Living in Cyberpunk, but a Top-Tier Cyberpsycho Author: FeichiyuSynopsis:The legend among the legends of Night City, the Arasaka Bane, the gang meat grinder, external personnel of MAX-TAC, psycho crank...Possessing so many titles, he was the only living legend in Night City — David Martinez.His life was so extraordinary, and his deeds were spread everywhere, making all gangs in Night Cityterrified upon hearing them, and even the well-trained Trauma Team felt fear.If you possess precious cyberware implants, then you must never let this legend find out.Otherwise, the next day your corpse will definitely be found rummaged through in some garbage dump.How did such a dazzling legendary figure spend his week?Day 1: Accompanying LucyDay 2: Accompanying RebeccaDay 3: Watching braindancesDay 4: Watching braindancesDay 5: David, you can't keep degenerating like this! (Self-reflection)Day 6: Continuing to watch braindancesDay 7, Judy's arrival: "David, what are you doing?"David: "Huh? Judy, I'm watching braindances, do you want to join?"01. Living in Night City, but Became DavidIn 2076, Night City still maintained the false image of superficial prosperity.Located in an abandoned hospital in Coronado Farm, eastern Santo Domingo, a teenager sat on a bench in the corridor.The dim incandescent tubes sparked grain by grain, and the barely emitted light hit that pale and dull face.His forehead was wrapped in bandages, and his jacket was also leaking wind, as if he had just been in a big accident.And in front of him, a doctor wearing a mask was chattering in his ear like a mosquito.But this was not the key..."Did I transmigrate?"Lowering his head to look at his own hands, his gaze was filled with doubt, and the expression on his face gradually began to doubt life.Clearly sleeping soundly at home, how did he suddenly transmigrate?"Huh? What did you say?"The doctor in front of him seemed to hear his soft murmurs and subconsciously asked."Hey, I asked if you were even listening?""Ah? Ah, sorry, what did you just say?"The doctor's impatient tone brought the teenager back to his senses, and he slowly raised his head."Sigh..."Seeing his dull face full of confusion, the doctor sighed helplessly, and then resumed his emotionless voice from just now, even revealing a bit of laziness as he said:"Your mother, Mrs. Gloria Martinez's surgery was very successful, but she is still in a coma and has not regained consciousness.""Well, we'll arrange for a few days of hospitalization for observation, and you can go through discharge procedures once her condition stabilizes."The doctor was talking to himself there.But the teenager didn't pay attention to what the other party was saying at all, instead focusing on that name."Gloria Martinez?"His lips trembled slightly, repeating this name in his heart.Always felt... a bit familiar?Suddenly, he seemed to have thought of something, and his eyes widened abruptly."Sorry, wait for me a moment."Saying this, he raised his legs and rushed toward the bathroom, completely ignoring the doctor's meaning."Did he bump his head too hard?" Looking at the teenager who suddenly became flustered and ran out, the doctor muttered to himself, "If I'd known, I would've admitted him to the hospital too.""However..."His gaze immediately fell on the dilapidated door of the ward not far away."Probably just like his mother, a poor ghost. Doesn't even have a single valuable implant."Although his tone was full of regret, the doctor was already used to it.After all, this was Santo Domingo, whose poverty rivaled Pacifica.If there really were those precious implants, how could they be sent here?Those lackeys of the Trauma Team would be dying to swarm all over it.Thinking of this, the doctor threw the bag containing Gloria's personal belongings onto the ground and turned to walk deep into the corridor.He didn't have that much leisure time to waste on a brat who couldn't even afford medical bills.After all, there were so many "patients" waiting.---With a loud rattle!, the bathroom door was pulled open forcefully.Suddenly, a fishy and foul stench rushed over him, a smell as nauseating as a decades-old, unclogged sewer.The environment inside was simply indescribable; mere filthy and messy wasn't even qualified.Just like outside, the incandescent lights on the ceiling flickered on and off, providing a weak glow to this not-too-large space.On the ground, crumpled-up balls of toilet paper stained brownish-yellow could be seen everywhere, along with pink things that looked like cup noodles thrown there, and even lumps of pixelated objects came into view.Compared to here, the dilapidated, ruined, and abandoned-looking corridor outside was simply paradise.But he couldn't care about that much now, because there was one thing that needed to be confirmed.The teenager took a deep breath outside, then covered his nose and mouth and forced his way in.Carefully avoiding those filthy things, he came in front of the sink."What the fuck, no way..."Staring at the sci-fi-style mirror in front of him, his hand involuntarily dropped.The mirror reflected his appearance at this moment.Bandages wound round and round on his forehead.Somewhat bruised and swollen, but one could still discern a face that revealed a bit of resilience amidst its youthfulness.A band-aid-like thing was also stuck on his nose.The most crucial part was that mohawk-like spiked hair."How, how could this be...?"The teenager retreated two steps in disbelief, missing a pile of pixelated object by just a centimeter.In a trance, he slowly walked out of this dirty bathroom, returned to the seat, and sat down with a thud.Slumping against the railing, staring blankly at the old, yellowed ceiling, his face was full of despair.Seeing the somewhat familiar environment around him at first, he had already guessed where he had transmigrated to.However, he never expected that he would actually transmigrate into David Martinez!Although hearing the name Gloria Martinez had given him some mental preparation, seeing it in reality still inevitably brought a sense of disappointment.It's really... so fucking absurd...How could he transmigrate onto David Martinez?Even as a Corpo... no, even starting as a Nomad, he could still rely on his memories to make a splash in Night City.But David couldn't!This kid was simply weak as hell.Although he also craved Lucy's body, after all, V was messed up back and forth because of the Relic, but what about David?Driven to near death by a mere military cyberware...Truly, comparison kills people, and comparing goods makes you want to throw them away.Furthermore, at this point in time, if he remembered correctly, it should be right after David and Gloria's car accident, right?Starting off with a dead mom?What kind of Qidian orphanage starting setup is this?Is it really parents sacrificed to the heavens, boundless supernatural power?Making me use this frail body to become a legend of Night City is like making Rebecca wear Lucy's bra.Does Rebecca deserve it?Do I deserve it?A series of question marks in his heart made him feel even more gloomy about his future, and his gaze fell on the black bag beside the bench."Oh, thankfully, there's still this..."He yanked open the zipper of the bag, and a yellow work uniform came into view.This was Gloria's work uniform, but inside it actually hid a Sandevistan that once belonged to a cyberpsycho.Although it was an entry-level military cyberware, it was the ultimate technological crystallization of Militech.Originally, Gloria stole it from a corpse planning to sell it to subsidize household expenses, but now..."Wait a minute."If he remembered correctly, this seemed to be the only hospital in Santo Domingo, formerly the Redwood Psychiatric Hospital, which was later abandoned and occupied by those Scavengers.In other words, David's mother didn't die because of a sudden worsening health condition, but was dismembered by those kidney-cutting bastards?!If that were the case, acting now should be able to save Gloria, right?!Although Gloria wasn't his real mom, at least there'd be someone to take care of him, and he wouldn't be so lonely..."Sigh, how could that be..."Thinking of this, he couldn't help but let out a helpless, miserable laugh.How could it be possible to do it.No matter what, the Scavengers were a gang; although their combat effectiveness wasn't much, they weren't something his frail, native body could deal with.Even if he went to Viktor to get the Sandevistaninstalled now, it would be too late.If it's nearby, maybe the other party would even come for a double-cross.What a desperate starting point...[Ding!]Hearing his despairing cry, a synthesized mechanical voice suddenly rang out in his mind.[System binding complete, Cyberpunk Fourth Calamity at your service.]"???"The sudden electronic voice made him slowly spit out a few question marks, but the next second, his heart instantly surged with joy.Holy shit, it really came!A transmigrator's good friend had really arrived!
With the system, let alone David Martinez's start, even if David Martinez's mom started out, there would be no need to cower at all!However, why does this name seem a bit strange?02. Beginner's Welfare, Exploring the Scavengers' DenThe term Fourth Calamity is not difficult to understand.It refers to players' various baffling operations in games ignoring the impact on the situation, scum who directly use console commands, or the Fling trainer faction; such groups constitute the Fourth Calamity.Among them, Stellaris is the best example.But how should this thing be represented on the system?Could it be a pirated version?[Ding, this system is a native, pure, pollution-free, genuine Fourth Calamity system. Please, host, do not entertain such weird thoughts.]As the system prompt rang in his mind, his hands exerted a slight force.Snap!A crisp sound of bone displacement suddenly echoed in the dilapidated hallway.The Scavenger who had just been rummaging through the refrigerator as if looking for something had his neck snapped just like that and collapsed limply to the ground.His head was forcefully twisted to 270 degrees, and his manner of death was extremely miserable.What came into view inside the refrigerator were piles of crimson objects, and the incoming stench of blood rushed straight to his head.The scene was comparable to a slaughterhouse refrigerator, utterly disgusting.Before he could vomit, the system manipulated his body to gently lift the dog-chewed plastic curtain and stealthily sneak deep into the Scavengers' den.According to the system, this was a gifted newcomer benefit responsible for teaching him how to survive in Night City.Everything was stated very clearly, and he understood it very well.However, can our methods be a little more normal?Kicking a Scavenger's head to pieces or something—is that something this puny physique can achieve?That is simply absurd.Just a short while ago, as soon as he opened the door leading from the hospital to the back kitchen, he encountered two unlucky Scavengers.One of them had his spine snapped with one hand, while the other was kicked in the head by a spin kick, crashing into the metal door nearby.It burst open like a watermelon, and the red, white, and silver repainted the dented metal door.That scene almost made him vomit.Presumably, these two Scavengers would never have imagined in their lives that they would be abused so miserably by a baseline human.Thinking of this, he shook his head somewhat helplessly.Such fiercely sharp and outrageously absurd methods—he probably wouldn't be able to use them in this lifetime.Oh right, by the way, right now only his head could move, and the rest of his entire body was taken over by the system.[Please, host, do not engage in extra thinking, and properly experience everything right now.]"Yes, yes, yes."That's right, it was experiencing.Melee combat skills and the like had already been uploaded to his brain from the very beginning, just like Militech's training chips.But it was even more advanced, with the system playing on his behalf throughout the whole process.Behind layers of plastic curtains, what came into view was a room as cluttered as a dog kennel.Next door was a room similar to an observation room, inside which was a large bed stained with blood, with a video camera placed in front of the bed.It was estimated that the person before had just filmed a braindance here.The fishy stench lingering at the tip of his nose made him feel extremely uncomfortable, and he involuntarily turned his head."Fuck, is that Gloria?!"David Martinez suddenly let out an exclamation, his eyes wide open, and his head felt somewhat dazed with a hum.On the operating table not far from him lay a corpse, or to be exact, a disfigured corpse.This was the first time he had seen a corpse, and moreover a corpse with such a miserable death.With the help of the dim lighting, one could barely see that the position originally equipped with a cybernetic eye was left with only a blood-red hole, the abdominal cavity was gouged out into a bloody mess, and the implants and organs were cleaned out completely.Judging from the fact that the blood had not yet coagulated, it should have been harvested just now.[No.]The system gave a very concise answer.If this were in a game, he definitely wouldn't have any reaction.After all, it was already commonplace.But seeing a mutilated corpse with such a miserable death in reality inevitably made him feel a bit nauseous.And for some reason, a wave of anger that did not belong to him seemed to rise in his heart.Along with an urge to tear this group of bastards to pieces.Subsequently, guided by the system, he quietly opened a door leading to an unknown place.Behind the door was a corridor even dimmer and more dilapidated than the previous place, with emergency exit signs being the only light source here."These kidney-cutters really like to hole up in such sunless places."Speaking lightly with his mouth, his brows were tightly knitted, however.This place before his eyes could not help but remind him of the braindance factory Evelyn Parker was brought to after being captured.It was almost identical to here.Could this also be one of the locations where the Scavengers filmed braindances?However, as he gradually explored deeper, he became even more convinced of this point.Both sides of the corridor were covered with locked doors, but from the outside, one could faintly hear the movement inside—It was the screams of victims.And a secret door on the other side could lead directly to the hospital's wards.That is to say, basically all patients sent into Redwood Psychiatric Hospital were transferred here."What a bunch of dog bastards..."[Host, this is a Night City feature, please don't make a fuss.]"Alright, I know..."But he just couldn't get used to it.Little did he know that in the days to come, he would not only be very used to this, but even very proficient at it."Right system, what is your purpose for binding to me?""Uh... or rather, is there any goal I need to achieve? Just like those novels where people ascend to the heaven in broad daylight or blow up Arasaka Toweror something."Feeling that his wording was somewhat wrong, he changed his phrasing.[This system will not issue any main quests; everything in Night City will be explored by the host independently.][It is only responsible for cultivating the host into a qualified cyber... legend.]"???"David Martinez slowly typed out a few question marks.It's not bad that there are no main quests issued, but why did it suddenly lag for a second?He always felt that what the system wanted to say just now wasn't a legend...Just as he was chatting idly with the system, with a ding!, the door at the end of the corridor opened."Thump thump thump thump!"Noisy music suddenly assaulted him, and what came into view was a place several times larger than all the previous rooms, surrounded by cyberware modification equipment and monitors, with the walls sprayed full of various graffiti.Abandoned pizza boxes and finished drink cans were casually discarded on the floor.Those dismembered cyberware were hung there like hanging pork.It was just like a slaughterhouse."Not only is their taste poor, but they're also so sloppy."Although he had known this point long ago, he still couldn't help wanting to make a sarcastic remark.Accompanied by the continuous penetration deeper, the noise echoing in his ears grew louder and louder.Upon reaching the innermost place, he saw several Scavengers holding knives, electric drills, and saws swaying wildly to the music.On the operating table in the center lay a stark-naked woman.These Scavengers hadn't even noticed that three people were missing.But it was normal; given their temperament, even if they noticed, they wouldn't care.If manpower was lacking, they would just recruit more.Although the Scavengers gang was not glorious and was loosely organized, it was still a major gang monopolizing human organs and the secondhand cyberware market, with countless poor people flocking to it.However, what David Martinez was paying attention to at this moment was not this, but the woman's appearance."Gloria!"03. Becoming David Martinez, but Still Sacrificing ParentsOn the operating table surrounded by Scavengers, the woman waiting to be slaughtered lying there was indeed Gloria without a doubt.That face was absolutely impossible to mistake.Just as he thought, David Martinez's mother didn't die of worsening illness, she was just carved up by this group of kidney-cutters."This bunch of dog bastards..."The anger reignited in his heart made him grit his teeth.This kind of anger was quite groundless, and he himself noticed it.But at this moment he couldn't care so much anymore; right now he just wanted to vent the anger in his heart properly.At this moment, whether the system gave up takeover or what, he dropped the package in his hands and instantly rushed out."There are intruders!"Not knowing who shouted that, those Scavengersstopped their dance steps one after another and cast their gazes toward the charging David Martinez.But David Martinez's movements were faster; under the blessing of the experience card, he had already rushed in front of the person closest to him.Before the opponent could make any move, a spinning flying kick had already arrived."Bang!"The fierce kick snapped the Scavenger's neck; the virtual screen used to mask the appearance flickered, and the whole person instantly flew sideways.Crashing into the concrete wall with spider-web cracks, he was dead as dead could be.Is this the power blessed by the Fourth Calamity experience card?Truly terrifying to this extent.Compared to the system playing on his behalf, experiencing it himself was even more realistic."I'll tear you to pieces!!!"A Scavenger on the side who reacted pulled out a baseball bat from somewhere and swung it fiercely.But he nimbly dodged it, casually picked up a scalpel on the workbench, and swung out a silver line that brushed past the neck."Pch—"
Chapter 3"Heh… cough."The second Scavenger clutched his neck and collapsed, bright red blood repainting the floor.But after taking that one down, the big guy in the back finally reacted, raising the assault rifle in his hands and pulling the trigger fiercely."Da-da-da-da-da——"The pouring rain of bullets flew haphazardly across the room, embedding themselves into the walls and concrete pillars.David, who had seized the momentum to duck behind a metal cabinet, was currently under heavy fire coverage."Son of a bitch, where's your martial virtue?"What happened to our agreed melee PvP?Why did you suddenly whip out a gun and ambush a minor like me?[Suggestion: Host is advised to attack via hacking.]"Hacker? I haven't even installed that stuff, how am I supposed to use it?"I don't know if it's just my imagination, but I somehow feel the system was utterly speechless at him in this moment.In this silent moment, it was as if he could read a whisper in the air: "You're the worst batch of transmigrators I've ever brought."But the next second, the system took over his body once again.Peeking his head out slightly from the edge of the cabinet, a flash of blue light flickered in his eyes as he looked at the reloading Scavenger."P-s-s-s-t——"The Daemon instantly uploaded into his brain fried the big guy's head, and with a *thud!*, he collapsed limply to the ground."This thing is this powerful?"Back when he played Cyberpunk 2077, he didn't get this feeling at all; sometimes it couldn't even burn people to death.[Friendly reminder: Games are games, reality is reality, please do not confuse them, host.][In Night City, Daemons are a hacker's strongest weapon.]That wasn't wrong either, it was the same in the anime. When Kiwi was dying, she uploaded a Daemon to the opponent and directly blew up their brain—in the physical sense.And in certain shooter games, people who could still jump around after taking a large-caliber bullet were at least something he had never seen in reality.Therefore, game difficulty is higher than reality.[Warning, Scavenger reinforcements have arrived.]With a *clack-snort!*, the previously tightly sealed door opened once again, and a bunch of guys wearing virtual masks and surgical scrubs rushed in.Some of them still had uncongealed blood stains on their bodies."Fuck, so many?"To be reasonable, even when clearing out a black braindance studio there weren't this many people!It was just like poking a hornet's nest.[Suggestion: Host should talk less nonsense and quickly use a Daemon.]It seemed the system was growing somewhat impatient.He simply stopped talking nonsense too, casting his gaze toward that group of Scavengers in the same manner, a flash of blue light in his eyes."Bzz——"Instantly, all the Scavengers collapsed to the ground, convulsing incessantly."Is this... over?"David sat on the ground in a daze, looking at the corpses all over the floor and feeling completely detached from reality.But no one could answer his question.Daemons were actually Trojan viruses; depending on how the code was arranged, they could cause different effects like cyberware overheating or electromagnetic short-circuiting, and they possessed extremely strong infectiousness.Just like right now, wisps of thin smoke drifted from the heads of those Scavengers.Therefore, in Night City, you shouldn't fear those cyberpsychos who underwent full-body cyberware modifications, but rather need to be wary of top-tier hackers.You never know when they might take you out silently, even operating through security cameras.However, right now there was still one guy who needed to be dealt with..."That ripperdoc."According to the memories in his brain, this ripperdoc wasn't the one who would later install the Sandevistan for David, but rather some unknown doctor.Back then, he was sent here only because the situation was urgent.He didn't expect this place to be even worse than that unscrupulous doctor who sold black braindances.This truly was a specialty of Night City——A prosthetic clinic operating in the front, and a Scavenger slaughterhouse tucked in the back.Thinking of this, a fierce glint flashed deep within his eyes.This guy must absolutely not be let off, but..."Right now, I should check on Gloria's condition first."Leaning against the iron cabinet, he stood up unsteadily, walked quickly to the operating table, and casually picked up a pistol.This heavy weight and cold touch made him feel a slight sense of reassurance.At this moment, Gloria's chest showed no rise and fall at all, indicating she had already lost her breath.But for some reason, he still held a sliver of fantasy in his heart and subconsciously asked the system, "Gloria... is there still saving her?"[After detection, Gloria Martinez is already dead.]Not only did the system provide a death notification, but it also considerately introduced Gloria's condition and time of death to him.Broken ribs had punctured her lung lobes, causing a large area of hemothorax in the chest cavity, coupled with extreme physical weakness caused by overwork; she had already died long before being sent to the hospital.In other words, that ripperdoc not only wanted to scam him out of his money, but also took Gloria's corpse to make dirty money."Is that so..."David slowly narrowed his eyes, his inner feelings a mixture of complicated emotions as his nose suddenly felt sour.Scene after scene of his past with Gloria flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.And from the bottom of his heart came a voice of questioning——What did all those previous efforts amount to?It was as if the original owner was questioning the current owner, yet filled with reluctance and sorrow.Now, he finally understood those radical reactions from before.That anger wasn't because of soul traces or anything like that, but rather because he had fused with David's memories, as if he himself was the one who had once lived with Gloria.No, to be exact, it *was* himself."Right now, I am David Martinez."David raised his hand to tightly grip the lapel at his chest, slowly making an oath in his heart."Gloria... no, Mother, I will definitely fulfill your wish and climb to the top of Arasaka Tower."Tutu.jpg04. Vengeance is mine, step one complete"Clack-snort——""Hey, guys, new cargo is here again."Dragging a mobile hospital bed backwards, the doctor clattered in from another suddenly opened door, his tone still carrying a hint of laziness.It was precisely the doctor who had been discussing Gloria's condition with David not long ago."Hey, it really is heavy, isn't anyone coming to lend a hand?"The noisy music covered up the silence, causing the doctor to completely fail to notice the abnormality inside the room."I'm telling you, this batch of cargo has rare good stuff on them, you guys better split a bit more with me...""Oh? What kind of cargo, can you tell me about it?"Realizing the voice answering him was not right, the doctor hurriedly turned his head.But what met his eyes were corpses all over the floor, as well as a somewhat familiar teenager standing in front of the operating table.Upon seeing the female corpse on the operating table, he finally understood what was going on.But just as he intended to lift his legs and run, David's voice came over once again."Running? You can give it a try and see whether bullets fly faster or you run faster."David had long anticipated that this damned bastard of a doctor planned to slip away, so the moment the other party made a move, he aimed the pitch-black muzzle straight at his back.However, though his words were full of confidence, he was actually still a bit rattled inside.Because just a moment ago, the time limit for the Fourth Calamity trial card had expired, and right now he had reverted back to that newbie state.It all depended on whether he could bluff this old bastard right now."M-Mr. David...""Get over here."Under the threat of the firearm, the doctor raised his hands high and slowly walked step by step in front of him."...Mr. David, I think I can explain this matter...""Cut the fucking crap!"David raised his hand and smashed the butt of the gun right into the doctor's face, instantly sending him stumbling."Get on your knees!"A ripperdoc who looked like a burly man being held hostage by a baseline kid—that scene was indescribably ridiculous.Even so, he had no intention of showing mercy.He raised the pistol and pressed it against the back of the doctor's head. The cold metal touch made the ripperdoc tremble, and he hurriedly explained, "M-Mr. David, I can explain about Mrs. Gloria. This really has nothing to do with me, I'm just a ripperdoc...""Don't make me repeat myself a second time."The icy tone instantly made the doctor quiet down, not even daring to breathe loudly as he slowly knelt on the ground.He was deathly afraid that this teenager who single-handedly wiped out the Scavengers would kill him in a fit of anger.This fearful attitude made David very satisfied."Very well, if you want to live, then do as I instruct from now on.""Take out your tablet, and bring up the most reasonable funeral service package for me."After all, he was also a newcomer, and only had a good understanding of Night City from the game.Furthermore, he couldn't just abandon his mother's remains here like this, nor could he let this doctor help handle it.He certainly didn't want to see Gloria's corpse filmed into a black braindance and leaked into the market in the near future."...Yes!"The doctor tremblingly pulled out the tablet he carried with him, swiped across it casually a few times, and handed it over to him with trembling hands."Dear customer, please accept my condolences.""We can transport the remains to your residence or a funeral center. Would you be willing to hear our payment plans?""Heh, as expected of cheap junk."Looking at the interface on the tablet in his hand, he couldn't help letting out a sneer.How could a mere ripperdoc in Santo Domingopossibly have the qualifications to use legitimate corporate channels?Therefore, they could only use this kind of nameless, bootleg shady corporation.Thus, no matter which service above was chosen, it was practically all the same.
Chapter 4However, as for the price, it was naturally just as ruthless as these doctors."Here, pay up."David Martinez handed back the tablet he had chosen, and the doctor paid without a word."Thank you for using our service. We will arrange for the transportation of the body shortly."Watching the deductions flowing like water on his cyberware eye's display, the doctor felt as if his heart was bleeding.But there was no other choice—staying alive was what mattered most!"... Can I leave now..."Before the doctor could finish speaking, a cold gun barrel was forcefully shoved into his mouth."Leave? Where do you want to go? Who told you that you could leave?"David Martinez tilted his head slightly, watching the piece of trash in front of him with an innocent look.Hearing this, the doctor instantly widened his eyes, wanting to say something, but could only make muffled wailing noises.However, through the other person's gaze, one could also read what he wanted to say—"You don't keep your word!""Heh, how can this be considered not keeping my word? I just asked you if you wanted to live, I never said I was going to let you go."Speaking of this, David Martinez's tone suddenly paused, and his expression turned ferocious: "So... go to hell, you dog trash!""Mmm-mmm—bang!"Without the slightest hesitation, he pulled the trigger. The bullet exiting the chamber pierced through the back of the head, and the flying bullet deeply embedded itself into the floor tiles.The body went limp on the ground like mud. For a moment, red and white matter poured out from the bloody hole and splattered on the ground, still emitting wisps of heat.Looking at the thoroughly dead corpse, David Martinez sat down hard on the ground with a thud, letting out a heavy breath."Fuck..."His heart was beating wildly, and he could even feel his adrenaline surging.If he had replaced it with a cyberware heart, he estimated he could clearly hear the drumming sound right now."With this, can it be considered completing the first step of revenge?"After slightly calming his breathing, his gaze fell upon Gloria lying on the cold operating table, and his eyes grew firm accordingly.Everyone who caused the current situation—he didn't plan to let a single one of them go.Even that Animals gang was no exception.As well as that threshold equivalent to a Night Citylegend, that damned bastard—Adam Smasher!..."Hiss—hoo—"Leaning against the wall, David Martinez was smoking cheap cigarettes bought from a vending machine, blowing out clouds of smoke.The pale cyan light emitted by the neon tubes of the neighboring Crematory Service sign illuminated his slightly youthful yet somewhat melancholic profile.At the spot where he was leaning behind him, there was also a string of Chinese characters for crematorium."How ironic..."It was unknown whether this sentence was directed at those guys who still chose to lean nearby even knowing this was an incinerator, or talking about something else entirely.Afterwards, he picked up the cigarette again, took a fierce drag, casually tossed the burnt-out butt onto the ground, and stamped it out hard.In this future-tech-filled Night City, smoking had already become a pastime.As long as one could replace cyberware, smoking wouldn't pose any harm, and some gangs even specifically sought out contraband for thrills.Moreover, the effect of a cigarette could not only disperse the pent-up frustration in his heart a bit, but also just happened to save this period of waiting time."Deng—"Accompanied by a harsh prompt tone, the machine suddenly stopped running.With a clunk, a metal canister dropped from inside.The label on it was printed with the words Gloria Martinez."Sigh, humans, after all, are just a handful of loess... Sorry, Mother."While speaking words of apology, he bent down to take out the metal canister from the pickup port resembling a vending machine, carefully placing it into a backpack filled with shards and military cyberware wrapped in work clothes.These shards were all gouged out from the Scavengers' heads.Because it was his first time doing this kind of thing, his technique was a bit substandard, and a small portion was still stained with blood.However, anyway, these guys couldn't feel pain anymore, so how they were taken out made no difference.Afterwards, he picked up the backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and leisurely walked toward the exit."How ironic..."05. Simple foul mouth, ultimate enjoyment"Hello, Night City.""I am your Stanley, our city of dreams has begun another long day.""I love this city just like you love your mom. Back in the day, she threw you at the door of an orphanage. Now walking on the street she runs into you and asks you for a cigarette.""Every single day, a hundred or eighty new arrivals pop up here, but only half of them can last a year, and that's assuming it's a good year!""Why are they rushing to come to Night City? Isn't it just wanting to become street samurai like Morgan Blackhand or Weyland Saedrouv. There is a saying, remember it: cowards starve to death, the bold stuff themselves to death.""It's a pity, fame portends trouble just as fatness does for pigs. The more exhilaratingly one lives, the shorter-lived one is. That's not even counting someone blowing off the top of your skull with a single shot.""Do you know where the legendary figures of Night City hang out?""In the graveyard.""In our neck of the woods, heroes don't look at background.""It all depends on whether you can carve out your own path.""This is Night City.""This is the city of dreams."The familiar radio station played inside the skyscraper's elevator.That's right, Night City was indeed a city of dreams, but it was equally a city of desires.Precisely because of this desire, the three major corporations fought openly and covertly, all trying to manipulate Night City;Because of this desire, major gangs were fighting over territory;And because of this desire, everyone sharpened their heads wanting to climb up, while the losers gathered in the slums living a hand-to-mouth existence.Just like Gloria's wish—Just like how David Martinez's excellent grades and clever mind allowed him to attend an aristocratic school established by Arasaka.Trying to change her child's destiny in this way.But how could that be possible?The classes had long been fixed. Even the legends sung in the Afterlife Bar were nothing more than after-drink gossip to behemoths like corporations.And one of them was even Arasaka's watchdog.And he was now going to survive in this city full of strife and desire, and stand tall at the apex.The path ahead could be described as rocky to the extreme.However, compared to future matters, there was an urgent task right now that needed to be resolved.[ACCESS DENIED][RENT PAST DUE]Such a prompt box popped up on the front door."Ah, this..."Having just made grand ambitions to punch Arasakaand step on Smasher, only to be locked out of his own front door right now, this was truly..."A real buzzkill."But it was normal; David Martinez's home had indeed been overdue on rent for a long time. Even V, who had been wandering around Night City for half a year, often did this kind of thing.It's just that the environment here was much worse than V's place.Vagrants treating the hallway as home were everywhere, dirty waste could be seen everywhere, and the corner below the stairs was a garbage dump.Santo Domingo truly lived up to being one of Night City's oldest slums.Thanks also to the friendly contributions of those Scavengers, coupled with the five-figure huge sum prepaid by Maine for purchasing military cyberware from Gloria here.Otherwise, he would also have to end up like these heavily drunk vagrants, sleeping on the streets."Forget it, won't think about it anymore."Shaking his head gently, he cast his gaze toward the panel, an orange light flashing in his eyes,[ACCESS ALLOW]As a new prompt box popped up, the door was also opened, and David Martinez picked up his knapsack and walked inside.Just like in his memories, the furnishings here had almost no big difference from where V lived; all the megabuilding residences were probably made from this single template."Ah~ finally home."He stretched heavily, tossed the package casually on the coffee table, and flopped his body onto the sofa casually."Tsk, a bit hard..."Reaching out to touch the hard sofa that didn't even show an indentation when someone sat on it, his face was filled with disgust.This was inferior in quality compared to the era he originally lived in.But upon second thought, it was understandable.After all, the rent here was so cheap, what more could one ask for?Right at this moment, a phone call came in."Katsuo?"He knew this guy; he was a foul-mouthed rich kid with a good father backing him up, and he was doing quite well in school.But apart from family background, in other aspects he wasn't as good as David Martinez.Because of this too, Katsuo often targeted David Martinez back at school.However, what did he want by calling at this time?Although feeling puzzled, he still chose to connect the call."I am Katsuo, I heard your mother passed away.""I know I should offer you condolences, but I really cannot sympathize.""To afford her precious son's schooling, she did that kind of filthy work outside, and ended up dying in an accident. It's truly meaningless, don't you think?""You should also wake up to reality, David Martinez. The school here isn't somewhere poor people like you should come, so hurry up and drop out.""Everyone has a path they are supposed to walk in life, deviating from that path won't bring happiness, you should learn a lesson from your mother's death..."A performative, endless chattering came from the phone, like a mosquito holding a high-sounding discourse right beside his ear.The words were also mixed with mockery and condemnation from time to time, simply disgusting enough to make one want to vomit."Is that all you want to say?""Huh?"The voice on the other end of the phone was obviously a bit surprised: "Don't you understand yet? David Martinez, your existence...""No, of course I understand everything you said."Before Katsuo could finish speaking, he spoke up and interrupted.
Chapter 5"Thank you for going out of your way to call and express your hypocrisy, but you need to know one thing—""It is impossible for me to voluntarily drop out of school."The resolute tone startled the person on the other end of the line slightly, and even made them somewhat vexed and angry."Do you know what you are saying, David Martinez!""Of course I know, and what's more, disgusting you is a rare pleasure in my life, Katsuo.""To make my life more enjoyable, it is absolutely impossible for me to voluntarily drop out.""So, if you have any way to make me drop out, please take good care of me, otherwise it would be too boring, wouldn't it?""I will await your moves at any time, let me have a good look at your abilities."After speaking, he hung up the phone, completely giving the other party no chance to counterattack.He even imagined Katsuo looking vexed and angry, recklessly smashing furniture.Anyway, there was already bad blood between them, and he wouldn't mind deepening it a bit, which could also be considered adding a bit of seasoning to life.As for revenge or whatever?Welcome to the Zuan stage, bring your mom if you dare!06. This System Does Not Accept Trash"Having said that, the news spreads really fast."Only a few hours after people left, the school actually already knew about it.Then, I have to hurry up and get stronger...Casually pulling the package over, he placed the urn inside upside down on the balcony, and then poured out everything remaining in the package.A handgun and four full magazines, around thirty shard chips, and four Ex-Care Type 1 pneumatic injectors.There was also a metal spinal device wrapped in yellow work clothes and placed in a plastic bag.It was a military-grade cyberware produced by Militech—Sandevistan, along with the accompanying Kerenzikov assembled together.The Sandevistan is an artificial brainstem used to accelerate thinking and slow down the flow of time, while the Kerenzikov is an artificial spine responsible for enhancing reflex nerves.These were all the things on hand right now.Those shard chips could be sold to a relatively reliable ripperdoc, which would allow him to upgrade to a slightly better cyberware device.That would be about enough to deal with the Animals, the main culprits behind his mother's death.But wanting to deal with Adam Smasher would truly be no different from daydreaming.In the game, one could tear Smasher apart with various stat boosts, but in reality... he might as well wash up and go to sleep.No matter what, that guy was a freak modified with full-body cyberware, and any single piece of cyberware on him was worth a fortune.Furthermore, he was the threshold for becoming a legend of Night City, not weak at all."Hey, System, didn't you say you're responsible for helping me get stronger? How? And how do we resolve the side effects of cyberware devices?"He didn't want to be as pathetic as in the anime, unable to last long after full-body modification.[The host can purchase cyberware mods in the store page.][Regarding the physical dependence and psychological effects caused by cyberware, the host's body can already completely immune to them, so there is no need to worry.]As the system prompt sounded, a virtual window floated up in front of him.It was filled with a dazzling array of legendary cyberware mods, most of which he had seen in the game, along with some strange cyberware he had never seen before.For instance, things like Wolverine's claws.But as for the price... it was best just to look at it.The long string of zeros behind it was simply dizzying; even if he sold himself to a corporation, he wouldn't be able to afford it.What a sad story...[The host can use the recycling function to recycle unwanted cyberware in exchange for money.]"Holy shit, why didn't you say such an important thing earlier!"Hearing the system say this, he instantly perked up."Quick, quick, quick, recycle these shard chips first..."As the saying goes, "When the mountains and rivers seem to offer no way out, a dark willow and bright flowers reveal another village," is this what it's all about?Although it was a bit of a pity that those ripperdocs' cyberware was left behind there, at least there was still a pile of shard chips here, right?If he sold these to the system at original price, he could at least exchange them for a slightly better cyberware device, right?However, the next second the system ruthlessly shattered his fantasy.[Friendly reminder: This system is not a trash can and is not responsible for recycling trash.]"??? Fuck!" David couldn't help but curse.Although this pile of chips in front of him wasn't all that valuable, it should still be worth a few thousand euro-dollars.Yet it was regarded as trash by the system?!Was it really this arrogant?[If the host wants to know the prices of cyberware, this system can mark them for free.]As the system prompt sounded again, some slight changes appeared before his eyes.For example, the pile of chips in front of him was all marked 0, while the two cyberware devices placed next to it had their prices labeled.Eight thousand euro-dollars... Three thousand euro-dollars...?!"Is it this cheap?"[Because they are second-hand goods, the price is cut in half.]"Damn!"David lay down on the sofa, staring blankly at the chandelier on the ceiling.What happened to helping me get stronger?Sure enough, it was all a lie...However, this price was at least a bit better than the ripperdoc's place; at least that glue-sniffing doctor only offered ten thousand euro-dollars, and then cut four thousand the next day."Forget it, let's just watch a braindance to relax..."What to do when encountering difficulties? Of course, just lie flat and sleep!Therefore, he simply gave up thinking and dug out a few chip-like black braindances from a hidden corner of the sofa.These were all David's treasured collections.He remembered that back in the game, he went to all lengths just to watch these black braindances, and even got ambushed by those kidney-snatchers, almost getting his kidneys harvested.Now, he could finally have his wish fulfilled..."Ooh oh oh oh! This! This is it!!!"Seeing the scenes displayed by the braindance, his entire body instantly curled up into the shape of a shrimp.This was truly super—exciting!!Especially for someone like him who was almost about to class-change into a wizard.However, no one knew how long this situation would last tonight.The only thing known was that the nights of Night City were so restless.Early the next morning, David woke up very early.He took off his wet pants, threw them into the washing machine, and put on the academy uniform neatly folded and placed to the side.This was washed and neatly folded by his mother, but it was probably the last time."Sigh."An imperceptible sigh vanished in the air in a flash. Picking up the black package on the coffee table, he intended to head out.Just then, the news coming from the television caught his attention."Hello everyone, I am Arif Iqbal, and you are watching WNS News.""Yesterday evening, a shocking murder occurred at the abandoned Redwood Psychiatric Hospital in the Coronado Farm area of Santo Domingo.""According to clues currently grasped, the NCPD speculates that this is a vicious gang firefight..."While the news was still broadcasting, he no longer had any interest in listening, so he raised his hand and turned it off."I didn't expect such trivial matters to actually make the news."You must know, usually the news in Night City was all about major corporations, yet today's headline was actually this...But thinking about it carefully, it was quite normal.After all, Night City nowadays was too peaceful and too stable.Every day, aside from minor scuffles between gangs, there were only minor frictions between corporations. No major events happened, and news of this level rarely appeared.Therefore, that group of reporters lacking performance rushed over like dogs smelling shit."That really is quite boring."He could only give such an evaluation.And so he walked out of the house.Today's itinerary was very simple: first go find Viktorto install these two cyberware pieces on hand.Yesterday he had humiliated that guy named Katsuoso much, that fellow would definitely come looking for trouble today, so he had to install the cyberware before going to school.When night came, he would slowly go look for trouble with the Animals and earn some extra cash along the way.As for that glue-sniffing doctor who sold black braindances?Forget it. Although he was considered relatively conscientious among ripperdocs, he couldn't be trusted.In the vast Night City, the only ripperdoc he could trust was Viktor.07. Pain, Too Painful"Why are you showing me this?"Inside the expensive and exquisite office, Militechexecutive—Meredith Stout sat on a genuine leather armchair and spoke arrogantly.On the virtual screen in front of her, the remaining footage of yesterday's Redwood Psychiatric Hospital was playing."Director Stout, the boy on the screen is David Martinez, 17 years old this year, studying at Arasaka Academy, originating from Santo Domingo...""Get to the point!""Yes, I believe this David Martinez has extremely strong potential. Perhaps we can win him over and cultivate him into the second Morgan Blackhand...""Bang—Enough, shut up!" Meredith slammed her hand heavily on the desk, interrupting the man's narrative."Agent Anthony Gilchrist, do you know what you are saying?""I know, Director Stout, but I think..."The man still wanted to argue strongly on just grounds, but unfortunately Meredith couldn't listen at all, and instead scolded: "Say no more, this is not something you should do, Gilchrist, remember your duty.""Get out."With a wave of her hand, Meredith turned her swivel chair around, giving the man no further chance to continue speaking."Yes..."Having no other choice, the man could only choose to turn around and leave.Hearing the sound of the office's automatic door closing, Meredith took out a cigarette and held it in her mouth. With a click, the small flame ignited by the lighter lit it.Then she took a blissful puff, looking down at the bustling, desire-filled city of bright lights outside the window, her gaze revealing a hint of abstraction.
6But thinking of the boy from the previous footage, disdain and disgust surfaced on her face once again."A mere stinkin' brat from the slums..."She was just that kind of person. As an operations director for Militech, she despised ordinary citizens and spurned the lower class.She viewed the people in the slums as garbage, as cattle to be slaughtered at will.On this point, basically all executives were the same.But other executives weren't as conceited as Meredith..."What the fuck! What kind of an idiot is this?!"Returning to his tiny office, Anthony furiously slammed the tablet report in his hand onto the floor.Although he had long known that Meredith was a megalomaniac, she turned out to be a complete moron to this extent.He had accidentally obtained this video from a subordinate. At first glance, he had recognized the potential of the boy named David Martinez, but he hadn't expected that bitch Meredith to show absolutely no regard for face at all.She actually rejected the proposal on the spot without even thinking about it."Damn it, if that's how it is, don't blame me."Anthony sat in front of his computer, opened his email, and uploaded the video."I think Arasaka will definitely be very interested in this."However, completely unaware that he had been targeted by the corporation, David had already taken the monorail to Chinatown in Watson, a slum slightly better than Santo Domingo.This was the territory of Maelstrom, a bunch of guys enthusiastic about cyberware modification; those glowing red optical implants were their trademark.Likewise, this bunch of guys were also madmen on the verge of cyberpsychosis, notorious for their cruelty.But speaking of gangs, Santo Domingo did have one as well, called the 6th Street Gang.It was a gang composed of retired veterans, former police officers, former corporate security operatives, and civilians who had received crash course combat training.All day long they shouted slogans like "Bringing justice to the city," making it seem just like the Italian Mafia, but in reality, they still did things like armed robbery and collecting protection money.They talked a great game.That being said, his trip to install cyberware wasn't going all that smoothly."Doctor Viktor, how on earth can you help me install the cyberware? If a surgical fee is needed, I'll pay it.""No, kid, this isn't about money."Inside the basement, dim enough to look like the secret laboratory of some evil doctor, Viktor sat on a swivel chair facing him, patiently and earnestly persuading, "What you're holding in your hand is a military-grade cyberware plugin, and your body simply can't handle it.""I know. That's exactly why I came to you, Doctor Viktor; I simply can't trust any other ripperdocs.""...Sigh."He didn't know how many times he had sighed by now, nor did he know how many times he had heard David's flattery.Almost every time it was completely different, almost praising him to the high heavens."Doctor Viktor, I'm begging you!"With a swoosh, David bent down at a ninety-degree angle, sporting a look of "If you don't install it for me today, I'm not leaving," which made Viktor feel even more helpless.Amidst this helplessness and David's persistence, Viktor let out one final sigh:"Alright then... But let's get this straight first: if you feel anything wrong after the installation, you must come find me at the very first moment."Seeing Viktor's compromise, David's heart instantly leapt with joy: "Thank you, Doctor Viktor!""Don't be in such a rush to thank me yet.""Come on, lie down."Viktor got up, walked over to the surgical chair, reclined it, and let him lie down."Next, I'll administer a general anesthetic, but even so, a bit of pain is unavoidable during the process.""It's fine, I can take it!"David said full of confidence.But the subsequent process made him slightly regret saying those words."Holy shit—!!!"What the fuck kind of feeling was this?He could clearly hear the sound of an electric drill sawing into his body, and sharp stabs of pain washed over his spine from time to time.That feeling was just like getting a tooth filled at the dentist... No, tens of thousands of times more terrifying than that.Even his tightly bitten gums oozed faint traces of fresh blood, and a faint metallic, sweet taste gradually spread across his mouth.Waves of sharp pain caused dense beads of sweat to pop up on his forehead, and veins bulged out.Those sweat droplets slid down his cheeks, gathering into bean-sized drops of sweat that gradually dripped down."Watching the footage in the game, I never knew it hurt this much!"When watching V, those eyeballs were just casually yanked out!The most crucial part was that even with Viktorperforming the surgery it still hurt this much; it was truly hard to imagine what other unscrupulous clinics would be like. Dropping dead on the spot wouldn't be surprising in the slightest.Pain, it was simply too painful!David in the anime was truly a badass motherfucker!"Damn it—!!!""Just hang in there, it'll be over in a second."Viktor had already placed the cyberware unit inside, and the Kerenzikov replacing his original spine automatically locked into position, gripping his body tightly like a centipede.Immediately following that, Viktor thoughtfully used dermal-tech artificial skin to keep the cyberware from being exposed on the outside as much as possible.Viktor didn't know whether what he was doing was right or wrong, but since the boy was so persistent, there was no other way..."All done."That single "All done" instantly made his whole body relax, feeling as if a long-overdue constipation had suddenly cleared up.He slowly sat up, then leaned back against the chair leisurely, staring blankly into the void with lifeless eyes.Exactly what kind of agony that was just now, only he himself knew best."How is it? Feel anything wrong?""No... Feels like everything's fine, just a bit tired..." he said, shaking his head with a vacant gaze."Mhm, that's a normal reaction. Just go back and rest for a bit and you'll be fine.""Oh... How much is the surgery fee?""One thousand eurodollars.""Mhm..."A flash of blue light flickered in David's eyes, and he immediately transferred the money over.But right after that, Viktor suddenly brought over a paper bag from behind and placed it beside his hand."Inside here are immunosuppressants; remember to take them regularly.""Oh... How much for these?""No charge, consider it a gift from me.""How can I accept that..."His gaze slowly shifted down to the paper bag. Looking at the bulging paper bag, he estimated there were at least a dozen or so immunosuppressants inside.This would cost quite a bit of money, probably even more than the surgery fee."It's fine, it's on me.""After all, there aren't many people like you who can endure this kind of pain on their first modification with an entirely organic body..."Viktor's words revealed a trace of nostalgia, and he thought very highly of the boy named David in front of him."Oh right, I don't have any customers here right now either. Rest on the chair for a bit before you leave.""Thank you... Doctor Viktor."Viktor didn't respond, turning around to sit back down on the swivel chair, continuing to watch the boxing match playing on the monitor.In this way, he could be considered to have officially set foot on the path of a cyberpunk.08. Misty's Tarot Reading—Past, Present, and FutureShortly afterward, David walked out of Viktor's basement.Not knowing if it was because he had stayed in the basement for too long or what, the sunlight felt a bit glaring when he first came out.Thus, he plunged straight into Misty's esoterica shop.Anyway, he was already late for school, and the school's phone calls had already blown up his phone, so he didn't care about lingering a little longer.Just entering the shop, various ornaments caught his eye.Porcelain, chimes, incense burners, and distinctive statues—it was as if faiths from all over the world had gathered here.The incense permeating the air and the dim candlelight added quite a bit of mystical color to the place, making it look rather esoteric and mysterious.Beneath the mural facing the main entrance, a woman was praying, but upon seeing him arrive, she stopped."Hey, David, how are you? I heard your screams just now..."This woman with fluffy, choppy hair, wearing an off-the-shoulder blue sleeve top, a black leather miniskirt, and fishnet stockings on her feet was called Misty, the owner of the esoterica shop named "Misty's Esoterica".From her appearance, she looked just like a delinquent street punk girl.But in reality, she was a good person just like Viktor, and furthermore, an exceptionally good person hard to find even with a lantern in Night City."Ahaha, it's nothing... It's all in the past."David scratchily rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, his voice growing softer and softer.His screams earlier were indeed a bit embarrassing."It's okay, I understand. Replacing an organic body with cyberware for the first time is always very painful, and there will be some discomfort at the very beginning; once you get used to it, it'll be fine."Misty said gently, keeping that smile on her face all along.She didn't mean to mock him, merely stating a simple fact, because she had been the same way when she first underwent cyberware modification.Yet the more it was like this, the more David felt completely ashamed of himself.Mainly because he hadn't expected it to hurt that much at the very beginning, completely failing to mentally prepare himself.Had he known, he should have learned from the anime and bitten onto a pair of chopsticks or something first."Seeing that you should still have some time, do you want to do a tarot reading right now to change your mood?"Misty, walking up to the counter, suddenly extended an invitation to him."A reading? Sure."Looking at Misty, who suddenly started acting all mystical and inviting him, he resolutely chose to accept.It was normal for Misty to see that he wasn't in a hurry; after all, she was an expert at reading people's expressions, the kind who occasionally moonlit as a psychologist.However, there was a question he was quite curious about.Opening an esoterica shop in a place like Night City, would anyone really patronize it?Very few people believe in this kind of mystical mumbo jumbo, right?Just like that guy at the door who shouted Arasakaconspiracy theories all day long and rambled nonsense all day.Even though most of what that guy said was actually true.Also, if he remembered correctly, Misty's fortune-telling skills were indeed very strong, just like she had been holding the script.No matter whether he controlled V to choose the Devil or the Star ending, Misty could accurately predict them all, and even calculated things about Panam Palmer.What would his own future be like?In his heart, he couldn't help but feel a bit expectant.