Malfunctioning Utopia

Chapter 14: A Place to Stay

"Okay, bro, so are we heading back in to keep partying, or are we off to the place?" Song 6PUS asked, just as the building behind them exhaled another massive plume of white fireworks.

"Party? Are you kidding me? Let’s just go to the place." After everything that had happened today, Sun Jack’s nerves were strung tighter than a wire about to snap. He desperately needed to rest.

Song 6, clearly wired differently, had no issue diving into this chaos right after a brush with death.

As the car started moving, Sun Jack stared out the window at the bizarre, vibrant cityscape. The kaleidoscope of lights and colors made the world outside feel surreal, like something out of a fever dream. After a while, he turned to watch Song 6, who was driving with one hand while casually live-streaming with the other.

Despite how unreliable he seemed, this guy was loyal to a fault. "Song 6, I’ve got to say, you’re broke, yet you still splurge like crazy. You even treated people to drinks? At first, I thought you were some rich kid."

"Sh*t, what kind of logic is that? I risk my life to earn @coins—why would I save them?" Song 6PUS replied, stomping on the gas pedal and sending the car into a sharp acceleration. "If you’ve got money, you’ve got to spend it like there’s no tomorrow. What if you die with your savings unspent? That’d be a real tragedy."

Sun Jack shook his head slightly. He just couldn’t wrap his head around Song 6’s view on money—or life, for that matter.

Back in his old life, he’d seen plenty of sci-fi depictions of futuristic worlds on TV. But he’d never expected the real thing to be so chaotic.

As they sped along, a glowing Chinese billboard flashed by, and Sun Jack realized they’d entered the Queens District.

The car weaved rapidly through the uneven cityscape. Over time, the streets became dirtier, with more garbage scattered along the sidewalks. Though the neon lights still shone, the buildings around them started to look shabby and dilapidated.

When they passed an unsteady old man with no pants peeing by the side of the road, Sun Jack couldn’t hold back any longer. "Where the hell are you taking us?"

"To your new home. See that building up ahead?" Song 6 pointed forward.

Following his finger, Sun Jack peered through the rain-streaked car window. He spotted a skyscraper—a bizarre sight. The bottom dozen or so floors were clearly inhabited, their windows glowing with light and plastered with advertisements. But the upper levels were unfinished, scaffolding still surrounding the structure. The contrast was jarring.

It wasn’t exactly a ruin, given the activity below, but it certainly wasn’t complete.

As the car door opened, Sun Jack stepped out, frowning as he followed Song 6 toward the half-finished skyscraper.

The rain was blocked as they moved under the building’s concrete overhang. Around them, people huddled for shelter—blank stares, gaunt faces, and strange, contorted movements making them look like zombies. The air reeked of waste, and piles of garbage and excrement littered the area.

"I’ve got a bad feeling about this place," Sun Jack muttered, covering his nose.

"Don’t sweat it, bro. These are just junkies who’ve fried their brains. They might look scary, but they’re harmless," Song 6 said casually.

To prove his point, he pulled out his gun and fired a few shots into the air.

The sound of gunfire sent the group scattering like frightened rats, hugging the walls as they fled.

"See? If anyone asks you for food or smokes, just fire a few shots, and they’ll calm right down," Song 6 said with a grin.

They pushed through the stragglers and entered the building’s elevator. Song 6PUS pressed the button for the 18th floor.

When they stepped out of the elevator, Sun Jack was pleasantly surprised. The place wasn’t great, but it was a definite improvement—at least the stench of urine and feces was gone. ṜÅ𝐍őᛒĘṦ

"The stairs are like a dividing line between two worlds. The trash below won’t bother you up here, so don’t worry," Song 6 said as he approached the third door in the hallway. With a quick iris scan, the door unlocked, and he pushed it open.

A faint musty smell wafted out, but the interior was relatively clean. The apartment was small, roughly 30 square meters, with a bedroom, living room, and bathroom. The standout feature was the 3D holographic waterfall projection that served as a divider between the living room and bedroom.

Song 6 slapped the wall, and a section of white wall slid upward, revealing a massive floor-to-ceiling glass window. Outside, the neon-lit city shimmered under the blanket of rain.

"Well, bro, what do you think? Pretty decent, right?"

"This is your place?" Sun Jack asked skeptically.

"Hahaha, that’s hilarious. Who the hell buys property these days?" Song 6 laughed as he plopped onto the gray sofa in the corner. Instantly, a virtual display projected a program in front of him. "This was a buddy’s place. I’ve got access. He died, and the room’s been empty ever since. No idea how many months of rent he prepaid. You can crash here for now—I’ve given you authorization. When the landlord kicks you out, we’ll deal with it then."

Sun Jack wandered around the small apartment. It had everything he could need—fridge, washing machine, wardrobe. There was nothing extra to buy; he could move in as-is. To be honest, it exceeded his expectations. He had assumed Song 6 would find some run-down shack to pawn off on him.

Song 6 casually swung his left leg while flipping through floating 3D programs. Finding nothing worth watching, he stood up.

"Alright, that’s it for now. Get some rest. Tomorrow, we’ll sort out your neural system. I’ve got to head back to Club 69. Spent money there, can’t let it go to waste. My mom always taught me to be frugal, and that place is pricey."

As soon as Song 6 left, Tapai asked, "Want me to keep an eye on him? Just in case he runs."

"No need. He’s not going anywhere. Don’t forget, he’s a live streamer. But keep watch tonight, just in case someone tries to break in."

Song 6 might seem reliable on the surface, but Sun Jack wasn’t about to let his guard down, especially in an unfamiliar city.

Finally, Sun Jack sank into the sofa, feeling his taut nerves relax for the first time all day. He exhaled deeply, glancing at Tapai and then surveying the room. Everything about today felt surreal, like he was trapped in a dream.

There was a strange sense that if he fell asleep again, he might wake up back in his old world.

But as he raised his cold, mechanical arm and watched his metal hand open and close in front of him, he knew this was all real.

"If only this really was a dream," Sun Jack murmured, tilting his head back to stare at the gray ceiling. He tapped lightly at the seam between flesh and metal on his arm.

Meanwhile, in the elevator outside, Song 6, headphones blasting death metal, made a call to a contact.

"Bro, how much did those two’s data sell for?"

"What?! You didn’t sell it? Not even for 0.1 @coin?!"