Estimated reading time: 7–9 minutes
Chapter 43
I feel sad. My partner had to sacrifice itself, just so we could win.
Along with the victory, I was sent back to that prison cell. When I touch the terminal, a list of the collected wreckage in storage is displayed. Of course, almost everything is a total loss, but the critical parts of the system seem to be sturdy and have escaped malfunction. The leg parts also have relatively low damage.
That said, everything needs to be repaired. The expenses will undoubtedly be terrible. Well, I’ll consider it a good opportunity. I want to try out that new two-step jump mechanism.
The current balance is displayed in the upper right corner of the terminal.
「1,702,422」
First, the result of betting the entire remaining balance was 1.8 million. I thought the odds should have been 4 to 1, but it seems to have shifted slightly due to the amount I bet. And then there’s the prize money of 100,000 yen. Furthermore, there’s a scrap collection fee of -200,000 yen. …They’re charging for that too? It’s higher than the prize money.
But with this, it has become possible to purchase an exit permit. There’s also the idea of fighting one more time, but at this rate, it will be a losing battle. After all, the interest rate is 100% per day, so I’d really like to get some information somehow around now.
The best outcome would be to borrow money from Nakamoto. However, given the current situation, that seems difficult, so the most appropriate thing to do instead is to ask him to teach me a breakthrough strategy. Well, doing that job may also require money, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
While thinking that, I purchase the exit permit and realize I should have looked at the repair costs for the Apollyon first, as my remaining balance has dwindled to around 100,000 yen. Well, it can’t be helped.
As the lock is released, the prison cell itself starts to move, and after a while, there is a sound of the electronic lock being released with a buzz. When I open the door, the path ahead is the same inorganic corridor as always. However, this area seems to be relatively well-used, with hardly any dust in the center of the path.
「So, there are 30 minutes until the meeting time. I need to hurry.」
The meeting place is in the Commercial District 4-22. This city is divided into three layers from the top: the Industrial District, the Commercial District, and the Residential District. I’m relieved to find that my current location, Commercial District 3-11, is quite close. I operate the terminal I brought from the room to activate the map and take a step forward.
『Map usage fee: 5,000 yen』
「You’ve got to be kidding me!?」
After walking a short distance, I immediately reach what seems to be a shopping district. However, it’s not like a modern shopping district, but rather has an atmosphere reminiscent of a 2000s-era textbook. I’ve heard stories about there being candy stores and tofu shops, and I get a similar vibe. I can see traces of luxurious hotels and specialty stores lined up behind them, but no one seems to be entering them now. Looking at this situation, there are probably no longer any people who can operate them or any customers.
However, there are also completely different aspects. The most notable of these is the merchandise being handled. The floor is covered in machine oil, and an eerie colored electric light illuminates the area. What appear to be scraps of nerve components roll at my feet. There are quite a number of people around, all with gloomy expressions. Not the kind of sinister gloom that would entrap you, but rather the kind of expression that carries despair and resignation, like the previous Ver.
I try to break through the crowd while being wary of pickpockets. The main stores are scrap shops, and this area seems to specialize in equipment for cyborgs. Come to think of it, I wonder if Momiji has come here. A few days ago, she was also invited by 「HAO,」 so she might be getting enhancements again using her executive privileges. …If there are no login restrictions, I should invite her to come with me next time. In fact, she might have been the best person to borrow money from in the first place.
As I’m thinking this, I hear a strangely cheerful voice from behind me, in contrast to the surrounding atmosphere.
「Hey bro, I’m selling the usual stuff, are you interested?」
In the crowd, a tall man who looks to be in his 20s puts his arm around my shoulder. What the… As I try to turn around, I feel the cold temperature of metal seeping into my neck. He’s a cyborg.
But before I can become wary, the man quickly backs off, saying, 「Oops, sorry about that.」 Huh? He’s letting me go? Not trying to threaten me or anything?
「Are you seriously bewildered? Could it be that you’re the rumored player? The one they say is from the past or an artificial human?」
「Yeah, that’s right. But why am I being called an artificial human?」
「Because you suddenly increased in number. If someone suddenly appears here without being a passenger on this ark, of course people will think that. So, what’s the real story?」
「Being a human from the past is probably the closest.」
Considering that this world is set in 2060, it’s not exactly a lie to answer that way. When I say that, the man claps his hands in surprise and immediately leans in closer.
「Then let me explain. Do you know what’s going on with the Commercial District here?」
「Um, it’s a place for transactions, right?」
「No, if that were the case, you could just use the terminal. Being here means you’re trying to make transactions without going through the system. Like this, for example.」
The man quietly takes out something like a flask from his waist. Inside the transparent container, there is clear water filling it up to the middle, swaying. I feel a slight sensation that my body is craving it.
「It’s contraband water.」
「Contraband?」
「Yeah, it’s the law of this ark that any consumable substances must be managed by the system. But that’s what led to those prices. The balance of supply and demand was disrupted by the increase in players, causing prices to skyrocket. If the number of people requiring food increases by thousands or tens of thousands, that’s what happens. We’re just wholesaling at a fair price, but you know. Oh, the price is 50,000 yen for 2 liters.」
It’s cheaper than I thought. When I ask about it, I find out that if you drink water not provided by the system for an extended period, you’ll be suspected of a violation and get in trouble. Therefore, people who aren’t completely running from the system can’t use it much, which seems to be keeping demand low. Incidentally, the manufacturing method is a trade secret. …I can roughly predict what it is, but I don’t want to ask.
For now, I purchase 2 liters to avoid starvation. Normally, payment would be in cash, but this time it’s done through the system, disguised as buying scrap metal. The man cheerfully exclaims, 「Thanks as always!」 when he confirms the payment. Apparently, this was all he really wanted, and he walks away in high spirits. That’s why I casually ignored his parting words.
「Next time we meet, tell me about the world before I became aware, before the 『Scorch War!』」
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