by Yoo Seong
‘Of course he won’t kindly tell me.’
He had no choice but to find the method himself. Ark didn’t think about it for long. He would be able to find something eventually. This was Galaxian, a world created for users.
“I will learn it eventually.”
Ark stretched and stood up. He purse became thick thanks to the weapons collected from R-14 and he also got some data. He felt bad about entangling with Mald’s gang but it still learnt something important. He was interested but he wouldn’t worry about it too much. Ark still had a lot of work to do.
“The first place I will stop by is……”
Space 7
Welcome to Nephalim (Part: 2)
“Hoh, Bhurad?”
Ponen looked at him with an interested expression. Ark was in a high rise building that was the galactic federation’s branch in Nephalim. Ark had visited this place to hand in the recommendation letter received from Bhurad, the manager of R-14’s training centre. The branch of the galactic federation wasn’t a place that general users could enter. But Ark received permission after showing the recommendation letter. He went through various processes and was able to meet the NPC Ponen who was in charge of supporting the pioneers.
“Bhurad isn’t easily please so it is rare for a friend like that to write a recommendation letter for a pioneer. Yes, I think I’ve heard about you. There was a pioneer who passed R-14’s training process with a fairly high score. So the other pioneers also became quite lively.”
Ark was unware of the commotion on R-14. Once he finished the training in R-14, it was impossible to return to the starting area. So Ark hadn’t bothered looking up information about it. Ark just thought that Ponen’s words were just flattery.
“I just tried my best.”
“Your attitude is very good.”
Ponen nodded with a satisfied expression and continued to the main point.
“Like I said, there are a lot of pioneers entering the universe. But I haven’t found many pioneers worth writing about. Most of them seem quite weak. However, you’ve received Bhurad’s recognition so you must be different. You are qualified to receive sponsorship from the galactic federation. Of course, you still need to pass a review process even if you have Bhurad’s recommendation letter.”
An information window appeared from the Nymphe as soon as Ponen finished talking.
-You have completed
-It is possible to be sponsored by the galactic federation’s branch in Nephalim.
You need to go through an examination process to qualify. If you pass the examination process then it is possible to be sponsored by the galactic federation.
‘It is a sponsor related quest like I expected.’
He had guessed it after receiving the recommendation letter. All users in Galaxian needed a sponsor
Galaxian was a game where humans couldn’t move around in space, which was the game’s environment. While the centre of Istana had been terraformed (transforming the planet’s environment to be suitable for humans), only 10% of Istana had been completed. The other 90% were environments where humans couldn’t live. In order to explore the other areas and space, the human’s DNA needed to be able to adapt to the most extreme environments through body coating. That’s why there was no system to pick a basic aptitude like warrior when Galaxian was first started. Galaxian was unlike other games and the basic aptitudes could only be chosen once the body coating was received. That was followed by a secondary career choice. So the game couldn’t really start until the body coating was received. It was also difficult to receive quests without the coating. That’s why R-14 only had repeatable quests. So the pioneers’ top priority was to receive the body coating. The conditions to receive the body coating was to be level 30 and to have a sponsor.
+Sponsor+
Users in Galaxian can ask various organizations to be a sponsor. A user with a sponsor can live a life on the frontiers. A sponsor and user have a mutual collaborative relationship. The user will gather a lot of information and ingredients for the sponsor and the sponsor will give various products that they developed at a discount. It is a system where the user returns the benefits to the sponsor.
Meanwhile, the goal of the sponsor’s organization might change depending on the objectives of the user. Therefore it is important for the contract to benefit both the user and sponsor. Users will have a chance to buy products from the sponsor before it goes on sale and test it out for the sponsor.
A sponsor can be divided into 3 different groups. The first is the galactic federation. The second is the 4 big companies and the last group are the small and medium sized companies. Each place has different desires for the user they want to sponsor so the screening process is different. The game progress depends on the sponsor so please choose carefully so that you will have no regrets.
This was the information that Ark knew about the sponsors.
“You might not know it yet but having the galactic federation as a sponsor is a big deal. The basic policy of the federation is to encourage space pioneering so the support given to pioneers is incomparable to everywhere else.”
Ark also knew this as well. The galactic federation was literally the centre of power. If the federation was his sponsor then it was possible to enjoy special privileges and he could grow quickly. That’s why most users were eager to contract the galactic federation as a sponsor! That was why the area around the federal building was infested with users. But the competitive rate also increased so it was difficult to meet the screening criteria. Even being qualified to receive the formal test for sponsorship wasn’t an easy task. Ponen reiterated that point once again.
“This opportunity isn’t given to everyone. I can’t even count the amount of pioneers that gather to get the support of the federation. But only some of them get to go through the screening process. They are the top 1% elite. Among those, you are special. You’ve received the privilege of receiving the examination without going through a qualification procedure first.”
Privilege…..it was a superficial word. The federation certainly wouldn’t sponsor a simple thug like Mald. However, the reason Ark visited the galactic federation wasn’t to form a sponsor contract. The sponsorship program of Galaxian had a great influence on the user’s game progress. Of course he needed to pick the best place but he wouldn’t chose based on the standards of other users. He would meticulously question the sponsors and select the best one for him. Good clothes was no use if they didn’t fit properly. This was the difference between Ark and the other users! Of course he couldn’t say that he would ‘compare the quality and come back again.’
“I’m just a novice who only arrived in Nephalim from R-14 for a few hours. I am thankful for your words and the opportunity but I need some time to think. I’m still not convinced that I am eligible for such preferential treatment. Despite the recommendation from Bhurad-nim, I would like a bit more experience before participating in the examination process.”
“I can understand why Bhurad likes you.”
Ponen smiled and nodded.
“There are a lot of brave pioneers but a careful pioneer is unusual. Yes, you can come back after thinking about it. If it is you then you can walk through the door at any time.”
Ddiring, ddiring!
It was the sound of his favourable impression increasing. His specialty was raising his intimacy with the NPC despite rejecting their offer! If he used his silver tongue then the NPC’s reaction would change. Ark gained confidence and cut to the main subject.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Ask anything you want.”
“Do you know how to release data locked with a security code?”
“How to unlock data…..are you talking about hacking?”
‘Hacking? Ah, I see. Unlocking data would definitely be hacking.
“Yes. That’s right. Can such techniques be learnt?”
This was the r
eason why Ark came here. He had found the memory chip in the toy but it was locked with a security code. This meant a technology existed to unlock it. But he wouldn’t be able to discover such information just wandering through the city.
‘Asking someone will be the quickest way to find the information.’
The galactic federation situation in the centre of the city would definitely know such information
Of course, it was impossible to just walk in and ask the NPC. But Ark possessed Bhurad’s recommendation letter. Furthermore, it was possible to raise his public image thanks to his silver tongue. He thought it would be easy to elicit technical information but…..
Ponen’s expression suddenly became chilly.
“Who do you think I am?”
“Huh? Who? That…..”
“I am a government official. Yet you’re asking me about illegal technology?”
“I-Illegal?”
“Of course! Hacking is basically looking at someone else’s information without permission. It is a crime. Asking a government official like me about a criminal technique is outrageous. You just arrived at Nephalim so I’ll let it go once. But if you talk about a criminal technique like that again then the recommendation letter won’t matter. This conversation is over.”
Ark felt like he had been struck in the cheek. That feeling continued after he parted from Ponen and left the building. Ponen’s attitude had changed 180 degrees thanks to the mention of the illegal technique ‘hacking.’
‘Well, it is understandable when hearing his words……’
Hacking was an unauthorized intrusion into other people’s computers. ‘Unauthorized’ technology was classified as illegal by default.
‘Based on Ponen’s reaction, it is clear that hacking exists in Galaxian. I wasn’t sure there were such techniques until I saw that reaction. It might be illegal but the technique still exists. However, it is illegal so it will be difficult for to find a NPC to teach it.’
Most users would probably give up by this point. However, Ark wasn’t an ordinary user.
‘This is surprisingly useable information!’
Ark wasn’t the type to comply with rules. No, in a game he would rather do illegal things. The reason why? That was of course……
Money! It was a sad reality but illegal actions gave more money! Of course, illegal actions might be a blow to ethics conscious people but sometimes going against the law had more positive effects for people. Wasn’t it similar to Robin Hood fighting against injustice? Sometimes the hero had to do illegal things…..Ark mentally armed himself with that thought despite the reaction from the NPC.
‘That guy Mald gave up 10 gold for the memory chip. It is worth doing something illegal in order to get that data.’
He wasn’t distressed about learning hacking. The problem was finding an NPC to teach him the hacking skill. Ponen was sensitive to the illegal actions because he was a government official. General NPCs might have a different reaction. But common sense dictated that he couldn’t ask just anyone about an illegal technique.
‘If it is that location……’
Ark thought for a while before opening his map. He entered some instructions and a red dot was displayed on a corner of Nephalim. He navigated towards the area indicated on the map and the atmosphere instantly changed. The place where he emerged from the Nymphe was a plaza surrounded by tall buildings and the atmosphere felt like it was the centre of Seoul. Meanwhile, the area where the Nymphe directed him was the factory area. It was filled with small and large factories blowing smoke. Except for the large 4 companies and the galactic federation, this was the placed with will small companies. The major sponsors might have large buildings in the centre of the city but the small and medium sized companies couldn’t be ignored. The small companies didn’t give a stable economic base like the major sponsors. However, the small businesses often had entirely different and unique technology. Depending on the propensity of the user, the small companies could sometimes be more favourable than the large sponsors. They all had their own pros and cons. Although there were only approximately 100 small sponsors in the area, the overall atmosphere was bustling. If the major sponsors was a department store then this was like a traditional market?
-A new product has bene released!
-This gives special effects to various equipment. Take a look.
–Inviting pioneers. I’m registered to support pioneers and am looking to recruit new pioneers.
Various monitors displayed different advertisements.
“Have you seen those items?”
“It was so frightening it made me laugh. Glasses that make your eyes pop out!”
“This increases attack power. It will be a jackpot if used when hunting in a party.”
“Are there any stores that sell cheap armour?”
“Damn, the federation and the 4 big businesses refused me so I have to look for a sponsor here?”
The users were looking at products or checking sponsor information. It also wasn’t strange to see androids and aliens walking around town. It was hard to see everything. Ark wanted to snoop everywhere but he had to postpone that pleasure for the moment. He had come to the business district for a reason.
‘Well, there is plenty of time to visit.’
Ark made his way through the thick crowds. He rounded several corners and the streets became quieter.
“The map says it should be somewhere around here……”
Ark checked the map and looked around until he saw the sign he desired.
“Here! This is the company that Cheksun introduced me to!”
This was why Ark had visited the commercial district. Ark hadn’t just received a recommendation letter from Bhurad. He had completed the pipe cleaning quest 300 times. That was 60 kilometres so he received a recommendation letter from Cheksun.
‘This letter of recommendation will also be related to a sponsor like the one received from Bhurad.’
It was the reason he didn’t have to go through the qualification process with the galactic federation
Aside from the federation and 4 big companies, there were countless numbers of small and medium sized businesses. Of course, it was impossible to examine all the companies. But shouldn’t he find out about a place that he received a recommendation for?
“This is the ironworks company called Gear?”
Ark’s face distorted strangely as he read the sign. Ark only knew that Cheksun’s friend Tori owned an ironworks company called ‘Gear’ when he came here. Apart from the friend’s name, the company was called Gear! Furthermore, he had entered the federal building based on Bhurad’s recommendation so he had expected something from Cheksun’s recommendation. However, a simple ironworks building was in front of Ark. It was a small, shabby factory far away from the main commercial district. Well, Bhurad was the manager of the training district while Cheksun was in charge of cleaning the pipes. It was why Ark had visited the federal branch first but…..
“Even so, this is too terrible.”
The shocking visuals of Gear made him extremely disappointed.
‘That Cheksun bastard, he seemed to have misunderstood.’
Most users couldn’t even last 1~2 hours cleaning the pipes while he lasted a week. Of course, Ark had his own circumstances. However, Cheksun didn’t understand his inner circumstances and seemed to have misunderstood Ark. He thought it was Ark’s calling instead of a chore. Therefore he had introduced Ark to an ironworks company.
‘Well, this is a recommendation I received from cleaning.’
He almost didn’t want to hand over the letter of recommendation after seeing the ironworks. However, Ark’s purpose in coming to the commercial district wasn’t just Cheksun’s recommendation letter. It was in order to learn information about the hacking skill. If he considered that hacking was illegal then it would be difficult to find information from the city centre where
the big businesses were. It was impossible to find an illegal Samsung dealer in a department store. But the commercial district contained small businesses.
‘Nephalim’s commercial district is like an online shopping mall……’
The answer would appear! Ark believed that he could somehow learn the hacking technique. They wouldn’t outright advertise an illegal technique but Ark would somehow be able to find it. And he was more likely to find illegal things in gloomier places.
‘I might be able to find it surprisingly quickly.’
Ark thought as he entered the ironworks. He had just about to enter when he bumped into someone at the entrance
“Hihihihi! Welcome!”
‘Eh? What, what the? This?’
Ark reflexively looked around. A voice came out so he naturally though it was a person. However, it was an animal around 1 metre in size. It was a beast covered in black fur. At first Ark thought it was a guard dog protecting the store. The beast moved its hand and clamoured away.
“What are you looking for Customer-nim? Just say the word. As stated on the sign, our ironworks company does anything from ships to screws. Customer-nim can order whatever you like. Ah, of course Customer-nim will have to pay for it. Hihihihi!”
‘Hamster? It is a hamster?’
The beast sporting a beard laughed and rocked back and forth. At first it looked like a dog but now he could see it was actually a hamster. A talking hamster was a little shocking but Ark had done business with octopuses. Furthermore, he had seen aliens as he was crossing the commercial district so there was no reason for surprise.
‘This alien…..’
“Are you Tori?”
“Yes, I am Tori the owner of Gear.”
The hamster stuck out his belly with a proud look. No way……hamster Tori…..the ironworks company….it really was him? Ark looked at Tori with a dumbfounded expression. Tori then proudly pointed towards the front of the building where they were several machinery were busily working.
“Now, now, please go around and look. You can see everything. There are a lot of goods you might need so just say the word.”