TL/ED: Hams⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌termi⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌nator

These past few days had been sheer hell for Jin.

Had he gotten hurt somewhere again?

No. He did get into a few scuffles, but nothing serious enough to call it an injury.

Was he hungry then?

Five meals a day. At least two bowls per meal.

No further explanation needed.

If not that, was he worried about which skill to choose?

He's already decided which star to light up. He just lacked a bit of experience points.

So, the reason Jin was suffering was none other than.

Too much money...

Looking back, not long ago, Jin was a broke guy scraping together change just to buy a slice of cake.

The money he earned from his first job was all blown on buying the Gravis, so it disappeared like a credit card bill, he never really f⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌elt like it was his to begin with.

And then, out of nowhere, he was handed a massive sum of 25 million credits.

So naturally he couldn't handle it. All day long he treated the money bag like serving a master, constantly checking if his dear money was doing well, if anything was uncomfortable, opening and closing the zipper whenever he had a chance. Open, close. Open, close.

This is why they say only those who have spent money know how to spend it well.

Jin’s idea of luxury so far?

Mostly food expenses. Aside from that, just a helmet with wireless communication and a few extra magazines stocked up by Brof.

So the money bag was still heavy.

He knew it sounded ridiculous to say this but...

Honestly, it felt like he was carrying around a tumor.

Even now.

Just as he ran out of pocket money, he parked the Manticore in a secluded alley, and when no one was looking, quickly pulled out a wad of bills.

Suddenly, a cat leaped out.

Jin, instinctively pointing the Gravis, was more startled than the fleeing cat and lowered his gun in shock.

Then he slumped down on the spot.

Being a bodyguard for a money bag can only go on for so long.

At this rate, he was going to end up with neurosis.

...Maybe I should just rent a pl⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌ace?

He thought about it, but that was a no-go too.

Eventually, he'd have to leave the money at home, but how could he trust the security in Downtown?

And it wasn’t just the money bag. The Manticore was also one of the main reasons Jin’s stress lines were deepening.

All because it was just too beautiful.

If you don't believe it, see for yourself.

Both front and rear wheels equipped with 21-inch custom wheels and large tires, plus a sexy khaki matte body reborn through expert hands.

Sure, it had some scratches and dents, but that was just enough to call it 'lightly used'.

In Downtown, where being too clean made you look like too polished (Jin’s opinion), the Manticore was something anyone would drool over.

So every time he parked it, his nerves were on edge.

What if some fucking bastard stole it?

He’d wake up in the middle of the night and run out to the motel parking lot.

At this point, it wasn’t paranoia, it was the early stage of motorcycle anxiety disorder.

Something had gone very, very wrong.

I can’t live like this anymore. Determined, Jin fiddled with his terminal and scrolled through his pitifully short contact list.

And eventually, he landed on Khalifa.

His pride as a Korean man didn’t want to allow it, but he decided to ask for help.

Leave the money with her, borrow her parking space.

While he’s at it, get a meal, sleep over too.

Hey, is Poe the kind of guy who toss and turn in his sleep too?

Yeah, right.

“...Fuck.”

Jin couldn’t bring himself to press the call button and hung his head.

He let out a deep sigh that felt like it could sink the ground.

Just as he was about to give up and stand, a memory flashed through his mind.

He hurriedly turned his terminal back on, checked today’s date, and rested his forehead on his hand.

“Ah, right. Rumpumpumpum.”

***

“So, you were really busy last week?”

"That's right."

Jin nodded and took a big bite out of the sandwich in his hand.

Then tilted his head.

Why does the bacon taste like paper?

With a puzzled look, Jin examined the cross-section of the remaining sandwich. Sitting across from him, Jenny spoke.

"Then you should have said in advance that you might not be able to come. He and I waited until 3 AM."

“Haha. I didn’t mind…”

As for the “he” in “he and I", Jackie gave an awkward chuckle.

Whatever. Jin stuffed the rest of the sandwich into his mouth and answered with a mouthful, his words all muffled.

“I wanted to tell you too. But the terminal’s circuit completely melted...”

Then he rambled on and on. Jenny, who had been quietly watching him list off excuses that weren’t really excuses, finally uncrossed her arms.

“So, are you okay?”

“Huh?”

“The terminal circuit wouldn’t have just melted for no reason, right?”

“Ah... I did end up at the hospital, but I’m totally fine now. Wanna see?”

Jin slightly lifted his shirt and flaunted his washboard abs. Jenny, staring at them, furrowed her brow.

“That’s not fair. He eats that much and still doesn’t have an ounce of fat?”

“Maybe he just takes really frequent dumps?”

At Jackie’s comment, Jin’s brow twitched.

His voice just trembles, but there's nothing he won't say.

Anyway, the misunderstanding was cleared up.

The three of them, reunited after two weeks, continued eating.

For Jin, it was one of the rare moments he could relax.

Which made what happened next even more ridiculous.

Of all times, Khalifa chose now to call.

“Yeah. Khalifa, I’m eating right now. Can we talk a bit later...”

[No. Jin. It’s urgent.]

Her firm voice cut him off and pierced straight into his ear with no delay.

[I sent you a URL via text. It’s not a virus, so don’t worry and just click it. It’ll install a navigation app. Head to the coordinates marked on it. I’ll explain more over the phone.]

“Right now?”

[Right now.]

Jin slightly moved the terminal away from his ear and let out a sigh toward the siblings who were looking at him curiously.

“...I gotta go.”

***

Vrooooom!

The Manticore slid along the road.

“What the hell is going on?”

Jin changed lanes and passed the car in front of him.

Then, Khalifa’s voice came through the newly bought helmet.

[Don’t freak out, but listen. An artifact suspected to be from the Age of Light and Roses was discovered in Downtown. It was uploaded to the dark web today, and the shape and characteristics match historical documents astonishingly well.]

...Artifact?

Age of Light and Roses?

What the hell is she talking about?

Jin really wasn't surprised at all.

Then he snapped back to reality when he heard her calling him.

[Jin? Are you listening?]

“Yeah, yeah. Go on.”

[Then I’ll continue. The reason I’m sure the location is Downtown is simple, the seller left traces-]

And that was all Jin could understand.

Everything after that went in one ear and straight out the other, completely unfiltered.

To summarize simply, it was like this.

The dark web is a cyber black market that requires special permission and software to access.

From the outside, you can’t tell what’s being bought or sold at all.

But on the inside, it’s a different story. The users vaguely sense each other’s presence.

Like a masquerade ball?

Everyone’s wearing masks, but if you look closely at their build, voice, and mannerisms, you’re like, “ah, that's Cheolsu.”

‘Nice to see you, Chulsoo.’ That kind of feeling where you could figure it out.

So dark web users typically use various encryption tools to hide their identities twofold or threefold.

But for some reason, the artifact seller this time failed to follow that process properly.

[The account was encrypted in less than a few dozen seconds, but it was already too late. Everyone who needed to see it saw it. One of them was Poe.]

Listening to the continued explanation, Jin turned the steering wheel.

The Manticore leaned left and smoothly rounded the corner, then straightened and picked up speed.

“Poe? How?”

[It was a coincidence. Poe has a huge interest in relics from the past, so it’s his daily habit to browse the intranet. Today, that led him to the dark web.]

What a refined hobby he has.

Jin thought to himself and asked.

“So? Did he buy it?”

[If he had, I wouldn’t be calling you. The artifact’s already been sold. And right now, we’re racing to catch up with the buyer.]

“Racing to catch up?”

[By the way, Jin. Are you close? You should be seeing it soon.]

Only then did Jin notice something was off. He glanced at the navigation screen.

The route that had previously been shown as a simple line now had dots that were getting closer together.

That meant he was almost at the destination. But...

Wait a second, why is the destination moving?

Jin quickly looked up after confirming that the target was on the same straight line as him.

And he saw it.

A black van tearing down the main road at high speed,

Surrounded protectively by motorcycles.

“Khalifa-?! Mind explaining what the hell I’m looking at right now?”

[You found them. They're a gang called Sweet Dream. Lucky bastards who got their hands on the artifact. Also idiots who don’t even realize they’ve been tracked.]

“You said this was a navigation app. Was it actually a tracker?”

[That’s not what matters right now.]

Her voice carried a faint smile.

[So today I’m not Khalifa the Linker. I’m Khalifa the client. Well then, Solo? Can I assign you a job? Recover a ring-shaped artifact from those guys.]

Jin let out a sigh.

“Hey. Don’t pull this kind of crap next time. I’ve got a personal life too, you know.”

[If I upset you, I apologize. We really didn’t have any other option. You’re the only Solo we could reach in Downtown. In return, I’ve prepared a generous reward.]

Even as Jin accelerated, his ears perked up at the most important part.

[A base fee of 10 million credits, plus 25% of the appraised value of the recovered artifact. And of course, no annoying middleman means no commission. What do you think?]

At Khalifa’s self-deprecating joke, Jin let out a faint chuckle.

“Alright. I’ll take it.”

[For your reference, the Sweet Dream bastards are human trafficking scum, so don’t feel the need to go easy on them. Good luck.]

Right after that, the call ended with a bee⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌p.

Now truly alone, Jin locked eyes on the target.

Eight motorcycles in total.

They hadn’t noticed him yet.

That meant it was time for a quick strike.

Jin yanked the throttle hard.

VROOOOOM!!

The roaring Manticore weaved through lanes, rapidly closing the distance.

In a flash, Jin caught up with the gang and drew the Gravis from his waist.

Not to fire it.

Even for Jin, it wasn’t feasible to start shooting the Gravis one-handed while riding at over 120 kilometers per hour.

So instead, he gripped the barrel tightly instead of the handle.

Then, keeping pace, he smashed the back of the trailing gang member’s head.

CRACK-!

With a sound that was hard to believe came from a human body, the guy's face was smashed into the dashboard.

The now-uncontrolled bike sparked across the asphalt, skidding violently.

The sound startled the rest of the gang, who all turned their heads.

"What, what?!"

“Jack!”

“What is this! We’ve got an enemy!”

At the same time, another head exploded.

This time, a gang member with a flattened face flew through the air.

His body bounced off the ground like a ball.

Of course, human bodies aren’t as elastic as balls.

By the second bounce, all his limbs had been broken.

“Son of a bitch!”

Enraged by their comrade’s horrific end, the others drew blades from their waists without hesitation.

Then they all sped up, aiming directly for the khaki-colored bike.

Jin saw it all through the rearview mirror.

“Kill that bastard!”

VROOOOOM!!

The scream of an overheated engine marked the beginning of battle on the open road.

~~~

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