Malfunctioning Utopia

Chapter 29: Tapai

"81.5@," Sun Jack muttered as he stared at the cost of the procedure displayed on the system interface.

Sure, there were cheaper options, but considering the surgery involved his brain, he opted for the pricier choice. More importantly, this particular company, MicroMed, was reputed for its superior privacy.

As long as you paid enough, MicroMed guaranteed a fully AI-operated, offline procedure with no human personnel in the surgical room, ensuring absolute confidentiality of the patient’s memories.

Though the amount seemed steep, it wasn’t entirely out of reach, especially with the 9@ payment from their latest job.

“Song 6! Where are you? Transfer the money now!” Sun Jack barked as soon as Song 6 picked up the call, his urgency evident.

“Bro, you’re awake? That’s amazing!” Song 6 replied, his tone feigning regret.

“Cut the crap. Just send the money! If you dare pull any tricks, I swear I’ll yank out all your gold teeth and pawn them!”

“Alright, alright, I never said I wouldn’t pay. Relax, bro. Haha, I’m the most trustworthy guy you’ll ever meet,” Song 6 said, laughing nervously.

A stream of data flashed across the interface, and in an instant, Sun Jack’s account balance shot from 0@ to 9@. Seeing the 9@ balance filled him with an overwhelming sense of relief and security.

The first thing Sun Jack did with the money was clear his high-interest loans. Watching the red countdown on his debt interface disappear, he finally let out a long sigh of relief.

The old saying was right—money isn’t everything, but without it, you’re nothing.

Though in the Metropolis, Sun Jack figured, the saying needed an update: here, money was everything.

“How much is the medical bill?” Sun Jack turned to Four Ai, who was casually smoking nearby.

“Well, since we’re on the same team, I’ll give you the base rate—4@,” Four Ai replied, puffing on her e-cigarette.

The number hit Sun Jack like a punch to the gut. After risking his life for this job, nearly all his earnings would go toward paying off debt and medical expenses.

Just as he was about to authorize the transfer, he suddenly paused. “Wait a minute. Didn’t I buy insurance?”

Quickly accessing his policy, he summoned his insurance documentation. Within moments, a company drone flew through the window and began scanning his injuries with precision lasers.

Meanwhile, Four Ai’s interface lit up with an access request from the insurance company, demanding surgical footage as evidence.

“D*mn it, you had insurance? If I’d known, I’d have charged you extra!” Four Ai grumbled, annoyed.

After completing the audit and confirming Sun Jack wasn’t attempting fraud, the insurance company approved coverage for 85% of the bill. He only needed to pay 15%, or 0.6@.

Seeing the reduced cost, Sun Jack felt an immense wave of relief, silently grateful he’d decided to purchase insurance before setting out.

Just then, a notification popped up, informing him that his future premiums would increase by 10%. Sun Jack chuckled wryly. Companies never did charity work, after all.

Still, after this ordeal, Sun Jack knew he wouldn’t hesitate to buy insurance for his next job, even with the price hike.

Looking at the remaining 5.4@ in his account, Sun Jack felt a renewed sense of motivation. “Not bad. Still manageable.”

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he turned to Four Ai. “How’s my recovery? Can I get out of bed yet?”

“You can, but I’d recommend staying here a few more days. Your body’s not fully healed yet,” Four Ai replied, giving his body an unabashed once-over.

“No thanks. Can’t afford it,” Sun Jack shot back, wincing as his sore muscles protested every movement.

As he got dressed, he asked, “Where’s Tapai?”

It struck him as odd that his robotic guardian wasn’t by his side—something extremely rare.

At the mention of Tapai, Four Ai’s expression darkened. “As your teammate, let me give you a free tip. Your ‘husband’ might have a problem.”

“Huh?” Sun Jack blinked in confusion before his temper flared. “What the f*ck? He’s not my husband!”

Four Ai took a drag from her cigarette and blew the smoke directly into Sun Jack’s face. “Oh? But Song 6PUS said you two are inseparable and even sleep in the same room. I just assumed…” R𝘼ＮꝊ฿Εs

“We’re close buddies, alright? Is that so hard to believe?”

“Sure, sure. I had a ‘buddy’ like that once too. One night we drank too much, and I ended up screwing him. After that, he never spoke to me again.”

Sun Jack’s eye twitched. “Can you get to the point? What’s wrong with him?”

“Nothing much. Just that your ‘buddy’ is awfully cold-blooded. I’m starting to think he’s showing early signs of cyber psychosis. Especially since he’s nearly 100% prosthetics.”

Sun Jack froze. “Wait—robots can get cyber psychosis too? Are we at the point where even mental illnesses are high-tech?”

“Just a doctor’s suspicion,” Four Ai said, shrugging. “But my advice? Stay away. Trouble follows people like him.”

Sun Jack glanced at Four Ai’s injured leg and instantly understood her bias against Tapai.

“Thanks for the warning. I’ll keep it in mind. But I know him, and he’s not showing any signs of psychosis—for now.”

Nodding to Four Ai, Sun Jack headed for the door. “Also, I apologize on his behalf. He’s a decent guy.”

Stepping outside, Sun Jack found himself in an underground pedestrian street. The curved ceilings, walls, and floors were covered in wild graffiti, illuminated by chaotic neon signs from overcrowded shops on either side.

Turning back, he noticed Four Ai’s clinic was similarly adorned—aside from a red cross, it boasted flashy neon ads offering services like prosthetic implants, gender conversion, age reversal, and other exaggerated claims.

Once outside, Sun Jack contacted Tapai. “Where are you? I’m awake.”

“Left side,” Tapai’s voice replied.

Turning, Sun Jack saw Tapai leaning against a wall, battered but still standing. The robot had been there the entire time, waiting for him.

Walking over, Sun Jack patted Tapai’s scarred armor. “Why wait outside? Why not come in?”

“She wouldn’t let me in.”

Sun Jack laughed. “Can’t blame her. You shot her in the leg. What were you thinking?”

“My radar detected a significant threat. Our odds of escape were too low without someone covering us,” Tapai replied matter-of-factly.

Shaking his head, Sun Jack sighed. “I get it, but Four Ai’s our teammate. Next time, when danger hits, what should your first response be?”

“(｡･ω･｡)ﾉ Got it. Shoot her in the leg and toss her to distract the enemy,” Tapai answered with unwavering conviction.