chapter 7

Following the directions provided, Karl and Oliver walked through a narrow alley with an iron gate and arrived at a basement-turned-prosthetic clinic. Inside, a middle-aged man with dark hair sat in front of a computer, watching a boxing match. Karl greeted him politely.

"Excuse me. Hello."

The man turned at the sound of Karl's voice, his sharp features showing mild surprise. He wore glasses, and his calm demeanor hinted at his expertise.

"A polite guest? That's a rarity in this city," the man remarked. His eyes briefly assessed Oliver before lingering on Karl.

"You're unmodified," he noted, instantly recognizing that Karl had no prosthetic enhancements.

"Planning to install your first one?"

"Something like that," Karl replied.

Oliver stepped forward, speaking on Karl's behalf. "Doctor, what types of operating systems do you have, and what's the price range?"

Victor, the prosthetic doctor, leaned back in his chair. "I have a parallel-line operating system from Militech, which costs 5,000 eddies, and a Seocho Electronics Type-1, priced at 7,500 eddies."

Hearing the price, Oliver's face twitched. "Doc, you're saying these are brand new, right?"

Victor raised an eyebrow. "I'm not a shady back-alley ripperdoc or a scavenger. Everything here is genuine and brand new." He picked up a certificate from his desk, confirming his credentials.

Oliver sighed, his mind racing. He had just over 1,400 eddies to his name—not nearly enough. Most rippers in the city sold second-hand or outdated parts at inflated prices, but Victor's insistence on genuine goods suggested a level of professionalism. That assurance alone made Oliver want to get the upgrade done here.

He quickly messaged his sister: "Sis, can you send me 5K? Need it urgently."

A moment later, her reply came: "Where are you? You're not in Santo Domingo, are you?"

Before he could respond, his account balance updated. She had sent him the money.

"Thank you! I'll explain later. Love you!"

"You're only sweet when you want something. Just stay safe, okay?"

"Got it!"

Turning to Karl, Oliver was about to share the good news, but he noticed Karl already counting out his eddies. The total was 3,200—still short of the required amount.

"Wait here, Doctor Victor," Karl said, placing the money on the counter. "I'll return with the rest."

He turned to leave, but both Victor and Oliver stopped him.

"Hold on, Karl," Oliver said.

"Relax, young man," Victor added with a smirk. "This is enough. I'll cut you a deal—3,000 eddies for the Militech system. Take back the extra 200."

"Wait, you can negotiate?" Oliver blurted out, visibly shocked.

Victor chuckled. "Of course. I'm curious why you didn't try bargaining in the first place."

"I… didn't realize you could haggle with prosthetic doctors," Oliver admitted sheepishly, transferring the extra money back to his sister.

Victor stood up, studying Karl closely. "How old are you?" he asked.

"Eighteen," Karl replied. "And no, I've never undergone surgery before."

"A purebred," Victor mused. "This will be your first time, then. The procedure might take a while, and you'll need some time to adapt afterward. Do you want to stay awake during the operation, or would you prefer full anesthesia?"

Karl considered the offer. Experiencing the procedure might be a unique opportunity. "I'll stay awake."

"Bold choice," Victor said with a nod. "Prepare yourself. In a few hours, you'll have a new lease on life."

Ten minutes later, Karl lay on a specialized operating table as Victor began preparing his equipment. The operation was about to start.

For Karl, this was the first step in embracing a new, cyber-enhanced world.