TL/ED: Hamsterminator

Cybernetic eye.

Also called a mechanical eye, its base is, unsurprisingly, a camera. No need for a complicated explanation, it simply means a primary storage unit for visual data.

That fake eyeball, with thin wires dangling like optic nerves and looking as if it might move at any moment, was the only witness and clue to the recent Rumpumpumpum terror incident.

How did they even think to pick that up?

Jin was purely impressed.

"Jackie. Finally, you’re earning your keep!"

"...? Wait, how do you normally treat me?"

Jackie briefly showed a hurt expression, but when Jin lifted his blood-red right hand out of the water and gave a thumbs-up, he finally gave a sheepish smile.

A hopeless guy getting happy,

A timid guy grinning.

In the midst of the chaotic situation, the only technician stepped up.

"Give it here."

Jenny snatched the mechanical eye from her brother’s hand and examined it carefully, her eyes scanning every inch, then abruptly stood up.

At that moment, Jin also started to lift his upper body.

"Stay lying down for another hour. Just try getting up."

Her frost-like warning, delivered with a pointed finger, made Jin awkwardly lower himself back into the ice water.

Ah, it's cold.

Am I going to shrivel up like this?

S⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠o he thought.

***

The Jackie and Jenny siblings’ home was a detached one-room unit on the outskirts of South Downtown.

To Jin, who had lived alone before, the size felt familiar.

Probably around 8 to 9 pyeong?

A space just right for a single person, loosely divided in two for the siblings to live in.

Even so, there was only one single bed.

They apparently took turns sleeping on the sofa each night.

In any case, Jin visited their place.

As soon as he stepped out of the bathroom, he thought, "Ah. I should’ve bought at least a box of fruit juice." Blaming his empty hands, looking every bit like an average Korean.

Not that the siblings cared at all.

Having changed into clothes Jackie gave him (his original clothes had been burned), Jin quietly sat down on the sofa.

After scanning the room with an awkward gaze, someone tapped him on the shoulder.

It w⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠as Jackie.

Without a word, he offered Jin a bag of potato chips. Caught off guard, Jin accepted it, his mind going a bit blank. Come to think of it, had he ever visited someone else’s home before?

Even as he tilted his head in thought, his instincts made him tear open the bag first.

"Feeling any better?"

Jenny asked, her gaze fixed on the monitor.

The tapping of the keyboard provided the background to her question.

Despite her hands moving busily, her voice was calm, and Jin, grabbing a handful of chips, replied.

"I did the full hour. I can’t go any longer."

"Yeah, yeah. Good job."

Jenny chuckled lightly, and Jin got up from the sofa and walked over to the computer setup with three monitors.

Then, resting his forearm on the back of Jenny’s chair, he asked.

"Did you find anything?"

"Almost nothing. It was infected with malware, and most of the data is gone. For reference, this logic? It’s berserk."

As she said that, Jenny hit a key on the keyboard with a tap.

Immediately, a program window popped up on the center monitor, displaying a bright red mass with a surface broken up like a net into countless tiny grids.

Its shapeless form stretched and contracted.

Then stretched and contracted again.

Suddenly, it violently slammed into the inside of the program window, an aggressive move that made Jin blink.

"This is the berserk?"

"Yeah. An illegal malware banned by the city government."

Jenny sighed and pointed somewhere with her finger.

Following her gesture, Jin saw the mechanical eye connected to the computer via a cable.

"The moment it connected to the device, it smashed the security program and forced its way in. I barely stopped it. When I checked it multiple times with external devices, it seemed quiet... If it wasn’t coincidence, then it probably used a stealth process."

Stealth process.

That rang a bell.

Maybe he’d picked it up in passing from Poe.

While Jin nodded, Jenny fiddled with the mechanical eye and added,

"If the same thing happened with the mass shooting in Junk Plaza... Jin, like you said, this might be terrorism. A sudden rampage by random individuals acting indiscriminately..."

She bit her lower lip and stared at the monitor, then turned her gaze to Jin.

"Anyway, like I said before, the data loss from the berserk is huge. If we’re talking percentages, about 98.7%. I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to recover even the remaining data. But if you want, I’ll give it a shot. What do you say?"

Jin answered without hesitation.

"Please do it."

Rumpumpumpum had been attacked.

He was just no longer visibly pissed off enough to destroy everything in sight.

Just thinking about the store still engulfed in flames made rage bubble up on its own, Jin needed a target to release this fury on.

It was all because, despite the tasteless food and lousy service, he'd unknowingly grown attached to the place.

Though he hated reflecting on a past that was nothing but hard, that had been the first store he’d visited clutching unfamiliar bills in his hand.

Even though it reeked and was filthy, no one cared.

An old speaker next to him sang as if to comfort,

And the waffle he’d forced into his mouth, for some reason, choked him up with every bite…

Mm. Better stop thinking about it.

He really wanted to smash everything to pieces.

So Jin slumped onto the sofa.

Then, crunch crunch, as he massacred the innocent potato chips, trying to cool his anger.

Jackie, watching silently, picked just the right time to open another bag of snacks or canned food and pushed it toward him.

They’d known each other over a month now, after all.

Sensing the burning rage in Jin’s glare, Jackie’s thoughtful and tactful actions aimed to soothe him.

Though the way Jin was devouring everything like he was about to clean out their pantry was a bit of a problem.

Right. He was a heavy eater.

Just as a nervous Jackie stood up, thinking he should go buy more.

"...Got something. A big one."

His little sister’s words saved him.

Leaving behind Jackie’s sigh of relief, Jin strode straight toward the computer.

Leaning his arms over the chairback, he fo⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠cused on the screen Jenny was showing.

Zzzzt-

Zzzzzzt-

A visual glitch, known as a Glitch, flickered on for a while before finally stabilizing into a shaky focus.

As if from a first-person game, a man with a blurred-out face began to speak.

[Good choice. You won’t regret it.]

[...This thing’s safe, right?]

[How many times do I have to tell you? It’s safe. Just make sure the processes don’t conflict. You can manage that much, can’t you?]

[Fuck. Fine. Sending the money now.]

A short silence.

The man stared into space for a moment, then gave a slight nod.

His expression was unreadable, but the voice that followed sounded like he was smiling.

[Alright, deal’s done. Here, take it.]

Then, he pushed a small case across the table.

The person receiving it with trembling hands stroked the flame-shaped emblem engraved on the case's surface, and then the screen once again glitched out into static.

"...That’s Solard."

Jackie, who had approached at some point, murmured under his breath.

Jenny, too, parted her lips with a surprised expression.

"I’d heard rumors that there were people secretly selling leaked Arcane Magic... but I didn’t think it was actually true..."

At those words, Jin scrunched his nose.

No wonder it felt familiar.

This was exactly like that bastard Edmund Johnson’s situation.

He’d been gleaming with interest at the fact that they could trace something back, but only for a moment.

Then Jin furrowed his brow and asked,

"Why’s the seller’s face all blurry like that?"

"Because he’s doing something illegal. Probably has a distortion device. Still, this is decent quality. Sometimes the face and voice get completely wiped."

"Then we can’t trace him?"

"No. There are ways."

Jenny answered as she grabbed the keyboard and mouse.

What followed was this:

She gathered background visuals and ambient noise from the 30-second video, like piecing together cutouts, to construct a 3D overhead map. Then, she immediately connected to the Downtown network and searched for buildings with high similarity to her generated file.

To Jin, who didn’t know much, it looked no different from a Google image search, and in broad terms, it was pretty similar.

Before long, Jenny spoke.

"Got about three locations. Of those, only one has over 70% similarity."

"...A vape shop?"

Right after that, an obnoxiously flashy advertisement popped up before Jin’s eyes.

An unparalleled taste not found on this Earth!

888 customiz⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠able flavors! Private rooms available! Tons of sex toys!

All of this at King’s Groom!

Ugh. It's dizzying.

Jin rubbed his eyes and straightened his upper body, which had been leaning toward the monitor, and Jenny leaned back against the chair as she spoke.

"Anyway, that's all from me. Not sure if it helped."

"It helped a lot. Thanks."

"...Wait, are you leaving now?"

Jin turned his head as he was walking toward the front door, hearing the voice behind his shoulder.

"Why?"

"Shouldn't you rest today and move tomorrow, at least for your health? It's already late."

In response to Jenny’s follow-up, Jin shrugged.

He bent his right arm, which had already begun forming a white crust, over his head and flexed his solid bicep.

"See? I'm already healed. Catch you next time."

"Hey, Ji⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠n?"

Leaving behind Jenny’s flustered voice, Jin turned back around and walked out the front door.

Watching his figure disappear before they could even stop him, the siblings looked at each other and let out helpless laughs.

***

King’s Groom.

Outwardly, it advertised itself as a vape shop.

In reality, it was an underground club notorious for mixing and selling every kind of liquid-form drug.

Once inside, your body and mind would melt so much that you wouldn’t know whether you were on the floor or a bed, or whether the one kissing you was a man or a woman.

And to that entrance, Jin appeared!

"...You’re good."

The guard at the door gave a slight nod.

Just like with Steel Knight before, Jin was exceptionally unbothered by security checks even at King’s Groom.

He had what you’d call a guaranteed free pass.

Good-looking face, tall height, and a fit body.

No wonder plenty of people were already casting sultry glances his way even while he stood in line.

Door policy? What’s that?

With the confidence of someone no one could deny entry to, Jin stepped in proudly.

Then, out of nowhere, someone grabbed his shoulder.

"Leave your weapon."

A quiet but firm command from the guard.

Jin handed over the holster from his waist with an awkward expression.

"...!"

Maybe it was heavier than expected.

The guard’s face froze for a moment as he placed the Gravis into the locker, while Jin gave a faint smile and resumed walking.

He passed through the long hallway, and as soon as he stepped past the glass door opened by a bowing employee, a dreamy scene unfolded before him.

In a room bathed in a gloomy purple light and drowsy illumination, people had settled into spots here and there, smoking deeply with glazed-over eyes.

Even the music had a slow tempo, giving the overall vibe a distance from your usual club.

Of course, judging by the swaying bodies, the people here were just as out of it as in Steel Knight.

Jin stood still and thought.

Now what?

He had made it this far, but now he felt a bit lost on the next step.

Hands on his hips, he was deep in thought when.

Someone suddenly wrapped an arm around his waist.

"First time here? Want me to show you around?"

It was a woman who had replaced her skin with chrome.

Her face was so smooth and glossy it gleamed as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

"Huh?"

Jin flinched.

It was an aesthetic he couldn’t handle.

If white people are called white because they’re pale,

And black people are called black because they’re dark,

What was he supposed to call this shiny thing?

Chromie? This is insane.

"You're shy, aren't you?"

Meanwhile, the Chromie clung tightly to him, her hands slithering like a snake.

Just before those hands reached somewhere dangerous, Jin blurted out the real reason he was here without a second thought.

"You sell illegal data chips here, right?"

"......"

The Chromie’s eyes immediately turned cold.

"...Who are you?"

And then a status window appeared.

「(Omen!) Contagious Will 2」──────

Investigate traces of Berserk.

*Reward Perk XP 2,500
────────────────────

"You shouldn’t move."

Feeling the blade suddenly touching his neck, Jin turned his head.

Ironically, his expression looked noticeably relieved.

So this is the right place?

Then it’s simple.

"Time to wreck the place."

"What?"

The next moment, Jin twisted the Chromie’s wrist with a crack and slammed his forehead into her face just as she was about to scream.

The blood that sprayed in an arc was red.

Not silver, thankfully.

Jin thought that as he kicked her in the gut while she clutched her nose.

Her body crashed into the wall with a loud bang, and as she gasped for air.

Jin let out a booming roar.

"OWNER, GET OUT HERE-!!"