Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 500 Farewell Meeting (Part 2)

She remained calm and composed; it was hard to believe that this was a mother who knew her child would be participating in a dangerous operation.

Compared to David's excitement, Gloria's calm and gentle smile left Lin Yue speechless for a moment.

David's excitement at being able to travel to the European Community with his girlfriend and participate in the initiative gradually subsided. The reason? He had also seen his mother's profile; she was distributing cutlery as usual…

Night City is dangerous, but there are only places in this world more dangerous than Night City. As long as the company exists, there will be endless harm and oppression.

Gloria didn't seem to have any intention of saying these things, but that was precisely why the three of them were frowning; after all, it was this calmness that made them feel uneasy.

Lin Yue sighed softly.

It's impossible to say he had no selfish motives. David was indeed the youngest and most inexperienced among the European Community participants. He had very little experience in fighting with companies, and this incredibly lucky young man didn't seem to realize the harsh realities of the situation.

In short, in Lin Yue's subconscious, David wasn't very reliable, unlike the cyberpunk team leader from the original timeline who had spent a long time in the afterlife, experiencing the deaths of Mann and Dorio and had already grown up...

Frustratingly, his subconscious told him that David had to grow up quickly. Based on the information provided by the panel and Lin Yue's understanding, he was more like a harmonizer or a magnet, subtly influencing the fleeting, dramatic ends of other legendary figures, and ultimately, gathering these legends to change the world…

David has played a significant role in changing the current situation in the topology predictions, and Lin Yue has no intention of letting go of any chance to win.

“Madam… if you have any concerns, you can tell us. Arasaka and the Dreamer will do their best to resolve them. If you don’t agree—I mean, you don’t need to feel guilty because I helped you.”

Lin Yue watched intently as the woman ladled the appetizing soup into her bowl. He didn't want to be too cruel, but he had a premonition that Europe would witness a sacrifice even more brutal than that of Night City.

There are some things he can't do in Night City; he's just a mechanical body that carries his alter ego... He's prepared for a fight, but he doesn't know what David's mother thinks.

"This soup is a bit too thick. I heard that in your hometown, people like to stir-fry tomatoes and eggs together to make soup... You can't buy any real vegetables in Night City, but fortunately, these canned goods have a high content of solid tomatoes. Biotechnology products can't be faked."

"In addition, many seasonings are no longer available. If the taste is strange, just try it."

Lin Yue watched as a bowl of soup was pushed in front of him, and the two children did the same...

After a long while, Lucy said, "Mr. Rin, please eat."

Keeping pestering the other party for a response might not be a good thing, and even though Lin Yue had Gloria's approval, he couldn't continue the conversation.

David stopped talking excitedly; he wasn't completely ignorant—

During the cyberwar, he witnessed the deaths of Arasaka employees, the city becoming like an apocalypse, and the life-or-death struggle in the tower—all ruthless methods that left the enemy no way out…

Therefore, the atmosphere of being forced to preach forced David to consider whether he could bear the consequences.

Forget it.

Lin Yue didn't want to force Mrs. Gloria to express her demands; subconsciously, he wanted to give Gloria some adequate compensation, whether it was money or something else...

The soup in front of him emitted a familiar aroma, and Lin Yue belatedly realized that it was extremely similar to the hometown dishes from his previous life. His wife's cooking skills had always been so reassuring.

Lin Yue's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, and Gloria naturally noticed this adorable reaction. She lowered her head and chuckled, gesturing for Lin Yue to drink it while it was still hot.

"I... won't be polite."

That’s it for now, let’s eat first.

The world is vast, but eating is the most important thing... Lin Yue's deep-rooted Chinese memories cannot be erased.

The seasoning is simple: white sugar, salt, and some pepper. To better suit her own taste, she added some spicy shallots... It can only be said that only Gloria could make such a thoughtfully prepared flavor.

"real…"

When Lin Yue uttered a single word, all three of them looked up at his reaction.

Mr. Rin, who seemed somewhat serious to the three of them, now had a glint in his eyes. "Delicious!"

Gloria's family seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. David glanced at the rim of the bowl with one eye bigger than the other, wondering if he was used to the taste. But seeing Mr. Rin just drinking it down, he tried to put a spoonful in as well.

"Oh! Oh wow wow!"

This guy reacted with his usual exaggerated reaction, "Mom, why?! Did they put something in this—why did the food taste so good when Mr. Rin came?"

David then received his "reward" for his outspokenness.

Gloria, her forehead veins bulging, gave her son a light tap on the head. "You're the one who talks too much?"

Lucy chuckled to herself as she sipped her soup, a strange expression appearing on her face after each bite.

Food is the best comfort for the soul, and it can also heal the anxiety and pain that real life is about to bring.

However, the ever-increasing supply of synthetic foods in Night City is constantly exacerbating those anxieties…

A bowl of soup made Lin Yue feel incredibly comfortable. Just as he looked up, Gloria had already served him more food. Europeans and Americans prefer to eat separately, so they don't usually share food from the same dish with chopsticks or other utensils.

Lin Yue ate his hot meal rather quickly, while Gloria seemed to have a poor appetite, simply watching the three of them eat.

Perhaps this is what happiness in gazing upon something is like?

Gloria didn't want him to leave her home carrying such a burden, and besides, she had something she wanted to say to the not-so-mature man in front of her...

It might seem a bit odd.

Gloria felt that Rin's presence not only helped their family get back on track, but also filled a void in their lives. She believed that Rin would definitely be a very good father—his virtues were hard to explain in a single sentence.

In short, reliable, powerful, gentle and meticulous.

She felt very comfortable with her child being with such an important person, but she was just disappointed that what she had in mind would not come true.

"David is not a reliable kid."

Seeing that Mr. Rin had eaten some, Gloria continued the conversation that might have dampened everyone's appetite, "But I've always been proud of him, and I believe you are too..."

Lin Yue nodded.

It is indeed something to be proud of for a poor family to raise a child who graduates from Arasaka Academy. Even he had to admit that even if his first stop in another world was not Dogville, it would be difficult to change anything through learning in an environment like Night City.

The cost of education is unimaginably high.

“I never felt that David needed to stay with me. Maybe I did in the past… But when I truly touched my own life, my career, and the things I love, I realized that this child is not my possession.”

Gloria always remembered that the greatest kindness the person in front of her had done was not to provide her and her child with material conditions, but to give her the confidence to find hope in her own life.

She cherishes her life every moment. Even though there are many injustices in the trauma group and in this world, at least she is standing here.

Lin Yue put down his chopsticks, and only then did he truly detach the woman in front of him from the identity of his mother.

She may have also been hoping for a bright future, but the harsh realities of life at the bottom of society led her to place her hopes on her children...

“Thank you. I will never agree with any of your decisions, David, as long as you're willing—joining Arasaka and a large company inherently means we can no longer make arbitrary choices; this is a rule we are supposed to accept.” Gloria's smile as she spoke was meaningful…

"So you're using connections? I've never heard of any kid getting into Arasaka and having a boss or senior like you come to ask for my opinion."

This made Lin Yue blush.

"The favoritism is too obvious."

Mrs. Gloria patted David's head.

Lin Yue didn't deny it, but Gloria was genuinely happy. After all, Mr. Rin also liked the child, and nothing was more important than that. She sensed that something missing in the child's growth was being filled: a sense of responsibility, the ability to remain calm, and someone she admired and loved...

This is enough.

"If you had asked me again five years ago what I wanted David to do, my answer would have been the same."

“This child will stand at the top of the Arasaka Tower. I have always hoped that this will happen.”

"Nothing can be changed if you don't do it."

Hearing Gloria's words, Lin Yue seemed to understand something. He then stopped talking and simply placed the bowl and chopsticks on the table, saying softly, "I will take good care of them."

Gloria skillfully concealed the tears welling in her eyes, and everyone tacitly changed the subject—

After dinner, David and Lin Yue walked downstairs side by side; David was there to see the guests off.

This time of day is perfect for men to talk. David was preoccupied and wanted to talk to Lin Yue several times, but seeing Mr. Lin's relaxed expression and the cigarette between his fingers, he kept his words to himself.

The long road he usually dreaded because he was about to be late suddenly seemed short, and soon the neon-lit metropolis outside the skyscrapers came into view.

David walked up the stairs absentmindedly, with Mr. Rin ahead of him. How could he not know what the kid was doing... He just wanted him to process this on his own; David needed to learn this lesson.

The streets were bustling with traffic, the sidewalks were congested, pedestrians hurried by wrapped in clothes, and gang members appeared from time to time—

"Hey, want to come home with me, David?"

David snapped back to reality and realized that Mr. Rin was squinting at him, sipping his half-burnt cigarette, and smiling, his hands resting on the railing, clearly ready to talk to him.

The young man scratched his head and obediently walked to Lin Yue's side, but Lin Yue reached out and patted David on the shoulder, "Relax, there's no one else here...want one?"

David shook his head vigorously, "I can't really stand cigarettes and alcohol, but... I can handle carbonated drinks."

The cigarette Lin Yue was holding disappeared as if by magic, and his face was replaced by K, a legendary figure in the city whose popularity had recently cooled down a bit—in such a densely populated city, even if the legendary K stood here, few people would notice him.

"Of course, I can try."

Lin Yue chuckled when he heard David's tentative question. Within ten seconds, the guy was hunched over with smoke coming out of his ear canals. After all, this was purified tobacco with high tar and nicotine content suitable for lung formation, and David, who had never smoked it before, was likely to choke.

The way the kid was squatting on the ground made Lin Yue burst into laughter.

David was so angry he jumped up and down, angrily throwing the burning cigarette in his hand to the ground. "How outrageous, Mr. Rin!"

Lin Yue gave the guy a light kick on the butt with a mischievous grin, which brought them much closer together. David then realized that Mr. Rin was not a serious and boring person at all; at least, judging from his expression, he seemed more like an older brother.

After a period of laughter and banter, their expressions gradually calmed down.

David felt that nothing could be more reassuring than this moment. Even when facing unknown risks, he still felt very motivated. As long as Mr. Rin was his pillar of support, he was not afraid.

"I'm sorry, your life... has it ever even asked you if you wanted it?"

Lin Yue spoke up.

David was surprised that Mr. Rin would say such a thing.

In many situations, this boy, brought to the city by his mother, felt as if this man knew everything about him, as if his every thought was being read... Admittedly, for a time, David didn't feel that his life should be like Arakawa Academy, and he also felt sorry for his mother, who had turned all her resentment into something else because of their difficult life—

"You will definitely stand at the top of Arasaka Tower, David, you definitely will."

Life had visibly improved, and David had stopped thinking about it, but Mr. Rin brought it up again.

David himself didn't know what his own dream was; he felt like he was living for others...

"Actually... when I was at the academy in Arasaka, I once thought about giving up my studies. I thought... if my family had even the slightest problem, or if my mother had an accident because of dangerous rescue work, street fights, or something like that, I might say goodbye to that cage for good."

"It's not Arakazaka Academy's problem, it's that I don't deserve everything I deserve..."

Lin Yue was surprised that David could say something so profound, and he also noticed that the guy's expression was unexpectedly mature.

The boy leaned against the railing. "You and everyone connected to you have helped us so much. You taught me how to fight against injustice, how to cherish life, how to remain kind... and you also taught me to be careful in everything I do, so..."

Lin Yue listened carefully but made no comment.

"I've changed too..."

There's nothing wrong with living for others!

David's voice suddenly rose, and Lin Yue stared in astonishment at the boy leaning against the railing looking at him, momentarily forgetting to throw away his cigarette butt.

"Especially for my family, Mom, Lucy, and you—I would do it all."

"Absolutely, absolutely, it will be done."

There was a long silence.

Lin Yue felt the burning heat of the cigarette butt between his fingers. He realized that the boy who had grown up in a quiet corner and whom he hadn't paid much attention to wasn't so naive. At least he had this enviable drive, this recklessness. He... was still that David Martinez.

However, under David's unwavering gaze, Mr. Rin simply said, "You're really motivated."

He turned and walked away, met with David's puzzled look.

David didn't know why his father hadn't encouraged him or agreed with his passionate words. He couldn't help but call out, "Sir?!"

The man, with his back to her, simply raised the back of his hand to indicate that he had heard her before disappearing into the neon-lit streets.

Tick-tock—

David looked at the text message sent by Mr. Rin, who had a prosthetic eye.

"Spend more time with Mom, and set off another day!"

……

……

(End of this chapter)