61. worry
A-044 City turned upside down more than Leonard expected.
A psycho cyborg crime that could happen once a day occurred at the same time in 27 places. FAP stationed outside the city, as well as fixers and corporate mercenaries, were all mobilized. There were 250 casualties, and property damage was not even counted.
“Are you treating me right?”
“It’s not a cure, it’s a repair.”
Due to the nature of the ground city, where 98.9% of the implant cyborgs were, there was an ambiguous sense of whether it was casualty or damaged. Leonard did too. He is called the implant ‘doctor’, but what he actually does is repair the body by twins who are similar to welders. His left arm, which had been hit by a psycho fist and hit directly by a shotgun bullet, did not move.
“There is nothing wrong with the neural circuit. It’s just that the muscle is torn and the bone is out. It’s a minor injury.”
“That’s good. Replacing the neural module would have shattered the credits.”
The twins put on a sad face and grabbed the spinning top. The advantage of the implant cyborg was that it did not require anesthesia. The artificial skin was ripped open and the broken metal skeleton was isolated.
“Ah, give me a warning and let’s get started!”
It wasn’t just advantages either. Self-healing was not possible, so the damaged parts had to be ripped out unconditionally. If I had enough credits, I would have replaced the whole arm, but I was in a position where I was in a position where I was sorry for a penny, so I only replaced the minimum part. It’s not a huge savings, but…
“It will take time for your new body to adjust. Lie still.”
“Ah, is it over already?”
Leonard looked at his left arm in surprise. The silicone skin peeled away, revealing the Kevlar fibers and titanium skeleton. So it was clear. From the procedure to the suturing, it was perfect. It was as clean as an arm straight out of the factory. After all, he was the best implant doctor in Junk Town.
The best doctor turned on the TV sullenly. One operating table monitor switched to an external video.
It was full of regular broadcasting, pirate broadcasting, and psycho cyborg issues. The only minor difference is that regular broadcasting does not report any terrorism suffered by entrepreneurs.
“The real bottom line for companies is the journalists. Look at the people who drink expensive air worrying about being offended.”
Still, he did not hide the fact that he was behind the psycho cyborg crimes. The ‘Liberation Front’, an anti-corporate terrorist organization, was frequently mentioned.
It was possible to read public opinion without having to access the darknet. The image of the ‘Liberation Front’ has completely changed. From a mischievous person who stirs up fun with pirate broadcasting, to the worst criminal in Sodom who killed hundreds of citizens. He was no longer a ‘self-proclaimed’ terrorist.
“Would you like to raise the bounty?”
“You mean? It’s very hot among young kids.”
“A gang of fire moths dreaming of making a fortune.”
I thought it fit well. It was no longer a gang to save soundly.
Leonard moved his fingers little by little. It seemed that he had somehow gotten used to it.
“What are you going to do with these clothes?”
One of the twins lifted her coat. To be honest, it was a rag like a coat. If clothes were to cover up shame, they did not perform the function of clothes at all. It would be embarrassing to wear something like that. There were too many bullet holes.
“You wear something like this well.”
Even the twins who had seen a lot of things they wouldn’t see in a gang group were judged harshly.
“I don’t need it anymore. Just throw it away.”
said Leonard proudly. The other twin pursed their lips vertically.
“Isn’t that your trademark?”
“Hoo? Did I have anything like that?”
“Yes, of course. Everyone knows that the beggar-like fixer who hangs around with kids is Leonard Walker.”
It was also right to throw it away.
“I bought new clothes. This income was pretty good.”
Originally, the request money presented to High Lane was 15,000 credits. That’s not a small amount, but I received an extra allowance for dealing with the psycho cyborg and saving the people of Lennox City. So, a total of 30,000 credits. Even by White Town standards, it was a ton.
“Then, this kind of procedure is nothing?”
The twins sent the bill. There were 3 front seats and 3 back seats.
“Fighting bloody is the solution, but the implant doctor who stays still makes a lot of money.”
“If it’s unfair, would you like to be a doctor too?”
The twins smiled softly and suddenly threw away their tattered coats.
“And throw it out of your house.”
@
Leonard was in a good mood.
After paying broker fees, corporate taxes, car hacking fines, implant repairs, and more, I still have 16,000 credits left.
It was a credit that could be earned by completing two or three large requests, and it was a credit that could pay off the balance of the clothing store at Leisure Boa in one shot.
“Oh, Mr. Leonard. You are welcome.”
The boss of the topknot greeted me warmly. It seems that the belief that Leonard is rich has not died, but it was not so wrong.
“The clothes you ordered are complete.”
The sleeves are wide, the hem comes down to the knees, and the simple design minimizes unnecessary decorations. The color was a dark solid color. Therefore, it was a trench coat that clearly showed the designer’s ability.
“The recommended silicon carbide ceramic is used for the upper body, but the material is weak for the lower part of the pelvis. It will reduce the impact to some extent, but don’t be overconfident.”
Max stroked the top of my head as he begged me to shoot him as a test. The sensory module of the left hand was normal. right!
Leonard put on his coat and looked in the mirror. It doesn’t change color depending on the weather or hologram disguise, but it’s strong point is that it’s incredibly strong.
“It fits perfectly. Very good.”
Since the implant body was scanned and matched, it was more accurate than measuring with a ruler. Leonard paid the balance without changing.
“Good luck in the future. It seems to come often.”
“It is an honor. Take a look, sir.”
It felt good to wear new clothes on a new body. Max rubbed the crown of his head and climbed into the car.
“Now Mr. Leonard must keep his promise.”
“What promise?”
“They said they’d let me drive the car.”
The guy who didn’t even have a memory chip didn’t manage to forget it. It seems that the old mankind has its own ability to store memories. Or the expectations were too high.
“I said I would teach you.”
“That’s it! Keep your promise. Otherwise, I will tell Sigma the price of the clothes.”
Leonard sighed and gestured affirmatively. But when I thought about it, it was absurd.
“I’m the owner, so why should I look out for androids?”
I had to put up with it because I couldn’t format it because the data I had learned and saved was a waste.
Anyway, a promise is a promise, and if you’re going to be a solver, you won’t be able to shoot well, so you have to learn what you can learn.
“let’s go.”
“Where are you?”
“A place to learn to drive.”
@
Leonard and Max head to an antique store downtown.
It is an era where the Road Traffic Act is treated similarly to the Ten Commandments, but you still need to know the basics.
Usually, data is downloaded to the brain chip, but Max has no socket in the frontal lobe, so he had to read a paper book. And in these days, paper books were antiques. It was a place that the hip and vintage Leonard sometimes visited.
“Leonard Walker! Our regular customers! How long is this?”
“Do you think the sentence before and after is correct?”
“You are a regular at this store. There are a lot of people who don’t come once, and there are a lot of people who come once and then don’t come back.”
The owner of the antique shop welcomed me with open arms. His yellow teeth and sparse hair were impressive. However, that was the only thing that gave an idea of her age. Below the neck was a chunky implant like a war machine.
“You may be looking for a book about cars and driving. The most recent one.”
“Who will make the latest book out of paper?”
“If you have any, give me some. I can’t study on my cell phone.”
An antique old man looked at Max. The lens that looks like a microscope has been reduced.
“That child is…”
“That child, what is it?”
“No, in classical literature, rhymes are so meaningful. Then you should nod meaningfully as if you saw it correctly. A child who has the power to change the fate of the world, but has not yet realized it, is confused and has to look at the two alternately to become a complete cliché…”
“Stop the noise and bring something.”
The antique old man giggled and opened the storeroom. It is said that the house price is cheap on 17th Street, but it will not be easy to operate a warehouse of this size. Max’s eyes twinkled as he knew the fate of the world but knew the market price of Junk Town. Contrary to what he looked like, he was clearly rich.
The antique old man rummaged through the piles of old books. Most of them were miscellaneous books from 50 or 60 years ago. The really expensive ones have already been swept away by collectors like the Big History Foundation. Almost no books were made after the Great War, so there was a possibility that these books would become expensive someday if stored well.
“The streets are a mess.”
“Because of the gang?”
“A gangster is a gangster, but that terrorist. Was it a maritime front?”
“The Liberation Front.”
An antique old man who has lost interest in the present due to obsession with the past is really hot enough to know the name. Even if it’s not enough to store it on a memory chip.
“A psycho cyborg appeared on the street ahead. Mary is dead.”
Leonard didn’t know who Mary was. I didn’t even want to know. However, I was moderately comforted because I knew manners.
“I’m sorry.”
“What is regret? It’s a pity that you left without repaying the 300 credits you borrowed from me.”
Even if he said that, he would be a best friend if he lent him 300 credits.
“How is your friend?”
“I have no friends.”
“why? You know the cute android you took from here?”
“Someone is friends with an android. Wait, did you conclude that you wouldn’t have any friends other than Android right now?”
Even if he said he had no friends, he felt bad when others said that. Max looked around the warehouse in a new sense of wonder.
“Hey? Was this the home of Sigma?”
“If there is such a thing, it must be a factory that was closed a long time ago.”
When I asked where I could get the 2nd generation Android parts, it was an antique store. So the manufacturers were jumbled together and it became a unique model.
“There’s an old-generation device that’s new, and it’s TCA technology. And there’s also a Type-C bridge for second-generation Android.”
“Ah, that’s it.”
“It’s still a small barrel. old.”
I asked him to find a book related to automobiles, and he found all the real ones. Old-fashioned Automobile magazines, half-academic books on car engines, driver’s license workbooks with unpleasant marks, and so on.
Leonard picked out only books that would actually help him drive and asked the price.
“1,000 credits.”
“What is so expensive!”
“Then ten credits.”
“A reasonable price.”
Another attraction of antiques was that there was no fixed price. It was a mentality to sell when it was possible to buy it unless it was a geek like Leonard.
“Ah, it’s Kwondang.”
Leonard frowned and sent another 20 credits. The antique old man was overjoyed and finished the story he was talking about earlier.
“There are a lot of Android parts coming in these days. You’re going to catch me and empty the warehouse once, so think about it and come find me.”
Combining old antiques and androids suddenly reminded me of something. But it was insignificantly forgotten. I’m not the type to buy into worries, I needed some time to rest.
“Look at the work.”