Clearing the Game at the End of the World
Game 158: [Chapter 10] Lead and Silver Coins (12)

****

[Speedwagon lives here?]

With a crackle of static, Ian's distorted face beyond the window was demanding an answer from me.

Crackle-

"Not here, but nearby… about 105 meters ahead, perhaps? Not here, no. Hmm. It's hard to say this place is inhabited."

[It gets more and more curious. Then, over there, are you talking about that blue place?]

.

.

.

.

.

Damn it.

Seeing where Ian was pointing through the window, I felt there was no room for excuses.

After just a moment's sleep and hours of slowly making my way out through desolate ruins and darkness.

Because the meeting place with Speedwagon, where I had arrived after much hardship, was clearly not a place where people lived.

….Click!

-Krrrrrrr! Krrrr! Krrrr! Krrrrrrrrrrrrr!

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"What the hell did you guide me to, you bastard…."

There was no need to turn on the Geiger counter. The atmosphere was so filled with dense radioactive air that the fluorescent light clusters could be seen with the naked eye due to the high concentration of radiation. To block radiation of this intensity, the shield's permeability would have to be set to zero, but then, even though the radiation would be blocked, no air would get in, and I would die in no time.

A level 6 radiation Area.

Even mutants can't live in a place like this.

Crackle-

Just as I was wondering if I should really move forward another 45 meters, the noise of the vehicle-to-vehicle communication came through. Instead of a voice, the Geiger counter's noise of krrrr, krrr- greeted me first from the communicator.

[Hey, Professor Park. Do you hear this sound? Our friend, the Geiger counter, is screaming like mad. ‘Get out of this crazy area right now! There's radiation! Radiation everywhere!' it says.]

"That's…. right."

[Speedwagon. Even I, who haven't watched your broadcast much, remember that name well enough to be a hardcore fan of your broadcast. You, are you close with him?]

"….Perhaps?"

[Then, even if I just ignore this ‘distress signal' and suggest we stick to our mission, you wouldn't pretend not to hear and would still try to check it out and come back, right?]

"Well…. That's…."

It was hard to give a simple answer. Why did I come here? To find out what's happening in this radioactive area, and about the movements of the Artists Union. I came here for the mission, having sought out a person presumed to be a local informant…. who happened to be nearby.

But is that all there is to it?

——-

‘This guy is an idiot. I don't know what he's been doing, but it's right to filter out at least 80% of what's heard in this chat room.'

‘How to conduct a mother's funeral? …Well, as long as you didn't kill her, just bury her with all your heart. It's okay. I also don't have a mom.'

‘I thought I explained it in a way that's easy to understand.'

‘Is he an idiot? Why go through all that trouble?'

‘You've had a hard time.'

‘Let's talk business in person.'

.

.

.

.

———

The conversation with the guy that had continued since the times when I knew nothing after the war flowed through my mind like a river.

[Why not just speak honestly? It's because the signal was a ‘distress signal'. You're worried, right? But this guy is like a friend too.]

"It's embarrassing…. And I can't put the group in danger because of my personal circumstances. If I go, everyone will follow…."

Thud!

"Even though we're almost on equal terms, I'm still the one in charge. Handling things emotionally like this will bring negative results for all of us."

Tap tap tap tap-

[Uh, um…. Vessel? Over there….]

"No, it's okay. If my guess is right, he's a high-level informant. The fastest guy in the world couldn't have missed saving his own skin. That distress signal must be bait to lure in enemies-"

[No, that's not it. Your friend. He already went out?]

"….What?"

Lifting my head at Hyde's words, I saw a short shadow scurrying through the green ruins far ahead and a large shadow chasing after it.

"These guys couldn't stand the wait….!"

As I prepared to follow in surprise, I saw Vex, who had been looking around the coordinate point, suddenly leap into the air as if he had found something.

The large hand signals that followed, drawing circles in the air. It meant the objective was achieved.

"The objective… was achieved?"

Crackle-

[Seems like they found something? They're coming back excited.]

As Ezel said, the two hurried back as if someone was chasing them, and upon reaching the vehicle I was in, they frantically signaled for me to open the door. After a brief moment for the personal shield and the vehicle shield to merge, Ian, who came in first, started cursing right away.

"Damn it! Stupid fucker! How many days has it been since we promised to think before we act!"

Zzzzip- Swoosh!

"What's the problem! It turned out fine last time, so it's all good! It was fine this time too, what's the issue?"

"Because you dashed out so suddenly, the vehicle's bubble couldn't recover and opened up! If I hadn't turned on my personal shield and blocked it with my body, the driver's seat would have been directly exposed to radiation! Do you really want to be painting the wall with your shit from all sorts of radiation complications in your thirties?"

"Anyway, we found this!"

The rapid-fire argument between the two upon entering was cut short as Vex handed over what he had been holding to me.

"Look at this, Hepburn! Doesn't this look familiar? This is what you were looking for, right?"

Beep, beep beep! Whirrr! Beep!!

"Beep- Warning. You have made unauthorized contact with someone else's perperperpersonal property. According to World Law 2749-f543, this is a highly significant illegal act-"

Beep, beep beep-!

A drone. Despite being dented here and there, it had quite a sleek design.

The way it fidgeted its alloy steering mechanism back and forth like a captured bird was very familiar. It wasn't a GG transport drone, but a House drone, similar to the ones used by Kody as terminals. The presence of a House drone implied a House nearby, someone's hideout, and since this was the place to meet Speedwagon….

"Could it be… Speedwagon's drone?"

Beep-

The moment the drone stopped its struggling, it rotated its body and slowly focused its lens towards me.

"….Voice- static- confirmation. Player ‘Professor’. Is that corcorcorrect?"

Beep!

"Well… I am Professor Park, yes…."

Beep!

"Welcome, welwelwelcome. I am the highest-grade learning AI ‘Genie' serving Player ‘Speedwagon’- servservserving —– Welcome. I offer a heartfelt greeting and invite Player ‘Professor’ and his party to the master's abode."

Beep- Whirr!

Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!

As Vex released it from his hand, the round drone flapped its steering mechanism as if waiting for this moment and started bumping against the vehicle's windshield. It seemed to believe that by doing so, it could fly out through the transparent glass.

The sight of the severely mistaken drone made Vex, who had proudly presented the drone, look slightly disheartened.

"….That thing, if it's a learning AI, it's correct, right? The same model as Kody. The one that learns its owner's behavior pattern and moves in a perfectly fitting manner."

"Yeah. That's it. I'll never agree that Kody copied me, but anyway, that's what the product description says."

Click, click, creak!

Sigh-

"….The person we came to find, although we don't know his face, name, or age, is assumed to be your long-time online friend and informant, a very clever person who knows everything."

"That's…. right?"

"So, if the informant isn't short on money to the point he can't repair a drone, there's only one situation that could explain the state of this screw-up AI."

After quickly finishing a cigarette, Ian chewed and spat out the filter, saying,

"Could Speedwagon have developed dementia? So incapacitated by natural causes that he had to send out a distress signal?"

"That can't be-"

"I will guide you. Guide, guide, I will guiguiguide."

Thump! Thump! Thump!

"….It's possible, I guess."

I swallowed the words of rebuttal I was about to say and grabbed the drone that kept challenging the sturdy armored truck's windshield. Seeing this, the rest of the party silently powered up their shields.

****

Grrrrr- Clank.

"Even if the security procedures are somewhat complica-complicated, we would appreciate your understanding."

Eventually, our group decided to accept the invitation. According to Ian's opinion, ‘Even if there's no senile old man, in the current situation where we don't know the state of Area 38, having a functional shelter in such a harsh place could be useful as an emergency safe house.'

The drone named Genie was let outside, where it staggered a bit before flying into the ruins, and soon after, a fierce vibration that could be felt at our feet ensued.

What popped out of the dust-filled ground was a half-destroyed elevator, as dubious in functionality as the drone itself.

"If we end up dying in such a vain manner, I'll really, really, really resent you, Professor Park."

The moment the creaking elevator jerked and shook as it caught on something, Ezel, who was gripping the handle until his hands turned white, said to me.

After descending, passing through a decontamination room (which was no longer functional) that one would often see in large facilities like Dome, and a fire shutter haphazardly pierced with a welder, we finally arrived at a place where a familiar blue shield was operational.

"This is…."

"A library?"

From floor to ceiling. The books filled every nook and cranny, packing the inside of the shield as if they were bricks building a structure. Narrow paths just wide enough for a small person to pass through were nestled among the tightly packed books.

"Please keep quiet. In the library, let's- let's- let's observe etiquette."

"Talking about etiquette after blocking the door. Go ahead inside. I need to clear some stuff here before I can enter."

As Professor followed the narrow path between the piles of books into the interior, an equally narrow path wound endlessly through the books. The sound of something collapsing behind us and the annoyed voices of Vex and Ezel were heard.

"Sorry for not organizing in advance. No matter how much I tell Genie, it only cleans up to the extent suited for my body type and comes back."

From a corner of the quiet library, a chuckling voice was heard. It was fragile, filled with a precarious vibe.

"You're… Speedwagon?"

"Yeah. Just like you're Professor. Nice to meet you, ‘Professor’."

In this place filled with nothing but books, a neatly cleared space.

The person smiling at me from a white bed surrounded by various colored buckets was a frail woman, visibly ill at first glance.

****

The sound of crumbling books filled the air.

"Phew! Ah, look at this dust! Good thing I'm wearing a mask."

"Metal Jaw, this guy, unnecessarily big for nothing! It would have been fine if he let those of us who fit better, like me and Vex, go first! Instead, he had to make a fuss about going ahead and nearly got us buried alive!"

Ezel, assisted to his feet by Vex, surveyed the dust-laden pile of books. So many books, the thickness of the flying dust alone indicated their age. Ezel momentarily worried about being charged for any damage to these ancient volumes.

Pyuk!

With a forceful kick, Ian, unconcerned with such trivial matters, stood up from the heap of books.

"Damn it, is this the kingdom of some dwarf bookworm?"

"Stop complaining and find a way out. It seems we can move around more freely inside."

"Creative defense setup. Hey, Ezel, blow some air into my eyes. Got dust in them."

Huuuk-

Thud!

"Damn it, you homo! You spat in my eye!"

"Ah, sorry. Wearing the mask for so long made my saliva build up."

"I'll kill you! You know it's not a crime if I beat you to death with a book!"

Ian, furious, rubbed his eyes while reaching for a hefty book to give Ezel a stark awakening.

"Er… would you mind not damaging the books any further? That one you're holding is actually one of my favorites."

Uttuk!

Silence fell at the whisper-like voice that suddenly filled the air. The trio, with their trained reflexes, scanned the surroundings, discovering the pale-faced Professor and the frail woman. As Vex and Ezel rushed towards Professor, Ian's eyes, sharpened by encounters with numerous women, scrutinized the woman on the bed.

Her skin was so transparent that her bones seemed visible. The lack of muscle above her exposed shoulders suggested not a cultivated beauty routine but a lack of exposure to the outside world. Her faint nervousness… was it shyness? Embarrassment? She had pulled her loose hospital gown as far back as possible, indicating her discomfort with her attire. Definitely embarrassed. Perhaps she hadn't had the chance to change, or she was too weak to do so.

"Eh, eh! Let go, what are you doing suddenly-"

"Quiet, you're the one who should be quiet!"

"We need to conduct a brief investigation, so just come quietly!"

Professor was dragged away by his friends, leaving the frail woman chuckling with amusement despite her evident illness.

Despite the dire conditions, the woman's beauty shone through. Her fragile state, her sweat-dampened hair sticking slightly to her face, and her almost transparent skin added a unique charm to her appearance, stirring a protective instinct.

"Interesting."

Ian, with a grin spreading across his face, joined Vex and Ezel in dragging Professor away from the woman's view, momentarily obscuring him from her sight.

Professor's feigned confusion was amusing to witness.

"What the hell are you kids doing! Making a fool of yourself in front of someone you've just met!"

"Was it because of this?"

"What is!"

"The reason we turned back here, despite having our target destination, the 38th district dome, right in front of us, the reason we conflicted despite my suggestion to retreat after recognizing it as a dangerous Area, without being able to provide any other reason. It was all because of that woman, wasn't it? Eh? You were anxious because you were late for a date."

With a snickering laugh and a knowing look, Ian flicked Professor's forehead as if to subdue him. Vex, slipping away just before the angry Professor could grab him by the nape, approached with a similar laugh.

"Kehehe, Hepburn. Did you think we wouldn't understand that much? You should've just told us. It's about Miss Jess; would we try to stop you? Unless we were actively joining in."

"That's what I'm saying. I should mark today on the calendar. The day Professor Park's under-brain, which seemed like it would never function, started working! Hmm~ As a professional, I'd say it's quite romantic for a start. Two people who had been sharing their hearts through writing for a long time. They couldn't approach each other easily, but the moment the man saw her S.O.S., he broke through the wall of chastity that had restrained him all his life and ran to her side, across limbs! Kyah~ Professor Park, seducing an intelligence agent! And such a beauty at that!"

"It's not like that! The meeting with Speedwagon was purely for business-"

"Seduced a woman through a business relationship? Bis du deppert! You like it sadistic? I commend you! You skipped the basics in a flash!"

"Ah, damn it! Just stop!"

Professor felt wronged.

If anyone was the most bewildered among the four, it was undoubtedly himself.

His buddy, with whom he had shared all sorts of nonsense and foolish talk for five years, turned out to be a frail beauty?

Who wouldn't be flustered in a situation where a friend who always went, "Are you an idiot?" "Are you crazy?" greeted him with a fluttery voice saying, "Welcome~"?

It wasn't embarrassment; it was genuine bewilderment.

But no matter how much Professor ranted and tried to explain the situation, Ian and Vex plugged their ears and kept going on about how they had managed to find their way here from the dangerous 40th district, and when had they become such friends, and so on.

So, Professor turned to Ezel for help, who had been quietly observing from behind with his arms crossed.

"Hey, Ezel! Say something! You know it's not like that! You've known Speedwagon as long as I have! If anything, you've been even more reckless with your words than me, haven't you!"

At my desperate outburst, Ian and Vex turned their heads towards Ezel. Ezel, who had been quietly sitting on a pile of books with his legs crossed, stood up.

"Indeed…. I've known both Professor and Speedwagon for as long as they have. We all went through tough times together in the community, with guys like Jokass and takealook, and that deer guy, without any barriers."

"See! What did I tell you? It's always been just friends with Speedwagon-"

"But, Professor always treated Speedwagon and us differently."

"…Huh?"

The story, which had been flowing in a positive direction, suddenly made an illegal U-turn.

"Somewhere along the line, the guy who always called us bastard, jerk, trash, didn't use those words behind Speedwagon. It was replaced with honorifics and ‘Mr.' Speedwagon. Unlike us, who were subjected to daily verbal abuse, Speedwagon received special treatment."

"Oh-ho."

"I don't think their relationship was that long either. But seeing how he's been treated differently since he started his external activities… Maybe his cool demeanor sparked something? Honestly, Professor is a superstar now. If he walks down the streets of Dome, there'd be a truckload of female fans ready to throw their underwear at him. It's all about the skills, man."

"Stop talking nonsense, Ezel! Unlike those useless mushrooms like you, Speedwagon has always provided me with quality information and helped me-"

"A sharp and logical testimony worthy of the Investigation Bureau, thank you, Ezel. The defendant has confessed. ‘She has always supported me during tough times.' You should have said this from the start."

Ian, looking thoroughly amused, came over and patted my shoulder familiarly.

"Professor, do you know?"

"What."

"In Dome, the production of condoms, or any birth control device, is considered a serious crime. It's the era of destruction. The birth of new life is deemed a blessing, and an increase in the birth rate is considered the most important element for the recovery of human civilization."

"Wait… Ezel?"

"With a stable source of income as a ranker, and fame to the point where there's no one in the wasteland who doesn't know your name. You've grasped wealth and honor, so it's only natural you'd want to start a family now. I support you, you rascal."

Ezel, wiping under his nose with his finger, raised his thumb in approval.

"Ho. From that perspective, Professor's romantic endeavors seem like a natural progression. Stop denying it, groom-to-be."

The two were showering Professor with warm words of encouragement, as if they were attending a bachelor friend's wedding.

In the meantime, Vex, who had disappeared for a moment, returned gasping, carrying something bulky.

"Jaw! I brought the suit you said you had matched for our trade up there!"

"Oh, right. There was such a thing. Good job, little rascal. Give me the shirt first."

"Hey, hey!"

"Shh, stay still! A military uniform received at the station for a first date. Dressing up goes beyond looking good; it's a matter of respect for the other party! Forming a family is the greatest moment in the life of this Ian-Jaw! For my best friend, I'll make sure this great task is accomplished!"

Whoosh!

"Strip, Professor Park! Seize your destiny!"

"Let go, let go, you guys! Let gooo!!!!"

The three friends, with mischievous expressions, each held a piece of the stylish suit and rushed towards me. For some reason, in this situation, my left hand, which could have been called an asymmetric power, refused to cooperate.

‘…Hyde?'

[Hwi~ Whistle~ Ah, the scenery here is really nice~]

‘Hyde, you tooooo!!!'

Betrayed by everyone he trusted and without any means to resist, Professor was ultimately dressed up by their hands.

****

Meanwhile, Speedwagon, the owner of this library, was enjoying the drama of friendship and betrayal unfolding in a corner of the library. It had been ages since she'd heard a human voice directly, not through the speakers of a communicator.

Even the agonized cries from beyond the pile of books were music to her ears, having spent so much time alone in this place.

"Compared to what was in the data… they seem much more affectionate, don't they, Genie?"

"Caution advised. Ian Desmond, a mass murderer who is among the few in the wasteland that can be compared to. Vex, although there is no formal data, he enjoys strangling his opponents with cold weapons, a cruel character. Ezel Raiden may seem sloppy but has passed the extremely difficult Investigation Bureau Exam and is close enough to power to meet with the Investigation Bureau Chief of Dome 47 regularly. Professor Park, needless to say. A hybrid with mutant strains. Considered too dangerous for our non-combatant owner to be close to."

"Dangerous people, huh… You're too pessimistic, Genie."

Creak-

"Just trying to provide our overly optimistic owner with a rational activity for making correct judgments-judgments-judgments- Creak, creak-."

She gently embraced Genie, whose voice circuit was gradually deteriorating, and softly pressed on the loosened parts of its internal circuits with her fingertips. The sound of the gears grinding reminded her of the noise a pet makes when it's happy.

Thump-

"Ouch!"

Just then, as the commotion behind the pile of books quieted down, a man with awkward steps stumbled out. Laughter and a leg poking out from between the books suggested someone had been kicked.

Seeing his awkward appearance, she burst out laughing, forgetting the decision she had made with Genie to maintain an air of mystique.

"Pfft! Does that look like a dangerous person to you?"

"….Negative."

Looking at Professor, now dressed in an anachronistic black suit and fedora, even holding what appeared to be a paper flower, she couldn't stop laughing despite knowing it was rude.

****

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