Cyberpunk: Starting in 2071

Chapter 24 Hadabo

After the handshake ended, Mercer looked around, casually picked up an unopened can of Benben Monkey soda from the bar, took a sip, and frowned.

"What kind of shit-like taste is this? It's as sweet as fucking corn syrup. Does anyone actually like this stuff?"

"Oh~ it seems that the staff cafeteria in Arasaka really is as rumored, with pretty mild flavors."

Cassidy reached out and took it, taking a big gulp without a care: "Ha! Not bad, sugary drinks are a good thing in homeless life."

"Where's the mini Coke? Not the cherry blossom one."

Mercer searched for a while and only found a can of Cyrus Coke. He looked at it with a bit of disdain for a while, but still opened it and took a few sips. Hmm, it tasted like Pepsi—he was a staunch Coke fanatic!

"I'll go help you move the goods."
Once you're all packed, just drive off. We'll meet up on the highway over there.

By the way, my suggestion is to take the same route I was arrested. These members of the Chaotic Blade Gang usually operate in groups, each responsible for a specific road, so they don't overlap.

Seeing his disgusted look, Cassidy shook his head helplessly and reached out to take the Cyrus Cola that he had offered this time.

The can of cola was decorated with the colors of the American flag, a patriotic drink for Americans—yet he still downed the whole can in a few gulps without any hesitation.

"If you're picky, I have a few small cans of Coke and some real water in my car, I'll get them for you in a bit."

His words made Mercer beam with joy: "Thanks, bro."

Although this little Coca-Cola in the world is more like the Mexican version of Coca-Cola, it tastes slightly different from the cola he used to.

But compared to all the other messy things in the world, Coca-Cola still became his favorite drink.

"A good brother?"

Cassidy looked at his face, which looked no more than fourteen years old, chuckled, nodded, and went out to drive and get the goods for him. She also picked up the coat that Mercer had taken off for Xingzi.

While the two were chatting, Lucy and Leon threw all the guns, bullets, and other valuables they could get their hands on into the pickup truck.

Mercer searched the restaurant one last time and found seven rolls of banknotes, which added up to seven hundred euros.

Without hesitation, he stuffed all the money into his coat, and then, together with Lucy and Leon, they moved all the food and water that the restaurant's cluttered gang had stockpiled onto the pickup truck.

These supplies are enough for the few of them to use for at least a week.

"We've retreated, we have a vehicle, we have supplies, and we even found a reliable guide. We're really lucky."

Mercer was satisfied and let Leon get into the pickup truck, while he himself got into the 'Falcon Wolf' that was probably the leader of the Chaotic Blade Gang.

After being ignited with the key found on the corpse, the data-protected metal turned transparent like water ripples, looking exactly like ordinary glass, which amazed Mercer.

Lucy quietly opened the passenger door and got in, wearing a fairly clean orange coat.

The coat was two sizes too big for her, and now that it was zipped up, it looked like a dress, like a little girl who had stolen her mother's clothes—well, she really was a child back then.

Mercer started the car, but then had to adjust his seat, moving it all the way forward, so he could barely floor the accelerator.

I almost forgot that I'm still a child at heart.

"Do you believe that wanderer?" Lucy turned to look at him and asked.

"Yeah, I think he's a pretty good person."

Mercer nodded, and Lucy said worriedly:

"I've heard that there are quite a few robbers and such among the homeless."
Most robbers, especially those who commit serious crimes, are expelled from their families and become members of the Chaotic Blade Society.

“Cassidy is probably not, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you being cautious. You can keep an eye on him with me.”

Mercer agreed with her caution. After all, people change, and the Cassidy he had seen in the game was probably just the tip of the iceberg. Humans are complex creatures, and he felt that it was not wrong to be wary.

Trust is built up gradually.

".Um."

Lucy nodded, then leaned back in her seat, let out a long sigh, and then frowned as she opened the window.

But then a sudden, stronger wind blew sand all over her face, and she quickly closed the window, her face scrunching up even more.

"This guy's car smells really weird."

“These lunatics are all on drugs. You’re not allowed to touch those things in the future.”

Mercer said, his face showing disdain:
"While it's true that in this world, money probably means you're less likely to break yourself, believe me, once you get involved with these things, you'll quickly turn into an idiot or a madman."

If you see someone who can't live without these things, then that person is definitely not a reliable person.

“I know,” Lucy understood. “The most important thing for a hacker is to stay clear-headed.”

"That was a wise choice. Do you prefer Coke or Ceres? Or something like Silly Monkey?"

Mercer's topics jump around a lot.

"Me? Hmm," Lucy deliberately glanced at him a few times before whispering, "Sirius?"

Mercer glanced at her speechlessly, then couldn't help but laugh: "Smile more, you little devil, you're actually quite cute when you smile."

"Ha, here we go again. Every time you say something to praise someone, do you always have to add a 'little devil' or 'child' before it?"

Lucy lay relaxed, half-reclined, her body slightly turned towards him as she looked at him.

"Hmm, otherwise I'd feel like I'm committing a crime, you know? I don't want you to misunderstand."

Mercer's words left Lucy looking completely bewildered, then she gave a slightly disgusted look and chuckled, "Huh? Are you giving me the friend card in advance?"

"Tsk, that's why I was afraid you little brat would misunderstand."
Let me put it this way: my ideal type is all pretty girls aged 18 and up, not that pretty girls under 18 are no good.
It's about basic moral principles.

Mercer sighed as he spoke. If he were really a fourteen-year-old boy, it would be fine, but in his heart he was a twenty-seven or twenty-eight-year-old adult.

He didn't lie to Lucy.

He genuinely doesn't cause trouble. He likes Rebecca, the grumpy little girl mom from "The Edge Walker," and he also likes the wild and sexy Panan from the game.

To be honest, he thought David's mother was still quite attractive.
As for Lucy, a stunningly beautiful woman with a cool and alluring charm, who is on par with female protagonists in anime, he naturally prefers her even more.

But thinking that someone is pretty and cute is one thing, but if he were to associate her with Lucy now, he would feel like a pervert.

"I now believe that your mental age is over twenty."

Lucy pouted, her small body curling up in her seat. "I hate being called 'little brat' or anything like that. Next time, please omit that, or I'll get angry." "Okay, miss," Mercer said with a smile.

“Not even girls!” Lucy raised her voice. “Besides, my birthday is in December, I’ll be fifteen soon, um. I came of age in 1975. Sigh.”

"What? Getting impatient?" Mercer teased.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

Lucy snapped, "Why are you in such a hurry? To get into your own preferences?"
I just don't like being treated like a child by you. We're not that far apart in age, wait, aren't you fourteen too?
We might be the same age! No, am I a few months older than you?

Seeing that he looked guilty and wasn't looking at her, Lucy muttered, "Mercury, to be honest, I've noticed you're a bit narcissistic."

The car stopped first—Cassidy and Dadi, along with Xingzi, had already driven over from the other side of the hill and joined the road.

They then stopped the car and switched seats.

Dadi drove the big pickup truck in the middle of the queue with Xingzi, Cassidy and Leon led the way in their van, and Mercer's car was at the back of the queue.

After Dadi honked twice and started moving, Mercer stepped on the gas again to catch up with him.

With the old cowboy leading the way, Mercer didn't even need to plan a route; he could simply press the accelerator and follow along effortlessly.

Then he answered her earlier question: "Hmm, buddy, I do think I'm very charming."

Lucy glanced at him a few times, but in the end she couldn't help but laugh at his narcissistic words. She laughed and said helplessly, "Anyway, I really don't like it."

“I know you feel that you can help me too, and you’re not a child who needs to be taken care of, so you hope to work with me, otherwise you’ll feel like a burden.”

Mercer, however, simply and frankly stated his thoughts:
"But I just feel I should take care of you. How should I put it? You can think of me as being a bit presumptuous."

You can call me a chauvinist if you want, but in my opinion, it's only right for capable people to shoulder more responsibility, and I'm willing to carry this pressure forward, as it gives me a more genuine feeling.
I don't know how to put it, but I always feel that if I come into this world and still cause you all a lot of suffering, then I've come for nothing.

My purpose in coming into this world is to make everyone's life better and happier; that is my biggest goal right now.

The scope of this "everyone" is neither too small nor too large. I want to complete this step first, and then consider bigger goals, such as making the world a better place.

Right now, I'm only taking the first step towards achieving my life goals, compared to the guilt you feel.
Perhaps I should apologize to you, because I am indeed influencing your life and future based on my own thoughts and will.

But you don't need to think you're special. I'll probably do this for many people in the future. Some people will like it, some won't, but I'll do it because it's something I like and want to do.

so."

He turned his head and grinned at Lucy: "Just bear with it, you'll be an adult in '75, huh?"

"You're a bit annoying."

Lucy rolled her eyes at him, then curled up in the chair, propped her chin on her hand, and quietly gazed at him with her bright eyes, his radiant smile reflected in them.

Can a life spent striving for the happiness of others truly bring joy?

"It's so great, because if I make some people happy, it inevitably means that some idiots will suffer. And who says that's all there is to my life?"

Mercer laughed and opened the window. Outside, the wind whipped up yellow sand, and a yellow sandstorm was vaguely taking shape in the distance.

Lucy was blinded by the sudden, huge sandstorm, but she still managed to see him excitedly leaning out and reaching out to catch a glimpse of the storm.

He shouted loudly to avoid his voice being carried away by the storm:

Life is a journey, and the fun lies not in the destination, nor in whether you can get there!

"It's all about what you experience while walking this path!"

"Look, the people around me are laughing and walking towards freedom with me. That idiot Arasaka I hate is probably frowning right now. I have conquered the difficulties of the past, and there is still much to be done in this vast world!"

My happiness is this simple—can you feel the storm? It's coming!
Haha! I've been wanting to try this kind of storm for ages, to actually experience it firsthand!

To hell with houses, money, cars, and jobs!

Alas!!!

Cough, cough, cough, spit, spit!

He yelled, swallowed a mouthful of sand, retreated back into the car, spat out a few mouthfuls of sand, and then rolled the window shut again.

He turned to Lucy, who was staring in disbelief, and gave her an awkward smile. He wiped his lips with his hand and spat a few times.

Damn, how did the wind speed increase so quickly?

"Pfft."

Lucy couldn't help but laugh, but then, just like him, she burst into laughter, stretched out her body, opened the window, and leaned half her body out, feeling the storm while taking a deep breath:

"Alas!!!"

She yelled, then swallowed a mouthful of sand. She quickly pulled back, closed the car window, coughed violently, and even gagged twice. Then she kept spitting.

The two men exchanged a glance, then burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the carriage and even drowning out the sound of the yellow sand hitting the windows.

"Sasa.Sasa"

Near the car radio, the walkie-talkie hanging next to the car air conditioner suddenly started making a hissing sound.

"Hello? Kids, can you hear me? You should have walkie-talkies in your cars, right? Please respond if you hear me, please respond if you hear me."

Mercer picked up the walkie-talkie and pressed the call button: "Received, old cowboy."

"Received! Received!" Tetsuya Daichi's voice came through, and Kyoko's shouts could be faintly heard as well.

"Pay attention to slowing down, maintain a convoy, and always make sure the taillights of the car in front are within your field of vision!"

Don't lose your way in the sandstorm!

If the target is lost, speak up immediately! The convoy must slow down immediately and coordinate with the team members!
Now, I will take you to a temporary shelter that I know of to rest, which will take at least an hour and a half!

Don't lose yourself before that happens.

Don't get too excited yet, the excitement is just beginning!

Attention everyone! Ha Dabo is coming!

(End of this chapter)