TL/ED: Ha⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠mst⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠er⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠minator

"You have arrived."

By now, Jin was familiar with the voice that greeted him.

"Hey, Poe."

Jin greeted him casually and walked straight to the table, taking a seat on a backless stool.

"I came after getting a message from Khalifa."

"You must be referring to the request."

"Yeah."

"Would you mind waiting for a moment? The manager is attending to another matter at the moment."

"Take your time. I have plenty of it."

Jin said as he crossed his arms on the bar table.

Then, he casually scanned the shelves filled with liquor bottles.

The labels were fancy, and just by looking at them, one could tell they were expensive. Displayed behind transparent glass, they looked quite impressive.

"...There’s a lot of alcohol here."

"Well, this is a pub, after all."

"Wasn’t this just a front business?"

Jin asked without any ill intent.

He genuinely thought so.

"A lot of people seem to think that. It's something that the manager finds quite disappointing. Even though it might not seem like it, she is quite serious about running this place."

"Ah, my bad. I didn’t mean to offend."

"It's alright. It's true that most Linker offices have a different facade than their actual nature. Just know that Anecdote is not one of them."

As Jin nodded in understanding, Poe approached and placed a plate and a glass on the table.

"Cookies and milk? Wow, thanks."

Having skipped breakfast, Jin devoured the snacks on the spot.

He finished the plate in an instant and washed it down with milk, making for a perfect meal.

The only thing missing was the balance of salty and sweet.

In other words, the harmony of flavors, sweet and salty.

As soon as he filled his stomach with cookies, he couldn’t help but crave a spicy kimchi stew.

Jin realized once again that he was undeniably Korean.

"By the way, I see you got some new gear."

"Oh, you noticed?"

Jin's face lit up at Poe’s words.

It’s human nature to want to show off a good purchase, and he had been secretly waiting for someone to notice.

He immediately pulled the handgun from his waist and placed it on the table with a thud!

Then, lowering his voice, he spoke.

"Gravis 707. A monster with an overall length of 32 cm and a weight of 10 kg, created by Lu... what was it again?"

"Luger & Dollman, you mean?"

"Oh yeah, right. A legendary failure from Luger & Dollman."

Why was it a failure? Well, it was originally designed as a weapon for beastmen, but something about this and that…

The story, which was supposed to continue in an engaging manner, was unfortunately cut short by the sound of heels clicking against the floor.

Without any sense of timing, Khalifa approached from afar.

As always, her luscious red hair swayed gracefully as she greeted them with her characteristic bittersweet fragrance.

"Hello, Jin. Have you been waiting long?"

"You should’ve come just a little later. It was just getting interesting."

"......?"

Was that an unexpected response?

Khalifa’s gaze shifted to Poe as if asking for an explanation.

The bartender merely offered a faint smile, while Jin smacked his lips and holstered the Gravis.

Now, to the main topic.

"So, what kind of request is it?"

"What, both of you? You’re just going to leave me out?"

Khalifa spoke with a hint of feigned disappointment, but she didn't seem truly upset as she slid a file across the table to Jin.

"Read it."

Jin did as she asked, and as he quietly observed his eyes moving across the pages, Khalifa finally spoke up once he turned the first page.

"Area 49, commonly known as Mute Town. Just like other districts in the 40s, it’s a complete dump, not much different from Downtown. But the situation here is much worse. A gang war that lasted over five years has just come to an end."

"Isn’t it a good thing when wars end?"

"Not when it didn’t end due to law enforcement intervention. A victor emerged from the war fought for control over the district. A new warlord has risen after eliminating all rivals."

By that time, Jin was reading the exact passage Khalifa was referring to.

"That would be The Beast, right?"

"That’s right."

As Khalifa confirmed, Jin shifted his gaze to the densely written report.

The Beast.

Abbreviated as TB.

As befitting their name, The Beast was a gang composed entirely of beastmen, with each member being a skilled fighter, far from the average low-life thug.

Their symbol was a set of three diagonal red scars, resembling claw marks from a ferocious beast. Their leader was a lion beastman named Taha.

As Jin continued reading through the document filled with various details, he tilted his head.

"They want me to go up against all of them? This seems way too big. I mean, no matter how much I might be a future Solo King, this is a bit much."

No wonder Khalifa had referred to them as a warlord faction.

Their resources, equipment, and sheer scale were far beyond that of an ordinary gang.

Even Steel Hands, which only ran a single club, seemed downright adorable in comparison.

Fortunately, Khalifa was firm.

"You, taking on the entire TB alone? Of course not. What kind of insane Linker would assign such a suicidal task to a rookie who's only on his second job? Even if such a Linker existed, it certainly wouldn't be Anecdote. Right, Poe?"

"Of course not." Poe replied.

Hearing this, Khalifa smiled faintly before turning her gaze back to Jin.

"You'll understand bette⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠r if you keep reading the report, but this job isn't about going to war with TB. Your task is to destroy one of their supply warehouses."

Jin’s expression became odd.

Destroy a supply warehouse?

That meant,

"So, there must be a remaining force resisting TB."

"That's right."

As Khalifa nodded in confirmation, Jin silently praised himself.

Damn. Sharp deduction. I was kind of sexy just now.

Of course, this was a conclusion anyone could have reached by simply analyzing the situation a little. In fact, if he had flipped through a few more pages of the report, he would have found all the details, photos, captions, and thorough explanations.

Yet, instead of properly reading the well-organized document Anecdote had provided, Jin was just basking in the satisfaction of his correct guess.

Khalifa, however, didn't bother pointing that out.

After all, among Solos, a surprising number preferred verbal briefings over reading documents.

The kind of people who got dizzy after reading more than three lines.

For that reason, Khalifa continued her explanation under the assumption that Jin was one of those types.

"As you suspected, there is a resistance force currently in Mute Town. TB’s victory in the war has begun to turn into a dictatorship, and in response, those who opposed them have banded together. Naturally, they’re the ones who planned this operation."

"Oh-ho."

Jin’s eyes gleamed.

The word "resistance" brought forth memories of historical movements from his homeland.

The Provisional Government of Korea and the Heroic Corps, the French Resistance...

Raynor’s Raiders from StarCraft…

Wait, were they revolutionaries instead?

As Jin seriously pondered the warriors who had fought against oppressive regimes, Khalifa spoke again.

"The resistance is offering 30 million credits as payment. They’ll also provide the explosives needed to destroy the warehouse. So, what do you think? Interested in taking the job?"

"......?"

Jin, lost in thought, slowly raised his head.

"Did I mishear? How much did you say?"

"Thirty million credits."

Boom!!

A lightning bolt struck inside Jin’s mind.

At the same time, his consciousness split into three, each part exclaiming,

"Thirty!"

"Million!"

"Credits!"

What an absolutely absurd number.

One, ten, hundred, thousand, ten thousand, hundred thousand, million, ten million.

And multiply that by three?

How many hot dogs could that buy?

How many meters would they stretch if lined up in a row?

A cosmic level of shock!

Jin’s body trembled.

Of course, to anyone watching, he didn’t appear normal at all.

"...Is there a problem?"

Ignoring Khalifa’s concerned gaze, Jin barely managed to hold onto his sanity and recalled an old saying,

There’s no such thing as a free lunch.

Everything comes with a price.

In this case, the "free lunch" was a whopping 30 million credits.

There’s no easy money in this world.

The terrifyingly high reward made it clear, this was far more dangerous than his first job.

In times like these, one should remain cautious and approach things carefully...

Yeah, screw that.

It’s 30 million credits.

And besides, thanks to the quest, he couldn't refuse anyway.

At that moment, a neatly rectangular window popped up in front of him, as if responding to his call.

[The Three Filters] ───────────────

Three assignments. Three filters.

The conditions to truly become a solo.

- Progress Status (1/3)

- Failure upon assignment rejection

*Reward: Perk XP 10,000

*(Unknown) Story Unlock

───────────────────────

Jin’s forehead twitched at the sight of the detestable interface.

He had the urge to punch it, but he held back.

They say a gentleman’s revenge is never too late, even if it takes ten years.

Might as well use what’s available. Take advantage of what’s offered.

I’m not submitting to the system.

I’m making a rational choice. So get lost.

"Alright. I’ll do it."

Jin accepted, and the quest window smoothly vanished.

Beyond it, Khalifa nodded in satisfaction.

"I figured you’d say that."

She then glanced at the wall clock and murmured to herself.

"So that makes two... What a peculiar combination."

"What?"

"You have a partner for this request. They should be arriving soon."

"Huh?"

Jin tilted his head.

There was someone else?

"Surprised? Actually, it’s all in the report. If this changes your mind, you can still decline now."

"Oh, I don’t mind."

And he wasn’t just saying that.

If anything, he felt relieved.

Yeah. Expecting me to handle a 30-million-credi⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠t job alone would’ve been even weirder.

So, who could it be?

It’d be nice if they were good-looking. Hmm.

Mission, partner, female, beauty…

As Jin imagined a Bond girl,

Ding-ling-

The door to Anecdote opened.

Jin, Khalifa, and Poe all turned their heads at the same time.

"You’re here? We were just talking about you."

"Welcome."

Unlike the other two, who already knew who was coming, Jin was left alone with his expectations,

Only for his face to harden like he had swallowed something rotten.

And the feeling was mutual.

"What the hell? Why is this bastard here?"

The brow above a goblin mask furrowed sharply.

***

Fenrir had made it clear that he would rather work alone than team up with Jin.

His main reason?

How could he trust a rookie who hadn’t even cleared the filters yet?

But the way his gaze scrutinized Jin, the tone of his voice,

It was obvious.

This was personal.

And that pissed Jin off.

"So, you got your ass kicked by a rookie, huh?"

"What? You little-!"

Fenrir’s hand went straight to his sword hilt.

Not to be outdone, Jin gripped his Gravis.

Bang!

Khalifa slammed her hand on the table.

"Enough. Can’t we be a little more professional?"

Tch.

Jin clicked his tongue but loosened his grip.

Seeing this, Khalifa offered a small, appreciative smile before turning to Fenrir, who was still fuming.

"Fenrir. You agreed to this beforehand. You said you had no issue working with any capable Solo."

"That didn’t include some damn newbie-!"

"Fenrir."

Khalifa’s calm tone cut him off.

"That’s enough. For your sake, too."

At her words, Fenrir’s lips, which had been flapping a moment ago, suddenly shut.

Jin, watching from the side, blinked.

Whoa. When did he change his stance?

Fenrir let out a long sigh and finally withdrew his hand from the hilt.

"...My bad. I got a little carried away."

"Right. If you’re a veteran, act like one."

With the tension easing, Khalifa picked up the file from the table.

"Alright. Let’s go over the operation plan in detail."

And so, Jin found himself partnered with a werewolf Bond girl. (TL: This is sarcasm as fenrir is actually male)

He sighed internally.

This was going to be a headache.