Group now successfully entered the city. Brawl busy with parking ticket and other pending fines while Yu Jin part his way from others after a respectful goodbye. He goes straight to booths named plate with 'Welcome to Atlantis'. He goes to most cornered on with written 'Personal locker '. He passes his personal ID and communicator to the staff. While staff return his ID back to him but doesn't return his communicator instead he gives Yu Jin metallic wrist band with slot for card signifying his ID going fit in it. He does it naturally and start to ask staff for keys.
"Yes, I want key of my locker and can tell me how many days left until next locker payment." Staff guy check through his screen and pass metallic rectangular card similar to his ID but smaller in size with one hole left side. Staff look at Yu Jin with bored gaze and answer his previous question, " Your last payment of locker done it two months ago with current due date two weeks and three days."
"Current due date must on autopay right? I want cancel it and clear my locker." " Are you sure customer. You have more than two weeks left. And you get our special discount around your payment date with more days can also be added." "Thank you, for reminding those discount but job is not doing not much well now. And I don't want to pay fine for not clearing or damaging locker. " Yu Jin speak with staff guy with more sad, souless manner. Staff guy seems agrees with Yu Jin's statement and complete termination process for locker. Lockers are basic lifeline and backup for scaplers and thugs who continuously need to travel outside city. They can't go within in city for every necessities given how much time takes for entering city. Yu Jin was with group from early morning and travelling with them. And now here almost evening now with trace of darkness can seen.
Lockers contains mostly everything from daily necessities to the weapon and cartilages. Of course there are different rules for storing them but in general one can put anything in them.Yu Jin not going to scapler job from now on also don't any plan of leaving the city without large amount money or strong agency for travel. Yu Jin takes metal box for storing items and head towards locker room. Locker room is in quite hussle because of evening. He finds his locker and start to collect the things. His locker mostly filled with two sets of white shirts with plain black pants and pair of normal shoes unlike bulky one he's wearing. He also finds some cartilages, few can food and spare locker key.
While packing his things, Yu Jin shift his focus towards wrist band he was wearing now. It called PTD or personal transaction device, as it's name suggests it was an individual device for daily cash transaction within city and directly tied to bank accounts. To simply put it was smartphone but without access other apps. Only available are functions transaction, basic calculator, basic calling and contacting function and some other minor features. While city itself standardized online transaction but it heavily suppress communication in masses. Main reason for it was every other person possess weapon with them all the time. And city's own 60-65% population made of scaplers, thugs and all sorts of recorded criminals. Having weapon on them quite concerning issue of city but giving them medium for more free and decentralised communication is like adding another problem on top.
"Around twenty five thousands Ethereum in account and twelve thousands in cash." Yu Jin speak while looking at small ciggerate box with cash in it. Cash one are emergency funds while rest present in PTD, was all his savings." He saved decent amount for his age." Yu Jin think inwardly. For context current three months rent for his locker around elven to twelve thousands Ethereum and his monthly expenses at two to four thousands Ethereum. Which is quite modest and decently good. Ethereum is main currency for this world. Like earth, where all currencies back with gold with it being globally recognised. 'Pellucens argentum' is rare metal to which Ethereum value is decided. Yu Jin not even that metal seen in game but as name means it's translucent silver metal with unique shine to it. Yu Jin now packed his things in box and looking at spare key he finds in locker before. According his memory this spare key belongs to his colleague which is quite common practice. But what special about it was that colleague is his current dead vice captain. Yu Jin clearly remembers from memories, is that there a extra gun in that locker. Problem is not that Yu Jin can't take it but original owner of locker dead so according rules in next few months that locker opened up and cleaned by staff because no activity on it.
Authorities generally recordes all information about locker's owner and people whose name mentioned under use of their spare key access. If he takes only gun and leave the rest of stuff or clear that whole locker. In both scenarios he going call by authorities for questioning and huge fine can also put on him. But that gun too precious to give up, even with current funds he can't guarantee that he buy any genuine one now. And time take for getting one his hand probably fifteen days to whole month. He shook his head dilemma and decide take look at locker first.
Yu Jin arrived at locker and insert the spare key. This one different from his locker cheap locker rented for only daily necessities. There are few sets high quality leather jackets, clothes and expensive looking pair of shoes. He's focus shift on three boxes of different size. Largest one contains vice captain's spare gun. Other one full of cartilages and last one with cash. Yu Jin decide take look at those funds with curiosity. Box full with neatly arrange bundle of cash, filling the box to it's brim. He recounting the cash last fifteen minutes with shock expressions on his face. Reason for his such reaction was sheer staggering amount he was counting. " Five hundred and fifty thousands Ethereum in cash." He finally spoke after calming down his emotions. He was well aware vice captain guy was rich and his locker going fill with good stuff. But he was not expecting this much cash, at most he was expecting eighty to ninety thousands and at highest crossing one hundred
thousands.
Yu Jin now speed up actions and start quick thinking because he already wasted so much time and he also had reach place where he spending today's night. First he take out gun from box and put in his pocket after checking it's safety lock. Now he puts cartilage box inside empty gun box. Take out some spare gun parts from his belongings and place in it. Now he look at cash box and divide them into 500 hundreds thousands from 50 thousands. And place 50 one at bottom of gun box like some hidden stash. He take out his cigarette box fill with his funds and leave only thousand or two in it. And place it one of the leather jackets. Yu Jin also change place of gun box from upper shelf to lower one with make it more concealed position. What Yu Jin trying do was replacing original gun case into emergency safe. Not the smartest move but enough in given condition. While doing current things he make plan pay for miscellaneous damage expenses. Those expenses covers any unforeseen damage or fines. He decided put spare key of vice captain's locker and one or two minor things under it. This way when current locker cleared later, he will not called for questioning or fine.
Yu Jin now hasten pace and practically running in between lines. He filled out long form and pay 750 Ethereum with stone on his heart. He already leave around two thousand of his money in vice captain's locker. But was justified given that he literal steal from dead. Yu Jin now clear all security clearances and head directly towards taxi.
" Downtown, eastern side, street 38, Stuart's residence near sordes police province." Yu Jin spoke with taxi driver his still hasten tone. " Keep it fast, don't waste time unnecessary junctures." " Okay customer, I take you on time but please relax little." Yu Jin who finally take look his state in window after such tiring long day, was shock with own look's. His hair was dirty and jumble, his face and clothes drenched in sweat. Combine with his heavy breathing make him absolute mess. Driver pass his water bottle to Yu Jin for drink. He like reject it but currently need one. After taking few mouth slips of water and washing face little, he started his journey.
Current destination he is going now was rental building run by an old man named Sir Stuart. He was one of three NPCs on Yu Jin's list for his future plans. He also reason for Yu Jin's current state. This old man was deep sleeper with one's he sleep, he is not wake till morning. That's reason Yu Jin trying reach there in hurry or else he had spend night on streets. Logically speaking, even Yu Jin can't check in time but with money he currently have possess was more than enough for decent motel or any other inn with better services but with inherit scruplous nature for expenses and original owner habit for saving every single penny was reasoning behind his current actions.
" I didn't take any useless routes but we will delay by 20 -30 minutes on next right junction." Driver inform Yu Jin who regain his composure and look in some deep thoughts. " Is their traffic jam or accident happened?" Yu Jin question driver with worry tone. Driver now who check display panel, inform Yu Jin about deporting trucks." Those guys out all! Means changing route won't work." He let out statement with more frustrated and angered tone while driver seem agreeing it.
Deportation truck, as it name suggests it deport or practically throw out people outside city. Those unfortunate one's deported are mainly filled with people suffering from viral infectious disease, infected with dangerous parasites, viruses and disabled people who cannot work even with prosthetics or simply too old. While city is much advances through technology and magic, it doesn't spend much on healthcare, sanitation or disease control. They can't provide all necessary healthcare need of every citizen. So they decide give working on necessary prosthetic through technology or magic and kicked out worthless one.Simply a very inhumane and cruel method but meticulously efficient one. While Yu Jin have great sympathy for people in those dire situation but his sympathies can't solve anything for them or him. A very hypocrite and situation base thinking but works every situation. This also a reason, when he first finds unnatural recovery rate of his body. He didn't test it for any regeneration ability or something. While if he got one then good news but if not and that was just one time thing then his experiment cause him big price. Here single wound enough for getting all god forbidden diseases one can't find it even in hell. Yu Jin have no regret about his decision not testing it.
Taxi finally arrives at junction where convoy of trucks moving at same speed while all traffic is stop. Trucks itself tightly sealed with only small window seen with eyes full hopeless and dried tears. After convoy clear the junction traffic start moving and taxi pickup the full speed.
" I am very aware of distance so don't try to scam me it. I am paying you 67 for it." Yu Jin who now arguing with driver over fare declare his final price."I take almost on time and don't swindle on different routes. Pay atleast 75." Driver counter Yu Jin's arguments. "70 final one. "He stated it and starting pay with PTD. Driver also seem happy with current one.
It already long cross 9'o clock of night with neighbourhood quite down now. Yu Jin takes his boxes and head towards an old building with named Stuart's residence on it. He look at lights second floor and rings the bell. "Who hell ringing bell at this hour? Don't they know senior citizen lives here." A grampy hoarse voice through outside. Door open and Yu Jin greeted by angry looking pale skinned old man with his big bald spot shining even in darkness."Who are you and what are looking for?" Old man question.
"I was just kicked by my landlord and I was looking for place to stay." Yu Jin replied. Old man who visibiliy angry because someone call him on his sleeping time now greeting the person bright smile on face." What's your name and show me your PTD." Stuart request politely."My name is Scout and here's the details." Yu Jin shows his basic information for verification. " I liked to stay for one week for now and my budget is 100."
"That's too little for troubling this old man at late night. At least 190 and not less." " I am staying for week only also I am not renting your furniture or something." " Still what about electricity and water. You look broke guy so discount 170." Stuart state with generosity. "150 " Yu Jin remain adamant. Discussing continue for good 20 or minutes and final rent decide to be 130 Ethereum with Yu Jin paying half upfront, rest at end of week.
" Take key and go to third floor, second room from entry. I lived alone here, I may pass inbetween to check floors and pass by your room."
"I am okay with it, just knock before coming." Yu Jin replied well knowing this creepy old man going to stalk him whole night. Yu Jin let out an awkward laugh refreshing his memories of Stuart from game and thinking about his future journey.