Iseul had to ask the drone to rescan everything twice just to make sure.
And the drone would give her the same result.
[Affirmative. Amount is correct. Metal is not corroded, so worker pay was higher. Keep up the good work!]
Iseul was so happy she could faint.
Such good luck today!
[12,690 credits were accredited to your Zepe-N-Bank.]
Iseul smiled hugely.
Today was so worth getting trapped!
Though she rather it not happen ever again.
Iseul felt light as a feather as she exited to the F zone in a magical daze.
'I feel like I'm dreaming!' Iseul felt on top of the world at that moment.
She paid her fees to bring her finds back and purchased two debris-storing bags.
They didn't cost her too much—200 credits for each.
Though she had earned quite a bit of credit this time, she still didn't like to spend so much.
She and Loadon left after finishing her business, completely immersed in her own world.
Iseul was unaware of the eyes that held malicious intent on her.
Iseul left with Loadon carrying the mecha with the rest of the other materials in tow.
Finally, crossing the gate into the F section of the scrapyard, Iseul was back in range.
With no radiation disturbances, she could see that Unnie Hae-won had zapped her a few times in the last few hours.
Iseul was also able to glance at the time.
"00:34."
"Dammit, I was here a lot longer than I thought," Iseul hissed, beating herself up.
She kicked some pebbles in anger.
The night markets were closed now.
Just as Iseul was opening her message from Unnie Hae-won, she ran into a wall.
Well—persons formed into a human wall, to be precise.
"What do we have here, boys? Some X-trash?" Jeong Do-Yoon sneered, his inkrots of a posse surrounding her.
——
{X-trash: crossbred cyberpunk trash}
{Inkrot: the case spreading like ink in veins} Both highly insulting.
——
Tsk.
Why is her luck always so-so? Right when she thought things were looking up.
Iseul took two large steps back.
'Ha.'
How naïve of her.
Iseul looked at the group of four blankly and unamused.
"What do you yolkbrain staticpricks want?" Iseul crossed her arms defensively but spoke bravely.
——
{Staticpricks: always buzzing with noise}
——
Though in reality, she was nervous as hell.
Iseul really didn't want to be jumped again.
But no matter what happens today, she would refuse to yield!
She nearly died for today's clear-up. Like hell she was giving away a single credit!
Iseul took another subtle step back, ready to haul ass if needed.
Clearly, she had forgotten Loadon, her large mecha, standing behind her.
"I see you're still a Blazebitch, eh?" Do-Yoon nodded, noticing her escape routine.
——
{Blazebitch: fiery; feisty branded, female}
——
"I guess every Blazebitch has its rustflux dog hound, right?"
——
{Rustflux: corroded; or broken down}
——
Iseul fired back, eyeing them as they cut off her means of escape.
Han Chul, one of Do-Yoon's lackeys, chimed in, licking his lips.
"Little Iseul is all grown up now, huh?"
His stare disgusted her.
'Excreeps,' Iseul's face scrunched up a bit.
——
{Excreep: creep that is filth}
——
Ha Ji-hoon, another lackey, reached out to her.
Slap!
"Get your zitfunk hands off of me! I'm not one of your patchslots!" she shouted.
——
{Zitfunk: puss filled; or disgusting}
{patchslot: a whore patched together like junk tech.} was
——
Iseul slapped the nasty hand away from her face.
"Mm, feisty! She has filled in nicely. Hyeong Do-Yoon, can we have a little taste, right?" Jeong Chang-ho, Do-Yoon's cousin, sneered.
No one paid attention to Loadon standing there.
Seeing his Creator feeling threatened, his eyes changed from blue to purple.
[Loadon initiating emergency protocol. Creator is being attacked by hostiles. Protective mode activated.]
Do-Yoon and the others continued their jeering and fun.
This group was pretty infamous for their suppaholing and Drainrat-like nature.
——
{Suppaholing: suppressing junkies (slag term)}
{Drainrat: parasites that leech all energy}
——
"Yeah, she's ripened up nicely," they continued, crowding her.
Loadon had sat down the thing he was holding gently to the side.
"Back up! You don't wanna mess with me. I refuse to go down without a fight today, Jeong Do-Yoon!" Iseul pushed those who attempted to feel up her back and swung at them.
Her voice trembled, but she forced it to be steady and confident.
Dammit, she would not be defiled by these Nullfluxers!
——
{Nullflux: empty; hollow; a worthless person}
——
Iseul kept dodging and slapping hands away, nearly in tears.
She was almost beginning to have dangerous thoughts.
"Why don't you come have a good long chat with your good oppas her—" Do-Yoon was about to grab Iseul's breast when a large shadow loomed over.
Iseul looked up first at Loadon, teary-eyed.
The others' eyes widened in shock and horror.
'Where the hell did this thing come from?!' They all shared the same thought.
Their fun was cut short as Loadon loomed over them and picked up Iseul, setting her on his shoulder.
[Please leave, or we will report you to the authorities.]
Iseul's tears fell, landing on Loadon's shoulder.
He turned his head, feeling the tear and seeing his Creator distressed.
Loadon's eyes changed to faint red, flashing with warning.
Iseul curled herself up, making her presence small on Loadon's shoulder as he adjusted his grip, holding her as if she were a sleeping child.
[Don't worry, Creator. Loadon will handle hostiles properly, legally.]
Though before he could handle anything properly, the group of cowardly hostiles was nowhere to be found.
[Low-level outslags,] Loadon cursed, eyes flashing before he fell into his usual silence.
——
{Outslag: leftover discarded waste}
——
Iseul was relieved and frightened. Luckily Loadon was there.