Chapter 11

[Translator – Peptobismol]

Chapter 11: The Inexplicable (3)

Since ancient times, it has been said that humans cannot overcome natural disasters.

Ah, living in a world where just saying ‘human’ could be taken as discriminatory speech.

Let me rephrase.

Since ancient times, it has been said that humans (including all races) cannot overcome natural disasters.

It has been the same in the past.

Typhoons, droughts, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis.

The power of nature swiftly takes away what humans (including all races) have created.

Of course, it was different in Neon City.

Even the typhoons, including the toxic gas that periodically swept in, could not penetrate the sturdy outer walls of Neon City. Only those living in the garbage dump outside died.

But Neon City is an exception.

In normal circumstances, it is neutral for humans to not be able to overcome natural disasters.

In other words, being swept away by natural disasters is not strange.

I am just a commoner who has gone through such a process due to my bad luck.

‘There’s a saying, ‘Don’t be afraid of failure.’’

I thought as I looked at the fluctuating graph.

Although I almost lost most of the credits I had due to a single natural disaster (corporate war) that hit, a second chance came to me.

Thank you, Eve!

I’ll definitely repay you!

Humans are creatures that learn from their failure.

This time, it was different.

Safer.

I increased the proportion of diversified investments and focused on investing in high-growth companies.

I reduced the risk and increased the return.

I had firm belief and confidence.

“……”

P-COLA Company (-17.2%)

LAD Corporation (-47.2%)

Blue Rapid Corporation (-22.4%)

Black Importing Association (-13.0%)

.

.

Bogdanov, who appeared in my imagination, raised his phone.

‘He bought it.’

‘Dump it.’

Is this even reasonable?

I could only stare blankly at the screen interface.

[As of now, all stock trading activities of the human ‘Lee Siwoon’ will be completely prohibited, I have decided.]

My dignity as a human hit rock bottom.

I wanted to make excuses or something, but it was true that a considerable amount of credits had been lost.

I couldn’t make any excuses.

“… Since I haven’t sold yet, maybe if I wait a little longer, it’ll rise again?”

[Information. The AI has sold the stocks.]

“……”

[Human ‘Lee Si-woon’ is deemed to be very untalented in stocks,I have assessed.]

“Ugh.”

It felt like a punch to the gut.

I swallowed my pride in the face of such blunt facts.

Even the news channel I had opened out of boredom was broadcasting breaking news about it here and there.

I enlarged the screen interface a bit.

《Introducing! A new product announced in Koozaka! Rainbow Tasty Cola with seven different flavors and colors! Special discount available now!》

Beep.

《Due to aggressive corporate activities by Koozaka Corporation, the stock prices of many companies are falling. Some argue that restrictions should be placed on the activities of giant corporations.》

Beep.

《This is currently in front of a building owned by Koozaka Corporation in Neon City. Many citizens are gathering for an illegal rally, while the NCPD is─.》

And then I closed the screen interface.

Hmm.

“The city seems even more chaotic today.”

[I affirm.]

These Koozaka bastards seem to have something against me.

Come to think of it, the reason my previous stock purchases were completely ruined was because of the corporate war Koozaka initiated.

I couldn’t understand why they were attacking only the companies whose stocks I bought at this particular time.

It felt like the heavens were shouting at me to stop trading stocks.

Even if I have bad luck, it should be within reason.

This won’t do.

I need to find solace even in people similar to me.

I naturally opened NetSpace.

Here’s the company’s website… here.

【Koozaka Corporation】

《Anything, Everything!》

As I accessed the site, a sentence that seemed to be the company’s motto appeared prominently on the screen.

Koozaka.

This place, boasting the second largest market capitalization in the world in the cyberpunk world, was undoubtedly a mega-corporation.

In addition, it was a downright crazy company.

For starters, the company’s chairman was a character.

It was a mascot character, depicting a cute and adorable mouse.

It reminded me of a certain mouse character curtain company from my previous life, which was sensitive to copyright.

But strangely, in my previous life, that company didn’t appoint the mouse character as the chairman.

…How can a character be the chairman?

I don’t really know.

Whoever’s idea it was, it was really unique.

The mascot’s name was Mr. Pete Mac.

Perhaps because of his cute design, he was popular even among children.

Kids who liked him collected related toys and called him by affectionate titles such as Uncle Pete Mac.

In addition to the toy industry, they also engaged in various other businesses and owned many subsidiaries.

However, in the dark, behind-the-scenes world, such as the mercenary industry, their image was not good.

They did anything that made them money, and there was no place they wouldn’t get involved in if it made them money.

Being a conglomerate (ArmaCorps), they were recognized worldwide for arms exports and private military services.

[Translator – Peptobismol]

【Hello! I’m Mr. Pete Mac! Nice to meet you!】

The character Pete Mac waved his hand from the front of the site.

I clicked around here and there, hoping for some interaction, but there was no response. It was just decoration.

Anyway, I didn’t come here to admire characters like a kid.

I turned off my attention to the character.

The reason I visited this site was to check the “discussion forum.”

And as I expected, the discussion forum was ablaze.

[If you’re here just to watch and not invest in stocks, you’re missing out big time.]

Starting with me,

ㅡ I’m barking with joy lol

ㅡ lol I came here because there are idiots who invest in stocks even though they know it’s all rigged by the companies.

[An evil corporation attacking other companies]

I’m just an honest citizen living day by day…

I started investing in stocks with the ambition of getting out of the lower class.

But today, my world has collapsed…

I request Koozaka to formally apologize to ordinary citizens and provide compensation.

ㅡ Yesterday, my world collapsed blah blah

ㅡ Are there still idiots who don’t buy MegaCorp stocks while investing in stocks?

ㅡ Leave out the dentures and come.

[lol that’s why]

If everyone bought Koozaka stocks like me, a happy world would come to us all!

Why not buy it?

Who’s holding a gun and threatening not to buy?

If you’re annoyed, you should have bought it lololololol

The Koozaka stocks I bought the day before yesterday are in such a nice position that I can’t even look at them, kyayayaya

Tonight’s dinner is real chicken!

ㅡ If you’re going to eat real chicken instead of cultured meat, how much credit did you earn?;;

ㅡ Are you a sage? I bought Koozaka stocks after reading this post.

ㄴ After reading this, I sold everything.

ㅡ It’s been three days since I’ve been starving to death. Please send only the money for food to the account below. The account is─.

“Oh.”

It sounded plausible.

Come to think of it, it was true.

Every stock I bought so far had Koozaka appearing and smashing the stock price.

In other words, it was a statement that if I bought Koozaka stocks, I could sit securely and comfortably.

[It’s not plausible.]

“What?”

[I predict the human ‘Lee Siwoon’s’ actions. Are you thinking of buying Koozaka Corporation stocks? I ask.]

“…No way.”

Is she reading my mind now?

I lied with a dry cough.

[I’ve prohibited the human ‘Lee Siwoon’s’ stock trading activities, I explain. If you continue trading stocks, this AI will no longer provide you with credits earned through streaming.]

That wouldn’t work either.

A life dominated by artificial intelligence.

It’s so bleak and sad.

I won’t forget this grudge.

Mr. Pete Mac…!

It’s not that I lost my credit because I wasn’t good at stocks.

I was just caught up in the natural disaster called Koozaka.

That’s how I rationalized it.

Phew, thinking like this made me feel a bit relieved.

– Ding dong.

At that moment, someone rang our doorbell.

Who is it?

I quietly moved to the intercom to answer.

If it’s one of the madmen (old man Bill, sensitive to sound) living near my house, I was thinking of pretending not to be home.

A familiar voice came from the intercom.

[It’s me, open the door.]

“Oh.”

It was Catherine.

Well, she’s my neighbor now.

She might come by often.

Anyway, I opened the door.

In fact, there was a part of me that wanted to pretend I wasn’t home.

But considering her excellent physical abilities, the answer was obvious.

She can easily hear and check if there’s someone inside from the other side of the door.

It was better to open the door rather than pretending to be absent, which would lead to being scolded.

Actually, there was a time when I got caught pretending to be absent before.

My immature past.

“What’s the matter?”

“Do I have to have a reason to come here?”

…Isn’t it obvious?

Obviously, people come for a reason.

But if I honestly said that, I would have to endure the aftermath.

“That’s not it.”

I couldn’t call her father ‘father.’

And I couldn’t honestly say that the right thing was the right thing.

I felt the sadness of not being able to do so.

Catherine’s golden eyes were fixed on me.

Did my inner thoughts come out?

I was scared by her sudden gaze.

Many city dwellers in Neon City preferred golden colors.

Therefore, there were many people who dyed their eye colors golden even in the field of fashion.

But her eyes were not like that.

Since we first met at the garbage dump, her eyes were shinier golden than anyone else’s.

Maybe because she’s the protagonist.

It was about time her gaze became burdensome.

“Do you have anything to do?”

Of course, there were many things to do.

I had to continue exploring the NetSpace, watch Eve’s replay videos, catch up on new games, and finish leveling up in the MMO RPG I was playing.

…Hmm.

The problem was that these weren’t suitable “things” for Catherine.

“…So where are we going?”

I gave up quickly.

Now that it’s come to this, I’ll go quickly and play with her, and then come back home quickly.

Well, I might as well try.

I thought I would just look around a gun specialty shop like last time.

“To the concert hall.”

“Huh?”

Why are we going there?

I couldn’t understand.

In the end, it didn’t take long for Catherine to grab me by my hand and pull me out of the house.

[Translator – Peptobismol]