NOVEL WEB Chapter 52: Lion City
When I woke up, I felt a strange dissonance with my body. It still moved how I wanted it to, but it just felt different.
Well, I did change out almost every single one of my cybernetics.
‘Correct, host has replaced every cyberware in his body except the unit labeled “HSU Custom Shade”. Rest is recommended.’ A feminine synthetic voice suddenly rang out in my head.
That’s right, my new SAID came with a smart assistant. I still need to set that thing up.
A smart assistant may be a few steps down from an AI, but it was sufficient to carry out my commands and help me micro-manage things as if I had a personal secretary...
‘The only setup that requires the host’s attention is my designation, voice selection, and permission level.’
Right, it was my SAID so it can pick up on my thoughts like how I used to text. I’ll call you Kiri from now on, and you can keep the voice as it is. Only pick up on my thoughts when I allow it. Is that possible?
‘Yes, I can do so.’
The surgeon soon came in as I got used to talking to the voice in my brain. He helped me calibrate the new implants, which made me feel a bit better. From my knowledge, I needed some time to get used to the new hardware. There was just no way around it.
My security team drove us back to our office building, which doubled as my residence. I took the time during the ride to inspect and try out my new chrome.
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Status |
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Level: |
15 |
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EXP: |
1480/1500 |
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Musculoskeletal: |
211 |
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Neural Reflex: |
65 |
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Visuomotor Coordination: |
87 |
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Endurance: |
59 |
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Sensory Perception: |
127 |
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Upgrade Points: |
1 |
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Upgrades: |
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Enhancements: |
SAID: Zenitech Sebastien v2 Bio-Coprocessor: SocialCorp Lightning II Optics: Mirage Tech Clear-Sights mk.12 Cyberarm (Left): Nova Tech Heracle Mk. 3 Cyberarm (Right): Nova Tech Heracle Mk. 3 Auditory: SocialCorp Echo IV Cardiovascular: BioGen Lifepump 5 Miscellaneous: HSU Custom Shade |
My new optics had several modes that could be used concurrently, allowing the different modes to be connected to my SAID, which will alert me to any findings. It could also detect if devices were giving out signals, find where wireless connections were available, and zoom much further with crystal clear clarity.
I also got a bio-coprocessor, which was a chip in my brain to boost how fast I processed things and how fast my signals went out to the rest of my body. It was the first implant I got that boosted my Neural Reflex stat. While I got the jump on others most of the time, this would definitely increase my survivability to another level.
For cyberarms, I got a matching model that was a good balance between strength and utility. It had all the functions of my Shiva but better. It had various integrated tools in it that ranged from old ole lockpicks to a freaking blowtorch.
The other upgrades mainly improved performance and durability. It was more shielded from things like EMP attacks and hacking. Overall, it was definitely a worthwhile investment, especially since my adversaries in the future may be more corpos.
Now that I have some wealth, I need to keep upgrading my defensive measures to be able to retain my fortune. Otherwise, I’d just be a prime target for others.
“Excuse me, madam, please be seated for landing,” an air attendant said in my direction.
She wasn’t talking to me though, but to the person in the seat beside me.
“Oh, sorry,” Claire responded sheepishly, like a kid being caught stealing candy.
She had been glued to the window since we boarded the plane. I couldn’t blame her for it either, considering that was her first time flying.
On this trip to Lion City, there were two teams of security guards accompanying us, totaling our party to ten. The bank of Lion City, that summoned us, paid for all the expenses, so it was a no-brainer to have our security join us.
We soon began landing, and the metropolis came into view. They had a giant dome at the center that was large enough to house megabuildings. The dome was where the actual citizens of Lion City lived, where outsiders were normally not allowed.
The government of Lion City actually had full control of their city-state. Corporations were subject to their regulations, and despite being an authoritarian government, they kept the well-being of their citizens in mind.
They had some semblance to some of the countries back in my old world. I would’ve wanted to become a citizen of this place too, if I didn’t have the system, but they were highly xenophobic.
The fact they weren’t under any corporation’s influence was why they were trusted to manage the currency of the world, the credits. They weren’t the only party as the spacers had their own organization that worked together with them to maintain the economy.
Lion City’s airport was glamorous, as expected of a place where the wealth gathered. An employee from the bank was already there, waiting to guide us to our accommodations.
On our way from the airport to our hotel, I observed the people on the streets. Though they were all similar to what I’ve seen in Elevate City. It made sense, since most people outside the dome were foreigners.
The next morning, we were brought to a megabuilding that had the Bank of Lion City’s logo plastered all over it. In the meeting room they guided us to, we met the representative of the bank, a young woman.
“Hi, I’m Emma. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Halls,” she said as we shook hands.
“A pleasure to meet you. Let me thank you ahead of time, as we’ll have to rely on you to guide us through this process,” I replied.
“Of course, I will do my best to be of service to you. If you would please follow me.”
She led us to a room that looked like it was part of a hospital, with all the medical equipment. A nurse there then led us to each device to take a detailed scan that recorded our biometrics. It took over two hours, but at least we were done after that.
“Thank you so much for visiting us for this. Your accommodations for the next two days are covered, so please feel free to tour the city until you are ready to leave. Did you have any questions?” Said Emma, on our way out.
“Thank you. I think we will take a look around the city. By the way, why are there so many foreigners here? They can’t all be here for the bank, right?” I couldn’t help but ask.
“There is a healthy population of mercenary and adventurous people that are here for the nearby dungeon,” She replied.
Dungeon? She isn’t going to tell me there’s magic next, right? Kiri, what do you know about the dungeons in Lion City?
‘The dungeon in Lion City is believed to be the bunkers the people from the past built before the nuclear war. It is a dangerous place with various mutants inhabiting it, but contains many relics from the past. These relics include technologies and knowledge that are long lost and can have tremendous value.’
“I see. Thank you for taking care of us. I don’t have any more questions,” I answered. With Kiri’s explanation, there was no need for her to clarify.
“Thank you guys for coming. You may want to check out the auction house if you don’t have any plans. They usually have some relics you can get a closer look at if that interests you.”
We were then driven back to our hotel, where they simply told us to inform them when we wanted to leave and they would acquire the plane tickets for us.
Claire and I decided we would stay until our free accommodations ran out. We weren’t in a hurry, so we would take full advantage of the freebies.
In the afternoon, we rented cars to go tour the food markets where they had a wide selection of exotic fruits that weren’t commonly found in Elevate City unless you paid an exorbitant price. The things we saw on the streets and in malls were too similar to what we had back home, so we skipped them.
We planned to listen to Emma’s recommendation and visit the auction that started later tonight, so we spent time in a nearby spa until dinner.
When we entered the auction house, a man in a suit soon came to greet us.
“Welcome, dear guests. The entry fee to the main area is five hundred credits per person, or ten thousand if you would like a private room. Which one will it be?” He got straight to the point politely.
“The main area is fine. Lead the way,” I declared.
“Of course, your bodyguards may go to our waiting area if you would like. Your security is guaranteed while you are in our establishment.”
I agreed to his offer and got seated with Claire in the auction hall. It wasn’t that packed, though we would’ve had issues finding a seat where we could all sit together if the guards came along.
The auction soon started as scheduled and various items were brought forth. I’m not sure what I expected, but it was plain boring. Relics sounded exciting until you found out it was just trash from the world before the nuclear wars.
The most common items being auctioned were various pieces of furniture made of wood. It seemed like organic wood was scarce nowadays with how much the nuclear wars destroyed the planet’s ecosystem.
“Look at that desk, Rollo! It’s made from authentic wood, you should get it for your office. It’d look cool and stylish,” Claire held onto me and said.
“Yeah…No thanks, maybe for yourself?”
She shook her head. “Too gaudy.”
Then why would you recommend it to me…?
When the auction went into the category of overpriced artwork, we took our leave as neither of us was that interested.
“Where do you want to go next?” I asked Claire.
“Umm, how about we get a snack and drive around to see how the nightlife scene is around here?”
“Sure, let’s go.”
The ten of us split off into the two rental cars and headed to one of the local fast-food chains that was still open. We got off to view the menu and ordered takeaway, so we could relax back in our hotel.
When we returned to the parking lot, Kiri suddenly spoke up.
‘I have detected suspicious individuals from the observing digital layer of your optics. There are four detected individuals to your nine o’clock that aren’t visible to the naked eye headed your way.’
My optics instantly entered the digital mode, where I could spot digital wireless connections. I could see some signals coming from my left that matched what you would see coming from a SAID that most people had.
We’re out in a public area with no one else around. If they’re using stealth tech that has a limited duration while near us, then…
“Hostiles! Claire, stay down!”
I quickly pulled out my pistol railgun and shot toward the invisible foes before activating my own active camouflage.
A member of our security immediately pushed Claire to the ground while the other shot in the same direction as I had.
I watched as an arm suddenly came into existence, having been damaged. A moment later, more enemies started firing at us while still hidden by their stealth devices.
My guards scattered into cover and turned on their camouflage as well. I was likely the only one who could reliably spot the enemies, but our company software allowed us to share targeting information. I peeked out in stealth, without firing, highlighting our foes for my allies to see.
Whenever I marked an enemy, my security team followed up with a hail of bullets. Following this strategy, we soon neutralized all our foes. They were all shot up pretty badly, so I finished them off for some experience points.
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+10 EXP +10 EXP +10 EXP +10 EXP |
“Rollo, are you okay?” Claire came up immediately once the fighting was over.
“Yeah, how about the rest of you?” I directed my question to the leader of my squad.
“Just two lightly injured, sir.”
Before we could get out of there and examine our wounds, sirens rang out all around us. In the blink of an eye, the Lion City police had us surrounded.
Why do you have to make me miss Elevate City PD of everything out there…?