104. Thief
Since the beginning of human history, all means of transportation except for two legs have been expensive luxuries.
Today, when we build colonies in space and wander the cyber world of 0 and 1, it was no exception.
“I should change it to something new. Do you like sports cars? I have a ’88 model ‘Double Axel’ that is almost new…”
“That’s fine.”
“That, is it? Well, a pure sports car feels like being driven by an immature kid. Then, like a real man, let’s go to the muscle car! It’s the ’91 model ‘Sandstorm’ that was worn last month!”
“Isn’t that from Rykov?”
“How is Rykov? A car is a comprehensive science and technology, and the company that makes this and that makes it okay.”
“You really say anything.”
It was also the reason Leonard picked up his car at a garage rather than a car dealership.
At the Junk Town garage, there were many cars that were left without owners because they couldn’t pay their debts, were stolen from somewhere, and went into hiding due to death & disappearance. So, although his main job was a mechanic, it was common to repair and sell used cars as a side job.
‘Mechanic’ Jane scratched the bridge of her nose with a spanner and put her hand on her waist.
“What specifically are you looking for? It is recommended to know the model, model, and use!”
To be honest, function or design wasn’t the issue. Balance was a problem. I earned quite a bit of credit, but I couldn’t afford it because the groundwork for the hotel site hadn’t even started. However, it was not easy for a real man to express his economic regrets.
“Because the work of a fixer is cool and distant. I like practical cars.”
“A pickup truck?”
“SUVs are fine too. The CUV isn’t bad either.”
“Who is looking for a CUV these days? Wait, do you have a jeep?”
Leonard admired all the cars in the garage as he rolled up the matting tarps one by one. In the case of Max, he even ran for a test drive. It was the mechanic’s job to clean up after all, so I didn’t dry it.
“Hmm… I don’t really like anything.”
“this person…”
The two gangsters made a lot of work and shook their heads. The tools stained with the mechanic’s hands trembled.
“Then are you going to repair that shit car and keep using it?”
“Ugh! Are you shit? To my favorite Black Storm Legend Hawk Guardian!”
“Black… What?”
Max recited the black thing clearly without any shame. It was already the owner-driver mindset, so I didn’t think he would accept anything I said.
“If you don’t like something here, I can refer you to another dealer. Just pay a small introduction fee.”
“Are you too harsh on regulars?”
“If you take my name, it won’t be bad because you won’t be scammed, right?”
After the world was ruined, from one to ten people went back to networking. Leonard had no choice but to pay the introduction fee. Although inventory processing failed, I was satisfied with the compensation for missing my lunch break.
“There’s a big tire store three blocks over on Route 7. Go there and say Jane sent you.”
“Three blocks? That’s called an introduction…”
“It’s nice because it’s close, right? Without a car.”
“I don’t have anything to say if it’s that kind of consideration.”
Leonard grabbed the still-excited Max and left the garage. Route 7 was just a short distance away, so it was easy to get there on foot.
As for the related industries, there are car maintenance and parts stores lined up, as if it would be beneficial to unite in one place. Tire shops are also hanging neon signs in plain sight. The smell of synthetic rubber and burning oil strongly stimulated the olfactory sensor.
“Is there a Big Guy here?”
Finding the Big Guy wasn’t difficult. There was an implant cyborg of normal height, but with huge shoulders and arms like a gorilla. Considering the working environment, it seems very practical, but it was also bizarre.
“Solver! Are you a solver?! I finally found you!”
“what?”
What the mechanic introduced was very welcome.
“Anyway, brokers, when they are having a hard time, why do they make excuses like how hard it is, no one is around, the situation is bad. Does it make sense to set up to earn a living with that mindset?”
Leonard quickly realized what he had misunderstood.
“Boss. I think I’m mistaken, but I’m a guest…”
“I change parts three times a year and tighten and oil them. Where do you dig for 5,000 credits? I’m just putting it off for a while. Isn’t it?”
Misunderstanding wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Leonard removed his awkwardly raised hand and nodded seriously.
“That’s right. 5,000 credits will do anything.”
Shopping can be done at any time, but the request did not come in at any time. Added around the tenth fixer rule. Of course, I had to season it and listen to the explanation again so that the commission fee would not go to the wrong broker.
@
Leonard didn’t know much about this industry, but Big Guy was a well-known used car dealer that a mechanic introduced by his name. The number of vehicles traded exceeded three digits, and the number of scavengers traded exceeded three digits. I don’t know about the former, but the latter wasn’t very good.
“They ate my car and carried it away.”
“So you mean a car thief?”
Unexpectedly, there were not many car thieves among the scavengers.
A car ride in Junk Town meant he had a decent social position and amassed fortune, and a man like this inevitably had a gang connection. A car that was difficult to conceal and store was not a preferred item of theft, as it was a backstreet life where being photographed by gangsters was more terrifying than being wanted by the police. Implants, which are easy to obtain and dispose of, are an alternative, so there is no need to take the risk.
“Wouldn’t it be better to leave this to the Twins? Can’t the Twins gang just leave thieves on their block?”
“Of course I told the twins! But he said he was busy and told me to come back later! 365 days a year, what are they busy with electronic drugs? They run around like crazy dogs when collecting money!”
“Ah… that’s probably true. I’m a bit busy these days.”
This floor was so narrow that the incidents were entangled like a spider’s web. In any case, neither the mine nor the broker helped, so when the child was riding, the fixer came to his feet, so it was worth jumping up and down.
“Those are the times, but if it’s something to steal from the Twins, it won’t be an ordinary thing, so what should I look for?”
The Big Guy hesitated for a moment at Leonard’s question.
“It’s an old car.”
“Old car?”
“Let’s call it a classic car.”
“That’s not it. How old is it?”
I wondered if it was an easy question.
“Evertree’s 35-year-old model ‘Blue-Bee’.”
Young Max didn’t know which part to be surprised at, so he first surprised them in order.
“The Evertree company? Was there such a company?”
“Don’t you know Evertree? It was the place where the best luxury cars were made before the Great War, right?”
“Then really 35 years? 2035? It was almost 70 years ago, right?”
“That’s not a replica, it’s real. It’s something that only has one in this city.”
Leonard and Max didn’t know much about cars. It is because he has basic knowledge but lacks maniac sensibility. What was created for this situation was the objective unit of measurement of value, the price.
“If you put it up for auction, you can get 60,000 or 70,000 credits.”
“wow!”
Leonard and Max were in awe. It was the moment when the high commission fee was accepted.
“Then let’s hear the details. Oh, if you think it will be too long, please serve me some coffee in advance.”
@
To be honest, ‘stolen’ was a bit ambiguous.
Five days ago, the scavenger gang contacted me saying they want to trade ‘Blue Bee’. I sent a video of the vehicle in real time and heard the sound of the engine running, and it was unmistakably genuine.
“Didn’t you check it yourself?”
“Even if it’s not real, it’s worth it if it’s such a perfect imitation. 10,000 credits should be enough.”
The Big Guy decided that it was not a losing trade and accepted the deal.
“I don’t think sending the credits…”
“You know I’m stupid! We traded directly on site!”
“Then how did you get it stolen?”
Big Guy hesitated, then spoke softly.
“Yes, to think that an old car would have an auto drive function…”
“……”
“…I heard it’s a classic?”
After the transaction, I went back with a light account and a heavy body, but in the meantime, the auto drive function worked and disappeared. It felt like a pampered puppy ran away because it couldn’t forget its original owner. It was more embarrassing than just being scammed.
“Then, sending them with a good heart so that they can live happily with their original owner…”
“What kind of happiness is a machine! what about my credit? What about my 7,000 credits?”
“Wow, he looks like a vicious dog owner.”
The original owner was not a very good owner either. Judging by the trick, it was already a gang that had scammed many times.
“Maybe they have already left the city.”
Big Guy looked like the world had collapsed. In reality, the loss was 7,000 credits, but humans were cunning and considered the maximum profit they could have gotten as the loss. You probably think you’ve blown 70,000 credits.
“Anyway, let’s start the investigation. Hand over the video information and location of the person you traded with.”
“That, is that enough?”
“This is the level to start with. I can’t guarantee the outcome.”
@
The purchase of a new car has been put off for a while.
After completing this quest, not only did he get 5,000 credits, but he was also able to look for a discount. Since the other person is a car thief, he didn’t know if he could get a free car if he did well.
“You’re not a car thief, are you a swindler?”
“After handing over the ownership, I took it back, so it is a thief.”
“Ah… is that so?”
The conditions are very good, but the progress has been sluggish enough to sound insignificant.
First of all, Big Guy didn’t know the car thief’s face. It wasn’t because of the high degree of cognitive impairment hacking, but because of the mask that I thought would cost 2 credits in 10 pages.
“The wisdom of the ancients is great.”
“Should I call this wisdom…”
Although it is a camouflage technique with a history and tradition, it is inferior to cyber camouflage technique with advanced technology and practical experience. Leonard started scanning the body, not the face.
“If it’s a rare model, it should be easy to find.”
However, there was no way that a gang of scammers wandering around the surface city would use a high-end body. As expected, it was an obvious implant body with a few common modifications added to the normal base model.
“You’re not going to fold the car and put it in your pocket, so let’s chase it, right? Aren’t there a lot of cameras on the road?”
“Didn’t you say there was only one in Sodom?”
However, there were no cameras in the trading area. We paid a lot of attention to security as much as we did bad things to each other. Even if you hacked all the cameras on the street, the chances of finding it right away were low. Knowing that their food line is a conspicuous object, they must have hidden it in a dark container.
“If it was easy to catch, another city solver would have started the party earlier.”
“Hmm… It’s a dark container without a camera…”
Leonard and Max came up with the same idea at the same time. Leonard is the best at searching with drones flying in the sky and cameras hanging from poles, but there are experts in the deep underground or indoors where light does not reach.
“King Schultz!”
At this time, the scavenger king’s help was needed.