NOVEL FROG Chapter 181
In the cyberpunk world, the ambiance often feels dystopian due to the frequent presence of an ‘absolute power’.
Absolute power.
It could be a megacorp that rules the world or the existence of a super artificial intelligence that could dominate humanity entirely.
Of course, the head of the megacorp, whom I could easily see in my daily life, lived in the same house as me, ate at the same table, and… well, you get the idea.
In the original game that served as the backdrop for this world, the super AI that didn’t even appear was often depicted wearing maid outfits, bunny girl suits, or (short) NCPD tactical gear costumes.
In this context, it wasn’t easy for me to feel dystopian pressure from their existence. Unless I was in bed.
But.
In this world, there’s still one more ‘absolute power’ lurking around…
The city, Neon City.
Well, if we look at it globally, its level was slightly lower. The two previous entities were too powerful.
However, as the Korean saying goes, even a stray dog has its home turf. The influence of the city, the setting of the actual game, was undeniably significant.
This was something I confirmed back in the day when I accompanied Natasha to a broker party for security purposes.
Let’s take a moment to recall that memory.
The equipment used during the ambush at the party was unmistakably ‘city items’.
There were plenty of drones and gear commonly used by the Cyber Force and riot control teams.
Later, I learned from Natasha that the city had instigated such incidents to diminish the influence of mercenaries and brokers.
Incidentally, if all the brokers died at the party, the city planned to introduce a new broker system (including fees).
Yet, Natasha and I somehow emerged from that party alive.
Anyway…
How did the city react afterward?
To put it simply, ‘nothing’ happened.
To summarize Natasha’s official response from the city back then:
“Hello, this is the City Security Department.
First, we apologize for the incident that occurred.
You purchased this, huh? Tough luck.
Anyway, it happened that way.
Of course, we will officially say it was a mercenary incident caused by hacking.
Therefore, there will be no compensation. If you’re unhappy, feel free to visit the security department’s building and confront us directly.”
Thank you. This has been the City Security Department.”
…
In a way, if it was any other city, that would be the case, but at least within Neon City, their influence was incredibly strong.
Thus, it was natural for me to feel tense when seeing someone from the City Security Department.
“By the way, you really seem to like that doll.”
“Yep, sure do.”
I was petting the straw doll (Jupiter), and there was nothing I could do about it.
39. Each Person’s Way of Conversing (2)
The ways to relieve tension differ among individuals.
Some might take a deep breath, drink cold water, or slowly count primes in their minds.
There were various methods.
As a wise wizard, I was doing all three while also petting the doll.
Perhaps because of that, the tension that had been nagging at my heart began to ease.
We had arrived at the second-floor café terrace.
Normally, it would have been appropriate to utilize the guest rooms prepared by the Chairman, but currently, Teddy and Dal were staying there.
I had to avoid introducing illegal immigrants lurking in the underground to the City Security Department.
Honestly, I wanted to refuse them and drive them away, but that was practically unrealistic.
Even if I had many capable people around me, the city had countless ways to harass individuals if they set their mind to it.
There was no need to show animosity.
“This is delicious. What’s the name of the coffee?”
“…Uh, should I go ask?”
“It’s fine.”
I watched the man sipping from the coffee cup.
I didn’t know many people from the City Security Department (only Gable, really).
They rarely appeared in the game and generally weren’t people one would encounter: the ‘City Security Department’ was notorious for that.
Rumors had spread in Net Space about their various activities for the city’s safety and development.
Since such rumors circulated, aside from Gable, who had badly chosen his job, I wasn’t thrilled about meeting anyone else from the City Security Department…
Yet, I had no choice but to have them show up at my home.
His attire was surprisingly ordinary.
He wore a sleek black suit, his hair styled in a notable (by cyberpunk standards) 7:3 fashion.
His outfit was almost neurotically neat.
As I stared at the man, he laid down his coffee cup and spoke lightly.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I should have introduced myself sooner.”
He handed me a small paper business card.
“I briefly explained earlier, but here is who I am.”
A paper business card in cyberpunk…
I immediately thought this guy might be nuts.
I checked the business card he handed over.
[City Security Department, ■■ ■, 7A-151]
“…”
What’s this supposed to do for me?
All I knew was that he was affiliated with the City Security Department.
I probably couldn’t manage my expression upon seeing that (crazy) business card. However, the man didn’t seem to react more than a few times – he remained composed.
“Oh, I apologize. I don’t have a business card.”
Traditionally, when receiving a business card, it’s customary to exchange one in return.
However, as a mercenary and a wizard—both of which are peak hardcore jobs in the 3D realm—I obviously wouldn’t have a business card.
I introduced myself to the man, who was referred to as 7A…
“No, just call me Siwoon.”
“I know.”
At least it didn’t look like an ‘F’ but a ‘T’.
The man’s mechanical eye glinted with a round light.
He was reading my visual interface.
“I’m aware that you’re referred to as the ‘Unique Wizard’ and that in the past, you took on a mission we offered along with your companions.”
“…”
I usually wouldn’t want a male stalker, though.
As though sensing my thoughts, he continued speaking calmly.
“As you might already know, everyone living in this building is classified under a ‘Level 1 Watch’ status in the database.”
“…That’s true.”
I agreed.
Had I not been living here, I might’ve thought it a demon lord’s castle.
“The Chairman of the corporation, the mercenary known as Meteor, the famous singer, and the corporate broker referred to as ‘No Answer’s boss’.”
“Oh.”
While he spoke, I grew tense once again.
I realized that among our cohabitants, some people needed to remain undetected by the City Security Department.
If Eve’s identity as an AI were revealed, she could be targeted by all corporates.
Julia was a given. Her profile listed her as an illegal mercenary, wanted criminal, and gamer in the city’s database.
Even Maya, who seemed like an ordinary fusion-Japanese restaurant part-timer, was technically an escaped convict. She had sanitized her identity, but I wasn’t sure if the city was unaware of that fact.
I swallowed hard.
The atmosphere was intensifying. I involuntarily tensed my grip. Jupiter quivered and tapped my hand with a trembling paw.
Ah, I accidentally…
I loosened my grip on the straw doll I’d been holding tightly and gently stroked its rough head.
The man must have picked up on the atmosphere.
However, he still spoke with a blank expression.
“However, that’s not the reason I came today, so I won’t talk long.”
A smile emerged on the man’s lips.
But that grin was exceedingly strange. His eyes were still devoid of emotion, only a smile carved across his mouth.
His face was a bizarre contradiction.
If that were a talent, it would indeed be one. He could possibly show it off at a talent contest.
Is it that there’s no normal guy in the City Security Department except Gable?
“Other than the few individuals, Wizard, you don’t have any ill tendencies toward the ‘city,’ which is more reassuring.”
“Well, since this is where I live.”
“So, I hope you keep that in mind this time as well.”
“…Huh?”
I tilted my head at the sudden topic.
Finally, the man began to explain why he had come.
“Recently, you received a mission from Agent Gable at the City Security Department, right?”
“…Ah, yes.”
Don’t tell me.
Are you here to scold me about not completing the mission properly?
I desperately tried to think.
“Well, it’s not that we’re just standing still. We’ve found many clues. It’s about corporate terrorism, of course, we must resolve the mission—”
“Oh, that’s not it.”
The man interrupted me with a shake of his head.
“I’ve come to inform you that you can now withdraw from that mission.”
“…What?”
The man lightly rotated his wrist.
A small holographic screen popped up above it.
“I don’t know what explanation you received from Agent Gable; the records have been erased. However, the figures regarding corporate terrorism are indeed decreasing. It’s practically resolved.”
The numbers displayed in the holographic screen seemed to be details of some electronic documents. It appeared to be the occurrence count of corporate terrorism events.
The dates were listed down the page in a row.
…
But I’d seen this format somewhere before.
I secretly activated my visual interface.
I pulled up the ‘electronic document data’ that Gable had sent me earlier. I hadn’t deleted it out of sheer laziness, and thankfully so.
It was the same format, the same order.
The only difference was the numbers inside.
This suggested that one of the two was lying.
For my personal opinion, I’d bet my entire fortune on this person lying rather than Gable.
However, bringing it up in this situation could be tricky. After all, it was sensitive information from the department.
I decided to change the subject.
“Well, I still need to talk to Agent Gable first…”
“Agent Gable is currently on a long business trip.”
“…A long trip?”
What the hell?
“Yes, that’s correct. Anyway, I’m here to apologize for the ‘wrong information’ that was delivered due to the ‘arbitrary judgment’ of Agent Gable.”
…That wasn’t entirely accurate.
Gable had also explained to us that we didn’t have to proceed with the mission. He mentioned it was due to a superior’s bad judgment that led to the assignment.
Now the narrative shifted.
Besides…
A long business trip.
I couldn’t shake off various ominous thoughts. Should I try contacting him?
The man continued speaking as if reading my mind while adjusting his choking tie.
“You probably won’t reach Agent Gable immediately even if you do contact him. He’s currently quite busy on his trip.”
“…”
Let’s think this through.
I couldn’t ascertain if the man was lying or telling the truth.
However, it seemed like the upper echelons of the city didn’t want us poking around the ‘corporate terrorism’ incident.
The mission was assigned under Gable’s superior’s ‘genuine arbitrary judgment,’ but they were probably trying to stop us from digging further now.
Even if it didn’t require me to say it, I hadn’t intended to concentrate on resolving the mission in the first place.
Strangely enough, it made me curious to think, is this something worth doing all to this extent?
Hiding such thoughts, I asked the man.
“So the conclusion is that the mission is canceled, and you want us to drop our concerns about corporate terrorism, right?”
“That’s correct. I apologize for this.”
Something feels so suspicious.
The man slowly rose from his seat.
His almost untouched coffee cup rested on the table.
“Once Agent Gable returns from his trip, I will instruct him to reach out to the Wizard.”
“…You’re leaving already?”
“Anxiety about Security Department duties.”
The standing man looked down at me. He hid his smile again, his expression reverting to what it had been at first.
“I sincerely hope you make wise decisions. That’s all from the City Security Department, Agent 7A-151.”
Without any farewell, he departed.
When the Security Department member vanished, the curse doll, Jupiter, leaped from my arms onto the table.
It seemed it was making gestures of anger.
Honestly, perhaps due to its straw doll appearance, it looked more scary than cute.
I gently stroked the head of Jupiter, who seemed to reflect my frustrations.
It’s been a while since I felt somewhat calmed down like this.
“Ha.”
This is exactly why I dislike working with city authorities.
*
“So what’s the plan…?”
“From now on, we are going to find the city’s high-ranking officials.”
“What?”