Malfunctioning Utopia

Chapter 12: The Metropolis

“Relax. When people see me, they’ll just assume I’m a fully cyberized human,” Tapai said, far more optimistic than Sun Jack.

“Besides, in the Metropolis, countless people come and go every day. No one cares about us.”

“As for traces from the space station—landing impact marks, and even the mercenaries’ crude search methods—they’ve already wiped everything clean for us.”

“Let’s hope so.” In a place so unfamiliar, Sun Jack could only take things one step at a time.

Still, whether it was the mercenaries or the corporation’s methods, Sun Jack couldn’t shake the paranoia that someone, somewhere, was always trying to kill him.

“Surely there must be normal people in this world, right? Not everyone can be crazy. I can’t be the only sane one here,” he thought to himself.

His musings were interrupted by Song 6PUS’s voice. “Look! The Metropolis is here.”

Following the direction of Song’s e-cigarette, Sun Jack saw a vivid burst of color piercing through the otherwise gray skyline in the distance.

“The Metropolis?” Sitting up, Sun Jack’s mechanical stretcher automatically rolled toward the window, giving him a clearer view.

As their shuttle approached rapidly, a dazzling, multi-layered neon city came into view.

A kaleidoscope of skyscrapers, interspersed with glitzy entertainment districts, sprawled before them. Countless shuttles wove between the rainbow-colored neon signs and towering holographic advertisements. The chaos extended from the skies to the streets, where streams of vehicles moved incessantly.

The advertisements were almost alive, constantly shifting and flashing. There seemed to be no restrictions—guns, sex, and every outrageous concept imaginable was boldly plastered across the city.

Some ads Sun Jack could understand in language but not in concept.

“Gourmet-enhanced stomach! Savor anything, devour everything—whether it’s lava or nuclear waste, you can taste it for yourself!”

“Red Clay Stove 8 Youth prominiMax is now on sale! Powerful and affordable. Gun barrel made from non-toxic, 3D-printed polyester. The only weapon brand safe for children—Red Clay Stove!”

The pedestrians were just as eclectic. Their attire ranged from wildly extravagant to downright bizarre. Data cables and cybernetic prosthetics were a common sight—many even more extreme than Tapai’s full-metal body.

The perpetual rain cast a hazy filter over everything, giving the scene an ethereal, dreamlike quality.

“So this is the Metropolis?” Sun Jack’s eyes widened, drinking in the view with astonishment. Everything here stood in stark contrast to his own life—this wasn’t just a different place; it was a completely different world. ṘἈɴọꞖÊᶊ

By the time the shuttle landed, both Sun Jack and Song 6PUS’s injuries had fully healed. Even Song’s severed arm had been replaced with a medical-grade prosthetic.

When the hover car doors opened, the bright world outside exploded with sound. Stepping out into this utterly foreign landscape, Sun Jack felt awkward and unsure, his hands hanging at his sides as if they didn’t belong to him. Everything about this place was alien to him.

“Hahaha! Bro! Let’s go! Time to party!” Song 6PUS, grinning wildly, walked up to a nearby car and slammed his mechanical arm into the window.

Without hesitation, he pulled a data cable from his prosthetic wrist and plugged it into the car’s dashboard port. With a sharp click, the vehicle roared to life.

Smash the window, plug in the cable, unlock the door—a smooth, practiced sequence. Clearly, this wasn’t Song 6PUS’s first time pulling a stunt like this.

“Uh... this doesn’t look like your car,” Sun Jack said, his voice tinged with disbelief.

“What’s yours or theirs? If it’s in my hands, it’s mine! Now get in!”

Sun Jack and Tapai reluctantly climbed into the car, and Song 6PUS floored the gas pedal, launching them into a reckless start.

Song drove like a madman, ignoring every traffic rule imaginable. He opened the convertible roof, sped down the wrong side of the road, and let the wind blast through the cabin. The rain lashed against Sun Jack’s face, stinging like needles, while the force of the wind pushed his hair and scalp back.

Eventually, Song stood up in the speeding car, planted his foot on the steering wheel, and raised both hands high above his head. He shouted gleefully at the city, “Freedom City! Woohoo! Come kill me, I’m back alive again! Hahaha!”

The cacophony of near-blinding advertisements and distant gunfire seemed to echo his cheers, as if the city itself welcomed his return.

“What the hell are you doing? Sit down! Are you insane, or are you high?!” Sun Jack yelled, landing a punch on Song’s shoulder and yanking him back into the driver’s seat.

“Hahaha! Of course I’m high! What do you think I’m smoking right now?”

Just then, Sun Jack caught sight of a figure on a rooftop in his peripheral vision. The person was standing behind a hovering advertisement. “There’s someone up there!”

“Eh, just someone jumping off.”

As if on cue, the figure leapt from the rooftop.

With his e-cigarette dangling from his mouth, Song 6PUS let out a whistle. “Oh, nice one! Flip, bro! Do a flip!”

Remarkably, the jumper seemed to hear him, awkwardly flipping mid-air before flipping Song the bird.

BANG!

The person hit the ground not far from the car, their head exploding like a watermelon, splattering red and white all over the wet pavement.

Completely unfazed, Song stepped on the gas, driving over the body without hesitation. The tires left deep, bloody tracks in the rain-soaked street.

“What the hell is wrong with this city?” Sun Jack muttered, still stunned by what he’d just witnessed.

His thoughts were interrupted as the car screeched to a stop in front of an immense, towering building. From the top of the structure, a loud recording of moans and gasps blasted through speakers, accompanied by white fireworks exploding into the sky.

Before Sun Jack could fully process what he was seeing, Song 6PUS slung an arm around his neck and dragged him inside. The moment they entered, the city’s neon cacophony gave way to an overwhelming din of hedonistic indulgence.

The interior was a haze of decadent lights and sounds. Sun Jack hadn’t even had a chance to take in the decor when Song shouted, “Where are the b****es?! I wanna party!”

From within a towering, transparent champagne glass, a catgirl wearing a miniskirt and glowing stockings rose from the liquid.

Dripping wet, she swayed her tail as she strutted toward them on high heels, her smile sweet and inviting. “The b**** is here~~” she purred.

“Get over here and take care of my bro! He’s my ride-or-die!” Song declared, grinning widely.

The catgirl, radiating a cloying, sugary scent, danced around Sun Jack. She moved her body seductively, brushing against him as she whispered sweet nothings into his ear.

Then, biting her lip, she leaned forward, arching her chest as she spread her legs. A streak of peach-pink light shot from between her thighs, illuminating Sun Jack’s gaping mouth and trembling pupils.

“It... it can glow?” he stammered, utterly dumbfounded.

Song 6PUS wrapped an arm around Sun Jack’s shoulder, shouting over the surrounding noise directly into his ear, “Welcome to Freedom City, bro!!”