Chapter 123
“J-Just, because I was curious?”
What I blurted out in that Awkward situation was a truly idiotic Answer.
I was worried about how Sey would react, but unexpectedly, she nodded as if she understood.
Was she respecting my personal circumstances? Feeling slightly touched, I heard her speak.
“How about you ask a little more specifically.”
It carried the nuance that she could Answer if I did.
I pondered for a moment before speaking.
“If that Mr. Monk suddenly goes Crazy and tries to kill the people in the bar—”
Sey stared at me intently.
I know. It sounded like something a Luddite gang member would say.
Seeing her seemingly doubting my ideology, I hurriedly protested.
“I know, it makes no sense. It's just a hypothetical situation if such a thing were to happen.”
Even though it was Techno Buddhism, a Branch of Buddhism that evolved into a faith for machines, the precept of non-killing, also known as Ahimsa, still remained.
Naturally, the probability of the Machine Monk suddenly experiencing a Malfunction and turning into a lethal weapon that went around killing all surrounding lifeforms was almost nonexistent.
Right, almost.
I couldn't be one hundred percent certain.
This was Dusk City.
It meant that anyone, any Customer, carried the risk of suddenly standing up from his or her seat with a weapon and starting To Fire wildly.
In that sense, if the probability of trying to kill others could be described as “almost nonexistent,” that was quite typical.
I had no ill feelings toward Machine Monks. I didn't hold Anti-Machinism ideologies either. It really was just a hypothetical.
After earnestly explaining that fact, I opened my mouth again.
“If such a thing were to happen, would there be anyone among the Ronin—I mean, the customers currently in the bar who could stop the crazed Mr. Monk?”
At that rather specific question, Sey casually cast her gaze toward the hall.
She quickly scanned the vicious-looking human weapons who had embedded cyberarms and legs, iron cores, blades, and gun barrels into their bodies instead of limbs and then spoke.
“No one.”
Although judging people by numbers and standards was an inaccurate endeavor, there were bound to be points where 'levels' inevitably divided them.
Just as it was natural for Dragon President to have higher Physical Strength than I, and just as it was an obvious fact that Isiho's Chairman was wealthier than I.
Seeing her lack even a hint of hesitation, it seemed that to Sey, that question and its Answer fell into the realm of such obvious facts.
I nodded.
Right, since he was at least that knowledgeable, that knowledgeable Ronin Detective must have used the expression “fucking strong.” It wasn't even surprising.
As they say, it was common sense that Shaolin's Machine Monk was strong.
Rather, it would have been more shocking if there had been someone among the other customers who could stop the Raver Shaolin Monk. I would have wondered what kind of monster that was.
After getting more work and returning from Serving Snacks and cocktails to a distant table, I asked my next question.
“Then if the customers all joined forces and stood against Mr. Monk, could they stop him?”
“That, I don't know.”
Was it an ambiguous question this time too?
Then again, there was bound to be a difference as vast as heaven and earth between one person and many. Furthermore, they were all Formidable Ronin.
Just as the saying goes that 1+1 equals 3, if they all combined their strength and cooperated, you really wouldn't know what would happen due to the Synergy Effect.
As I accepted that, Sey continued her words.
“But it would probably be Tough.”
Saying it would probably be Tough.
It meant that dozens of Ronin would fail to stop a single Machine Monk and be knocked away.
Although the vague adverb 'probably' was attached, it could be considered almost certain, given Sey's strict personality.
Wow, amazing.
I guess I should say it was exactly what you'd expect from a Shaolin Machine Monk.
I had expected it to some extent, but hearing it in reality was quite a shock.
I clicked my tongue in amazement and opened my mouth.
I was about to ask the next thing that came to mind, but I paused.
“Why?”
Sey noticed that hesitation unerringly and spoke up.
“Uh, I was wondering if it's okay to ask something like this.”
“What is it?”
No matter how capable Sey was, it seemed she didn't Possess cyberware that read people's minds.
Seeing her look curious, I hesitated before speaking.
This might be a sensitive subject.
But I still couldn't hold back.
“Then, if that Mr. Monk goes Crazy, Sey, not anyone else, stands against him.”
At that point, Sey made an 'ah' expression, as if she knew what I was trying to ask.
“If you Step up to stop the Monk—then what happens?”
I was beating around the bush unnecessarily, but the core of it was a primal question.
So, who's stronger between the two of you?
It is a question that any man would find it hard to suppress his curiosity about.
Sey, the subject of the question, chuckled and opened her mouth.
“Well, naturally.”
* * *
To get straight to the point, I didn't get to hear the Answer.
Just as Sey parted her Red Lips to utter the rest of her sentence, a loud noise erupting from the side interrupted her.
“Aaron! Hey. It's done! I cracked it! That was fast, right? I'm not dead yet, as expected of me...”
Tony, who had been out of sight for a while since the vinegar cocktail as if he had Taken his own Break Time, burst out of the Rest Area shouting loudly before screeching to a halt.
He frowned as he saw Sey and me standing close together, talking.
“...”
“...”
For a moment, an unnatural silence flowed inside the bar.
Tony's voice broke the silence.
“What, were you two having a Secret Conversation without me? Did I interrupt?”
I let out a deep sigh.
He definitely interrupted.
Ah, you clueless guy.
I was right on the verge of hearing the Answer, and he just had to butt in at that exact moment!
I ignored the frivolous Tony and looked back toward Sey, but she had turned her body as if to say the mood was ruined and was focusing on her work again.
I had a feeling she wouldn't Answer if I asked again now.
While I hesitated, Tony suddenly approached with his arms crossed.
“Sey, you don't have much work right now, do you? It looks like it, seeing you two whispering. What were you talking about? Were you badmouthing me?”
“Yeah. You know well.”
At Sey's stiff reply, Tony laughed. Ha, ha, ha.
“Funny joke. ...It is a joke, right?”
“What if I'm serious?”
“If you're serious, I'd be hurt. Though I'd quickly overcome even that hurt and stand back up. Because today, I am incredibly Powerful. Hehe.”
When Tony, who always looked lethargic and unmotivated, was seen reciting a cringeworthy line that Dragon President might say, it seemed he was in a particularly good mood today.
Why? Did something happen to put him in a good mood?
Come to think of it, he did come running earlier saying he succeeded at something.
“Anyway, you don't have work, right? If you two aren't really busy chewing me out behind my back, can I borrow Aaron for a bit?”
“Why Aaron?”
“We have something to do together. The Details are a secret. It's a business matter, so I can't reveal it to an outsider.”
Saying that, he winked one eye at me.
Seriously, why did that Yangban's tension suddenly shoot up like that? Just a few minutes ago, he seemed the same as before.
I felt weird receiving a wink from a grown man, but then my eyes widened as I remembered what I had completely forgotten because of the Shaolin Monk who had appeared out of nowhere.
I wondered why Tony was acting like that, but now I know.
He said he didn't know when it would be finished, but could it already be?
If my guess was right, it made sense for him to be so triumphant.
As expected of the former net diver and the Assistant Bartender of Dragon's Lair...!
“Business, right. Let's say that's true. So you're saying I have to work Alone while both of you Leave your posts, when there are quite a lot of customers.”
Of course, that former net diver's majestic air didn't last very long.
Tony shrank back completely and spoke timidly at Sey's Cold reaction, which leaked an undeniable displeasure despite her voice being as flat as always.
“Uh, could you just let it slide for five minutes? It's a bit of a slow time right now anyway, and it'll be over quickly.”
He had to spout a bunch of petty excuses like, “No matter how many customers there are, with your earth-shattering skills as the Head Bartender, you can easily handle them, right?”, “This is a really urgent matter, but I”ll work twice as hard when I get back,' and “Actually, I”m Fine, but Aaron asked me to, so that's why...' before he could barely get Sey's permission.
It made me think that the head was indeed above the Assistant, and at the same time, I wondered why he was using me as an excuse in the middle of it all.
“I get it for now, but if the boss or a Customer looks for you, I'll call you right away.”
“Okay. Let's go!”
Led by Tony, who was as excited as a child who had just gotten permission from his parents to play, I entered the Rest Area. There, on the central Acrylic Table, sat a terminal with several wires and buttons that looked completely out of place at a glance.
Because it was difficult to fully handle the load of manipulating the Net with just a Neural Interface, the external device mainly used by hackers was undoubtedly—a hacking tool, also known as a Cyberdeck, a high-Performance Miniature Supercomputer.
“Ooh...”
And a small Memory Drive was plugged into the Cyberdeck's Connection Port.