Chapter 7"Some believe that uncertainty is a demon and should be exorcised through divination.""Others say that change itself is the demon. But that is not entirely correct; we are changing every second, becoming new people."Misty said calmly while shuffling the tarot cards in her hands."In fact, change itself is not terrifying; what's terrifying is not knowing who you will become. Knowing which path you want to take is the most important thing.""Just like you now, David, reborn after getting cyberware installed. But which path will you choose to walk?"Saying this, Misty stopped shuffling and slowly raised her head to look at him.At that moment, David felt as though he had been seen right through.A trace of chill involuntarily crept up his spine.Misty... What's up with this woman?How did her aura suddenly change drastically, as if something truly bizarre had descended..."Well, relax and don't be nervous; what I just said was just idle chatter, no need to mind it."Misty seemed to notice his embarrassment and lowered her head again to fiddle with the cards in her hands."Now, let's do a simple spread to divine your past, your immediate present, and your not-too-distant future, how about that?""Mm, sure...""Alright, then let's start with your past..."As she spoke, the first card was drawn out and placed on the counter.It depicted a hanged man, but his whole body was tightly bound by threads, and behind him was a group of ill-intentioned guys."The Hanged Man.""Mm... The Hanged Man represents sacrifice, meaning that to gain enlightenment, one must pay a price. The sacrifice of The Hanged Man opens the path to rebirth...""You must have experienced some major turning point before, right? People around you died because of it.""That's right..."David slowly nodded."Just yesterday, my mother Gloria passed away in a car accident because of the Animals...""I'm sorry, I deeply regret the passing of Mrs. Gloria."Misty looked up at him and said softly, then subsequently drew the second card."The Magician.""A person of extreme talent and charisma, a leader...""However, this card is reversed, implying a certain tendency toward addiction... and a somewhat unstable mental state.""Uh... No way?"Hearing Misty's words, he couldn't help but feel a bit abashed.When the first card was drawn and interpreted, he truly felt alarmed.After all, he had transmigrated here replacing David himself, which matched the interpretation of The Hanged Man word for word.But now another card that was once used to describe Johnny Silverhand appeared, which he couldn't quite make sense of.Unstable mental state... Could it be cyberpsychosis?Unlikely, he had personally experienced the system's capabilities, how could he possibly contract cyberpsychosis."No need to be nervous, just doing a casual divination to change your mood."Misty smiled and drew the third card representing the future.Yet with the appearance of this card, both Misty and he frowned slightly."It's The Moon...""The Moon card represents mystery, but also symbolizes dreams, desires, and of course, slumber, the night ritual of the Grim Reaper.""Tarot cards cannot divine your future, David.""But I can give you a piece of advice: following your own intuition is often the best choice."Speaking of this, the smile on Misty's face had faded, turning serious.She was being serious.This seriousness made David cautious as well.He might not believe what others said, but Misty's divination—he had to believe it."Click—"Right at this moment, the suddenly opened shop door broke the heavy atmosphere.Standing at the entrance of the shop was a bulky, muscular man wearing a jacket, with a small braid tied on his head, looking somewhat difficult to mess with."Hey, Misty... Uh, looks like I came at a bad time?""It's alright, the divination is already over."Misty slowly put away the cards on the counter.But when David turned his head and saw that familiar, goofy face, he exclaimed as if he had discovered a huge treasure:"Jackie Welles?!"My wife.jpg09. Epic Meeting, David and JackieJackie Welles.This is a sad name, just as behind it lies a sad story.Speaking of which character in the entire Cyberpunk 2077 left him the most regretful?Then it must definitely be this Jackie Welles right before his eyes.He had tried countless methods in the past trying to save Jackie, even running to the roof to hijack an AV, or sneaking through Konpeki Plaza the whole way.But no matter which time, it never succeeded.Every single time, Jackie would die in the car.This also became the biggest regret in his heart.So what if he became a legend of Night City, the owner of the Afterlife Bar, and the most renowned mercenary?Jackie couldn't come back anymore.But now, a living Jackie was standing right in front of him, how could he not be excited?"It's Jackie, not Jack. Por favor (Please)."Jackie raised an eyebrow, his mouth curved into a shape, as if pondering, "However, you know me?""Uh... Heard of you.""Is that so? I didn't expect my reputation to be this big now."Although Jackie felt that the kid in front of him seemed to be lying, he tentatively accepted this explanation anyway.After all, judging from Misty's attitude towards this kid, he didn't look like someone who stirred up trouble.So he friendly extended a hand: "Re-introducing myself, Jackie Welles, native of Heywood.""Hello, David Martinez. Uh... a native of Santo Domingo."He tightly grasped the hand Jackie extended.This damned meeting, really... made one feel excited."Santo Domingo? The Glen? That's pretty close to Heywood."If he was from Santo Domingo, Jackie could understand the other person having heard of his name.After all, the Valentinos he previously joined and the 6th Street Gang entrenched in Santo Domingo had experienced quite a bit of friction, and even came to blows many times.But he was still quite surprised that David had come all the way to Watson.Although Heywood wasn't all that close to here, relatively speaking it was a bit better than The Glen.Suddenly, Jackie seemed to think of something else, and then added: "Oh right, if you have time, you can come over to El Coyote Cojo in Heywood to sit down, and then I can show you around Night City.""Mm, I'll visit when I have time."This goofy big-brother look is really nostalgic...At this moment it felt like returning to the 2077 game, the first meeting with Jackie.No matter what background, Jackie's attitude remained consistent throughout.Perhaps before long, one might even get to see the famous V.The future seemed to become interesting, full of anticipation."Alright, David, your time is running out."Misty's sudden voice attracted his gaze.Seeing Misty pointing at her wrist, hinting at the time, he suddenly remembered that it was already getting late."Fuck, sorry, I have an urgent matter, let's talk next time."After dropping such a sentence, he hurriedly left the esoteric shop."I'm going to be late!"As soon as he stepped out, he saw seductive men and women pole dancing in the streetside shop windows, displaying graceful postures, but he had no time to appreciate it now, hurrying to the NCART station location.This is Night City, filled with the most primitive desires at every moment."He... Why did he leave in such a rush? Did something happen?""No, nothing, he is still a student at Arasaka Academy.""Arasaka Academy? Well, he's a rich kid then."Hearing Misty's words, Jackie said in an exaggerated tone.But in his mind, he thought of his good brother, also from Heywood, but now turned into a dog of Arasaka Corporation."Jackie."Misty unhappily called out his name."Haha, just kidding, just kidding..."Jackie goofily scratched the back of his head, not daring to continue talking.However, Misty quietly pulled out a new card from the put-away tarot cards, the one that was originally drawn together with the third card, but she had only taken out the top one."The King..."The card of The King represents overbearing ruthlessness, willing to let corpses pile up like mountains to achieve one's goals.But since David had already left, it was completely unknown whether it was upright or reversed.However, whether upright or reversed, combined with The Moon and The Magician, it could hardly be considered a good outcome.It all seemed to point towards that path of stirring up storms in Night City.Interpreting to this point, Misty couldn't help but look out of the shop with some worry; she was deeply concerned about this kid's future.---"Hoo— Finally made it in time..."David bent over, supporting his knees with both hands, taking deep breaths of fresh air.After taking the NCART train, he jogged all the way over, and finally arrived in front of the Arasaka Academy building before class, having just randomly grabbed a bite for lunch.But honestly, the taste of synthetic food is truly terrible, full of a weird flavor, meat not looking like meat.The pedestrians passing by looked at him with somewhat strange gazes.
Chapter 8The pace of life in the City Center is different from other areas; life here is purely about enjoyment, and even students are no exception, with very few being in such a rush like David.However, at this moment, he had no time to care about the gazes of others, because he was completely captivated by the scenery around him."The environment here is way too much better than Santo Domingo and Watson..."There was no ubiquitous filthy garbage, nor was the air filled with the characteristic industrial exhaust, simply resembling the polarization of Area 11 in Code Geass.Moreover, everything before his eyes felt even more shocking than video game graphics.Row upon row of skyscrapers sheltered the endlessly winding streets, and the neon halo set the stage for a ballet of reinforced concrete.Beneath the floodlights and giant screens sprawling across the sky, bulky floating cars shuttled back and forth like swimming fish.Yet the most eye-catching were those corporate towers—the skyline formed by skyscrapers resembled a brutalist fortress, becoming a striking scenery throughout the city.If Westbrook was the residential area and entertainment venue for all the rich people in Night City, then Arasaka City Center was the most bustling commercial street.Unfortunately, all this prosperity was built upon falsehoods and poor people including himself."David, I didn't expect a guy like you to still dare come to school."Just at this moment, a teasing voice came from above.He saw that at a position diagonally above him, a young master wearing the same Arasaka Academyuniform as him was slowly walking down the stairs with his two little lackeys.That expression was as arrogant as it could possibly get.However, David frowned slightly.Although the other party's tone gave him a very bad feeling, he couldn't remember who these guys were for a moment, so he subconsciously asked:"Who the hell are you?"10. What is this? Acrobatic juggling?"Ha? Is your brain smashed, David Martinez?""Do you need me to help call Trauma Team over to properly treat you?""Oh right, you aren't even a Trauma Team member, otherwise your mother Gloria Martinez wouldn't have died."Finishing his words, the two lackeys by his side immediately burst into loud laughter.And they continuously taunted him with words like 'poor ghost, unassimilable, freak, garbage that only knows how to dirty others'.Looking at the three people's sarcastic appearances, he finally remembered who this guy standing in front of him was."Tanaka... Katsuo, right?""That's right, have you already remembered?""Mhm... Thanks to your reminder, I remember somewhat."David nodded approvingly.With this exaggerated way of speaking, it was hard to forget even if one wanted to...Suddenly shifting the topic, he said: "What's with this look of yours deliberately waiting for me? Is something the matter?""Or is it that, just like what was said on the phone yesterday, you plan to start taking revenge?"David's flat attitude made Katsuo Tanaka feel somewhat angry, feeling as though the punch he just threw hit a pile of cotton.But the current situation made it inconvenient to flare up, and even less acceptable to lose the Tanakafamily's face outside.Thus, he revealed a condescending expression, speaking indifferently as if it were a bestowal of grace upon him:"Rest assured, I am actually very open-minded and tolerant. I won't take those raving nonsense words you said last night to heart at all.""Just like how I don't care about the fact that your family is very poor either.""After all, being born into a poor family is not your fault, and there are no regulations stating that poor people cannot attend Arasaka Academy. Of course, the premise is that they can afford the tuition."Katsuo Tanaka started his haughty speech again, intentionally or unintentionally emphasizing words like 'poor' and 'tuition', as if reminding David.Although some words were not explicitly stated, it was obvious that the other party's words indicated that he, David Martinez, was unqualified to study at Arasaka Academy.This elementary-schooler-like behavior involuntarily made David burst out laughing."You, what are you laughing at?"The smile on Katsuo Tanaka's face gradually faded, his two eyebrows furrowing tightly.David's attitude had annoyed him to the absolute limit.What on earth is wrong with this guy; he has seemed like a completely different person since the very beginning.Normally at a time like this, shouldn't this guy already be unable to hold back and want to make a move?That's right, this was Katsuo Tanaka's strategy: intending to force David to strike in this public place, take the opportunity to teach this guy a good lesson, and then expel him with the help of his father's authority.For this, he even specially replaced them with Mighty Arms 400 series arms, along with a matching high-grade martial arts chip.But ideals were plump, while reality was harsh.Katsuo Tanaka could never imagine that the David before his eyes was no longer the original impulsive David.In his eyes, this strategy was like an elementary schooler's strategy—both retarded and moronic."Sorry, sorry, your words are really too funny, sounding just like the bullshit broadcast by News 54, making one unable to help laughing."David covered his belly with one hand, wiping away the tears squeezed out from the corners of his eyes, "Right, what did you mean by that speech just now? Wanting to get me expelled, right?""Didn't I already say it yesterday? Expulsion or whatever is impossible."Immediately spreading his hands and shaking his head helplessly, that expression looked as if he were facing a son of his own who couldn't understand human speech."You, Katsuo Tanaka are a rare source of joy in my, David Martinez's life. If I didn't hear your dog barks for a day, honestly I'd still miss it quite a bit.""What did you say?!"David's words and that expression thoroughly enraged Katsuo Tanaka, who immediately clenched his fists and raised his arm wanting to beat him up.However, he was quickly stopped by the two little lackeys beside him.And they reminded him that this was a public place, with security cameras and other things around.Only then did Katsuo Tanaka remember his purpose, forcefully swallowing down the anger in his heart."Hmph, it doesn't matter, say whatever you want.I already said before, I am very open-minded and tolerant. Words from scum like you living at the bottom are something I won't take to heart at all...""Eh? Is that really so?"David displayed an expression of utter shock, then the corners of his mouth split into a grin, "Since that's the case, then I won't be polite!""Whoosh—"Before Katsuo Tanaka could react, David's fist was already swinging towards the bridge of his nose.But whether because the other party's prosthetic arms were high-grade goods or because of the blessing of the martial arts chip, it immediately blocked his punch."Huh? Huh-huh? Is this wanting to fight? But your chip isn't very good, is it dug out from some dumpster?"Katsuo Tanaka started his taunting again.Then...He performed a live show of the so-called high-grade chip right on the spot."Ah-chi-chi-chi-chi—"Making a ridiculous sound from his mouth, dazzling fists constantly waved before his eyes, and gusts of wind from the punches blew his hair.The other party's fists were indeed very fast, even reaching an absurd degree.But..."What the heck is this?"Is this the essence of the legendary so-called martial arts chip that advertises everywhere every day, the highest-grade martial arts chip?But no matter how he looked at it, this thing looked like it was just swinging wildly.Could this be the legendary returning to simplicity?Wild punches beating the master to death?Thinking of this, his eyes gradually turned into dead fish eyes; facing Katsuo Tanaka's attacks, he even wanted to take a nap first.This piece of crap completely couldn't compare to the newcomer welfare gifted by the system, it was simply full of loopholes.Even, it felt like he didn't even need to use the Sandevistan."However, let's test it out first and see how it goes..."At the very instant the other party's fist was about to arrive, he activated the Sandevistan to slow down the flow of time and began accelerated thinking.Everything around him slowed down accordingly, as if entering bullet time from The Matrix.He slowly let go of the package in his hands, shuttled through the gaps of the fists waved by Katsuo Tanaka, suddenly thrusting forward with his elbow, and then returned to his original position to grab the package again, ending the acceleration.Just as if nothing had ever happened.Yet Katsuo Tanaka had already been thrust outward by a heart-piercing elbow strike, sliding several meters across the ground and crashing into a large tree with a thump!The onlookers around completely didn't understand what had happened.They only knew that that youth stood in place without moving an inch, while the other person flew out on their own.However, the security cameras in the distance had completely recorded all of this.11. Living free, dying casually"You.. You...""You what? You want to try too?"With a slight glance of his eyes, the two lackeys instantly fled in a panic, unable to even care about their boss.He couldn't be bothered to pay attention to these two sycophantic scum, walking slowly towards the direction of the big tree with a faint smile hanging on his face.Katsuo Tanaka felt a stifling sensation in his chest; just as he managed to crawl up, David stepped on him and sent him back to the ground once again."David Martinez! You're done for! You actually dare hit me in a place like this! I will definitely make Dad expel you... No, I'm going to have the NCPD arrest you! And then make you spend your whole life in prison!"At this time, Katsuo Tanaka no longer had his previous haughtiness and high spirits; like a defeated dog, he lay prone on the ground venting his impotent rage."My oh my, have you really figured out the current situation, student Tanaka? Right now your little life is grasped in my hands.""You wouldn't dare do anything to me, my dad is part of Arasaka Academy's senior board of directors!"Seeing this scene classic to the extreme, he couldn't help shaking his head helplessly.Guys like this never know what it means to be at death's door; wouldn't it be better to quietly shut up?"However, these two arms seem pretty good."He gently grasped the other party's two arms, used the Sandevistan again to accelerate, and then pulled hard.Crack—Accompanied by a sound of metal tearing, the two arms were successfully detached."Ah—"At the same time, Katsuo Tanaka's wails mixed with the screams of the surrounding people echoed throughout the entire plaza."Let me see... why are they so cheap?"Seeing the price given by the system, he couldn't help curling his lips.It showed above that each was only 3K eurodollars, and both combined couldn't even compare to a Sandevistan.But on second thought, it was quite normal.After all, the Sandevistan was military-grade, while the cyberware in his hands was civilian-grade. No matter how noble it seemed, it was ultimately just civilian-grade.6K eurodollars could still be considered pretty good.Coupled with the chip and savings he cashed out earlier at Viktor's place, saving up just a bit more money would allow him to get a better piece of cyberware again."Damned trash! Dog bastard! I will definitely make my dad kill you!!!"Snot and tears flowed down almost at the same time, mixing together."Tsk, stop yelping!"
Chapter 9David stomped down hard, and Katsuo Tanaka's voice came to an abrupt halt, as if his throat were being squeezed, leaving him barely able to breathe."You know, Tanaka-kun. There's a saying on the streets of Night City: 'Live free, die easy.'""Every day, countless people die violent deaths on the streets of Night City. Some die in street shootouts, some in revenge killings, and others are slaughtered by cyberpsychos.""Do you really think the NCPD has the time to care about such trivial matters? Besides, I have the Animals backing me. Will your father really offend a street gang just for you? Especially one of the most troublesome ones."This move was a classic case of borrowing authority to intimidate, dragging the Animals down with him.Anyway, those guys were like lunatics; they didn't care at all about being targeted by the corporation, nor were they afraid of it.What's more, he also had a grudge against the Animals.If he could see the members of the Animals having a hard time, he would naturally be quite happy.However, hearing this, Katsuo Tanaka couldn't help but shiver, but he still stubbornly refused to back down:"Y-You wouldn't dare kill me! My dad is on the Academy's board of directors!""Heh, indeed, I really wouldn't dare kill you. But did you know? Sometimes, keeping someone alive is far more painful than letting them die."Saying this, the smile on his face gradually turned devilish."For example, kidnapping you from here, turning you into a doll or something, and then selling you off.""Oh right, how about Kabukicho in Watson? I bet if we tweak your face just a little bit, classmate Tanaka, you'll be very popular there..."His whispers echoed in Tanaka's ears. Combined with the pain of losing both arms, the double whammy of terror and agony caused Katsuo Tanakato pass out on the spot."Tsk, so easily scared."Seeing that this guy had already fainted from fear, he felt bored and stepped back.It wasn't because he wanted to let this guy off, but simply because the Trauma Team had already arrived.A massive armored AV slowly descended from the sky while broadcasting warnings, landing steadily on the plaza. A group of heavily armed, heavily geared individuals stepped out and set up a perimeter."Securing the area, clear the way! Defense protocols initiated, comply with all instructions."The harsh warning echoed across the plaza.Once they confirmed there was no threat, the rescue team members pulled out a folding stretcher, while the others kept their weapons aimed outward to maintain security."Patient's condition is stable. Temporary loss of consciousness."After assessing the situation, they pulled out a pneumatic resuscitation device and injected a dose into Katsuo Tanaka's chest.Then, he was quickly loaded onto the highly high-tech AV."Tsk, tsk, tsk. It's nice to be rich..."Honestly, seeing this made him envious.It was said that for those Platinum members, even if they lost a single hair, these guys would rush over to save them."But this should be enough."A smile of a successful plan slowly appeared on David's face.In reality, the reason he chose to come to school wasn't to fulfill his mother's dying wish or anything like that.He just wanted to teach this foul-mouthed guy a lesson, and at the same time, expose himself to Arasaka Corporation's radar.Only in this way could he lure out that son of a bitch, Adam Smasher.As for looking for him himself?Stop joking. Who knew where that guy would be at this point in time?Even if he tore down Arasaka Tower by himself, he might not even run into him.You should know that in the game, Adam Smasheronly appeared at Arasaka Tower because he was the bodyguard of the "filial son" Yorinobu Arasaka, handling security work on the side.At this point in time, who knows where that guy is acting as a chef, turning people into different flavors of paste.However, after this shocking incident occurred, he was naturally called to the principal's office.But strangely, even though he had done something so severe as ripping off Katsuo Tanaka's arms, the NCPD didn't show up to take him away.It was somewhat magical.Originally, he was already prepared to run.If you want to become a legend of Night City, how could you do it without a bounty from the NCPD on your head?"Classmate David, are you listening to me?"The voice of the greasy, middle-aged man sitting across from him interrupted his thoughts.So, he shrugged helplessly and said, "I'm listening.""Then do you have anything to say? The incident where you injured classmate Katsuo Tanaka has had a terrible impact on the Academy...""Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. So whatever punishment you decide on next, whether it's suspension or expulsion, it's up to you."He said in an indifferent tone, "I don't care at all.""Classmate David, this attitude of yours...""Alright, stop nagging. Once you decide on my punishment, just email it to me. I have things to do, so I'm leaving."After saying that, he picked up his bag and walked out of the office whistling.This principal was also just a dog raised by Arasaka, only knowing how to follow orders from above, so there was absolutely no need to show him respect.As for staying at Arasaka to continue studying and then climbing up from the bottom of Arasaka?Sorry, but he had no interest in that.He didn't want to be like Corpo V, working diligently in the corporation only to be kicked out like a stray dog in the end.So far, he had no interest in being anyone's dog.12. I'm going to sink this kid into Tokyo Bay! (Confusion)Inside Arasaka Tower, the most magnificent building in the city center, in an office so spacious it resembled a server room filled with cold metallic tones, Katsuo's father sat on a sofa, watching a video sent by his subordinate.His identity was not just a senior board member of Arasaka Academy, but also a core backbone of Arasaka Corporation in Night City.He was one of the heads responsible for testing Arasaka's military experimental products.Although his power couldn't compare to some of the high-level agents above or those spokespeople backed by the board of directors, he still possessed considerable authority and was not just an ordinary manager.But now, he felt as if he had been humiliated, losing all face.Looking at the video playing in front of him, his face was as dark as night.On the screen, the scene of his son, Katsuo Tanaka, being humiliated was playing.[Oh right, how about Kabukicho in Watson?][I bet if we tweak your face just a little bit, classmate Tanaka, you'll be very popular there...]These words echoed in his ears like a demonic chant."Marcus, tell me, why did you send me a video of my son being humiliated?"However, this matter was not so simple.By noon, he had already received notifications from the Trauma Team and Arasaka Academy.But because he had a meeting in the afternoon, he hadn't found the time to look into it.Only now did he realize that the culprit who injured his son hadn't been arrested by the NCPD.Furthermore, his subordinate, Marcus, had specifically called to keep him in the office and sent over this surveillance footage."Please be patient, there is another video you need to see."As soon as he finished speaking, another window popped up next to the video window.And Tanaka's brow furrowed slightly as well."This is..."He didn't recognize the location playing on the screen, but it was clearly an abandoned hospital.And the footage was somewhat blurry, likely extracted from a corpse's brain."Mr. Tanaka, this video is from an abandoned hospital in Santo Domingo. The youth in the footage is the same person who injured your son.""He is David Martinez, seventeen years old, from Santo Domingo, with excellent academic performance at school.""However, it was recently discovered that he used a bootleg device, which caused damage to the Academy's system.""He has no father, and his mother recently passed away in a car accident in this abandoned hospital occupied by Scavengers..."Marcus rattled off all the gathered information about David like the back of his hand.But Tanaka's face grew even darker as he questioned coldly, "What does that have to do with me?"What did the family background of that student named David have to do with him?All he wanted to do now was grab this student named David, encase his hands and feet in cement, and sink him into the Arasaka docks!A mere stray dog from the slums..."Mr. Tanaka, please don't be agitated. I believe this student named David possesses excellent potential.""Potential?""Hearing Marcus say this, Tanaka's eyelids twitched, and he forcibly suppressed the anger in his heart."Since he possessed potential, it meant he could create value for the corporation.The matter of his son being humiliated could be put on the back burner for now; everything was about the corporation's interests.He then leaned back on the sofa, shifting his weight down into a boss-like posture, and asked calmly, "Tell me, what kind of potential?""Yes.""I believe classmate David Martinez has the potential to become the second Adam Smasher.""Oh?"Speaking of this, Tanaka immediately became interested and sat up straight.He was no stranger to Adam Smasher, who was in charge of security at Arasaka Corporation but was deployed to various places year-round. He was Arasaka Corporation's enforcer and a war-crazed lunatic.Moreover, Adam Smasher's initial background wasn't that great either; he was just an obscure little punk on the streets of New York.Because of his cruel, relentless style, he caught the eye of Arasaka Corporation, which then used the company-produced "DaiOni" power suit to completely cyberize his body.The kind where the remaining flesh on his entire body wouldn't even make a single dish.He was even hailed as a legend throughout Night City.If they could create another existence like that, the corporation would be able to completely crush Militech, and they wouldn't have to fear even if another Morgan Blackhand from back in the day appeared.And if he achieved such a feat, his status would naturally rise, and it wouldn't even be an exaggeration for him to become the ruler of Night City.However..."How do you prove this, Marcus?""Yes. Please observe his movements. In the abandoned hospital, his strikes were fierce and lethal with a single blow, which is absolutely not a skill a student should possess.""Hmm... if it's only that, it's not enough.""Yes, then please take another look at this video."Marcus pulled up the surveillance footage of Katsuobeing abused again and replayed it for Tanaka."..."Tanaka didn't speak, just silently watched the screen."Please observe his movements closely."As he spoke, the footage was magnified several times and played frame-by-frame, as if forcing him to watch closely how his son was abused.Fortunately, it finally paused on the frame where David struck Katsuo with a heart-piercing elbow."accelerated perception?""Yes, exactly."
Chapter 10"...What exactly do you mean, Marcus? Are you telling me to investigate the source of this cyberware?"Tanaka's face remained completely expressionless; he was even contemplating sinking Marcus down at the docks along with it.Marcus naturally caught the coldness in his tone and hurriedly pulled up a new image.It was an X-ray comparison chart, but curiously, the X-ray image on the right was missing a spine segment."The cyberware installed on David Martinez appears to be the Sandevistan unit that belonged to James Norris at the time of his death.""You mean that cyberpsycho?"With that reminder, he actually recalled it.Not long ago, a violent incident occurred where a cyberpsycho attacked the NCPD.Although MAX-TAC was deployed to neutralize the cyberpsycho, the Sandevistan on the corpse—along with the connected Kerenzikov—went missing, and their whereabouts remained unknown.Nor did they surface on the black market.Yet now, it has turned up on David Martinez."Indeed. But unlike that former sergeant, this student showed no side effects whatsoever after implantation."The side effect Marcus referred to was, of course, cyberpsychosis.Cyberpsychosis is a mental illness brought on by both psychological and physical strain.While most triggers stem from PTSD and other psychological factors, a significant portion is caused by the intense pressure that military-grade cyberware places on the nervous system.Normally, for a student still in their developmental stage, the body couldn't withstand the burden of military-grade cyberware, yet this student is miraculously unharmed."Therefore, Mr. Tanaka, I believe his tolerance and exceptional physical ability could allow him to become a second Adam Smasher—or even replace him.""Or, he would be the ideal candidate to participate in the experiment for 'that product'."As he said this, Marcus's voice betrayed a hint of excitement.After all, if the experiment succeeded, Tanakawouldn't be the only one climbing the corporate ladder—he would too.He might even never have to look at a scumbag like Adam Smasher ever again."I see. So where is he now?""He was expelled.""Bring him back. If necessary, persuade him with money.""And what about your son, Katsuo?"At the mention of this, Tanaka frowned slightly.Having had a son at his age, he naturally doted on him immensely.Normally, he should avenge his son by encasing that damned stray dog in cement and sinking him into the sea, but now he clearly couldn't do that.He sighed, "...The company's interests come above all else. As my successor, he should understand this as well..."However, he never imagined that his son Katsuo's life would get progressively worse in the days ahead, turning him into a frequent client of the Trauma Team.But that is a story for another time...13. Lucy, my Lucy, how can I live without you!Nighttime.Under the cloak of night, Night City grew even more bustling. Beneath the dazzling neon lights, people immersed themselves in debauchery and luxury.It was as though everything in Night City was gradually turning surreal and dreamlike.At this moment, completely oblivious to Arasaka's moves, David sat gloomily in front of an Asian food stall at the base of Megabuilding H10 in Watson.Two high-hanging big red lanterns blended completely into the surrounding neon glow.This was the very megabuilding where V would live in the future, and the food here had been praised by Jackie, which was why he came to try it.However, what troubled him wasn't the food..."Sigh, where on earth did those guys run off to?"He lost count of how many times he had sighed today; it felt as if he hadn't sighed this much in his entire past life combined.This afternoon, ever since leaving the academy, he had run across almost all of Night City.From City Center to Heywood, from Heywood to Westbrook, and finally taking a loop around Watson—he was just short of taking a stroll through Pacifica.He spent the entire day either riding the NCART or on his way to an NCART station.Yet after a whole day, he came up empty-handed.No gang shootouts, no cyberpsychos, and no Animals—there was only the NCPD patrolling the streets.It was as if all those things had vanished into thin air the moment he arrived."And here I was relying on those guys to make some cash."At the thought of this, he felt even more drained and slumped directly onto the table.When playing the game, gang shootouts or cyberpsychos were everywhere, popping up every few streets.He had assumed reality would be the same so he could snag some cyberware along the way to sell.As it turned out..."What a miscalculation..."If he had known earlier, he would have had Viktorinstall a pair of Kiroshi optics last time and open a backdoor to the NCPD scanner network.After all, it was only fifty thousand eddies.Now he was loaded, could afford it, and could quickly make the money back."Customer, your fried noodles are ready."Just then, the young stall owner placed a fresh box of fried noodles in front of him."Oh, thanks."David took the disposable paper box and glanced at the contents inside.It looked... pretty good?There were red and green bits; at least the color presentation was decent.It smelled fine too, carrying the distinct aroma of fried noodles.It was miles better than whatever unnamable monstrosity he ate at noon.No wonder Jackie had high praise for the food here; it really did look good."Let's see how it tastes then."If it was edible, he'd handle his future meals here.*Slurp— Ugh...*The moment it hit his mouth, his facial features nearly squished together in disgust."Pui pui pui, what the fuck is this junk? Is this even fit for human consumption?"He turned his head and spat everything he had just taken into his mouth onto the ground.He couldn't even find the words to describe the noodles—made from God-knows-what flour, laced with a faint tinge of industrial exhaust flavor.And as for that so-called synthetic sirloin beef, it was like rubber bands—completely unchewable and carrying a weird funk.All in all, it was impossible to tell what had actually been stir-fried in this box.Maybe it was fried Hextech additives, maybe a dish of industrial waste; whatever it was, it certainly wasn't fried noodles.No wonder Takemura was so suspicious of that chicken skewer when playing the game, tossing it aside onto his plate without another thought.This stuff truly wasn't meant for humans to eat.Although he knew that ordinary residents in Night City couldn't afford real animal meat—and were constantly indoctrinated with claims that Animalscarried all kinds of flu viruses and couldn't be eaten...Most of what people ate was lab-grown synthetic meat from food factories.And as for grown vegetables, apart from the greenhouses in the Southern Badlands dedicated to serving the rich, there weren't any other sources...still, was there any need to be this sloppy?It wasn't even as good as eating protein blocks and high-energy bars.It was truly hard to imagine how V and Jackie ate it with such relish.By the way, the protein blocks in Night City weren't made from bugs like in Snowpiercer.In Night City, hoping to see any living creature other than a human was pure wishful thinking.Because dust storms hit from time to time alongside high levels of radiation pollution, making it hard even for bugs to survive.So far, the only other living creature he had seen was the hairless cat above Viktor's clinic basement."Forget it, I give up. Time to go home and sleep."David shook his head helplessly, got up, and ambled off toward the station.It seemed the tough days were only just beginning...Over the next few days, he continued his routine.Every day, he looked around Night City for gang shootouts or Animals collecting protection money, grabbed a few energy bars to eat, went home to watch black-market braindances, and went to sleep.He lived this monotonous three-point life.This time, however, he did gain something.During this period, he encountered three gang shootouts. Wearing the work jacket left behind by his mother and a face-concealing mask, he joined in as a third party.Although this kind of work was full of risks, it paid quite well.Each time, he earned several thousand eddies, and he even got high marks from the NCPD.Searching for the Animals wasn't as ideal, though; when he finally found a group, there were only two or three small fry.Not only were they not the ones responsible for Gloria's car accident, but they were also dirt-poor.They didn't have anything valuable on them.As for Santo Domingo, it was the same as ever—dirty, chaotic, and poor, with the air permeated by its signature industrial freshener.Along the way, he even saw a few 6th Street Gangthugs bullying a homeless man.What a bunch of cowardly scum picking on the weak.However, he didn't rush in with an overflowing sense of justice to help.After all, there were no benefits; these thugs didn't carry valuable chrome, and the high-value targets were all gathered in The Glen and Charter Hill....*Yawn—*In the early morning, he was his usual self, yawning on the NCART, holding that same old black package in his hand.Except today his work jacket was dirty, so he was wearing his Arasaka Academy uniform.Today, he still planned to head back to Watson and Westbrook to try his luck.Based on his experience over the past few days, the gangs in these two districts were the wealthiest, whether in weapons or cyberware.However, using cyberware so heavily every day left his physical body exhausted, but he had no choice if he wanted to earn a living.Besides that, there was another thing he was curious about."How come I haven't bumped into Lucy yet? Am I waking up the wrong way every day?"David rubbed his chin gently, pondering as he stared at the reflection of the crowd in the NCART window glass.Although busy over the past few days, he kept a close eye on the NCART train cars, yet several days had passed without a single glimpse of Lucy.This couldn't go on.A person could be poor and live in a impoverished district like Santo Domingo, but a life without Lucywas incomplete.Lucy, my Lucy, you are my everything—how can I live without you!
Chapter 11Just as he was internally geeking out, he suddenly felt a barely noticeable touch at the socket behind his head.With a beep, the datashard in the socket instantly flew out.At the same time, a pure white figure flashed past, reflected in the train window.Her nimble body twisted slightly, her slender waist swaying gently.As fleeting as a dream, yet as dazzling as a light-polluted dream rig, that colorful, shimmering pure white shifted constantly.Yet like a light butterfly, she snatched his stuff and tried to slip away into the shadows.Only, this butterfly was snapped up with a backhand grip around her slender wrist."Miss, could you give me back my stuff?"14. Intimacy in the Train Car"Miss, could you give me back my stuff?"David grabbed the girl's wrist and turned his head with confidence, but the moment their eyes met, both froze in place.Lucy's eyes showed shock, while on his end...Holy crap... Mom, I'm in love.That was his instant inner reaction.Although he had always known Lucy was beautiful, the visual impact in real life was still overwhelming.Not only was it not hyped up online for nothing, but she was even more striking and hit his preferences harder than in the anime.Her outfit was still her classic attire: a half-slid jacket revealing delicate shoulders, a modded anti-surge netrunner suit hugging her slender waist like a swimsuit bodysuit, white shorts, and socks tucked into boots that reached just up to her knees.But what truly captured his gaze was her white bob haircut, gleaming with a gradient luster like a spectrum of light.Her elegant face paired with slightly wild makeup and outfit was insanely attractive.Honestly, with looks like this, even Judy wouldn't stand a chance, right?"Come with me."While he was still dazed, his wrist was suddenly grabbed in reverse, pulled toward the other end of the train car by an irresistible force.Though, the main reason was simply that he had no desire to struggle at all.This subtle assertiveness actually felt pretty hot?Most importantly, all his attention was focused on his wrist being held.Slender yet soft; although her fingertips were slightly cool, they still emitted a faint warmth.This girl was like a combination of Judy and Panam Palmer.Not only did she possess Judy's breathtaking beauty, but she also had Panam Palmer's wildness and assertiveness.The hard soles of her boots clicked rapidly against the sheet-metal floor, tap, tap, as he was pulled to the vestibule between the cars."What on earth do you want?"Seeing that no one was around, Lucy put her hands on her hips and glared at him with an "I am extremely pissed off right now" look."What are you talking about? I don't really get it."He looked at her with confusion in his eyes, then helplessly spread his hands:"Miss, you stole my shard, and now you're turning around to interrogate me. What's that about?"Back when watching the anime, he had always wondered why Lucy stole other people's datashards.Maybe she was short on cash? And getting back at Arasaka on the side?Maybe. After all, Lucy's dream was to go to the Moon, which definitely required a huge chunk of money.Plus, competition in the merc business was fierce, so it wasn't always lucrative.It was usually a "feast or famine" kind of trade.Except Lucy herself refused to admit to it at all."So you're saying I stole your shard. Where's your proof?"Lucy acted completely unfazed, not looking like a thief caught red-handed at all. She even bit back: "Besides, aren't you the one interfering with my work?"The way she said it made it seem like he was the one who stole her shard.This approach was classic Night City style.Even if caught red-handed, deny it to the grave.Unless you were a powerful Corp bigwig or some gang member who liked to deal with "logic."But he wasn't the former, and didn't want to play like the latter, so he could only sigh helplessly:"Ah, such a beauty, yet why resort to thievery? You're so pretty, yet your hands aren't clean.""Oho~ Looks like we've got an honor student here."Lucy's eyes turned subtle as her hands gently cupped his head.Her smooth, cool hands covered his ears, slid gently down his face, caressed along his body's contours, and finally came to rest on his chest.Her fingers pressed lightly against his chest, as if listening to his heartbeat."Though, you've got quite a mouth on you."She looked at him with a half-smile, the delicate corners of her lips curling into a subtle arc."Of course, why wouldn't I? But..."Bang!Naturally, this trick again!Before he could finish his sentence, those delicate hands burst with incredible strength, slamming him hard against the gangway door behind him and pinning him against it.With a thud, the package in his hands dropped to the floor.Damn, this rogue netrunner girl hits hard!Still, she really was soft.He could distinctly feel that soft touch.Judging by the sensation, Lucy's impressive softness was pressed flat against him, her whole body practically glued to his.Her gentle breath continuously brushed his face; they were so close he could even smell her faint body scent.A mellow aroma of tobacco mixed with a subtle fruity fragrance.To outsiders, they looked like an intimate couple making out in the corner of the car.In reality, one of his wrists was twisted behind his back and pinned against the door, while her soft arm was wrapped around his neck.A shimmering Monowire flickered subtly between the gaps of her fingers."Not bad. Pretty capable."Lucy praised while suppressing him with her body weight.She had witnessed everything that happened just now.The moment she exerted force, David Martinez's body tensed up, so in reality, he didn't take any damage at all and merely hit the glass door with the momentum."Of course, I'm capable in more ways than just this."However, he didn't say this out loud.After all, with a Monowire still wrapped around his neck, he figured it was best not to provoke Miss Lucy."Let me see what goodies you've got installed."Lucy's deep purple gradient eyes flashed orange as her scanner scanned his body, dense clusters of windows popping up on her retinal display.[Ding! Host is being scanned by a netrunner. Upload Daemon to target?]A notification prompt sounded in his head.This was the system's built-in countermeasure mechanism.He had accidentally discovered this function just a few days ago.That day, some idiot netrunner from a gang tried uploading a Daemon into his brain.The system ended up counter-uploading a Daemon, causing that idiot's head to blow up on the spot.So, for the sake of Lucy's safety, he chose "No."Since she wanted to look, he'd let her look. It wasn't like he had anything to hide.Besides, he wasn't losing anything in this position; in fact, he was quite enjoying it.Still, there was a saying that held true—The prettier a woman is, the less you can trust her.Look at this, just look at this!Data connection, breach upload, info scraping...This routine was so skilled that even those Arasakacorp-sects would probably hang their heads in shame, yet in Lucy's hands, it was like child's play.As expected of a netrunner trained by Arasaka.However, seeing David Martinez's body data, Lucyfelt immensely surprised.15. How Is It Only 80-20?!"Huh~?"She suddenly let out a surprised sound, seemingly in disbelief."For real? A Sandevistan? A wet-behind-the-ears kid like you actually has a Sandevistan installed? And it's not even a regular model."Lucy's eyes glittered with curiosity, as if she had found a novel new toy.It was no wonder she was so surprised.Although military-grade cyberware wasn't rare in Night City—being standard issue for MAX-TAC and cyberpsychos—in the merc circle, it was extremely rare, practically impossible to buy regardless of price.Unless you could pull strings inside Militech or Arasaka's networks and buy it at a premium from those corp-sects.But that was beyond a level that ordinary mercs could reach."What? You want it?"His smile suddenly turned playful."Forget it, I'm not interested. Besides, I won't report you—after all, this is Night City."Saying this, Lucy's voice paused suddenly, as if realizing something.She leaned in close to his ear, whispering intimately like lovers:"Though, I do have a proposal. How about~ we partner up?""It'd be such a waste not to make good use of such amazing cyberware. Isn't that a great proposal?"Waves of soft breath entered his ear, bringing a subtle tingling sensation.The stimulation made his heart flutter, causing him to shiver involuntarily.What a teasing little vixen."Partnering up is fine, of course, but do you dare return my shard first?"All my damn wealth is in there!"And another piece of advice: let go of me quickly if you don't want a crowd watching from the next car."Just as he said, their current position was far too intimate.People in the adjacent car kept glancing over from time to time—some out of curiosity, others with a hint of excitement.
Chapter 12Those looks seemed to say—"Are they planning to shoot an black bd in the carriage?""If it's real, I am absolutely buying it!"The inner voice of the lower-class citizens of Night City."Alright, alright, I really can't deal with you."Lucy smiled slightly, seemingly not caring about the situation.Her slender fingers lightly brushed over the port at the back of his head, and the shard was slotted back in.Yes, the amount on it wasn't missing a single cent, still exactly the same down to the change.At the same time, the comfortable touch and the Monowire wrapped around his neck vanished.As he stretched his shoulders and bent down to pick up the bag, he secretly sighed:"Sigh, since you don't mind so much, you could have pinned me down a bit longer..."He was still quite fond of Lucy's physical suppression just now; after all, he didn't lose anything."By the way, what's in your bag? You've been paying a lot of attention to it."Only then did Lucy notice the black bag he was carrying in his hand.To this, David gave a mysterious smile. "Do you want to take a look?"The things inside were all big treasures.Since he didn't have the kind of system inventory found in games, he could only carry various items around in a bag."No thanks, I still understand the saying that curiosity killed the cat."Lucy glanced at the bag. If she hadn't heard wrong when they landed just now, there should have been the sound of clashing metal from inside.Probably firearms or cyberware?However, she didn't pay too much attention to it, immediately turning to look at the carriage ahead and asking, "Do you know what we're going to do next?"She had no intention of digging deeper into the secrets of a kid with a Sandevistan implant, though she was quite curious."Of course. Isn't it exactly what you were just doing? Theft.""Hmph, exactly~"He deliberately emphasized the last few words, earning another eye-roll from Lucy.What a strange guy.This was Lucy's assessment of him.Not only was he equipped with a military-grade Sandevistan, but he also showed no fear whatsoever when facing a threat.Even when the Monowire was wrapped around his neck just now, with just a slight movement of her finger, his head would have rolled...Well, whatever. This is Night City; there are plenty of weirdos here.As long as he wasn't sent by Arasaka to hunt her down, and he looked like a newbie, quite innocent.She had caught him blushing several times just now.Clearly just a kid, yet he insists on acting mature...Thinking of this, a pretty curve appeared at the corner of her lips."My targets are limited to those suits from the Arasaka Corporation.""Arasaka?"Hearing her words, his expression gradually turned deadpan."I understand what you're saying, but do I look like one of those Arasaka corpo rats to you?""Uh-huh~ The way you talk is really interesting."At this point, her voice gradually grew cold. "Even though you're wearing an Arasaka Academyuniform, and my scanner is showing your student ID."The implication was clear: you might not be a corpo rat now, but you're a reserve corpo rat.But then she suddenly changed her tone, becoming cheerful again. "Well, you're right too. You don't look like one at all."Indeed, just as she said, David was indeed a reserve corpo rat.If he successfully graduated from the academy, entering the Arasaka Corporation would be a done deal.Maybe this time next year, he'd even catch the livestream of V tearing down Arasaka Tower and stomping on Adam Smasher."But I've already been expelled."His voice was filled with helplessness.If possible, he didn't want to be branded with this student ID either.But even if he was expelled, the student ID would remain in his file like a brand."Hmm~?"Suddenly, Lucy turned around and stepped in front of him, bending down slightly to meet his gaze. Her eyes were full of amusement, as if she were looking at a novel species.Her breath tickled his face, and his heart couldn't help but start racing."W-What is it?""I really couldn't tell. You're quite the troublemaker.""...Is there a problem with that?"He blushed.He slightly averted his gaze.Whether in his past life or in this life merged with the individual named David, he was still a "wizard" who had yet to change classes.Just now, he could excuse it due to the circumstances, but at this distance, he really couldn't help feeling embarrassed."Uh-huh, you really are green. I can't believe a green boy like you would actually install a Sandevistan."You really have some nerve to say that, you runaway Arasaka GPU girl!He grumbled inwardly."Well, it doesn't matter. You'll mature soon enough."Lucy turned around, and the compartment door in front of her opened with a whoosh! He slowly followed behind her."Next up, you have a lot to learn."She walked ahead, guiding him patiently like a teacher, starting her "Little Lucy Classroom."But most of it was trivial stuff, like studying more, observing more, and practicing more.Don't obsess over theory, verify the truth through practical application, and so on.He had heard this kind of stuff so many times his ears were practically growing calluses.Meanwhile, his gaze couldn't help but fall on her swaying waist as she walked.Mmh, great figure."Are you listening?"Suddenly, Lucy stopped in her tracks and turned around to look at him in confusion, but that confusion quickly turned into playfulness."Like what you see?""Yeah, looks great. I want to see more..."He had accidentally blurted out his true thoughts!He quickly corrected himself: "Uh... no, I mean, I understand everything you said. More than that, I'm curious about how we're splitting the cut?""Hmph."Lucy smiled and hummed a pleasant note."Eighty-twenty.""How is it only eighty-twenty?!"His exclamation startled Lucy, while also drawing many eyes toward them."You've been running around working so hard for this, how can you only take twenty percent? No, that's too unfair. We split it fifty-fifty!"This righteous speech made her dazed for a moment, and then she burst out laughing."Haha, I didn't expect you to be so funny. Eighty is mine, twenty is yours."Lucy clutched her stomach, seemingly laughing so hard she was about to cry."But, seeing how funny you are, let's make it seventy-thirty.Seventy for me, thirty for you, which includes the tuition fee for apprenticing under me. I'll pay you immediately after the job is done.""Uh-huh, whatever makes you happy."He shrugged casually, mimicking Lucy's tone as he replied.To discuss splitting the loot so openly in a public place, there probably wasn't anyone else besides the two of them.However, he didn't really care about the split.After all, the corpo rats here were all low-level employees of Arasaka.They were squeezed to their limits both mentally and physically, practically on the verge of collapse, and they didn't have much money anyway. He just treated it as earning some extra pocket money.What he really wanted was Lucy herself!"Then it's settled."Lucy reached her hand out to him."I'm Lucy~"The girl's eyes changed slightly, no longer as repellent and guarded as before."David."Meeting the girl's gaze, he firmly grasped the future.Just like that, the curtain slowly rose on their fated encounter, and the gears of destiny slowly meshed, beginning to turn...Image.jpg16. Live free, die at random, that's Night City.Beep—Beep—shards flew all over the carriage like butterfly wings.And David threaded through these butterfly wings, deftly plucking the shards from midair and pocketing them."Feels... pretty simple?"After collecting the last shard, looking at the handful of shards in his bag, his expression gradually turned strange.Did he even need to use the Sandevistan for this? Not at all!Couldn't he just walk over and naturally catch the shards?But all of this was thanks to the newbie benefits given to him by the system, which included the stealth skill."I didn't expect you to be so capable, David."Lucy's praising voice came through the comms.Every single move of David's was seen by her.She never expected that David wouldn't need to use the Sandevistan at all, simply walking over to catch the shards without drawing anyone's attention.It was even more natural than her own work, as if he was born for this line of work.Lucy felt like she had struck gold, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curve upward."What a guy full of surprises."