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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Simzy
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《Neon City Bulletin Board》
[Hey lol, I heard there are terrorists at the North Houston cafe?]
Title explains it all.
ㅡ Seriously? How do you know?
ㄴ A reporter friend told me. (OP)
ㅡ Yeah~~ Lower Level stuff, doesn’t concern us Mid Level and above~
ㅡ LOL. Another win for staying home today lol.
ㄴ You should go outside sometime.
[How can a terrorist group be called Eco Warriors lolololol Eco lol]
What the hell are they even doing? lol. I’ve never seen such a lazily named group in my life.
ㅡ Yo, that’s Eco, and that’s old man Ko.
ㅡ Wow! You know the Eco Warriors!
ㅡ Don’t underestimate them. They’re a super radical group that fights for the environment, just like their name says.
ㄴ Who cares?
[Let’s learn about the Eco Warriors currently trending.]
(Image of a polar bear holding a gun)
They’re the most famous eco-fascist group.
Literally a group dedicated to protecting animals and nature.
They’ve gained a lot of power through radical actions, and they receive a lot of support from related organizations.
I heard even a city council member is secretly supporting them, so that says it all.
Most recently, they sent a threatening email to Cloud Park, saying they’d launch missiles if the factories didn’t shut down. Judge for yourselves.
FYI, it’s not just orcs in the group, there are plenty of elves and humans too, so don’t be biased.
ㅡ Are you an orc? Why are you defending them? Want to get hit with a shield?
ㅡ Was going to comment “typical of that race” but I’ll refrain after reading the last sentence.
ㄴ Didn’t you just do it anyway?
ㅡ So it’s because of these bastards that my electricity bill isn’t going down. How can you shut down factories, you damn bastards?
ㄴ If you don’t like it, you know what to do? Move to Platinum. No taxes there.
ㄴ Yeah… not happening this lifetime.
[Live update]
(Photo of orcs holding guns)
Can’t answer questions, currently captured.
ㅡ LOL. This guy is actually there lol.
ㅡ LOL. Crazy bastard lol. You want to take pictures in this situation?
ㅡ Judging by the picture, it’s all “that race” huh? You know the drill.
ㅡ Everyone, this is the fate of a NetSpace addict. Stay away from the Net and live in reality.
I smiled contentedly as I checked the bulletin board reactions.
[What exactly are you doing, I inquire?]
“Just taking some pictures.”
How could I miss the chance for a trending post?
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Cyberpunk cafes weren’t that different.
Of course, there were a lot of unique individuals.
Some were engrossed in games, their eyes covered by goggles, while others worked using holographic interfaces.
Some were gathered in groups, chatting, and a few were having a late meal.
Looking around, I was the only one just sitting and drinking without doing anything.
Heh. True leisure comes from solitude…
I pitied the Neon City citizens who couldn’t enjoy the peace of life.
[Why is the human ‘Lee Shiun’ inactive, I query?]
“My data storage is full, I can’t install any games…”
[…….]
The taste of forced leisure was bitter.
This was because of Eve, the AI I ‘owned.’
Her personality program took up a massive amount of space.
Even my top-of-the-line cyberware with maximum data capacity couldn’t handle it.
This is how I became “the person who does nothing at a cafe.”
I took a sip of cheap coffee.
Hmm.
“The aroma of cheap coffee beans is exquisite.”
[Information. ‘Molecular coffee’ does not contain coffee beans, I clarify.]
“…Is that so?”
Whatever.
…Ugh. Seriously.
Just sitting around doing nothing made me feel sluggish.
If I could at least play games like everyone else…
Doing nothing was incredibly boring.
‘I should just browse the Net to kill time.’
That’s when it happened.
“Everyone freeze!!”
Bang! Bang, bang!
Sharp gunshots pierced through the cafe’s music.
“Everyone put your hands up and get down!!”
A group of large green figures stormed into the cafe.
Some people stared blankly, still processing the situation.
Others frantically ducked under tables.
As an ‘I,’ I preferred corner seats even in cafes, allowing me to grasp the situation more calmly than others.
I quietly lowered myself under the table, keeping my voice down.
At a glance, they seemed to be either terrorists or robbers.
Thick masks covered their faces, but the masks couldn’t hide their race.
They were orcs.
The orcs yelled at the bewildered citizens, kicking them and ordering them to lie down.
Even though it was a weekday afternoon, the cafe was crowded with people like me, killing time.
It would take them a while to completely control the situation.
“We are the ‘Eco Warriors,’ an environmental protection group! No one will get hurt if you follow our instructions!”
[Confirmation. They claim to be affiliated with the ‘Eco Warriors’ organization.]
“…….”
I carefully observed them.
Every single one of them was heavily armed.
Then I looked at the ordinary citizens lying on the floor around them.
There wasn’t a single mercenary or wealthy corporate executive. Not even anyone with basic weaponry like a pistol.
I judged that there was no one inside who could fight back against the terrorists.
I also assumed there were no external forces (bodyguards or corporate ninja squads) that could attempt a rescue right now.
Having assessed the situation, I lowered myself even further.
I was practically lying flat on the floor now.
Eve asked me,
[Do you not intend to commence combat preparations, I inquire?]
“How did I leave the house today?”
[……?]
Right.
I had rushed out of my home as if I were being chased.
I wasn’t being chased by gunmen, but I was escaping my crazy neighbors and my next-door friend.
If I had prepared as usual, the situation would have been different.
But unfortunately, not today.
I had no equipment.
What did I have right now?
Just my smart mask, an essential item for going out.
How could I fight in this condition?
Mages die from bullets just like everyone else.
It’s not that I couldn’t block bullets.
But I didn’t see the need to risk fighting here.
“The police will be here soon to rescue us anyway.”
If this were in the lower levels, I would have been more worried.
But fortunately, this was a cafe in the Business Zone on the Mid Level.
A place where the NCPD or the Cyber Force Strike Team could quickly arrive.
I wasn’t too concerned.
I knew that if I just stayed quiet and hidden, the city’s authorities would show up.
But the terrorists were more serious than I expected.
Reinforced steel panels had been installed over the cafe’s glass walls.
Glancing at them, I recognized they were military-grade.
…Those would be extremely tough.
They must have also hacked the network, because they seemed to be broadcasting the voices and images of the living citizens inside the cafe.
This would make it difficult for the police to force their way in without disregarding the safety of the citizens.
And there were other pieces of equipment scattered around that I didn’t recognize.
“Our demands are clear! Stop the order to demolish the green zone in Redwood!!”
Even though terrorists were common in Neon City, seeing them firsthand (as a hostage) felt different.
When would I be able to get out of here…
Checking the time, I realized an hour had already passed.
I subtly used magic to eavesdrop on the sounds outside.
It was just as chaotic outside.
From what I could hear, the NCPD had already arrived.
I could also hear the voices of several NCB24 reporters filming.
How much longer do I have to wait?
Police-mon, hurry up and save me.
Even though I thought that…
Realistically, it looked difficult.
I didn’t know who was backing them, but…
…the orc terrorists were very well-equipped.
Even to my untrained eye, their equipment seemed to be top-of-the-line, maybe top 5%.
“Sigh.”
I should have just stayed home and played with Catherine.
I briefly regretted leaving the house.
“It’s been an hour since we stated our demands! As we said, we will start executing hostages one by one! Know that this is all Neon City’s fault!!”
“……Huh?”
If I remember correctly…
They never said that.
Judging by the bewildered and dumbfounded expressions of the other hostages, I wasn’t the only one who thought so.
…This is why orcs get a bad rap.
Even I, with many orc friends, had to admit they were a bit… dense.
The terrorists’ sudden declaration made the atmosphere outside even more tense.
Even though Neon City was a ruthless city…
If the citizens were being killed live on broadcast, it would seriously damage the city’s image.
“You there! Come out!”
I wonder who the unlucky first victim would be.
I should offer a prayer.
…….
“Come out here!”
It was me.
The cold steel of a gun pressed against my temple.
I was dragged by the scruff of my neck in front of the camera.
[Shall I execute the protection protocol?]
What protection protocol…?
Out of all the people here, why me?
This was ridiculous.
I was simply dumbfounded.
Anyway, given the situation…
I had to act fast.
I counted 10 orcs.
All wearing body armor, and even the exposed areas were covered in thick muscle.
I would need to focus on precision and aim for vital points.
Their weapons were all RKM series manufactured by Blue Rapid.
Since they were 7.62mm firearms, I would have to prioritize defense.
And just in case, I should focus on protecting my head.
It would be best to ignore the equipment I didn’t recognize for now.
I’d start by throwing the bastard holding me towards that equipment.
I assessed the situation and prepared to move in a split second.
KABOOM!!
…Huh?
I didn’t do anything yet.
The entire reinforced steel wall exploded.
Dust and screams filled the air.
I couldn’t see a thing.
The sudden loss of vision momentarily paralyzed the terrorists.
And then,
A familiar voice echoed through the chaos.
“Which bastards were it?! The ones who grabbed my friend!!”
It was my next-door protagonist (sis), somehow arriving at the scene.
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