Into the Creations-Chapter 55: [] Code: XTK [2]

[Hacking successful.]

[You can hack Legendary Blade for 15 minutes.]

I recently found out that once a connection is established, hacking allows me to manipulate websites or games as I please.

I started modifying the Taker character. The character's level instantly jumped to 200. All stats became 99,999, and the equipped items were replaced with the best gear in the game.

The character's body began emitting a rainbow-coloured aura.

[GM Taker: Still don't believe me?]

[AnnieThing: Taker, it seems we'll need to meet in person.]

***

After setting up a meeting with Raffles, I returned to reality.

There wasn't much I needed to do immediately in the Code: XTK game world. I activated auto-play.

'I'll let auto-play handle things until the meeting time. Plus, there's something I want to experiment with.'

This experiment is about auto-play.

The avatar is influenced by my actions, attitude, and values. If I set the vampire detective avatar to auto-play, it prioritizes finding women over everything else. It either visits Yeong Hye-jeong or contacts Hera and Choi Sun-mi.

'And occasionally, it puts on a cheap clown mask and goes out to assassinate vampire hunters.'

In other words, the avatar in auto-play follows my lifestyle patterns. If a variable arises, it responds just like I would. The avatar can also use the skills and traits I've used in the game world. Its physical abilities are identical to mine. However, it can't use the inventory.

'The problem is that it's not completely identical. Short auto-play sessions are fine, but if it goes on for too long, it becomes unpredictable.'

Here's the question. What happens if I don't take any significant actions in the game world?

'Will it act like me in real life? Or will it follow the avatar's original settings?'

I predict it'll lean more toward the latter.

'Knowing this might be useful later.'

I stared at my smartphone and observed the actions of Park Eugene, the avatar in Code: XTK.

7 AM. Park Eugene and his roommate woke up, had a quick meal of instant noodles, and got ready for work.

8 AM. They arrived at the factory. A middle-aged man, referred to as the management supervisor, gathered the employees and briefly explained the day's schedule. Work began immediately.

Their job was to produce machine parts. To be precise, the machines made the parts. The humans managed the machines, loaded materials, and packaged the finished parts.

Park Eugene was frequently called over by the supervisor for nagging and scolding. From what I could see, Park Eugene hadn't made any mistakes. His job was simple repetitive tasks, so there wasn't much room for error.

Park Eugene just didn't get along with the supervisor.

12 PM. After lunch and a short break, work resumed.

2 PM. An unexpected event occurred. Park Eugene used his hacking skill to inspect the supervisor's smartwatch. He discovered that the supervisor was embezzling some of the raw materials and selling them for personal profit. Park Eugene sent the evidence to the factory owner.

3 PM. The owner confronted the supervisor. The two had a heated argument, with voices rising. Despite being in the wrong, the supervisor refused to admit it and instead lashed out. The owner, in turn, was furious at the supervisor's shameless attitude.

The workplace atmosphere was at its worst.

Eventually, the owner called the police. The supervisor, who had been shouting and puffing out his chest, quickly cowered. In this world, the police often draw their guns at the slightest sign of resistance.

Park Eugene watched the supervisor being dragged away by the police and chuckled quietly to himself.

6 PM. Work ended. Dinner was eaten at a nearby shop, and then Park Eugene went to a PC cafe to play games. He used hacking to boost his game character's stats and began dominating other players.

"...Park Eugene wasn't much influenced by me."

He used hacking, but that was it.

If I were Park Eugene, I wouldn't have gone to work at the factory in the first place.

The supervisor? If I really didn't like him, I would've hacked the machines to make it look like an accident and killed him.

I could've also hacked a bank to transfer money to myself. In Code: XTK, the potential uses of hacking are endless.

'It's clear. If I don't take significant actions in the game world, the avatar acts according to its original settings. And if I act diligently, the avatar will also be influenced and act diligently.'

It would be convenient if I could control the avatar as I pleased.

'The meeting with Raffles is at 9 PM. I should start heading over to meet them soon.'

[Starting the game.] 

***

I opened my eyes in the PC cafe and frowned.

[Hacking cooldown: 2 hours and 45 minutes remaining.] 

This content is taken from fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm.

'Damn it!'

Because Park Eugene used hacking to dominate in the game, I couldn't use hacking right now due to the cooldown.

'I'm supposed to meet the Raffles guys at 9, but I'm on cooldown!'

The current time was 7:10 PM. The cooldown would end around 10 PM.

'It's obvious the Raffles guys will ask me to demonstrate my hacking ability. In this situation, I'll have to be about an hour late.'

I sent a message to AnnieThing saying I'd be late and left the PC cafe.

"...Ugh!"

I frowned and covered my nose.

The city was noisy, and there was a metallic smell in the air. This was the factory district on the outskirts of Seoul. Not exactly a nice neighbourhood.

I looked around. Neon signs flickered, and streetlights were present. But the buildings were large and all looked similar, giving off a dark vibe.

On the streets, cleaning robots about 1 meter tall, shaped like large cans, were moving back and forth. The artificial intelligence didn't seem very advanced.

'The air is disgusting! Damn it!'

I noticed some people wearing gas masks. The air pollution was severe.

I frowned as I looked in one direction.

'Why are those guys shirtless, leaning against the convenience store wall? Technology has advanced, but has civic consciousness inversely declined?'

They looked to be in their early 20s, with tattoos covering their upper bodies. Their right shoulders or arms had some kind of mechanical attachments. In this world, body modifications were common.

'It's a world where people attach machines to their bodies just for the sake of looking cool.'

I could somewhat understand it. Modifying parts of your body with machines makes life more convenient.

They noticed me staring. They chuckled and flipped me off. I smirked, pulled out the pistol I brought from reality, and aimed it at them from my jacket pocket. They were startled and quickly disappeared into the alley next to the convenience store.

"Pathetic."

I put the pistol back in my pocket.

In Code: XTK, gun ownership is legal in Korea. No, gun ownership is child's play. Some people even have machine guns attached to their arms.

I walked down the street. While the city's air was terrible, the buildings lit up by neon signs were quite a sight.

'I can't believe I've actually entered a webtoon world.'

I stopped in front of a store.

Blade Gun Mart.

Gun Mart. A rather amusing name for a store. And as the name suggests, it sold guns. I walked in without much thought.

The store was about the size of a small butcher shop, but the walls were made of steel, and there were over five security personnel inside. All of them were cyborgs.

A middle-aged man sitting at the counter looked at me. Half of his right face was covered in machinery. His red mechanical eye glowed as he stared at me.

"A rookie, huh? Here to buy a self-defense gun? I can recommend an easy-to-use pistol for beginners."

"Do you buy guns here too?"

"Here to sell a gun? Well, if it's a decent piece, I might consider it. Show me what you've got."

I placed the pistol on the counter.

HK USP.

A universal automatic pistol from HK.

I'm not particularly picky about pistol models. I just grabbed this one because it was convenient to carry among the pile of firearms I had.

"Wow... plastic? A total antique. I can't believe someone would bring something like this. First time in my 15 years running this store."

"This is a good gun, though."

"Good my ass. This is a collector's item. A collector's item. Aside from being rare, it has no practical value."

I shrugged, having little to say about the pistol. I don't know much about guns anyway.

He picked up the pistol with his mechanical right arm and examined it closely.

"Huh... A genuine antique with no modifications. 50,000 won... no, considering its rarity as a collector's item, and it's in near-mint condition... 1.9 million won. That's about right."

"...Wait, 1.9 million won? That's more expensive than I thought."

"This is a genuine, unmodified antique. There are plenty of people who collect firearms. They'd drool over this. HK is an extinct company, after all. In about ten years, its value will increase at least sevenfold. Are you sure you want to sell it now?"

"I live for today, not the future."

"Don't come crying with regret later."

I sold him the pistol. Payment was made through my smartwatch.

During the process, I learned his name was 'Kim Blade.' I thought it was a nickname, but it turned out to be his real name.

"For self-defense, I recommend this pistol. It's the latest automatic pistol from Mail Corp. It won't malfunction even if submerged in water, and the recoil is minimal. Perfect for a rookie."

I frowned as I looked at the pistol he handed me.

"This is too small."

"Small is good. It's for self-defense, after all."

"I want a combat pistol, not a self-defense one."

Blade looked me up and down. He then chuckled.

"You're a normal, aren't you? You seem somewhat fit, but you're still just a normal. Combat firearms are hard to handle unless you're a cyborg. If you want to fight, why not modify your body first?"

Normal.

A term for ordinary humans without mechanical modifications.

"I'm strong."

"Well, you're probably stronger than my dog."

"I'm a customer."

"...Oops! I forgot about that. I overstepped. So, rookie customer, what kind of combat pistol are you looking for?"

Blade changed his attitude. That's more like it. I'm the customer, and he's the seller who needs to sell me something.

"I want something versatile. And preferably with high firepower."

"Then I recommend this. The Black Kite F."

"Black Kite F? What kind of gun is it?"

"It's this one."

He took out a pistol and showed it to me. It was a black pistol, similar in appearance to the USP I had brought. The details were slightly different.

"The exterior looks similar to the antique you brought. You seem to like this style. But the interior is completely different. You need to charge the battery with electricity for about 30 minutes a month. The magazine fits most 9mm rounds, including those used in antiques. The firepower is at least twice that of the gun you brought."

I picked up the pistol. The grip felt great. Most of all, I liked the electronic screen on the back, replacing the hammer. The screen showed the remaining ammunition.

"Nice. How much?"

"7 million won. It's a bit pricey because I modified it myself. But the stability and durability are top-notch. It can use all kinds of special ammunition, and you can fire 1,000 rounds continuously without overheating. It's the ultimate versatile gun you're looking for."

"I like it. I'll take it."

It was an impulsive decision, but I didn't think it was a bad one. Having a pistol like this for collection purposes seemed like a good idea. Plus, I might need it for something in the future.

"You're quick to decide. You don't look like much, but you've got guts. I'll throw in 10 explosive rounds as a service."

"The name Black Kite F? Does it mean something?"

"Kite was my friend. A black guy. He originally ordered this gun. But he died in a fight with gangsters before it was completed. F stands for Friday. The day he died."

The origin of the name was a bit grim.

But I didn't really care.

"What kind of special ammunition do you have?"

"Explosive rounds, freeze rounds, armour-piercing rounds, spike rounds, electric rounds, and more. Explosive rounds are the most expensive. 30,000 won each."

"What about regular bullets?"

"400 won each. Buy 100, and you get 10 free."

"Do you sell knives here too?"

"I sell a few, but this is primarily a gun store."

As I finished the payment and left the store, Blade said to me.

"I don't care where or who you're planning to pull the trigger on. But as my customer, I'll give you some advice: don't attach too much meaning to the human body. Modify it with machines. It's more efficient."

It was just nagging. I listened with one ear and let it go out the other.

"Yeah, yeah. Hope you sell a lot."

***

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