TL/ED: Hamsterminator

Lost City had achieved dazzling growth in cybernetic technology.

Naturally, small-scale data chip manufacturers and technical venture companies were so abundant they were practically everywhere.

Actavis Company was one of those.

Rather than developing new products in-house, it focused on producing and distributing replicas of branded data chips whose patents had expired, so-called generic chips. Just another run-of-the-mill manufacturer.

Recently, they had produced a generic chip called “Mother Voice”, based on a competitor’s data chip “Deep Sleep”, which had trauma-suppression functionality. It caused a bit of a stir due to an option that featured lullabies or bedtime stories read by middle-aged women, with a staggering 1,094 voice options.

For Jin, who had a pure, unmodified body, it was a story he couldn’t quite relate to.

He’d heard catchphrases like “There’s bound to be one voice you like among them” a few times, but “There’s bound to be a voice among them that sounds like your mom” was a bit too much...

So Jin focused only on the necessary information again.

First, Actavis Company was a data chip manufacturer.

Second, this was the location extracted from the broker’s mind.

Third, the manufacturer was located in District 36.

Just as he was satisfied with this rare success of a clean three-line summary.

“...Why do I have to be with them?”

At the cold voice brushing past his ear, he turned his head slightly and saw the profile of someone wearing a ballcap and a mask.

“I refuse.”

At Eanna’s words, Khalifa shook her head.

“This is a situation where we’re passing on unverified information. You say you’re okay with it, but I’m not. It’s not just about personal pride, this could affect our reputation in the industry. Even if nothing actually happens, just showing carelessness gives them enough reason to bite.”

“...Do I look like someone who’s going to go around blabbering about this?”

“Even if the person involved stays silent, someone will always find out in this world.”

As expected of a Linker, she was smooth as silk. Mixing truth and exaggeration just right, and delivering it in a calm tone, Eanna was left speechless. Anyone could see from her lowered gaze and silence that she was deep in thought.

Khalifa drove the nail in.

“Will you take responsibility for it?”

Wow. Responsibility.

Jin was impressed.

Could a single phrase that appealed to noblesse oblige really work in this world?

Surprisingly, it did.

“Fine.”

Eanna slowly no⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠dded.

Then, casting a sideways glance at Jin and Eric, she said,

“If it’s just the two of you, I'll go along. But don’t expect me to tolerate any half-assed escorting.”

“Of course. Just pretend as they don't exist.”

It was a hurtful thing to say to someone who’d be there, but what could he do?

Jin just shut his mouth, thinking of it as part of the job of appeasing a picky lady.

Eric was no different, arms crossed without any particular reaction. He just scratched his hairy calf with his toes now and then.

In the meantime, Eanna stood up. When Jin briefly checked his terminal, the time was 19:21. Curious about what time they’d arrive if they left now, he opened the navigation app and began typing A-c-t-a-v-i-s, one letter at a time.

“Follow me.”

Leaving behind those brief words, Eanna passed by and opened the door to leave the shop. Jin, still focused on his terminal, grumbled at how urgent she seemed and got up to follow.

He waved lightly to Khalifa and Poe, who wished him a safe trip, and then hurriedly left Anecdote in pursuit of the client who had already vanished from sight.

It was the start of another request.

***

They say when someone’s too shocked, they’re at a loss for words.

That was exactly now.

...What is this?

Jin blinked his eyes as he looked at the world beyond the transparent cover called a canopy.

A vast cloudfield stretched out beneath his feet, tinged red by the setting sun.

An AI transport aircraft?

It was a mode of transport he never imagined. For Jin, who had innocently planned to just start up Manticore and speed down the highway, not being speechless would’ve been the strange part.

Maybe this is what it means to be a big shot (Jin).

Even from the first step, the scale was different.

They lived in a different world, it seemed.

Diagonally across from him, Jin glanced at Eanna, eyes closed and expressionless. Then he snickered at the snoring sound coming from behind him.

Even in this situation, seeing that helmet-head dozing off, it seemed like he was the only one who was surprised.

Feeling like the only country bumpkin around, Jin scratched the back of his head, but soon decided to just enjoy the situation.

So he turned his head back toward the canopy.

A soft exclamation slipped out.

“Ah.”

Below, where the clouds had parted.

There was a city that had fully entered the night.

The dazzling, scattered lights looked like shattered stars illuminating the deep darkness.

Just like that.

The city, which had long lost its brilliant night sky, had become a new night sky itself. A fact he hadn’t realized when he was struggling within it.

A Milky Way of neon signs.

Loneliness soaked into the splendor.

Still a stranger who felt alienated by it all.

The emotional distance that never seemed to close.

At some point, Jin’s gaze began to waver.

He quickly turned his head, but it was already too late.

The black tide that had seeped into the cracks of his heart was already lapping at his ankles, silently rising.

“Haa- haa-”

His breathing grew ragged on its own as Jin closed his eyes.

And just when he tried to calmly count from 1 to 10.

“Calm down.”

A composed voice.

And at the same time, everything returned to normal as if it had all been a lie.

Beyond the vanished black tide, he could see the interior of the transport ship again. And the woman’s face, who had grabbed his wrist at some point.

Is this what it feels like to meet a savior?

If his body allowed it, he wanted to bow and say thank you, but he was too out of breath. After steadying his breathing for a while, Jin moved his lips.

“...Thank you... thanks... arigato... xiexie.”

In a shallow four-language mix, he expressed his gratitude, and then added to Eanna, who was still holding his wrist.

“Uh, so, I kinda get like this sometimes...”

“No need to explain.”

“Huh?”

“I said, you don’t need to explain.”

Eanna repeated the same words and released his wrist.

Then she turned her head to look straight ahead, while Jin just blinked awkwardly.

“...Ah, okay.”

He rubbed under his nose and looked around for somewhere to rest his gaze.

“Walter was like that too.”

“Huh?”

Jin tilted his head, waiting for more.

But Eanna fell silent after that, and Jin didn’t bother asking again. He simply lowered his gaze.

He didn’t have the courage to look out the window right now.

Because of that, he consciously tried even harder to think about something else.

Alright, brain cells. If I have a panic attack, it’ll be a whole mess, so everyone just throw out any topic you’ve got.

What to eat for dinner? Rejected.

What to eat for breakfast tomorrow? Rejected.

What to eat for lunch tomorrow? Rejected.

Luckily, before he got to “What should I eat for dinner tomorrow?” a proper topic brushed past his mind. That was.

Why did the quest EXP go up?

It was honestly something he needed to review.

This was the first time something like this had happened.

So Jin fell into deep thought, which didn’t suit him at all.

What was it? The only thing that changed was a single line.

[Fail if Eanna Solard dies.]

How could that be worth nearly double the EXP... hmm.

Huh?

Jin suddenly opened his eyes wide. Then, staring intently at the client seated diagonally from him, he thought.

Could it be that if things are left to unfold naturally, Eanna will end up in a life-threatening situation?

That was, in fact, the most rational assumption.

Looking back, the original quest simply said to find Walter with the client.

It didn’t say to rescue Walter, or to witness a tearful reunion, and definitely didn’t egg him on to shout “Kiss her! Kiss her!”

All he had to do was find him and that was it.

And now, with a new condition to protect the client added, the EXP had increased?

That would mean something dangerous enough to threat⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠en Eanna’s life would happen after they found Walter.

Or maybe...

Just as Jin furrowed his brow.

Rain started to patter on the surface of the aircraft, which had begun descending below the clouds.

A sharp mechanical voi⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠ce echoed from the transport ship.

[Entering airspace above District 36]

[5 minutes remaining to destination]

At the same time, Eanna turned her head and said,

“We’ll be arriving over the building soon.”

Then a hand approached from behind Jin and lightly landed on his shoulder. It was Eric.

[Prepration don]

“...Hey, you made a typo.”

Jin, leaving a sigh-laced comment at the pathetic display, turned his head.

Then he smacked both his cheeks with his palms and shook his head side to side, letting out a duck-like brrrrr sound.

Get your head straight.

Think about what you have to do.

First, protect Eanna.

Then take down the bastards who messed up Rumpumpumpum.

Focus only on that for now.

[2 minutes remaining to destination]

The transport ship was now truly close to the ground.

What Jin saw beyond the canopy was no longer a collapsed night sky, but huge silent-moving hologram billboards and flashing neon lights brushing past his eyes.

[1 minute remaining to destination]

The rain was growing heavier. It had reached a point where even calling it a downpour was no exaggeration. Despite the nearly zero visibility caused by the severe weather, the AI transport aircraft smoothly continued toward its designated course.

[Destination reached. Attempting landing]

Wooooon⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠g.

A sound was heard as the horizontal engines rotated to face downward.

Then, as the aircraft hovered about 50 meters above the rooftop of a building and slowly lowered altitude by decreasing thrust, a crackling noise came through the comms.

“Landing not authorized! Repeating, landing not authorized!”

“You are trespassing on private property. If you continue to attempt landing-”

The sound cut off.

It happened when Eanna, who had stood up at some point, pressed a button.

She openly ignored the warning and opened her mouth.

“I’m going ahead. Let me say this in advance, you don’t have to come down. I’ll return on my own once everything is done.”

“You’re going? Where? We’re still in the air!”

Even as Jin said that, he could hardly believe it.

Not until Eanna passed him and stopped at the rear lower ejection hatch of the transport aircraft.

“Hey, you-!”

“Opening lower ejection hatch.”

The next moment, the floor beneath her spread open with rib-like panels facing the outside.

As the fierce wind and rain surged into the aircraft, Eanna began her freefall.

“Are you insane?!”

Jin shouted as he ran toward the ejection hatch.

As he pressed against the inner wall and stopped, the scene below the gaping floor was captured in his eyes like a slow-motion shot.

Numerous armed troops positioned on the rooftop.

Guns, large and small, aimed at the transport.

The violently raging wind and rain.

And then.

A heat that evaporated all of it.

──!

White flames spread in ripples.

For a moment, the rainwater between the transport and the rooftop vanished.

Even the droplets clinging to Jin’s cheek.

Plop.

The heat descended to the ground.

There were no screams.

Only the remnants of someone turned to ash stained the ground black as the rain fina⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠lly poured down upon it.

At the center of it all, Eanna flung her cap to the side. Then she removed her mask and turned to look at the transport, silently mouthing the words.

‘Just stay there.’

As she turned away and entered the building, Jin let out a short laugh.

She’s in danger?

How is that possible?

Who's protecting who here?

But what’s done was done, and there was no turning back now. Waiting around on the transport for a gentle landing was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

Jin shouted "The hell with it!"

“For Rumpumpumpum!!”

Then he hurled himself toward the ejection hatch, his body shrinking in the distance in an instant. Eric, who had been standing still until then, now had a visor completely filled with question marks.