TL/E⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌D: Hamsterminator

Jin is consistent.

And being consistent is a personality trait that comes with both pros and cons.

The upside is that he’s a born headbutting dinosaur who pushes through anything with innate drive and instinct.

The downside is that the shock from all that headbutting has made him a bit dim-witted.

This is different from being stupid.

Stupid is just being dumb.

Jin is just a little... simplified.

A mindset in a state of mild concussion.

He doesn’t think deeply!

Because life itself is already dizzying!

Just like what happened yesterday.

G⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌abelus Zahad.

The head of the Zahad Family and a titan of the century who merged nature and Light Pole took an interest in Jin.

This is definitely an event that could shake up Lost City.

Isn’t Zahad the one people have been whispering about, saying there’s no suitable successor?

Ever since the youngest son, once the strongest heir, excommunicated himself, the dominant opinion has been that the generational transition will hit a snag, and now a distant relative catches the head’s attention?

It’s just not known publicly yet.

But the potential for the city to get noisy is more than enough.

If you actually asked the person involved, he’d just blink and say something like:

Who’s Gabelus?

And it makes sense.

To Jin, Gabelus is nothing more than some nameless old man searching for his runaway son.

The only notable things were that he had a lot of bodyguards and vaguely reminded Jin of his paternal grandfather.

Of course, Jin has no idea that the bastard son Gabelus is desperately searching for is none other than Lokan, the guy who (supposedly) gifted Jin with Light Pole.

In his head, Gabelus and Lokan are people so unrelated they might as well be on opposite sides of the planet.

So Jin doesn’t think much of it.

Even now, lying in bed staring at his device.

“......”

It was early morning.

That vague time when it’s too late to keep sleeping but too early to get up.

The screen of his device was filled with a topic feed summarizing the latest city issues, and Jin’s thumb moved up and down lazily.

Honestly, nothing was really interesting.

Like, some famous singer was going to risk it and perform in the 40s district, or news about a dead boxer whose brain had been revived in a cyberware body, none of it really meant anything to Jin.

Honestly, more than this stuff, he was more curious about news from his hometown, which he had no way of knowing anymore.

Like, who won the 2023 LoL World Championship?

...Don’t tell me JDG?

You guys didn’t actually make Gold Road work, did you?

No way. Please no.

But you were ranked number one in power rankings...

Who’s supposed to stop them?

Ah.

Without realizing it, Jin had imagined the worst-case scenario and shook his head hard.

Let’s not think about this.

No point in worrying over something with no answer.

So he quickly scattered the thought bubbles in his head with a wave of his hand and turned his attention back to the device.

Swipe swipe-

His thumb, which had been scrolling down the screen, suddenly paused.

There was a familiar place name where his finger had stopped.

[Mute Town – Battles intensify throughout the city, severe damage to infrastructure and transport networks... Humanitarian aid inevitable.]

[Who is TB, the emerging warlord faction, and its leader, Taha?]

[It’s impossible to predict what problems may arise if the isolation continues...]

Naturally, Jin recalled the moment he accepted a Resistance request and was planting bombs in a factory.

The article was long-winded, but in summary, it said the civil war in Mute Town had escalated.

And attached at the bottom was a photo.

A massive Beastkin standing on top of a crushed tank.

The lion-faced figure with white mane blowing in the wind stared into the camera. With that fluorescent beast-like gleam in its eyes.

“...So that’s Taha. Looks intense.”

Muttering to himself, Jin turned off the device.

Hoping for a good outcome for the Resistance, with whom he had at least a brief connection.

***

Ding-

Freshly washed and with a hearty breakfast in his belly, Jin arrived at Anecdote.

Time: 11:28 a.m.

Khalifa had asked him to come by the store by noon, so he was more than safe.

As he opened the shop door, Jin thought, “Since I’m early, I should chat with Poe for a bit.”

But then, what the hell?

Across the long table, Jin saw a broad back engaged in conversation with Poe.

Considering anyone sitting in Anecdote at this hour was most likely a Solo, Jin figured he’d better not interrupt and took a seat a bit away.

Poe, having noticed this, gave him a silent greeting with a glance.

Meanwhile, the big guy sitting across from Poe spoke up.

“Think it over carefully. It’s not a bad offer for you guys either.”

“We’ll consider it.”

“Yeah, man.”

Nodding, the big man gulped down the water on the table in one go.

Then, as if his business was done, he pushed his chair back and rose with his heavy body...

Jin tilted his head at the sight.

What’s this? Why’s he coming to me?

Sure enough, instead of heading out the shop door, the big guy was suddenly striding toward Jin.

And he was even sticking his right hand into his inner pocket.

Putting a hand into yo⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌ur coat.

If someone pulled that move in South Korea?

Especially with a slightly fidgety motion?

Usually, what would pop out between the thumb and index finger is a heart shape, followed by a cheeky wink, and anyone watching would burst into delayed laughter.

But in Downtown, it’s a different story.

What? Hand in coat?

Gun! It’s a gun!

Jin reflexively grabbed his Gravis.

Then, click!, he aimed the muzzle at the man who had approached within two short steps.

“Whoa whoa. Relax, relax.”

The big man raised both hands up next to his ears and let out a quick whistle.

Then, wiggling his fingertips, Jin subtly rolled his eyes to confirm what he was holding between his index and middle fingers, a small white piece of paper.

And then came the voice.

“It’s a business card, my man.”

Jin redirected his gaze forward to check the man’s face.

A Black man with chrome-coated front teeth.

Twisted dreadlocks, also known as reggae hair.

Tap.

Only then did Jin let his arm drop and holstered his Gravis.

Of course, he didn’t apologize.

In this world, the one who causes the misunderstanding is the one at fault.

“A business card?”

Jin snatched the paper from the man’s hand.

And when he looked at the printed text.

[DreAndre Linker Office]

What? He wasn’t a Solo?

Jin blinked, surprised, having assumed the man was a Solo for sure.

He looked up at the big guy again.

“You’re a Linker?”

“What did you think I was?”

The big guy chuckled.

“If you’re interested, hit me up. And for the record, unlike Khalifa-”

“Unlike what? That you don’t mind dirty jobs?”

Khalifa had clicked up out of nowhere, cutting off the rest of his sentence.

“Get out, DreAndre. Don’t go messing around.”

DreAndre, the big guy, didn’t back down.

“Hey, come on, calling that messing around is harsh. I didn’t bribe anyone or anything, I just said to contact me if he’s interested.”

“That is messin⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌g around. Why’re you pitching in my shop?”

“What, so what if I do? Is this place a holy sanctuary or something? Geez, so he’s your favorite Solo, is that it? What, you gonna cradle him in your arms and raise him into your store’s poster boy?”

“I don’t kno⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌w. Maybe.”

“Come on, share a little!”

The snappy voice and the cold one went back and forth.

In the middle of it all, Jin just scratched his cheek.

What are they doing?

He hadn’t said a word, yet they were growling at each other like wild dogs.

But should he step in?

Eh, not really?

Two Linkers fighting over him.

That meant they valued him highly, didn’t it?

Not bad at all.

Go ahead, keep going.

So Jin, arms crossed, nodded with interest, leaving the mediation to Poe in the end.

“Let’s all calm down", Poe said plainly.

And with that, both Linkers quieted.

Well, technically, only DreAndre shut up.

Since it was Khalifa who had spoken last.

In fight terms, this was like someone stepping in to break things up right after she got in one last punch.

Why now! Fuck!

Still, if he jumped back in now, he’d lose face.

So DreAndre chose his move,

“Catch you later, Jin!”

Leaving with a farewell directed only at Jin.

You might be a stranger to me, but I’m someone who knows you well enough to recognize you, he made it blatantly obvious with one more shout:

“See you for sure, Jin!!”

Then, without so much as a glance back, he walked out of the shop. Khalifa frowned at his retreating figure.

“...Even till the end.”

Her tone clearly showed her irritation.

Meanwhile, Jin just chuckled quietly, as if he found the whole situation amusing.

“What’s that guy’s deal?”

“DreAndre? He’s a Linker. Famous for handling requests at lightning speed. But the problem is, that reputation comes from burning out the Solos he manages without giving them any rest. Most of the Solos working under DreAndre are people desperate for money. He takes full advantage of that.”

“Ahh.”

Jin nodded like he understood, prompting Khalifa to add,

“So Jin, don’t go getting involved with him for no reason. It’ll only wear you out.”

But Jin didn’t give any real response.

He simply slid the business card into his pants pocket.

You never know how life’s gonna unfold, after all.

*

Once the storm had passed in Anecdote, Khalifa explained the reason she had called Jin in.

A client wanted to meet him in person.

“Me? Why?”

“Probably wants to see the person they’re hiring with their own eyes. It’s rare, but it happens.”

“You don’t know who it is either?”

“Nope. They didn’t reveal their identity. Just said they wanted to talk to you. I’ve never had a half-baked request like this before, so I wasn’t about to just send you off blind. Since it’s just a conversation, I told them to do it here at our shop.”

Jin clicked his tongue lightly and said,

“And what if they don’t like me? The request falls through and I wasted a trip?”

“Don’t worry about that. Even if things don’t work out, they still have to pay a portion of the contract fee. And that goes straight into your pocket.”

“For real?”

Jin’s face lit up.

So they’d at least cover his travel expenses. Nice.

Then Khalifa added,

“Speaking of money, Jin don’t forget to pick up your payment later. For that job you did in Kingsgroom, catching that broker. You didn’t forget, right?”

“Oh, right.”

Jin let out a sheepish pop of his lips.

He still had plenty of credits from what Natasha gave him before, so he’d completely forgotten.

If she hadn’t mentioned it, it would’ve slipped by him.

Khalifa really was the icon of trust in Downtown.

As Jin nodded to himself in appreciation.

Ding-

Right on the dot at 12, the door to Anecdote opened.

Naturally, Jin, Khalifa, and Poe all turned their eyes toward the entrance.

Tap tap.

With the crisp sound of polished shoes, a man in a sharp suit walked into the store.

If it were just the suit, that’d be one thing, but his hair was slicked back clean with wax, and he carried a document case in his right hand.

Altogether, it was a look that couldn’t have been more out of place in Downtown.

Khalifa addressed him.

“You’re A77oo0Gun?”

“Ah, yes. That’s the ID I used to contact you.”

“Follow me. Jin, you too.”

With a nod of her chin, Khalifa led the two of them to a reception room located on one side of the shop.

“Drink? Coffee?”

Leaning on the door frame, she asked casually. The man, sitting across from Jin at a small table, turned his head.

“Water will be enough.”

“Alright.”

“What, you’re not gonna ask me...”

“Cola, obviously.”

Khalifa chuckled lightly and shut the door with a click.

Now alone, the man looked at Jin.

“I’ll start the real conversation once the drinks arrive. I don’t like the flow getting interrupted midway.”

“Whatever. Suit yourself.”

Just as Jin nodded, the man’s gaze slowly drifted downward, eventually settling on Jin’s lower body, and then he flashed a smile.

The hell?

Startled, Jin instinctively crossed his hands over his crotch.

What’s with that blatant stare?

And the silence made it even more uncomfortable.

Feeling a sudden tightness in his chest, Jin let out an involuntary cough just as.

“Excuse me.”

Poe opened the door to the reception room, placed a glass of water and a cola on the table, gave a light bow, and quietly exited.

During that moment, Jin threw him a look screaming, “Poe! This guy’s weird!”, but unfortunately, the bartender didn’t catch on.

As soon as the door shut, the man spoke.

“Looks like you’re making good use of it. That’s a relief.”

“...What?! Based on what?”

In response to Jin’s question, the man reached into his inner pocket.

“Before we begin, I should introduce myself.”

Again? Twice in one day, what a rare treat.

Just as that thought trailed off, the man placed a black business card on the table and spoke.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Wonder Douglas, Sales Manager at Luger & Dollman.”

“Hm?”

The name sounded familiar, and Jin instinctively furrowed his brow.

Then, as a memory suddenly flashed through his mind, his hand reflexively dropped to his waist.

The man smiled smoothly.

“That’s right. We’re the manufacturer of the Gravis 707.”