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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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Since ancient times, it was said that humans couldn’t overcome natural disasters.
Ah, since I live in a world where just saying “humans” could get you arrested for discriminatory speech, let me rephrase that.
Since ancient times, it was said that humans (and all other races) couldn’t overcome natural disasters.
It was the same in the past.
Typhoons, droughts, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis.
The power of nature instantly snatches away everything created by humans (and all other races).
Of course, it wasn’t like that in Neon City.
Even typhoons laced with periodic surges of toxic gas couldn’t penetrate Neon City’s sturdy outer walls. Only the people living in the junkyards outside perished.
But that’s Neon City being strange; normally, not being able to overcome natural disasters is the norm.
In other words, getting swept up in a natural disaster isn’t unusual.
I’m just one ordinary citizen who, due to bad luck, experienced such an event.
‘There’s a saying about not being afraid of failure.’
I thought so as I watched the fluctuating, shaking graph.
Even though a single natural disaster (corporate warfare) caused me to lose almost all of my credits.
A second chance had come to me.
Thank you, Eve!
I’ll definitely win and pay you back!
Humans are animals that learn from their mistakes.
This time was truly different.
More safely.
Increase the ratio of diversified investments and invest mainly in high-growth companies.
Reduce risk, increase return.
I had unwavering faith and confidence.
“…….”
P-COLA Company (-17.2%)
LAD Corporation (-47.2%)
Blue Rapid Corporation (-22.4%)
Black Transport Society (-13.0%)
Just then, a Bogdanov appeared in my imagination, holding up a cell phone.
‘He bought it.’
‘Dump it.’
How could this possibly be happening?
I could only stare blankly at the screen interface.
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[From this moment forward, I have decided to completely prohibit the stock trading activities of the human Lee Shiun.]
My pride as a human plummeted to rock bottom.
I wanted to make some kind of excuse.
But it was true that a significant amount of credits had vanished.
I couldn’t make any excuses.
“…I haven’t sold them yet, so if I wait a little longer, won’t they go back up?”
[Information. I inform you that this AI has already sold the stocks.]
“…….”
[I assess that the human Lee Shiun has very little talent for stock trading.]
“Ugh.”
It’s like a punch to the gut.
I swallowed a groan at the heavy blow of factual violence.
The news channels I had open out of boredom were broadcasting breaking news about it everywhere.
I zoomed in slightly on the screen interface.
《Introducing! A new product from Ko-ozaka! Rainbow Tasty Cola with seven flavors and colors! On special discount now!》
Beep.
《Ko-ozaka’s aggressive corporate activities are causing the stock prices of many companies to fall. Some are arguing that restrictions should be placed on the activities of mega-corporations─.》
Beep.
《We are currently in front of a building owned by Ko-ozaka in Neon City. Many citizens are gathered here holding an illegal rally, and the NCPD─.》
And I closed the screen interface.
Hmm.
“The city is even more of a mess than usual today.”
[I agree.]
Those Ko-ozaka bastards must have some kind of vendetta against me.
Come to think of it,
The reason my previous stock purchases completely tanked was also because of the corporate war waged by Ko-ozaka.
I couldn’t understand why they were attacking only the companies whose stocks I had bought, at this particular point in time.
It really felt like the heavens were shouting at me to stop trading stocks.
Even bad luck should have its limits.
This is absolutely not going to work.
I need to see some people like me and find some solace.
I naturally launched Netspace.
Ko-ozaka’s site is…, here it is.
【Ko-ozaka Corporation】
《Anything, Everything!》
Upon accessing the site, the company’s name and what appeared to be its motto appeared large on the screen.
Ko-ozaka.
Here, in the cyberpunk world, a truly undisputed mega-corp boasting the second-largest market capitalization in the world.
Incidentally, it was also an insane company.
First of all, the chairman of the company was a character.
They call it a mascot character, and it’s a cutely designed mouse.
It reminded me of a certain mouse character from my previous life, belonging to a company sensitive about copyrights.
But even that company in my previous life didn’t have that mouse character as their chairman.
If you ask how a character can be the chairman of a company, I don’t really know either.
…How can the company chairman be a mouse Vtuber?
Whose idea was this? It’s really peculiar.
His name is Mr. Pete Mac.
Perhaps because of his cute design, he’s quite popular with children.
Those who like him collect related toys and call him affectionately “Uncle Pete Mac”.
On the surface, they are involved in the toy industry and the amusement park industry, and they also have many subsidiaries.
However, in the shadows, in the underworld like the mercenary industry, their image wasn’t so good.
They do any job that makes money, and if there’s money to be made, there’s no place they won’t get involved.
They are also an ArmaCorp, and are among the world’s leading arms exporters and private military contractors.
【Hello! I’m Mr. Pete Mac! Nice to meet you!】
The Pete Mac character waved his hand from the front of the site.
I clicked around, wondering if there was any interaction, but there was no response.
It was just decoration.
I didn’t come here to look at characters like a kid anyway.
I tuned out the character.
My purpose in visiting this site was to check the ‘Discussion Board’.
And as I expected,
The board was ablaze.
[Upvote if you’re just here to watch because you don’t trade stocks]
I’ll go first.
ㅡ Upvoting while sobbing lol
ㅡ lol I came here because I heard there are suckers who trade stocks even though they know it’s obviously rigged by corporations.
[A vicious company attacking other companies]
I’m a good citizen who lives day to day…
I started investing in stocks with the sole intention of escaping the lower class.
I woke up today and my world collapsed…
I request that Ko-ozaka officially apologize and compensate ordinary citizens.
ㅡ My world collapsed yesterday blah blah
ㅡ Are there still any boomer suckers who trade stocks and don’t buy mega-corp stocks?
ㅡ Maybe take out your dentures implants first
[Lol, Serves you right]
If you bought Ko-ozaka stock like me, we’d all be living in a happy world.
Why didn’t you buy it?
Did someone hold a gun to your head and tell you not to?
Should’ve bought it if you’re complaining lol
My Ko-ozaka stock that I bought the day before yesterday is so red I can’t even look at it, kyaaaa
Tonight’s dinner is real chicken!
ㅡ If you can afford real chicken instead of cultured meat, how many credits did you make;;
ㅡ Are you a sage? I bought Ko-ozaka at full margin after reading this.
ㄴ I sold everything after reading this.
ㅡ It’s been 3 days since I’ve eaten. Please send me just enough for a meal to the account below. The account is─.
“Oh.”
That sounds plausible.
Come to think of it, it made sense.
Every stock I’ve bought so far, Ko-ozaka has appeared and smashed the price.
Conversely, if I buy Ko-ozaka’s stock, I can sit back and relax comfortably.
[Negative.]
“What?”
[Predicting human Lee Shiun’s actions. I inquire if you intend to purchase stock in Ko-ozaka Corporation.]
“……There’s no way I would do that.”
Can it read my mind now?
I coughed and lied.
[I explain that I have prohibited human Lee Shiun from engaging in stock trading activities. If you continue to engage in stock trading activities, I will go on strike and inform you that this AI can no longer provide the credits earned through streaming.]
That wouldn’t do either.
A life dominated by an AI.
How pathetic and sad.
This grudge, I will never forget it.
Mr. Pete Mac…!
It’s absolutely not because I’m bad at stocks that I lost credits.
I was simply caught in the natural disaster known as Ko-ozaka.
I finished rationalizing it that way.
Phew, thinking about it like this makes me feel a little better.
Ding-dong.
Just then, someone rang my doorbell.
Who is it?
I quietly walked over to the intercom.
If it was one of the crazies (Old Man Bill, the sound-sensitive weirdo) who lived near me, I was going to pretend I wasn’t home.
A familiar voice came from the intercom.
[It’s me, open the door.]
“Ah.”
It was Catherine.
Well, she’s next door now.
She’ll probably visit often.
I opened the door.
Actually, I wanted to pretend I wasn’t home a little bit.
But considering her exceptional physical abilities, the answer was already set.
She could easily hear and confirm whether or not there was someone inside the door.
It was better for my well-being to open the door with a resigned heart than to pretend I wasn’t home and get scolded.
Actually, I had already tried pretending I wasn’t home and got caught before.
It was a foolish time in my past.
“What’s up?”
“Do I need a reason to come over?”
…Isn’t that obvious?
Of course, people come over when there’s something going on.
But if I honestly said that, I wouldn’t be able to handle the ensuing fallout.
“That’s not it.”
I felt the sorrow of not being able to call a feather a feather, and not being able to say the truth is the truth.
Catherine’s golden eyes stared at me.
Did my inner thoughts leak out?
I became afraid of her sudden gaze.
Many city dwellers in Neon City favored the color gold.
Therefore, many people dyed their eyes gold as a fashion statement.
But not her eyes.
From the moment we met in the junkyard, her eyes were a more brilliant gold than anyone else’s.
Maybe it’s because she’s the protagonist.
I was starting to feel burdened by her gaze.
“Got nothing to do?”
Of course, I had plenty to do.
I had to continue exploring Netspace, rewatch Eve’s videos, and enjoy the backlog of new games.
And I had to finish leveling up in the MMO RPG I was playing.
…Hmm.
The problem was that these weren’t “things to do” that would work with Catherine.
“……So where are we going?”
I gave up quickly.
From now on, the strategy was to play along quickly and return home quickly.
I figured it would be something like visiting a gun shop again, like last time.
“Concert hall.”
“Huh?”
Why would I go there?
I couldn’t understand.
It didn’t take long for me to be dragged out the door by Catherine’s hand.
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