bones. With temporary ICE protections, a brute-force hack would¡¯ve fried her brain into mush. Unless..."


    "Unless what?" Sun Jack pressed.


    "Unless the one who hacked your systems... wasn¡¯t her."

 Chapter 40: The Mine

    Chapter 40: The Mine


    Hearing what King Kong said, Sun Jack''s expression turned grim. ¡°So, what you''re saying is that the one who hacked into my system was someone else? The cyber psychosis killer isn¡¯t just one person but two?!¡±


    ¡°I knew this wasn¡¯t going to be simple,¡± Four Ai said, walking over with her gun. ¡°Hacking a system like that requiresplete focus. There¡¯s no way a cyber psychotic could pull that off.¡±


    Sun Jack approached the woman¡¯s corpse, now growing cold under the pouring rain, his expressionplicated.


    ¡°What now? Can we just hand her over to the 6th Unit and call it a day?¡± Four Ai asked.


    ¡°Do you think the 6th Unit are idiots? They¡¯ll want that hacker uncovered before they hand over a single coin,¡± Song 6PUS replied with a helpless expression.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Tracking down a hacker with no leads was no simple task, leaving the mission at a frustrating deadlock.


    ¡°Ugh, what a mess. Let¡¯s head back for now,¡± Song 6PUS muttered, ncing up at the acid rain still falling, then quickened his pace toward the car.


    But Sun Jack didn¡¯t move. He stared at the unborn child within the woman¡¯s transparent abdomen, feeling conflicted. If they left it there, the baby was sure to die. ¡°Tapai, is there any way to save it?¡±Tapai crouched beside Sun Jack, quickly assessing the situation. His sensory cables extended, slicing through the woman¡¯s body with precision. The transparent abdomen was tough from the front, but the back yielded easily to his tools.


    The others noticed what Tapai was doing and gathered closer.


    ¡°Bro, seriously, what kind of kink is this?¡± Song 6PUS said, visibly nauseated.


    ¡°Can you help? No? Then shut the f*** up.¡±


    Four Ai knelt beside them, pulling a scalpel from her thigh and swiftly cutting along the transparent stomach. Soon, the tiny, reddish premature baby, no bigger than a palm, was cradled in Sun Jack¡¯s hands. It appeared lifeless.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a shot,¡± Sun Jack murmured as he cautiously began performing CPR.


    ¡°Wait... this... this texture feels off.¡± Sun Jack, though inexperienced with newborns, realized the baby¡¯s body felt unusually firm.


    Examining the baby more closely, he discovered a tiny port inside its left ear.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?! What kind of psycho installs a neural system into an unborn baby? Was this really necessary?!¡± Sun Jack¡¯s voice rose in frustration, but something about the situation felt off, though he couldn¡¯t pinpoint what.


    Suddenly, Tapai understood and pointed at the baby. ¡°Jack, it¡¯s the hacker!¡±


    ¡°The hacker?! It¡¯s him?¡± Sun Jack stared at the infant in disbelief. How was that even possible?


    King Kong, another hacker, was the first to connect the dots. ¡°That premature baby? It¡¯s a bo pawn! That wasn¡¯t amniotic fluid in the womb¡ªit was cooling gel!¡±


    ¡°Quick! Somebody give me a serial port! I¡¯ll see if I can trace it!¡± King Kong¡¯s voice rang out in the teamms.


    ¡°I have one. Over here,¡± said Father, who sped his hands together and softly chanted, ¡°Amitabha.¡± King Kong crouched swiftly, pulling a data cable from his forearm and connecting it to the port behind the baby¡¯s ear.


    Meanwhile, Sun Jack essed his neural system to review what "bo pawn" meant. Hackers would often refer to fully controlled systems as ¡°bo pawns,¡± and theoretically, a human equipped with a neuralwork could be hacked and controlled.


    But looking at the premature baby in his hands, Sun Jack¡¯s anger red. ¡°What kind of monster turns an unborn baby into a tool?!¡±


    In this depraved world, Sun Jack had forced himself to adapt to countless bizarre and perverse situations. But this crossed a line. He couldn¡¯t stomach it.


    Then, King Kong¡¯s massive frame suddenly convulsed. ¡°Amitabha! This godd*** b****** stuffed this system with ck ICE viruses. Lucky for him, I¡¯m not just a vegetarian monk!¡±


    Father¡¯s body stopped shaking and regained stability. ¡°Got it. I¡¯ve pinpointed the location! He¡¯s on the move¡ªgo after him!¡±


    With the location pinged on his interface, Sun Jack wasted no time and leapt onto Tapai¡¯s back. ¡°Let¡¯s go! When I catch this scum, I¡¯ll skin him alive!¡± ??¦­¨¯?§¦?


    Tapai¡¯s wheels spun furiously, sshing through the puddles as they raced out of the dark C3 Zone. Tapai was the fastest in the group, with only Four Ai¡¯s drone managing to keep up.


    Four Ai¡¯s voice crackled through the drone¡¯s speakers. ¡°Jack, grant eye-sharing ess so we can sync visuals! King Kong¡¯s holding him off online¡ªwe¡¯re almost there!¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    The coordinates led them to C5 Zone, in an underground parking garage not far from their previous location. As Sun Jack entered, he saw the marker King Kong had provided, situated deep within arge storage unit.


    Without hesitation, Sun Jack raised his weapon and sted the garage door open. Freezing cold air spilled out, illuminated by harsh, bluish-white lighting. The first thing Sun Jack noticed was a row of people sitting with their backs to him.


    ¡°Tapai, switch to infrared. I¡¯ll stick to my eyes. Let¡¯s tread carefully.¡± Sun Jack issued the order as he cautiously advanced.


    The space was enormous, as if the entire parking lot had been gutted and unified into one facility. Approaching closer, Sun Jack saw more details: the seated individuals were covered in data cables plugged into their spines and skulls. Despite the bone-chilling temperature, their faces were flushed, with steam rising from their heads.


    Judging by their tattered clothing, they were likely homeless, just like the ones Sun Jack had passed earlier outside.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Sun Jack muttered uneasily, his breath turning into frosty white mist.


    ¡°These are ¡®human mines,¡¯¡± Father¡¯s voice came through hisms.


    ¡°The hacker¡¯s mining @coins using their brains, which is why the area needs physical cooling. This is an artificial mining farm.¡±


    ¡°F***! That¡¯s revolting!¡± Sun Jack shouted, his stomach turning as rage boiled within him.


    This hacker wasn¡¯t just exploiting unborn babies as tools¡ªhe had turned living people into machinery. Sun Jack¡¯s fury reached its peak. What kind of depravity was this monster capable of?

 Chapter 42: The Clash

    Chapter 42: The sh


    Sun Jack clung tightly to Tapai¡¯s back, keeping his body as low as possible to avoid iing bullets.


    When he noticed someone raising a rocketuncher, Tapai quickly deployed his armor tes and tossed all the grenades it had, creating a series of deafening explosions.


    The rest of the team provided suppressive fire, allowing Sun Jack and Tapai to narrowly escape the ambush.


    ¡°You okay?¡± Four Ai asked, patting Sun Jack¡¯s shoulder as she crouched behind a car for cover.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Took a few hits, but the bulletproof vest held up,¡± Sun Jack replied, exhaling in relief. Peeking out from behind the car door, he noticed something unusual¡ªchaos breaking out among the gang members in the garage.


    ¡°F***ing hell, Tsunami! How could you let him get away? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be a hacker?!¡±


    ¡°Shut the f*** up! How was I supposed to know that cyborg¡¯s firewall would be so imprable? I tried everything!¡±


    ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s the firewall¡¯s fault?¡± Sun Jack growled, raising his cannon. He unleashed several explosive rounds toward the source of the shouting, filling the icy air with thick ck smoke.Their retaliation was swift. A rocket, trailing red mes, streaked toward their position.


    ¡°Take cover!¡± Sun Jack and Tapai dove behind a structural pir just as the st rocked the area. Both sides started exchanging fire in the dimly lit underground garage.


    As bullets flew, the trash talk between the two groups escted into a full-on insult war.


    ¡°You motherf***ers! You killed my brother!¡±


    ¡°?????! You rags-for-brains pieces of s***, you messed with the wrong people!¡±


    Not one to back down, Tapai joined in with its bizarre arsenal of insults. ¡°(¨F¡õ¡ä)¨sThis D-tier excuse for a gang couldn¡¯t handle my qualifications! Pillock! ????! ͹¨A_¨@# ¤¯¤½¤ä¤í¤¦¡¢ËÀ¤Í!!!¡±


    ¡°Where the hell did you even learn that crap?! Save your memory for something useful!¡± Sun Jack shouted as he ducked another volley of bullets.


    Analyzing the battle, Sun Jack realized they were at a severe disadvantage. Not only was the hacker formidable, but they were also outnumbered. If the fight dragged on, their side would inevitably lose.


    When he spotted a group of enemies attempting to nk them from the left, Sun Jack quickly formted a n. Looking up at the garage¡¯s overhead lights, he aimed his gun and shot them out one by one.


    The garage was plunged into total darkness.


    Just as Sun Jack prepared to use his night vision to strike, he was caught off guard by the loud curses now echoing throughout the garage.


    ¡°Who the hell did that?! Turning off the lights¡ªdo you have no decency?!¡± That was Song 6¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Goddammit, I can¡¯t see a thing! What the hell is this?! Who fights in the dark?!¡± another voice bellowed.


    ¡°Yeah, big shot, just because you¡¯ve got fancy night-vision cyber-eyes doesn¡¯t make you special! Killing people like this isn¡¯t even fun!¡±


    Hearing insults hurled from both friend and foe alike, Sun Jack was dumbfounded. ¡°What the hell? I only took out a few lights¡ªwhy is everyone yelling at me?¡± ?¨¤???B¨§s


    ¡°Everyone, listen up!¡± A voice cut through the darkness¡ªit was Tsunami, the hacker. ¡°I¡¯m turning on all the car lights in the garage. Nobody turn them off again, got it?!¡±


    Cheers erupted from all sides, even Tapai joined in.


    ¡°What the hell are you cheering for? Don¡¯t you have infrared?!¡± Sun Jack red at him.


    Momentster, the entire garage was illuminated, and gunfire resumed. Both sides resumed their curses and their battle.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time! This is Graffiti Gang territory. If we keep wasting time, their reinforcements will arrive!¡± Song 6PUS¡¯s voice came through Sun Jack¡¯s system.


    ¡°Then why were you yelling at me earlier?!¡± Sun Jack retorted, firing a shot that obliterated one of the enemies hiding behind a car.


    The destruction provoked even more intense fire from the gang, apanied by renewed shouting.


    ¡°You money-grubbing scumbags! Just you wait! I¡¯m gonna power up the exoskeleton armor and bring the wrath of Wall-Tech down on your heads!¡±


    ¡°¤Á¤¯¤·¤ç¤¦! You dare mess with us?! You¡¯ve made a big mistake!¡±


    ¡°Who hired you?! How much are they paying you?!¡± one of the gang members demanded.


    ¡°57@,¡± Song 6PUS calmly answered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay 65!¡± The gunfire and shouting came to an abrupt halt as everyone turned to stare. Even Sun Jack and Tapai, still firing, froze under the collective re.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me...¡± Sun Jack muttered.


    Tapai angrily threw his rifle to the ground. ¡°Is this a joke?! Are we ying house now?!¡±


    Ignoring the chaos, Song 6 crawled out from under a red car and strolled over to the Graffiti Gang members. ¡°I¡¯m the leader here. 65@? Deal!¡±


    Song 6PUS shed a wide grin, his gold tooth gleaming as he handed out e-cigarettes to the gang. Laughing and putting his arm around their shoulders, he acted like a long-lost brother.


    After a few minutes of hushed discussion, Song 6 sent an emoji of a siren to the team chat: Mission resolved.


    On their way out, Song 6 warmly advised the gang to relocate their operation quickly, warning them that the BCPD was closing in. He returned, puffing on one of the gang¡¯s cigars with a satisfied smile. ¡°All done. Let¡¯s call it a day.¡±


    ¡°Call it a day?¡± Sun Jack asked, dumbfounded.


    ¡°What about our mission?¡± Tapai interjected.


    ¡°Bro, you¡¯re overthinking it. Why do weplete missions? For money! Now that we¡¯ve got the cash, who cares about the mission? The mission <em>is</em> making money!¡± Song 6PUS was beaming, clearly delighted with his impromptu solution.


    ¡°Ugh, fine. Let¡¯s go.¡± Four Ai slung her sniper rifle onto her back, stretchingzily.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    As they left the parking garage, Song 6 waved enthusiastically at the Graffiti Gang. ¡°Sh*t! If I¡¯d known it¡¯d be this easy, I wouldn¡¯t have sprung for full insurance coverage. Total waste of money.¡±


    ¡°What if they don¡¯t pay up?¡± Tapai asked.


    ¡°They will. I streamed everything. Reputation matters in this business. If they cheat us, no one will ever trust them to sell electronic narcotics again!¡± Song 6PUS said confidently, clearly experienced in such dealings.


    The team chatted casually as they made their way outside. But as they neared the exit, Sun Jack stopped in his tracks. Tapai halted as well.


    The others turned to look at him, puzzled. ¡°Jack, let¡¯s go,¡± Tapai urged.


    Sun Jack didn¡¯t respond. He stood staring at the slowly closing garage door.


    ¡°What about them?¡± he asked quietly.

 Chapter 44: Confrontation

    Chapter 44: Confrontation


    Faced with the close-quarters attack, Sun Jack rolled desperately, narrowly avoiding being smashed into paste. He had just dodged the massive figure when he realized that his prosthetics couldn¡¯t fire the projectile weapon he had nned to use.


    ¡°Trying to usebat prosthetics in front of me? Dream on!¡± Hai Chao shouted, kicking off the ground with his massive legs. His several-ton frame leaped into the air, crashing down towards Sun Jack.


    Sun Jack scrambled out of the way, hurling hisst grenade as he rolled. But it didn¡¯t explode.


    ¡°Sorry to break it to you, but as long as it¡¯s electrically triggered, I can hack it. You¡¯repletely¡ª¡±


    Before Hai Chao could finish, another grenade flew through the air and struck him square in the mouth, cutting him off. The impact split his lip and left his mouth bruised and swollen.


    Sun Jack didn¡¯t stop. Using the grenades as makeshift rocks, he kept pelting Hai Chao¡¯s head with them.


    Hai Chao waspletely thrown off by the primitiveness of the attack. His exoskeleton armor didn¡¯t protect his head, and soon his face was battered and bruised. Even his protruding cybeic eye was knocked askew.


    ¡°Throwing rocks? Are you a f***ing monkey?!¡± Hai Chao roared, flipping his hands. Two machine guns extended from his exoskeleton and began firing wildly at Sun Jack.Sun Jack quickly ducked behind Tapai, the bullets pinging loudly off Tapai¡¯s body. But the situation was dire¡ªthe force of the bullets was pushing Tapai back steadily towards the wall.


    Suddenly, a figure charged in, mming into Hai Chao¡¯s left leg in an attempt to trip him. It was the Father.


    ¡°You¡¯re f***ing dead, you piece of garbage!¡± Hai Chao bellowed, swinging his machine guns towards the Father. The bullets shredded his metallic skin, revealing the titanium alloy bones underneath.


    Even so, the Father held on tightly, refusing to let go.


    At that moment, following Sun Jack¡¯s earlier instructions, Tapai grabbed one of Hai Chao¡¯s legs with both hands. Using his immense strength, he twisted and overloaded the joint, flinging Hai Chao into the air.


    Sun Jackunched himself forward at full speed, aiming straight for Hai Chao¡¯s head.


    Hai Chao raised his gun to fire, but Sun Jack pulled a gold card from his pocket mid-flight. ¡°I! HAVE! MONEY!!¡±


    Hai Chao hesitated for just a split second in disbelief. It was all the time Sun Jack needed to close the gap. He smashed his fist into Hai Chao¡¯s face, roaring, ¡°Like h*** I¡¯d give it to you!¡±


    Hai Chao¡¯s head dented under the blow. Teeth flew everywhere as he crashed to the ground in a deafening impact, his massive exoskeleton armor crumpling beneath him.


    Sun Jack bent over, hands on his knees, panting heavily. ncing down at himself, he confirmed there were no bullet wounds and spat out a mouthful of blood. ¡°D***, didn¡¯t even need my insurance this time.¡±


    Catching his breath, Sun Jack delivered a final sh to Hai Chao¡¯s neck to finish the job. He then turned to the Father, who was barely standing. ¡°You okay?¡±


    The Father, his upper body almost entirely shredded, shook his head. ¡°Not dead yet.¡±


    Sun Jack pulled him up, and the Father staggered into the garage. He began tearing the data cables off the human mines trapped inside.


    ¡°Wake up! Wake up!!¡± the Father shouted, trying to rouse them from their stupor.


    The human mines slowly regained consciousness. As soon as they realized what had happened, many started yelling angrily at the Father.


    ¡°What did you do?! I was here willingly!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of keeping my brain? If I can use it as a mining rig, why not?!¡±


    Theirints grew increasingly venomous until they saw Sun Jack approaching with his cannon. His furious expression was enough to silence most of them. ?????¨º??


    The Father, however, said nothing. He silently continued pulling cables from the human mines.


    Watching the people shuffle out, Sun Jack felt a deep sense of defeat. These people didn¡¯t need saving¡ªthey had already given up on themselves.


    ¡°Did we do the wrong thing?¡± he asked quietly.


    ¡°No. We can¡¯t save everyone. But some lives are still worth fighting for,¡± the Father replied, opening one of the cages. He carefully cradled a baby whose limbs had been reced with metal prosthetics.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the others, but this child definitely didn¡¯t sign any contracts with the Graffiti Gang. And neither did that stillborn premature baby.¡±


    At that moment, a few human mines approached and thanked them quietly, exining they had been captured and forced into their conditions.


    The Father remained expressionless, treating them no differently than the ones who had cursed him earlier.


    ¡°Jack! We have to go! Someone¡¯sing!¡± Tapai ran up to warn them.


    Before they could leave, the exit was blocked. A gang of Graffiti Gang reinforcements poured in, riding motorcycles and driving cars. Seeing the massacre and the destruction of their hideout, their eyes burned with fury.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°D***, we¡¯re cornered,¡± Sun Jack muttered, setting Tapai up as a cannon mount, preparing to fight to the death.


    But then came the piercing sound of sirens. Hover vehicles glowing blue streaked into the parking lot, their sides emzoned with arge gold-trimmed badge and the unmistakable lettering: BCPD.


    ¡°This is BCPD 6th Unit! Drop your weapons! Shut down allbat prosthetics!¡± red the announcement from the hover vehicles. The barrels of mounted cannons on some of the vehicles were already spinning menacingly.


    Under the overwhelming pressure, the Graffiti Gang reinforcements reluctantly lowered their weapons. Seeing this, Sun Jack also stowed his cannon.


    A group of officers in blue uniforms swarmed out of the vehicles, armed and ready. Their leader, a grizzled man in in clothes, had both legs reced with prosthetics and cybeicpound eyes.


    He surveyed the scene grimly before barking, ¡°Everyone here, open your neural system¡¯s Port 25! Submit to awork inspection immediately! I want all system logs from thest two hours. No tricks! This is an order, not a request!¡±


    ¡°Sir! It¡¯s me, sir!¡± Song 6PUS suddenly popped up with a big grin, waving at the officer.


    ¡°You? Who the f*** are you? What turf are you from? Do I need to know you?¡± The officer put his hands on his hips and tilted his head aggressively.


    ¡°Heh, heh, doesn¡¯t matter if you know me, sir! But I¡¯ve got a record¡ªD, to be exact. I took on the H41 assignment, tracking cyber psychotics, which led us here!¡± Song 6 exined, beaming.


    ¡°And when we uncovered this den of criminals, we, as upstanding citizens, couldn¡¯t stand by! Despite the odds, we took them down,pleting the BCPD¡¯s mission perfectly!¡±

 Chapter 45: Unworthy

    Chapter 45: Unworthy


    As Song 6PUS spoke to the 6th Unit leader, he opened Port 25 and sent over all his video logs from the day. After a brief confirmation from the internalwork that his ims were true, the bearded officer¡¯s stern expression softened slightly. ¡°Where¡¯s the woman¡¯s body?¡±


    ¡°In the car! I figured it might be needed, so I kept it with us the whole time,¡± Song 6 replied quickly.


    ¡°Bring it down. That¡¯s critical evidence¡ªit¡¯s the keystone of the entire case.¡± The officer unscrewed a portable sk from his belt and took a deep swig.


    ¡°Got it! Jack, Tapai, Father! Hurry up, let¡¯s help the officer with the evidence!¡± Song 6PUS waved them forward enthusiastically.


    The members of the Graffiti Gang undergoing BCPD inspections red at Sun Jack with murderous fury. If looks could kill, Sun Jack would have been torn apart. Yet the rotating turrets on the BCPD hover vehicles kept them swallowing their rage, unable to act.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here first,¡± Sun Jack muttered as he, Tapai, and the Father made their way toward the garage exit.


    As the three stepped outside, a cybeic BCPD officer turned to the leader. ¡°Sir! These three haven¡¯t opened their ports for inspection!¡±


    The leader stood silently, watching Sun Jack and the others. Sun Jack instinctively nced at Tapai, his mind racing.¡°Wait,¡± the leader suddenlymanded, the tension around them growing palpable.


    ¡°How much did HQ pay you for this job?¡± he asked abruptly.


    ¡°Uh¡­ 57@,¡± Song 6 answered cautiously.


    ¡°That¡¯s it? For this kind of work, with so many casualties? You deserve a bonus!¡± The leader pped his hands together.


    ¡°I¡¯ll file a report to get you bumped up to 80@! It¡¯s within my authority.¡±


    Song 6¡¯s face froze for a moment before breaking into an overly enthusiastic grin. ¡°Yes! Absolutely, sir! 80@! But of course, the extra isn¡¯t for us; it¡¯s yours!¡±


    ¡°When the paymentes through, I¡¯ll transfer it to your ount immediately!¡±


    The leader smirked faintly and gave Song 6PUS a hard pat on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, or I¡¯ll sue you for nder! Everything¡¯s recorded in the internalwork.¡±


    ¡°Now, what are you waiting for? Go bring me the evidence already!¡±


    Song 6PUS caught on immediately and nodded vigorously. ¡°Right away! Let¡¯s move, guys, get the evidence for the officer!¡±


    After some back-and-forth, the group finally left the underground garage. Sun Jack looked up at the rain falling through the gaps between the towering buildings above.


    ¡°Move it! Quick!¡± Song 6PUS dumped the woman¡¯s corpse unceremoniously on the ground before leaping into the car.


    Once Sun Jack and the others were inside, Four Ai stomped on the gas,unching the car forward at breakneck speed. The vehicle swerved wildly through the fastnes, narrowly avoiding collisions several times, but Four Ai didn¡¯t slow down.


    The SUV finally screeched to a halt in front of a rundown motel in the Queens District.


    ¡°King Kong, clean up for us!¡± Song 6 shouted.


    ¡°While you opened Port 25, the Graffiti Gang tried to slip malware into your system. I¡¯ve already dealt with it,¡± King Kong replied calmly.


    Hearing this, Song 6 exhaled deeply, relieved. Getting out of the garage wasn¡¯t enough¡ªthey were only truly safe now.


    ¡°Impressive, Song 6. You actually pulled off something reliable today,¡± Tapai teased.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    But this time, Song 6 didn¡¯t respond to the banter. Instead, he leaped out of the car, mming the door shut hard enough to make the vehicle shudder.


    ¡°What the hell are you guys trying to do?! Are we still doing this or not?!¡±


    Song 6PUS, usually all grins and jokes even in dire situations, now looked genuinely furious. His gold teeth clenched tightly, and the skull tattoo on his face made him appear especially menacing. ????¦¯¦¢??


    The Father didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he gently cradled the baby with prosthetic limbs, inspecting it carefully. The infant tilted its head curiously to the left, staring out the window at Song 6PUS.


    Meanwhile, Sun Jack pulled a rag from his prosthetic limb to clean his de before retracting it into his arm. He nced out at Song 6 and said, ¡°Money is important, but there¡¯s some money we can choose not to earn.¡±


    ¡°F***!! You¡¯re wrong!¡± Song 6PUS snapped, his voice trembling with anger. ¡°In this city, money is everything! There¡¯s nothing more important than that!¡±


    Sun Jack stepped out of the car and walked up to Song 6, locking eyes with him. ¡°I don¡¯t give a d*** about the rules of this city! I do things my way!¡±


    Song 6¡¯s finger shook as he pointed at Sun Jack. ¡°This is <em>my</em> team! My team! Bro! And in my team, everything is done my way!¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that so? Fine, I¡¯m out. Like I ever cared,¡± Sun Jack replied with a mocking grin. He turned to Tapai, exchanging a high-five.


    Then, his grin faded as he looked back at Song 6. ¡°Team? Give me a break, Song 6. I know why you hired us. You wanted to use my strange abilities like a tool. If I were useless, you¡¯d have sold me off without hesitation. Would you even bother calling me ¡®bro¡¯ then? People aren¡¯t stupid.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll let you use me if it helps me survive. But there¡¯s some money I¡¯ll never touch, even if it kills me.¡±


    ¡°Why?! <em>Why?</em>¡± Song 6 shouted.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s different. He¡¯s human,¡± said the Father from inside the car. At the mention of the word ¡°human,¡± Tapai¡¯s camera lens immediately zoomed in on him.


    The Father continued, his voice steady, ¡°God said: Even if our means of production arepletely stripped away, we are still human. We are not lifeless machines, nor are we beasts trained by capital into emotionless creatures.¡±


    Song 6PUS exploded with rage, practically roaring, ¡°You think you¡¯re holy just because you¡¯re a Father now?! B.S.! What about the corporate wars? All those people you killed¡ªdid that just vanish? Are you kind? Are you virtuous? <em>Are you worthy?</em> I¡¯m telling you, kindness is like organic food¡ªit¡¯s a luxury! A luxury only the people in the city center can afford!¡±


    ¡°For people like us, we don¡¯t deserve kindness! Remember that¡ªkindness is a luxury! We are <em>not worthy!</em>¡±


    Song 6¡¯s shouting startled the baby, who burst into loud, piercing cries. The sound cut through the rain, carrying far into the night.

 Chapter 47: Affection

    Chapter 47: Affectionn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Sun Jack ended the call and turned to see AA holding out a ss of water for him with both hands.


    "What a bunch of nonsense," Sun Jack muttered, shaking his head as he tried to shove Four Ai''s words out of his mind.


    But every time he nced at AA''s face, the earlier conversation crept back into his head, sticking like a brain worm he couldn''t shake off. "Could it be... AA doesn''t like men?"


    Sun Jack knew that unless he asked directly, this question would continue to nag at him. It was better to just rify things outright¡ªit wasn¡¯t that big of a deal, after all.


    "Hey, AA, can I ask you something? It''s kind of personal, so feel free not to answer if you don''t want to."


    "Sure! Ask me anything!" AA said eagerly, straightening up on the couch.


    Sun Jack hesitated, resting his chin on his hand as he thought about how to phrase it. "So, uh... what kind of people do you like?"


    "What?" AA tilted her head, looking confused. Clearly, she didn¡¯t catch his drift."I mean, what¡¯s your preference? Do you like men? Or women?"


    AA immediately shook her head vigorously. "Neither. I don¡¯t like either."


    "Oh, really?" Tapai, who had been charging against the wall, perked up and hopped over to sit obediently beside Sun Jack. "This is gonna be interesting!"


    "So, what <em>do</em> you like?" Sun Jack pressed.


    AA stood up, spinning around to show off her petite frame in her oversized T-shirt. "Look, Jack! Isn¡¯t this cute little girl so soft and sweet to hug? Isn¡¯t it just the best?"


    "Uh¡­" Sun Jack¡¯s brain short-circuited at the sight. "And then what?"


    "Then¡­ I like it too!" AA said matter-of-factly.


    Sun Jack was baffled. "Wait¡ªwhat does ''you like it too'' even mean? I thought you didn¡¯t like girls?"


    "Well¡­" AA hesitated, ncing around before running to the bedroom and returning with a mirror. She gazed deeply into her reflection, her eyes filled with adoration, and then leaned in to give herself a gentle kiss.


    Sun Jack¡¯s jaw literally dropped. Tapai had to fuss with it for a while before managing to pop it back into ce. Honestly, anyone in Sun Jack¡¯s position would have had a simr reaction.


    AA not liking men? Understandable. It¡¯s the Metropolis, after all; being gay was nothing unusual. AA not liking women? Also fair¡ªshe might just not care about romance and prefer to focus on making money. But this? AA''s kink was <em>autosexuality</em>?


    Sun Jack¡¯s neural system helpfully provided a detailed definition: Autosexuality (or autoeroticism) is a form of self-love where the individual experiences sexual attraction toward themselves, finding their own appearance or mirror image to be their primary object of desire.


    AA liked herself¡ª<em>in a sexual way</em>.


    From the moment he met AA, Sun Jack had always thought of her as a kind, sensible girl, second only to the Father in terms of being "normal." But this... this was more inventive than anything even Four Ai could dream up.


    "Guess I was naive. In the Metropolis, you really can¡¯t underestimate anyone."


    Sun Jack made a mental note to never pry into other people''s private lives again.


    "So fascinating! Jack, what do you think the Father¡¯s kink is? I can¡¯t wait to find out!" Tapai chirped.


    Sun Jack raised his cybeic arm and thumped him on the head. "Stop prying! Stop it, you hear me?!"


    "Jack, is it weird that I like myself?" AA asked cautiously, worried her honesty might have upset him.


    "No, it¡¯s not weird. I like myself too. I was just curious, that¡¯s all. It¡¯ste¡ªI¡¯m going to bed," Sun Jack replied, trying to brush it off.


    He hadn¡¯t suffered any physical injuries during this mission, but his mental state felt like it had taken a massive hit.


    "Alright, then. I¡¯ll head out now," AA said, clutching her bandaged stomach as she made for the door.


    "Where are you going thiste? The Queens District isn¡¯t safe at night. If you get snatched up and thrown into a human mine, it¡¯ll be a real problem. Just crash here for the night," Sun Jack offered.


    The usual concerns about a man and a woman sharing a living space didn¡¯t even cross Sun Jack¡¯s mind anymore, not after learning about AA¡¯s... preferences.


    "Thank you! Thank you so much! You¡¯re so good to me!" AA said, bowing deeply in gratitude.


    "Just get some rest," Sun Jack muttered. Exhausted both mentally and physically, he quickly washed up and headed to his bedroom.


    After a full day of being drenched in the rain, he fell asleep almost instantly.


    He had no idea how long he slept before waking up, dder ufortably full. When he opened his door, he jumped¡ªonly to remember that AA was sleeping on his couch.


    Finishing in the bathroom, he was about to return to bed when a strange rumbling sound from the living room caught his attention.


    "AA? Was that your stomach growling?" he asked.


    AA, wrapped in a thin nket, sat up bashfully.


    "Hungry?" Now that she mentioned it, Sun Jack realized he was starving too. Apart from the bowl of beef noodles in the morning, he hadn¡¯t eaten all day.


    Stress from the mission had kept him too tense to notice, but now that things had calmed down, his hunger hit him hard.


    "I¡¯ll order us a couple bowls of noodles," he suggested.


    "No, no, no! That¡¯s too extravagant. I can¡¯t keep mooching off you¡ªI¡¯d feel terrible," AA protested.


    It was just a bowl of noodles, but AA was so insistent that Sun Jack gave up.


    "Alright. I think I¡¯ve got something in the fridge," he said, pulling out leftovers from Ke-style cuisine he¡¯d packed two nights ago. He reheated it and set it on the coffee table.


    Ke-style cuisine was disgusting to begin with, and reheating it only made it worse. The random mishmash of dishes piled together was almost too much to look at.


    But AA didn¡¯t seem to care. She grabbed a piece of tentacle with her chopsticks and popped it into her mouth, her eyes lighting up. "Wow! What is this? It¡¯s amazing!"


    Watching AA eat only made Sun Jack hungrier. Thankfully, he had a solution. Using his neural system, he oveid the food with pixtion and swapped it with images of various gourmet dishes he found online. Eating it became much more tolerable¡ªtechnology really did make life better.


    "Jack, did I do a good job today?" AA asked between bites.


    "You did great. I just needed you to be bait, but you even brought a tracker ball!"


    AA lowered her head shyly. "I didn¡¯t buy it¡ªI made it myself. Sometimes I scavenge for useful stuff in the junk mountains outside the Metropolis."


    "You can do that? Impressive," Sun Jack said, genuinely surprised. Today, he felt like he was seeing AA in a whole new light.

 Chapter 49: Members

    Chapter 49: Members


    ¡°What¡¯s chives?¡±


    AA asked curiously. Clearly, she had never heard of this nt that could grow back quickly after being cut.


    ¡°We are chives. Chives are us,¡± Sun Jack quipped, then followed up with a serious question, ¡°So, these so-called birthing factories churn out kids, and they all owe thepany money?¡±


    AA nodded. ¡°Yes. They calcte the costs of birth and education into a bill, which gets uploaded to our system on our sixteenth birthday, during ouring-of-age ceremony.¡±


    ¡°We have to work hard to pay off the entire debt before we can gain freedom.¡±


    As she spoke, a trace of fear shed in AA¡¯s eyes, and her hands paused mid-task.


    ¡°If¡­ if we¡¯re overdue by more than six months, the birthing factory sends people to repossess our organs, one by one, as coteral. Once we have the money, they return them to us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s insane!¡± Sun Jack was horrified. ¡°Even if you report this to the BCPD, they won¡¯t help, will they?¡±¡°No,¡± AA shook her head. ¡°ording to the contract, our bodies don¡¯t belong to us. They¡¯re the property of the birthing factory.¡±


    ¡°A contract? Between who? Thepany and the fertilized egg?¡± Tapai eximed in disbelief.


    AA lowered her head, looking down at her t stomach. ¡°They¡¯ve already taken one of my kidneys and half my stomach¡­ I don¡¯t even know what they¡¯ll take next.¡±


    ¡°F***!¡± Sun Jack¡¯s face twisted in disgust. ¡°Forcing people to be born, forcing them into debt, and using that debt to turn them into corporate ves¡ªwhat kind of sadistic maniac thought this up?¡±


    ¡°Wait. I don¡¯t get it. What do they even need organs for? Aren¡¯t prosthetics a thing now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± AA shook her head again. ¡°Maybe to eat. I heard the top-ranking online influencer restaurants serve human dishes, and it¡¯s all members-only.¡±


    ¡°¡­Eating people?¡± Sun Jack was left speechless. He used to think the phrase ¡°capital eats people¡± was just a metaphor, but now it seemed literal.


    Then again, thinking about it, this city was always devouring people¡ªthis was just a more direct method.


    Suddenly, Sun Jack didn¡¯t findst night¡¯s Ke-style cuisine as hard to stomach anymore.


    ¡°But it¡¯s fine now! I¡¯ve got 3@ in pay!¡± AA¡¯s familiar bright smile reappeared. ¡°That¡¯ll get me through for a while.¡±


    Sun Jack looked at the girl in front of him with a pang of heartache. Despite the hellish life she endured, she still faced it with a sunflower-like resilience, always smiling.


    If she had lived in his time, she would surely have had a beautiful, happy life, instead of barely scraping by as she did now.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    As Sun Jack was lost in thought, AA was already focusing on modifying prosthetics.


    ¡°By the way, Jack, how do you want to trigger the projectileuncher and arm de? I¡¯ve sent you some design options to choose from.¡±


    ¡°Whatever works. Just make sure it can¡¯t be hacked,¡± Sun Jack replied.


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll just remove thework module entirely.¡±


    With AA working swiftly, a prompt appeared on Sun Jack¡¯s neural system UI: ¡°Prosthetic 1 has disconnected.¡±


    Upgrading battle prosthetics or changing firmware usually required specialized technical skills. But turning a cyberpunk device into a steampunk one? That was child¡¯s y for a prodigy like AA.


    It didn¡¯t take long for her to finish. When Sun Jack reattached his new arm, he noticed the only difference was the absence of a projectile count on his system disy.


    ¡°Jack, not only is there no projectile count disy, but also no auto-aim, self-diagnostics, or error reports,¡± AA pointed out helpfully.


    ¡°I fire at mid-to-close range, so I don¡¯t need auto-aim. As for diagnostics, well, that¡¯s what you¡¯re here for.¡± Sun Jack gave her a light pat on the head.


    AA beamed, her small tiger teeth showing as she grinned.


    ¡°The trigger¡¯s on the inside of your pinky and ring finger. Just press with your thumb to activate it. Try it out and let me know if anything¡¯s off so we can tweak it.¡±


    After some tinkering, Sun Jack¡¯s prosthetic was fully modified, rendering it hacker-proof.


    ¡°Can you modify cybeic eyes too?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Cybeic eyes?¡± AA hesitated, a slight frown on her face. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not sure. Let me research it online and get back to you.¡±


    Sun Jack wasn¡¯t disappointed. The fact that she could modify prosthetics already exceeded his expectations. If she couldn¡¯t do it, it was no big deal¡ªcounter-hacking was a priority, but not all enemies were hackers.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your n for the future?¡± he asked.


    AA shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. One step at a time, I guess. I used to look for work in the northern part of the city, close to home. Maybe I¡¯ll try the south and see if there¡¯s anything there.¡±


    She said it casually, but Sun Jack knew jobs weren¡¯t easy toe by. Without a special opportunity, she¡¯d likely end up back where she started soon enough.


    He watched her silently, deep in thought, until AA, feeling self-conscious, checked her face for dirt.


    ¡°Would you really want to be a mercenary?¡± he asked. ¡°If you¡¯re serious, I could train you.¡±


    While someone like King Kong could handle modifications, Sun Jack didn¡¯t trust that swindler. If King Kong would scam Song 6, why wouldn¡¯t he scam him too? Better to keep things in-house. Plus, it¡¯d give AA a job, which was better than having her organs repossessed.


    ¡°I do! I really do! I want to earn big money like you guys! If I work hard enough, I can finally buy my freedom back!¡± AA nodded eagerly like a pecking chick.


    Sun Jack was about to caution her about the dangers of mercenary work but held back. In a ce like this, where wasn¡¯t dangerous? Besides, AA knew this city better than he did.


    ¡°Alright. Go pack your things. When I find a job, I¡¯ll let you know, and we¡¯ll earn big together.¡±


    AA nodded vigorously, packed her tools into her bag, and headed to the door.


    Before leaving, she suddenly spread her arms and gave Sun Jack a tight hug. ¡°From now on, I¡¯m sticking with you, Boss!¡±


    ¡°Boss? Where¡¯d you learn that?¡±


    ¡°Mercenary movies! That¡¯s what they call their leaders!¡± She waved and left Sun Jack¡¯s apartment with a spring in her step.


    ¡°You¡¯re really nning to take her along?¡± Tapai finally broke his silence.


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not even on the same wavelength as you. Helping her won¡¯t change that.¡±

 Chapter 51: The Arena

    Chapter 51: The Arena


    It wasn¡¯t just Sun Jack who hadn¡¯t received his payment¡ªno one else had either. Frustrated, he decided to create a new team channel and pulled everyone into it.


    ¡°King Kong, can you dig up any leads in cyberspace about where Song 6 might¡¯ve disappeared to?¡±


    After a brief pause, King Kong reconnected. ¡°I found that hisst livestream was at 11:23 PMst night. After that, there¡¯s been no trace of him online.¡±


    ¡°I just tried tracing his IP,¡± King Kong continued. ¡°The system shows it as unresponsive. If he isn¡¯t dead, it means his signal has been cut off or blocked.¡±


    Sun Jack nced at his system UI¡ª15 hours had passed since then. It wasn¡¯t a lot of time, but it wasn¡¯t insignificant either.


    ¡°Could he have left the Metropolis? I heard he¡¯s not a local,¡± the Father chimed in.


    ¡°No way,¡± Four Ai cut in sharply. ¡°Intercity ships only depart every three days. Unless he walked through the radiation zone on foot, he¡¯s definitely still in the Metropolis.¡± She quickly uploaded the intercity train schedule to the team channel.


    The group fell into silence. Song 6¡¯s sudden disappearance, coupled with apleteck of leads, made the situation difficult to unravel.Finally, Sun Jack broke the silence. ¡°When we were eating Ke-style cuisinest time, Song 6 seemed a bit anxious. Could his disappearance have something to do with that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got the video from that dinner,¡± Tapai said, uploading the footage to the channel. Everyone slowed it down, carefully analyzing Song 6¡¯s microexpressions frame by frame.


    Just then, King Kong sent over some software. A window popped up on Sun Jack¡¯s UI: ¡°Microexpression Analysis Panel V2.3 Loaded. Initializing¡­¡±


    As the progress bar filled from 1% to 100%, King Kong reported his findings.


    ¡°Analysisplete. Fear ounted for 37% of Song 6¡¯s microexpressions, disgust 13%. During hisst speech, his speaking rate increased by 0.7x, and his voice rose by 11 decibels.¡±N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°Amitabha,¡± King Kong concluded, ¡°it seems Song 6 owes money. And to someone serious.¡±


    Sun Jack mulled this over¡ªit made sense. If Song 6 believed money could solve any problem, the only thing that could make him anxious was a financial issue. And with his live-for-today attitude toward money, this was very usible.


    ¡°Yeah, it must be a big deal. If it wasn¡¯t, that guy would¡¯ve just freeloaded and skipped repayment,¡± Tapai snarked.


    ¡°But wepleted the job this time, didn¡¯t we? Song 6 PUS should¡¯ve had enough money to pay his debt. So why the sudden vanishing act?¡± Sun Jack wondered, his suspicion growing that Song 6 had pocketed their payment.


    ¡°Amitabha, if it¡¯s really about unpaid loans, it should be easy enough to confirm. We can ask someone in the loan business to pull his records,¡± King Kong suggested. He then posted a payment link to the team channel. ¡°ess fees are 0.25@ each. Split the cost.¡±


    ¡°D*** it.¡± The thought of spending more money on Song 6 made Sun Jack¡¯s skin crawl. But if they couldn¡¯t track him down, their 20@ payment would be lost for good. Begrudgingly, he paid, even covering Tapai¡¯s share since the AI technically counted as part of the team.


    9.465@.


    Though it hurt to spend the money, the results were worth it. King Kong quickly returned with news.


    ¡°PUS borrowed money from the 18th Street gang. Their thugs grabbed him.¡±


    A blurry surveince video yed, showing three individuals storming into Song 6¡¯s apartment and forcibly dragging him out. The trio wore a mishmash of prosthetics, their designs chaotic and crude, but all had arge 18 emzoned on their shoulder guards.


    When the footage ended, King Kong¡¯s virtual image turned to the team. ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°What else? We go get him,¡± Sun Jack dered, standing up. ¡°His debt is his problem, but our payment is ours. We worked hard for it.¡±


    No one objected. After all, they¡¯de together for precisely this reason.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the 18th Street gang located?¡± Sun Jack asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to go far. I¡¯m already on my way. Their territory is in the Queens District,¡± Four Ai replied. ¡°Oh, and Father¡ªbring me some grenades from King Kong¡¯s shop. I used mine upst time.¡±


    Sun Jack immediately opened his system to buy insurance, ensuring some coverage for whaty ahead.


    The group heading to the gang¡¯s hideout included Sun Jack, Tapai, Four Ai, the Father, and AA¡ªfive in total.


    Clutching her equipment, AA nervously greeted Four Ai in a small voice.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you bring her along?¡± Four Ai asked.


    ¡°More people make a bigger statement, don¡¯t they?¡± Sun Jack replied. If AA was serious about bing a mercenary, she needed to get used to this kind of situation. And since they weren¡¯t nning to storm the hideout guns zing, the risk seemed manageable.


    ¡°Here,¡± Tapai said, shoving a kic rifle strapped to his back into AA¡¯s arms. ¡°Can you use it, kid?¡±


    AA quickly shook her head and pulled a strange-looking pistol with an oversized drum magazine from her bag. Its crude construction and mismatched parts made it clear she¡¯d cobbled it together herself.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got this. I made it myself, and I know how to handle it.¡±


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go meet the 18th Street gang,¡± Four Ai said as her six dronesnded neatly on the roof of the vehicle.


    On the drive over, Sun Jack used the system to research the gang. The 18th Street gang had formed six or seven years ago, originating from a coalition of thugs from 18 different streets. Their operations included loan sharking, drug dealing, brothels, and underground no-holds-barred fighting rings.


    Looking out the window, Sun Jack realized their territory wasn¡¯t far from his apartment. Through the ss, he could even make out the distant neon of their streets.


    ¡°That¡¯s the first street,¡± Four Ai pointed out. ¡°The lieutenant in charge of loans is in that arena ahead.¡±


    Through the car window, Sun Jack saw an ostentatious holographic advertisement above the building. It showed a two-headed lion savagely ripping apart a naked woman. The gore was shockingly realistic, with detailed sprays of blood, exposed bones, and torn flesh.


    Beneath the ad, the arena itself resembled a smaller version of a Roman colosseum, though still enormous in size. Its blood-red fa?ade was imposing.


    Four Ai nced between Sun Jack and the Father. ¡°Remember, we¡¯re here to find someone. Avoid shing with the gang if possible. If we fight, they¡¯ll have the numbers, and we¡¯ll be at a disadvantage.¡±

 Chapter 53: A Plan

    Chapter 53: A n


    "See? I told you, I¡¯m a businessman. Everything I do is backed by reason and evidence," the bald man said, tilting his chin upward. At his signal, one of his subordinates began dragging Song 6PUS through a small side door.


    As Song 6PUS was being hauled off, he turned back to Sun Jack and the others, grinning like it was all a big joke. "Hahaha, this time¡¯s on me! Next time, next time, I swear the money will go to you first!"


    Sun Jack couldn¡¯t believe this guy actually owed 120@. This was going to be tricky.


    After a moment of thought, Sun Jack raised his head and spoke to the bald man in the VIP box again. "120@¡ªhow do you expect him to pay that back? Even if you sold him, it wouldn¡¯t cover that debt."


    "Actually, he <em>can</em> pay it back. The kid recently got lucky¡ª80@nded in his ount," the bald man replied with a smug grin. It immediately clicked for Sun Jack. All this time, this guy had been targeting the payment from theirst job.


    "That 80 f***ing belongs to us¡ª" Tapai started to shout, but Sun Jack quickly held him back. They were on enemy turf, and with Song 6PUS in the bald man¡¯s hands, it wasn¡¯t the right time to make a move.


    Out of the corner of his eye, Sun Jack noticed several men and women standing among the crowd, all ring in their direction. Each bore variousbat prosthetics and the "18" symbol on their faces. It was clear they were part of the 18th Street gang.


    Seeing this, the bald man smirked and gestured toward the single-pane ss showcasing the roaring modified beasts. "As for the other 40@, he can earn it by joining his predecessors in the arena.""I¡¯ve already run the ads, and there¡¯s a lot of interest. I¡¯m confident tomorrow¡¯s livestream earnings will more than cover the remaining debt and interest. Hahaha! The show¡¯s going to be spectacr."


    "Now... I¡¯ve said my piece. Any other questions?" The bald man looked down at the group of mercenaries with a cold, condescending gaze.


    His subordinates had already disengaged their weapon safeties. It was a thinly veiled threat, to say the least.


    Seeing no one push back, the bald man nodded in satisfaction. "Good. You can leave now. The duel livestream will air tomorrow at 8 PM on the Eden streaming tform. Pay-per-view¡ªdon¡¯t miss it. Show them out."


    With that, he pped his hands, sat back on his couch, and the transparent walls of the VIP room turned a solid gold color.


    Standing outside, Sun Jack frowned deeply as he gazed at the blood-red Roman-style arena before him.


    "This is a real pain," Four Ai muttered, her brow furrowed as she puffed on an e-cigarette.


    "So what? We¡¯re just not gonna get our money back? F*** this, that sneaky bastard has screwed us over big time!" Tapai cursed angrily.


    "We can¡¯t let it end like this," Sun Jack dered firmly. After all, 20@ was nearly a quarter of the cost for his surgery¡ªit was impossible to just give up.


    "How strong is the 18th Street gang overall? Besides the people we just saw, how many members do they have?" Sun Jack asked.


    "In the grand scheme of things, they¡¯re not a particrly strong gang. But even so, if you think the few of us can just storm in and take him back head-on, you¡¯re dreaming," Four Ai replied.


    "Can we approach it from a hacker angle? Like, maybe hack the surveince in the room where Song 6PUS is being held?" Sun Jack looked toward King Kong for input.


    "Amitabha, Sun Benefactor, the hacker C-Danny from 18th Street is not much weaker than I am. Causing some chaos in their system is doable, but sneaking in undetected is far too difficult," King Kong said with a shake of his head.


    As Sun Jack racked his brain for a solution, AA¡¯s voice came through the channel. "Um... are we trying to figure out a way to rescue Song 6PUS?"


    Sun Jack turned toward her. "Do you have an idea?"


    AA thought for a moment and then said, "I can¡¯t do much... but I just checked their electrical circuits and fuses. If I disable the safety mechanisms and tweak the power supply IC, I could overload the voltage beyond what the wires can handle. I think I could cause a ckout."


    Hearing this, Sun Jack was pleasantly surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected AA to have such a sharp mind. "Nice one, AA!"


    AA quickly waved her hands, as if embarrassed by the praise. "It¡¯s nothing, really. It¡¯s something my ssmates could also do... It¡¯s just that, like me, they can¡¯t find jobs either¡­"


    "A ckout won¡¯t help. Do you really think the people here don¡¯t have night vision or infrared prosthetics?" Father dismissed the idea outright.


    But Sun Jack had a different thought. In his mind, he recalled the beasts locked behind the walls of cages¡ªthose savage eyes devoid of reason and their exaggerated cybeic enhancements.


    "A ckout might not do much on its own. But what if, during the power outage, all those beasts managed to break free?" Sun Jack proposed.


    At his words, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up. They had witnessed firsthand the sheer destructive power of those beasts in the arena¡ªmetallic prosthetics ripped apart like paper. If dozens of them were unleashed, the ce would descend into chaos.


    "Let¡¯s do it. AA and I will handle the power," Four Ai said, reattaching her e-cigarette to her ear.


    "King Kong! Just like you mentioned earlier, make sure theirwork goes haywire when the timees. The messier, the better!" Sun Jack added.


    "Amitabha, leave it to me. I¡¯ve downloaded all kinds of viruses from the darkest corners of the web," King Kong replied confidently.


    With roles assigned and the escape route nned, Four Ai and AA headed to sabotage the power, while Father, Sun Jack, and Tapai prepared to use the ensuing chaos to retrieve Song 6PUS.


    Standing outside the arena, Sun Jack kept his eyes fixed on the distant doors, silently waiting.


    Before long, he noticed the holographic projections above the arena beginning to glow brighter and brighter. At first, it wasn¡¯t obvious, but soon the light became blindingly intense.


    Giving Father a quick nce, Sun Jack signaled the team to start moving. They began pushing through the crowd, making their way toward the doors.


    Finally, just as the people near the arena realized something was wrong, the lights exploded with a series of crackles and sparks. One by one, the arena¡¯s light sources burst, plunging the ce into darkness.


    "Move!" Sun Jack, Father, and Tapai, their cybeic eyes already switched to night vision mode, charged into the main hall without hesitation.


    As soon as they entered, the trio found themselves amidst a chaotic crowd. Without wasting any time, they turned their firepower toward the transparent walls that confined the beasts, unleashing a barrage of attacks.


    The ss proved incredibly resilient. Even after being bombarded with shells, it didn¡¯t shatter immediately. However, the beasts inside did the rest of the work for them.


    Like tanks gone berserk, the beasts mmed into the weakened ss with relentless force. With a loud <em>crash</em>, the ss walls finally gave way. Almost instantly, a lion with two mechanical arms mounted on its back burst into the crowd, tearing into anyone it could reach with savage ferocity.


    At first, the 18th Street thugs tried to maintain control of the situation. But as more and more beasts poured out, the arena descended intoplete chaos.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Where the hell is Tanaka?! Get those damn sedation injections deployed for all the beasts, NOW!" shouted a panicked youth sporting a Mohawk and lip piercings, yelling frantically at hispanion.

 Chapter 55: Explosion

    Chapter 55: Explosionn/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Sun Jack¡¯s punches didn¡¯t stop at just one¡ªhe continued, blow after blow, until Song 6PUS was on his knees, begging for mercy.


    Copsing onto the ground, Song 6PUS clutched his head with both hands. Tears, blood, and snot mixed together, streaming down his face as he wailed, ¡°Bro! Stop! Please, stop! Bro, did you save me just to beat me to death yourself?¡±


    Finally, Sun Jack stopped. At that moment, the bald man who was being held at gunpoint by Tapai started to feel like something was off.


    Before he could say anything further, Tapai lowered the gun and began walking toward Sun Jack.


    The bald man was momentarily stunned but quickly broke into a grin. Just as he turned around to signal his underlings to kill the group, he suddenly felt a heat in his pocket.


    Looking down, he saw two armed grenades stuffed into his jacket.


    ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll pay more!!¡±


    A deafening explosion erupted with a blinding sh, and Answer.01 was obliterated, leaving behind nothing but a pair of shoes standing in ce.Seeing their boss dead, the remaining members of the 18th Street gang went berserk, charging at the four survivors.


    ¡°Run!!¡± Sun Jack, Tapai, Father, and Song 6PUS bolted toward the only door behind them.


    In the narrow corridor, chaos erupted on both sides. Fortunately, the confined space limited the advantage of the gang¡¯s numbers.


    The first to charge at them were the two dogs raised by the bald man. With a resounding "boom," Father¡¯s shotgun reduced one of the beasts to shredded chunks, sttering against the wall.


    The second dog lunged forward, its jaws wide open, mping down viciously on Tapai¡¯s metal arm. Without flinching, Tapai lifted his arm and smashed the beast against the nearby wall repeatedly.


    Not to be outdone, Sun Jack lobbed grenades andunched various explosives at the 18th Street thugs outside the door.


    In such a confined space, the use of explosives had devastating consequences. Though Sun Jack was left with ringing ears and coughing up blood from the shockwaves, the house itself began to copse rapidly.


    ¡°This way!¡± Sun Jack shouted, grabbing Song 6PUS and diving through a hole in the wall that the explosion had blown open.


    Unfamiliar with theyout, Sun Jack led them through an improvised escape, retreating while fighting. Eventually, with the aid of AA¡¯s sudden ckout, the group managed to slip into a dense forest, narrowly escaping pursuit.


    ¡°Wait a second, a forest?¡± Sun Jack looked around, touching the vibrant green leaves. To his astonishment, they were real¡ªnot holographic projections.


    ¡°A forest? In this fighting arena? The Metropolis still has forests?¡± For a moment, Sun Jack thought he had crossed into another world.


    Upon closer inspection, he realized this was actually a lush forest enclosed within a room. It was clear the ce was frequented, as the ground was covered in soft straw with numerous footprints left behind.


    As Sun Jack cautiously surveyed the area, he suddenly felt a gaze locked onto him.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there? Show yourself!¡± Sun Jack raised his right hand toward the left, while Tapai¡¯s head instantly rotated 180 degrees, projecting a beam of light toward the indicated direction.


    Illuminated by the beam was a doe, its innocent eyes curiously observing them.


    It wasn¡¯t just the deer. Soon, several animals poked their heads out of the forest, one after another.


    However, unlike the mutated, cyber-enhanced beasts from the fighting arena, these animals were untouched by extreme modifications. Their eyes were free of violence or madness.


    These animals were clearly well-cared for, with smooth fur and elegant physiques. Most were canines, felines, and primates.


    ¡°Is this¡­ a zoo?¡±


    Sun Jack muttered, but the thought didn¡¯t sit right. If it were a zoo, why was it hidden in such a remote location, with no signs or advertisements?


    If not a zoo, then what kind of ce would keep so many animals?


    The idea that the 18th Street gang were extreme animal rights activists was a joke Sun Jack would never believe.


    As he stood there, puzzled, a red-haired orangutan wearing a red dress suddenly scurried over. It lifted its skirt and stuck its butt out provocatively.


    A question mark practically popped out of Sun Jack¡¯s head. He was utterly confused.


    ¡°Bro, this is a brothel. An animal brothel,¡± Song 6PUS¡¯s words hit like a thunderp.


    ¡°What¡­ did you just say?¡± Sun Jack¡¯s jaw dropped so far it might as well have hit the ground. Staring wide-eyed at the cats and dogs rubbing their heads affectionately against him, he stammered, ¡°Th-they¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re for... entertainment.¡±


    Sun Jack¡¯s mind went nk,pletely shutting down. He thought he¡¯d seen enough depravity in the Metropolis to steel himself against anything, but this city continually shattered his expectations in the worst ways imaginable.


    While Sun Jack¡¯s brain was stuck in a crash loop, Song 6PUS suddenly lunged toward the orangutan.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! No need to be <em>that</em> desperate! They¡¯re still chasing us, you know. Once we get out of here, you can find yourself a glowing cat if you¡¯re that thirsty!¡± Tapai grabbed Song 6PUS, trying to pull him away from the orangutan.


    But Song 6PUS, his face suddenly alight with excitement, forcefully shook off Tapai¡¯s hand. ¡°F***! Look at this orangutan¡¯s eyes!¡±


    Sun Jack and Tapai turned to look. The orangutan¡¯s eyes were unusually expressive, and it even winked seductively at them.


    ¡°Animals don¡¯t make expressions like that,¡± Song 6PUS muttered, then nced at the other animals around them.


    ¡°What?¡± Sun Jack, following his lead, began observing their eyes and other details. It didn¡¯t take long for him to notice the oddities too. These animals were far too obedient, unnaturally so.


    ¡°Bro!¡± Song 6PUS jumped in front of Sun Jack, his expression buzzing with excitement. ¡°Bro, connect to thework and get King Kong in here! Have him locate the spot nearby with the highest power consumption!¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you looking for? They¡¯re out there hunting us! Now isn¡¯t the time for this,¡± Father said, carefully peeking out from the doorway.


    Gripping Sun Jack¡¯s shoulders, Song 6PUS shook him vigorously. ¡°Trust me, bro! Do you really think I¡¯d screw you guys over?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Sun Jack and Tapai replied in unison.


    ¡°Sh**! I¡¯m stuck in the same mess as you guys! You think I¡¯d screw myself over too?!¡±


    From the look on Song 6PUS¡¯s face, Sun Jack could tell he wasn¡¯t joking¡ªat least not this time. ncing around, Sun Jack spotted a chip port embedded in one of the trees. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he notified King Kong and pulled a connection cable from his neural system, plugging it directly into the port.


    Seeing this, Song 6PUS¡¯s excitement practically exploded. ¡°If we find what I think we¡¯re going to find, I can wipe out the 18th Street gangpletely!¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you looking for?¡± Sun Jack demanded.


    ¡°Bro, you¡¯ll know when we find it. I¡¯m still not sure exactly what it is,¡± Song 6PUS replied cryptically.


    Before long, King Kong sent feedback through the system. Following the instructions, they sprinted through the maze-like fighting arena, heading toward the marked location.


    Their frantic movements soon drew the attention of the 18th Street gang. Before they knew it, both sides were locked in another heated skirmish, the tension rising to a boiling point once again.

 Chapter 56: Steel Heart

    Chapter 56: Steel Heart


    In the maze of the 18th Street fighting arena, Sun Jack and the group sprinted toward the location marked by King Kong. The journey was fraught with danger, but just as their ammunition was nearly depleted, they finally stopped in front of a wall.


    ¡°This is it! It¡¯s inside!¡± Song 6PUS eximed, his face brimming with excitement.


    With a few grenades, Sun Jack sted a hole in the thick wall. Song 6PUS rushed in first, with Sun Jack close behind, while Father and Tapai stayed by the opening, suppressing the enemies outside with heavy gunfire.


    Inside, Sun Jack saw rows of ck server racks, their blinking indicator lights illuminating the room. The space was filled with iprehensible electronic equipment, and in the center of it all were three metallic chairs, densely connected by wires and fiber optics.


    On one of the chairsy a white goat, and on the other two were men, both severely injured. Transparent, flexible wireless helmets covered their heads, and above them hovered various holographic images of brains, pie charts, and rapidly shifting data tables.


    As someone from an older time, Sun Jack had no idea what these devices were but could tell they were extremely advanced.


    ¡°Damn! I knew it! I knew it!¡± Song 6PUS shouted, pacing around the three chairs with manic excitement.


    ¡°What do you know? What <em>is</em> this thing?¡± Sun Jack demanded, his voice urgent.¡°Cognitive Mode Buffers!¡± Song 6PUS shouted, pointing at the chairs. ¡°This thing connects virtual signals directly to neural cells through synaptic links! Bro! Do you get what I¡¯m saying? This thing can modify memories!¡±


    ¡°F***! I knew it! I knew I didn¡¯t owe them money! Those memories of debts were all fake! They stuffed that sh** into my brain with this thing! Hell, they probably owe <em>me</em> money!¡±


    ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m going to stream this and blow their operation wide open! F***, using this on animals was bad enough, but these 18th Street scumbags dared to use it on <em>people</em>!?¡±


    He immediately started a livestream, aiming his camera at the machines.


    ¡°Look at this! Look, everyone! These databases are full of stored memories! God knows how many people¡¯s memories they¡¯ve tampered with! And check this out¡ªCognitive Mode Buffers, Neural Network Reconstructors! This is straight-up contraband! Insane, right? Isn¡¯t this sh** incredible?¡±


    ¡°Memories can be altered?¡± Sun Jack, as someone from the ancient past, felt a chill crawl up his spine. He realized that, despite living in this future, he hardly understood its depths.


    But Song 6PUS, brimming with schadenfreude, grinned maliciously. ¡°Of course! From a technological standpoint, modifying memories isn¡¯t that hard. But in the Metropolis, this is a capital crime second only to creating self-aware AI. If they get caught, it¡¯s the death penalty! Someone contact the BCPD Unit 3 for me, stat!¡±


    Ignoring the gunfire outside, Song 6PUS pped his single hand on Sun Jack¡¯s shoulder with triumphant force. ¡°Bro, hahaha! Before, it was us owing them money, and we¡¯d have no ground to stand on if word got out. But now, we¡¯ve got solid evidence¡ª18th Street is <em>done</em>! Completely finished!¡±


    Just as Song 6PUS was basking in his victory, a PK (yer Kill) challenge suddenly popped up in his livestream.


    ¡°Oh? Someone wants to battle me? Let¡¯s see who it is!¡± Song 6PUS tapped the notification, and a lion¡¯s face filled the majority of the screen. When Song 6PUS saw the ¡°18¡± tattooed on the left side of the lion¡¯s face, his expression lit up with glee.


    The lion¡¯s metallic fangs glinted as it sneered and spoke, ¡°You¡¯ve got guts, kid, messing with us.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Sun Jack asked, shielding his face as he nced at the livestream.


    ¡°That¡¯s Steel Heart! The second-inmand of 18th Street!¡± Song 6PUS eximed with giddy excitement. He then turned to the livestream audience and began taunting, ¡°Look who it is, family! We just trashed his ce! Show your love with gifts and tips, let¡¯s go!¡±


    The chat exploded with activity as viewers fueled the fire, egging him on.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Enough talking. Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± Sun Jack said, grabbing Song 6PUS and trying to pull him away.


    ¡°What are you running for? They¡¯re the ones who should be running now! All we have to do is wait for Unit 3 to take over, then we¡¯ll walk out the front door, bold as brass,¡± Song 6PUS said confidently, his expression showing no fear¡ªonly twisted delight. He continued to mock Steel Heart through the livestream.


    ¡°Better run while you can! I¡¯ve already contacted BCPD, and they¡¯ll be here soon! If you don¡¯t get out of the city before they find you, you¡¯re as good as dead!¡±


    Just then, the ceiling suddenly caved in. A figure crashed down,nding directly on one of the injured men strapped to the chair. Blood and mechanical parts sttered everywhere, painting the floor in a grotesque disy.


    As Sun Jack dove to the side to avoid the debris, he gasped sharply when he saw the figure clearly. It was the same lion-headed man, Steel Heart, who had just been in Song 6PUS¡¯s livestream!


    This guy wasn¡¯t just a lion-headed human¡ªhis entire body was a mix of flesh and machine, though it was hard to tell if the machinery was internal imnts or external augmentations. What had seemed normal-sized on the livestream now loomed over them; Steel Heart stood over three meters tall. His matte ck metallic prosthetics, armed to the teeth, radiated an overwhelming sense of menace.


    And to top it off, six circr drones hovered menacingly around him.


    Steel Heart nced at Song 6PUS, sprawled on the ground, and sneered coldly. ¡°Still streaming, huh?¡±


    With a press of a button on his waist, an invisible pulse rippled outward. Song 6PUS¡¯s livestream instantly cut off, and not just his¡ªSun Jack¡¯s neural system also went offline, severing his connection to both AA and King Kong.


    ¡°Sh**!¡± Sun Jack cursed, raising his weapon and firing a shot at Steel Heart.


    To his horror, Steel Heart didn¡¯t even flinch. He took the hit head-on, his massive body effortlessly absorbing the attack.


    As the smoke cleared, Sun Jack stared in shock. Aside from a slight ckening of the lion¡¯s mane on Steel Heart¡¯s face, he appearedpletely unharmed.


    With a casual wave of Steel Heart¡¯s hand, the drones hovering around him quickly dispersed. Instead of directly attacking Sun Jack, they extended a tangled mess of data cables, plugging into the surrounding databases.


    Every database the cables connected to went dark, their indicator lights extinguishing before emitting ck smoke and bursting into self-ignited mes.


    ¡°Sh**! Bro! Stop him! He¡¯s trying to destroy all the evidence before Unit 3 arrives!¡± Song 6PUS yelled in a panic.


    Sun Jack felt an almost physical urge to vomit blood. <em>This idiot just sits there yelling nonsense and doesn¡¯t help at all!</em> Now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about ¡°evidence¡±!


    ¡°Correct! You guessed it! And guess what? That evidence includes <em>you</em>!,¡± Steel Heart sneered.


    Before Sun Jack could act, Steel Heart¡¯s ankle jets erupted with cobalt-blue mes, propelling his massive, metal-d body forward with a gale-like force. Like a small mountain, he hurtled toward Sun Jack with unstoppable momentum.

 Chapter 57: Military Prosthetics

    Chapter 57: Military Prosthetics


    The towering Steel Heart, over three meters tall, came charging at an incredible speed. The sheer oppressive force was overwhelming. Forget about being directly attacked¡ªjust getting bumped would mean instant obliteration.


    With his heart pounding like a drum, Sun Jack darted into the gaps between rows of ck databases. He hoped these massive servers might hinder the behemoth¡¯s pursuit. But Steel Heart¡¯s fully metallic body was like a tank, crashing through with deafening <em>ng</em> <em>ng</em> sounds, sending sparks flying everywhere. Anything in its path was either shattered or thrown aside.


    The danger didn¡¯t stop with Steel Heart. A sharp <em>zzzzzz</em> sound filled the air as drones apanying it emitted an ever-brightening glow from their tips.


    With a <em>whoosh</em>, a blinding beam of light shot straight toward Sun Jack. Forced to defend himself, Sun Jack raised his prosthetic limb. But the supposedly bulletproof metal limb melted through likeva, leaving a gaping hole!


    "Watch out! It¡¯s a Gaofeng Model 6 Laser Cannon! Its pration is off the charts!" yelled the Father, lifting his shotgun and firing furiously at the drone. However, bullets that used to tear through flesh now only left shallow dents on the drone¡¯s body.


    Meanwhile, the other drones, which had been busy destroying evidence, retracted their data cables and directed their sensor lights toward the Father.


    In the next moment, bullets,sers, and grenades filled the air, turning the rtively small room into a chaotic battlefield.


    While running, Sun Jack frantically raised his prosthetic arm,unching missiles at the Steel Heart chasing him. The explosions left the behemoth¡¯s metallic shell slightly ckened but caused no real damage.¡°Seriously? You¡¯re still using fixed-rocket explosives in this day and age!?¡±


    Steel Heart leapt, flipping its massive frame onto the ceiling. A hatch opened on its broad left shoulder,unching a gleaming silver shell that zipped toward Sun Jack at terrifying speed.


    Just as it was about to hit him, Sun Jack twisted his body at thest second, narrowly avoiding the projectile. Before he could even celebrate, the shell curved mid-air, looping back toward his back. It could <em>turn</em>!


    Steel Heart¡¯s face twisted into a cruel smile. "Idiot! Taste the power of smart-guided weaponry!"


    With a deafening <em>boom</em>, the shell exploded. As Steel Heart sneered, expecting Sun Jack to be obliterated, a figure emerged from the smoke. But it wasn¡¯t Sun Jack¡ªit was a fully cybeic cyborg.


    ¡°Tepai! Are you alright?¡± Sun Jack stumbled out from behind Tepai, his ears bleeding from the explosion, as he injected a needle into his neck.


    ¡°Try taking a hit yourself, and then ask that dumbass question!¡± Tepai, his metal skeleton now exposed from the st, cursed as he lifted his rifle and sprayed bullets at Steel Heart. But the barrage of bullets barely scratched its surface.


    As Steel Heart charged at them, the two scrambled to retreat. "Screw you, Sun Jack! I told you to buy better gear, but nooo¡ªyou had to save money at a time like this!"


    ¡°I told you already, I can¡¯t afford it! What do you think I am, a millionaire?¡± Sun Jack ducked quickly, narrowly avoiding aser aimed at his head. ¡°Shut up and think of a way to kill him! Either he dies, or we do!¡±


    Before Sun Jack¡¯s words even finished, Steel Heart¡¯s metallic fingers extended rapidly, like five steel cables, whipping toward them.


    The cables snaked around, binding the two tightly before dragging them toward Steel Heart.


    The Father and Song 6PUS rushed forward, attempting a rescue, but the remaining five drones quickly adapted using their AI, moving to block them.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    With the two now mere meters from the massive machine, Sun Jack panicked. Just as Steel Heart prepared to activate its hydraulic system to tear them apart, Sun Jack had a sh of inspiration. Quickly essing the su, he sent a message to Tepai: "Bluff him!"


    Tepai immediately caught on. Just as Steel Heart was about to strike, red lights began shing rapidly on Tepai¡¯s disy. A chilling female voice emanated from his body: "Nuclear detonation mode activated."


    ¡°Holy sh*t! Cyber psychotics!¡± Steel Heart instinctively recoiled, retracting the cables and flinging the two away.


    Its system quickly activated a massive shield expansion mechanism. Armor tes shifted from its back to its front, forming a colossal tower shield coated in an adaptive voltage-responsive nanofilm.


    At the same time, thin memory-metal rods extended from various points on Steel Heart¡¯s body, weaving into a Faraday cage designed to repel high-explosive electromaic fields.


    Meanwhile, Tepai wasted no time. He grabbed Sun Jack and bolted toward the exit, showing no signs of self-detonating.


    When Steel Heart¡¯s sensors registered no actual nuclear threat, it realized it had been duped.


    ¡°You dare mess with me?!¡± Enraged, Steel Heart deactivated its shield, reignited its leg thrusters, and gave chase.


    Though they had escaped for now, Sun Jack knew they were still as good as dead if this continued.


    ¡°Father! You¡¯ve been in the army! Do you recognize what brand his prosthetics are?¡± Sun Jack desperately searched for a weakness.


    ¡°I recognize some of it! Sending you the data now!¡±


    In moments, a flood of detailed specs and 3D models filled Sun Jack¡¯s system interface. Just reading through it all left him hopeless. Steel Heart¡¯s prosthetics were top-of-the-line military-grade, developed for corporate warfare. They ounted for every possible attack: electromaic, thermal, kic, explosive, even hacking.


    Forget defeating it¡ªthey didn¡¯t even have a weapon capable of breaching its defenses!


    ¡°What now?¡± Tepai asked.


    ¡°Run!¡± Sun Jack shouted.


    Without hesitation, Tepai turned and shot Song 6PUS in the knee.


    "Father! Old Six, get moving! We¡¯ll regroup outside!" As Song 6PUS copsed, Tepai and Sun Jack made a break for the door.


    But as soon as they stepped out, bullets rained down. Even through his bulletproof vest, Sun Jack felt the impact.


    ¡°Goddammit! Those 18th Street thugs are blocking the exit! They¡¯re trying to get us killed by Steel Heart!¡± Sun Jack fired a few shots to push them back, retreating inside.


    ¡°Motherf<em>er! Sun Jack! You¡¯re a f</em>ing a**hole!¡± Song 6PUS roared, clutching his injured leg.


    Sun Jack ignored him, knowing their current predicament spelled certain death if things didn¡¯t change.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± he muttered as Steel Heart closed in, his anxiety reaching a peak. ¡°Do I really have to break my own limits to survive?¡±


    But Sun Jack knew even if he surpassed his body¡¯s limits, it wouldn¡¯t prate Steel Heart¡¯s defenses.


    Just as despair set in, a gunshot rang out. Steel Heart¡¯s massive lion-like head jerked to the side as golden mane fragments exploded into the air.

 Chapter 58: Breaking the Defense

    Chapter 58: Breaking the Defense


    The gunshot rang out, and the room fell silent. The only sound Sun Jack could hear was his own racing heartbeat.


    He took a deep, trembling breath and turned toward the direction of the shot. Up near the ceiling, behind the venttion duct, he saw Four Ai and AA crouching there with a sniper rifle, waving at him through the metal grating.


    ¡°Boss! We saw you go offline, so we came to help!¡± AA swiftly dismantled the covering over the duct and jumped down excitedly.


    But before Sun Jack could smile, the Steel Heart began to move again. Slowly but surely, it stood back up.


    ¡°You think I¡¯m some dumbass? That I¡¯d leave my weakest spot exposed like that? A mere anti-armor prator won¡¯t do anything to me,¡± it sneered.


    As it turned around, Sun Jack saw its temple, now missing the metallic mane, revealing a pitch-ck titanium shine. Aside from a slight dent, the sniper round hadn¡¯t done any real damage. This thing¡¯s entire skull was reinforced with titanium alloy!


    Noticing the two neers, Steel Heart¡¯s smile grew even wider. ¡°Excellent. You¡¯re all here now. Saves me the trouble of hunting you down one by one.¡±


    As its gaze shifted toward AA, Sun Jack quickly pulled her behind him with a scowl. ¡°What the f*** are you staring at, you sick animal-f***ing bastard?!¡±The insult hit a nerve, and Steel Heart¡¯s lion-like face contorted in fury.


    ¡°That brothel was for <em>others</em>! I never go there myself! How many times do I have to say it?! Damn it! We furries are NOT into bestiality!!!¡±


    Roaring with rage, Steel Heart charged at Sun Jack again with rming speed.


    ¡°Holy sh<em>t, Jack! What the hell is this thing? Who the f</em>** did you piss off?!¡± Four Ai, still crouched in the venttion duct, provided sniper support, but her rounds, capable of piercing steel tes, barely slowed Steel Heart down.


    With a sudden <em>zing</em>, aser sted through Song 6PUS, leaving a gaping, smoldering hole in his chest. He copsed into a pool of his own blood¡ªthe first casualty.


    The situation was dire. The Father¡¯s shotgun was out of ammo, and the reinforcements, Four Ai and AA, were being forced back into the venttion duct by the drones.


    Despite all their efforts, the only damage they¡¯d managed to inflict was destroying one of the drones, thanks to the Father¡¯s earlier attack.


    <em>Zzzzzap!</em> Aser beam grazed Sun Jack, burning off half his face.


    ¡°Father! This guy¡¯s prosthetics must consume a ton of energy, right? How long can he keep fighting like this at such intensity?¡± Sun Jack was desperately clinging to the idea of draining Steel Heart¡¯s energy reserves as theirst chance for survival.


    ¡°With regr batteries, not long. But I suspect he¡¯s using a miniature nuclear reactor for power,¡± the Father replied grimly as he clutched the hollowed-out wound in his abdomen. Borrowing a grenade from Sun Jack¡¯s belt, he hurled it at a nearby drone.


    ¡°Holy f***! How do we even fight this?!¡± Sun Jack yelled, feeling utterly hopeless. It was like being a mouse trapped with a cat, toyed with until inevitable death.


    <em>Bang bang bang!</em> Gunfire erupted to Sun Jack¡¯s left. It was AA, trembling but resolutely gripping her handmade weapon, firing at the drones above.


    ¡°No! We can¡¯t give up! Not yet!¡± Sun Jack muttered as he scanned the room, his eyes falling on the reclining chair in the center. Without wasting a second, he rushed toward it, intent on waking the man lying there.


    Even though it seemed like a long shot, perhaps this man could provide some vital information¡ªor, at the very least, be another pair of hands in the fight.


    Sun Jack yanked off the man¡¯s translucent, flexible helmet and shook him hard by the shoulders. Suddenly, he froze, staring at the helmet in his hands.


    An idea burst into his mind. Quickly opening the su, he shouted to everyone, ¡°Guys! I¡¯ve got a n!¡±


    Hearing this, everyone turned to him.


    Without hesitation, they sprang into action. The Father, AA, Tepai, and even Four Ai from the duct worked together to distract the drones, while Sun Jack charged straight at Steel Heart.


    This time, there was no escaping. Exhausted, Sun Jack was caught by Steel Heart, who crushed his left arm into an unnatural L-shape.


    ¡°It¡¯s over for you!¡± Steel Heart¡¯s left eye gleamed ominously.


    ¡°No! It¡¯s over for YOU!¡± Sun Jack roared back.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With their faces mere centimeters apart, Sun Jack¡¯s cybeic eye suddenly shed. Steel Heart¡¯s massive body convulsed before copsing to the floor, rigid and motionless.


    This was the trump card Sun Jack had been holding back all along, saving it for this exact moment.


    Taking advantage of the situation, the others immediately targeted the drones¡¯ light sources, plunging the room into total darkness.


    Steel Heart struggled to rise, attempting to activate thermal imaging, but nothing happened. Still, it wasn¡¯t fazed. A momentary disruption couldn¡¯t stop it. Its prosthetics would reboot in three seconds, and these clowns¡¯ weapons couldn¡¯t breach its armor anyway.


    As its systems came back online, Steel Heart smirked cruelly. It prepared to unleash the full force of itsbat prosthetics when it felt something soft and flexible tighten over its head.


    ¡°Tepai, now!¡±


    Switching its perspective to a nearby drone, Steel Heart saw, to its horror, that the object on its head was a Cognitive Mode Buffer. Tepai stood by the control terminal, hands poised over the interface.


    ¡°Wait! What are you doing?!¡± Steel Heart¡¯s voice trembled with panic.


    Ignoring the plea, Tepai began wildly manipting the holographic controls.


    As he worked, Steel Heart¡¯s body spasmed uncontrobly. Its face twisted, its fingers curling into w-like shapes.


    AA stepped closer, astonished. ¡°Tepai, you know how to operate this? I heard it¡¯s insanelyplicated, requiring tons of psychological knowledge and certifications.¡±


    ¡°Haha, of course not! I¡¯m just messing around. Doesn¡¯t matter what I scramble in his memory¡ªit¡¯ll still get the job done,¡± Tepai replied with augh.


    Before he could finish, Steel Heart¡¯s eyes rolled wildly before it copsed to the ground, drooling.


    No matter how imprable Steel Heart¡¯s prosthetics were, the consciousness and memories in its brain remained incredibly fragile. And this was the one weak point Sun Jack had discovered after exhausting every other option.

 Chapter 59: The Spoils

    Chapter 59: The Spoils


    In the dim and chaotic room, Steel Hearty motionless on the ground. Its memory was a scrambled mess after Tepai¡¯s wild tinkering. It was unclear whether it still had self-awareness or the ability to control its prosthetics.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With Steel Heart incapacitated, the drones hovering in midair ceased all activity, entering standby mode and floating idly.


    Sun Jack gasped for air, feeling the tension in his chest ease as Steel Heart lost itsbat capabilities.


    ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± he asked, clutching his broken arm and struggling to stand.


    It had been a grueling battle. Everyone was injured to some degree. As Sun Jack¡¯s gaze swept over the group, it finally settled on the blood-soaked body of Song 6PUS.


    He didn¡¯t have much of an emotional connection to Song 6PUS, but seeing a familiar face lying dead in a pool of blood still left him with a hollow sense of loss. This was The Metropolis¡ªdeath was just a fact of life. He needed to adapt quickly.


    Kneeling by the body, Sun Jack prepared to say something solemn when Song 6PUS suddenly sprang to life, startling him.


    ¡°Holy sh*t!¡± Sun Jack eximed, jumping back.¡°Is it over? Did we win?¡± Song 6PUS, his face covered in blood, looked around. When he saw Steel Heart lying lifeless on the ground, a wide grin spread across his face.


    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re alive? You¡¯re really not dead?¡± Sun Jack stared at the gaping hole in Song 6PUS¡¯s chest, struggling to process the absurdity of it all.


    ¡°Bro, of course I¡¯m alive! Did you forget how we met? I¡¯ve got a backup heart pump!¡± Song 6PUS proudly pped his chest.


    ¡°Now you see why I got it installed? Modernbat prosthetics always target fatal zones automatically. A backup heart pump is like having an extra life! You should get one too!¡±


    ¡°Damn it! If you¡¯re fine, why were you lying there ying dead?! You scared the hell out of me!¡± Sun Jack fumed,pletely baffled by the man¡¯s antics.


    ¡°I was ying dead, obviously!¡± Song 6PUS replied,pletely unapologetic.


    Before Sun Jack could retort, Song 6PUS turned and limped over to Steel Heart, his eyes gleaming with greed as he ran his hands over the lifeless body.


    ¡°Bro! Oh my god, it¡¯s a full set of corporate-grade militarybat prosthetics! Bro, we¡¯re rich!!¡±


    Song 6¡¯s excitement was palpable. He groped Steel Heart¡¯s body like he was inspecting treasure, his face practically glowing with joy¡ªmore thrilled than he¡¯d ever been, even at Club 69.


    ¡°Let¡¯s figure out how to dismantle these prosthetics. If we can strip them all off, bro, you can afford to have as many surgeries as you want!¡±


    Hearing this, Sun Jack turned toward Steel Heart¡¯s massive, reinforcedbat prosthetics. After experiencing its power firsthand, he fully understood their value. Compared to this, thebat prosthetics sold by King Kong were nothing but overpriced garbage. If they could sell these, the profits would multiply many times over.


    Steel Heart weighed several tons¡ªtransporting the entire body was out of the question. The group gathered around to begin dismantling the prosthetics.


    However, Steel Heart¡¯sponents were clearly designed to prevent tampering. After circling the body multiple times, they couldn¡¯t find a single ess point to start removing parts.


    The danger wasn¡¯t over, either. Sun Jack could hear footsteps approaching from outside¡ªmembers of the 18th Street gang, alerted by themotion, were closing in.


    ¡°If we can¡¯t take apart the prosthetics, let¡¯s grab the drones,¡± Sun Jack suggested, ncing at the idle drones hovering above.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch those,¡± the Father warned. ¡°These types of drones have tracking modules. If someone remotely activates them, they could blow up in your face.¡±


    While they debated, Four Ai discovered a potential solution. ¡°We can¡¯t remove the prosthetics¡ªthey¡¯re fully integrated¡ªbut the energy core is detachable. AA, help me out!¡±


    With Four Ai and AA working together, they managed to extract a torpedo-shaped, melon-sized mini nuclear reactor from Steel Heart¡¯s back. It emitted a faint, sky-blue glow and a low, humming vibration.


    Even without technical expertise, Sun Jack could tell just by looking at it that the reactor was worth a fortune. This tiny device powered Steel Heart¡¯s entire monstrousbat prosthetic system.


    Reluctantly leaving behind the rest of the prosthetics, the group exited through the venttion duct with their prize, ignoring Song 6PUS¡¯s greedy protests.


    Minutester, they stood atop a distant skyscraper, watching as hover vehicles buzzed around the Blood-Red Roman Colosseum. Inside, the altered Cognitive Mode Buffer and unsecured databases remained untouched.


    The 18th Street gang was going to have a serious mess on their hands. This was good news for the group¡ªif the gang was too busy dealing with their own problems, they wouldn¡¯t have time to seek revenge.


    As the effects of the painkillers began to wear off, Sun Jack became acutely aware of his injuries. His arm hurt, his face hurt, his neck hurt¡ªeverything hurt. He felt utterly drained.


    Life in The Metropolis was always so chaotic. If he had any other options, he wouldn¡¯t want to be a mercenary.


    Still, despite all the twists and turns, they had made it through. More importantly, no one had died, and they even walked away with a valuable haul.


    ¡°I wonder if the insurancepany will cover these injuries,¡± Sun Jack thought to himself.


    ¡°F***!¡± Song 6PUS cursed, clutching his chest.


    ¡°What now?!¡± Sun Jack asked.


    ¡°I lost my livestream PvP match because I went offline!¡± Song 6PUSined, staring at his newly opened livestream interface.


    Hearing this, Sun Jack¡¯s anger red. ring at Song 6PUS, he thought about how this idiot had caused all the trouble today.


    Rolling up his sleeves, Sun Jack motioned for Tepai to help him teach Song 6PUS a lesson. Seeing this, Song 6PUS panicked.


    Before they could act, a notification popped up on Sun Jack¡¯s interface: <em>¡°Song 6PUS has transferred 20@ to you. Please check your ount.¡±</em>


    <em>29.345@.</em>


    Seeing the 20@ deposit, Sun Jack reluctantly lowered his fist. ¡°How did your money not get stolen by Baldy?¡±


    ¡°Heh.¡± Song 6PUS smugly adjusted his tattered clothes and caught some of the acid rain in his hands to wash his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. If I¡¯d handed over all my money, Baldy would¡¯ve sent me straight to the Arena to get torn apart by lions. Bro, as long as I hold onto this cash, I get to live another day. Money is life, bro~!¡±

 Chapter 60: Problems

    Chapter 60: Problems


    ¡°You¡¯re so sure that Baldy won¡¯t smash your head open and take your system chip?¡± Sun Jack asked as he looked at Song 6.


    ¡°@coins are stored on the blockchain, not in my head. If I don¡¯t give him the key, smashing my head won¡¯t get him the money. Plus, my system is thetest Model D¡ªdo you think it¡¯s as cheap as the trashy D in your head?¡± Song 6PUS retorted.


    ¡°Cheap trash?¡± Sun Jack frowned and sent a message to King Kong for rification. The guy immediately went offline, clearly guilty.


    Sun Jack¡¯s fist clenched tighter. As he suspected, those two had teamed up to rip him off back then. Good thing he didn¡¯t install that crap directly in his head.


    You can run, but your hideout won¡¯t disappear. Once he got back, he was definitely going to settle this score with King Kong.


    Turning his head, Sun Jack asked AA, ¡°Did you get your money?¡±


    AA grinned and nodded enthusiastically. ¡°Yep, got 3@!¡±


    ¡°What?! Only 3@? I distinctly remember it was supposed to be 6@!¡± Sun Jack red at Song 6 threateningly.¡°Y-you¡¯re extorting me! When was it ever 6@?¡± Song 6PUS looked genuinely stunned.


    ¡°Rescuing you doesn¡¯te for free, does it? In The Metropolis, doesn¡¯t everything have a price?¡± Sun Jack snapped back.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any money! Eighteenth Street cleaned me out!¡± Song 6PUS shamelessly tried to wriggle his way out.


    ¡°Well then, consider this a debt to her. And by the way, since she helped this time, when we sell this piece of junk, she¡¯s getting a cut too.¡± Sun Jack nudged the mini nuclear reactor at his feet with his toe.


    His action instantly drew everyone¡¯s attention. That thing looked way more valuable than Song 6PUS himself.


    ¡°So, how much is this thing worth?¡± Tapai squatted down, carefully examining the reactor. ¡°I couldn¡¯t find any sales records for it online.¡±


    ¡°No clue, but it¡¯s definitely worth a lot. Even if we just use it to set up our own power station and sell electricity, it¡¯d make us a fortune.¡± Song 6PUS, now looking visibly excited, seemed to forget about his injuries entirely.


    The priest, however, remained calm. ¡°Better gather some intel first. It might not be that easy to sell.¡±


    Hearing this, Four Ai nced over at him, cigarette in hand. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Military equipment is the hardest to offload¡ªnot because it¡¯s not valuable, but because corporate enforcers are always investigating. Selling this stuff is strictly prohibited,¡± the priest exined.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Don¡¯t jinx it like that. Something this good is bound to have buyers. And if selling it is so forbidden, where do you think Steel Heart got all his gear from? Worst case, I can sell it at a 20% discount and still have people fighting over it,¡± Song 6PUS said while stroking the reactor like it was his own child.


    ¡°Man, if it weren¡¯t for me, we wouldn¡¯t have this score! Bro~ you should be thanking me!¡± he bragged.


    ¡°Oh, really? Then should we all thank you, PUS?¡± Four Ai sneered. ¡°Now hurry up and pay us back.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t my fault! You all saw it¡ªthose debt memories in my head were nted by those Eighteenth Street bastards using their D-mods. I don¡¯t owe them anything¡ªthey owe <em>me</em>!¡± Song 6PUS eximed, hurriedly returning the payment from theirst mission.


    Hearing this, Sun Jack couldn¡¯t help but recall those memory-modification devices. Such things couldpletely rewrite someone¡¯s memories. The technological advancements of this era were beyond his imagination.


    He began to wonder¡ªwhat other mind-blowing technologies did this world hold?


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head back. The wind¡¯s getting chilly,¡± Sun Jack said as he led Tapai toward the rooftop elevator.


    The others followed in small groups, preparing to rest and regroup.


    As they waited for the elevator, Sun Jack casually asked, ¡°If The Metropolis has tech like this, doesn¡¯t that mean someone couldmit crimes using it? How can you even tell if your memories have been tampered with?¡±


    It was a serious concern. As a mercenary, he knew he might encounter anything. He needed to be prepared in case it ever happened to him.


    ¡°Details,¡± Four Ai, the doctor, replied. ¡°If you notice unexined gaps in your memory, muscle memory you can¡¯t recall learning, or strange cognitive dissonance, then it¡¯s time to seriously question how much of your current memory is real and how much is fabricated.¡±


    Her words caused everyone except AA to freeze. They all turned to look at Sun Jack.


    Seeing their stares, a chilling sensation crept up Sun Jack¡¯s spine. He tried tough it off, to dispel the fear growing inside, but all he could muster was a stiff, unnatural smile.


    ¡°Why are you all looking at me like that? My memories can¡¯t be fake.¡±


    ¡°Oh? And why¡¯s that? Care to exin?¡± Four Ai asked, crossing her arms.


    ¡°Because¡­ my past memories are intact. I only lost five years, that¡¯s all!¡± Sun Jack suddenly raised his voice defensively.


    ¡°And how do you know those intact memories are real? They could just as easily have been edited,¡± the priest questioned.


    Images of his childhood, his family, his ssmates, and everything from his past shed through Sun Jack¡¯s mind. ¡°Could all of that really be fake?¡±


    A wave of unprecedented panic engulfed Sun Jack.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    ¡°No! No way! Impossible!¡± he shook his head in denial, his breathing quickening. ¡°I¡¯m just suffering from amnesia! That¡¯s all it is!¡±


    The others fell silent, but the priest wasn¡¯t done. ¡°Maybe you don¡¯t notice it, but we¡¯ve all sensed it¡ªyour behavior¡¯s been off. Something isn¡¯t right.¡±


    ¡°Facing these things head-on can be hard, sure, but avoiding them won¡¯t solve anything.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so convinced my memory was altered? Couldn¡¯t my odd behavior be caused by something else? Maybe I¡¯m just¡ª¡± Sun Jack abruptly stopped, realizing he¡¯d nearly let something slip.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle this myself. I¡¯ll sort it out,¡± Sun Jack said, his mind a chaotic mess. He needed somewhere quiet to think.


    Tapai stepped forward, dragging the increasingly agitated Sun Jack into the elevator. ¡°We¡¯re heading back. Once that thing is sold, let us know,¡± he said, referring to the reactor.


    AA instinctively started to follow, but the priest held her back. ¡°Let¡¯s wait for the next one.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with the boss?¡± AA asked, confused. She hadn¡¯t noticed anything unusual about Sun Jack.


    ¡°Who knows? He¡¯s always so secretive, acting like everyone¡¯s dying to uncover his hidden identity,¡± Song 6PUS quipped, before turning to Four Ai. ¡°Hey, Ai, help me out at your clinic. I need a new tooth. Thx~¡±


    ¡°Get lost. No money, no service,¡± Four Ai snapped as she walked into the re-opened elevator.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so cold. We¡¯re teammates, aren¡¯t we?¡± Song 6 pleaded, carrying the reactor.


    ¡°Fine. No money? Then pay me in kind. Bend over once for every tooth I rece. Deal?¡±


    ¡°¡­ Forget it.¡±

 Chapter 62: The Search

    Chapter 62: The Search


    ¡°F***...¡± Sun Jack fell backward and rolled around in frustration. His heart, which had just calmed, was now in chaos after hearing what Tapai said.


    ¡°But...but...no, that¡¯s not right!¡± Sun Jack sat up abruptly, grabbed Tapai, and prepared to piece together the cause and effect of everything that had happened.


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m a person from the year 2025, right? I¡¯ve been floating in space for over a thousand years, right?¡± Sun Jack listed one point after another.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot I can¡¯t guarantee, but one thing I <em>can</em> say for sure¡ªthere was absolutely no memory-altering machine in my era!¡±


    But Tapai shook his head again. ¡°If your memory really was tampered with, then the fact that you think you¡¯re from a thousand years ago could itself be a fabrication. That line of reasoning doesn¡¯t hold.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not from that era? I¡¯m not a 21st-century person?¡±


    Sun Jack¡¯s head was spinning. He dug his hands into his hair, scratching furiously as his thoughts became more jumbled. Finally, he mmed his hands down and shouted at Tapai, ¡°What the h***! Whose side are you on? Stop messing with my head!¡±


    Tapai shrugged. ¡°The reason I¡¯m shooting down your flimsy self-reassurances is to help you.¡±¡°I know epting that your memories might all be fake is tough. But if this is the truth, you¡¯ll have to face it.¡±


    ¡°If...if...I¡¯m not Sun Jack, then who am I?¡± Sun Jack muttered, as if asking both Tapai and himself.


    His entire sense of self¡ªhis awareness, his thoughts, even his current reflections¡ªall stemmed from his memories. If those memory anchors could be fake, then what about his identity as Sun Jack? Were the thoughts in his head truly his own?


    Could all his past choices, even his current way of thinking, have been engineered by someone editing his memories to produce these results?


    It wasn¡¯t until this issue struck him personally that Sun Jack fully understood its terror. When a person¡¯s individuality is blurred, it¡¯s hard to distinguish between what¡¯s real and what¡¯s not.


    ¡°There is some evidence, though. Your muscle memory, which surpasses human limits, and that unfamiliar name, Hilda, should be fragments of your original memories,¡± Tapai finally contributed something helpful after pouring cold water on him earlier.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Muscle memory? Hilda? Sun Jack felt even more conflicted. He¡¯d thought these were remnants of the five years of memories he¡¯d lost, but now there was another exnation.


    If this was true, it meant that beneath his fake memoriesy a deeperyer of real ones, with Hilda being a trace that surfaced from that hiddenyer.


    ¡°But one thing I don¡¯t get¡ªif someone altered your memories, what¡¯s their motive?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking <em>me</em>? Who am I supposed to ask? If I knew, I wouldn¡¯t be stressing over it!¡±


    At that moment, a knock came at the door. A system interface popped up in front of Sun Jack, disying the camera feed of the visitor¡ªit was Four Ai.


    ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well. Come back another time,¡± Sun Jack, irritated and on edge, refused the visit and locked the door through his system.


    However, as Four Ai smiled faintly in the surveince feed, the locked door suddenly unlocked itself.


    ¡°What the h***! You still haven¡¯t relinquished ess permissions? Are you serious? This is my home!¡± Sun Jack was beyond exasperated at this tant disregard for boundaries.


    ¡°What do you mean <em>your</em> home? It¡¯s still my love nest, remember?¡±


    ¡°Revoke your permissions!¡± Sun Jack connected to Four Ai¡¯s system, and only when he saw her manually cancel the ess did he finally let it go.


    Too frustrated to deal with Four Ai, Sun Jack slumped back onto the sofa, trying to figure out his next move.


    Four Ai, sensing his mood, sat quietly beside him, not pestering him further.


    Out of nowhere, Sun Jack reached over, took her e-cigarette, and took a puff. The slight tingling sensation in his lungs calmed his restless heart.


    ¡°Did I...smoke before? Or did I pick this up during those five lost years?¡± Sun Jack stared at the e-cigarette in his hand, lost in thought.


    He didn¡¯t want to ept the idea that everything¡ªhis family, friends, personality, and worldview¡ªwas a fabrication, nted into his head.


    But whether he epted it or not, he had to face the reality that such a possibility existed.


    To dismiss it, he¡¯d have to find a way to prove his memories¡¯ absolute authenticity.


    Watching him take puff after puff, Four Ai smiled as she gazed at his profile.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Sun Jack asked, ufortable under her gaze.


    ¡°Your face is a mess. Aren¡¯t you going to fix it up?¡± Four Ai said, referring to his disfigured features.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood. Maybe next time.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you buy insurance for this?¡±


    ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s just a minor injury; I¡¯ll find a doctor myself. Don¡¯t want to increase my premiums.¡±


    ¡°Smart thinking,¡± Four Ai remarked as she reached out, gently brushing his cheek, her eyes filled with a hint of infatuation. ¡°Such a handsome guy, too bad you still have to poop.¡±


    ¡°What the f*** is wrong with you? Don¡¯t you have a business to run or something?¡± Sun Jack swatted her hand away.


    Four Ai stood up, looking down at him on the sofa. ¡°Stop overthinking everything alone. Sometimes, things you can¡¯t solve on your own might be easily fixed by someone else.¡±


    ¡°Who should I ask?¡±


    ¡°Your teammates. We agreed to stick together to watch each other¡¯s backs, didn¡¯t we? So why are you shutting them out now?¡±


    The next evening, at a corner table in the Hotdog Bar, everyone had gathered. A beer sat in front of each of them.


    This time, Sun Jack was treating. The table also had a few hotdogs¡ªturns out the bar actually sold them. Apparently, Old 6 had just been stingy and avoided ordering them before.


    During the day, Tapai¡¯s armor and Sun Jack¡¯s facial injuries had been patched up. Sun Jack¡¯s repairs hadn¡¯t cost much, but the parts Tapai used for his were anything but cheap.


    26.0252 @coins.


    AA picked up his beer with both hands, took a tentative sip, and immediately put it down when he saw no one else drinking.


    ¡°Bro, you saved my life. If there¡¯s anything you need, just say the word. Just, uh, don¡¯t ask for money,¡± Song 6PUS said, using his new prosthetic hand to grab a hotdog, which he devoured in big bites.


    Song 6PUS¡¯s chest cavity had been patched up, and his teeth were restored, though oddly they were multicolored and looked like cheap stic. The uneven sizes gave him a buck-toothed appearance. Who knows where he got them?


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a problem¡ªa memory problem,¡± Sun Jack finally said.

 Chapter 63: Lending a Hand

    Chapter 63: Lending a Hand


    At the Hotdog Bar, Sun Jack exined his current predicament to the group.


    These people had been through life and death together several times, so Sun Jack decided to trust them¡ªat least partially. He omitted details about being an ancient human and the space station but shared everything else.


    ¡°This is my problem,¡± Sun Jack began. ¡°I¡¯m facing two possibilities: either I¡¯ve lost my memories, or they¡¯ve been tampered with¡ªor worse, my entire memory is fabricated.¡±


    Sun Jack hade to terms with the situation: no matter what, he needed to figure out the truth about himself.


    Four Ai was the first to speak. She exhaled from her e-cigarette, leaned slightly toward him, and teased, ¡°So...who¡¯s Hilda? Your ex-lover? That name works for both guys and girls, you know.¡±


    ¡°F*** if I know! If I did, why the h*** would I be here asking you lot?¡± Sun Jack snapped. The more time he spent around Four Ai, the more insufferable he found her¡ªalways prying into gossip and drama.


    ¡°I could have the Followers of God spread your information to see if anyone in The Metropolis recognizes you,¡± suggested the Father.


    Sun Jack hesitated. The suggestion was indeed practical, but there was a problem¡ªwhat if his memories weren¡¯t fake? What if he really was an ancient human from a thousand years ago?Wouldn¡¯t broadcasting his presence be too high-profile? It could attract corporate attention, which would spell disaster.


    Noticing Sun Jack¡¯s hesitation, Song 6PUS grabbed AA¡¯s hotdog, took a bite, and chimed in, ¡°Oh,e on. What¡¯s there to hesitate about? What, you think someone here actually cares about where you twoe from? When you first got to town, I noticed you acting all shady, like you were hiding something. I even posted your info on the dark web to make a quick buck.¡±


    ¡°You did what?!¡± Sun Jack and Tapai recoiled in unison, staring wide-eyed at Song 6PUS in disbelief.


    ¡°You sold our information?!¡±


    ¡°Yep. But rx, nobody bought it. I even listed it for 0.1 @coins, but nada. I tried several forums, and still, no one cared. So, you see? Nothing to worry about.¡±


    ¡°You son of a b****! I knew you were scheming something the moment we got here!¡± Furious, Sun Jack grabbed Song 6PUS by the cor and yanked him forward.


    ¡°Whoa, easy there, bro! Nothing came of it, right?¡± Song 6PUS protested with a look of mock innocence.


    ¡°Yeah! Lucky for you it didn¡¯t sell! If someone had bought it, we could¡¯ve ended up dead!¡±


    As the two bickered, the others stepped in to break it up.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    ¡°The damage is done. What do you want now? You¡¯re not gonna kill me over a little thing like this, are you?¡± Song 6PUS leaned back, almost sprawling across the table.


    Sun Jack stared at him, thinking it over. In the end, he decided to deal with it the way people in this world did. ¡°Compensation!¡±


    At that, Song 6PUS¡¯s face scrunched up, and he held up a single finger. ¡°1 @.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to throw scraps to a beggar? You posted our intel on the dark web for sale, and you think 1 @ is enough?¡±


    ¡°Come on! You guys aren¡¯t worth anything! I thought you might be fugitives with bounties or something, but nobody even bothered to ask about you. 1 @ is generous!¡±


    At this point, Tapai jumped in, his voice full of righteous indignation. ¡°The f***, Song? Not only did you sell us out, but now you¡¯re insulting us? The price just went up!¡±


    After much back-and-forth, they settled on 19 @coins aspensation. However, Song 6PUS didn¡¯t have the money yet and promised to pay after their next job.


    Realizing that his physical description and details had been floating around the since hended, and nobody cared, Sun Jack decided to lean into it. He handed his information to the Father and King Kong, asking them to look for traces of his presence in the city¡ªboth online and offline.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just focus on me. If you find anyone researching memory alteration, let me know too,¡± Sun Jack added, biting into a hotdog.


    The taste was strange¡ªsynthetic, and not in a good way.


    <em>Ding ding ding!</em><em></em>


    Song 6PUS tapped his ss with his colorful stic teeth. ¡°Alright, since we¡¯re all here, I¡¯ve got something to discuss¡ªabout that nuclear reactor core we snagged from Steel Heart.¡±


    The mention of theirst big haul caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°How much did it sell for?¡± Tapai asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s tough to move,¡± Song 6PUS sighed regretfully. ¡°Father was right¡ªselling a nuclear reactor is no small task. Most buyers won¡¯t offer much for it.¡±


    ¡°I asked around, and the highest bid I got was 15 @. So, what do you all think?¡±


    ¡°15 @? Are you kidding me? That thing¡¯s worth no more than my cybeic eye?¡± Sun Jack felt cheated¡ªafter all the risks they¡¯d taken to snatch it from Steel Heart.


    ¡°You¡¯re not skimming off the top, are you?¡± Tapai immediately questioned.


    ¡°Bro, do I look like that kind of guy?¡± Song 6PUS retorted.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°This time, Song 6PUS isn¡¯t lying,¡± the Father interjected. ¡°I was there during the negotiations to ensure he didn¡¯t run off with it. They really wouldn¡¯t go higher than 15 @.¡±


    Everyone sighed in disappointment. After all the trouble of getting their hands on the reactor, it was disheartening to see it valued so low.


    ¡°What now? The buyers are waiting. If we¡¯re selling, we should do it soon. That thing¡¯s a liability. Keeping it in my house makes me lose sleep,¡± Song 6PUS urged.


    Sun Jack thought for a moment before proposing, ¡°It¡¯s still a nuclear battery, so selling it for just 15 @ feels like a waste. Why don¡¯t we keep it and use it ourselves?¡±


    ¡°Use it? Bro, none of our prosthetics require that much power. You want it? Fine, I¡¯ll sell it to you for 15 @.¡±


    Ignoring him, Sun Jack nced at Tapai and sent him a private message. <em>¡°Could we use it to upgrade you?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Aren¡¯t you saving for surgery?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Forget surgery. I need to figure out if my memories are real or not first. What¡¯s the point of fixing something that might not be mine? I¡¯d rather invest in boosting our strength.¡±</em>


    Tapai ran some calctions before replying, <em>¡°It¡¯s possible, but this level of modification is beyond what I can do myself. Who would you trust to handle my upgrades? My internal systems are from a past era. If someone sees my inner workings, they¡¯ll know I¡¯m not of this time.¡±</em>


    Sun Jack felt a pang of regret. If they could use the reactor to enhance Tapai, he could be turned into a walking fortress¡ªanother Steel Heart. With such a protector by his side, making money or staying safe would be infinitely easier.


    ¡°I can¡¯t handle it myself, but you could install it on yourself,¡± Tapai offered.

 Chapter 64: New Features

    Chapter 64: New Features


    The message from Tapai caught Sun Jack off guard. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t use the reactor to upgrade me¡ªuse it to upgrade yourself. With this thing, you could install all kinds of high-power, high-performance prosthetics on your body in the future.¡±


    ¡°In time, you could be another Steel Heart. Just be mindful of installing a Cognitive Mode Buffer, and whether you¡¯re working as a mercenary or protecting yourself, things will be much easier.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Sun Jack was speechless. This dog of a machine was thinking exactly what he had been.


    At first, Sun Jack found the idea absurd. But the more he thought about it, the more sense it made. With the current level of technology, installing a nuclear reactor in a human body wasn¡¯t out of the question.


    He always felt disadvantaged with his minimal prosthetics¡ªliving as a mostly organic human in this world was like fighting with one hand tied behind his back.


    After quickly researching the subject, Sun Jack became even more convinced. Even without additional upgrades, the reactor could function as a backup heart pump.


    After all, who could guarantee that a situation like Song 6¡¯s wouldn¡¯t happen to him?Another advantage of the reactor was its inherent protection against radiation and EMP interference¡ªit was its own shield. The concentrated nuclear material within was the greatest source of radiation. If the shielding wasn¡¯t effective, Steel Heart would¡¯ve been fried from the inside out long ago.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take it,¡± Sun Jack dered.


    The Father, who had just closed his book and raised his hand to speak, silently reopened it and continued reading.


    No one else voiced objections, and Sun Jack ultimately acquired the miniature nuclear reactor for 15 @coins. Since both he and Tapai had participated in the mission to obtain it, their share of the proceeds was deducted, reducing his ouy to just 10 @coins.


    Sun Jack quickly retrieved the reactor from Song 6. It was conspicuous¡ªtoo much so to carry around. If it were spotted by surveince or scanners, it might draw unwanted attention from BCPD. To avoidplications, Sun Jack immediately took it to Four Ai¡¯s clinic to have it installed in his body.


    On the operating table, Sun Jack watched on a monitor as three mechanical arms carefully lowered the reactor into his abdomen.


    ¡°Besides using it as a backup for your circtory system, have you thought about other applications?¡± Four Ai asked.


    ¡°Still working on it,¡± Sun Jack replied, browsing prosthetic options on a manufacturer¡¯s website.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Tapai interjected, ¡°install a wireless charging function on him. That way, I can recharge while standing nearby instead of plugging into a wall.¡±


    ¡°What am I, a power bank?¡± Sun Jack snapped.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have that capability. Go talk to King Kong. For now, I¡¯ll help connect your prosthetics and cybeic eye to the reactor, and I¡¯ll add a few extra interface lines so you can easily connect new devicester.¡±


    As Four Ai manipted the hovering virtual screen, the mechanical arms beside the table swiftly stitched up Sun Jack¡¯s body.


    ¡°Operation and anti-rejection medse to 5 @coins. Thanks for your business.¡±


    ¡°Seriously? We know each other this well, and you¡¯re still charging me?¡± Sun Jack sat up, reaching for his clothes.


    ¡°Oh, we¡¯re that close, are we? How close? Have we had any ¡®intimate interactions?¡¯¡± Four Ai shot back, showing no mercy.


    In the end, Sun Jack¡¯s persistent bargaining brought the cost down to 4 @coins. After the payment went through, Sun Jack checked his remaining bnce¡ª12.0252 @coins¡ªand sighed at how quickly money burned away.


    He stood up, flexed his body, and nced around, noticing no obvious changes. Then, he swung his right arm, and a de shot out from his cybeic forearm.


    Suddenly, things went awry. The light electrical arcs on the de thickened and grew until they began crackling beyond the de¡¯s surface, spraying lightning bolts wildly around the room. Startled, everyone scrambled backward.


    ¡°Master Sun, please stop your divine powers!¡± Tapai shouted from the doorway.


    <em>Bang!</em><em></em>


    Sun Jack¡¯s arm went numb, and he lost all sensation in the prosthetic.


    ¡°Crap! Did I break it?¡± Sun Jack stared at the smoking forearm, cold sweat dripping down his face. He hadn¡¯t anticipated the reactor¡¯s output to be so overwhelming.


    Fortunately, AA was nearby. After a quick inspection, she reported, ¡°Boss, the reactor¡¯s output is still configured forbat prosthetics like Steel Heart¡¯s. It exceeds your current hardware¡¯s capacity, so it fried the circuits. I¡¯ll dial it down for you.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But Sun Jack, seeing the scorched remnants of the room from the electrical arcs, had a different idea. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t lower it. Can you increase my prosthetics¡¯ voltage tolerance instead?¡±


    If his prosthetics couldn¡¯t handle the output, what chance would an enemy have?


    Recing the burned circuits and installing instion wasn¡¯t a major issue for AA, especially with Four Ai lending a hand. After meticulous adjustments, Sun Jack¡¯s de no longer carried electrical currents capable of shorting out enemy prosthetics.


    It wasn¡¯t that Sun Jack didn¡¯t want the effect¡ªthose features had been destroyed. Instead, he now had something even better.


    With the addition of simple guidanceponents, Sun Jack had developed a new attack mode.


    Blinding electrical arcs surged from the de¡¯s tip, forming a lightning whip thatshed out, devastating everything in its path.


    When Sun Jack finally stopped, the ruined sexbot they had been using as a test dummy had exploded. Its tattered clothing and worn synthetic skin were engulfed in mes.


    ¡°Whoa, this thing is amazing,¡± Sun Jack said, thrilled with his newfound weapon. The straightforward, brutal method seemed equally effective against both prosthetics and organic targets.


    Four Ai, however, seemed unimpressed. ¡°What a primitive attack. With technology as advanced as it is, couldn¡¯t you aim for something more modern?¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Buy somebat prosthetics that match the reactor¡¯s potential. This is so low-tech.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m broke!¡±


    Four Ai rolled her eyes, cigarette in hand, and walked toward the overpass. ¡°Just remember, don¡¯t use that move in the rain unless you want to be a roasted corpse.¡±


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯m not an idiot.¡±


    AA, on the other hand, was starry-eyed. The idea of a nearly unlimited energy source was too tempting for an engineering enthusiast like her. Countless schematics and forms burst to life in her mind.


    ¡°Boss! You don¡¯t need to buy anything¡ªjust give me the parts! I... I have so many ideas right now!¡±

 Chapter 66: The Ghost

    Chapter 66: The Ghost


    While waiting for the confessions to end, Sun Jack took a moment to examine the murals on the church walls. Then, he spotted someone familiar¡ªthe baby Father had rescued from the Graffiti Gang.


    The child wobbled out from a distant corner, iling its mechanical limbs. Just as Sun Jack moved to help after it fell, a figure dressed as a nun picked the child up. When the nun turned, Sun Jack was startled¡ªit was a robot nun.


    The steel-bodied nun held the child, whose arms and legs were prosthetics, and walked past a mural depicting the Madonna nursing a child in a Gothic cathedral. Sun Jack, intrigued, followed them. Behind the church was an orphanage where about a dozen robotic nuns were caring for children of various ages.


    From their sluggish movements and repurposed appearances, Sun Jack deduced these nuns were reconfigured from discarded sexbots. Their AI wasn¡¯t advanced, but they were enough to barely keep the orphanage running.


    ¡°Father¡¯s really trying his best,¡± Sun Jack muttered, taking in the scene.


    ¡°Jack! Look! The bald one¡¯s out,¡± Tapai suddenly eximed. Sun Jack turned to see King Kong sneaking out of the confessional. Instead of leaving, King Kong approached a dusty electronic terminal in the corner.


    He sped his hands together in prayer, chanting, ¡°Amitabha.¡± The screen disyed: Payment of 5@ received. 50 Redemption Coupons purchased sessfully.


    Then, a golden halo appeared above King Kong¡¯s virtual image, along with two pairs of angelic wings. As celestial music yed, the angelic King Kong floated upward on the screen. Finally, a thumb emerged from the top of the screen with a ¡°Good job!¡± caption.Sun Jack, ready to confront King Kong, froze mid-step, too baffled to continue. Instead, he redirected his focus toward Father, letting the matter slide.


    ¡°Father, did you find anything? Has someone been digging into my information?¡± he asked urgently.


    ¡°Take this and plug it into your system. It will prevent tracking or eavesdropping. What I¡¯m about to say would be a disaster if BCPD intercepted it.¡± Father handed him a chip.


    Sun Jack inserted the chip into his external system port. Almost immediately, error messages and glitch static filled his interface. If he hadn¡¯t trusted Father, he might have thought his system had been infected with a virus.


    ¡°Father, does this mean you found something through my data?¡± Sun Jack pressed, eager for answers.


    ¡°No, but I did uncover something useful,¡± Father replied, lowering his voice after checking their surroundings. ¡°Arade of mine knows someone¡ªXiao Ting%. She¡¯s a memory editor.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ¡°Word on the street is, she can tailor your memories to your specifications¡ªremoving or adding as needed. She also has the tools to detect if your memories have been altered or reced.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± Sun Jack¡¯s eyes lit up. This was exactly what he needed and far less invasive than the expensive surgeries he had previously considered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited. There¡¯s a problem. She¡¯s dangerous¡ªshe¡¯s killed a lot of people. Approach her with extreme caution.¡±


    Sun Jack¡¯s enthusiasm dampened. This sounded like trouble.


    ¡°Try your luck. This is her contact method for this week. If anything feels off, retreat immediately,¡± Father said, handing him a piece of paper.


    The paper was covered in dense ck codes. Sun Jack could only extract the data by scanning it with his system, which revealed awork link. The use of such a primitive, physical method tomunicate exined why even Unit 3 of BCPD couldn¡¯t track her down.


    ¡°This is as much as I can do. The rest is up to you. Be careful,¡± Father warned.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already helped a lot. If you ever need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask,¡± Sun Jack replied gratefully, leaving the church with Tapai and AA.


    Without returning home, Sun Jack essed the link from the subway using his system. The screen turned white, and a giant ck shell appeared in the virtual space before him.


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Sun Jack muttered, puzzled. As he stared at the hologram, the shell suddenly opened, and a ghostly green apparition with pitch-ck eyes leaped out, apanied by an ear-piercing scream.


    ¡°Holy sh¡ª!¡± Sun Jack yelped, instinctively standing up and unsheathing his de. The entire subway car turned to stare at him as if he were a lunatic.


    ¡°Are you putting on a show?¡± Tapai asked, raising an eyebrow.


    Flustered, Sun Jack sat back down, his face flushed. ¡°What is this thing? Some kind of prank link?¡± he muttered, ring at the floating digital ghost.


    If Father hadn¡¯t given him the lead, he would¡¯ve dismissed it as a sick joke. Something felt off, so he reopened the link¡ªbut the scene remained unchanged.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Frustrated, Sun Jack addressed the ghost directly, ¡°Hello? Can you hear me?¡±


    The ghost floated silently in midair, unresponsive, like a static image.


    ¡°What are you seeing? Send me the link. I¡¯ll check,¡± Tapai offered. Sun Jack forwarded it. A few momentster, Tapai eximed, ¡°What the f***!¡± and leapt from his subway seat.


    ¡°Sun Jack, you son of a¡ª!¡±


    ¡°What is it? What happened?¡± a bewildered AA asked.


    Instead of replying, Tapai forwarded the link to AA. Secondster, her piercing scream echoed through the subway car. The other passengers recoiled, giving the trio a wide berth as they exchanged incredulous looks.


    ¡°You jerk!¡± AA yelled, punching Tapai in embarrassment, though she hurt her own hand more than him.


    ¡°me your boss! He sent it to me first,¡± Tapai retorted.


    ¡°Enough ying around. Help me figure this out,¡± Sun Jack interrupted. ¡°Father said this link would lead to a memory expert who can¡ª¡±


    Before he could finish, he noticed something strange. The ghost¡¯s lifeless eyes were now locked on him. This wasn¡¯t just a dynamic image¡ªit was alive.

 Chapter 67: Xiao Ting%

    Chapter 67: Xiao Ting%


    Sitting in the subway, Sun Jack stared at the massive ghostly figure before him. Tentatively, he asked, ¡°Xiao Ting%?¡±


    The ghost floated silently, its gaze unwavering. Sun Jack realized it might only respond to specific memory-rted keywords. With this in mind, he spoke again, ¡°I¡¯m here to find Xiao Ting%. I¡¯d like to make a deal about memories¡ªthe price is negotiable.¡±


    As if triggered, the enormous ghost swiftly shrank into a chibi cartoon version of itself. It floated around Sun Jack¡¯s head and chirped, ¡°Hi there! I¡¯m Ghost 3! Hahaha! User 1931 left me here to handle things for them. Just tell me what you need.¡±


    Despite its fluent speech, Sun Jack quickly discerned it wasn¡¯t human¡ªit was an AI, and a rudimentary one at that.


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯ve seen this cartoon character on a billboard somewhere¡­¡± Sun Jack muttered, initiating a rapid system search. The results led to a defunctpany. The firm had specialized in intelligent products and developed a unique AI capable of adapting to user habits, assisting with learning,bat, and even stock trading. The AI learned through constant observation, handling repetitive tasks for the user.


    Clever, Sun Jack thought. To avoid being traced, Xiao Ting% had opted for offline operations, relying solely on a support AI tomunicate with clients.


    Considering his next steps, Sun Jack kept his request simple. ¡°I want to know if my memories have been edited, how much of them are real, and how much is fake.¡±


    Ghost 3 spun a few times before sticking out its tongue in a cheeky gesture. ¡°Central Zone, Building 145, Unit 2314.¡±With a pop, the cartoon ghost vanished. Not only did its projection disappear, but even Sun Jack¡¯s ess logs, the shared links he sent to AA and Tapai, and the paper in his pocket were erased. Checking his pockets repeatedly, Sun Jack gave up trying to understand how this was possible and focused on whether Xiao Ting% could answer his questions.


    ¡°Central Zone, Building 145, Unit 2314,¡± he repeated, inputting the address into his navigation software.


    After switching through several subway lines, Sun Jack and hispanions headed toward the Central Zone. Despite having been in the Metropolis for a while, Sun Jack had never ventured to this area before.


    At the Central Zone subway exit, they were greeted by a light-screen barrier. A message appeared: ¡°Kind reminder: ess restricted to individuals with a minimum bnce of 100@.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me? It¡¯s this tant?¡± Sun Jack muttered. He experimentally reached a hand toward the barrier. Instantly, a panel above them opened, revealing several heavy automated turrets. Red targetingsers locked onto the heads and torsos of all three.


    It wasn¡¯t an empty threat¡ªif they crossed the line, those turrets would fire.


    Retracting his hand, Sun Jack watched as the weapons withdrew, and another message appeared on the barrier: ¡°Blue Sky Travel Agency wees you! Central Zone day tours avable for just 2@ per group of three. Includes photo editing services for sharing your experience with friends!¡±


    This ce would charge for anything, Sun Jack thought, annoyed. But he needed answers, so he paid the fee. The barrier opened, and a floating tform rose beneath them, propelling them out of the station like an elevator.


    Emerging into the Central Zone, Sun Jack was awestruck. Surrounding them were sleek skyscrapers designed with intersecting lines and illuminated in shades of purple and blue. Unlike the chaotic outskirts, everything here was orderly, with interconnected holographic ads and even greenery¡ªa rarity. Although the nts were encased in ss to protect them from acid rain, they were unmistakably real.


    Overhead, hover vehicles emzoned with the BCPD logo cruised by asionally, marking this area as an unmistakable haven for the wealthy.


    ¡°Does this person really live here?¡± Sun Jack wondered, checking his bnce of 9.9212@. He hoped the memory check wouldn¡¯t cost too much.


    Determined to proceed, Sun Jack led AA and Tapai toward the destination. Along the way, AA gawked at their surroundings like a child visiting a theme park for the first time.


    ¡°Boss! What¡¯s that?¡± AA asked, pointing at a colossal, ivory-colored structure in the distance. Towering over everything else, the building was thicker and taller than the surrounding skyscrapers, its massive body piercing the dark clouds above.


    A quick scan identified it as ¡°The Grail,¡± though its purpose remained unclear.


    ¡°No idea. Maybe a corporate HQ,¡± Sun Jack replied absentmindedly. He was too focused on his impending meeting with Xiao Ting%.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    After nearly two hours of travel, they arrived at Building 145, Unit 2314, which turned out to be a parking space in a multi-level garage. Cars were neatly stacked like a museum exhibit of vehicles.


    In the midst of the rows of cars was a ck truck hauling a massive shipping container¡ªSun Jack¡¯s destination.


    The size of the container brought Father¡¯s warning to mind. This person was dangerous. ¡°Prepare your weapons. If anything feels wrong, we¡¯re leaving immediately,¡± Sun Jack instructed.


    After checking their gear, Sun Jack took a deep breath and knocked on the container. The rear door creaked open, revealing an interior filled with precision electronic equipment, tangled cables, and glowing fiber optics.


    What caught Sun Jack¡¯s attention most, however, were the brains. Suspended in liquid-filled tanks, dozens¡ªpossibly hundreds¡ªof human brains were stacked like inventory. Wires and data cables extended from the bases, indicating the brains were still alive.


    Sun Jack¡¯s scalp tingled at the sight. Human consciousness stored and traded like merchandise. This wasn¡¯t just one or two victims¡ªthere were at least a hundred.


    Hearing footsteps, Sun Jack tensed and turned toward the sound. Atst, he saw the person he hade for: Xiao Ting%.


    Her body resembled a sultry woman d in revealing ck-and-red leather, but she had no head. With a hiss, a projection flickered to life, disying a short-haired, anime-style girl¡¯s head above the body.

 Chapter 68: The Encounter

    Chapter 68: The Encounter


    Seeing the cartoonish projection of a head atop the other party¡¯s body, Sun Jack immediately realized that the person¡¯s real body wasn¡¯t here. This was just a robot being remotely controlled from elsewhere.


    ¡°Xiao Ting%?¡± Sun Jack asked her.


    ¡°Delete or add?¡± she replied curtly, but it was enough to confirm her identity.


    ¡°Neither. I just need to know if my current memories are real or if there are any traces of editing,¡± Sun Jack stated his request.


    ¡°50@.¡± As she spoke, the electronic devices connected by various cables whirred to life, spiraling open like living creatures. They revealed a sleek, humanoid reclining chair lined with dense spikes and needles positioned at the spinal and cranial sections. Clearly, these were meant to pierce into his body.


    Two translucent screens descended from overhead, and a holographic console emerged. A keyboard with hundreds of neatly arranged keys materialized.


    Sun Jack hadn¡¯t expected things to go so smoothly. What seemed like a massive problem to him was as trivial as eating or drinking to others. In the Metropolis, as long as you had money, anything could be done.


    But now he had a new concern. He couldn¡¯t be sure if, during the memory inspection, the operator would ess every part of his past.¡°I can pay,¡± Sun Jack said. ¡°But I have one condition: can I let my friend help with the memory inspection?¡± He gestured toward Tapai.


    Xiao Ting% shook her head without hesitation. ¡°No, I only handle my own business.¡±


    Looking at the intricate electronic setup around him, Sun Jack pondered for a moment before nodding. ¡°Alright. But I¡¯ll pay only after the inspection isplete.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Take off your shirt and lie down,¡± Xiao Ting% said, pointing to the sleek chair.


    Without a word, Sun Jackplied, lying back on the chair and feeling the sharp points slowly press into the back of his head.


    Xiao Ting% raised her hands expressionlessly. With a click, her ten fingers split into 36 thin mechanical digits, which danced rapidly across the virtual keyboard, leaving afterimages with their speed.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Data and code cascaded like waterfalls down the translucent screens. Just as Xiao Ting% was about to start, Tapai suddenly raised his hand. ¡°Wait.¡±


    Xiao Ting% stopped and looked at him.


    ¡°What now? Can you not make trouble?¡± Sun Jack sat up from the chair, irritated.


    ¡°I just remembered,¡± Tapai began, ¡°I loaned you 30@ for your organ payment yesterday, so you don¡¯t have enough to pay her.¡±


    ¡°F***! Can¡¯t you be useful for once? Do you know how important this is to me?¡± Sun Jack exploded, cursing at Tapai. Even AA¡¯s attempts to mediate were useless.


    Holding his hand against the wound on the back of his head, Sun Jack said to Xiao Ting%, ¡°Give me half a day to borrow some money. Just half a day!¡± Then he stormed out of the shipping container, with AA rushing to keep up.


    ¡°Boss, don¡¯t be mad at Tapai,¡± AA pleaded. ¡°He probably didn¡¯t mean it. After all¡ª¡±


    Before she could finish, Sun Jack¡¯s angry expression suddenly vanished. He nced at Tapai. ¡°So? Did you get all the steps down?¡±


    The high-resolution camera under Tapai¡¯s arm twitched slightly. ¡°Yeah, I copied everything. He uses custom software for the inspection, so you¡¯ll need to upgrade my memory capacity to ensure I can fully replicate it.¡±


    ¡°Perfect! You¡¯re amazing!¡± Sun Jack eximed, giving Tapai a punch of approval.


    AA was left utterly confused by the scene. ¡°Boss¡­ were you just acting earlier?¡±


    ¡°Of course. You think I¡¯d let anyone ess my memories that easily?¡± Sun Jack replied.


    Whether his memories were real or not, Sun Jack would never allow such a thing to happen. Yet, he needed to know the truth about his memories, so he had no choice but to take this roundabout approach. Sure, being broke was one reason, but it wasn¡¯t the main one.


    ¡°All we have to do now is scare her off, let Tapai check my memories, and then delete the records.¡±


    From their earlier interaction, it was clear that Xiao Ting% was extremely cautious. The meeting spot was mobile, and all client interactions were mediated through auxiliary AI as a buffer. However, her caution was both a strength and a weakness. An overly cautious nature could be exploited, and Sun Jack already had a n.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave first. The garage has too many surveince cameras¡ªit¡¯s not a good ce to make a move. Once that car relocates, we¡¯ll follow it.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to buy me those memory sticks,¡± Tapai messaged Sun Jack. ¡°I¡¯ll need them for the calctions.¡±


    ¡°I know, I know.¡± Exiting the garage, Sun Jack opened an online store and activated the delivery service, spending another 8@. Compared to the earlier 50@, this was a small price to pay.


    Bnce: 1.9212@.


    Waiting wasn¡¯t easy. It wasn¡¯t until Tapai adjusted to his new memory sticks and Sun Jack¡¯s system notified him that the city center tour was about to end that the car finally moved again.


    ¡°Follow it!¡± Draped in a raincoat, Sun Jack leapt onto Tapai¡¯s back with AA in tow.


    The car ascended onto an overpass, leaving the central district and heading toward the Teutonic Industrial Zone. At first, everything seemed normal, but soon Sun Jack noticed something amiss: a hover vehicle was flying at low altitude, shadowing the truck at an irregr pace.


    His instincts told him the hover vehicle was suspicious. Though he didn¡¯t know much about hover vehicles, he knew someone who did. Activating his cybeic eye¡¯s vision-sharing feature, he contacted Father.


    ¡°That¡¯s a disguised Oath Sword,¡± Father identified. ¡°Standard config includes eight AI drones, a 120mm rapid-fire cannon, and a pulse wave projector. Don¡¯t mess with it. Even Steel Heart couldn¡¯t take it down. You three don¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    Hearing this, Sun Jack¡¯s expression darkened. Damn it, they even have bodyguards. There¡¯s no way we can fight this.


    As the car sped up, Sun Jack grew increasingly anxious. This might be his only chance to uncover the truth about his memories. He couldn¡¯t let it slip away. The n had to move ahead.


    ¡°Jack, what do we do? It¡¯s about to enter the factory, and we¡¯ll lose it!¡± Tapai said, clearly worried.


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic! Call for help!¡±


    ¡°Who? Do we even know anyone capable of handling something like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Sun Jack replied firmly as he dialed a number. ¡°Hello? BCPD Unit 3? I have a report to make! That¡¯s right, someone¡¯s involved in memory trading. She¡¯s in the Teutonic Industrial Zone. I¡¯m sending you the location now.¡±

 Chapter 70: Hilda

    Chapter 70: Hilda


    Sun Jack writhed on the floor, clutching his prosthetic arm as his face contorted in pain. Groans escaped his lips. ¡°AA! AA! Quick! Take this prosthetic off!¡±


    AA, curled up in the sink, blearily rubbed her eyes and woke up. The moment she saw the situation, any trace of sleep or drunkenness disappeared from her face. She leapt down, grabbed her toolkit, and swiftly disassembled the prosthetic. Soon, Sun Jack was back to being one-armed.


    But even without the prosthetic, Sun Jack could still feel intense pain in his missing right arm and hand.


    ¡°Boss, this isn¡¯t a prosthetic issue¡ªit¡¯s phantom limb pain,¡± AA exined.


    Kneeling beside him, AA pulled out a painkiller from the strap on Sun Jack¡¯s leg and injected it into the stump of his arm.


    As the medication coursed through his body, Sun Jack exhaled deeply. His face was pale, and his upper body was drenched in sweat. Taking the cup of water offered by Tapai, he panted heavily before asking, ¡°What¡¯s phantom limb pain?¡±


    ¡°When a person loses a limb, their brain¡¯s cortex undergoes functional reorganization. The sensory area for the face expands into the area that used to represent the missing arm,¡± Tapai exined matter-of-factly.


    ¡°Speak human, will you?¡±¡°Boss, your arm is gone, but your brain still thinks it¡¯s there. The nerve signals it sends out have no ce to go, so your body glitches out,¡± AA rified.


    Sun Jack let out a bitterugh. ¡°Why does every damned problem have to happen to me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just you, Boss,¡± AA said, shaking her head. ¡°Phantom limb pain affects about 50% of amputees. The severity just varies.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that everyone in this city with prosthetic recements experiences this?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much,¡± she replied.


    ¡°And how do they deal with it when it happens?¡±


    AA didn¡¯t answer. She simply waved the painkiller syringe in her hand.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me,¡± Sun Jack said, exasperated. ¡°Won¡¯t overusing this stuff cause issues?¡±


    Tapai scanned thebel on the syringe. ¡°The instructions don¡¯t mention any adverse effects from overuse.¡±


    ¡°Not a big deal, though. Modern technology is advanced enough¡ªyou could always get a cortical surgery at the hospital.¡±


    ¡°Then what are we waiting for? Surgery beats popping painkillers forever.¡±


    ¡°But, Boss,¡± AA hesitated, ¡°a cortical surgery for phantom limb pain costs 25@. It¡¯s expensive. I thought about selling my hand to rece it with a cheap prosthetic but decided against it because of this issue.¡±


    ¡°F***!¡± Sun Jack swore. He nced at the detached prosthetic. ¡°This whole thing feels like a scam¡ªone problem leading to another.¡±


    The issue wasn¡¯t insurmountable. After all, it was just phantom pain. But Sun Jack didn¡¯t like leaving potential dangers unchecked. What if the pain struck at a critical moment during a fight?


    ¡°What¡¯s your n, Boss?¡± AA asked cautiously.


    ¡°What else? Earn money as quickly as possible and get the surgery done. Can¡¯t risk leaving this unresolved,¡± Sun Jack replied, handing the prosthetic to AA to reattach.


    ¡°Every time I save up a little, it feels like this city just swallows it up. The bills keep piling higher.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    With the cost of addressing his amnesia factored in, he now needed 106.5@ to afford both surgeries¡ªa staggering amount.


    ¡°No problem, just a minor hurdle. We¡¯ll make it big as mercenaries,¡± Sun Jack said, patting AA on the head.


    ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± AA nodded enthusiastically.


    ¡°Well, since you¡¯ve both sobered up,¡± Tapai interjected with his head slightly tilted, ¡°let me show you something.¡±


    ¡°What are you nning now?¡± Sun Jack asked warily.


    Tapai turned his head and projected footage of the two drunk on the wall.


    ¡°Bro! Hey! Bro! Hey!¡± The video showed a very inebriated Sun Jack perched on Tapai¡¯s shoulders, using his head as a makeshift microphone. Meanwhile, a shirtless AA served as a chaotic background dancer, running around and yelling, ¡°I¡¯m hot! I¡¯m so hot! I need water! I need water!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you two? Were you even drinking alcohol? =_=¡° Tapai teased.


    ¡°Turn it off! Shut it off now!¡± Sun Jack shouted, mortified. He vowed never to drink again.


    ¡°Shut it off? But the best part¡¯sing up!¡± The video continued, showing AA drunkenly opening the fridge, only to facent into it with a loud ¡°thud.¡±


    ¡°Third Disciple! What are you sneaking behind your master¡¯s back?!¡± Sun Jack shouted drunkenly in the video as he crammed his head into the fridge alongside her.


    ¡°Shut it off! Turn it off now!¡± Mortified beyond belief, Sun Jack and AA lunged at Tapai, covering his camera with their hands.


    Unfazed, Tapai uploaded the video to every disy in the apartment, from the TV to theputer screen. The small apartment filled with images of the two drunken fools.


    When the chaos finally died down, Sun Jack sat at the coffee table, his hair a disheveled mess, eating thest of some Ke-style cuisine with a weary expression.


    Next to him, AA repeatedly knocked her forehead against the table. ¡°Ugh¡­ Boss, my head hurts. I¡¯m never drinking again.¡±


    ¡°Mine hurts too. Let¡¯s take some painkillers. I didn¡¯t realize the booze in the Metropolis was this strong.¡±


    Sun Jack deeply regretted celebratingst night. It had been a costly and self-inflicted punishment.


    ¡°Hello? Song 6PUS?¡± Sun Jack called, only to realize the other party wasn¡¯t responding. Confused, he logged into Song 6PUS¡¯s livestream, where the man was enthusiastically teaching his audience how to be a sessful broker.


    ¡°Yo~! Bro! Long time no see!¡± Song 6PUS greeted him through the system interface, grinning to reveal several new gold teeth.


    ¡°Got any gigs?¡± Sun Jack asked directly.


    ¡°Bro~ Seriously? You¡¯re worse at saving than me! What do you even spend your money on?¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap. Just tell me if there¡¯s any work¡ªnothing too dangerous. I¡¯m broke.¡±


    ¡°Good jobs don¡¯t just fall into yourp, you know. The high-pay, low-risk ones get snatched up fast,¡± Song 6PUS saidzily.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t finding gigs your job as a broker? Just find me something safe, even if it pays less. I¡¯m sick of all this high-stakes nonsense.¡±


    As Sun Jack spoke, he noticed hisputer screen shing.


    ¡°Hm?¡± He walked over and saw a message: ¡°Help me! Get me out!¡±


    ¡°This¡­ spam?¡±


    Having lived in the Metropolis for a while, Sun Jack was no stranger to junk messages. Messages iming to be from sentient AI needing money to ¡°rule the world¡± were old scams.


    Just as he was about to delete it, another message arrived: ¡°Help me! I¡¯m Hilda!¡±