That world was a peaceful garden for civilians, but a death trap for outsiders. If someone walked outside without a valid ID, he would be killed before he could react. Solus possessed the knowledge and experience to deceive and avoid the surveillance without even touching them. But he would not have to do that anymore.
He had advanced to Type 0.6 using the cybernetic parts and gears. To reach Type 1, all he needed were full cybernetic legs, another eye, and a good operating system.
Before that, he needed to install a new system in his cybernetic eye. The stock one's goal was only to see the world, but he intended to do more than that. After connecting his eye to his computer, he downloaded a new system. His field of vision shifted, and he noticed numerous details about the objects he was focused on.
"The system works well, but I want more illegal benefits. If I try to rewrite it, the alarm will go off, and I will be caught right away."
He had no choice but to create a system on his own. It was time to put the engineering knowledge he had acquired over the years to use.
He started writing the codes on the keyboard with his cybernetic fingers. As long as he could think that quickly, he could use them to write thousands of words per minute without ever growing weary.
It took him five hours to write 2.4 million lines of code. After being pushed to their limits for so long, the motors in his cybernetic fingers began to emit faint smoke. But at last, the new system was completed.
When he installed the system in his eye, his vision went black for a brief moment before returning to black and white. It only captured the outline of each object, without any details.
However, he did not require color vision. The white lines of objects against the black background, combined with information, were more than enough for him.
It was time for him to get some sleep. Sleep deprivation prevents the human brain from functioning properly. It was nighttime, so others were likely to be sleeping, and going outside would make him more suspicious, even if he had identification.
He went into the living room and lay on the floor instead of the couch.
"Luxury is poisonous. One becomes less productive the more comfortable they are. When you tell them the truth, they despise you and tell you to stop acting like that because they do not want you to become better than them."
One advantage of sleeping on the floor was that his brain would wake up once it had gotten enough sleep. After that, no matter how hard you try, you will be forced to wake up due to an uncomfortable sensation. Solus refused to allow a single organ to determine what was and was not good for the body.
He slept peacefully through the night and awoke at dawn. His mind felt clear and free of clutter. Without any delay, he made his way to the front door and stepped out confidently.
The surveillance drone passing by and the hidden cameras around him scanned him and identified him as Julius, who was a legitimate person. With his cybernetic eye, he could detect any hidden cameras or drones.
The stock systems lacked that feature, which is why forcing the systems to be rewritten was illegal. For Solus, creating a small system like that was as simple as walking.
"Yo Julius, you're up already?"
Solus looked down the street after hearing a voice and saw another young man. The cybernetic eye scanned him, displaying a list of information. His name was Ian, and he and Julius were both twenty years old.
"You usually wake up late, but whatever, get moving or we will be late for work."
Solus did not react and began walking quietly alongside. He could have saved Julius' memories, but they were worthless to him. He was not attempting to blend into society. There were plenty of low-paying jobs available to him if he needed one, so he did not need any unnecessary information. He could figure out Julius' job as soon as he saw it.
They walked to the crowded area where Solus had gone the day before. They boarded a train full of civilians just before it took off.
–––
"You both are fired." Said the man sitting behind his desk.
"What? Why are you firing us so suddenly?"
"We got better babysitters than you two. All you guys do is talk."
"But isn't that the point of babysitting?"
"Do not argue. You can look for another job now."
"This is not fair! Do you know how difficult it was for us to get this job? You can't just fire us like–"
"Leave."
Ian clenched his jaw but said nothing else. Solus stood beside him silently, his face expressionless. He finally figured out why Julius' bank balance was so low. Babysitting was the lowest-paying job, and everyone wanted it even if the pay was minimal because all they had to do was sit and talk to babies all day.
"Useless trash. They always choose the easiest option to avoid having to work. They should literally kill themselves." he muttered internally.
He followed Ian out of the building and stood on the street. The buildings were low, and there were no skyscrapers to make the living space more appealing.
"That bastard kicked us out just because he found someone else for a lower salary? I'll kill him!" Ian cursed the manager angrily before calming down and looking at Solus. "What do we do now?"
We? Ian did not have any high-grade cybernetic parts, so he was not even a pawn worth manipulating. Solus had only followed him earlier because of the job, but now that it was gone, Ian was no longer valuable to him.
"Find a job," Solus said shortly before walking away. Ian also started walking beside him.
"Which job should we get? Do you know have any in your mind?"
Solus had a lot on his mind. Unlike others who were too lazy to lift their fingers, Solus preferred hard work because it forced the body to work harder, which was beneficial to his health and future.
They boarded another floating train and arrived at a elevator station before continuing down to the Segment's inner section. The neon red lights illuminated their faces as they descended. Ian asked many questions about what they were looking for, but Solus did not respond.
Gravity worked the opposite way, so the red world was upside down. It was more efficient to use a single platform for two cities rather than build another. The elevator gradually turned upside down, as if the entire world was flipping.
Solus and Ian boarded a floating train and traveled to a vast industrial area with hundreds of buildings resembling a small empire. It was the station from which humans would travel to various planets in search of resources or to conduct exploration.
"Are you insane? Do you want to work at a resource gathering station? You know how dangerous it is!"
Solus ignored Ian and kept walking. The resource-collecting job paid more than any other medium-paying job because few people wanted to risk their lives for money. They were bound by fear, emotion, and familial ties. Solus needed the job to earn a lot of money in a short period. However, millions of people worked for it, so finding work would not be easy.
As they approached the recruiter's office, they noticed a muscular man in charge. He was aware that Solus and Ian were there to work, as that was the purpose of his office, but there were some conditions.
"We are currently not recruiting anyone. There are already plenty of people working here."
"What? We traveled so far, only to be rejected? Give us at least one chance." Ian complained.
"Listen, kid, you not only lack cybernetic parts, but you also look weak. Is this job a joke to you? People like you are the ones who die doing this job."
"But–"
"Just get lost."
Ian sighed deeply and placed his hand on Solus' shoulder.
"Let's go. This is a bad day for us."
Solus raised his hand and took off the gloves, revealing his full cybernetic arms. His cybernetic eye also went black and flashed a neon-red circle. When the recruiter saw this, his expression softened slightly because such parts were rare and many people refused to use cybernetic arms instead of biological ones.
"Hmm, not bad. I'll give you a chance. Follow me."
Solus started following the recruiter towards the door. Ian remained motionless in his position, staring blankly at the table. Then he quickly turned to face the departing figures.
"Julius! I thought you and I would work together. I always helped you get a job. Are you leaving your friend today for a job?"
Solus came to a stop without turning around.
"Then our friendship ends here. Go starve and enjoy rotting on the street."
All of the fun, dreams, and enjoyment vanished, just as Solus disappeared from his sight. All Ian could do was stare at the door, his mouth hanging open.