How to Live as an Immortal Chapter 002

Shot, They've Shot

*

There was no sign, but this place was a pawnshop. To be more precise, it was an unlicensed store not registered as a business.

Thanks to this, the fees were high, but the appeal was being able to raise funds without going through financial institutions.

Though the customer service was absolutely terrible.

The partition set up in preparation for any contingency seemed to completely forbid contact with others.

If it weren't for the tiny window just big enough for the upper body to fit through, it would have been impossible to see the figure sitting on the other side.

The old man, hunched over with a curved back, seemed to have his gaze caught on something and rarely lifted his head.

Unable to wait any longer, Shin approached and knocked on the window.

"Mr. Hedgehog."

Then, a reply came from the other side.

"I thought I told you to drop that damn habit of giving nicknames to everyone you meet."

The name of the old man spewing vitriol was Shade Crowell.

He wasn't the biggest player in this area... but when it came to experience, he was second to none. The proof was in having established such a shop in a street where betrayal and violence were commonplace.

"Your mouth is as sharp as ever. Don't react like that, it's my own way of showing affection. By the way, are you reading the newspaper again today? Still keeping up with that refined hobby."

It was an era where devices had become a part of everyday life.

Anyone could access the latest information from where they sat. Just by thinking about it.

Yet, turning pages by hand was considered an old-fashioned taste and an inefficient notion.

"I thought you'd grown old enough, but I guess you're still far from it. To think you can't even empathize with this."

"I don't want to."

Shade folded the newspaper in half and tapped the metal embedded in his temple.

It was a 'slot', an implanted device whose capabilities varied greatly depending on its use and application.

A product of advanced cybernetics.

With civilization's advancement, humanity had already taken a step beyond the realm of biology and was preparing to move to the next stage.

What Shade was using was also an extension of this. It enhanced cognitive abilities, allowing him to recall records of customers.

A bestseller produced by Emil Corporation, which specialized in brain science.

They called it the Sub Brain.

While its price was low due to its widespread use, that didn't mean its performance was compromised.

Shade tilted his head as he checked the transaction history projected onto his retina.

"So what's your business? Didn't we just make a deal recently?"

The additional explanation that 'rent was overdue and he needed quick cash' was superfluous. Especially to an old man who was obsessed with deprecating other people's collections.

So Shin silently took out a commemorative coin.

"That's..."

The ability to grasp the essence without listening to long-winded stories was precisely what discernment was about.

It was something Shade had in abundance.

"It's the one gifted when the Second visited."

"As expected, I don't need to waste my breath explaining things to you, old man."

The year was 1977, and humanity launched two unmanned probes beyond Earth.

Commonly known as Voyager 1 and Voyager 2.

They carried objects called Golden Records. These were LP discs that briefly introduced the technology and culture that humanity had achieved at that time.

In other words, it was no different from an introduction letter announcing that there was an intelligent life form called humanity on the planet Earth.

After all, it would have been arrogant to assume that humanity was the only civilization in the vast universe.

It could also be seen as a precaution for the eventual encounter with extraterrestrial life.

Sure enough, that wish was answered.

In 2158, during the period when six domes were formed and people were confined within them, extraterrestrial life forms that had discovered the Golden Record suddenly visited Earth.

They introduced themselves as the 'Second'.

As the second intelligent life form to achieve civilization in the universe, they possessed technology that humanity couldn't even dream of.

It was only natural that an unexpected commotion arose from this unanticipated encounter.

Some thought that a reliable ally had appeared, while others predicted that an invasion would begin.

But such debates were meaningless.

Shattering everyone's expectations, the Second displayed an unusually friendly stance. Unconditional technological assistance and resource transfer. It was an indispensable helping hand for humanity.

In the process, humanity was given the name 'Fourth'.

The fourth race to achieve civilization in the universe.

It was an intuitive and clear word choice that left no room for further explanation.

After establishing relations between the two races, the Second toured the domes, attending events and festivals several times.

The commemorative coins were tokens of goodwill that the Second presented to those who attended at that time.

Because they were distributed indiscriminately, the number itself wasn't small. But the value of the commemorative coins remained intact.

After all, there was an overflow of groups wanting to examine what kind of metal was used in an extraterrestrial civilization.

While not rare, it wasn't common either, so a reasonable price range had been established to this day.

Even so—

"It's an item that's been in circulation for a long time. 5 million pia. What do you think?"

It was enough for a family of four to live comfortably for two months. For Shade, it could be considered a conscientious price.

Yes, if only Shin hadn't known one fact.

"6.5 million. Don't you know that the megacorps swept up all the items on the market at some point?"

"You've been listening to useless chatter."

"You still enjoy messing with people, old man."

"5.5 million."

"Do you enjoy prolonging conversations? If so, I can stand here as long as you like. After all, my profession is pretty close to being a freelancer."

This was why he had been reluctant. Every time they met, it felt like he was losing out. Tsk, Shade clicked his tongue shortly and tapped his temple.

"6 million. Not a penny more, you bastard."

*

Shin left the pawnshop and tucked the thick envelope into his breast pocket. It was a satisfying deal. With this, he could pay the rent as planned.

But the pleasant feeling was only momentary. As he walked through the winding alleyways, the shadow clinging to his back felt increasingly strong.

At first, he thought it was a coincidence, but not the next time. There was no way the footsteps matching his rhythm so persistently and obsessively could be meaningless.

Someone was following him.

As soon as he realized this, Shin lured the pursuer. Fortunately, even in this neglected area, there were plenty of landmarks to use as reference points.

The underground passage that had been abandoned mid-development as a Hyperloop station could serve as a suitable example.

After walking endlessly through the hollow space littered with discarded construction materials, Shin suddenly stopped.

"Why don't you come out?"

The voice echoed hollowly.

As if drawn by that question, a person walked out from a blind spot.

"If you noticed, you should have run away. It's a first to see someone walking into their own grave."

Despite the rough tone, his appearance was ordinary. If they hadn't met in a place like this, he could have been mistaken for a decent young man.

As they quietly locked eyes, two more companions appeared from behind.

A total of three people surrounded him.

Shin smiled as if intrigued.

"It's been a while since I've received such treatment."

Their behavior pattern wasn't incomprehensible. In the modern era where devices were widespread, most financial transactions were conducted through networks.

Because of this, people carrying cash were likely to become targets of crime. It was easy to rob them.

But it couldn't have been easy to select targets. Unless the amount was considerably large, it was impossible to identify. Yet these guys had followed him boldly.

Which meant—

"You've been watching the pawnshop all this time?"

It was a place where physical transactions took place. Targeting Shade himself would have been too burdensome, so ambushing someone who had just finished a deal with him seemed like the reasonable choice.

"Was going alone the problem?"

"Shut up and come here. By the way, it's best not to think you can escape."

It seemed they had been investigating for several days. They could be considered more diligent than thugs who intimidate random passersby.

But one crucial thing was missing.

"Do you know who I am by any chance?"

"Do we need to? If you're using that pawnshop, you can't be an upright person either, right? At best, you're probably just a successful fixer, aren't you?"

"I'm at a loss for words because it's unexpectedly accurate. But I can tell one thing."

"What?"

"You guys, you're from outside the dome, aren't you?"

He didn't mean another dome. He literally asked if they came from outside the dome, from the frigid wasteland.

Of course, there were people living there too.

In 2056, when the dome was completed, it wasn't large enough to accommodate all of humanity. A selection process was inevitable, and convicts and criminals were naturally weeded out.

But even in extreme environments, life persevered. Like nomads, they wandered the world and established their own way of life. Through plunder, looting, and primal violence.

Their name was 'Strider'.

In a sense, they could be considered talents befitting the Ice Age.

"Then I can understand. Your job is to hunt others for a living, right?"

"You keep blabbering, but you know it's pretty useless, right? You don't have a device either, so even if we bury you here, we won't be punished."

It was an undeniable statement.

Even if the crime scene were discovered, it would be the same.

In the dome, a device was an ID.

Of course, you wouldn't be arrested for not possessing one, but in return, nothing was guaranteed. It was absolute laissez-faire. This principle extended even to death.

"Are you coming to your senses now?"

The young man who had drawn a pistol from his waist pointed the muzzle at Shin.

"There's nothing that can protect you. If you don't want to die, hand over all your money and get lost quickly."

"And if I refuse?"

"Do you think this is a joke?"

The young man with his finger on the trigger glared at Shin.

But Shin didn't budge an inch.

"If you can shoot, go ahead and try. But I won't take responsibility for what happens after."

"Ha, you're completely insane. You think I'll back down because you say that?"

"Shoot."

"If you want to die so badly, I've got no reason to hold back."

Bang!

The gunshot rang out as he pulled the trigger without hesitation.

The bullet accurately pierced Shin's forehead.

The young man thought that was the end. No one could withstand a hole blown through them at point-blank range. But contrary to the belief that he would collapse, just before falling, Shin supported his upper body using only the strength of his waist.

And slowly regained his balance.

Like a marionette whose strings had been cut suddenly regaining vitality.

An action impossible for someone who was dead.

In that moment, as his blood ran cold, the young man involuntarily took a step back.

"You shot, you actually shot."

Instead of blood droplets, the lead bullet trickled down.

Plink, plink, plink.

The sound was barely audible, but it was enough to fill the hollow space. Shin smiled grimly at the group who stood speechless, as if in a daze.

Allowing the first shot wasn't due to lack of ability.

There was no need to bother trying to prevent them from becoming murderers.

They were a group that wouldn't hesitate to kill someone just for money. If this wasn't stopped here, they would surely cause trouble somewhere else.

And to those weaker than himself, those who, unlike him, could die.

"I've died once already, so now it's your turn to die once each."