Jenny, her face contorted with repulsion as she gazed upon Dylan, reached her breaking point, unable to restrain her fury any further. In a swift motion, she swung the shaker in her hand toward Dylan's head.
Thud!
"Argh!"
As Dylan's head collided with the cocktail he had been clutching, Jenny's fury erupted into a fierce roar of anger.
"You can't handle a single job without screwing it up, you moron!!"
"I couldn't help it!! The client's ridiculous demands were impossible to meet!"
In an instant, the once peaceful bar transformed into a cacophonous chaos as their argument echoed through the air. Lennok heaved a quiet sigh, observing the scene unfold before him.
It appeared that Dylan had botched a job that Jenny had arranged for him, and both parties had plenty to say about it. Jenny had been enticed by the promise of a hefty commission, while Dylan had been lured by some kind of equipment offered as a reward for successfully completing the task. Unfortunately, neither had fared well.
As Lennok observed the heated exchange between the two, he patiently awaited a moment of respite, which finally arrived as Jenny seemed to grow weary. Sensing an opportunity, Lennok found his voice once more.
"So, what happens when they register your information on this Deep Web?"
"There's no particular risk. It just makes it easier to select from a number of jobs that would have been handled verbally up until now."
"Like what?"
Jenny took a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing her explanation.
"For one, your career is recorded online, and when you take a job, you can specify exactly the compensation or physical reward you want. Plus, if you have a theme for the job you want, you can reflect that through the client."
"Oh, I've heard that from our boss."
Dylan interjected into the conversation as he wiped the cocktail off his face with his leather jacket.
"About a year after I joined the office? He said to let the connector know if there are any requirements. I knew my name was registered on the Deep Web, but I didn't know that was what it meant."
"Yeah. It usually takes at least ten months for your name to get on that network. The system is designed so that only freelancers who have thoroughly proven their skills and trustworthiness can be viewed by clients, so it can't be helped."
"But my registration was unusually quick?"
"Yeah. From what I heard, other clients had requested the Deep Web first. Clients who don't have a direct connection with me have no way to give you a job, so they were desperate."
"So, it wasn't your decision after all."
"Of course, you can't ignore someone who has been selecting only the jobs you want."
Jenny skillfully deflected Lennok's pointed remark with a cunning retort.
"It's not because of a greedy woman who wants to monopolize a great wizard."
Upon hearing Dylan's muttered complaint, Lennok couldn't suppress a chuckle.
Swiftly tilting his head to evade Jenny's imminent swing of the shaker at Dylan, Lennok seized the opportunity to pose yet another question.
"Registering personal information doesn't sound good, but there's no risk?"
While Jenny's argument held weight, Lennok acknowledged that it wasn't solely her idea for his name to surface on the Deep Web. Nevertheless, he recognized the importance of confronting the associated risks head-on.
"You don't need to worry about data leakage. It's like a backdoor into the main integrated network used by the government, so the security level is ridiculous. Basically, it's like being protected in the same place as the government's confidential documents."
"That's… wait."
Lennok was on the verge of asserting the impossibility of establishing a backdoor into the main network, but he abruptly halted his words as a realization dawned upon him.
In fact, when considered from a different perspective, the whole situation was remarkably straightforward.
Jenny, seemingly attuned to Lennok's thoughts, responded with a knowing grin.
"That's right. Without the cooperation of the city administration, it's impossible to even attempt it."
"…….."
It came as no surprise.
The meticulous preservation of lawless zones within the 40s districts.
The ability of this street, where gunshots and bloodshed had become routine, to elude the attention of city administration agents and the police.
If the higher echelons of the Vulcan were not entangled in all these machinations, it would be truly astonishing.
As anticipated, yet surpassing belief – this city was thoroughly corrupt..
"So, do you have any specific requests to note when you take a request? You can write down specific items, or even a simple category is okay. Since your name is registered, it's better to use it properly, right?"
"Hmm……"
Jenny's words struck a chord within Lennok, plunging him into deep contemplation.
Ever since his escape from the factory, Lennok had seldom confronted his clearly defined goal directly. He kept his innermost thoughts concealed, navigating a perilous existence filled with risks and constant vigilance.
Disclosing his aspirations to others was seen as both advantageous and revealing of his vulnerabilities. However, he now questioned if it was time to forge ahead.
Nearly half a year had passed since he embarked on his tightrope walk, striving to carve out his place within the sprawling mega-city, maneuvering between realms of light and shadow.
While he constantly reminded himself not to rush, Lennok couldn't remain indecisive forever, clinging solely to the realm of reality. He yearned for something beyond mere well-being and medicinal care.
If he didn't dare to reach out for what he truly desired and hoped for, his aspirations would remain forever out of reach, scattered to the wind.
Lost in his thoughts, Lennok found himself unwittingly uttering the words that had emerged from deep within his being.
"……Unique magic."
"What?"
"Write down that I want a very rare unique magic… or valuable artifacts or potions that are equivalent to it."
Lennok sensed the quiet gaze of both Jenny and Dylan fixed upon him, and for the first time since entering this world, he found that gaze unsettling.
Disclosing his true desires was a daunting and arduous undertaking, yet…
It was an inevitable step he had to take.
Even if it meant exposing his vulnerability to others.
Lennok knew he had to continue pushing forward.
The long-awaited moment had arrived, and he couldn't postpone it any longer.
"Are you sure? A request that pays with such items… it won't be easy, even with your current popularity."
"That's not for you to worry about, Jenny."
Dylan spoke in a low voice.
"…..What?"
"You asked him to say what he wants, and he just honestly did. You don't think he hadn't thought about that?"
"For him to receive a request like that in the first place… No, I definitely overstepped. Sorry, Van."
Jenny, who appeared poised to strike at Dylan, faltered, let out a sigh, and lowered her gaze.
It seemed more as though she was reminded of something by Dylan, rather than considering Lennok's feelings.
Lennok empathized with them.
It's a well-worn saying, but everyone has their own circumstances.
"I'm not saying I'll only take such requests, I'm just setting my preferred rewards and related themes like that. That's all."
"Okay. Got it. I'll apply for a change in registration on the Deep Web… Can you tell me what kind of magic you prefer?"
"……Time or space. Or a very powerful regeneration series."
"Wow, that's not easy."
Lennok was familiar with it all. He had studied the relevant information until he was drained.
Even Dylan let out a whistle, signifying that the kinds of magic mentioned were incredibly rare, even to merely stumble upon.
Such scarce varieties were so infrequent that there were hardly any individuals who could verify their existence, much less own them.
Yet, despite this knowledge, Lennok couldn't halt his pursuit.
Jenny, having tapped the keyboard a few times, began to speak.
"I've applied for a change. The applications that go up here tend to be processed a bit late, so it will probably take about a week. I recommend not taking any requests in the meantime."
"What? Why?"
"The difference in the price offered to you after the registration is properly completed will be quite significant. Even if you underestimate, you'll lose more than 10 million Cells?"
"That's….."
Lennok had to admit that she made a valid argument.
If what Jenny and Dylan suggested was accurate, his mere presence on the Deep Web signified recognition as a freelancer.
However, the issue was that Lennok, in desperate need of money, couldn't afford to sit idly by waiting for his value to increase.
Dylan, who had been observing him from the corner of his eye, inquired in a resonant tone.
"Do you need money right away?"
"……I have some circumstances."
Upon seeing Lennok's silent nod in response to Dylan's words, Jenny's expression also grew stern.
If Lennok, who seldom divulges much about himself, is revealing his intentions, it's certainly no trivial matter.
Jenny, quick to pick up on Lennok's subtle cue, promptly began to speak.
"Well, it's not that you shouldn't take requests. If you need money urgently, you have to take requests regardless of your value. However, if the clients find out that the rate is different after registration on the Deep Web, there may be claims…"
Watching Jenny stutter out what almost sounded like an excuse, Dylan seemed to have a sudden recollection and spoke up.
"Ah, how about this?"
"What."
"There's a job that mercenaries sometimes do to earn extra money these days. How about it?"
"……Earning just a little extra won't be enough. I need at least 20 million Cells."
"It's okay because it's not a job with a fixed amount. If you have the ability, you can earn over 10 million Cells in just a day. Are you interested?"
"…….."
At this point, Lennok found it increasingly difficult to dismiss Dylan's words.
Dylan wouldn't lie on a matter of this nature.
As Lennok locked eyes with him and straightened his posture, he sensed a knowing grin emanating from Dylan, concealed beneath his mask.
"You know that there are a lot of undeveloped areas outside District 50, right?"
"Yeah."
"Because of the contaminants that appear there, the city government has put a bounty on their extermination. Those bastards have been causing the wanderers who recently settled in that area to die like crazy."
"…….."
"The bodies are piling up and rotting, attracting useless beasts that eventually turn into contaminants, causing a vicious cycle. That's why the city government decided to take serious action."
"What about the bounty for extermination?"
"One million Cells per one. You can receive ten million Cells as a reward just by hunting ten. All you need to do is pull out the eyes of the contaminants and submit them to the Environmental Agency of the City Government."
A million Cells each… It might be less than the reward for capturing a single fugitive, but given that bounty hunting typically consumes half a day, this could be a more lucrative method of earning money in a shorter span of time.
Lennok began to calculate the effort it would take to hunt contaminants for that sum.
Generally, it would be less taxing to spend an entire day tracking down a single fugitive and earning roughly a million Cells. However, the necessity of actively seeking out contaminants was a point of concern.
In bounty hunting, he could actively employ tracking magic like [Bloody Chase], but it was uncertain if a similar approach would be effective against contaminants.
Jenny also remained silent and began to shake a cocktail shaker, seemingly in response to Lennok's serious contemplation.
She was pretending to be busy, despite the absence of orders, which seemed to suggest that she genuinely wanted Lennok to defer the request this time.
He didn't fail to understand her feelings.
If Lennok starts accepting higher-paying requests, the commission she earns would proportionally increase as well.
‘That's right…. It's not bad.'
The auction for the Elixir Stemmonia is set to conclude approximately next week.
He could venture into the undeveloped district for a day and still make a decision without any delay.
If his earnings fall short of expectations, he can simply accept the request.
After weighing his options, Lennok finally gave a nod of agreement.
"I'd like to hear a detailed explanation."
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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