Chapter 44Standing in that familiar, graffiti-covered hallway, he accompanied Lucy back to her home."What's wrong?" he asked with a hint of curiosity.It wasn't for any other reason, but simply because Lucy had been standing in front of the door for a long time, and a trace of hesitation seemed to flicker in those gorgeous eyes.What on earth was she hesitating about?Could the lease on the apartment be up?If that was the case, it didn't matter.His home was very large, and Lucy could come live with him.But the next second..."Come with me." Lucy grabbed his wrist, "Accompany me outside for some fresh air."Without another word, she dragged him to the rooftop of the apartment building, Lucy's secret base.The two of them sat on the rooftop, enjoying the evening breeze blowing against their faces; it was incredibly cozy.It was just that the smell wasn't very pleasant—a distinct scent unique to Night City (industrial exhaust)."The clouds are too thick."Glancing at the moonlight blocked by the dense clouds in the firmament, Lucy said flatly, though her tone carried a hint of disappointment."Yeah, it really is too thick." He chimed in, then sighed, "However, it reminds me of the lunar braindance you showed me back then."He slowly reached his palm toward the sky and gently clenched it into a hollow fist, as if wanting to wipe the dense clouds from the sky and grasp the moon in his hand."The moon is really amazing."Lucy had no intention of responding, nor did she bring up a new topic.The two of them fell back into a brief silence.After this momentary silence, Lucy finally spoke slowly: "Actually, I have something I want to tell you.""What is it?" He looked at Lucy with curiosity, but Lucy kept gazing at the pitch-black sky and the moon obscured by dark clouds.Then she lowered her gaze, casting it toward the distant, brightly lit, and bustling Night City."What I told you that day... wasn't a lie. That was truly the first time I ever told anyone."Hearing Lucy pour her heart out like this, he couldn't help but smile: "I know.""I've never doubted you either. I believe everything you said back then was serious.""...How foolish."It was unclear whether Lucy was calling herself foolish or him."Then what if I'm lying to you right now?""Then I'm willing to be lied to." He shrugged indifferently.This had nothing to do with whether he knew the original work or not.It was simply because, having interacted with Lucy, he knew she was a good girl.So he was also willing to treat her sincerely and give his all.What's more, he could be said to have nothing at all right now; what else was there left to be cheated of?However, his words made Lucy laugh."What is that supposed to mean..."There was unstoppable amusement in her voice."You know what it means.""I don't know.""You do know.""I don't know.""You know, I like you."Amidst this headless and tailless argument, he still chose to voice his true feelings.But Lucy slowly lowered her head, gazing at the empty road below."We... are impossible." There was a hint of a sigh in her voice."Why?""Because we aren't people of the same world.""Why do you say that?" He couldn't help feeling puzzled, slowly standing up and walking to her side: "Is it because I can't do it?""Not really."Lucy sighed again, interrupting his words, and said softly: "I feel like you'll become the most outstanding cyberpunk... probably.""But perhaps what makes you famous worldwide won't be the lifestyle of a present-day cyberpunk, but rather the tragic moment of your death in battle."Just as Stanley said—'Do you know where all the legends of Night City hang out?''In the graveyard.'This sentence is deeply imprinted in the hearts of everyone in Night City.Precisely because one is too outstanding and becomes a top cyberpunk, they cannot escape the fate of dying.This is the inescapable destiny of becoming a cyberpunk legend.No one can escape it.Thinking of this, Lucy also slowly stood up, gazing into the distance at the neon lights and sighing:"Such a life doesn't suit you.""But I won't die, and there is no difference between you and me.""There is a difference, I have nowhere else to go..."Yeah, aside from hiding within Night City to evade Arasaka's pursuit, where else could she go?Thinking of how she was always awakened by nightmares every time, a bitter smile slowly curled up at the corners of Lucy's mouth.Her life would probably just be like this.However, David denied her statement."No, I don't think we're different. I've lost everything too."Just as he arrived in this world, he witnessed his mother's death with his own eyes, becoming completely destitute.Losing everything.Until he met Lucy and possessed everything once again."If you want to leave, I can take you anywhere."Stop talking.Lucy troubledly tugged at her short hair, her heart falling into a struggle."If you want to leave Night City, I can take you away anytime."Stop talking."If you want to go to the moon, I can take you there too."Stop talking, I beg you."This is our promise, and it is also my oath. For you, I can give up everything."The moment his voice fell, Lucy suddenly turned around and hugged him, while a slightly cool yet soft touch came over his lips.It was a kiss.Lucy's kiss.He couldn't help widening his eyes, then gently closed them again.Enjoying this fleeting moment.His hands involuntarily hugged her back.After a long while, their lips parted."I don't want you to die."Lucy stared intently into his eyes.From those gorgeous violet-blue eyes, he saw worry and overflowing affection.Lucy had always been restraining herself, but now that restraint finally failed.Just like when he first met Lucy, Lucy's first encounter with him had plunged her deep into the mire from the moment she was saved."I've already said, I won't die, and I will take you anywhere you want to go."Whenever or wherever it may be.If Adam Smasher blocks the way, then dismantle him! Trample him to pieces!If Arasaka blocks the road, then turn this body into a blazing fire and burn this city to ashes!Thinking this, he hugged the young girl in his arms tightly once more and kissed her.Responding passionately.Just like the still bustling Night City tonight.The moonlight tonight is truly beautiful, and the breeze is also very gentle.Accompanied by the rocket slowly rising into the sky in the distance, they also found their own moon...53. Could this guy have traveled to another world? (7+8 / 13)The next morning.The scorching sunlight shone through the glass into the room, and Night City ushered in another free and beautiful day."Ah, the ceiling of a stranger's... no wait, Lucy's ceiling."David woke up lazily on the soft bed.He had just wanted to make a meme reference, but the moment he thought of Lucy still being by his side, he gave up that idea."Finally graduated from the profession of a grand wizard..."That's probably the right way to say it, right?At this moment, he was lying on that pink round bed. Lucy beside him was sleeping soundly covered by a thin blanket, but perhaps because of her poor sleeping posture, her upper body was exposed, leaving her fair skin and softness completely bared to the air.This bed was the place where they first connected their braindances together.Now it had also become the place of their first night together.Resting his head on his single arm, gazing at the LED screen on the ceiling that resembled a chandelier, he recalled everything that had happened in his heart.Waking up inexplicably to find himself transmigrated to Night City, going through numerous hardships, and finally attaining a happy ending with Lucy—only he himself knew the hardships involved.A lonely person living in this dangerous city...But remembering last night's toil, this sorrow felt worth it, and the hormones in his body began to unconsciously secrete automatically, starting to churn restlessly once again.At the same time, the corners of his mouth curled up involuntarily, overflowing with a happy smile.This could also be considered fulfilling one of his two greatest wishes in his heart after coming to Night City, right?The other was to burn down Arasaka Tower and smash Adam Smasher to pieces.If he could do it together with Silverhand, that would be even more awesome.Speaking of who the best teammate in all of 2077 was, none other than Johnny Silverhand.Who was the most charismatic person in 2077? That was also Johnny Silverhand.Johnny Silverhand changed V (the player), and likewise, V (the player) also changed Johnny Silverhand.
Chapter 45Since he had come to Night City, and it was still 2076, how could he not meet this legendary rocker?With that, fantasy time was over."I should get up too."He glanced briefly at the time and found it was almost noon, so he climbed out of bed on tiptoe, terrified of waking Lucy.Let her sleep a little longer.After all, last night had been quite exhausting, and the traces of their fierce battle still lingered on her body.Glancing at Lucy's delicate sleeping face, he quietly picked up his clothes, sneaked into the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and washed his face. The icy sensation perked him up a bit.Lifting his head, he saw the mirror on the vanity reflecting his slightly slender upper body."No wonder Lucy said back then that I wasn't cut out to be a cyberpunk."Looking at it now, he was indeed very thin. Even though he had already carved out well-defined six-pack abs and streamlined V-lines, he was still too thin.Compared to the behemoth gorilla-like Maine, he fell far short, and he couldn't even compare to Dorio, who was a woman.But he didn't like that kind of look; it looked too cumbersome and made for too big a target.Just the way he was right now was fine.After a quick wash-up, he got dressed and walked over to the bedside.Looking at Lucy's delicate sleeping face, the smile on his face overflowed uncontrollably."Sleep a bit longer, Lucy, and be careful not to catch a cold."As he spoke, he slowly bent down and pulled up the thin blanket that had rolled down to her waist.Sliding it along her fair and smooth skin, from her slender waist to her exquisite collarbones that he never grew tired of looking at, he tucked it neatly around her neck.At the same time, Lucy's light and somewhat warm breath gently brushed against his face.It tickled a little.His heart felt ticklish too.David leaned down once more to gently tap her forehead, suppressing that desire of his."I'm going to go take care of some things first."His voice remained very soft, and even his footsteps as he left the room were kept extremely light, making not the slightest sound like a ninja."Ding—click!"Accompanied by the closing of the electronic door, Lucy, who had been sound asleep, suddenly opened her eyes.That pair of dark purple eyes, radiating a splendor like a spectrum, gazed at the tightly closed door and flickered slightly.In fact, she had woken up much earlier than David.Perhaps out of the habit of waking up early, she couldn't fall back asleep after waking up, but she also didn't quite know how to face David, so she kept feigning sleep in an attempt to muddle through.Therefore, whether it was David's murmur just now or that heartwarming gesture, she felt all of it crystal clear.Thinking of how thoughtfully David had just covered her with the blanket, her heart filled with a deep sense of happiness.But at the same time, this happiness was mixed with a trace of sorrow.She didn't know whether her choice like this was right or wrong——On one hand, having once been an escaped asset of Arasaka Corporation, she might sooner or later be found by Arasaka's people, and she didn't want David to be implicated because of this.On the other hand, she truly liked David and deeply loved him.Especially during their late-night talk on the roof last night, David's words had caused the restraint in her heart to completely lose its effect.But since she had made this choice, choosing David, she had no regrets.In the future, they would just face it together.She was simply that kind of person——Although she would also feel sorrow, worry, and fall into confusion, once she made a choice, she would never regret it.However, what she didn't know was that the things she worried about were completely unnecessary.Regarding these matters, David already had his mind prepared.Just like the vow from yesterday, what of Arasakaeven?Smash it to pieces, and just crush right over it.At worst, he would turn this body into raging fire and burn down the entire Night City!Meanwhile, over on David's end, he was carrying out his daily work just like usual.Only today was slightly different, having set his sights on Charter Hill in Westbrook.That place was a wealthy district, and relatively speaking people there had money, but at the same time, the difficulty was much higher than those bottom-tier corpo rats on the monorail whose value had already been completely squeezed dry by corporations.However, for him possessing the Sandevistan, it was more or less harmless.One, two, three...While using remote hacking technology to eject their shard chips, he simultaneously used the Sandevistan to accelerate and quietly steal those chips.In just a few minutes, he had already stolen fifteen chips.But as for the amount..."Tch, they really are poor..."Blue light flickered in his eyes as he calculated the total amount of these chips, which came to just over ten thousand eddies in total.This was a wealthy district, after all...But on second thought, that made sense too; after all, this was on the street.How much money could people walking on the street possibly have?Besides, these people generally had many backup chips, and how many people would be foolish enough to carry all their wealth in their slots while swaggering around on the streets?If he wanted to make real money, it had to be over there.His gaze slowly cast toward the open-air plaza above the buildings as bustling as New York's Wall Street; that place and North Oak were where the truly rich people hung out.Basically, upper management from major corporations and middle-class corporate employees all frequented that place. Every night, you could see flying vehicles produced by Rayfield flying back and forth above, and below there were countless sports cars coming and going.But unfortunately, he couldn't go up there... he didn't have the qualifications to go there; that was a VIP zone."Ah, where's my money?""Mine is gone too!""Stop thief! There's a thief here, call the NCPD fast!"Suddenly, the crowd began to panic.Quite a few people had already discovered that the shard chips in their slots were missing, and they began looking around trying to find the thief. Some people even started contacting the NCPD."Holy shit, better run."Seeing this, David couldn't help quickening his pace to leave the place.If he got surrounded by the NCPD, it wouldn't be fun anymore.Although he could fight his way out or run away with fancy tricks, doing so would also get him a bounty or summon people from MAX-TAC.He certainly didn't want to face that woman again, especially not in an occasion like this."It really is bustling..."Gazing at the bustling scene around him, which was completely different from Santo Domingo and Watson, he let out a sigh.Right at this moment, a huge noise suddenly came from behind.Vroom——The progressively rising roar of an engine attacked from behind. A sky-blue sports car sped down the road, brushing past him and kicking up a cloud of dust."Damn it, where did this moron come from? Did he eat too much or something? Drag racing in a busy district in broad daylight?!"And right on the streets of Charter Hill!Were they really not afraid of running over some big shot?Watching the Quadra Turbo-R 740 speeding ahead, his brow furrowed slightly, and he used his hand to fan away the exhaust fumes lingering around the tip of his nose.His indignant words seemed to carry a tiny hint of jealousy.That was true, he truly envied and was jealous.The Quadra Turbo-R 740 was a classic sports car produced in the United States, featuring a powerful engine, nimble handling, and an imposing exterior. Although it fell far short compared to Rayfield, it was still every man's dream.However, what he said wasn't just words of jealousy.In a wealthy district like Westbrook, if a car accident really happened, it was highly likely that the other party was some corporate middle manager or some powerful and influential guy.Then the resulting ending would either be nothing happening at all, or being dumped into some dock in Night City.However, that sports car ahead seemed to have heard his voice and suddenly slammed on the brakes.Screeech——The friction between the suddenly locked tires and the asphalt made a harsh, piercing screech.That Quadra pulled a U-turn while leaving a black burnout trail on the ground, slammed on the accelerator, and charged right toward him."Holy shit, seriously? Committing murder in broad daylight?!"In less than three seconds, the sports car was already right in front of him, and he hurriedly used the Sandevistan to slow down time.At the same time as time seemed to come to a standstill, he saw the person in the driver's seat."Katsuo Tanaka?"David recognized the person in the driver's seat at a glance. With that flowing blue bowl-cut-like short hair and that arrogant face, it was hard to forget even if he wanted to.But now was not the time to care about that.He quickly dodged to the side, and time resumed its flow rate.Katsuo Tanaka in the driver's seat immediately noticed David suddenly disappearing, but his body completely failed to react in time. He even stepped on the floor-it-down accelerator once more, instantly reaching top speed and dashing stylishly into a streak of light...Boom——And crashed spectacularly into the flowerbed beneath the building.Seeing this, the people around panicked and scattered in all directions like startled birds and frightened fish.Looking over at the flowerbed, the hard stone wall had been crashed into with dense spiderweb-like cracks, and rubble slowly peeled off from it.As for that Quadra?Heh, the front of the car was completely deformed, smashed to pieces and deeply embedded into the stone wall of the flowerbed, wisps of blue smoke rising from it—it was just a hair away from flattening out completely.Looking at that tragic state, it just looked painful.But come to think of it, what was this guy planning to do?Did he want to run him over and kill him?He stood aside, quietly watching the severely deformed sports car while gently rubbing his chin.Even though he had uninstalled this guy's two Gorilla Arms last time, it shouldn't have made him this furious, right?Driving straight to hit someone?Didn't he think about the consequences if he missed hitting a person and crashed somewhere else instead?It was thanks to this being a bustling district and not a dock, otherwise this stunt would have forced an on-site performance of flying a car into the sea.Besides, was this guy's discharge time from the hospital really this fast?Clearly, he had suffered such severe injuries back then... Should one say as expected of Trauma Team?However, just as he was secretly grumbling to himself, Katsuo Tanaka, who had almost been choked to death by the airbag in the driver's seat, regained consciousness.The incoming sharp pain caused him to instinctively clutch his forehead, but he felt a slippery sensation.As the focus of his vision gradually recovered, he saw a smear of bright red on the palm of his hand."Blood...?"
Chapter 46"It's blood! Ahhhhhh! I'm bleeding!" Katsuo Tanakaput on a terrified look.Just like when they first met, he was still as pathetic as ever.Seeing this, David Martinez couldn't help shaking his head, feeling a bit embarrassed to be a classmate of this guy.But he still walked over, knocked on the nearly shattered car window, and said mockingly,"Hey, classmate Katsuo, shall we have a chat?""...‽"Katsuo Tanaka turned his head slightly upon hearing the voice, and upon catching sight of David Martinez, his eyes widened instantly and his pupils contracted."You... you...!"He stuttered for a long time without managing a complete sentence, as if his language module was damaged.But soon, Katsuo Tanaka chose to shut up, pushed open the car door aggressively, completely ignoring his bleeding forehead, and crawled out from inside while covering the left side of his face with one hand.His facial features twisted grimly with his expression, looking like he wanted to devour someone."Oh ho?"David Martinez took a couple of steps back and tilted his head slightly, mimicking Katsuo Tanaka's look from back then."What? Want to fight again?""You... you dare dodge, you, you, you, you, you, you, you lowly motherfucker! I, I will definitely make you pay the price—! The price!"He looked utterly exasperated, his chest heaving up and down continuously as if he had suffered a grave grievance."This guy's language module really is damaged; he's starting to talk nonsense."David Martinez muttered inwardly.Although this guy used harsh insults, according to his philosophy, he should teach the other party an unforgettable lesson—for example, converting him into a female joytoy and selling him off to Jig-Jig Street—but the moment he thought about how this guy acted like a disabled person, he instantly lost interest.What's the difference between bullying him and bullying a disabled person?Besides, his newly installed implant didn't look all that valuable...The Gorilla Arms 500 model was an evolution of the 400, but it was still trash.This guy still never learned his lesson, installing these flashy gimmicks again. Couldn't he install something military-grade or more valuable and decent?It made him completely lose the desire to throw hands...He sighed inwardly.Civilian implants were just like cell phones back in the day, getting upgraded every few days or months. Especially after the incident with Katsuo Tanaka, the corporation hurriedly developed and released a "stronger" new product.It was just that, in the system's eyes, this thing was utterly worthless and completely uselessly flashy.Then he turned around, intending to leave.But Katsuo Tanaka had no intention of letting him leave, running straight into the middle of the road to block his path."D-d-d-dammit! If y-y-y-you have the guts, don't leave.""I-I-I-I-I won't leave. What am I supposed to do here? Play house with you? I'm not your daddy."He said mockingly, imitating Katsuo Tanaka's tone.But this simple sentence made Katsuo Tanaka's cyberware eyes turn completely bloodred with rage. He looked overwhelmingly furious and deeply offended, acting just like a raving cyberpsycho, and once again started his flashy performance."Ora ora ora ora ora ora!"He once again showed off his blurry, wild amateur punches from back then right on the spot."Tsk, your tongue sure is nimble right now. Did your anger cure your stutter?""And this time it seems a bit faster?"David Martinez had an unmoved expression as he rubbed his chin and thought calmly.Just as he was preparing to use his Sandevistan to make some extra cash off this guy, the fellow suddenly vanished.Bang——A gust of wind brushed past his cheek, and a Behemoth produced by Militech, appearing out of nowhere, sped past right in front of him.Rough laughter came from atop it."Hahaha, scrap the corpo rats, freedom is in my hands!""Boss, did we just hit something?""Hit your mom's head, smash these corpo rats to pieces, blow those bastards up!"Accompanied by curses, a series of machine gun explosions and flashes of fire rang out from the vehicle.Right behind this Behemoth heavy transport vehicle, Militech security vehicles were in hot pursuit.Without needing to think, some gang must have hijacked a Militech shipment and was now fleeing in the Behemoth.But compared to that, he was much more concerned about another matter.The Behemoth could also be considered a heavyweight truck-kun. Since it had just hit Katsuo Tanaka, would this guy also get isekai'd to another world?And then make a triumphant return to take revenge on him?!At this thought, he turned his head in a start, but immediately let out a sigh of relief."Phew, close one..."He patted his chest reassuringly.No need to look; this guy had been smashed into a puddle of ketchup plastered against the wall, with only a vague human shape distinguishable. There was completely zero possibility of him getting isekai'd."But come to think of it, that's really tragic. Just how fast must it have been going to get smashed like this? Tsk tsk tsk..."Presumably, that Behemoth had its throttle locked down, right?Looking at the red humanoid imprint on the wall, he shook his head regretfully, and then turned his gaze to the equipment scattered around.Anyway, this guy was so dead it looked like he'd been hit by a Dual-Vector Foil; there was simply no possibility of bringing him back to life, so he might as well reluctantly accept this gear and exchange it for some spending money."Landing in progress, please clear the area! Security protocol initiated, obey all instructions."Just as he finished dealing with the equipment scattered on the ground, a roar echoed from the sky, accompanied by mechanical warnings.Raising his head, he felt a scorching blast of air hitting his face, while a sky-blocking steel behemoth slowly descended.It was a Trauma Team specialized Atlas AV produced by Zetatech.Aside from the paint job, it was practically identical to MAX-TAC's manticore."Hurry! Search and rescue the client!"A group of white-and-green clad, armed-to-the-teeth medical personnel jumped down from above."Oh ho, Trauma Team has come to rescue their sugar daddy."David Martinez bantered there like it was none of his business, and even pointed out the direction for them, "Over there.""Thank you for your cooperation."This group of Trauma Team members politely expressed their thanks, brushed past him, and rushed toward the spot he pointed to.But seeing that wall full of ketchup and the humanoid imprint, these people froze for a moment, and then unconcernedly fussed over it on the wall and the ground."Identity confirmed, platinum member client Katsuo Tanaka confirmed dead, preparing for body retrieval."They had lost another daddy once again, but they still took out shovels and carefully scraped what was likely Katsuo Tanaka off the wall, packing it into a body bag.Although the sugar daddy's death was extremely tragic, the necessary procedures still had to be followed.After all, a dead daddy is still a daddy."To still be able to tell who it is after getting smashed like this, that's seriously badass."Hearing what the Trauma Team said, he shook his head once more, forced back his laughter, put his hands in his pockets, and prepared to leave.However, the sirens ringing ahead and the appearing NCPD cruiser made him click his tongue in helplessness:"Tsk, will this ever end?!"54. Oscar Owes Me an Oscar"Name and occupation?""David Martinez, a student at Arasaka Academy.""What is your relationship with the victim?""Katsuo Tanaka is my classmate..."Not far from the scene of the incident, he was sitting on a bench undergoing interrogation, while the police officer in front of him jotted things down on a PDA to record his statements.However, while answering the inquiries, David Martinez's gaze kept involuntarily glancing toward the other side, complaining inwardly:"Tsk, what a big production..."Over there, a bipedal combat mecha stood by the side, standing a full three meters tall with machine guns and cannons on both arms, looking just like the battlefield mecha from a certain Battlefield 2042.But in reality, that thing was a big toy produced by Militech. Although its combat effectiveness didn't match its appearance at all, placed here, its lethality was still strong enough.At the very least, wiping out everyone on the street would be an absolute breeze, and taking down a cyberpsycho wouldn't be too difficult either.This also showed how much importance the NCPD attached to this matter.But that made sense too; after all, the scene of the incident was Westbrook—an affluent district symbolizing prosperity—not to mention the deceased was Katsuo Tanaka, who had ties to Arasaka.Even the NCPD, which was rotten to the core, now had to put up a decent act for their Arasaka daddy."Mr. Martinez, no need to be scared, we are just conducting a routine inquiry."Seeing that his expression was a bit abnormal, the police officer spoke up to comfort him.Although he hadn't heard of the surname Martinez, after confirming that he indeed came from Arasaka Academy, he had to treat him with careful caution.Heaven knew what kind of background this little fellow actually had.What if he was some illegitimate child of Arasaka Corporation's upper management?"No, Officer Uncle, actually... classmate Katsuo was a very good person... I never expected him to just die like this..."Hearing this, David Martinez shook his head, putting on a tearful, sorrowful look as if the two of them were close friends, and even the police officer in front of him believed it."Please accept my condolences." Reaching out to pat him on the shoulder, he continued, "Please describe the process of how this incident happened at the time.""Yes..."He lowered his head slowly and recounted everything that happened earlier to the officer."I came out from home, originally intending to go to school, when suddenly a sports car swoosh! zipped past me, and then screech! stopped ahead, turned around, and rushed back.""At first, I didn't know that was classmate Katsuo, and at the time, classmate Katsuo probably wanted to show off his driving skills to me, so his speed was very fast.""But later, whether because his throttle was locked or his brakes failed, classmate Katsuo couldn't stop at all, and bang! crashed into the flowerbed.""Afterwards, I hurriedly ran over to see how classmate Katsuo was doing. Katsuo, who had been rescued, wanted to express his gratitude to me and show off his new implant, the Gorilla Arms 500.""But I refused, so he ran right up in front of me and, disregarding my own wishes, specially demonstrated the essence of the Gorilla Arms 500 to me...""However, that damn Militech truck-kun... oh no, transport vehicle Behemoth, popping out from goodness knows where, bam! sent classmate Katsuo flying, and then he smashed into the wall and turned into this..."David Martinez vividly narrated everything that happened, even matching it with particularly exaggerated body language.It seemed like he was gloating, but his face was filled with sorrow.This magical sequence of events left the officer dumbfounded, and he subconsciously pulled up the nearby surveillance footage. When he took a look...Although there was no audio recording, it was indeed pretty much what happened.Katsuo Tanaka's death had not a single dime's worth of relation to the little fellow in front of him.Furthermore, judging from the surveillance footage, it appeared that a Militech transport vehicle had been hijacked by members of some gang, leading to this tragedy."...Officer Uncle, do you think classmate Katsuo got sent to another world by the truck-kun...?""...? "His question left the officer stunned. Then the officer patted his shoulder again and softly said: "Please accept my condolences, the dead cannot be brought back to life."He seemed to have mistaken him as someone suffering from excessive grief due to Katsuo Tanaka's death, leading to intermittent brain dysfunction or issues with his thought circuits.
Chapter 47But this was not his area of expertise; he was just an ordinary NCPD employee, so he got up and said,"Alright, thank you for your cooperation.""Ah? Is it over just like that?""Yes, you may leave."The police officer put away his PDA and hurried away, as if he were dodging some terrifying thing.For them, these corporate trust fund kids were the last people they wanted to face; one wrong word could easily offend them.Losing a job was a small matter, but if they accidentally lost their lives as well, that would be far too terrible.Furthermore, this matter concerned the son of Tanaka from the Arasaka Academy board of directors, so they couldn't afford to be careless at all.However, what this police officer didn't know was that after he left, David watched his retreating figure and slowly revealed a smile.Who would have thought that the identity of a student at Arasaka Academy would be so useful...---In the afternoon, he returned to the crew's hangout, an abandoned warehouse on Saint Amaro Street in Santo Domingo."Yo, you're here, kid." Inside the dim room, still filled with swirling blue smoke, Maine sat bare-chested and brawny, sprawled out on a slightly worn-out sofa.Rebecca and Dorio were nowhere to be seen today; presumably, the two of them were still at the medical center?As for Kiwi?Her figure could be faintly seen behind the curtain on the other side, lying in a bathtub, likely diving into the Net."Yeah, just earned some side cash."David nodded, sitting down beside Maine naturally, his gaze imperceptibly sweeping over Maine's bare body.The sharp lines of his body and a large number of modification traces were clearly visible on his robust muscles.Although he was an outsider, he could tell at a glance that the ripperdoc's technique wasn't very good; obviously, synthetic skin from Dermal Technology could perfectly conceal these traces, but it hadn't been done, and one could even say it was very crude.He came to this conclusion not only because Maine's combat implants had malfunctioned before, but also because Maine wasn't the edgerunner type who liked to expose implants.Besides that, there was another thing he was worried about.That was Maine's tolerance limit; the current Mainehad reached a critical point, needing potent suppressants every day to suppress the erosion brought by his implants.But sooner or later, there would be a day when he couldn't bear it anymore.But the problem was, given Maine's stubborn personality, he wouldn't even listen to Dorio's words, let alone his.Therefore, he could only take it one step at a time."We'll think of a way when the time comes..."Without paying attention, he mumbled his inner sigh aloud, which happened to be heard by Maine."Hm? What did you say?""No, nothing, I was just wondering how to make more money.""Hahaha..." Hearing this, Maine burst into laughter, and then his laughter abruptly stopped, his whole demeanor turning serious: "You wouldn't be thinking about covering Pilar's medical bills, would you? I didn't expect you, kid, to be so loyal, but instead of that, you should look out for yourself first.""I remember most of your body is still organic, so add a few more implants to make yourself stronger.""Although you're pretty good right now, it's still far from enough."As he spoke, as if to express his own strength, he flexed his muscles and flashed those huge palms of his."And then, just like you, end up walking the path of a cyberpsycho?"He muttered inwardly, but didn't say it out loud."Well, of course I understand what you're saying." Relaxing his body slowly, sinking deep into the soft sofa, he said leisurely: "I did think about helping Rebecca shoulder some of it... But right now, just like you said, my plan is to get stronger first."Everyone in Night City had their own way of living.But living for others—that way of living was the most inadvisable, and he knew this well.Therefore, if he wanted to help Rebecca, he had to first forge himself from iron into steel; only then would he have the capital to help others.And earn more money."If that's the case, it's for the best..."Maine gave him a deep look.Although David said that with his mouth, Mainedidn't believe it at all.Because after spending time together recently, he had gained a certain understanding of this kid.He was completely the type who lived for others, the kind of person who would dive headfirst into a fire pit without a second thought to save anyone in danger.Just like that incident with Pilar.Clearly Pilar had brought death upon himself, yet David still chose to rush up and save him the very first second.Death was inevitable for all edgerunners; you could say they danced on the edge of a knife and licked blood from the blade every day.Precisely David's mindset was the most undesirable and least suited for becoming a cyberpunk, but since David had chosen this path, as his guide, he naturally had to guide him well.However, this kid seemed a little different today.It was a difference in temperament, as if he had grown up a lot overnight.Maine's gaze repeatedly sized up David's body, and then he slowly leaned over and asked with curiosity: "Hey, what happened? You feel a bit different today.""Usually you always look so gloomy and a bit of a buzzkill, but today you're much more cheerful. Did you run into something good?""Is that so? Maybe it's because I ran into a bit of a happy thing on the way here."Thinking of Katsuo Tanaka being smashed into ketchup, a smile couldn't help but surface on his face."Hmm...?" Maine put on a contemplative expression, gently rubbing his chin: "Not that."As if wanting to see right through David, he moved a bit closer again, but then seemed to think of something, instantly wearing a knowing grin: "Did you do it?""Do what?"David slowly scooted a few centimeters away on the sofa, his gaze involuntarily casting elsewhere."You know, you've done it, right?""I don't know what you're talking about...""Haha, don't pretend, it's written all over your face."Indeed, just as Maine said, the four characters representing high spirits were written directly on his face.But he just refused to admit it no matter what.How could this kind of thing be shared with others?55. I always feel like you're seducing me, but I have no evidenceSplash——Suddenly, the sound of water came from behind the curtain, followed by the pattering sound of bare feet hitting the floor.Then the curtain was rudely pulled open.Kiwi walked out from inside, stark naked, holding a PDA in her hand.Unlike Lucy's youthful figure, Kiwi's physique tended to be tall and slender, and her graceful, curvaceous body couldn't help but make one's mouth water and appetite surge."Kiwi, any progress?" Maine asked calmly, seemingly accustomed to it."Totally~ none."Kiwi flopped down right beside him, not caring at all that she was completely naked, sitting close enough to feel the water vapor evaporating from Kiwi's body.Click——A faint flame lit the cigarette stuck in the gap of her mask, and she began to smoke it on her own."Ever since we stole the schedule data last time, Tanaka has stepped up security... Wanting to scout things out is completely out of the question.""Didn't I say so? If Faraday doesn't leak any info, we won't find a thing."Maine seemed prepared for the pessimistic status quo, though judging by his intent, continuing to target Tanaka wasn't his plan, but Kiwi's.Perhaps because of Rebecca and Pilar's situation, it also forced him to do this.However, what David cared about wasn't this, but the Ms. Kiwi beside him."Uhm... Ms. Kiwi? Can you put on some clothes first? There's a minor here..." He slowly said, spreading his hands helplessly."Oh~"Kiwi let out an amused sound, and then stood up from the sofa.Just when David thought this woman was getting ready to put on clothes, Kiwi straddled his legs, stood in an inverted-V stance right in front of him, and slowly bent down."What, is an older sister's body too stimulating for you?"Her voice held a hint of banter, and a playful gleam flashed in her eyes.The scent of tobacco mixed with a woman's body fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose, somewhat like the smell of Dior Poison perfume, yet a bit different."... So small."Looking at the two pieces of metal swaying before his eyes, he muttered silently, full of disdain.Lucy's were much bigger than hers, and much rounder, plus far more delicate.Simply irresistible.But speaking of which, was Kiwi a doll before?This level of body modification was something he had only ever seen on dolls.And not only that, the netrunner geniuses of this world seemed to either be pure organic, meaning their original flesh, or else they had been dolls who underwent massive modifications.He had never seen a netrunner genius who just independently installed implants to become one... Except for Mighty V.But he remembered Rebecca saying at some point that Kiwi was an old virgin..."Alright, stop messing around Kiwi, let's get back to business."Maine rebuked, and Kiwi shrugged helplessly: "Yeah, yeah..."Thud! She plopped back down beside him, her distance seeming a bit closer than before.And she picked up the PDA again to operate it.Toward this half-grown boy, she didn't dislike him, and even found him somewhat interesting.After all, a fresh and tender boy like this was a national treasure-level existence in this crew... or rather, in the entire mercenary underworld.Suddenly, her fingers operating the PDA stopped, and she looked at the content on it in surprise, saying:"Oh my, you and Tanaka's son are actually classmates...""What?! This kid goes to the same elite school as an Arasaka high-up's son?!"Maine was also immensely surprised by this sudden intel, gently pressing down on his head with thick fingers."Tch, you never asked me..." He brushed Maine's fingers away with one hand and said quietly: "That's right, Katsuo Tanaka and I went to the same school, but I've already dropped out. The principal called me to go back, but I couldn't be bothered...""Not only that, his grades were also quite stellar, and the possibility of him entering Arasaka and becoming a corpo rat in the future was also very high." Kiwi chimed in, seeming to have found intel about David on the PDA."This really surprises me." Maine once again showed a surprised expression, and then, as if possessed by a master detective, nodded knowingly: "I see, no wonder Gloria was always short on money; turns out it was to pay your tuition fees...""Can we please stop digging up my dark history? Is it that fun?" David said with dead fish eyes, expressionless: "Also, please stop bringing up my mother Gloria, thanks.""Oh right, by the way, Tanaka's son, Katsuo Tanakais already dead."This earth-shattering statement instantly shocked the two of them, as if the air itself had exploded."Nani——?!! What did you say? Tanaka's son is dead? When did this happen?!"Maine instantly showed a pair of vacant eyes; these successive bombshells had completely shattered his fragile mind.Perhaps ever since he entered the mercenary trade, he had never heard so many worldview-shattering news pieces as he did today."Well, he's indeed dead, I saw it with my own eyes." He continued with a helpless expression: "Do you still remember when I told you earlier that I ran into a happy thing today?""... Don't tell me?"
Chapter 48"That's right, it's definitely that.""Is this information accurate?" Maine immediately turned serious."Of course, I saw it with my own eyes. He died right next to me. A hijacked Militech transport truck, a Behemoth, smashed him into ketchup, and his gear dropped all over the ground. Trauma Team even had to scrape him off the wall when they arrived.""Unless Arasaka has some cloning technology that can extract Katsuo Tanaka's existence from his DNA, there's absolutely no saving him."Just then, Kiwi chimed in: "Indeed, what he's saying is true. There was a car accident this morning in Charter Hill, Westbrook, and the person killed was indeed Tanaka's son—Katsuo Tanaka."Upon hearing this, Maine fell into deep thought. After a moment of silence, he slowly said: "Perhaps we can make use of this...""Impossible, forget about it."David waved his hand dismissively: "You wouldn't happen to be expecting Tanaka to mourn his son, hold a grand funeral, and then try to intercept them, would you?""If that's the case, I'd advise you to drop that idea. Even if a funeral is held, the security level isn't something we can break through alone."Especially not with someone as cautious as Tanaka."That's true..."Hearing David's analysis, Maine nodded in agreement.He dismissed his impulsive thought.If they actually made a move, they wouldn't just be fighting Arasaka's security personnel, but also the NCPD and MAX-TAC.That's not something they can handle, especially after seeing that woman yesterday...She was simply too terrifying. Just recalling it now sends a chill down the spine."However, this point isn't entirely unusable. We can change our angle of approach, like using braindances or something...""What do you mean?"Maine's question earned him a look of disappointment, as if saying "You're the worst student I've ever taught," before he slowly continued: "Look, Tanaka's son just died, so he must be devastated, but his corporate work can't be put on hold.""Because of that, he's bound to accumulate a lot of stress and fatigue. So what's the best way to release that stress?""XBDs." Maine answered instantly."Bingo, correct." David snapped his fingers crisply with a pop!"Kiwi!""Yeah, yeah..."Hearing this, Kiwi immediately operated the PDA in her hands and quickly found what they were looking for: "Hmm, I've already found Tanaka's viewing history. There really are XBDs in there...""Haha, I didn't think you kid was actually quite capable."Maine cheerfully patted him on the back, though the force behind it was a bit overwhelming.If it weren't for the pain editor, it definitely would've hurt..."However, the bloody and violent tapes in there far outnumber the lewd ones, and there are even some cyberpsycho braindances.""Tch, so even corpo rats have these perverted hobbies..." Maine's expression was filled with disdain."Of course they do. Even though they hold high positions and wield great power, they're always walking on thin ice, so they have to be extremely careful in everything they do—especially with Arasaka's local emperor, Saburo Arasaka, pressing down from above..."David subtly shifted his body and said indifferently.What he cared about wasn't that, however, but the cyberpsycho XBDs."Kiwi, is that XBD you mentioned made by JK?""Ooh~ How did you know?"Kiwi continued operating her PDA without taking her eyes off the screen. Just as David had said, the XBDs in there were all crafted by someone named JK."It's simple, because JK is an expert at producing cyberpsycho XBDs."Braindance, full name braindance experience.It was invented at the University of California, Santa Cruz in the early 2020s. Its original purpose was to record people's experiences and playback them for others to feel, allowing them to experience it as if firsthand.Initially, it was used for therapy and prisoner rehabilitation—however, by 2077, it had evolved into a global media industry, encompassing mass entertainment like movies and video games, as well as interactive activities.Of course, adult content was also a staple.It's just that this adult content is neither officially acknowledged nor recognized.Thus, it became an underground industry—XBDs.Among XBDs, representative figures include Jotarofrom the Tyger Claws, as well as the braindance editor Gottfried Persson.Beyond that, the most famous of all is JK, full name Jimmy Kurosaki.He could produce and release continuous short films within 24 hours of an incident, and his XBDs were of exceptional quality, widely recognized by the upper classes, and he even offered custom services...David thoughtfully explained all of this to the two of them.Kiwi was fine and didn't react much, merely glancing at him slightly, but Maine wore another look of utter shock."I never took you for such a braindance nerd."As if seeing some strange new creature, or as if seeing the boy named David Martinez in a whole new light."Hey, hey, hey, don't look at me with that kind of gaze. I just happen to know an acquaintance who specializes in selling XBDs, and he's always pushing this stuff on me from time to time."David said with a helpless expression.Honestly, he really had no interest in this kind of braindance; it was entirely the original body's fault.For him, if he really wanted to enjoy the thrill of killing, joining MAX-TAC directly would be much more satisfying.No matter how realistic a braindance is, it's still fake.Experiencing firsthand the thrill of bones being crushed, muscles being torn, and the target's life slipping away in his hands...What could be more direct, stimulating, and unforgettable than experiencing it personally?"We don't care what you do, but can you provide any useful intel?"Kiwi made no effort to conceal the disgust in her voice, almost mistaking him for one of those weirdos who liked experiencing a cyberpsycho's life."Of course I can. Since it's custom-made, there has to be a custom location, and since this perverted stuff can't see the light of day, Tanaka won't bring bodyguards either. So we can start from there...""You're getting sharper and sharper, kid."Maine's loud laughter interrupted him, patting his head with a loud thud: "You really are a true man now, hahahaha.""What are you guys talking about? Did something happen?" Kiwi looked completely baffled, having completely missed the point of their conversation."It's just...""Nothing at all!""56. Are you guys really mercenaries? (4.6K)"Hours later, Maine contacted everyone, and the team members gathered once more.However, the location they chose to gather wasn't their usual hideout in Santo Domingo, but rather a Scavengers den located in Japantown.Because it was safe and sufficiently hidden, making it ideal for discussing such major matters.To this end, they cleared out the Scavengers once again.These guys were like American cockroaches; as soon as you cleared out one batch, a new wave would appear, endless and unending..."Kiwi, how's the preparation coming along?"Inside the Scavengers' slaughterhouse, after clearing away the indoor debris, Maine looked at Kiwi, who was squatting on the ground operating her PDA, and asked."Wait just a moment..."Pop-ups were reflected in Kiwi's eyes as her hands flew swiftly across the keyboard."Is that so, then...""Hold on, Maine, I have a question."Before Maine could speak, David suddenly interrupted: "Is it really okay that we're not bringing Rebecca along for this mission? Right now she should be—""Well, this time is an exception." Maine waved his hand: "Rebecca's current state is very unstable, so it's better to let her keep guarding Pilar..."At that, Maine's voice suddenly cut off. After pondering for a moment, he continued: "Besides, I'll give Rebecca and Pilar a separate cut of the payout this time.""Understand, kid?" Maine glanced sideways at David with a hint of warning.Catching Maine's gaze, he instantly understood and shrugged: "Yeah, yeah, I get it."In reality, this operation wasn't quite what Mainemade it out to be.This was just an operation to salvage their reputation and reconnect with the famous fixer Faraday. Unless they got useful intel, Faradaywouldn't continue cooperating with them.But when it came down to it, Faraday just wanted to squeeze them and make them work for free."Very well, does anyone else have any questions?"Maine's gaze swept slightly over the group, but no one raised any further questions.Originally their team had six people, but now only Kiwi, Lucy, Dorio, and David were left...As for Falco, he was an external support personnel and full-time driver, so he didn't count as part of the combat team."Alright then, since there are no questions, let's talk about the plan for this time.""Not long ago, Faraday sent over a lead regarding Tanaka. It turns out he really does occasionally travel without bodyguards, using Delamain's service instead.""Doesn't want to be tracked, huh?" Dorio chimed in."Delamain protects him tight, and it's impossible to pinpoint his destination."That was true. If you asked what the best way to travel while concealing your itinerary was—Old Del could definitely rank number one.A taxi company run by an AI, where all client profiles and itineraries are kept completely confidential. Even corporate people couldn't do anything about Delamain.Moreover, in the eyes of outsiders, Delamain Taxi Company wore a veil of mystery.Even gangs were unwilling to mess with them."Hmm... I looked into the custom XBD service. The buyers are mostly corporate elites, celebrities, gang bosses... and you need a referral to enter, plus the location is confidential..."At that, Kiwi's voice sounded somewhat deflated, "If we want to dig any deeper, we'll have to talk to the man himself.""So, how do we talk to him?" Lucy, who had been silent the whole time, asked with her arms crossed."Talk to him face-to-face." Maine answered instantly, and Kiwi chimed in: "Just right, I just found out he booked a table at the Embers nightclub tonight, all by himself.""Then when he's about to leave, we'll invite him over."Hearing this encouraging piece of intel, Maine's face broke into his signature smile once again: "We're going to treat him really well."Their synchronized back-and-forth left David dumbfounded, and he immediately chimed in: "Hey, hey, hey, you guys aren't serious, are you? You're planning to just go abduct Jimmy Kurosaki like that?""Hm? Kid, you got a problem with that?""Of course I do, the problem is huge, okay?!" David spread his hands helplessly: "I mean, no matter what, Jimmy Kurosaki is still sort of a celebrity. Do you really think you can just catch him like that?""Isn't he just an XBD director?"Maine's face showed a hint of disdain.Not just him; aside from Lucy, who didn't react much, everyone else wore a look of scorn.Just some guy who makes XBDs, what kind of tricks could he possibly have?Every last bit of their disdain was seen by David, causing a bunch of dark veins to pop up on his forehead, and his eye corners to twitch involuntarily."...Are these guys really mercenaries?"He couldn't help but feel a bit doubtful.No wonder they wiped out so often. Charging in so recklessly, not dying violently on the street was only thanks to the fixers providing relatively comprehensive intel.Though he kept complaining inwardly, he patiently explained to them: "Jimmy Kurosaki, an elusive figure, the most famous braindance director in the XBD world...""We already said that, we all know it."Before he could finish, Maine interrupted: "What on earth are you trying to say, kid?""I'm saying, do you really think someone who makes XBDs, and a lone wolf at that, is as simple as you think? That he goes out without any protective measures? Don't forget, he's an XBD director who specializes in cyberpsychos."
Chapter 49"What do you mean?""You really are stupid..." David Martinez sighed inwardly, helplessly rubbing his forehead before continuing, "According to the clues provided by my fixer, Jimmy Kurosaki himself has undergone some kind of special modification. Not to mention he's also carrying some kind of EMP weapon, the kind that prioritizes neural implants. Are you sure you guys still want to rush in and kidnap someone like that?"As soon as those words were said, the ones most shocked were the netrunners Kiwi and Lucy.Although they had never experienced being hit by an EMP, just thinking about what that would feel like didn't seem very pleasant.They immediately frowned and cast their gazes at Maine, as if saying, "Why didn't you do any prior investigation?"Yet Maine himself unconcernedly patted David Martinez on the shoulder. "Haha, I didn't expect you brat to actually have a fixer of your own now, and even went out of your way to investigate. Good job!"Maine was becoming more and more satisfied with the kid, David Martinez.Although his personality wasn't entirely satisfactory yet, present-day David Martinez was undoubtedly a qualified mercenary.But the smile on his face quickly faded, replaced by a serious expression as he asked, "So, what do you plan to do, kid?"He decisively tossed the question back to David Martinez."I don't have any good plans either; we'll just have to stick to your original plan." David Martinezshrugged and said indifferently, "However, we have to be constantly careful around this guy."In reality, all the intelligence regarding Jimmy Kurosaki was pieced together from his memories.Moreover, it was just surface-level information; what else there actually was, he didn't know.For a guy like this, he wouldn't be the least bit surprised even if he had a Sandevistan on him.However, he had indeed contacted Regina Jones, only to inquire about cyberpsychos.Because he suddenly remembered Jimmy Kurosakionce saying that almost all military-grade implants had braindance recording equipment on them, and what were the most common military-grade implants?Naturally, military-grade Sandevistans and Kerenzikovs.Regina's side had indeed found braindance recording equipment on Zarya Hughes's Sandevistan, while the Kerenzikov did not have any.This also let him breathe a sigh of relief.He felt reassured, knowing at least that what he and Lucy liked doing together wouldn't be recorded into an XBD.He didn't want to buy a braindance of himself and Lucy one day from a black-market merchant on Jig-Jig Street or a ripperdoc at some back-alley clinic.---Embers Nightclub, a magnificent gathering place for the wealthy.Located at the border of City Center and Heywood, it was a nightclub that only the upper class were qualified to enter.It was said that the name was born because after the Fourth Corporate War, City Center quietly burned amidst the embers.But for David Martinez, the name held an even deeper meaning.Here, he had met with Hanako Arasaka countless times, and it was after this that he chose to fight shoulder to shoulder with the Aldecaldos to storm the belly of the beast; or surrender his body to Johnny, letting him and Rogue toll the death knell for Arasaka; or have just the two of them, him and Johnny, turn their broken bodies into raging flames to burn down Arasaka....Or else, betray friends, betray everything, letting this fleeting dream rest in peace beyond the nine heavens."The target is heading towards you."Lucy's voice came through the comms."Got it, I know."Inside the underground parking lot, David Martinez, who was driving Maine's beloved car, and the others hidden throughout the parking lot finally caught sight of Jimmy Kurosaki.Come to think of it, it seemed that when starting as a street kid, it was also like this, starting by stealing a car in the parking lot of Embers Nightclub and meeting Jackie Welles.Except now there was no V, no Jackie Welles, and even less of Kirk Sawyer's good buddy Rick, only David Martinez preparing to kidnap a famous XBD director..."Ah—?! Excuse me... Could you possibly be that super famous braindance director, Jimmy Kurosaki?!""Who are you?"David Martinez, who had just stepped out of the car, successfully grabbed Jimmy Kurosaki's attention with his exquisite Oscar-level acting skills.However, when JK turned around, those eyes as stagnant as lake water... no, to be exact, eyes devoid of the slightest vitality like a dead person's, gave David Martinez a secret shock in his heart.Sure enough, this guy was abnormal.Even though he was already prepared, actually seeing it still inevitably felt shocking.Was this really a gaze that a living person could possess?Not only was it as dull as a dead person's, it was even more like a cyberpsycho having an episode, yet without the madness, possessing only an endless depth like a black hole.Furthermore, Jimmy's gaze kept sizing up his entire body, just like picking out goods in a convenience store.But despite this, the acting he was supposed to put on didn't drop at all."I knew it!"While exclaiming in surprise and spreading his arms wide, he secretly and slowly approached JK."I'm a huge fan of yours! Do you know there's a ripperdoc in the Glen selling XBDs? That guy constantly pushes your works on me, and I like your works so, so much!""Oh."Facing David Martinez's enthusiastic and abnormal reaction, Jimmy Kurosaki did not develop any suspicions.But as the other party gradually approached, Jimmyimperceptibly took two steps back to widen the distance and then extended a hand to stop David Martinez's pace."Ah haha, sorry, sorry, I was just too excited... Looks like I've caused you trouble, ahahaha..."David Martinez scratched the back of his head like a lovable dummy, but inwardly he kept cursing silently.Wasn't this bastard's vigilance a bit too high?Normally, even if someone didn't react much upon seeing a fan, they wouldn't keep them at arm's length like this, right?"Sorry, I have to go.""Ah, is that so... What a pity, it's truly an honor to see you in person, whether..."Right at this moment, David Martinez's voice came to an abrupt halt, because he saw a familiar orange light well up in Jimmy's eyes, the kind of glow that only appeared when using cyberware eyes.And at the back of Jimmy's head, a cyberware eye appeared, staring at Maine hiding behind the pillar.At the same time, his hand faintly reached toward the ordinary-looking box at his waist that looked just like an ornament."Fuck, what an idiot!"Was even hiding his figure done this poorly?!David Martinez cursed inwardly and hurriedly activated his Sandevistan.The flow of time instantly slowed down, and Jimmy's motion reaching for the EMP electromagnetic pulse weapon also seemed to freeze.But the next second."Mmhmm."A smile suddenly surfaced on Jimmy's face...That's not right, this was time nearly frozen under the effect of a Sandevistan, how could this guy possibly smile!In other words, just as he had guessed, this guy also had a military-grade Sandevistan on him!Thinking of this, his legs suddenly exerted force as he stomped hard on the ground, his figure vanishing from the spot in a flash and appearing right in Jimmy's embrace, yet Jimmy's hand had already touched the rotary button on top.Bzz—Thud—The sound of the electromagnetic pulse destroying surrounding electronic equipment and the teeth-grating sound of clashing teeth sounded almost simultaneously.Lucy, who was on guard duty on the outer side of the parking lot, heard the faint sounds echoing from inside the parking lot and instantly turned her head."Oh no, David!"She hurriedly ran inside with anxiety.Jimmy Kurosaki was already lying on the ground, and the EMP weapon on his body had broken down into parts scattered all around.The surrounding lights had all been wiped out within the range of this EMP interference, plunging all electronic products except implants into a brief blackout."Fuck... Blech—"David Martinez knelt halfway on the ground, retching non-stop.What kind of feeling was that?It felt as if his brain had been plucked out, thrown into a washing machine to be mixed evenly, and then shoved back into his head. Everything in his field of vision was spinning violently, and he could barely stand steady.However, he still had it relatively good.Over by the SUV, even though Kiwi had prepared early on, she was still slumped over the car window, vomiting out her dinner.Dorio was also clutching her forehead, in immense pain.As for Maine?Same as always, the intense EMP interference directly knocked him out cold."Damn bastard..."David Martinez recovered a bit of strength and once again cast his gaze toward Jimmy Kurosaki, who was lying on the ground staring up at the ceiling.However, this guy was quite tough; a punch actually hadn't knocked him down.Not only that, he just lay there nonchalantly raising both hands as he said, "I surrender, I surrender, raising the white flag in surrender."In that flat voice, there wasn't the slightest awareness of being a captive, nor even any resistance."Do you guys want something with me? I'm guessing you're probably not here to kill me, right?"Jimmy raised his head slightly, and for the first time, an emotional change appeared in his eyes: mockery.As if looking at a clown."Fucking hell..."Recovering a bit more strength, David Martinezsteadied himself against the hood of the car and wobbled to his feet. He dragged the Db-2 Satara out of the car, chambered a round with a click, and pressed it against Jimmy's forehead.Because of his headache, his face was contorted with ferocity, and even his hand holding the firearm was involuntarily trembling slightly.That last hit just now was truly fucking invigorating."Aha, of course, I don't want to lose my life over such a trivial matter... Am I right, Mr. Fanboy?""You fucking..."An impulse to blow this bastard away rose in his heart, but he still suppressed it.Although this kidnapping plan had a few bumps along the way, could it still be considered a complete success?Except for Maine, who was taking a beating while unconscious...Being savagely beaten by Dorio with loud thuds.Dorio was really going pretty hard.Tsk, just watching it looks pretty painful...57. Tanaka: Forever losing my son, looking around at utter ruin."Marcus, what business do you have to suddenly come disturb me again?"Inside the familiar and dim office in the ArasakaTower at City Center, Tanaka sat on the sofa.Looking at his comfortable demeanor, he hadn't even taken off the braindance wreath on his head; he had probably just vented the accumulated pressure and gloom of recent days through a braindance."There is some bad news I want to tell you..."Marcus's voice came through the comms, but he seemed extremely hesitant."Why are you hesitating so much? If you have something to say, spit it out!""Yes... This matter concerns your son, Katsuo Tanaka. This morning, your son got into a car accident and has passed away...""What—?!"Tanaka, who had just been acting like a big shot, immediately stood up, not even caring that the sunglasses on his face were slightly crooked.The eyes beneath the lenses widened immensely, as if seeing something that was most impossible to happen."Marcus, say that again! What happened to my son?!"
am very sorry, as you heard, your son Katsuo Tanaka has passed away. This message was sent from the NCPD and has been confirmed by Trauma Team.""Im—pos—si—ble—! My son was just discharged from the hospital yesterday, how could he die today?!!!"The flesh on Tanaka's face was trembling slightly, and his hands were tightly clenched and kneading his own palms, looking like a writhing, crawling monster, leaving gruesome bloody scratches on his palms."You're lying to me!"He desperately wanted to shout this out, but no matter how many times he opened his mouth, he never managed to say those words.Because Trauma Team does not lie.Since they had confirmed the news over there, it meant his son was truly dead.Furthermore, Marcus had no reason to lie to him, there was no benefit whatsoever to be gained, and the fate of deceiving him was usually extremely miserable (Tokyo Bay warning).Just like that, Tanaka stood there, lowering his head to stare at the tabletop, his body shivering for a long time.After a while, the anger in his heart was finally temporarily suppressed by him, and with a thud, he sat back down on the sofa, his whole person seeming to have aged decades.Tanaka felt as if the entire world had lost its color, turning into black and white, and those lost colors transformed into sharp swords piercing right through his heart.It hurt, it really hurt so much.Losing his son forever, looking around to see only ruin.At his age, he had finally managed to have a son after much difficulty, so he doted on this son all the more, expecting him to grow up and inherit his position.But now...He truly could not imagine that such a thing would happen, that such a tragedy would befall him.The son who had been jumping around alive just yesterday was suddenly gone with a snap today...His trembling hands tried to take off the sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, but after feeling around for a long time and failing to touch them, he gave up on the idea.But from beginning to end, not a single tear fell, because the Corporation does not need tears.His hands were intertwined, supporting his chin in a pose reminiscent of Commander Ikari. Shadows covered half of his face, and his sunglasses slightly reflected an eerie glow."Marcus, my son... how did he die?"Marcus straightforwardly told Tanaka the report sent by the NCPD and brought up a video feed.But even Marcus felt his scalp tingling right now.Although he could not see Tanaka's appearance at this moment, this emotionless, ice-cold vocal tone was exceptionally terrifying.This was the first time he had seen such a terrifying side to his superior.But when he finished speaking, and the screen froze on the image of the Militech transport vehicle Behemoth crashing into Katsuo Tanaka, a chill crept up his spine.A wave of coldness seemed to cross through the signal to reach this side, lowering even the temperature of the air along with it.Tanaka naturally knew what his son was like—he liked street racing on ordinary days, the most typical spoiled brat.But with an old man like him watching over him, he was still doing quite well for himself in Night City.At least no one dared to touch him.But now..."Marcus, have you found any information regarding this transport vehicle?""Yes..."With trembling hands holding the PDA, Marcushurriedly enlarged the surveillance footage.It showed two shirtless males on top of the vehicle."It's the Animals. They hijacked a Militech vehicle, and it seems experimental-grade military supplies are loaded inside."It's the Animals again!He remembered that the last time it was the Animals who attacked a corporate vehicle, and now it was them again!Creak, creak—The hands supporting his nose tightened involuntarily.When his gaze shifted to the miserable state of his son's death, smeared like ketchup across the wall...A flame named anger gradually spread in his heart, burning fiercely with the pain of losing his son as firewood. The intense heat within his heart made even breathing difficult for him.Marcus on the other end of the comms naturally heard Tanaka's heavy breathing, but right now he didn't know what to say, nor did he know what tone to use for comfort.He could only say one thing— "Please accept my condolences."Condolences?Heh, in all his life he understood everything except what it meant to accept condolences!"Dispatch Arasaka security forces and wipe out those little bastards for me!""But..." Marcus's voice revealed a hint of hesitation.Arasaka's security teams couldn't be mobilized so casually; if they were even slightly careless, opponents would seize upon it as leverage, or it could trigger the Fifth Corporate War.Furthermore, Tanaka's string of reason was clearly burned through by anger at this moment."There are no buts! I will bear whatever consequences arise..."Before Tanaka could finish his words, suddenly another call came in.Seeing the contact name displayed, Tanaka frowned slightly, and even his voice grew calm."Alright Marcus, leave this matter to you to handle. Tomorrow I do not want to see any more news about the Animals anywhere within Night City."Before Marcus could give any response, Tanakahung up the comms right on the spot and then answered the other communication.Sitting inside his cramped office, Marcus stared dumbfounded at the hung-up phone.He hadn't expected his superior to hang up the comms so decisively.He hadn't made any psychological preparations over here yet, hey!But what else could he do?A higher rank crushes you to death...Marcus shook his head helplessly.Thus, he began contacting Arasaka's security department, relaying Tanaka's orders word for word.Things having reached this point, he could only carry out the orders issued by Tanaka; worst case scenario, he would push all the responsibility onto Tanaka in the end.And he silently prayed in his heart for Counter-Intel's V, or Arthur Jenkins, or Director Abernathy...Anyone would do, as long as just one of them came back!Right now, the only ones who could steadily suppress Tanaka were them.Meanwhile, on Tanaka's side..."I understand, I'll head over right now."After listening to the explanation from the other side of the phone call, he hung it up.The content was also very simple: Jimmy Kurosakiwas the one who had just called, saying he had a freshly baked braindance he could recommend to him.And right now, Tanaka happened to have nowhere to vent the anger in his heart; using this braindance to vent his fury could not be more suitable...58. Jimmy Kurosaki and Tanaka's Misfortune (6K)"David, are you alright?"Lucy gently stroked his back, her eyes filled with worry, completely devoid of her usual calmness.Ever since last night, some changes had occurred in Lucy, changes so subtle that even she herself hadn't noticed.She had become extremely anxious about David, terrified that she might lose him at any moment.By this time, they had already arrived at the storeroom of Jimmy's black braindance studio, and the shelves behind them were lined with various black braindances about cyberpsychos.For certain zealots, this place was simply paradise."I'm fine... just need to recover a bit more."David sat on an iron drum, gently massaging his temples. The impact from the EMP wave earlier had still not worn off even now.But there was nothing he could do; who told him to be the closest one?It was practically zero distance from the detonation point; not passing out on the spot was already proof of his firm willpower.It was also thanks to him not having undergone netrunner modifications, otherwise his end would probably have been even more miserable.On the other side, sitting in a chair and strictly monitored, Jimmy was communicating with Tanaka.Beside him, Kiwi's eyes flickered with an orange glow. The moment this fellow showed the slightest unusual movement, she would upload a Daemonright on the spot and blow this son-of-a-bitch bastard's brains out in a blaze of fire.But from the looks of it now, Jimmy's call should be finished."How is it?""Tanaka said he's on his way over.""Very good." Maine nodded with satisfaction, then immediately threw a glance toward Lucy and Kiwi.The two of them instantly understood and left the warehouse.The two of them were going to prepare protective measures, such as setting up jammers and the like, just in case the NCPD or Trauma Team came to stick their noses in later."David, you need to be careful yourself."Before leaving, Lucy didn't forget to give a word of caution."Rest assured, I'm fine." David managed to squeeze out a trace of a smile.His head was dizzy and bloated, it really felt terrible..."Then, I'll leave this place to you. Don't let him out of your sight, kid." Maine patted his shoulder lightly, then pulled out another injector and pressed it against his arm, letting out a sound of comfort."Alright, leave it to me with confidence."Seeing that he didn't have any major problems, Maine left the storage room.The room returned to silence once again.However, Jimmy's pair of still-water-like, somewhat creepy eyes kept staring straight at him."What? Is there a flower on my face?""No, about what happened just now, my apologies.""Oh? I didn't expect a guy like you to actually apologize, but there isn't much sincerity to it." David spread his hands, a disdainful smile appearing on his face.Even though this fellow was indeed apologizing, he wore a nauseating grin on his face, making one desperately want to smash a sandbag-sized fist ruthlessly against that damn face.To prevent himself from failing to restrain this impulse in his heart, he slowly stood up and walked toward the shelves behind him, casually flipping through things."Do you like my work very much?"This fellow acted as if he had nothing better to do, always wanting to find some topics to talk about."No, for the heads of cyberpsychos, I don't have the slightest interest." After taking a look at a pulled-out black braindance for a couple of seconds, he put it back.While looking at the next one, his tone shifted: "However, I'm quite curious, you actually aren't pulling any petty tricks."A trace of sentimentality seeped through his voice.His meaning was very clear, referring to the small toys hidden in the corner of the studio—two Militech-produced drones, briefcase-sized Pterosaurs.Although those things were mere toys to David himself, they were quite a significant threat to Maine's crew.Especially for the two netrunners Lucy and Kiwi; breaking through the Militech-grade ICE wrapped around them would take quite a while, and that much time was enough to pound them into minced meat."Well, I understand the cyberpunk style, and I don't have any other choice, right?""Heh, didn't expect you to cherish your life quite so much, you cunning bastard."Far from showing any intention of refuting David's sneer and disdain, he calmly accepted it instead.However, the next second he suddenly smiled mysteriously: "Just like you, I'm also very interested.""Me?"
Chapter 51David suddenly turned around and met Jimmy's dead, corpse-like eyes."That's right, it's you."At this moment, those eyes were once again filled with a certain emotion.Excitement.An excitement as if seeing a rare treasure."Do you know where I got those cyberpsycho braindances from?""That's a really stupid question." David sneered, "It's nothing more than extracting it when you dismantle military-grade implants that come with built-in braindance recording devices designed for easy data collection.""Oh-ho, knowing that, you still dared to install it...""So what?" David's voice gradually grew cold.If he hadn't suddenly remembered this point and coincidentally replaced his Sandevistan, his and Lucy's adult movie would probably have been released to the public.Although recording it as a fun couple's activity between the two of them wouldn't be bad, letting other people enjoy it?It would be better to destroy Night City... no, just destroy the entire world altogether.However, Jimmy didn't continue, only slightly tilting his head as if looking behind him: "Then do you know who the previous owner of the military-grade implant you installed was?""James Norris, a cyberpsycho who killed 27 people, went head-to-head with MAX-TAC in the end and had his head blown off with a single shot."David recounted all the information about the military-grade spine on his body one by one, and Jimmy's eyes widened more and more, as if he had truly laid eyes on some rare treasure."My, oh my, thanks to you knowing so much, you still dared to put this thing on your body... Even a hardcore soldier like James Norris couldn't handle it in the end and turned into a cyberpsycho...""What on earth are you trying to say?" David's tone immediately turned unfriendly."Tsk tsk tsk, nothing, I just wanted to ask you, why did you install a military-grade implant? Do you think you're different in some way?""Different?" He slowly walked back to the metal drum, sat down, and locked eyes with Jimmy: "I've never considered myself special in any way; I'm just an ordinary person."An ordinary person with a system, nothing more."Ah haha, in other words, you volunteered to become a cyberpsycho?" The corners of Jimmy's mouth curled up slightly, "Over these past few years, I've seen way too many cyberpsychos.""Without exception, they all thought they could take it and believed they were special, but someone like you, who clearly knows your own limits yet still chooses to install it..."As Jimmy spoke, his emotions grew increasingly agitated, and he couldn't help but open his arms: "It's truly wonderful, simply a rare treasure! A culinary delicacy! It's just so exciting!"This guy, just like everyone else, wasn't optimistic about David.But a cyberpsycho?Heh, he would never become that kind of thing.Even if that day really came, the asshole right in front of him wouldn't live to see it.Even if this guy didn't die at Tanaka's hands today, after kidnapping Tanaka, he would personally finish this guy off.For no other reason; first, because this guy was too disgusting, and second, because the implants on this guy seemed pretty valuable...But the next second, he suddenly countered: "What about you? My dear asshole sir, aren't you afraid that installing a military-grade implant will strip your soul from your flesh like those cyberpsychos, forcing you into the machinery, falling to the edge of the void, unable to break free?""Oh-ho, you really asked a good question." Jimmysuddenly stopped his wild laughter, turning calm and mysterious."As for me, it's just for self-preservation. Furthermore, as you've seen, my usage isn't as proficient as yours, nor do I completely rely on it. When the corrosion reaches the critical point, I'll just uninstall this thing."With no intention of hiding anything at all, he simply spilled everything.This move also surprised David quite a bit.But on the surface, he still maintained that calm appearance: "Oh, is that so?"Squeak——Right at this moment, the sound of brakes came from outside the factory.He glanced outside."It seems our conversation ends here, Mr. Jimmy Kurosaki."---Squeak——A Delamain private cab stopped in front of Jimmy Kurosaki's dark braindance studio.The surrounding area consisted entirely of abandoned factories, which happened to perfectly hide this place, but this was just one of Jimmy's old hideouts anyway."As requested, the ride record has been deleted." Old Del's familiar voice sounded from inside the black taxi.Tanaka, sitting in the car, crossed his arms without any response. After the car stopped, he pushed the door open and stepped out."Looking forward to serving you again next time."Delamain successfully raised a flag for Tanaka, making Tanaka look like an old general on a stage with his back stuck full of banners.Up until now, of all those who had heard Old Delsay these words, very few managed to survive.For example, Jackie, V, and this Mr. Tanaka, not a single one of them managed to survive successfully.Perhaps, if Delamain changed industries, he'd be very popular—like a hitman or a mercenary, specializing in assassination jobs.Afterward, the taxi drove away.Tanaka stood before the large gate of this abandoned factory and looked up.After the long car ride, his rationality finally recovered somewhat from the raging flames of anger, and doubts inevitably arose in his heart.As far as he knew, although everything produced by Jimmy Kurosaki was of high quality, his production speed was very slow, basically taking a few months to release a new work.Yet this time, even though it hadn't been long since his last release, there was actually a new work already.This surprised him somewhat."Could it be that he got some good material?"Feeling doubtful, Tanaka ultimately rang the doorbell of the factory gate."Hello, Mr. Tanaka, please come in."Jimmy's voice came through the intercom, and immediately afterward, the gate opened automatically.Shua-da——What came into view was an area resembling an office space, filled with a large number of computers, and Jimmy Kurosaki was deep inside. Judging by his appearance, it seemed he had been waiting for a long time.Tanaka slowly walked in, and the door behind him closed immediately.The hard leather soles of his shoes stepped on the ground, producing a faint echo."Your production speed is quite fast this time; new works usually take a few months.""I am truly sorry, my selection criteria for material are very high. I believe you understand."Jimmy first expressed his sincere apology, and then brought out his pre-prepared speech: "But this time's work, I strongly recommend...""Ho ho, this guy is putting on quite a convincing act."A strange smile appeared on the face of David, who was hiding on the stairs.For Jimmy Kurosaki, this truly counted as a rare new work, and it was the most thrilling kind—An in-person, firsthand experience."Stop daydreaming, kid. Get ready to move."Maine, who was beside him, gave him a slight nudge, instantly interrupting his train of thought."Would you like to start the custom session immediately?" Jimmy said, slowly spreading his arms.His eyes were still as devoid of joy or sorrow as before, without even a hint of fear, and a faint, professional smile hung on his face."My son passed away today, so I'll take the chip and leave in a bit."At the mention of his son's death, the flesh on Tanaka's face involuntarily twitched.That was a pain he could never erase in his lifetime.Only by experiencing the madness of those cyberpsychos could he make up for this pain and emptiness."I see."Hearing Tanaka's words, Jimmy slowly lowered his arms, his voice filled with regret: "I am extremely satisfied with this work myself. If you don't do the custom session, it would be such a waste.""The sensitivity is completely different..."Could the sensitivity of a live, on-site experience be bad?"Kurosaki-kun."Tanaka spoke up to interrupt him, pushing his sunglasses up slightly: "I don't have time to waste with you.""What a terrible shame, then."A strange and rough voice suddenly came from above the dark stairs, causing Tanaka to instantly be on high alert."Who is it?"His gaze closely locked onto the direction of the stairwell.Afterwards, he saw a slender figure slowly emerge from the darkness, followed by a bulky, massive figure behind them."... It's you?"Tanaka recognized that figure—it was none other than David Martinez.But why would he appear here?Tanaka completely failed to notice Maine following right behind him.But Maine raised the shotgun in his hand and aimed it straight at Tanaka."I originally wanted to let you immerse yourself in the braindance, which would have made my job a bit easier, but now it looks like that won't work."—— ClickNot only Maine, but Dorio's figure also appeared behind them, likewise pointing a pistol right at him.And in David's hand was that familiar db-2 satara electronic shotgun."Who the hell are you people?"Even while pointed at by numerous gun barrels, Tanaka still didn't show any fear, instead turning the tables to question them.But looking at this stance, one could easily guess.They were nothing more than hired mercenaries, and the employer was obvious: either Militech or Kang Tao.But Kang Tao, which controlled Night City's power grid, had no interest in engaging in this kind of underground competition with Arasaka, so the answer was obvious...They were hired by Militech.However, what infuriated him the most was that guy Jimmy Kurosaki for actually betraying him!He immediately tried to contact the special security forces of Arasaka's security department.But unfortunately, the communication was jammed; he couldn't get through at all.Needless to think, the signal was blocked by a jammer."You bastard..."Under the dual reinforcement of the pain of losing a son and betrayal, the anger in Tanaka's eyes instantly overflowed.Seeing this, Jimmy couldn't help but take two steps back, still maintaining a smug look: "I'm very sorry, sir, but I was forced into this too."But there was not the slightest trace of being coerced.That look made it seem as if whatever was happening right now had nothing to do with him.To be exact, starting from now, it truly had nothing to do with him.His job was done."It seems you guys planned this long ago..."Tanaka looked around the surroundings once more, slowly raising both hands as if accepting his fate.Seeing this, David stealthily hid near the nearest piece of cover.He didn't plan on stopping Tanaka; after all, he also wanted to see up close just how good Tanaka's implants were.