The All-Master of Cyberpunk-Chapter 15

“Would you like another cup?”

“No, I’m fine.”

Park Hyung-rok.

He was the scout leader of Sky Road and the de facto leader of their combat group.

Before the world turned upside down, he served as a non-commissioned officer in the Air Force Search and Rescue Team (SART).

His neatly trimmed beard and square face, combined with his slightly rigid tone, emphasized that he was a seasoned survivor and former soldier.

Not to mention the solid build that even a loose poncho couldn’t hide.

“You mentioned you are Hunter Lee Do-jin from the Chilgok Guild, correct?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

I nodded, placing the empty cup on the plastic box serving as a makeshift table.

This was an improvised living space made of tents within Sky Road. It was used by hunters who occasionally couldn’t return to the Green Zone in time, like myself.

The facilities were nothing to write home about, just a worn-out field bed and some makeshift shelves made of blue plastic boxes.

Liberation Village folks generally didn’t view Green Zone citizens—especially hunters—in a positive light.

Had I not saved those two, entering the village would have been much more difficult.

“I heard there’s only one B-grade or higher hunter in the Chilgok Guild.”

“That person died recently. I joined after that.”

“Oh, I see. My condolences.”

Coincidentally, Hyung-rok mistook me for a B-grade hunter or higher.

If I were in his shoes, seeing someone take down mutants so efficiently, I’d think they were at least B-grade.

Since I had already told Lee Ha-an that I was an A-grade hunter sent from Seoul, I had no intention of correcting his misunderstanding.

It was a matter of status. If he wanted to think highly of me, that worked in my favor.

Establishing my reputation as a B-grade or higher hunter among the Sky Road people would prevent unnecessary conflicts, like with the Underdog Bikers.

In the world of Seoul 2056, it was crucial not to be underestimated.

“It’s nothing. In this world, how you die is more important than how you live.”

I waved my hand nonchalantly, and Hyung-rok immediately bowed at a 90-degree angle.

“Even so, thank you, Hunter Do-jin. I thought I was as good as dead.”

He expressed his gratitude sincerely. Even in the game, he was a character known for his politeness, despite being from the rough Liberation Village.

Well, even without my intervention, Park Hyung-rok wouldn’t have died. If he had, neither he nor Yoo Hyun-ah would appear in the original game.

Yoo Hyun-ah would have either shot the Dead Runner’s head off with her magnum or slashed its neck with her favorite dagger.

“We should help each other out. We were lucky. By the way, where’s your friend?”

“Hyun-ah is receiving treatment at the relief center. She had some minor scrapes.”

The fact that there was a relief center showed how well-organized Sky Road was.

Indeed, it was one of the largest factions in the entire Daegu region, not just the east.

While the Green Zone inside the barrier claimed to represent a grand civilization and a near-futuristic society despite the disaster.

The Liberation Village in the Yellow Zone outside the barrier had a more apocalyptic character.

A community society united by strong bonds, jointly opposing the disaster.

This was why people in Liberation Villages tended to be gentler and more kind-hearted than those in the Green Zone.

In the Green Zone, people would kill their neighbors for a few bucks, which was unimaginable in the Liberation Village.

Even minor disputes could get someone labeled an ‘enemy’ of the community, leading to collective punishment and expulsion.

Ironically, this made the outside safer than inside the walls.

Yet, people inside the walls discriminated against those from the Liberation Villages.

“I finished my treatment a while ago. I just went to get some food.”

The sharp voice came from outside the tent.

A bob cut dyed a bright beige on the inside, contrasting sharply with Park Hyung-rok’s darker skin.

Yoo Hyun-ah.

One of the representative ‘sniper’ characters you could recruit in the early stages of Seoul 2056.

She looked at me and Hyung-rok, then bowed her head like her leader had.

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“Thank you for saving us. I’m Yoo Hyun-ah.”

“I’m Lee Do-jin.”

A simple introduction. I already knew about Yoo Hyun-ah, but it didn’t matter.

Meeting someone for the first time in reality was the same, whether it was in a game world or not.

I had long realized that these characters didn’t just follow predetermined programming.

Yoo Hyun-ah’s expression was particularly somber, not what you’d expect from someone who had just survived a near-death experience.

I could easily understand why.

The horrific screams I heard before reaching the villa complex suggested they had lost many comrades along the way.

“Hyung-rok oppa, what about Joo-hyuk?”

“He’s beyond recovery. You know that. There’s probably no body left. If we’re lucky, we might find some bones.”

At his cold response, Hyun-ah bit her lip in frustration and lowered her head.

After a moment of silence, she spoke again.

“Idiot... At least he got to eat the popcorn he wanted before he went.”

Despite being just around 17 according to the game’s lore, she accepted the fact calmly.

It was a fitting age to face the harsh reality of a broken world.

On my fourth day here—now transitioning into the fifth—I had faced countless deaths.

Even knowing this was a game world and having seen all seven future paths, I was getting fed up. I couldn’t imagine how many deaths she had experienced living in the Yellow Zone for 17 years.

“I’m sorry. He was a close friend. He always said he’d leave but didn’t think he’d go like that.”

Her words didn’t sound like something a high school girl would say. She seemed like an old soul.

But this was probably her way of mourning her friend. I offered a brief condolence.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Joo-hyuk wasn’t the only one who died today. You can speak casually to me, uncle.”

Uncle? That caught me off guard. My eyebrows twitched involuntarily.

Do I look that old? My face here is the same as in reality since there was no character customization. And she called Park Hyung-rok, who’s well into his thirties, ‘oppa.’

It wasn’t a title I liked, but I decided not to show it. Arguing with a high schooler wouldn’t be cool.

“Are you really a B-grade hunter? I’ve never seen you around Daegu.”

“Hyun-ah, be respectful.”

“I wasn’t being rude!”

“It’s still the first time you’ve met him, and he saved your life. Ask politely.”

“Ugh...”

Hyung-rok’s low, heavy voice made her squirm. True to his character, he was the ultimate strict elder brother.

“I sometimes do guard duty in the control tower, so I get lists of B-grade hunters or higher from the government regularly to prevent conflicts.”

“I haven’t been in Daegu for long. It’s natural I’m not on the list.”

“Really? You came from another city?”

“Yes.”

Her previously dull eyes lit up with excitement.

“Where? Where did you come from?”

“I’ve been to most places.”

It was true. As a veteran player who had seen all the endings of Seoul 2056, I had a 100% map exploration rate.

I’d been to every location implemented in the game, including the Red Zones.

“Wow! So you’ve been to Seoul and Daejeon? I heard Daejeon is incredibly clean, unlike Daegu, where the air has a weird corpse smell. And have you seen Korea Tower?”

As soon as I mentioned other cities, Yoo Hyun-ah unleashed a barrage of questions.

“I’ve never been to nearby Jeonju or Yeosu. I heard there are Armored Guards wearing ancient armor and wielding neon swords in Jeonju. Have you seen them? And, and...!”

“Hyun-ah!”

“Ugh.”

Finally, unable to bear it, Park Hyung-rok intervened, and she pouted openly, showing her displeasure.

“Are you very interested in other cities?”

“Of course, uncle. I don’t plan to stay in Daegu forever. I’m saving up to leave as soon as possible.”

Moving between cities wasn’t difficult if you had money and proper identification.

According to the game’s lore, South Korea had entered a ‘social stabilization’ state years ago.

The south still suffered mutant attacks, the east was contaminated with radiation, and the northwest had sporadic battles with the android rebellion faction ‘Revelation’ that turned the area into a de facto Chinese territory.

But it was still stable.

At least thousands or tens of thousands of people no longer died in hours as they did before.

Safety zones called Green Zones operated as hubs in each region, facilitating active exchanges between them.

“Sorry, Hunter Do-jin. She gets excited whenever the topic of other cities comes up.”

“Uncle Do-jin! If you ever go back, take me with you. I’m an excellent sniper.”

“Hey! Stop causing trouble.”

“Why are you overreacting when he hasn’t even said anything?”

I chuckled at the bickering pair.

“Haha, you two seem very close.”

“...I’d prefer it if she didn’t act out so much.”

“By the way, Leader Hyung-rok. I have a favor to ask.”

“Anything, Hunter Do-jin.”

He looked at me with determined eyes, ready to help with anything.

“It’s nothing big. I heard there’s a top-notch bike mechanic in Sky Road. Can you help me get an estimate?”

Since I’d already accumulated some goodwill, I couldn’t pass up the chance to upgrade my ride.

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