City of Backstreet Nymphs

47 – 047 – The Awakeners of the Skyscraper # 2

047 – The Awakeners of the Skyscraper # 2

Macheon City.

The Devil’s Land of ‘Infinite Development Permission’.

When I looked up at the tall buildings without knowing how high the sky was, my eyes would naturally become dizzy.

Oinoi, the nymph of the ditch, saw this sight and said it was like the mountain of Olympus where the gods live.

At that time, I thought it was just an interesting story—but when I think about it again, the story was indeed right.

The 21st century.

What dominates the era of the 5th industry is neither ideology nor the state, but capital. And the capital was in megacorps that were expanding as if reaching the sky with the benefits of the 5th industry.

And the place where those mega corps gathered was this city of Macheon.

-Zuji… !

“I know. Are the buildings tall? I feel like a frog in a well.”

It wasn’t just the tall buildings.

Each company installed all kinds of billboards and machinery in the cityscape to show off their technology, and thanks to that, the streets were noisy and dazzling with flashing electronic boards.

「The best AI is created by Iwamoto. Right now—”

「Insurance leading to changes in life with artificial limbs and limbs─.」

Future Cities.

It seemed that people from all over the world came to admire this future-oriented city.

It was the same with Awakeners similar to me.

Crack hunters like me who take jobs from the state were on the side of Park Bong-in for an Awakener.

Are you saying that the real ones are awakened people belonging to a ‘corporate’?

As an errand boy for a company, he felt like a troubleshooter who handled various tasks.

On the surface, he gets into the cracks of bidding by companies, gets materials, and, well—according to rumors, he gets risk pay because he handles all sorts of things.

“Am I really going to give back to companies now?”

Telos, one of the world’s largest IT companies.

It was a company that entrusted me with several tasks when I was struggling for the past five years. It was more like a chore, and it was annoying, but the pay was pretty good.

“Is this the headquarters of Macheon City?”

I’ve been working for Telos for the past five years, but every time I come to this head office, I feel eerie because it overwhelms people.

D-ring -.

As I entered the main entrance, a cool breeze from the air conditioner blew in from the spacious lobby. Soon, I heard the sound of something soft moving, and then a round robot approached.

『Hello, how are you? It’s called Aibo, a versatile AI from Telos, a company that loves people. Do you need help?”

AI Robot.

Technology that was possible only in fantasy until 10 years ago was actually commercialized in Macheon City.

How much is this robot?

“I, I, came to meet someone. Seo Ye-rim.”

Pyorolong-.

An exaggerated sound seemed to come from the speaker, and then the AI robot led me somewhere. I got into the elevator and headed for the top floor of the 167th floor.

167Th floor.

How many meters high is it from the ground?

Just when I was about to lose my mind at the dizziness that I couldn’t even fathom, the elevator door opened.

I soon arrived at a room with a white background and furniture.

The interior was larger than the yard of my well house, and it was much cleaner, and the walls were decorated with paintings and artifacts of unknown price.

Ttogak, Ttogak-.

Soon someone approached with the sound of heels.

She was a tall woman in a suit, and her pants and black gloves matched her well.

He must have been around 40?

“What brought you to this top floor?”

“I have someone to meet here today.”

I had all sorts of experiences, but being on the top floor of the headquarters of a megacorporation like this made me feel like an insignificant human being.

Something that might actually be insignificant.

As I hesitated, the woman tapped on her cell phone and said “Ah-.”

“If it’s an appointment at 1:00 p.M., Are you the experimenter of an artificial chip in your body? I was just waiting. As you’ve heard, it’s a simple experiment. It’s just putting a chip in your brain.”

“Putting a chip in your brain?”

I haven’t heard of such an experiment?

I was taken aback for a moment, and then the woman who looked like a very tall person gave another long voice, “Ah–.”

“No big deal. You will be under general anesthesia. If the experiment is successful, you will be able to play text or images in front of your eyes. Now then—”

What kind of experiment do you mean?

I had heard that companies were experimenting with the human body. I’ve heard a lot of stories of Awakeners who improved their work efficiency with prosthetic arms and limbs.

When Kang Cheol-min, a first-generation student who died in an explosion accident, was alive, a foreign company supported him and put a steel arm on his shoulder, and the performance was very impressive.

It was cool that the arm just stretched and shrunk through the wire.

But putting a chip in your brain?

Did Seo Ye-rim sell me for human experimentation?

Pot-.

It was then.

Seo Ye-rim appeared from behind the white pillar.

“Hey! Hail too! Why are you here so late!”

“Haildo?”

Shut-.

The woman who was looking at the chart on her phone frowned. She then she made a long ah-h- and she finally burst out with a ha-ha ha-ha-laugh.

“Yerim, this person was Haildo! Okay! I thought I was the experimenter I was supposed to meet today. What is it? It was going to be a big day. I’m Yerim’s mother Isara. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Isara.

Just when I thought the name was very sophisticated, a woman reached out to me.

“Nice to meet you. I almost put a chip on someone with this. Speaking of which, would you mind putting a chip in her head? This is really next-generation technology—”

“Mom!”

“Okay. Okay.”

Shut-.

Seo Ye-rim’s sophisticated mother was pushed back by Seo Ye-rim and eventually disappeared somewhere. Just when I thought she was a powerful person in many ways, Seo Ye-rim reappeared.

I asked, looking in the direction where her mother had disappeared.

“Your mother is very young.”

She was someone who looked like she was in her early 40’s.

In response to my question, Seo Ye-rim said, “You are really young.”

How old is she?

When I was curious, Seo Ye-rim said.

“The front seat is still number 3.”

Is this true?

She was a real young person.

She seemed a bit older than her age.

Then at what age did she get married and give birth to a child?

She was curious in many ways, but in fact, there was something else she really had to be curious about.

Something I’m curious about.

Is it about Why did Seo Ye-rim call me here?

No.

“Hey, how much is this painting?”

In front of me was a picture with a single dot on the drawing paper.

It was just a literal dot.

A dot that looks like someone pointed it out with a pencil.

Underneath the frame of the painting was written 「Markellan Jolas – Liberation, made in 2023」.

I don’t know the artist’s name, but I could tell that the name of this painting was liberation and that it was made in 2023.

“How much do you think it will be?”

Seo Ye-rim asked.

I decided to be honest.

“I don’t think it will even cost 100 won.”

If you look at the Oinoi Sketchbook, you will find 10 such drawings. Seo Ye-rim proudly said to me, “I won the bid for that painting for 1 billion won.”

I felt dizzy before my eyes.

“A billion dollars for a painting like this? Oh my god. This is just a picture that I feel like I could put on drawing paper with a pencil. 1 Billion is this? Hey, really-.”

“Haildo you, that is a really ignorant remark. I’m ashamed of everything. Anyway, come here I’m going to talk about business. Would a light wine be okay?”

# # #

At lunchtime.

I was able to enjoy an unexpected luncheon.

The dishes I have never seen in my life are made by top-notch chefs and served on the table, and the taste was very good.

It would have been nice if Oinoi had come with me.

“So what do you mean? Did you invite me to feed you while watching the beautiful scenery?”

“No. You know that Dr. Newgate’s ‘Bifrost’ opened the rift a while ago, right?”

“I know. It was awesome.”

“That technology was stolen a few days ago. Look at the picture here This man is a Chinese employee called “New Wang” And he stole our technology and sold it to a gang in Macheon. They are troublemakers.”

From noble mtl dot com

Is this a true story?

I didn’t expect to hear such a story, so I was a little taken aback. Stealing technology or selling it to gangs——somehow it sounded like a story from another world.

“So why are you telling me this?”

“At the coordinates I’ll give you, there should be [Bifrost] They’re making. Would you like me to take some pictures of it? This is the coordinates of the tire factory where the [Fairy Tail] Gang is staying.”

Shut-.

Seo Ye-rim held out a tablet PC to me.

I saw the coordinates stamped on the map.

“Fairy Tail is a gang that has suddenly emerged in the past few days. They seem to be using a mysterious technology, but I don’t even know which company’s technology it is. Call them troublemakers.”

Is it a matter of gangs and corporations?

I asked.

“Why don’t you leave this to the police?”

“How much power can the public authorities use in this city of Macheon? It’s almost extraterritorial here. The rule is that Macheon’s affairs are resolved ‘on their own’.”

Is that the case again?

Well, it was common to hear stories of strike teams made up of Awoken hired by corporations fighting each other.

Companies are also promoting each other like boasting that they have strong awakeners.

This was the case with Lee Jung-hoon, the prince of Osa Group.

“Hmm-.”

“Think carefully. Bifrost. If that technology goes to the bad guys who only think about exploiting it, the world will really be chaos itself? I’m just taking pictures. When the evidence becomes clear, our Telos strike team, the “Illuminators,” Will mobilize.”

Strike Team 「Illuminators」.

Wow, that’s a cool name.

A private mercenary team with at least B-class Awakeners hired, right?

“Well, it’s not easy to take a picture. They’re not going to let me in just because I’m in a gang hideout. Why don’t you make that batting team work?”

“A tire factory has a mana sensor. That’s why it’s difficult to infiltrate B-level or higher Awakeners. We need a trustworthy Class C Awakener. You are perfect for this job You’ve got a squirm and a tantrum. Can’t we infiltrate them?”

-Zuji… !

No, what should I do if I get hurt by these guys sneaking in?

Then, suddenly, I remembered the existence of the ghost spider Kwang-kwang, who was newly identified this time. That guy, he just changed the color of her body to cover it up and that’s it.

Wouldn’t it be possible if you tame the stomp well?

When I was thinking about that, Seo Ye-rim added her words.

“Just take pictures. Never quarrel or fight. It seems that the gang “Fairy Tail” Has good bodyguards. I don’t know what it is, but it’s at least an A-class Awakener.”

“Okay. Think about it.”

Shut-.

I received a USB from Seo Yerim.

After that, I returned home in Seo Ye-rim’s car.

When I sat down at the computer, inserted the USB, and checked the files, there was information about the gang 「Fairy Tail」.

It was a story about the revealed members and the products they are selling.

「The water that the nymph washed her hands with – 10 million won.」

“What is this?”

Why are you selling this?

Rather than that, the water that the nymph washed her hands with was worth 10 million won?

That’s not all.

「Picture drawn by a nymph – Cityscape」

A picture that looked roughly drawn with crayons was also being sold for 500 million won.

In many ways, it is a dizzying situation.

Then Oinoi appeared.

“The owner of the house… ! It means that the amulet has been completed… ! As for this talisman…. It has the effect of completely blocking sneezing and coughing… !”

The effect of completely preventing sneezing and coughing?

It was a very subtle talisman that looked very impressive.

“Then present this amulet to the owner of the house… Ahh—more than that, it’s a very nymph-friendly painting… ! This painting must have been drawn by a nymph… ! That would be a nice picture… !”

Ohinoi really liked the picture on the monitor.

Shut-.

Oinoi brings his own sketchbook soon.

There are some similarities between the city landscape painting there and the city landscape painting on the monitor.

“… You mean this gang has nymphs like me?”

“It is clear that the nymph sisters are being held captive by nymph-hating hunters… !”