You Seek What You Don't Have

Hector P.O.V.

Every new thing that I discover in this post-apocalyptic world only confirms that I made the right decision coming here. NZT-boosted Hector is a genius.

I mean, look at this computer in the shape of a pen! And the size of a pen! A 100TB of memory, all specs a hundred times better than the high-end Gaming PCs of my original timeline! A hundred times smaller!

How OP would be a PC built at the same size? Or a supercomputer the size of a room?

And it makes holograms! Holograms! Damn, I’m really a Omniversal Traveller now!

“This one is filled with 10 TB of books and lessons about engineering.” The street vendor says to me while I hold the pen computer.

“Hm, I will take it. Show me more filled with knowledge.” I say.

There’s one small problem in this post-apocalyptic world… There’s no internet.

So it is not as easy I writing a question in the searching box and getting the answer, knowledge here is stored on those computers or other types of storage.

It’s a dichotomy, kinda retro… Knowledge is being kept and stored like books, but in a very tech way.

Maps are expensive too, I spent a good amount of Units buying a very complete one.

People need to risk themselves to map the regions, and obviously, they would not give their hard-earned advantage for free.

But as much as I miss the convenience of the internet, I have money at my side. I can buy whatever I want, and that’s exactly what I’m doing. Walking through this bazaar, buying anything that fancies me.

Even useless things that are cool. Yep, I’m a man, so I will obviously buy that glove with a hologram projector even though the pen computer can do the same much more easily.

But I draw the line on the 100 TB of porn. I’m not that much of a gooner.

I continued to walk through the bazaar alone, Sun Jiao was going to buy a truck and take the home appliances we bought. Meanwhile, I was going to buy that slave girl who is good with tech.

Damn, just some years in the travel business, and I’m already buying a slave… Crazy~ I was always this adaptable? Or is it a side effect of this power?

Truth be told, I don’t care. 

After getting distracted by a lot of trinkets, I finally reached the slave market located on the other side of the bazaar.

“Oh hello, you there! Looking for something?” Immediately, I’m greeted by a middle-aged fat man.

To come here, I put on some good quality clothes that we bought. Appearances are important, and I don’t feel like being ignored.

“Yes, I’m looking for a tech specialist and a young girl…” I also decided to be clear with this.

Different from the Main Characters, I don’t have the destiny or luck of meeting those nice people. I need to actively seek the girl.

“Oh, tech specialist and a young girl, huh?” The guy gives me a small conspiratorial smile. 

“...” He can think whatever he wants. “Just give me a list of everyone who attends my specifications. Everyone!” I give him some units of energy crystal as a bonus just to make sure that he will do a good job.

I’m willing to pay a lot for this reliable side character.

If what I’m doing doesn’t work, I will try to ask her by name. Thankfully, NZT-boosted Hector wrote down her name.

The guy will probably try to rip me off if he knows that I’m searching for someone specific, but who cares?

“Here, boss! Check it out!” The fat guy gives me a holo tablet to see the goods.

“...” Most of the tech-specialized slaves that I asked have criminal records, and the guy took me very seriously when I said “young”.

“Not that young…” I turn to him “I am asking about teen girls, not kids.” That was a crazy sentence that would put me in a lot of trouble in my Home Universe.

“Oh, excuse me then…” he takes the tablet from my hands and changes the filters for an instant before giving it back to me. “Here we go.”

I check the list again, searching for the name and… Bingo.

Yao Jiayu.

Despite the name, she doesn’t look that Chinese. Humanity mixed a lot.

“This one.” I give the guy the tablet back.

“Hm? She is not that special… What about the tech specialist?”

“None interested me.” I say, “Do it quickly.”

“I’m sorry, boss. She was going to be shipped to the mines, so she was not ready… We pride ourselves on delivering our products under the best conditions, so it will take at least two days to get her ready to service you…”

“...” I just put more crystals on his hand.”

“I want today.”

“Right away, boss!!!” He salutes me and runs off.

Pfft, money, right? It’s almost refreshing that the people here are shameless in their greed, instead of the ones in my Home Universe that tried to act like money doesn’t matter.

I guess Shame is the first thing you discard in a harsh situation.

It doesn’t take long for the guy to bring Yao Jiayu to me. She is not wearing any fancy clothes, but she is clean, recently out of a bath, I presume. A metal collar around her neck.

She looks at me fearfully while the seller addresses me. Ah yes, I’m not the protagonist… With him, she luckily overheard him wanting a tech specialist, and she offered herself.

What a great way to not look like a pervert when you are obviously taking advantage of a young girl. I almost roll my eyes…

I don’t have that luck, but who cares? I can clear her bad impression of me later.

“Here is the password and the command to the collar. She can’t go against your orders or hurt you while you have those.” The seller gives me the common in my EP device. “She is also an unopened package, if you get what I mean. Hehe ~” I ignore his last statement and pay him with my credits, and check my new ownership on my wrist device.

 I prefer calling it this way instead of EP, at least in my mind, I don’t want to look like a weirdo to the rest of this world. 

“Okay, thank you. Follow me, girl.” I finish the procedures and walk away, Yao Jiayo following obediently. 

“...”

“...”

We walk in silence for some time before I decide to speak first.

“Do you know your way with technology?” I ask

“Ah!” She jumps in surprise

“I’m asking you a question.” She is cute, like a small animal that invokes feelings of overprotectiveness in me, but I’m not gonna go that part.

“Ah, yes… I have achieved a B-grade education from the virtual education system. Excelling in hacking and programming.” She says shyly.

“Good, exactly what I need.” I nod 

“Eh?”

“ ‘Eh’, what? Do you think I want you for your body?” I decided to deal with this shit now. “I want you to do certain things to me and teach me too…”

“Eh??”

“ ‘Eh’ what now?”

“A-ah! I-I mean… Eh, if you want a teacher, you could buy a program of virtual reality, and-and how did you know I have those formations? It was not listed in my files.” 

“...” Oho~, she is smar.t “I can pay for a human teacher, so I want a human teacher. What? Are you unwilling?” I ask, avoiding completely the questions bout my meta-knowledge.

“...” I don’t know if she is convinced, but at least she is not saying anything else.

“We are going through the bazaar now… Tell me anything you need to work and I will buy.” I say

“...”

“I'm serious.” I speak while she looks at me strangely “You would be useless otherwise. Just tell me now, so that I don’t need to come back here for some time.” Maybe I’m being too harsh, but whatever.

“O-Okay.”

With that, she showed me that she is really more knowledgeable about those things.

I felt like a 90-year-old guy taking his grandchildren to buy something technological.

I really needed to come here to this world, I would be a neanderthal in any other sci-fi universe.

Baby steps, Hector. Baby steps… You have all the time in the Omniverse.

……………………………..

Yao Jiayu and I reached the meeting place with Sun Jiao without a problem, even though I need tos tay alert for pickpockets. But that is the only crime people would dare to commit inside the walls of the Sixth Street.

When you have the legal authority to kill anyone who tries to steal from you, people don’t risk too much.

So they will try to be discreet, but a look or a flash of a gun is enough to dissuade those small criminals. Nothing like those that I killed in the trade center, because of the receptionist, I attracted too much attention and killed them.

In the canon, they followed the protagonist outside Sixth Street. I’m not interested in those hardship arcs to character growth, I want a peaceful environment to learn.

“Here she is…” I say, finally seeing Sun Jiao waiting beside a truck, “You didn’t run away. I’m glad.”

“Hmpf. You really don’t trust me, huh?” She scoffs

“Nothing personal, I don’t even trust myself.” I say, “This is Yao Jiayu, by the way. Just bought her.” Again, those sentences are still weird on my mouth.

“Aren’t you looking for a tech guy?” She gives me a suspicious look

“All of the rest have criminal backgrounds. I prefer to bring someone weak to my inner circle. No danger.” I say, without caring about Yao being there.

“Ah, eh… A pleasure!” She bows deeply 

“Oh, you are a cute girl~ Don’t worry, big sister will protect you from the big bad guy.” Sun Jiao hugs Yao Jiayu affectionately.

“...” I ignore her antics, noticing how her hands travel through the young girl's body, checking for anything. “Okay, let’s go home already. You drive.

“Back to the mansion?” Sun Jiao asks, stopping from molesting the girl.

“Yes. Anything that you girls need? Because we are not leaving the mansion for a long time.” I say, I really don’t plan on going adventuring around this post-apocalyptic world. At least, not till I feel satisfied with my education.

“Hm, I guess not.” Sun Jiao thinks for a while. “But what about the food?”

“Don’t worry about the food.” I will not get out of the mansion, but I will go back to the modern world for food. With the home appliances that we bought, we are self-sufficient, we don’t need to be ravagers.

I turn to ask Yao Jiayu “And what about Yao-Yao? Can I call you Yao Yao?” After a nod from her, I continued “Do you need anything else?”

“No-no.” She shakes her head cutely

“Okay then, let’s go.”

We enter the truck, and Sun Jiao drives. As a telekinesis user, it’s for the best that I stay with my mind free, but the trip is uneventful. Different from the protagonist, I dealt with the threats before they became a problem.

We met some zombies and small monsters, but Sun Jiao went through them with this modified-to-the-apocalypse truck.

“Home sweet home.” I say sarcastically. The place is a wreck. It’s big and fortified, but anyone can see that it was abandoned a long time ago.

“We need to upgrade this place.” Sun Jiao comments.

“I like the way it's discreet.” I shrug

“But it is better to be well defended than to look abandoned. Do you want someone to come looking around and find us defenseless?” 

“But defend would make it obvious that there’s someone living here and attract unwanted attention.”

“Even if it is minimal, people like me can still come… Desperate people are dangerous. What if they find us sleeping?” Sun Jiao argues “Better defend it properly. We will be living here anyway.”

“You have a point.” I’m not arrogant enough to ignore good advice “But it's too big of a place to defend properly with only us…” And different from Jian Chen, the original main character, I don’t plan on buying a lot of slaves to use as workers.

“We can move to a smaller house…” Sun Jiao says

I look around, this is like the only house in more or less good condition. And when I say good condition, I mean not having a wall destroyed or the roof. It’s the only building that really protects against weak monsters instead of letting them walk in without a problem.

“This house will do for now…” I declare

“Are you sure? It would double the work if we unloaded the things we bought here, just to have to move later.” Sun Jiao says

I sigh. “We are gonna discuss ways to protect this place in a better way, like automated turrets or something like that… In the worst case, I will buy more slaves…” I sigh again.

It’s not a good move but whatever.

“For now, let’s go eat some good food and relax, okay?” I suggest, a smile on my face because I already know her.

“Food!” As expected, she doesn’t hide her eagerness and drops the boring subject for now.

Yao-Yao is looking at us with a somewhat lost expression, but I just push her to Sun Jiao. “Go take a proper bath and change clothes while I unload the cargo and prepare the food.”

“Don’t you want any help?” Sun Jiao gives me a look.

“Nah, I’m strong, did you forget?” I smirk. I’m gonna use telekinesis, and I don’t want her to see that.

“Okay then, let’s go Yao-Yao. Let the man do the heavy job.” Sun Jiao jokes.

“Don’t forget that I’m the boss here…”

………………………………………

Telekinesis is so convenient~ Top 10 powers, really. I recommend it to anyone.

Despite this house being abandoned, there’s still a system to filter water and a generator. But it lacked units of energy of crystals, fortunately, I have it in abundance now.

That’s why I don’t want to leave this place. It’s not for nothing that it was the main base of the protagonist.

“It’s still here.” I comment, checking the boxes of food I left hidden in a room.

It would not be a huge loss, but thankfully, no one took it while we were away.

Now that I have a microwave, I can give pre-prepared foods to them. I know that they would not complain about canned food, so I guess they will also not mind “fake food”.

“I will go make modern civilization and buy fresh ingredients.” Now I have a refrigerator.

Preparing the food is easy, I do it even while trying to ignore the sound of girls taking a bath not far from me.

Heavy footsteps alert me that they are done, and I turn to see Sun Jiao, flesh of the bath, wearing a bathrobe that hides very little.

“Have some modesty, woman.” I roll my eyes, keeping my cool despite the very nice view. She is hot.

“Just giving you a reward~” She teases while sitting, crossing her legs slowly, almost taunting me to look down.

But I’m stronger than that and kept eye contact! I’m so proud of myself!

While we are in a small powerplay that she tries to seduce me and I resist, hesitant footsteps reach our enhanced ears, and we turn to see Yao-Yao.

Yeah, Jiang Chen is a lucky bastard… Yao-Yao is a different type of beauty. Cute, petite… She is not a kid, she still has womanly charms despite losing against Sun Jiao in this aspect.

“Eeh…” She starts hesitantly.

“Sit with us and eat…” I gesture. It gets boring fast, you know? The hesitation to not overstep, to not offend… I know that she is only acting properly in the context of this world and her situation, which is why I interrupt her. 

“But-But… This food-”

“It’s to all of us. Just eat.” I interrupt.

“...” Look at her shell-shocked… 

“I will not be able to eat if you just stand there.” I comment sardonically.

“Hm, ah… Okay…” She panics a little before nodding and saying in a low voice.

She sits down, and I predict that she will not “dare” to take the food, so I make a plate for her… But this only makes her panic more, because I, her master, am serving her… Like I said, it’s getting boring fast.

“Stop overthinking too much… Look, I will not treat you like a slave or anything, so I hope you work hard and earnestly for me, so I don’t regret being kind to you, deal?”

“...deal.” She nods like a pecking chicken.

“Good. And don’t hold back while eating, food is not a problem.” After making things clear, I hope we can stop those interactions as fast as possible.

Knowing her character, I’m confident that she will not grow a big head and try to walk all over me. That’s why I’m nice… Well, maybe I will be proved wrong, but that would be a lesson too. To not trust in my meta-knowledge of the character's personality.

But looking at her crying while eating hot and proper food, I don’t think I’m wrong.

………………………………………….

“Can you make a Virtual intelligence?” I ask while we relax after the good meal.

“It’s not that hard to make one. What are the specifications? There are a lot of templates that you can acquire…” Yao-Yao is now talking more confidently when the subject is her expertise.

“A very general assistant, you know? To organize my files, move robotic arms around my lab, make searches on any network, access and hack places… This kind of stuff.” 

“I can make something like that and put it in your EP device.” She exclaims excitedly, feeling useful.

“Can it ‘fit’ in my wrist device? No need for a central or anything? Can it be portable?”

“Of course! An assistant V.I. like that doesn’t need much storage or high-end hardware!”

“...” I think we have different definitions of “much” and “High-end”, but okay.

“Then I would ask you to help me with this Pet Project while tutoring me in the basics, Yao-Yao.” I say humbly to my new teacher. A teen with knowledge that would make the greatest mind of my time die of envy.

And this knowledge will soon be mine!

And why do I need a V.I.? Duh, every traveler needs an A.I.! I can’t have a Cortana, for now, but I will be satisfied with a simple assistant V.I., to do the boring chores in the future.

We talk a little more about the subject, it’s good for me, and good to make Yao-Yao open up. People often like talking about the subjects that they are knowledgeable about. 

But I also need to make something clear…

“Do you have a dream or objective, Yao-Yao?” I start lightly

“Hm?”

“Like something that you want to do… I can help you to do it in your free time.” Happy employees are more productive, and also… “I will not be here for long… Just put up with me for a year, and you will be free to pursue whatever dream you have.

“Eh?” I think she says “eh” a lot.

“Yep, your employment has a time limit of a year, then I will release you. Don’t worry, I will leave you and Sun Jiao with enough things to live comfortably.” I point at the older woman “That is the woman you should approach, despite looking unfriendly, she has a conscience. She will take care of you.” I push whatever feelings must be developed to Sun Jiao.

Like I said, I will not be here. But the two can take care of each other.

“In some way, just so you know thatyou'reu kinda working for your future… the better your produce now, the more things you will have after I’m gone.” I chuckle.

“...” Why is she looking at me like that? Is she gonna cry?

No fucking way! How easy are those women?!? I just gave you a meal, girl!!

Stealing the life of a protagonist makes things so easy… Well, I don’t plan to take the place of Subaru or Guts…

“Ahem It’s okay if you don’t have anything in mind yet, you are still young. And you have a whole year ahead of you.” I said a little uncomfortable, then I decided to change the target of the talk “And you, Sun Jiao? Any objective? Better use me while I’m here to help~” I smirk

“...” She gives me a serious look, despite my joking tone. “Just finding some people…” She says slowly before drinking some juice, and not saying anything anymore

“...” Geez, the mood of those women swings a lot! It’s not because I said I’m going away, right? It can’t be… I can’t be that arrogant to think that.

Or maybe I’m really that sexy~ Hmm~

“And what about you?” Sun Jiao's serious voice shakes me out of my silly thoughts

“What?”

“What is your dream? What big objective do you have that you need to travel so much?” She asks, a little annoyance in her voice.

“Hm, I don’t have one… At least a big one.” 

“What?” She looks at me like I’m ridiculous.

She would not understand… I don’t seek anything in particular. Even strength is just the means to an end, the requisite that I seek to acquire so that I can to high-level worlds.

“I don’t have a ‘finish line’, I enjoy the journey… The journey itself is the objective and the reward.”I try to explain “But if you want to ask my minor objective… I have some.”

“Say then.”

“Well, learning all subjects known by humanity, learn all martial arts too…” Learn magic and other esoteric things that she would not understand. “And I think about making a base.”

“A base?”

“Yeah, not here because here doesn’t have everything I need… But even if I’m a traveler, I feel that I need to have a fixed place to return sometimes.”I say “But I’m still too young to settle, so I’m searching for things to create my super base! Like the V.I. I asked before.” Kinda childish but is the truth.

What man doesn’t want a secret hideout??

I can make an empty world my base. A world without humans, or a post-apocalyptic world like this one, or even a medieval world…

A place to relax and train, live off grid, plant my food, raise my cattle, have my isolated lab, a nice view of nature, NO NEIGHBOURS!

Aah~ The dream…

But it is a little too far, my power still takes too long between “jumps”. I will only be able to have a base when the cooldown of my ability is something like a month.

So right now, the only thing I can do is prepare for the day. I heard there are robot maids around here, they will be perfect!

While I was chuckling, I couldn’t help but say, “Funny, huh? The dichotomy… When I was tied to one place, I earned for travel… But now that I can only travel, I earn for a place to call mine in the vast cosmos… Maybe in the end, the two are just two different kinds of freedom… And being honest, I don’t care if I’m not consistent… Humans are inconsistent, and so is my destined life.”

And I wouldn’t have any other way.