Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 235 Fatal Secret [Lucy's Story] (Part 1)
Lucy's long-standing wariness of the company, along with her experience of fleeing, has made her distrustful of everything the company says—and because of Qiwei, her trust in the world has reached its lowest point.

It's quite pathetic when you think about it.

Lucy's first thought was whether this high-powered corporate hustler was up to something again. She simply stared quietly at the euros on the table, representing money that wasn't subject to bank regulation and could be used normally as long as there was no virus inside...

The girl's reaction was within V's expectations. She didn't offer any explanation, but simply waited quietly for the other person to speak.

It seemed like it had been a long time since she had spoken, and Lucy's first words were a little hoarse: "I've said everything I needed to say."

V's posture was always rather aggressive. She simply crossed her arms and shrugged slightly. "It seems you do understand what you've done wrong. Logically, we could hand you over to Poland, get some money, and maybe even make some acquaintances, which would be very beneficial to me."

"This is what the company taught me: maximizing profits... But unfortunately, some people disagree. You've helped a dangerous guy who doesn't quite agree with Arasaka's values. Of course, he's also kind, and I don't intend to do anything bad behind his back."

"So I hope you can disappear right under my nose and go wherever you want, provided that our people escort you to some areas that Arasaka can't reach."

Seeing the girl's puzzled look, V offered another explanation.

“If the other branches find out that we let you off the hook, this will become very troublesome.”

At this point, Lucy couldn't hear anything else; she was reminiscing about the guy she'd only met a few times…

cold?
When Qiwei revealed everything about herself that day, all he looked at her with was confusion and indifference. To Lucy, that look was no different from a death sentence.

She thought everything was over, that she would return to her parents' hands and contribute her last bit of intellectual value to Arasaka... and then die in cyberspace, which seemed to be her destined end.

V had actually been silently observing every subtle expression of this Polish girl.

To her relief, the girl's expression of confusion was even more profound than her own; she seemed surprised by the outcome.

"why?"

Lucy had to consider more things; this near-death experience was no less fortunate than winning the lottery several times in a row.

In her eyes, the woman opposite her, who was at the ministerial level, shook her head.

V: "To be honest, I also don't really understand his kindness in some aspects."

kindness…

Lucy thought those two words were the most fake.

The girl's expression was getting increasingly strange...

V seemed to want to vent his doubts, so he talked to a stranger he didn't get along with, or even an enemy with conflicting interests, about the various puzzling choices Rin made.

"In Dogtown, he was surrounded by a mercenary group and fought his way through the enemy lines with that small team—even though that incident nearly crippled him."

“The Azure Mansion was previously used by Arasaka as an arena for power struggles. He used a weapon and an informant to fight his way out; and the Ghost Hounds fell in front of him like wheat fields... There are too many, but he still pays attention to and puts some effort into people like you.”

"He often talks nonsense, and I can't really see through him... Anyway, don't waste his good intentions. There aren't many people in Night City who keep their promises like him."

Lucy, of course, had no access to these things, but as she heard these horrifying stories from V one by one, she couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine.

Not to mention V, even she herself couldn't believe that he would let her go like this.

But there's nothing wrong with it.

After all, Arasaka now has more ways to kill her or make her pay the price than ICE did when hacking into Black Hyper Dream.

However, this conversation seemed to pique Lucy's curiosity. Knowing that she could only make passive choices, she gradually let go of her feelings of surprise and worry, and instead asked with some curiosity, "Do people like you personally fight for merit? Like my father...?"

V nodded. "That's why he got promoted so quickly. Headquarters liked him a lot and didn't even care about his background."

Concise and concise.

It was getting stranger and stranger. She even started comparing the middle-aged man she had only seen a few times at the Rebirth Bar with her vague memory of her father—they seemed to be the same kind of people, relentless in pursuing their goals and willing to serve Arasaka's interests.

Whether letting this kind of person go is a blessing or a curse is unknown.

Lucy was unaware that the face beneath the behavioral signature panel was the same person as Lin Yue from the Anti-Terrorist Mobile Team.

V: "Actually, you've met him. I don't know what motivated him to help a young man like you who I don't see any particular value in. But that guy seems to be better than you. If nothing unexpected happens, Arasaka will have an even more loyal employee."

"As for you—"

Before the woman in front of her could finish speaking, Lucy slowly raised her head. "This is too much money. I joined the team halfway through... I see many things clearly. For people of your status, money may not be a particularly important thing. He was just doing it for a secondary purpose... If I'm not mistaken, he originally only wanted to give that team a high reward. I was an unexpected factor."

But during her short time with Mann's team, Lucy still felt the sincere camaraderie among many team members. After saying this, she asked softly, "Are they all doing well?"

V: "Including the woman who betrayed you?"

A look of struggle and resentment appeared on Lucy's face. In fact, she had spent the most time with Qiwei, and it was because of her that she joined the Mann Squad. After all, the Mann Squad was quite famous at that time, and who wouldn't want to make money with a stable and reliable team?
Most of the survival rules of Night City were taught to Lucy by Kiwi. From being ignorant and naive to being wary, Lucy eventually learned to protect herself, but was stabbed by Kiwi.

How could she not hate?
Lucy wanted to hear that someone as intelligent as Rin didn't give Kivi a proper role, but instead used her as someone who might betray her at any time and then kicked her out...

V's eyes clearly saw through the girl's thoughts, which were almost written all over her face.

She was an experienced agent named Arasaka, which was obvious. However, not hiding the truth was always V's style. She also wanted to help this girl and tell her that being a bastard would be much more comfortable than she imagined. "That woman is already a company employee and is in Rin's hands. I can't tell you what she does because it involves company secrets."

Lucy's chair made a slight sound...

One advantage of living in Night City is that people adapt to reality very quickly.

There are just too many ridiculous things happening in the world, and there's not much you can do except lie down and take it all.

"Ok."

Hearing that Lucy's feelings didn't seem like genuine relief, V shook his head slightly. "That big guy who led you guys seems to have completely gone mad, working for the Terrorist Mobile Squad... His girlfriend went to the NCPD, and Rebecca and her brother seem to be some technically talented mercenaries in Night City. They just went to Arasaka Academy today to prepare for continuing education and skills certification..."

"The future looks bright for everyone, doesn't it?"

V is more like an irony.

Lucy remained silent for a long time before saying, "That's nice."

Perhaps jumping high in the mudflats of Night City would be futile; everything might change drastically because of someone's thought, like the fate of wild grass... She wanted to escape this world, to lie on the weathered, sharp lunar soil, and look at the blue planet that glowed slightly white.

Looking down, Lucy saw the money chip beside her, pressed it, and gently shook her head.

“I have too much. I have nothing left to lose. If it would be of your help, I would like a ticket to the moon from NCX.”

"Only 25 euros... This may be the largest sum of money I'll ever encounter in my life, and I want to make good use of it."

V glanced at the girl, who, like herself, had grown up in a company-affiliated family and had an unhappy childhood. The only difference was that V didn't have heartless parents; everything was her own choice.

"There are quite a few illegal immigrants on the moon."

It seems that this is all the help V can offer.

Lucy's lips, hidden beneath her colorful hair, were filled with bitterness. No one could understand her current feelings—the freedom, the unrestrained life, the days when she didn't have to wake up in nightmares and be ready to escape at any moment.

and so…

“Illegal immigrants are still fugitives. I just want to see it for myself. People say that Mewtwo is no different from reality, but I want to know.”

“That’s enough, Miss V. I’ll go somewhere no one can find me, if you trust me.”

As he spoke, V slowly stood up.

She looked down at the girl's glistening hair, seemingly gazing into her eyes, while Lucy kept her head down, her nose filled with the fresh scent of herbs emanating from the woman... The shadow of Arasaka also enveloped her in this way, and Lucy's face was filled with tension.

"Keep your head up."

The girl was unmoved.

V's icy fingers slid from Lucy's cheek down to her chin, forcing her to look at him with disheveled and dreamy eyes.

“I always trust my gut feeling, Lucy.”

V scrutinized him, saying, "It seems like you haven't finished explaining something, but if Arasaka used other methods, there's no guarantee you'd survive... After all, the human brain isn't a hard drive or a storage device. You should be thankful that nothing but the Soul Killer can extract those secrets from your head."

At that moment, her fingers suddenly felt a heaviness.

The girl's body was very stiff.

Her shifty gaze betrayed her.

The woman in front of her seemed to be able to see into people's hearts, and she could only subconsciously shake her head, "No... Miss V."

V smiled. "I hope so, it's just my professional habit. I must say, your parents gave you a very refined appearance; I doubt you've had any work done on your face, right? I can tell by touch... Please be patient for the next few days; Suzuki will take you to the spaceport."

"Of course, once we leave this place, everything is up to Suzuki's arrangements."

As the woman's fingers left, Lucy's stagnant breathing seemed to return.

Until the automatic door closed, apart from the money chip on the table and the faint sound of high heels walking in the corridor, it seemed that no one had been there.

Lucy jumped up, making the table wobble. She walked to the window, looking out at the thriving scenery, her hand holding a cigarette trying to control the trembling urge... She wasn't sure if V had noticed anything else about her.

In fact, the girl who fell into Arasaka's hands for the first time had no idea what luck meant.

The rumors that entering the counterintelligence department is a life-or-death ordeal are not unfounded... If you can't remember something, counterintelligence has many ways to "thoughtfully" help you recover your memory. Keep in mind that since Lucy entered, aside from undergoing multiple full scans and voluntarily confessing what she took from Poland, Arasaka hasn't used any torture on her. This is rare, but Lucy, caught in the middle, felt suffocated.

Lucy could only begin modifying the biochemical control module in her head to stimulate the brain to produce large amounts of melatonin in order to seek the numbness of sleep.

There were only cigarettes, no alcohol.

Arasaka is very strict about controlling everything flammable, and Lucy's cigarettes can only be lit with a resistance lighter.

As her body gradually curled up, she forcefully covered her head.

……

"Lucina?"

The woman placed her hand on the girl's thin shoulder, and though her face was obscured, she bent down to tuck a stray strand of hair behind the girl's ear.

Lucy's hair color has been a light blonde with a slight yellow tint since she was a child, and even a bit white. Doctors say it may be a genetic condition, but it does not affect her health and is not even albinism.

"What are you daydreaming about? If your dad sees you, he'll give you a hard time again."

The little girl seemed to be awakened from her daze and subconsciously grabbed the woman's hem. The elevator had the black and gray decor typical of Arasaka Tower, and Polish advertisements were scrolling across the screen.

"Mom, I don't want to go there."

The woman was silent for a moment, then asked with concern, "Don't you love the online world the most? Tell Mom if you didn't sleep well? Your dad said you're very talented, and none of the other kids are as good as you."

The child's innocent voice came through.

"But I saw blood. They're all dead, aren't they, Mom?"

The woman seemed surprised, then asked in a somewhat cold tone, "Who told you that?"

Children learn to lie faster than adults can imagine. She stood quietly, only clenching her clothes tightly as a form of protest.

After the elevator arrived, the woman gently nudged Lucy's shoulder.

The child reluctantly stepped out of the elevator and entered a dimly lit office that seemed to be perpetually dark. The people inside, like the mother, had no visible facial features, yet the atmosphere was oppressive and frightening.

“Lucy, tell Daddy, what did you find in that maze yesterday?”

The woman half-squatted beside Lucy, her hands like pincers, pressing down on Lucy's shoulders so she couldn't stubbornly turn her head and rush into her mother's arms.

Lucy hesitated.

The woman wanted to encourage Lucy, but her slightly urging tone only frightened the child, who could only purse her lips and remain silent.

"good…"

"You don't have to go today, but you have to tell Dad what's there first."

Clearly, Lucy was more interested in the promise of "not going".

After confirming several times, Lucy leaned against the woman's chest and said, "There's someone here. He's talking to me."

This simple sentence gave the woman the answer she wanted. Although she was being hugged, Lucy felt a chill in the person behind her.

"It's AI, and it's not aggressive. Could it be it?"

Lucy noticed the change in the woman's tone and turned around in disbelief.

"Dad," sitting behind the large desk, spoke.

“Those children are all dead, except for Lucy… This new batch of trainees should be arriving soon. Make sure to record this information and that the cyber operations reported to headquarters do not involve this topic.”

The woman nodded her chin.

"Lucy, what did it say?"

Lucy refused to speak at this point. The woman forcibly turned her body around, her ashen face now facing Lucy.

"Speak up..."

"Good boy..."

A sudden tremor.

"I...I don't know."

Lucy shook her head.

This enraged the other person, who shook her violently. "You promised Lucy, don't you trust me? Are you going back on your word? Mommy hates bad kids!"

A sharp pain shot through my shoulder.

The mother's increasingly agitated tone, filled with curses and an unidentified buzzing sound...

Lucy was terrified; she wanted to escape her mother's control.

Before she knew it, the girl turned to look for her father for help, only to find that dark shadow staring down at her...

Before he could even scream—

In the cyberspace constructed of light and endless virtuality, a group of somewhat immature virtual characters looked up curiously at the space, except for the thin little girl at the front, whose eyes were filled with terror.

This is a barren wasteland in cyberspace, where only Lucy has ever seen malware capable of severing consciousness.

"That's...?!"

A child pointed ahead, where a huge net-like object was approaching.

In fact, it wasn't the net that was approaching, but rather they were moving towards the net. This was the process of uploading consciousness and invading a data fortress outside a black wall... Although these children were young, because of their training, they immediately realized that it was the dangerous ICE!
"Find a way to get away!"

In the first round of the optical network's segmentation, some online images were cut off.

That was the first lesson the internet taught young hackers: never underestimate any defensive measure. At that moment, even the most effective anti-ICE software, program suites, and anti-puppet systems all became ineffective…

The children's online images have delicate arms with clean cuts, open eyes, and helpless fragments of data, becoming nourishment for this strange world.

Lucy almost instinctively initiated the logout command.

At the same time, in that vast space, the person he had seen before was calling his name.

The mother and father told them to roam the AI.

At a young age, she witnessed the withering of life and realized that one day she too would pay the price of death!

wow——

As the virtual world around her detached from the objects in the real world, Lucy pulled the internet cable from behind her head and lay down on the ground.

On the chairs beside them, the children stared blankly at the non-existent sky, and thin streams of blood, like snakes, slowly seeped from their mouths and noses, rapidly taking away their life force.

Lucy had long since lost count of how many batches of children this was.

She just wanted to run towards that door; only then could she escape her fear.

Hmph…

The little girl wasn't running very fast; on her own, she would definitely be caught again.

Once the soldiers surrounded her, she could only manage to create some electrical sparks on one of their prosthetic bodies using her flimsy network access pod; otherwise, she couldn't do anything else.

"No no no..."

Lucy's legs scraped against the cold ground as she watched helplessly as the hand reached out towards her—

However, the super server behind him, which was constantly emitting heat, suddenly started to slow down!

At that moment, a strange timbre, not found in this world, resounded in everyone's ears, seemingly controlling everyone's auditory system to emit its unique sound.

"Lucy...you run too fast."

"Why not give it a try? We're clearly a perfect match..."

"Now, let's kill them all—and then I'll tell you what true freedom really is."

then.

Blood splattered down from the sky.

The girl's figure gradually blurred amidst the interwoven black and red data chains.

……

……

(End of this chapter)