The three of them began seriously investigating what exactly “medical support” from Hybris, the alpha community, entailed. When they tapped the wallet icon next to the chat window, a payment page for purchasing a treatment ticket popped up.
Payment Amount: 0.11111111 DIBC
• Your Deepcoin Wallet: 1 DIBC
• 9AsRCGDKwdlrCkjdDXHzzQ9C
“0.1111... DIBC? What does that even mean?”
To Siron’s question, Lewis replied:
“It’s a type of cryptocurrency. There are a lot of different ones, but DIBC is a specific crypto code. It’s usually just called Deepcoin. It was the first cryptocurrency built with blockchain technology, so it’s the most well-known.”
Siron’s eyes lit up. Deepcoin—that was the fake money Ashimi at Curry King kept telling him he had to buy. Seizing the rare chance to show off, Siron calmly chimed in.
“I know this one. That Japanese guy made it, right? Cyber money.”
Lewis, who’d only learned about crypto a few days ago, looked at Siron in surprise.
“You knew about crypto?”
“Kind of? My former coworker was a crypto investor. Tried to get me to invest too.”
Siron shrugged, casual as ever—like that former coworker had been the most powerful investor on Wall Street. Lewis, who knew Siron’s previous job had been at Curry King, quietly wiped a fingerprint off his phone screen.
Siron pointed at the numbers on screen.
“So, what do I do now?”
Lewis answered:
“Buy a treatment ticket from the Hybris site.”
“Oh, for 0.1111... Deepcoin?”
“Yeah. I already loaded one coin into the app in advance.”
“Where do you even get Deepcoin?”
Anna, who’d been silently listening, answered for him.
“I thought you said you knew about crypto.”
“I said a little.”
They exchanged awkward smiles. Anna let out a small snort and pulled out her phone, launching an app called Bycoin.
“You buy it with cash from a coin exchange. Then you send it wherever it needs to go. In our case, to that long string of nonsense: 9AsRCG...”
She pointed at the convoluted address on Lewis’s screen.
“We use this complicated system because crypto transactions are anonymous and decentralized. That makes them hard to trace. Which is also why it gets used for crime. Got it?”
Siron stared blankly at her, overwhelmed by this new world of information, then nodded like someone clearly not getting it.
“It’s hard to understand, right? I wouldn’t have paid attention either if I hadn’t bought tranq darts and a tranquilizer gun with crypto.”
“You bought tranq darts with Deepcoin?”
“Yeah.”
“...How much was one coin when you bought it?”
The siblings glanced at each other. Anna answered first.
“When I bought it on the exchange, it was about $560 per coin. What about you, Lewis?”
“I bought mine two days ago for $47.”
Anna shot up from her seat in shock.
“Fuck! I bought 200 of those!”
Doing a rough mental calculation of 560 times 200, Siron’s eyes bulged. Anna, still fuming, rounded on Lewis.
“How many did you get?”
“Two thousand.”
“That many?”
“I had some leftover from a dividend payout.”
Four times seven is twenty-eight... Trying to estimate the total cost of 47 x 2000, Siron gave a bitter smile.
Anna was a poorly paid cop, and Lewis had only just started gaining recognition as a supporting actor. Yet they lived in a high-end house in Linhart and spent money like a hundred million won was no big deal. That kind of living was impossible without a massive inheritance. A strange sting bloomed deep inside Siron’s chest.
But what truly shocked him was something else.
When Ashimi had passionately explained the benefits of investing in Deepcoin last year, it was trading between $14 and $15. That same cyber money had skyrocketed to $560—before bursting like a bubble and plummeting to $47. Even accounting for the crash, if Siron had invested all his savings back then like Ashimi suggested, he would’ve tripled his money, easily.
Why the hell did Ashimi stop halfway through trying to convince me? He wanted me to suffer, didn’t he!
The pain of missed opportunity ripped through his chest, but Siron managed to keep his composure for pride’s sake.
Should I invest now, at least?
He still had the $2,000 he’d stolen—no, borrowed—from Baekgyeong. But he couldn’t just throw it around when he didn’t know how long he’d be staying at Lewis’s house. If he wanted to work for Fresh Eats as a delivery driver, he’d need to save enough to buy a used bike.
No. The price crashed that hard. No way I’m buying now.
While Siron went back and forth in indecision, the siblings continued exploring the Hybris app. When they tapped the chat icon at the bottom of the screen, a form opened asking for personal details.
Age, date of alpha transformation, rut cycle, expected start and duration of the rut, marital status... Lewis filled it all out and tapped to continue.
9. Since becoming an alpha, have you been involved in any sex crimes?
□ Yes
□ Somewhat
□ No
10. Since becoming an alpha, have you been involved in any violent crimes?
□ Yes
□ Somewhat
□ No
“These questions are shady. Just ‘yes’ or ‘no’ would’ve been enough. What does ‘somewhat’ even mean? What’s the standard for that?”
Anna muttered aloud. Lewis, after glancing at Siron, checked both “Yes” boxes. When they moved to the next page, a chat window appeared.
[Agent H]: Welcome to Hybris, valued member.
What kind of medical support do you need?
The siblings exchanged another look. After a moment of hesitation, they agreed on what to type.
[Me]: I’m approaching a rut cycle. I’d like to know what medical services or support are available.
[Agent H]: Yes, here at Hybris we offer a variety of services to support members going through rut cycles. You are eligible for consultation and treatment programs focused on stress management and hormonal regulation.
[Me]: What kind of programs do you offer, specifically?
[Agent H]:
“Feels like a summer camp brochure.”
Siron had joined in without realizing. Lewis, suddenly hyperaware of their proximity, lowered his voice when Siron leaned in beside him, their shoulders touching.
“Yeah... they’ve got all kinds of stuff.”
Lewis started typing again, but part of him was still focused on the warmth of Siron sitting next to him.
[Me]: What’s the procedure for joining a program?
[Agent H]: First, please complete the purchase of a Treatment Ticket through the Payment Page. Once that’s confirmed, a member of our medical team will contact you to arrange your consultation.
See the link below.
[Link]
Everything moved quickly from there. A few minutes after buying the treatment ticket with Deepcoin through the link, a pop-up appeared. It asked for their current location, with a dropdown list of options. Unsure whether to lie or tell the truth, they eventually selected their actual residence: Hel Sota State, Baggers City.
[Agent H]:
Twin Tower Mall, 890 Legacy Avenue, Outdoor Fountain Plaza, August 19, 2:00 PM.
Please stand with two bottles of Noble Orange Juice, one in each hand.
“The 19th? That’s tomorrow!”
Siron stared at Lewis in disbelief. Lewis looked just as rattled, his awkward smile frozen in place. He stared at the popup taking up the entire phone screen.
“I didn’t expect it to move this fast...”
Not only was it out in the open, but it was in a high-traffic location. He’d have to stand there alone, waiting for someone he didn’t even know.
“No, faster is better.”
Anna spoke with calm certainty.
“But we’re not prepared for anything.”
“That’s what we start thinking about now.”
She wasn’t wrong. They knew nothing about the Hybris community. There was no other option but to plunge in and find out firsthand.
As if walking into a test without studying, Lewis’s face tightened with anxiety—then slowly settled into grim resolve.
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