Chapter 004: The Runner in the Shadow of the Metropolis

Hayden immediately reached out to aim, but Angela's movements were even faster than his. She extended her slender arm from behind Hayden, firmly gripping the large blade swung by the orc. With a creaking sound, the blade was twisted at a ninety-degree angle. Yet her hand remained unscathed

The sky above the port is like a blank television screen

In the end, it was the orc chief, whose face was half beaten to a pulp, who broke the silence himself, his other half of the head covered in beads of sweat from fear

Angela swung the axe, appearing to be quite unskilled in using such a tool. Her manner of wielding the axe resembled more of a gardener weeding or a lumberjack chopping wood rather than that of a warrior. However, when another orc thug charged at her with a large knife, she swiftly severed the orc's arm with a single stroke, as if she were simply chopping vegetables in the kitchen

However, in reality, the work he left for Hayden was not very good

The affluent districts have their own customized weather services. As long as they are willing to pay, the company can ensure that every day of the year is sunny—or any weather they desire

A credit card is essentially a form of borrowing

... ...

Is the master asking me to use this to chop someone?

It is also raining in Xinyatu today

Is your father there? Oh, sorry, do you have a father?

This is the true essence of "freelancing". Individuals like Hayden, who sometimes enjoy showcasing their knowledge, proudly state that the etymology of the term "freelance" refers to individual mercenaries in medieval Europe who were not part of any mercenary company. Thus, mercenaries can indeed be considered the oldest form of "freelancing"

"Not too good, Todak boss," Hayden replied, with a slight smile. "I need a job that can pay me by the end of the month. Do you have any lucrative opportunities available?"

Ahaha! Look who it is? Long time no see, Hayden

Her perspective on money and her concept of banks are indeed... interesting

Therefore, Hayden also plans to set aside those concerns for now and focus on handling the current bills

On the other hand, Hayden felt a sense of surprise. He had merely eaten a breakfast prepared by Angela, yet he now felt completely different physically. He could sense that his reflexes had become sharper, his speed had increased, and even the motion of kicking an orc's egg was smoother than ever before. Was this the effect of those high-quality ingredients? Or was it the special power possessed by Angela? He could sense that his reflexes had become sharper, his speed had increased, and even the motion of kicking an orc's egg was smoother than ever before. Was this the effect of those high-quality ingredients? Or was it the special power possessed by Angela?

Dream chips are indeed such dangerous things

To be honest, the more Hayden listened to her speak, the more puzzled he became about where this AI had come from. What era were the things she talked about from? Unfortunately, even when he asked her about it, Angela herself did not know the answer. She seemed to not care at all about where she came from.

After finishing breakfast, Hayden finally explained to the artificial intelligence what kind of money she had spent the night before

To be on the safe side, Hayden bent down to pick up the tungsten alloy battle axe and struck the orc's back of the head hard with the axe handle, ensuring he was truly unconscious, before tossing the battle axe to Angela, who was following behind.

Thus, this toxic acid rain naturally disperses to other areas. For instance, to the slums, or to the wilderness outside the city. Therefore, the poor in New Seattle often find themselves caught in the rain, enduring the chilling winds from the Pacific. In such weather, unless one is compelled to earn a living, very few people wish to remain outdoors

In the previous moment, Angela, who had been deep in thought, suddenly stepped in front of Hayden, swinging her battle axe with a speed that even a ninja's dynamic vision could not discern. Two lightning arrows were immediately deflected back by Angela, striking the orc boy on the head and knocking him to the ground

Not affiliated with any organization, and without any power to protect them, they rely solely on their own skills and knowledge to make a living. It is a kind of freedom that is frighteningly absolute

Thus, those insects who spent all their money on dream chips immediately shoved their way past the corpse of the orc thug and fled. Amidst the chaotic escape, some clever individuals snatched the orc's mobile phone, another took the belt, and yet another ran off with the orc's boots

Hayden praised outwardly, yet was secretly astonished. He could easily deflect such low-quality spells released through a mobile app, but to directly and accurately rebound them back to someone else's face? This is not filming an action movie

Alchemical acid rain returns the pollutants concentrated in the clouds to the earth, making the streets even dirtier

After the wall was blown open, Hayden extended his hand to point inside the room and recited the second incantation. The magical energy struck the wall like a cannonball, instantly filling the entire house with sharp, minute explosions and the dust of shattered glass. One after another, emaciated figures scattered and fled throughout the room

Angela did not know any martial arts moves. Therefore, she simply extended her other hand and pushed straightforwardly towards the orc chief's face. Her movement was faster than a bullet leaving the chamber, and her strength was greater than that of a locomotive. A dull thud was heard, and the orc chief, weighing over 400 pounds, was sent flying, crashing through the wall and getting stuck in the large hole at the other end of the adjacent room

What is this?

Another orc boy jumped up to welcome Hayden. His phone emitted a loud bang, shooting two lightning arrows towards Hayden's chest. Therefore, Hayden raised his hand and focused his thoughts on the bracelet on his left wrist, which was engraved with runes, to deploy a protective shield—yet these lightning arrows did not hit the shield.

After dealing with the orc at the door, Hayden took another look at the door in front of him. This door was thick and heavy, reinforced against explosions and anti-magic, and it was equipped with a spirit light detector that would only open when it detected the stable spirit light of a permitted orc. The orc who spent a large sum of money to install this door must have thought himself very clever. Even Hayden found it difficult to forcibly dismantle such a high-end door

Hey, Green Ghost

The image of the dwarf cowboy opens his arms, displaying a friendly expression

Unfortunately, Angela would not be caught off guard. As the machine operated, she began to exert force with her arm gripping the large blade. The orc chief hurriedly used his modified mechanical prosthetic to resist, yet he felt as if he were futilely trying to withstand a train slowly bearing down on him—his mechanical hand even emitted creaking sounds, revealing cracks and exposing broken circuit boards.

How have you been recently

The real world belongs only to those who are in high positions. However, in dreams, you can be anyone: a CEO managing trillions in assets, an invincible warrior annihilating enemies with various spells and equipment, a superstar admired by the entire world... Therefore, this phenomenon is easily addictive, and addiction can lead one to abandon reality for twenty-four hours a day in pursuit of dreams

Hayden let out a cold laugh and used magic to blow open the cement wall of this dilapidated apartment next to the door

All the money I have in the vault is used to create you

"Who let you trespass into my territory, Hayden?"

Angela immediately replied: "If it can be used to strengthen the master himself, then it is certainly appropriate to spend money."

Hmm... this won't do. It's too clumsy; it's not true happiness, and that's unacceptable

Angela thought for a moment and replied: "I know that by tilling the land, sowing seeds, and carefully nurturing them, once the crops grow, they can be sold for money; grazing cattle and sheep on the land, and selling their milk, hides, and meat can also be exchanged for money; furthermore, transforming various materials such as gold, iron, wood, and stone produced by the land into works that can be sold, of course, can also be exchanged for money"

A blazing pillar of fire erupted instantly from his fingertips, striking the orc guard squarely on the nose. The flames exploded, and the intense pain and shock caused the orc to lose his balance. Hayden seized the opportunity to rush forward, delivering a powerful kick with his steel-toed boots right between the orc's legs. Consequently, the guard fell to the ground, unable to withstand such a brutal assault, even his tough hide could not protect him from this merciless attack

It is important to note that Angela's height is only 158 centimeters, and she appears fair and delicate, dressed in attire that wraps around her slender limbs, resembling a wedding gown. As a result, when a two-meter-tall armored man strikes her with a sword, his own weapon is the one that gets damaged first

You only need an urban mercenary

If you find yourself in trouble and do not wish to involve the police; if you want to locate a batch of mysteriously disappeared goods, or wish to make someone else's goods disappear; if someone knows too much about you, if someone has chosen the wrong company to collaborate with, or if someone suddenly becomes useless to you. In such cases, you need to seek the assistance of professionals to help you handle the situation

Hayden! Haven't you always worked independently? What kind of lunatic would transform themselves like this and also act as your enforcer?

Taking advantage of the fact that the other orc thugs were intimidated by Angela's ruthless demeanor, Hayden shouted loudly: "Listen! I am only here to cause a disturbance! No one else needs to die here! If you want to live, raise your hands and leave quickly!"

Considering his current financial situation, Hayden actually thought about robbing these orc thugs a bit, but... sigh, never mind. He didn't need to compete with those who were worse off than himself.

After Hayden finished speaking, he deliberately looked up, staring at the invisible magical eye on the top of the door

That said, times have indeed changed. Modern mercenaries are no longer those who wield great swords on the plains against phalanxes or charge at militias with lances. While traditional military contractors still exist, the most pressing need for mercenaries today is in urban environments, where the most sought-after type is one that leaves no trace of employment and operates outside formal channels, completely anonymously in the city.

That is acceptable. However, the key point is that this item might be sold for around 200 yuan

He made a gesture as if holding a pistol and shouted, "bang"

Hayden took out his phone, tapped a couple of times, and selected video call. A few seconds later, the phone projected a three-dimensional image, displaying a brown-skinned dwarf with a toothy smile. He was dressed from head to toe in denim, wearing a sleeveless jacket, and even had a magical tattoo on his bicep that read "I Love Violence," which was simply too tacky.

After listening to Hayden's explanation, it became clear that using a credit card is essentially borrowing money. Angela was finally taken aback, even appearing somewhat flustered for the first time.

The orc was stunned for only half a second. However, before he could reach for his battle axe, Hayden had already extended his right hand and released the magic stored in the index finger ring.

This is the profession chosen by Hayden

It is Hayden's job to break in and knock them down

Overall, this street orc bouncer is large and green, and he looks very dangerous. This is good; the primary task of a doorman is to appear more intimidating than the door next to him.

Little Pig, Little Pig, let me come in, I am the Big Bad Wolf

However, upon seeing this scene in the illustrated book, I noticed that my subordinates were somewhat intimidated, and the half-mechanized orc leader could no longer sit still

confringo !

The door was not open, of course not. But Hayden knew that a large group of orcs was running around a few rooms away, loudly complaining and cursing incessantly. Hayden was aware that these orcs would surely recognize him. They thought it was safe to stay behind the door, hoping to buy some time because they were very afraid

He erupted in a furious tirade, drawing a large blade from the mechanical prosthetic, charging forward like a whirlwind

Master, please allow me to work and earn money for you

Thus, Hayden shouted at him from a distance of five meters

However, the others present would not care about what this girl was muttering to herself

A miraculous silence instantly filled the surroundings. The few young orcs who had originally followed their leader in a rush were all left dumbfounded, at a loss for what to do.

Indeed. Changing careers to become a corporate worker may lead to a longer life. However, you should ask yourself what kind of life that truly is

Oh dear

Not bad

Hayden! You are absolutely doomed

In a moment of desperation, the orc leader turned his face towards Angela, and to everyone's shock, his mouth opened wide to reveal the barrel of a gun capable of firing magical projectiles

These spells are sufficient to temporarily pull every addict back to reality. They scream and wail incessantly, clutching their heads and scurrying about, or frantically hiding under tables. They are all dressed in rags or cheap clothing, most with bloodshot eyes due to their addiction. Several have skin lesions, many have cracked lips, and their nails are uneven from biting. Six, eight, ten of them, all with blackened teeth, filthy bodies, and emaciated frames due to malnutrition. Several have skin lesions, many have cracked lips, and their nails are uneven from biting. Six, eight, ten of them, all with blackened teeth, filthy bodies, and emaciated frames due to malnutrition.

And this is the freelance career that Hayden chose after graduating from university and resigning from the company

However, Angela's attitude towards borrowing money seems to be very serious; she has even become agitated, clenching her small, white fists

Master, please proceed normally; I will assist you in resolving other issues

This move will not harm the orcs on the other side of the wall. However, Hayden still wants to proceed this way, as you only have one chance to make a first impression

This scene is simply enough to make one question who the real robot is

The dwarf cowboy known as Todak immediately spread his palms: "Of course! Amigo, you are the best lone wolf in the Bay Area. Recently, all I have here are some small-time thugs who would be scared even when threatened with a knife. How could I not have left you a good job?"

What you said cannot be entirely considered wrong; it is just unfortunate that the times have changed, my child

The orc leader was taken aback

"Master and - Picture - Book, are they using some strange magic?"

It turns out that using a credit card is essentially borrowing money from the bank... I used to think that banks were places where you deposit gold coins into a vault and pay an annual storage fee...

Angela curiously asked, effortlessly swinging a ten-kilogram battle axe.

There are no longer farmers who cultivate their own fields, nor herders who graze their own cattle and sheep. There are still craftsmen, but most of them are also suffering and exploited by companies.

However, borrowing money is not the same as using money directly. Since I have allowed the master to bear such a heavy debt, I must find a way to repay it

However, Hayden did not directly express this statement. He merely asked with some curiosity: "If it is money that I already have, can I spend it freely?"

Seeing their appearance, Angela blinked her eyes

Even in this damned federation of America where the use of grass is legal, the production, transportation, and sale of dream chips remain strictly prohibited. However, it is indeed a highly profitable business

I sincerely apologize, Master. I thought I was using the money you already had yesterday. If I had known it was borrowed funds, I would never have acted in that manner

Angela stared at the panicked addicts, her jade-like eyes adjusting several times as if she were deciphering something

They are individuals who accept illegal employment, running wildly in the shadows of a metropolis where conspiracies are afoot

It seems that Hayden needs to teach her what this world is like

However, after hearing her words, Hayden countered, "Do you know what kind of work can earn money?"

Angela, however, still cannot fully understand what he is saying, looking quite bewildered.

Hayden nodded and replied briefly: "Dream chips. They are dreaming."

Very well, Angela. I will let you see what kind of work I do to earn money. The money you spent must be earned back for me before the end of the month

In the back of this dilapidated apartment room, there is a particularly large and very green street orc boss, whose body is partially replaced with mechanical prosthetics, glaring at the doorway with his furious eyes, directing his anger at Hayden

Please provide the text you would like to have translated from Simplified Chinese to English.

A fool, affixed with a chip, sits there with eyes tightly closed, tasting false food, caressing false women, casting false spells, experiencing a false life, living in a dream, this is very unsafe

In a corner of the Bay Area, outside a dilapidated low-rent building, stands an orc. He is clad entirely in synthetic leather, with broad shoulders and no visible neck. Within arm's reach rests a tungsten alloy battle axe. Although he appears savage and primitive, a cold weapon enhanced by arcane means can be more lethal in the hands of the right person than half-hearted magic.