LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 6
What’s the most important thing for a person to live?
Some might say love, while others could argue it’s dreams or fame.
Then there’s friendship, work, learning, appetite…
And let’s not forget those who boldly declare that money reigns supreme.
Well, to some extent, everyone has a point.
But what I want to talk about isn’t any of those things.
The most crucial thing for survival?
The most fundamental need?
Clearly, it has to be ‘Food, Clothing, and Shelter’.
Especially in this place called Neon City.
If you don’t wear ‘clothes’, the nighttime temperatures often dip below freezing for the lower-class standards.
It’s not bearable in the nude.
Plus, you can’t count on being protected from the fences set up by city laws.
No matter how cyberpunk it is, public indecency still exists.
And if you don’t eat ‘food’, it won’t take long before you’re begging for cheap synthetic food made from ‘krill shrimp’ or ‘soy protein’ on the streets.
For the record, both taste seriously horrible.
Not fit for human consumption.
At least the orcs eat well, but you wouldn’t know it from their expressions while eating.
They’re just munching away.
And finally, you need a ‘home’ where you can sleep safely.
Of course, there are plenty of homeless folks without homes in Neon City.
If you wander around the lower-class areas, you’ll see them everywhere.
There are many vagabonds spreading cardboard on the ground and lighting up drums to sleep.
But if you notice that one or two of them go missing after a while, everyone starts to realize the importance of having a home.
In that sense, a home is crucial in Neon City.
Very much so.
Any kind of home will do as long as it’s not just a tent under an overpass.
Eventually, some will head to Royal Vegas and spend the night in a luxury hotel costing thousands of credits per night.
Others may go to the Citizen Zone’s Chinatown*, staying overnight in a cluster of charming buildings reminiscent of old Kowloon Walled City.
Just nearby, there are plenty of establishments meant for accommodation close to the city’s nerve center, the Center Plaza.
In one area, you can see luxury apartments lined up on one side, while on the other, you’ll find a one-square-meter capsule room with a door the size of a cabinet.
Under such circumstances, I could say my living situation is above average.
It’s called the ‘Golden Smile Condominium’.
A perfectly decent apartment.
First off, it’s located in the middle-class Business Zone, so safety is above average and being built as a high-quality building means not too many people live on each floor.
For reference, its siblings are the Silver and Bronze condominiums.
I heard the Silver has over 100 households on a single floor.
I can’t even imagine how dire the situation must be in the Bronze down in the lower region.
Of course, I didn’t just evaluate my house based on its location and condition.
No matter how good a house is, unexpected issues always crop up.
When you’re moving, there are definitely things you need to keep an eye on.
Like, say, plumbing problems (rusty water), bug problems (30 cm cockroaches), or lighting issues (fires caused by reflected light from the building across).
By the way, all rates in Neon City are absurdly high.
Who would want to be paying steep city taxes to wash with rusty water or wage war against bugs?
I can firmly declare that there is no such thing as a perfect house in this world.
After long rationalizations and considerations, I was able to lease a house that was up to my standards.
But after quite a slog, it was almost satisfying in every way.
With only one exception.
– Ding dong.
“Hey, hey! It’s Bill! I can’t reach this thing, can you help me out?”
Aside from the neighbor problem, that is.
—
2. If You Can’t Avoid It (1)
When I lived in Korea, I once heard this phrase.
Whether it’s rent, lease, or buying, there are things you definitely need to check if you’re thinking about moving.
Of course, plumbing, bugs, and lighting can be unpleasant elements in life.
But more than that, if you want to avoid extra stress, you should check for this.
Whether there’s a ‘bicycle’ parked on the upper floor.
Or if there’s something like a ‘scooter’ that a ‘kid’ rides occupying some space.
And make sure to examine the state of the ‘front door’ and the ‘residents’ on the same floor.
So why did I ignore that knowing?
Why did I overlook and dismiss that part?
I regret it greatly.
The state of my neighbors was serious.
“Eh? They told me to borrow a ladder from the management? Dude! How am I supposed to bring that here?!”
A crazy old guy cosplaying as a kid.
“…Um, it’s too noisy. Would you mind keeping it down?”
A freak that comes around with noise 24/7.
Even when Bill yells, this old coot has no communication skills. He’s insane.
“Oh, my kids don’t run around at home! What are you talking about?”
This lady isn’t from my floor.
She lives upstairs and turns into an emotional wreck when it comes to her children.
And those little brats have two hearts and three lungs.
I’m losing my mind.
Lastly,
“Wow, aren’t I lucky? The house next door is empty! How nice, right?”
My friend (the protagonist) who moved next door after I told them the address.
…But,
That house shouldn’t have been empty originally, right?
It used to be occupied by the most normal person on this floor.
What happened to them?
What was their name again?
…Hmm.
Umm.
…Nobu, or something?
Anyway, I forgot the name.
But I do remember they were a healthy Japanese young man with no ailments.
The most normal person among these crazy neighbors.
Like an oasis in a desert.
How did I lose him like this…?
Watching the neighbors rotate in and out every 30 minutes was depressing.
How did I manage to stay in my room for the past week?
I’m starting to worry I might really get depression at this rate.
Did everyone coordinate their movements today or what?
Why are they circling around like this?
I could take no more.
“…Let’s go out for now.”
[Very positive. Where are we heading? I ask.]
“Wherever.”
Eve quickly replied, seeming pleased.
I wanted to nip at her attitude of loving outings, but I had no strength left for that.
……I had plans to not step outside for a month.
I never expected things to turn out like this.
“Anywhere.”
To find my freedom.
I sneaked out to avoid my neighbors.
It was especially important not to get caught by Catherine.
Since she was without a mission, I figured she would definitely follow me if I got caught.
Successfully sneaking out, I moved towards the direction of the monorail station without a plan.
I was thinking that wandering around might inspire a destination.
So, there was no need to take a taxi.
It wasn’t because I was stingy with credits.
…That taxi fare could get me a few artificial chicken breasts.
Anyway, that’s not it.
The monorail station wasn’t far from my home.
That was a consideration when I was looking for a place.
A station within a 5-minute walk.
Essential in a happy cyberpunk life.
Before long, I arrived at the large ‘monorail station’.
[North Houston #3 Monorail Station]
Even if it’s a train in a cyberpunk world, the way to board isn’t radically different from the old world.
The only difference is it’s paid through a biometric credit chip, not a transport card.
– Adult male 1 person, payment complete.
[It’s been a while since I rode the monorail, I reflect.]
Eve’s brief reflection followed.
“…Sigh, I don’t want to go out.”
[I think it would have been better if the purpose of this outing wasn’t ‘escaping’.]
“What? If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have come out.”
[…….]
The sounds of the neighbors still echoed in my ears.
Next time I move, I secretly vowed to check on the neighbors.
…I’ll think about the friend who follows me next door later.
Before long, not much time passed before the train arrived.
It wasn’t rush hour, so there weren’t many people.
A haze slowly rose above the train.
I walked slowly into the train’s interior.
Soon, the train set off along its designated track.
As we sped past the cold scenery of Neon City, holographic words zipped by the window.
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[Today’s hot news from NCB24! Recently, amid threats from environmental fascism, neo-luddites, and extremist transhumanist groups targeting Neon City, the NCPD has announced the need for citizens’ cooperation. Today in the Business Zone….]
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Various ads zipped by every window.
Buildings whisked past outside.
Occasionally, an ad featuring a geisha with a white-painted face zipped between the buildings.
In English, Japanese, or sometimes Chinese. Occasionally in Korean.
I stared blankly at the passing ads and buildings.
[Where are you planning to go? I ask.]
“…Let’s think it over.”
What places are there to kill time?
I thought about just riding around the train, but then I imagined the crowd during rush hour, so I discarded that idea.
What did I do for fun in Korea….
“Ah.”
[Have you made a decision?]
“I’ve decided.”
Alright.
Where do Korean people—or rather, people all around the world—go when they’re bored?
When waiting for friends.
When they want to use electronics for work.
Or when they just want to pass the time.
There’s no need to think; the answer is one.
“The answer is a cafe.”
[You’re really showing your lack of experience outside, I think.]
…That’s just something I’ll keep to myself.
The 얼죽아 race appears.
In the cyberpunk world.
—
*
Bang! Bang bang!
“Everyone raise your hands above your heads and get down on the floor! We are the environmental protection group ‘Eco Warriors’! As long as you follow orders, no one will get hurt!”
But I didn’t expect terrorists to show up.