TL/ED: H⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠amsterminat⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or

Wooong.

The phone on the table vibrated. Without takin⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠g my hands off the keyboard and mouse, I rolled my eyes to check - it was a call from "That Crazy Guy".

I swiped the touchpad to the right and pressed the speaker button.

"Yeah, what?"

"Hyung, what are you doing?"

"Gaming."

"Project Neo?"

"No, LoL."

"Ah, come on, LoL? Don't you know it's illegal for anyone over 30 to play lane phase? Just play a Steam game. Preferably Project Neo."

"That game doesn't suit me. Hold on... Did I just die?"

I got distracted by the call for a moment, and the enemy Darius split my head open with his axe. Ah, I used Flash and still died. The top lane is doomed. Completely screwed.

"Why doesn’t it suit you? Is it too complicated? Too hard?"

He asked, sounding like he didn't understand.

Since my screen had already turned gray, I took the opportunity to vent my frustration.

"Listen. First of all, Vagabond is absolute trash. A stray dog of the streets? A lonely fighter? What a joke. They need to change the description to: 'You will suffer from mugging, pickpocketing, sneak attacks, and various unprovoked assaults.' I haven't tried other life paths, so I can't compare directly, but this is just ridiculous.

Hey, have you ever had a one-on-one duel with hobos over a warm spot near a barrel fire in the middle of winter? Have you ever plugged your nose while digging through rotting food waste in a sewer-stinking alley? Have you ever worn the same underwear for two months straight? Fuck.

And don’t even get me started on guns. There’s no getting used to it, no matter how many times you get shot. Now, I flinch whenever someone just reaches into their pocket. No wonder American cops are so on edge. It changes you.

Speaking of guns, you don’t know what it feels like to kill someone, do you? I didn't want to either. But what could I do? Some crazy bastard wanted to rob the few credits in my pocket and started stabbing me - my back, my side, my chest, stabbing the shit out of me. Blood pouring out, head spinning, about to fucking die, what was I supposed to do?

By the time I came to my senses, I was on top of him.

I kept beating him, terrified that he might move, that he might stab me again. I just kept hitting, and at some point, he stopped breathing. I couldn’t sleep for a week. Every night, that bastard’s crushed face haunted my dreams.

But you know what? Over time, this kind of thing dulls. Honestly, killing people is no big deal to me anymore. Nightmares? What nightmares? I sleep just fine. I swore I’d never get used to it, that I couldn’t let myself, but in the end, I did. And yet, getting shot still fucking hurts.

So, what do you think? Doesn’t this sound like a complete disaster? I think so too.

Even if, by some miracle, I woke up and found myself back in Korea, I don't think I could ever return to my old life.

Maybe that's why sometimes it feels like I can’t breathe properly.

I wonder if this is a panic attack.

Fuck if I know. Lately, I keep thinking, what if, when people ask my age, I just say I’m one year old? You know, like those YouTubers… Yeah, a secondary persona. Let’s say I made one, just like them. Playing the role of a Vagabond struggling to survive in this fucked-up world. How does that sound?

At least that way, I can cope a little...

Shit, talking about it makes me feel clearer.

Hey, this is a dream, right?"

The next moment.

A voice filled with amusement came from the phone.

"Yes, hyung. Of course, it's a dream. But you might want to wake up now. Looks like you've got intruders."

Jin opened his eyes.

Before he could adjust to the darkness, he heard a rustling sound. Quietly moving his eyes, he spotted silhouettes lurking in the shadows.

Jin saw them. They saw Jin.

An unnatural silence.

Suddenly, a shout erupted.

"We've been spotted!"

"Shoot!"

At the same moment, Jin rolled off the bed.

Fwoosh, fwoosh, fwoosh! A series of muffled pops accompanied the sight of feathers bursting from where he had just been lying. What the hell, suppressors?

His arm burned, seemed like he'd taken a hit.

Immediately, Jin used the bed as a barricade, leaning against it. Without even looking, he reached out and grabbed the leg of a nearby chair.

Then, estimating the direction, he hurled it with all his strength.

Whoosh!

The chair flew through the air at an incredible speed, colliding with something and shattering into pieces.

"Jack!"

"Fucking hell!"

The two men recoiled in horror as they saw their comrade collapse with half of his face caved in. Panicking, they aimed their guns in the direction the chair had come from.

Just as they were about to pull the trigger,

A wall suddenly appeared before their eyes.

A wall in the form of an overturned bed, flipped like a dining table.

"Urgh!"

The two men were sent tumbling backward as the bed slammed into them like a cannonball. Before they could recover, Jin rushed forward and swung his leg in a powerful kick.

Bang!

One of the men, struck in the side, was sent flying into the wall. He collapsed, his face twisted in agony, coughing up a mouthful of blood. His head slumped into the crimson pool he had just created, and he went still.

In an instant, Jin had taken down the second intruder.

Now he was finally starting to wake up properly.

This time, pivoting on his right foot, he spun his body.

As if he h⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ad known all along, he reached for the last man behind him, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him against the wall.

Fwoosh! Fwoosh! Fwoosh!

The gun, now without a target, sprayed bullets in a useless direction.

One of those bullets lodged into Jin’s thigh, a bad outcome for both him and the attacker.

J⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠‌‌⁠‌‌‌‌⁠‌‌⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠⁠⁠‍⁠‌‌⁠‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‌⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌‌‌⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠in felt the pain.

The man lost his chance for a quick death.

And so, in the dead of night,

With a loud crash of breaking glass, the bloodied man was sent flying through the air.

Falling from the fifth floor, his cause of death was not the impact.

"Ah, fuck."

Jin frowned.

Standing in the middle of his now-destroyed room, he muttered,

"...Who the hell were these bastards?"

Though Jin didn't know it, these nighttime intruders had a name.

Scavengers.

Raiders who roamed abandoned motels, breaking into rooms, robbing their victims,

And, when necessary, killing without hesitation.

It had taken Jin two years to encounter them for the first time, proving that the saying about learning never ending was, in fact, quite accurate.

"My dreams were a mess for a reason."

Muttering under his breath, Jin clenched his right arm tightly.

He tried to force the bullet out by contracting his muscles, a decent idea in theory.

In practice, all it did was make fresh blood spurt out. The bullet itself showed no signs of budging.

At this rate, he'd just have to wait for his body to naturally push it out as the wound healed over.

Maybe two hours?

Since he had unlocked the Superhuman perk, it might even be faster.

After gauging his own recovery rate, Jin turned toward the two corpses sprawled across the floor.

A well-deserved looting followed.

The haul wasn't as good as he had hoped.

Unfortunately, the guy he had thrown out the window was the one carrying the money.

Of course, Jin had no way of knowing that, so he simply shuddered at the thought that he'd nearly been mugged by a gang of homeless nobodies.

"This city never gets old. Always keeps things exciting."

Even though Jin had grown desensitized to blood and corpses, he had no intention of lingering in this wrecked room.

His bed was destroyed, the window shattered, it was a mess.

So, after rinsing his face at the sink, Jin was about to leave.

Suddenly, a translucent window popped up in his vision.

「???」━━━━━━━━━

NEO ?? ??? ????

??? ?? ???? ?????

?? ??? ?? ?? ????

━━━━━━━━━━━━

It had been quiet lately, but now this bullshit again.

Jin waved his hand roughly.

"Go to hell."

A useless prompt, telling him what to do.

Irritated first thing in the morning, Jin shoved his hands deep into his pockets and walked away.

***

A sudden ambush, an annoying quest prompt,

Sure, last night had been a disaster, but overall, Jin had been feeling pretty satisfied these past few days.

A strange excitement, like an underlying buzz.

At first, he thought it was just because his pockets were full.

After all, 100,000 credits was the largest sum he'd ever held at once since drifting into this world.

Thanks to that, he had been able to eat three meals a day, rent a place without hesitation, and even replace his old, tattered underwear and socks.

But after thinking it over, he realized that wasn't the only reason for his good mood.

So what was it?

What was this tingling feeling in his chest?

After much contemplation, Jin finally came to a conclusion.

Ah. This time, I actually earned this money.

His mind felt clearer.

Looking back, Jin’s method of making money had always been simple.

Find a quiet alley.

Wait for some thug, punk, or third-rate gang member to pick a fight.

Beat them senseless.

Empty their pockets.

A classic bait strategy.

Honestly, it wasn’t a great way to make money.

And there was no sense of accomplishment in rummaging through the pockets or worse, the underwear of worthless scum. If they didn’t stink, that was already a blessing.

That was how he had been scraping by.

But then

His first job.

The money he received after completing it.

A single word of gratitude.

It had made his heart race.

Maybe, just maybe, he could start living like a real human being.

A small flicker of hope.

And so, Jin paused mid-bite into his hot dog and spoke up.

"Hey, old man. Let me ask you something."

The middle-aged man, eyes hollow from grilling sausages all day, looked at him suspiciously.

"What is it? No refunds. You’ve already eaten half of it."

"Come on, do I look like some beggar? It’s not about that."

"Yeah? Then buy another one."

The hell?

But Jin decided to go along with it.

He was still hungry, anyway.

"So, what do you want to ask?"

The vendor handed him another hot dog, and Jin took a big bite before answering.

"Do you know what it takes to become a Solo?"

"What?"

"You don’t?"

The vendor frowned.

"Why Solo? Got some fantasy about being a mercenary?"

"No. So do you know or not?"

"How the hell would I know? If I did, you think I’d be wasting my time grilling hot dogs?"

"Fair point..."

Jin was about to take another bite, as if he had expected that answer, when the vendor added,

"But I do know one thing, you gotta get noticed by a Linker."

"A Linker?"

"What, you don’t know what a Linker is? You from the damn moon or something? Tsk. And you expect to survive in this business? You won’t last long."

As the vendor shook his head, Jin, still chewing his hot dog, shot him a glare.

"Listen to this guy, acting like he’s not even talking to me. You never explain anything properly! If this is how it's gonna be, oh? I should’ve just skipped the extra hot dog! Information is, you know - yeah, that’s right! It’s worth something!"

Whack! You wanna shut down your stall?!

As food fragments flew everywhere, the vendor waved his hands frantically.

"Alright, alright! Damn, just stop! I’ll tell you!"

"Che. Should’ve done that from the start."

Jin wagged his fingers impatiently, signaling him to continue.

"A Linker is a Linker. What more do you need to know... Hey, hey, why are you clenching your fist? I didn’t say I wouldn’t explain! They’re brokers. Middlemen who connect clients with Solos. Got it?"

Ah. So, literally, a Linker.

Jin nodded.

At the same time, a question flickered through his mind.

"But why do I need to get noticed by some broker?"

"What?"

"I'm the one doing the actual work, so who the hell are they to decide who gets hired? No, wait. The real mistake here is that they haven't scouted me yet. With an eye for talent that bad, how could I ever work with them? Don't you think so? Anyway, this hot dog is pretty good. Give me another. No, make it two. Extra sauce."

"......"

The vendor silently scanned Jin up and down.

At first, he had assumed Jin was just some average guy, but looking again, he could see the glint of madness gleaming in those gray eyes. Ah. So this guy really is a Downtown local.

Given his complete lack of common sense, he had probably spent too much time lurking on Blacknet and damaged part of his BCI chip by accident. (TL: Brain-Computer Interface Chip)

So, the vendor decided to pacify him.

"Why wait for a Linker to come to you? Just go find one yourself. Here, your hot dogs."

Jin took the two hot dogs the vendor handed him.

Go find one myself, huh?

He wasn’t thrilled about it, but there was no other choice.

Squatting in some back alley, waiting for trouble to come his way, had gotten old.

Maybe if he took on real jobs and lived, however imperfectly, like a proper person, he might even get out of Downtown someday.

From what he’d heard, inside Area 30 at least, there was actual law enforcement.

At the very least, he wouldn’t have to worry about getting shot in his sleep there.

Yeah. That had to be true. It better be true.

Muttering to himself, Jin shoved the last hot dog, bought with his remaining money, into his mouth.

Then, chewing messily, he glanced at the vendor and spoke with a muffled voice.

"If you know any Linkers, just name one. I'll go find them right now."