#EuroDollar

[gifnebula]

[cambcurrencies]

UK Nationwide Housing Prices & Global Manufacturing PMI

UK Data to Follow: This morning at 7:00 AM, Nationwide Housing Prices for June will be published. Previous month’s figure is 0.4 percent with a consensus of 0 percent and forecast expecting a cooling housing market at 0.2 percent this month. The final reading for June’s S&P Global Manufacturing PMI is scheduled for release at 9:00 AM. The prior reading came in at 51.2; the consensus and…

[flagsworlds]

Currencies of North America

Discover the diverse Currencies of North America, ranging from the US dollar, the Canadian dollar, and the Mexican peso to lesser-known currencies like the Bahamian dollar and the Jamaican dollar. Explore the unique features and exchange rates of these currencies, as well as their impact on regional economies and international trade. Gain insights into the financial landscape of North America and stay informed about the latest currency trends in this vibrant continent.

[zipperkiller]

I fucked up in my cyberpunk red campaign by not understanding how the drug trade works, now they have a brick of synthcoke that’s worth like 400k eddies

[valehour]

my absolute favourite piece of ttrpg game design is brought to us by Cyberpunk 2020's Pacific Rim sourcebook where it'll mandate a -2 to drive if you're not used to driving on the same side of the road as you would in one of these countries.

I love it because this is both crunch for crunch's sake and extremely stupid. Big Fan 10/10

[mail-me-a-snail]

if the eurodollar was a wife i would kiss her square on the lips and make her breakfast in bed everyday. every fucking day

[lifesupreme-if]

dylan is so pathetic i never wanted to romance a RO so bad

i think that if you told dylan she could pull a bad bitch simply by being as critically pathetic as she is she would promptly develop chest pains

[streetkid-named-desire]

That old man deserves a little peace and quiet. Unfortunately he's not going to get that from Rat just by nature of being friends with VG and Bea.

[tomluongo]

Long-time Bitcoin advocate and Wall St. vetern Caitlin Long joins me for one of my favorite conversations in the history of this podcast. We try to come to grips with contradictory behavior from the Federal Reserve and the reasons why these moments are so critical to the future of not just money but humanity itself. Show Notes: Caitlin on Twitter Custodia Bank Caitlin's Website Luongo: Crypto Liquidity and the Lifecycle of Ponzi Schemes Luongo: FDIC Insurance, Credit Suisse and the Day the Fed Killed Europe GGnG Podcast: Ep#133 Danielle Dimartino Booth

[rockerb0y]

     AS PER  lilly's perspicacity towards the accusation's outcome, countenance clouded over and discernibly did johnny take umbrage at the propounded notion. never had he exercised modesty towards the expression of his ethics or  fervent  advocacy for fidelity, steadfast in his belief that authenticity reigned above all and shouldn't accede to compromise via financial gain or otherwise. ember of ire set deportment ablaze from the personal strike against his inherent values and abruptly did posture right itself into a stand, newly  defensive  in spite of her hesitancy beforehand; even after the extended absence from each other and the  implicit  acknowledgement of individual change over the years, she should've known him better than that.

     ❝ ask yourself that question again and this time, use your goddamn head.  do'ya really think i'd pull a stunt like that for netwatch ?  not that strapped for eddies, y'know. actually do all right for myself without being a fuckin' sellout. 'sides, if i wanted you gone, would've skipped the foreplay and just zeroed you on sight. end of story. ❞

     an  incredulous  shake of his head denoted censure's conclusion and her fallacy's transgression was finally relinquished, no longer enticed to hold it against her after the error in judgement received its due rectification. nicotine craving returned to immediate focus as gait sauntered closer to the doorway, snubbing the budding tightness in his throat as cyberoptic eyes peered into the vacant hallway's darkness. aside from her  erroneous  identification of the cause, lilly was astute enough to recognize their circumstances' oddity too. nothing about the situation should've been written off as sheer coincidence, and it felt like the answer existed just shy of their grasp.

     from the murky depths of rumination did realization abruptly smite him, metallic fingers firming their grasp on the power pistol as head craned to assess her. from transient glance alone, it looked like she had made the same deduction as he had. it was no  accident  that she was there, and it wasn't a  fluke  that she would've come alone to investigate a deceased netrunner's workstation. despite the connection to arasaka and the lofty credentials that bathed the netrunner in a reputable light, the bait wasn't intended for him to take.

        ❝ fuck. we gotta delta. ❞

     the telltale  rattle  of a militech grenade being rolled across the ground was the only warning either of them received before an explosion of thick smoke enveloped the room. cover was taken against the wall and away from the open threshold as optic enhancements strained to distinguish anything more than the vague shapes of netwatch's netrunners. cacophony indicative of  several  new invaders tore through the earlier stillness and the first wave swiftly spilled into the room, singularly focused on their objective to contain and  neutralize. there was no opportunity for retreat in the confined space; they had to fight their way out.

     amidst the hazy screen was the  malorian  fired and delivered the first bullet into the closest person's skull, soon to fire several more which ricocheted into another opponent who futilely attempted to  avenge  the first. any opportunity to advance closer to the room's exit was taken and disguised with tactical movements, leveraging physical takedowns alongside precise shots to make more meaningful progress towards the main hallway. the first wave of combatants had temporarily  thinned  from their joint efforts, and they couldn't afford to squander the newly presented opening.

           ( time to move. )

the cinematic masterpiece comment earns him a half-assed glare and an eyeroll ( exaggerated of course ). ❛ sorry pal, stuff like that is reserved for people who have at least friendship level five unlocked. you're at one, gonna have to work for it. ❜ her attention drifts back down to the screen in front of her as she settles down to get to work. it doesn't seem like she's in danger from him, it doesn't seem like any danger from the dead man either, so she begins.

quickly scanning the files, she's only half-listening to him as he explains his reason for being there ( though she doesn't miss the quick once over he gives her ), and only when lilly senses a shift in the conversation does she start to listen in earnest to what he's saying. bright eyes snap to attention as he begins to lay out the details of his " perusing " of the man's files, what he'd found there, obviously building up to something. a question, perhaps?

why the fuck is netwatch after you?

ah, there it is, the question. but she doesn't have an answer for him.

silence creeps in quickly, she can hear the faint noises of the city outside and can hear the pounding of her own heart in time with it. the words on the screen seem to blink up as she looks at them, a detailed description of her is staring her in the face. it makes sense now that he's being cautious about her sudden appearance, it certainly looks sketchy.

❛ i wish i knew, johnny. ❜ she'd found honesty was best when dealing with him, so she's open and sincere about it — her voice is quiet, and all traces of her former teasing playfulness is gone.

❛ i really wish i knew, it's one of the reasons why i'm here. i was hoping to find some answers, something that made sense, but i can't find anything. this lead really seemed promising, like it had more of what i was looking for and not more of the same shit i've been seeing for almost a year. but there's nothing new here. ❜ with a thunk her head lands in the palms of both her hands, elbows resting against the desk for support. she's frustrated, tired, worn out — it'd taken quite a bit to get to this part of the city, and now she's got nothing to show for it.

❛ if this guy was so good, and so close to finding me, why the hell would they kill him? it doesn't make any sense, and for me to hear about all of this and for nothing to be here when i got here, it's like. like — ❜ lifting her head from her hands she stares up at him, suddenly alarmed and aware that this entire situation smells fucking funny.

shit shit shit. am i really this fucking stupid?

❛ i have to ask something i know you're going to find offensive, but i need to know. are you here to kill me? ❜ a pause, her heartbeat has skyrocketed, body tensing like it does just before a fight. not that lilly is sure she'd even try, there's nothing worth hurting one of the only friends she's got left in the world. even if he's going to kill her.

❛ because something is odd about the timing of this, and i can't shake the feeling that someone is setting me up. ❜

[cambcurrencies]

2024 Showdown: Biden vs. Trump in Presidential Debate

Sign in Register 2024 Presidential Debate: Trump vs. Biden Last night, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump faced off in their first presidential debate for the 2024 election cycle. The debate, hosted by CNN, was held in Atlanta without a live audience, a departure from traditional debate formats. Both candidates adhered to strict rules, including having their microphones…

[darkmaga-returns]

The Democrats complained for MONTHS that the economy was the best ever - the BEST! But as we look across the global economy today, there's very real evidence that we're treading on thin ice. Beneath the surface of macroeconomic data lie unsettling signals pointing to a fragile and vulnerable economic landscape.from Eurodollar University

Job markets are cooling, consumer resilience is fading, and global demand is faltering in key sectors. Central banks, once steadfast on inflation control, are now cutting rates more aggressively than anticipated. Together, these indicators paint a picture of a world economy struggling to maintain stability, with potential downturns lurking in multiple directions. Below, we break down the key data points and industry insights that underscore this precarious economic moment.

Labor Market Weakness:

Declining Job Openings: Job openings tumbled by over 400,000 in September 2024 to 7.44 million, the lowest since January 2021. This signals weakening demand for workers.

Low Hiring Rate: While slightly up for three months, the hiring rate remains depressed at around 5.5 million in September 2024, far below healthier levels.

Declining Quits Rate: The quits rate fell to around 3 million, similar to 2015 levels, suggesting workers are hesitant to leave their jobs due to a perceived lack of opportunities.

Rising Layoffs: Layoffs and discharges rose above 1.8 million in September 2024, the highest since January 2023, signaling a potential uptrend in job losses.

Private Payroll Weakness: Private payrolls were under 100,000 in every month except September since May, even reaching close to zero in August (revised).

Weak October Payrolls: A meager increase of 12,000 jobs in October 2024, with private payrolls down 28,000.

Declining Hours Worked: The hours worked index has been flat for four months (since May 2024). The average workweek fell back to a cycle low of 34.2 hours.

Anecdotes:

Bartenders, waiters, and waitresses report declining tips, foot traffic, and overall lower restaurant sales. Some have had their hours cut despite base pay raises, forcing them to seek additional jobs.

Nissan cutting production of North American models by 30% due to lower sales and rising inventories. Similar struggles reported by Ford and Stellantis.

German auto parts maker Schaeffler AG cutting 4,700 jobs in Europe due to lower automotive production and general industrial weakness.

Expert Quotes:

Ryan Sweet (Oxford Economics): While a prior job openings increase was encouraging, he emphasizes the importance of consistent improvement and close monitoring of the quits and layoff rates.

Elizabeth Renter (NerdWallet): Observes that employers are hesitant to hire and workers are reluctant to leave their current jobs.

[sanjoongie]

Library of Illusion~ Sci Fi Section

Chrome Upgrade

📚Part Three for the Library Of Illusions Event

📚Pairing: Fixer! Yunho x Merc! Reader (f)

📚Genre: Fantasy au, Sci-fi au, Cyberpunk 2077 inspired, sleeping with the boss trope

📚Warnings: fighting, cybernetic enhancements, slapping, nipple play, yunho is horny over some knife play, mommy(reader)/little one(yunho) dynamics, penetrative sex with no barrier, creampie(s), oral (f receiving), cum eating, dacryphilia

📚Word Count: 3,809

📚Rating: 18+ MDNI, smut

📚Summary: the scifi section transports you to a cyberpunk world in which you are merc for hire with many upgrades and your boss, or fixer, pays you with chrome instead of eddie’s (eurodollar)

📚Dedication: @mejuii & @downtoamagicalland the best beta readers a writer could bribe have

↫The Fantasy Section ↭ MasterList ↭The Historical Fiction Section↬

You moved back and forth in front of a particular bookshelf but you had this feeling like you were missing it. You tipped your head back and you felt a zap of electricity when your eyes locked onto a bright yellow book with the title "Cyberpunk 2077" in sharp black lettering. You lifted onto your tippy toes, fingertips tingling as you managed to hook the book and bring it down into your waiting hands.

You opened it, and watched expectantly as the book flew out of your hands, landing upright with its pages flipping open, until it halted and grew to the size of a door. The center for the book was transparent, and within you could see a dark alleyway, filled with trash and lit up by bright lights. 

The hair on the back of your neck raised and you felt yourself getting real damn annoyed at this entity that was watching you. "You know, you could just reveal yourself before I meet you in this damn book!" You couldn't help but shout in frustration. 

It had to be the guardian of this section, right? Clearly they were both present in the books and in the library. "Or are you worried that I might reject you before you can weave a story to suck me into?"

You might as well be shouting into the void. Or so you thought. The shelves began to shiver and shake and a rush of wind rushed past you, blowing your hair behind you like you were in a wind tunnel. The fuck was that? Alright, maybe you shouldn't be provoking demons.

You decided now was a good time to walk through the portal.

You stood in the middle of an alleyway, neon lights blinking obnoxiously above you. In your hand was a chip and everything in your mind was telling you to put it inside of you. You felt behind your ear and gasped when your finger found a rectangle hole there. The chip slipped in easily and your eyes lit up as you processed the information on the chip. 

You were a mercenary for hire. Your fixer, or guy that hooked you up with jobs, was Yunho. You two had worked together pretty steadily but only after you had begged him to give you jobs. You had a gun and an itch to scratch back then. You had worked with a few crews here and there, maybe a partner, but ultimately no one could keep up with your thirst to prove yourself, to really make your name a legend. 

Now you had so many cybernetic enhancements you lost count. Circulatory system upgrades for your hacking. You had traded out your eyes a long time ago for easier targeting and to make them a pretty purple jeweled color. But your crown jewel were the blades that were implanted and replaced your arms. The blades stayed hidden and folded and you had full use of your 'hands', but the Mantis blades had been the best improvement you had invested in, surely.

A screen popped up in your peripherals and a faint ringing could be heard in your ear. The square said Your Fixer Yuyu was calling you. "I got the deets, Yunho, what's up?" You answered. 

"Another gonk got themselves snatched for cybernetics and organs," Yunho replied.

"Yeah, I got that already, what do you want?" You snapped.

You admired your clothes in this world: you were wearing skin tight pleather pants with cutouts at the hips, a bikini top and a large baggy jacket. You had an undercut on the side where you had slipped in your chip, but your hair fell in waves on your right side. Definitely the cyberpunk look.

"That same gonk left their bike outside the place where they had been sent to rescue the last guy," Yunho informed you. You winced. Oops. "Don't worry, choom, I got you. I called your bike away to park a few blocks. Just thought I'd let you know when you run out of there."

"Thanks."

"Orchid?" You fucking loved your merc name. The first upgrade you got as a merc were Mantis blades but insisted on a soft pink color. So they named you after a pretty Orchid Mantis. You were kinda proud of that, actually. 

"Yeah?" You answered.

"Come see me after this job, 'kay? I've got something to run past you."

"Got it, Yunho."

You ended the comms and cracked your neck. Time to cut up some idiot bodysnatchers.

You snuck into the building where your target was located. She was in an ice bath to keep her body chill. You checked for vital signs and luckily the damn gonk wasn't dead. Yet. That's when you allowed yourself to kill every damn bodysnatcher in the place, with no mercy. Who thought it was a good life choice to kidnap innocent people and steal their cybernetics off their corpses? You were a bit blood splattered afterwards but the trauma team came for your target once you booted up their biomon and you were already gone by then.

You jogged for a block, shrugging on your jacket and then you called in your bike. You didn't bother to check in with Yunho, you simply set his headquarters location to your GPS and headed there full throttle. You weren't sure what you prefered more: slashing people up with your Mantis blades or riding the road with your bike. Either one provided amazing adrenaline.  

You pulled up to the noodle shop and parked your bike in the front. The staff didn't even blink as you walked through the front and into the kitchen of the shop. You stopped in front of the deep freeze and the square of tiles before it blinked before popping open. You slid down the ladder and a cold nuzzle of a gun was pressed against the nape of your neck.

"Jesus, do you have to do that every damn time? It's Orchid, for christ sake. Let her in." Yunho yelled at his guard. 

You stuck your tongue out at the guard and he pulled his gun to holster it. You walked towards the glass box that was Yunho's office. The door snapped behind you with a whoosh. The glass tinted so that no one could see inside. Interesting.

"What's up, choom?" You said, not showing a hint of your worries. You planted your ass on the crescent shaped couch and crossed your hands behind your back.

Yunho approached the low coffee table in front of you. His broad shoulders filled out his orange and black leather jacket well. “When did you get the new ink?” Yunho motioned with his chin.

You looked down and saw a dragon on your hip. Odd. When did that get there? It didn’t fit the genre at all, it was a dragon from an old fairy tale novel illustration. Did you have another tattoo? Upon further inspection, you also had a switchblade on your shoulder. Both were clearly souvenirs from Yeosang and Wooyoung but… why? It couldn't be that they simply wanted you to remember them by tattoos you had not agreed upon. You figured you’d ask Seonghwa when you got back.

To answer Yunho though, you shrugged. “I gotta pass it by Daddy first?”

Yunho’s eyes darkened and narrowed them at you. “Are you giving me lip, little girl?”

You scoffed at the term. “A little girl that could slice you in half maybe.”

Yunho strode around the table, brought back his hand and slapped you, one of his rings scratching your chin as it hit. “Bitch? Are you saying you could take me on?”

"Yunho, Yunho, Yunho," You shook your head. "There's a reason you keep calling me to do all your dirty work. Because I get shit done."

"I give you the dirty work jobs because you're trash," Yunho corrected you.

You smiled and it was dangerous. "Careful. Those are fighting words."

"Not fighting words if they're true."

Your Sandevistan, the operating system that allowed you to move faster than the human eye could observe, kicked in and within milliseconds, you were on top of Yunho on the floor, your Mantis Blade at Yunho's neck. "I may be trash but I could still kill you, Yuyu," You crooned perilously. 

Yunho swallowed but even that motion put his adam's apple in danger, flirting with your blade. "You didn't tell me you got a Sandevistan."

"I don't tell my fixer everything in case he wants to take advantage of me." Your free hand started to absentmindedly play with the chains around his neck. "Now, how are you going to repay me for this?"

"This?" Yunho squeaked.

You clicked your tongue in annoyance. "I charge for my services; had to use my Sandevistan to show you who's really boss, didn't I? How much to let you go free too?"

Yunho scowled. "I don't--"

You ran the tip of your blade along Yunho’s face, the threat there. Yunho whimpered and you cackled. "Big talk for a big man-" You moved your body back and your lower half encountered something long blocking your way.

You cocked an eyebrow at him. "Yunho--"

"Don't," he said in a clipped tone. "Just pretend you didn't--"

You grinned evilly. "Your price just went up."

"Orchid, listen." Yunho was starting to sweat. "We have a decent work relationship. I'd like to keep it that way. Can't we just forgive the insults?"

"Or…" You slowly reclined your Mantis Blade built into your arm, folding it back in place. "...you could repay me in a different way. Do you have a Mr. Studd upgrade?"

Yunho's ears began to get red. "...yes."

"Give me an hour of your time, I think that would make us even."

Yunho looked so confused it was borderline adorable. “You… you sure?”

“Whatever you would have paid me as compensation would have gone towards some time at a dollhouse anyways, so why not, Yuyu?” You chirped.

Yunho nodded curtly. “Done.”

The Mr. Studd upgrade you were talking about was essentially an upgrade/sexual organ replacement. It ensured that the one using the upgrade lasted for hours, which is why it was standardly an upgrade a Doll, or whore, had. Why Yunho had it, you didn’t know, but you didn’t care at this point. It also meant that his dick was chrome colored, which was a bonus. 

You remained straddling Yunho on the floor but Yunho sat up, his upper body now vertical, holding himself up by his arms, palms flat on the concrete floor. You were cradling his head to your chest as he sucked on your tits. His eyes had widened upon seeing your nipples had been replaced with a cosmetic upgrade, making them a sea-foam green color. You continued to dominate your boss, having discovered that he also had a Mommy kink.

You couldn't help but coo at Yunho some more, his eyes were big as his lips were wrapped around your nipple. “That’s a good baby, sucking Mommy’s tits just the way she likes it.” Yunho whined against your breast. “Does my little one have something to say?”

Yunho popped off your nipple, leaving a string of saliva connecting from his tongue to your nipple. “Orch--Mommy.” You waited patiently for Yunho to say what he wanted to say. “Can I have your cunt now?”

If Yunho absolutely drooling over your tits wasn’t enough to make you sopping wet, that sentence certainly did the trick. “Do you think you earned it, little one?”

Yunho nodded quickly. “Please, can I have Mommy’s pretty pink cunt now?”

You sighed dramatically. “I guess you deserve it for sucking on Mommy’s titties so well.”

Yunho let out a comfortable sigh once you sunk down on his chrome dick. “Mommy feels so good around me.”

“Yeah, does Mommy squeeze you just right, Baby?” You started to move up and down his cock, making sure to clench when you had just the head of his dick inside of you and then pushed him back inside again.

Yunho moaned, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. You had no idea the straight faced, extremely tall fixer was such a sucker to be a sub for someone. You might have offered it earlier had you known. “More, please, Mommy, more!”

It’s not long before you have Yunho creaming between your thighs. He comes with a gruff cry but you hadn't found your high yet. But thanks to his Mr. Studd upgrade, that wasn’t a problem. You continued to fuck yourself on Yunho’s chrome dick, even after Yunho’s long drawn out moan faded from his lips. 

“Be a good baby and play with Mommy’s clit, hmm?” You encouraged him. You leaned back, hands on Yunho’s thighs to brace yourself, and started to fuck him that way. 

Yunho’s lips puckered like he wanted your tits back in his mouth but his eyes were on your clit. “Wanna suck on Mommy’s pretty clit, please,” He whined.

“Here, Baby.” You grabbed one of Yunho’s hands, which were large for a fixer’s, and sucked on his thumb, gathering your saliva along the digit before guiding Yunho to rub his thumb mercilessly along your swollen clit. “Right there, just like that,” You hissed, “You can suck Mommy’s clit another time, maybe when you’ve been a bad little one.”

“You’d sit on my face? Please?” Yunho looked eager and cute all over again.

You cupped Yunho’s face so that his cheeks were pushed together. “Stop being so cute and focus on the here and now, Yuyu.”

Yunho frowned, fucking up into your pussy with his chrome dick and flicked your clit until you came with a loud shout, thighs shuddering as your orgasm ripped through you. You panted and waited for your cunt to stop fluttering around Yunho and then asked him how long before he could go for his second round.

The second round included you degrading Yunho, as per his request. The harsher you were, the more he throbbed inside of you. He cried fat tears for you when he came the second time, proving to his Mommy that his dick was good enough and big enough to come inside a second time. You licked away his tears, having come only moments before him.

The third round you found that Yunho liked his nipples played with, to the point of overstimulation, to which he buried himself deep inside of you to come, nudging your uterus and making you come just as hard. By then, the two of you were clinging to each other, sweaty and exhausted but plenty satisfied. The only problem now was…

“What are we going to do with all this sticky cum, little one?” You mused, looking down at your pussy, which had his cum literally dripping out of you.

“Le-leave it there?” Yunho stuttered, his ears heating up again.

You cocked your head curiously at Yunho. “But Mommy wants to clean up, baby.”

“I…” Yunho opened his mouth and then closed it.

“Yuyu, after what we just did, there isn’t much to be embarrassed about,” You brought up.

Yuyu nodded his head but couldn't meet your eyes. “It’s dirty though.”

That made your proverbial ears perk up. “What’s dirty?”

“I want to eat my cum from your pussy, Mommy.”

"You're awfully greedy for my cunt, Yuyu," You couldn't help but tease him.

Yunho pouted. "Please. Mommy."

"I think you're past your hour," You mentioned.

Yunho clung to you harder. "I…I need this. Please."

Whatever constant state of control fixer Yunho was in, this seemed to be his safe place to let loose. You yourself had felt the tension leave his body, as he came and came and came inside of you. Perhaps you could come to some type of arrangement after the jobs he set you up on…

"Okay, baby, you can clean up my cunt with your tongue," You agreed, "But it's going to cost you."

Yunho was nodding, lifting you off his cock already, fully capable of setting you down on the ground and wrapping his arms around your thighs. "Thank you, Mommy," he said, almost like thanking you for his meal.

When Yunho's guard walked in to say that he had a visitor, Yunho was so pussy drunk that he never even responded. You looked at the guard, upside down with your head cast back because Yunho was working your cunt with his tongue quite well and said, "He's busy."

You couldn't believe when Yunho coaxed your fourth orgasm from your body but when your body stopped shuddering and you looked at your fixer between your legs, it was clear that this was exactly what Yunho should be doing for you.

Wait--

Shouldn't Yunho be giving you… something else?

Yunho smiled at you, his chin and cheeks covered in a mixture of his saliva, his cum and yours and you felt your brain stutter. "I did good, Mommy?"

"Course, Baby, you did brilliantly." You ruffled Yunho's hair.

"Maybe…maybe you could stay the night? I don't have anymore jobs for you and I--"

Whatever else Yunho was saying faded out as your brain once again attempted to tell you that you couldn't stay the night. You had somewhere to go. Did you, though? Couldn't you just stay here with Yunho?

"Orchid? Are you okay? Do you need a stim? I've got a few around here."

You watched as Yunho looked around his room, his leather jacket hanging off one arm absentmindedly. He really did look like a lost boy.

Wasn't he just like the others? The others?

You shook your head and rubbed your eyes. What the fuck was going on?

"Yun…I think someone is hacking me. I feel--weird."

Yunho stopped looking for the stims and sighed. "I almost thought I had you there."

The air tensed, warping and stretching and suddenly it snapped and you were back in the Science Fiction Section. Yunho had an arm already stretched out to pull his book out. Inside was a chip, the same that you had put into your slot in the book to absorb the information of the cyberpunk world and your job. 

Gone were Yunho's mixture of neon and baggy cyberpunk clothes. Instead, he was in a black button down, tight black pants, with a shoulder rig and a thigh harness. "Would it have been so bad to stay with me?"

You pursed your lips. "Yes, actually. I have someone else waiting for me."

Yunho, baby boy Yunho, was peeking out. "What's he going to say when he finds out you've fucked all us demons to get to him?"

Your dead lover's curling grin flashed through your mind and you felt your heart contract in pain. "He'd probably say he missed out on all the fun."

"I'll only give this to you if you give me a goodbye kiss, Mommy," Yunho said with a sneaky grin.

You rolled your eyes. "A bit demanding for a baby boy, aren't you?" You couldn't help but slip back into that role for a second. 

"What's one more kiss?" Yunho still challenged you.

You sighed and got up from the floor. You stretched up on your tippy toes and place a kiss on Yunho's lips. He sighed happily against your lips and slipped the chip key into your hands. "Miss me a little, okay, Mommy?"

Your head felt fuzzy from the mindfuck you were currently going through. Surely living so many lives so quickly wasn't healthy for you. Were you even going to make it through this? No, you couldn't think that way. You had only one purpose in your life now, and that was to bring your dead lover back with the use of the artifact. If you didn't have that, you had nothing. 

Seonghwa was humming under his breath and swaying in his chair when you approached the desk this time. He brightened slightly upon seeing you walk up to his desk. "Have something for me?"

You frowned at him. "Excuse me? Who are you and what have you done with the Keeper of the Keys?"

Seonghwa's smile widened. Did he… did he like when you talked down to him? "I talked with Yeosang. Seems like you've been treating us quite well, actually."

"Actually?" You raised an eyebrow at him.

Seonghwa's face turned stormy. "Not all travelers do their best to play the game. Most demand we simply give the keys to them. Hence my--" Seonghwa cleared his throat, "--my bad attitude towards your kind. We are simply demons doing our job, after all."

"Well, you've got me there, I guess. You guys are just cogs in the machine too, huh?"

Seonghwa looked at you eagerly. "Where did you go this time? What do you have for me?"

It was still a little weird that Seonghwa was now eager to see you but you handed him the chip key nonetheless. "Yunho."

Seonghwa's eyes began to have a shaky quality to them, almost like he was nervous. "Did you, uh, have any trouble with Yunho?" He scurried behind his desk and added your third key to your collection in the display case.

"Actually!" You inspected your body and not only found the dragon and switchblade tattoo but a new one was on your body now, after Yunho. You could feel the raised edges on your neck, near your chin. "Do I have something here?"

Seonghwa titled his head to look at where you pointed. "Is that a motorbike?"

"Interesting…" You began to nibble on your thumbnail. You only knew about getting the keys from the guardians, what was this tattoo thing about? "Do you know anything about these tattoos?"

Seonghwa rubbed the back of his neck. "You didn't come in with those?"

Was Yunho hinting towards something earlier? Did the demons not know anything beyond their jobs? What truly was this place?

You were halfway through your haul of keys. You only had three more to go but that didn't make you feel any more confident. You thought perhaps as you progressed, you would have a better understanding of this whole ordeal but as it turned out, you were getting more questions than answers. 

"Don't miss me while I'm gone, Seonghwa," You joked, "Maybe have some cookies when I come back. Chocolate chip is fine."

You left Seonghwa whining about getting his hands on freshly baked cookies and perused the sections that were left. A lilting song played by an instrument long forgotten poured from the section you had stopped at and your shoe sunk through a pile of sand. The sign above your head was made of stone and runes crossed over it. You blinked and the hieroglyphics quickly translated to the History Section. You had several times in history you loved but nothing came close to your obsession with Egypt. Maybe you'd be in luck and forge your own fate this time.

Tag list: @yoonguurt  @hijirikaww  @flowerboykun  @starillusion13  @flurrys-creativity  @kitten4sannie  @a-soft-hornytiny

Library staff: @kwanisms  @smallfrye  @anyamaris  @stardragongalaxy  @kpop-stories-21

↫The Fantasy Section ↭ MasterList ↭ The History Section↬

[medtech-mara]

Happy Halloween 2065

If you can't guess who she is suppose to be, Lana Kane from Archer . I know I'm a day late and eurodollar short as always, but CET was being a bully to me last night and took me 2 hours to fix and i didn't deem it worth a meltdown to make it on time.

[aggravateddurian]

Vega's Halloween Outfit, for when you need to tactically trick or treat at Konpeki Plaza, or if you're becoming the newest Warzone 2077 operator.

She comes in a pack!

For the low, low pricce of 149.99 eurodollars, you too can battle royale as V and Songbird!

[cyberpunkonline]

The Finances of Cyberpunk Dystopia

The dazzling neon lights, gritty streets, and high-tech innovations painted in the cyberpunk landscape have always been an intoxicating visual. But if you peel away the layers, you'll find a core deeply rooted in economic disparity, corporate overreach, and alternative financial systems. This genre, encapsulated in books, TV shows, films, games, and anime, has often painted a dystopian view of future financial systems. Let’s delve into the intricate details of these economic portrayals.

Corporate Currency and Credits One of the most prominent themes in cyberpunk is the omnipresence of mega-corporations. These entities have grown so influential that they have their own currencies, rendering national currencies obsolete. Think of the Eurodollars in "Cyberpunk 2077", or the corporate credits in "Neuromancer". These universal credits are often digital and can be traded, earned, and stolen, not too dissimilar to cryptocurrencies today.

Cryptocurrencies and Digital Assets Many cyberpunk tales, like Neal Stephenson's "Snow Crash", hint at decentralized digital currencies. In these narratives, individuals rely on these currencies for anonymous transactions. With the rise of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, this vision seems closer to reality than fiction. Cryptocurrencies represent a decentralized, peer-to-peer financial system where transactions are recorded on a blockchain, away from the prying eyes of governmental institutions.

Bounty Systems With the decline of conventional law enforcement in some cyberpunk depictions, there's a rise in privatized justice. This includes bounty systems where individuals or groups are paid to enforce laws or hunt down criminals. "Altered Carbon" and "Cowboy Bebop" both provide glimpses into such a world. While bounty hunting has historical precedents, its heightened prevalence in a tech-driven world could be a potential future scenario, especially with the privatization of many sectors.

Barter and Trade Systems In a world where digital surveillance is rampant, going off-grid and relying on barter becomes appealing. Some cyberpunk stories show characters trading goods and services directly, without the need for a standardized currency. This throwback to ancient economic systems is a form of resistance against corporate and state surveillance.

Resource-Based Economy Some stories, like those in the "Eclipse Phase" game, depict a future where humanity has moved beyond the constraints of money. Instead, resources are allocated based on need and sustainability. This post-scarcity economy is often made possible by advanced technologies like nanofabricators, which can produce almost any item on-demand. While it sounds utopian, it raises questions about value, motivation, and societal organization.

Which Are Most Likely? Given the rapid advancement of technology, especially in the finance sector, the notion of cryptocurrencies and digital assets seems to be the most probable. We're already witnessing a shift towards digital transactions and the rise of decentralized finance (DeFi).

Corporate currencies, on the other hand, while possible, would require an immense concentration of power in the hands of a few entities - a scenario which many governments would likely resist. As for bounty systems, while privatized law enforcement is a possibility, it's one many would hope remains fiction.

The beauty of the cyberpunk genre is its ability to reflect our societal concerns and amplify them. Whether it's a cautionary tale or a speculative future, these financial landscapes provoke thought and inspire debate about the direction in which we're headed.

- REV1