Supporting Characters in the Game are Obsessed – Chapter 6

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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What is the most important thing for human survival?

Some would say love, others dreams or honor.

Friendship, work, learning, appetite…

Some might even confidently say money is the most important.

Well, to a certain extent, they’re all right.

But that’s not what I wanted to talk about.

The most important thing for human survival.

The most basic thing.

Naturally, it’s “food, clothing, and shelter.”

Especially here in Neon City.

Without ‘clothing,’ nighttime temperatures in the lower levels of Neon City often drop below freezing.

It’s not a temperature you can withstand naked.

Plus, you wouldn’t be protected by the fences established by city ordinances.

Even in cyberpunk, indecent exposure was a crime.

And without ‘food,’ within a few days you’d be begging on the streets for cheap synthetic food made from ‘krill’ or ‘soy protein.’

For the record, both are incredibly tasteless.

Not fit for human consumption.

Orcs seemed to enjoy them well enough, but judging by their expressions, it wasn’t because they found them delicious.

They just… ate.

And finally, you needed a ‘home’ where you could sleep safely.

Of course, there were quite a few homeless people in Neon City.

You could easily find them wandering around the lower levels.

Many vagrants slept outside on cardboard, with fires burning in drums.

But if you realized how many of them disappeared one by one soon after, you’d understand the importance of a home.

In that sense, a home was crucial in Neon City.

Extremely crucial.

Any type of home would do, as long as it wasn’t a tent under an overpass.

Some people would spend every day in Royal Vegas, in luxury hotels costing tens of thousands of credits a night.

Others would spend a night in Chinatown in the Citizen Zone, in a dense cluster of buildings reminiscent of the Kowloon Walled City.

Even near Center Plaza, the central business district in this vicinity, there were many buildings designed for accommodation.

In one area, you could find rows of luxury apartments…

…while on the other side, there were one-room capsules the size of a closet.

In this context, my home could be described as above average.

It was called “Gold Smile Condominium.”

A decent apartment complex.

Its location in the Business Zone on the Mid Level meant above-average safety, and since it was a high-end building, there weren’t many people living on each floor.

For reference, this building had siblings named “Silver” and “Bronze” condominiums.

I heard that over 100 households lived on each floor of Silver.

I couldn’t even imagine how bad the situation was in Bronze, located in the lower levels.

Of course, I didn’t judge my home as above average solely based on location and conditions.

Even the best homes can have unexpected problems.

They say there are things you should always check carefully when moving.

For example, plumbing issues (rusty water), insect problems (30cm cockroaches), lighting issues (fires caused by reflected light from opposite buildings), and so on.

And in Neon City, all utilities were incredibly expensive.

No one wanted to pay expensive city taxes and then wash with rusty water or fight with giant bugs.

I could confidently say there was no perfect home in this world.

After much rationalization and deliberation, I was able to find and sign a contract for a home that met my standards.

Since I’d gone through a lot of trouble to find it, I was satisfied with almost everything.

Except for one thing.

Ding-dong.

“Hey, it’s Bill. I can’t reach something, my arms are too short! Can you help me?”

Except for the neighbor problem.

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When I lived in Korea, I heard this saying:

Whether it’s monthly rent, a lease deposit, or buying…

There are things you must check when moving.

Of course, things like plumbing, bugs, and lighting could be unpleasant.

But to avoid even more stress, they said you absolutely had to check “this.”

Whether there’s a ‘bicycle’ parked upstairs.
Or a ‘kick scooter’ or other things ridden by ‘children.’

And you should check the condition of the ‘front doors’ and the ‘residents’ on the same floor.

So why didn’t I heed that advice?

Why did I ignore and overlook it?

I deeply regretted it.

My neighbors were… a lot.

“What? The management office told me to borrow a ladder? You punk! How am I supposed to carry that all the way here?!”

A crazy old man cosplaying as a child.

“…Excuse me. It’s too loud. Could you please be quiet?”

A strange person who visited whenever there was noise, 24/7.

He even came to me when Bill was shouting. He claimed the old man was unreasonable.
Crazy.

“Oh my, my children don’t run around at home! What is he talking about?”

This one wasn’t on the same floor.

A beautiful lady living upstairs.

She lost all reason when it came to her children.

And those little brats had two hearts and three lungs.

It was driving me crazy.

And finally…

“Wow, you’re so lucky. It’s a good thing the place next door was vacant, right?”

My friend (the protagonist), who moved in next door after I told her my address.

…But…

The place next door wasn’t vacant before, was it?

I remember the most normal person on this floor living there.

What happened to him?

What was his name?

…Uh.

Hmm.

…Nobu, something.

Anyway, I forgot his name, but…

I remember he was a healthy young man of Japanese descent.

The most normal person amidst these crazy neighbors.

Like an oasis in the desert.

To lose him like this…

Seeing my neighbors visit me in 30-minute rotations made me depressed.

How was I able to stay inside for the past week?

I might actually develop depression at this rate.

Did they all coordinate today or something?

Why were they visiting me one after another like this?

I couldn’t take it anymore.

“…I’m going out.”

[Affirmative. May I inquire as to your intended destination?]

“Somewhere.”

Eve responded quickly, sounding pleased.

I wanted to argue with the AI who loved going out, but I didn’t have the energy.

…I was planning to stay inside for a month.

I never thought my plans would be shattered like this.

“Anywhere.”

In search of my freedom.

I secretly slipped out, avoiding my neighbors.

It was especially important not to be seen by Catherine.

Since she didn’t have any requests at the moment, I knew she would definitely follow me if she saw me.

After successfully sneaking out, I headed towards the monorail station.

I thought I might come up with a destination once I started wandering around.

There was no need to take a taxi.

Definitely not because I was trying to save credits.

…How many artificial meat chickens could I buy with that taxi fare?

Anyway, no.

The monorail station wasn’t far from my home.

It was one of the factors I considered when looking for a place.

A station within a 5-minute walk.

Very important for a happy cyberpunk life.

I soon arrived at the large “Monorail Station.”

[North Houston Monorail Station No. 3]

Even in the cyberpunk world, the way you boarded a train wasn’t much different from the old world.

The only difference was that payment was made with a biometric credit chip instead of a transportation card.

One adult male, payment processed.

[It has been some time since I last experienced monorail travel, I observe.]

Eve’s brief comment followed.

“…Ha, I don’t want to go out.”

[It would have been preferable if the purpose of this egress was not ‘escape,’ I assess.]

“What are you talking about? I wouldn’t have come out otherwise.”

[…….]

The noisy chatter of my neighbors still echoed in my ears.

Next time I moved, I would definitely…

…check the neighbors, I vowed to myself.

…I’d think about the friend who followed me next door later.

Soon, the train arrived.

Since it wasn’t rush hour, it wasn’t too crowded.

Heat haze shimmered above the train.

I slowly entered.

The train started moving along the designated rail.

Holographic advertisements scrolled across the windows, following the cold cityscape of Neon City.

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[Today’s top news from NCB24. With recent terrorist activities in Neon City by various groups, including eco-fascists, neo-luddites, and extreme transhumanists, the NCPD has announced that citizen cooperation is needed. Today in the Business Zone…]

[Mr. Pete Mac of Ko-ozaka here! ‘Have a fun day, everyone!’ ‘For an even more fun day, visit the newly opened Ko-ozaka Amusement Park! See ya!’ This advertisement was sponsored by Ko-ozaka Corporation.]

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Different advertisements played on each window.

Buildings whizzed by outside.

Occasionally, an advertisement featuring a geisha in white makeup would flash between buildings.

And English, Japanese, and Chinese. Korean appeared very rarely.

I stared blankly at the passing advertisements and buildings.

[Where do you intend to proceed, I inquire?]

“……Let me think.”

Where could I kill some time?

I considered just riding the train, but I dismissed the idea, imagining the crowds that would pour in during rush hour.

What did I do when I was bored in Korea…

“Ah.”

[Have you decided?]

“I have.”

Right.

Where do Koreans, no, people all over the world go when they’re bored?

When waiting for a friend.

When you want to work on your electronic devices.

Or even when you just want to pass the time.

There’s only one answer.

“The answer is a cafe.”

[You truly exhibit a lack of experience with the outside world, I opine.]

…Keep those thoughts to yourself.

The nation of iced Americano lovers.

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Bang! Bang, bang!

“Everyone put your hands up and get down!! We are the ‘Eco Warriors,’ an environmental protection group! No one will get hurt if you follow our instructions!”

But I didn’t expect terrorists to show up, too.

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