Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 418 Topology Prediction [1 words]

David kept thinking about what Lucy meant by the surprise she mentioned.

All he knew was that today he had taken his first step from the ivory tower into this jungle world, and that the internal struggles within the company were far more brutal than he had imagined.

The chaos on the streets provides perfect cover for anyone who's caused trouble, but in the company, the real reality is the knife in your back and a mob attack like today's...

Keep in mind that this is still within the company.

If it happened outside the company... David couldn't even imagine how bloody the struggle would be.

Lucy wasn't going to offer any more psychological support to this newbie who'd witnessed such a scene on his first day at the company; that was for tonight. Right now, the most important thing was to get David to meet that person…

After leaving Mrs. Gloria's place.

Lucy had a strange feeling, for the first time in her life, that she felt supported from behind... Perhaps she was thinking too narrowly. From beginning to end, just as Mrs. Lucy said, Rin was not someone who could be controlled by force.

On the contrary, it was his own self-proclaimed "trust of no one" in Night City that became a burden that bound him.

The two young people drove in silence. Since Lucy now had her own car, even if it was just a simple Sky Hera, at least they wouldn't have to squeeze onto the subway anymore...

Despite the daily outbreaks of extreme violence on the streets of Night City, the city's population has never decreased.

People on the street who aren't marked by the NCPD might be criminals with criminal records in other cities...

Lucy and David soon arrived at their new home.

Lucy, who had parked her car downstairs, gripped the steering wheel for a long time without moving, while David, looking blank, had already started unbuckling his seatbelt and preparing to get out of the car.

"what happened?"

Fortunately, the boy, who wasn't very observant, noticed his girlfriend's unusual behavior.

Lucy closed her eyes as if she was mentally preparing herself... She took several deep breaths because this girl who said she would give David a surprise was not prepared to meet Rin herself.

It seems Rin values ​​David highly...

Not only did she almost cause Suzuki's death at NCX because she was burdened with the secret of the Black Wall, but she also threatened Rin to make a deal with her. Now that Lucy thinks about it, she thinks that guy was already being incredibly lenient.

So this surprise is also a test for myself.

Rin only wanted to enter Arasaka and become an ordinary counterintelligence agent... She also wanted to know when she would have to enter the cyber world to cooperate with Rin.

These past two years have made Lucy want nothing more from that pure white planet in Mewtwo... Now all she wants is to protect it, and she doesn't care about anything else.

Despite all her emotions, Lucy managed a smile and told David that she was fine.

Lucy has always kept all her burdens to herself.

Rather than letting David, a non-hacker Muggle, know that he's going to the dangerous Black Wall of the internet world, it's better to keep him completely unaware... that way Lucy can see more of David's sunny smile.

David was completely confused…

You're acting so strange today—

Lucy simply nudged David, "Get out of the car! I'm locking it!"

In the elevator, David kept pressing Lucy for details about the surprise, assuming his mother had once again treated herself to real meat or something at the luxury supermarket in Night City…

After thinking about it, I realized today isn't my mom's birthday, nor is it my or Lucy's birthday...

The moment the elevator doors opened, Lucy pushed David out, then scurried behind him like a little fox. David, chest puffed out, clearly didn't want to face the so-called "surprise" alone...

After all, Lucy's behavior was so unusual that anyone would instinctively avoid her.

But the moment the door opened, standing there was a little girl with pigtails. David looked at the girl, who was a head shorter than him…

His expression was full of confusion.

The two of them just stared straight at each other...

Suddenly the girl raised her voice and shouted into the doorway, "Your son is back!"

David trembled at the powerful shout, and then, through her pink prosthetic eye, the tiny little girl saw a man in a suit hiding behind David…

But when Rebecca's voice came out, Lucy, who was hiding behind David, was clearly stunned.

"dew--"

Rebecca grinned, about to call out the girl's name, when a hand with distinct knuckles covered the little girl's mouth from behind.

Qiwei's pupils stared at the profile behind David, and her expression visibly stiffened...

"Well?"

Rebecca's mind couldn't process so many things, so of course she didn't understand the meaning behind Qiwei's actions. However, the reunion of the "master and apprentice" was still somewhat poignant.

Qiwei clenched her other hand tightly at her side, and Lucy's expression was stiff and unpleasant.

David and Rebecca were caught between the two men…

Looking left and right, I had absolutely no idea how to handle the situation.

It's normal that David didn't know, but Rebecca knew that in her next life, Qiwei sold Lucy to Rin in order to use Rin to gain access to the company...

Is this considered normal practice in Night City?
In short, this kind of reunion of old friends after a long separation is, as Colonel Hansen of Dogtown said, "very painful."

"haven't seen you for a long time…"

Perhaps because she worked at the company, Lucy was the one who broke the ice first.

Even though Qiwei had told herself a long time ago not to trust anyone other than herself, that naturally included Qiwei as well, Lucy... didn't want to complain.

He had only held onto a pitiful hope that she might still have feelings for him…

Qiwei stepped aside, and David and Lucy walked in one after the other, while Rebecca struggled to find the right words.

David, who was still speculating about the relationship between Lucy and Qiwei, suddenly noticed a figure sitting on the sofa—

David froze on the spot.

Rin looked at the boy who used to have his hair sticking up and was extremely individualistic, but now he had an ordinary buzz cut. The only signs that he was still a college student were the small pendant around his neck and the ill-fitting suit.

"You've grown quite a bit taller."

David's face began to flush with excitement, and he even rubbed his eyes.

"Rin...Mr. Rin?!"

I turned my head and glanced at my mom standing next to me, wiping her hands, and realized that I wasn't dreaming!
David took a few hurried steps forward, feeling an urge to hug him, but ultimately stopped in front of Rin. Looking at his almost unchanged features, David wondered for a moment whether the news he had been reading was true or false…

"How are you still alive?"

"You brat! What are you saying..."

Mrs. Gloria's slap landed squarely on David's head.

Although the blow was quite loud, the thick-skinned brat clearly knew he had said the wrong thing, and he scratched his head while grinning foolishly.

"you…"

David then realized that his mother's expression didn't seem surprised at all.

It turned out that she had known all along that Mr. Rin was still in Night City, which made David, who had been working hard for the past two years for some unknown reason, feel a sense of security once again.

just like…

With this man around, everything feels like it will get better.

Actually, this feeling was more like a safety net. David knew Mr. Rin's abilities, and after not seeing him for several years, seeing the news that Night City was about to explode... he guessed that Rin was definitely not just an appendage of the company like before.

When I heard this kid say how he was still alive—

Lin Yue's face stiffened, and he shook his head with a helpless smile. He stood up and extended his hand to shake hands with the young man in front of him, treating him like a man.

David hurriedly wiped his hands on the side of his suit jacket, then grabbed the man's cold, hard black prosthetic hand with both hands.

Young people are naturally lively.

Wow! Sir, your hands look amazing!

David's interests have never changed; he really likes prosthetics. Just like men of any era enjoy looking at cars, these mechanically beautiful things naturally attract the interest of children of this age.

However, Lin Yue tolerated David's cheerful and lively words.

"Congratulations, David."

Upon hearing this, David immediately straightened his back.

Lin Yue held the child's hand and said, "Your mother wanted Lucy to help take a look at you, but your logical thinking tests at the first three companies were perfect... Interviewers have their own standards."

"So this is entirely your own ability, don't doubt it."

A few words strengthened David's resolve after several incidents at the company...

After nodding emphatically, the guy became a little embarrassed. "Actually, my grades at school... aren't very good, but don't worry, I'm definitely not dating... ah no, I mean I'm not playful."

Lucy's hand had already reached out and twisted around the guy's waist.

Lucy's bangs covered her eyes, and at that moment she wished this silly boy would give her a kiss... David really dares to say anything.

Rin didn't know why David cared so much about grades.

Upon closer reflection, I realized it was probably due to my own financial support. Children at school can't offer much in return; good grades are perhaps the best way to repay them.

"David, grades are not the only measure of a person's ability."

"Just like you were able to get into Arakawa's rigorous selection process with an average graduate level... no one will ask about your grades in the future, so you don't need to tell me about that."

"I'm sponsoring you... more because I think you can do it."

David's embarrassed expression because of his less-than-stellar grades began to ease after Rin's words.

However, Lin Yue was, after all, a young man, so a mischievous thought arose in his mind, and he naturally prepared to "bully" the kid.

"I originally planned to have Lucy hide in Night City for a few years and then have her do things for me, but I didn't expect you to dare to date at school... huh?"

As he spoke, Lin Yue applied slight pressure to his hand, maintaining a firm grip.

David was in pain, but dared not let go easily.

Lucy, who had been keeping her head down and not saying anything, suddenly reached out and placed her hand on David's arm.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rin, it was my fault."

"I shouldn't have gone with..."

Lin Yue found this to be a very interesting thing.

I thought that my meddling would disrupt everyone's relationships and affairs, but I didn't expect that David could still attract Lucy's admiration under such circumstances.

It seems that David is indeed too kind-hearted and pure-minded, which naturally makes him the type of "bad" girl like Lucy.

Seeing that Lucy, who was prepared to remain silent, actually took the initiative to help David, Rin had no intention of making the girl worry any longer. Instead, she smiled and patted the guy on the shoulder.

I also said hello to the girl.

Although Lucy's relationship with me is rather "bad"... at least that's how it looks on the panel.

Lucy forced a smile.

Seeing that Lin Yue had let go, she breathed a sigh of relief and gave Lin a grateful look.

After Lin Yue let go, he gestured for David to sit down. David's eyes were also glued to the prosthetic body on Mr. Rin, filled with surprise and delight.

"Come on, Lucy."

Rebecca sat on the armrest of the sofa and happily patted the empty seat next to her, which was right next to David.

So, from left to right, the people on the sofa became Rin, David, Lucy, and Rebecca.

Lin Yue had a strange feeling at this moment…

This looks like a group of girls brought home by the family to meet the parents.

If Lin Yue hadn't glanced at his reflection in the room's decor and realized he looked relatively young, he would have almost thought he was from his father's generation.

Gloria stood by the side the whole time, watching the scene with a smile—

She had to admit that this was the happiest moment she and David had experienced since arriving in the city.

Gloria, who was very troubled by her son's teenage rebellion, never expected that because of Rin's appearance, this mischievous boy who always made her uneasy was now almost a real man.

Then, Gloria, who was smiling, lowered her eyes slightly.

That's just how fate is; the closer you get to happiness, the happiest you are... She didn't want to know what the future held; she only knew that this sharp young man wouldn't stay stuck in the same place.

No matter how hard she tried to catch up, she felt it was just a distant dream.

David was still a little nervous when he saw Rin again, after all, according to the media, the person next to him was the one who had actually killed the leader of Arasaka.

What does this mean...?

It's tantamount to assassinating a head of state and still being able to sit here calmly and smoke. Just how strong is that ability?
"Mr. Rin..."

Lin Yue and David had been holding back for a while, and since he didn't know how to start the conversation, he simply let the kid lead the way.

However, he guessed that David was definitely asking about the things the media had been asking…

"News in Night City is all over you, saying you assassinated Aragaki Saburo! This—"

Gloria was afraid the child would say something wrong, so she quickly stopped him.

Lin Yue waved his hand, "David is now a member of Arasaka... It doesn't matter if he knows this, he'll have to tell us sooner or later anyway."

Sasha led Gloria by the hand and placed her on a chair next to the dining table, giving the somewhat worried woman a reassuring look.

"It wasn't an assassination attempt."

"It was an attack."

Lin Yue was simply recounting the facts as they were, which left the kid completely bewildered…

“That wasn’t an attack, David.”

Lucy clearly knew more about this, "Rin... engaged in direct combat with Saburo Arasaka's personal guards on the top floor of the Azure Sky Tower for five hours..."

"The elite force that remained in Night City, loyal to Saburo Arasaka, Hanako Arasaka, and Michiko Arasaka, was almost entirely wiped out in that battle..."

Lucy swallowed as she said this.

After she joined the counterintelligence department, her superior, Harry, took her to find that woman in the top-level special operations department in Arasaka…

She spent half an hour telling herself what had happened on the rooftop of the azure building.

Lucy dared not continue speaking, as the story had exceeded David's wildest imagination...

Because no one would believe that Aragaki Saburo's top bodyguards in the Tokyo compound couldn't even stop Rin for an hour. She kept trying to imagine what it felt like for someone to have so many prosthetics on their body...

But there are some things I dare not think about in detail.

David listened as if he were hearing legendary tales from the Next Life Bar, exclaiming, "Damn! Mr. Rin! Doesn't that make you a legend of Night City?"

Lin Yue smiled and said, "David, the first thing you need to do when you join the company is to keep what you hear to yourself and only let others know when necessary."

"The company will not disclose this matter..."

David looked very serious.

"Don't worry, Mr. Rin! Lucy and I will definitely be your inside men in Arasaka! I'll do my best to cooperate with whatever you need!"

“Hahahahaha——”

Rebecca laughed out loud when she heard the kid say that.

David then realized that everyone was staring at him with forced smiles on their faces.

Something seems off, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Didn't they say that Arasaka used force to "assassinate" Rin? Since Rin is still alive... it means that she and Arasaka are mortal enemies.

Eh?
"Kid, you don't know that your boss and our Dreamers' big boss are in cahoots, do you?"

Lin Yue was speechless.

Ever since that bastard Johnny started arguing with Rebecca every day, Rebecca's speech has taken on a strong rock 'n' roll vibe.

"Not a pair of pants, Rebecca."

Qi Wei's sudden remark made the atmosphere even more awkward: "Lai Xuan is just a partner; our boss and V are the ones in cahoots."

“Qiwei…”

Sasha whispered a reminder.

David then realized why he had entered Arasaka...

After all that, it turns out that Mr. Rin is actually the partner of Ara-ban Yoriyuki, while Ms. V has always been tied to Mr. Rin.

Now all the news that was causing such a stir in Night City connected, and the logic suddenly became clear...

It turns out that Mr. Rin had been hiding in the shadows all along.

Arakasaka may be using Rin-san's hand to eliminate potential enemies.

But at the end of the day.

Arakasaka is now under the control of Yoriyuki Arakasaka, so theoretically speaking, David's dream of enduring humiliation in Arakasaka has been shattered.

However, David felt that this was the best situation for Mr. Rin.

"So it seems that Arasaka Yorinobu became the boss of Arasaka because of you, Rin-san?"

Lin Yue did not answer the question, but instead focused his attention on Lucy.

"Are you getting used to Arasaka?"

Lucy clearly hadn't expected the man to bring up her, and immediately her hand, which was resting on her thigh, clenched slightly...

Lucy's fear of Rin is ingrained in her very being.

Every time she faced this man, she felt the same way her mother had taken her to Arasaka Tower to see her father when she was a child.

I feel uneasy whenever he asks me a question, as if no secret can escape his eyes.

"Hmm... Miss V took good care of me. My mentor was Harry, who is a very professional hacker."

Lin Yue did not continue speaking.

Instead, he kept staring at Lucy…

David noticed Rin's gaze and quickly nudged Lucy, who was keeping her head down, with his arm.

"It's alright, Mr. Rin won't make things difficult for you."

As a man, he knew it was time to stand up.

“Mr. Rin, Lucy and I would never break Arasaka’s rules—”

However, Rin had no intention of letting this kid off easily.

Although he knew that Lucy and David had feelings for each other, he had to keep the kid in line. Joining the company was no joke. V had just mentioned that David had recklessly rushed into the wrong elevator during Arasaka Tower's operation today.

“I didn’t ask you, I was talking to Lucy.”

Although David was clever enough to help counterintelligence kill the company security guards who almost escaped.

But that's not a good thing.

If that warrior in optical camouflage had been close enough to David, David might have paid a bloody price today.

Lucy lowered her head and took several deep breaths, then looked up and stared into the man's calm eyes, instinctively glancing at Mrs. Gloria for help.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Rin."

Lucy lowered her head slightly…

“I shouldn’t have let David wander around the Arasaka Tower alone, and the counterintelligence department shouldn’t have let a new recruit come in alone.” David immediately fell silent.

It was indeed his own fault, but Lucy was scolded and he silently remembered it, determined never to make such a foolish mistake again.

Seeing that the two young lovers both seemed to be admitting their mistakes and accepting punishment, Lin Yue's worries and anger dissipated.

However, this piqued the interest of Rebecca, who was still happily eating seaweed nearby.

I almost doubled over laughing when I heard that David had barged into the elevator and was being helped to participate in the company's cleaning.

Perhaps because the matter ended as a joke, everyone was all smiles.

Rin merely gave them a brief warning on behalf of V.

Actually, they are all very smart people, and there is absolutely no need to scold them until they feel ashamed.

I remember making quite a few laughs when I first entered the Arasaka Tower.

In just a few short years, it felt like a lifetime, yet also like yesterday.

Now that the conversation had started, Lin Yue told David the real reason he had come today.

“David… Actually, I came here today after speaking with your mother, so I got her permission.”

"Now it's up to you."

David looked at Rin intently, clearly ready to hear what she was about to say.

"You say."

Rin thought for a moment and decided to start by talking about the promise she made to Lai Xuan two years ago.

Lin Yue recounted how he and Lai Xuan had worked together over the past two years to eliminate potential obstacles from enemies, and how they had instigated infighting between companies, among other things...

David's expression grew more and more serious as he listened.

This is no joke; just listening to Mr. Rin's descriptions, you can feel the danger in each incident...

What shocked David even more was that most of the attacks targeting company leaders or senior executives were carried out by these team members who were present at the scene.

It's important to know that the security of each company's top executives is something that ordinary mercenaries wouldn't even dare to touch.

“Rebecca…she was the lead striker in the last operation to decapitate the procurement chief at Petrochemical.”

That's all Lin Yue said.

Rebecca forgot all about eating her pastries and crawled out from behind the sofa like a cat... David was so engrossed in what Mr. Rin was saying that he was startled by the sudden shadow behind him.

Rebecca said grimly, "Do you know how tight the security is for that old dog?"

"The corridor is almost completely filled with the bodies of the bodyguards."

"Before he died, this guy was bent over, pulling money out of a safe in his back—checks, money chips…"

"He wanted to use his 80 million euros to buy his own life, which tells you how many people were around him."

David was horrified by the amount.

"Fuck!"

Rebecca, hands on her hips, said, "Back then, Qiwei and Sasha were both held back by the Petrified hackers—I just used my fists to send all those idiots who were reselling grain to their deaths!"

David's eyes widened in surprise.

"Fuck——"

What is the Western Paradise?

Rebecca waved her hand, a catchphrase she'd picked up from Lin Yue, "Anyway, all you need to know is that I single-handedly took down forty-odd company dogs back then."

Lin Yue could only look at this guy with a mix of helplessness and slight indulgence.

Rebecca's vivid description made Lucy cover her mouth and chuckle.

"Anyway, you heard me, David. I'm here to ask you what you think... There's nothing shameful about choosing to have a decent job and live a good life in Arasaka."

"Lucy just needs to help me with some problems."

But before Lin Yue could finish speaking, David interrupted anxiously.

"No."

While Lin Yue was taken aback, David stood up and said seriously, "Mr. Lin was once someone I admired. Whether it was your support for me and my mother or the principles you taught me, I have benefited a lot."

“I came to Arasaka because of my mother’s wishes, and even more so because I wanted to help you… I still remember what you said to me in the Arasaka Tower, and my answer is definitely not the one you said.”

Lin Yue felt that the youthful drive was truly enviable.

Don’t say anything else.

He dared to use his connections with V to get into Arasaka's big net as soon as he entered Night City, driven mostly by youthful courage.

"I think Mr. Rin's second answer would definitely be that I should study and grow quickly in the dangerous department of Arasaka Tower. Would that help you as soon as possible?"

Lin Yue hummed in agreement, clearly not expecting David to be so resolute in saying those words after experiencing such a complicated and terrible situation.

"The second option is for you to join our organization and become the hidden link between Arasaka and the Dreamers, just like V and Lucy."

"This is a rigorous and dangerous mission. I hope you will think it through carefully, and also, your mother..."

Gloria shook her head.

“Mr. Rin, there’s no need to ask for my opinion. I’ve already made it very clear to Lucy.”

David glanced at his mother and nodded emphatically.

That's enough.

The two exchanged a smile, and David had officially joined the large organization.

"Speaking of Mr. Rin..."

"If I weren't a student at Arakasaka Academy, I was planning to join DRAR."

David scratched his head sheepishly as he said this.

Lin Yue glared at David with amusement.

"You think that by tampering with user information and sending emails to dreamers on a public network, no one will know?"

Sasha raised her hand at that moment.

“David, your prosthetic body is under the unified control of Arasaka Academy... If it weren’t for me and Qiwei discovering that the person was you and quickly erasing the network data... you would probably have been arrested by Arasaka Academy’s disciplinary department long ago.”

Qiwei gave a cold laugh.

"Luckily you weren't on the street. If you were that careless, you wouldn't even be able to sneak into the city, let alone be a small-time hoodlum in Santo Domingo."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yue's expression became somewhat strange.

If things really went according to the world's original plan, David could indeed become a renowned leader in his next life by relying on Sianwistan's Far Point. However... that time would be too short, like a fleeting moment.

David suddenly realized.

"No wonder nobody's paying attention to me."

Lin Yue patted the kid on the shoulder.

"Think about your family and Lucy before you do anything... Don't follow my example. I've already regretted not considering the important people in my life."

Speaking of which—

Sasha suddenly became interested as she looked at her friends gathered around the sofa.

"Should we take a group photo? Hmm..."

"It's called a family portrait, right, Rin?"

Hearing Sasha say the words "family portrait" in Chinese made him feel a little dazed for a moment.

When it comes to group photos...

Lucy looked up and around again, and was somewhat disappointed to find that the person was not there.

Looking for Takeyoshi Suzuki?

Lin Yue curled the corners of his mouth into a smile.

Lucy nodded somewhat shyly…

"I wanted to thank him, but I never had the chance. Actually, I almost made it off the ground, all thanks to Suzuki-senpai's efforts. I'm sorry my selfishness affected him—"

Lin Yue spoke up.

"No, Lucy, Suzuki isn't insisting on going to the moon because you want to."

"Just think of him as... a sentimental jerk, okay?"

"I will also tell him that other companies, including certain people within Arasaka, are keeping an eye on Dreamers. His identity makes it inconvenient for him to move around... just like Emma."

"V wouldn't come to such an occasion either, for the same reason."

Lucy was comforted by Lin Yue's words and nodded with a smile, "I just feel it's a pity."

At Sasha's urging.

Everyone found their seats on the sofa and around it. David sat next to Lin Yue, and Gloria eventually gave in to everyone and sat next to Rin.

The two exchanged a knowing smile, as if they understood each other perfectly.

Rebecca suddenly pounced on Lin Yue's back, resting her chin on his head and giggling incessantly.

Sasha stood beside Rebecca, her hands kneading together, a gentle smile on her face.

Although Qiwei had a cold expression, she still cooperated by leaning against the side of the sofa. This made her tall stature a little more balanced, showing a touch of gentleness to this usually aloof hacker.

Lucy hadn't been surrounded by so many people in a long time, and she felt incredibly uncomfortable and lost control of her facial expressions.

Just as Lucy was agonizing over whether her expression looked good, a slender, thin hand gently pressed on Lucy's shoulder—it was Qiwei's hand.

Lucy doesn't need to look back.

She knew where her mentor, who had taught her important things, was.

In other words, her subconscious attention was constantly focused on Qiwei's movements.

The hand moved gently and carefully.

"Feel sorry."

Only Lucy could hear the sound; everyone else was laughing and paying no attention to them.

Lucy looked stunned, as if she had been frozen in shock.

Then, as if she had accepted something, she revealed an expression that perfectly suited her.

A half-smile, but a very gentle one.

He's no longer the hacker from Night City, covered in spikes and with a sinister look in his eyes.

At least not right now.

Meanwhile, the rock star behind Rebecca scratched his head, drew out a middle finger, and said...

"Yay, eggplant."

"Anyway, they can't see me, huh?"

Coincidentally, the camera that Sasha had set up—the same old, cheap device that Gloria used to document David's life since childhood—captured this moment.

These are all in their most natural and authentic state.

After the photos were taken, everyone started talking at once, pointing out what poses they hadn't done correctly. Rebecca, in particular, was extremely arrogant, saying she was the perfect woman.

David stared blankly at the camera, remaining in that pose for several seconds.

Suddenly he let out a soft chuckle…

It seems that this is roughly what most people mean by "home".
……

Lin Yue had not anticipated such a scene in Night City.

People here are adept at unleashing their greatest malice upon each other, yet they overlook the fact that it's not the world that's like this, but rather those massive corporations that are burning away humanity.

Just as Lin Yue was about to say goodbye to Gloria's family and leave.

[David Martinez's favorability rating has been updated]

【Favourability: 70】

Lin Yue's heart sank.

You know, the last time I saw David was several years ago. Back then, David had just started getting to know me, and after only two or three meetings, this naive boy had already developed a strong liking for me…

Between 70 and 30, the favorability increased by 40 levels, plus the intelligence points that David had been giving Lin Yue, which were the most beneficial to him...

However, Lin Yue's intelligence had long been pushed to its maximum level by other legendary figures in this world.

With an intelligence score of 20, Lin Yue had already become the strongest online hacker hidden within the Night City's network.

[Stage Reward: Intelligence +1...]

Lin Yue: "..."

A few years ago, Lin Yue would probably have scoffed at such a reward, and even wondered if the built-in program, which should have been designed by Transcendence and Barthemos, was being too stingy…

Lin Yue was momentarily dumbfounded that this situation occurred at the point of having maxed out his intelligence.

Does this mean... exceeding the limit?
Lin Yue's heart pounded wildly. Intelligence points were different from physical changes that could be immediately perceived. What was the use of the extra intelligence points?
He felt as if he were seeing the world for the first time, and his mind was in complete chaos.

This made Lin Yue's urge to immediately go find Professor Yajima even stronger, because neither of these two things had brought about any improvement in his expertise.

He needs to know what changes have occurred in his brain-computer interface.

Before Lin Yue could speak, Ultraman in his brain spoke—

"Your program seems to be changing?"

Lin Yue was dumbfounded when he heard Ultraman's words. What could he have brought that Ultraman could detect?
Perhaps it was this slight increase in intelligence that made Lin Yue overlook the fact that not all the rewards had been displayed—

Wow!

At that moment, the scenery around Lin Yue began to blur...

He closed his eyes slightly, and heard familiar voices all around him.

"Damn, it was so close."

"The orbital accelerator has been activated—"

"Hold!"

Is that... Rebecca's voice?
The surroundings looked like a broken holographic simulator, or perhaps the device that was playing the video was malfunctioning and couldn't be seen clearly.

Through these light screens, Lin Yue saw that everyone in the living room was maintaining the same posture, which was a sign that his brain was overloaded.

Through the blur, Lin Yue saw Rebecca's anxious face inside the reflective spacesuit...

"Sasha! Qiwei?!"

"Damn it—where's Lucy?!"

As she spoke, a little gas was expelled from the thrusters of her spacesuit behind her. It did not help her move at all, but instead almost caused Rebecca to lose her grip.

Just then, a terrifyingly fast piece of space debris hurtled toward Rebecca from its orbit!
Boom!
A figure with a slightly slender build appeared, resembling Rebecca.

"No one is alive, Rebecca."

"Rin... did her best."

"Just a hair's breadth away from getting the orbital accelerator aimed at the moon... Damn it!"

The two people floated silently in the universe.

Like a lone speck of dust in a vast ocean...

Eyes move.

The azure sphere was covered with countless pieces of debris…

Only the lower half of the disc-shaped space station was damaged, while the upper part, resembling a cannon muzzle, was pointed at the boundless blackness.

So blurry…

Lin Yue tried his best to see the details clearly.

"V! Tell Miss Emma to stop holding out!"

The slightly mature voice that reached Lin Yue's ears sounded very familiar...

Is this... David?

The young man on one of the wreckage above threw away the space rope connecting him to the heavy debris and headed straight for the orbital accelerator.

"If only I had known..."

"I should have been wary of those stupid astronauts Q￥%"

A burst of loud, piercing noise.

Lin Yue felt as if his head was about to split open.

"Hold!"

This pain is no less than the pain of completely overclocking the brain and exceeding its limits for a certain period of time.

Lin Yue almost fell off the sofa.

Even though his mind felt like it was splitting open, Lin Yue still understood that this was more like a mental simulation.
Is this really true?

Or is this just... a feature of the Bartmouth panel?
"If this continues..."

My brain... is about to explode...

Lin Yue clutched his head, curling up into a ball!
"cold?"

Ultraman's voice was muffled.

"What are you doing? Why are you using brain-computer interfaces at such a high intensity? Answer me!"

Lin Yue was no longer able to answer the question.

He had no clue how to escape this strange state...

Things seem to be getting out of hand.

Just as Lin Yue, enduring the pain, tried to reach behind the brain-computer interface, intending to damage the structure in order to protect himself—

boom!
The overwhelming pressure quickly dissipated, and Lin Yue was slammed against the back of the sofa as if he had been hit head-on!
Time also instantly began to flow by.

To outsiders, it looked as if Rin had been suddenly knocked down... with heat emanating from the back of her brain!

"Rin (Mr.)! What's wrong?"

Sensing something was wrong, the crowd quickly gathered around Lin Yue…

In a daze, the rewards section on the panel, which had never faded, continued to scroll...

[Reward: Topology Prediction (Note)]!
……

……

　Topology prediction: Predicting the waveform of future behavioral data development and changes based on the waveform of raw data. This type of prediction is called waveform prediction—also known as topology prediction.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)