Chapter 80 - One-Day Job
The next day, they had a gathering.
It was a celebration for their safe return from that hellish tunnel.
The meeting place was D'Andre's office.
As Jin nudged the door open with his shoulder, still hugging a box of snacks, the Linker, who had been chatting excitedly, turned his head and spread his arms wide in welcome.
"Jin!"
Hooker followed suit, exclaiming, "You're here, boss!" as he took the box from Jin.
Greg, too, stepped forward with an awkward smile and offered a handshake.
For reference, Greg was known as the useless mercenary.
However, over the past three days, he seemed to have recovered both mentally and physically, his complexion looking noticeably better.
Apparently, he had even signed a contract with D'Andre in the meantime.
"...You didn't get tricked into signing it, did you?"
"What— What the hell?! You think I'm some kind of thug?"
"Why're you getting so worked up?"
Jin snickered as he teased D'Andre before shifting his gaze to Greg.
"What's your solo level?"
"Level 1. Starting fresh."
"Why? You've got mercenary experience. Wouldn't your past records count toward your level?"
"I was part of a PMC (private military company). Most of the jobs I handled were team operations, so I never had the chance to lead anything on my own. Back then, I was just another cog in the machine. But now that I've gone solo, individual ability matters a lot more. I figured I'd start from the ground up and learn properly."
"...It's weird seeing you talk without stuttering."
Jin blinked.
Had he always been this coherent?
The effects of withdrawal symptoms were definitely terrifying.
"Anyway, it's good that everything worked out."
"Yeah, thanks. I owe you one."
As the group of three humans and one android continued their lighthearted banter, Maximo and Natasha arrived together at the office.
They had apparently run into each other in front of the building.
Like Jin, they exchanged greetings with everyone before walking inside.
During this, Natasha elbowed Jin in the stomach, prompting him to feign pain as he apologized for canceling their plans so suddenly.
"Sorry, something really urgent came up."
"I know. You told me yesterday."
"Then why'd you hit me?"
"Because I felt like it?"
The conversation ended there as Hooker suddenly bent at a ninety-degree angle in greeting.
"Pleasure to meet you, ma'am!"
"Oh. You must be Hooker."
After a while of noisy chatter, the group gathered around the worn-out couch and cracked open some beers.
Among the clinking cans in midair, one held cola instead.
Jin downed his drink in one go and let out a loud burp, causing Maximo to chuckle.
"Seriously, why do you hate alcohol so much?"
Then, suddenly, Maximo clapped his hands.
"Oh, right! There's something I wanted to tell you guys."
He rummaged through his bag and pulled out several items, stacking them on the table one by one.
Jin tilted his head at the sight.
"...What's all this?"
"I found them lying around in the tunnel, so I picked up a few. Thought they might be artifacts from a ruin or something."
"You had the presence of mind to do that?"
Natasha asked, raising an eyebrow.
Maximo simply shrugged.
"Would I really be a peddler if I didn't? Anyway, I'm planning to get them appraised. If they turn out to be valuable, I'll consider your debts cleared."
"Unbelievable."
Jin scoffed in disbelief.
They had been running, fighting, and escaping nonstop.
When did he even have the time to grab these?
Did he have a sixth sense for money or something?
"You never fail to amaze me."
Jin said, shaking his head.
Maximo clicked his tongue in disappointment.
"It's just a shame I couldn't find an artifact. If I had come across something like the Eternal Dawn or the Eye of God, my life would've completely changed."
"...Eternal Dawn? That sounds familiar."
"It's the artifact the Marzie family has been searching for over hundreds of years. The legend says that whoever finds it will be named the next head of the family..."
Maximo spoke dramatically, lifting his palm toward the ceiling as if he were presenting something divine.
Jin frowned.
"If it's that valuable, how did they lose it in the first place?"
"You seriously don't know?"
Maximo clicked his tongue again and glanced around.
"..."
Noticing that everyone was staring at him expectantly, he seemed to realize it was the perfect moment to tell an old story.
Lowering his beer can, Maximo adopted a more serious tone.
"It was about 700 years ago, the tale of the Ice Mage who froze the last black dragon..."
The drinking session dragged on.
Empty cans and bottles gradually piled up.
Someone would bring up an interesting topic, and heated discussions would ensue—but in reality, they drank far more than they talked.
Before long, slurred speech took over, making for a stream of nonsensical chatter.
Stories flitted across the table like fleeting snacks, devoured and regurgitated over and over again.
At some point, Jin found himself quietly watching his friends sprawled across the couch in various states of drunkenness.
Then, a voice reached his ears.
"I really worked my ass off... But no matter how hard I tried... Nothing ever seemed to go my way... It was just so damn tough... But lately... I feel kinda proud..."
It was D'Andre, mumbling as he smacked his lips.
Jin let out a small chuckle.
When he started cleaning up, Hooker jumped up in alarm.
"Boss! I'll do it!"
"It's fine. The ones who drank should clean up."
After tidying up, Jin stretched and turned toward the door.
"I'm heading out first."
"Take care, boss."
"..."
Jin paused, watching the android bow politely, then spoke again.
"Tell D'Andre I'll drop by from time to time."
"Even if it's not for work?"
"Yeah, even if it's not about work."
"Ohh! He'll be really happy!"
As Hooker's eyes widened, Jin gave a small wave before turning the doorknob.
Stepping out of the old building, which lacked an elevator, he walked onto the main street, where the night air pressed its cool lips against his forehead.
The sky, which he glanced up at without much thought, was a dirty gray without a single cloud in sight.
The outlines of the buildings, obscuring even that sky, formed eerie silhouettes that resembled the gaping maw of some monstrous beast.
The longer he stared, the more he felt as if he were about to be swallowed whole.
With a slight scrunch of his nose, Jin lowered his head and resumed walking.
As he treaded the damp asphalt, at some point, someone loitering by the roadside scurried toward him, extending an arm.
It was a gaunt young boy.
The tattered paper cup he held out, in a posture so humble it bordered on servile, contained only a few dull coins at the bottom.
Not even enough to buy a loaf of bread.
Jin silently lifted his gaze and took in the sight of the boy.
A face marked with bruises, one that survived on the charity of others.
Inside those eyes, anxiety, despair, and resignation formed a grimy mess.
"Hold on."
Jin patted down his pants and then searched inside his jacket.
He rummaged through every pocket, pulling out all the cash he had.
Rolling the bills together, he shoved them deep into the boy's pocket and spoke.
"Don't hold onto it for too long. Use it as soon as you can."
"Th-thank you…"
Was he too shocked?
The boy was at a loss for words, so Jin placed a palm on his back and gently nudged him forward.
"No need for thanks. Just go."
Jin averted his gaze from the dumbfounded eyes staring back at him and continued down the street.
Neon signs flickered intermittently, trash piled up along the roads, and the acrid stench of burnt electronics lingered in the air.
As if mocking the Jin who had been laughing and chatting just moments ago, the city leaned in close, revealing its grim and somber face.
Jin showed no reaction.
Hands stuffed deep into his pockets, he simply walked alone through the shadowed alleyway.
As he always did.
With about two months left until the families tournament in June, Jin had found a new goal.
But that didn't mean he could just sit around and do nothing until then.
So he began taking on simple jobs to pass the time.
Well, they were only simple in name.
Some were dangerous enough that most solo players outright avoided them.
But who was Jin?
He was a Level 4 solo, after all.
A phrase like "most solos" no longer applied to him.
If anything, Level 4 was a severe understatement.
In truth, the defining line between a Level 4 and a Level 5 solo was whether they had ascended to the second-tier hierarchy.
By all rights, Jin was a Level 4 in name only—he was effectively a Level 5.
Perhaps because of that…
Lately, whenever he logged into the solo intranet, there was no end to the flood of messages.
From job offers to direct recruitment requests, the sheer number of incoming messages was absurd.
Even if he spent an entire day reading them, by the next morning, his inbox would be overflowing again.
It was enough to give him a taste of what being a celebrity might feel like.
To deal with this, Jin came up with a solution—he left a brief note in his profile description.
[R&D Ambassador. Hard to check DMs.]
There.
That should do it.
Not that he really knew what it would accomplish, but at least it gave him some peace of mind.
After all, no matter how many people sought him out, he only had one body.
If it was truly urgent, they could come find him in person.
Time passed again.
And during that time, Jin experienced a couple of good things—
First, he finally had a home!
Strictly speaking, it was just an old warehouse, but hey, that was still something.
The important part was that he finally had a space of his own.
The first thing he did?
He parked his Manticore there.
After that, he brought in essential furniture like a bed and a table.
And, of course, he paid Po for all the trouble.
By the time all was said and done, he had blown through the entire 100 million he'd received from the colonel.
But Jin didn't mind in the slightest.
His pockets might have been light, but at least he was no longer a wanderer in Downtown.
That sense of satisfaction was beyond words.
And the second good thing?
Wonder had contacted him.
[Have you been doing well?]
"Yeah, I've been doing fine. But hey, your voice sounds good?"
[It's all thanks to your help, isn't it? And for leaving that message on the intranet. We truly appreciate it.]
"Oh, please. After everything I've gained from you, that was nothing."
A bit of small talk, then straight to the point.
[Once again, we'd like to provide you with some of our products. If there's anything specific you want, let us know in advance, and we'll consider it when selecting candidates.]
"Hmm."
Lying on his bed, Jin pondered for a moment before glancing toward the holster resting on his table.
"Would it be possible to enhance an existing product?"
[You mean the Gravis 707?]
"Yeah."
It was a weapon he'd grown deeply attached to.
At this point, it would feel strange not to have it.
But if he was going to keep using it as his main weapon, it needed some upgrades.
That was Jin's honest assessment.
After a moment of silence, Wonder's voice came through the receiver.
[The last work of Ruger, huh… Alright. A signature weapon always makes for an appealing project. We'll send someone over soon. Just leave it to us.]
"Got it. Thanks."
[Until next time.]
***
Wonder's employee found Jin less than half a day after their call.
As expected from a former corporate worker, they were razor-sharp in handling tasks.
"I'm counting on you... It's a cherished weapon."
"Uh... sir? Could you loosen your grip a little...?"
Jin reluctantly handed over Gravis, his fingers unwilling to let go.
His heart felt strangely empty today—was this what parents felt when they sent their children off to the army?
After tossing and turning on his bed for a while, Jin let out a sigh and sat up.
Moments like these called for a conversation.
Riding Manticore, he headed straight for the Anekdote and threw the door wide open.
"Hey there!"
His booming greeting made Khalifa and Po exchange startled looks.
"You called?"
"No, I thought the manager did."
Jin tilted his head at their exchange.
"Were you talking about me?"
As he asked, he took a seat at the table.
Po naturally placed a glass of water in front of him and spoke.
"That's right. We actually have a fitting request for you."
At that, Jin turned his gaze toward the wall clock.
June 24th.
About fifteen days remained until the Family Rotation.
Since the festival was being held inside the 10th Sector, factoring in travel time, the timing felt somewhat tight.
Shaking his head, Jin refocused and replied.
"That's gonna be tough. I don't think the timing works."
Then Khalifa, who had approached from the opposite side, folded his arms on the table and spoke.
"Because of the Rotation?"
"Yeah."
"You said you planned to leave ten days beforehand, right?"
"Yeah, I did."
"Then it's fine. This request will be over in just one day."
Jin took a sip of water and asked again.
"One day?"
"Not even a whole day. Just half a day as a bodyguard."
"Bodyguard? Out of nowhere?"
"Yup. There's a concert in Downtown in two days. And it's a huge celebrity's concert. The agency is desperately trying to stop her, calling it too dangerous, but she insists on continuing her tour because, in her words, she's an artist."
Khalifa raised an eyebrow and added,
"She's worth a fortune, so on top of her direct security team, they're hiring every available solo mercenary nearby. Only Level 4 or higher, too. It might seem excessive, but from their perspective, this area must look that dangerous. So, are you interested?"
Just as Khalifa finished speaking, Jin's long-dormant system window suddenly popped up.
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「Art in the Gutter」
Protect Elina Vicent.
Reward: Perk XP 12,000
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Jin stared at the notification for a moment before looking back at Khalifa.
"That concert's gonna be a disaster."