Night City, Westbrook District, Jig-jig Street.
This narrow alley is nestled within the Japantown area, with its entrance adjacent to the renowned Sakura Market. As Night City's premier entertainment hub, Japantown in Westbrook never disappoints its visitors.
Jig-jig Street stands as a vital artery of Night City, offering everything an entertainment district should—from the Qingxu Hotel, UltraDream Experience Center, bustling bars, authentic Japanese izakayas, to vibrant arcade halls. It's merely a bridge away from the Corporate Plaza at the city's administrative heart.
Moreover, members of the Tiger Claw Gang patrol the area, ensuring order and stability are maintained.
If Japantown is Night City's most dazzling and thriving paradise, then Jig-jig Street is undeniably a must-visit destination. Locals often say, "If you've got money, head to Yun Ding for the best UltraDreams and stunning girls; if you're broke, Jig-jig Street offers affordable yet practical services."
Jig-jig Street embodies this sentiment perfectly—a place where all forms of entertainment are available, and customers can find cheap "street fast food" when needed.
As night falls, Jig-jig Street welcomes the busiest crowd of the day.
Lin Mo walked with his head down, concealing his face behind a mask. His slender frame navigated through the bustling crowd until he reached the exterior of an adult goods store.
A few flamboyantly dressed sex bots stood outside the store, smoking and chatting casually, their laughter echoing in the night air. This was part of the store's unspoken rules—the sex bots were indispensable "equipment," and their "supplies" came directly from inside the store, offering a complete package of services.
Lin Mo's arrival caught the attention of the sex bots. They paused their conversation to look at the unexpected visitor.
One of the sex bots, a girl with blue-dyed hair, laughed and teased, "What's up, little mailman? Got any reports to deliver?"
"The Tiger Claw Gang's big brother has invited this girl to visit in an hour. Here's the address," Lin Mo replied, removing his mask to reveal his fair and innocent face. He pointed to a red-haired woman, extending his finger in her direction.
His black eyes glowed blue as the central processor in his brain transmitted the address data directly to the sex bot's internal chip.
The red-haired sex bot smiled gently, reached out to pat Lin Mo's head, and cooed, "You're really a handful, little mailman."
Lin Mo nodded stiffly, not wasting any time, and turned to leave.
"Ah, what a pity," the blue-haired sex bot sighed, watching Lin Mo scurry away. "Such a cute and sensible kid. If I had the money, I'd love to take him home and adopt him."
"Yeah, yeah, with that sweet face, he's bound to be a handsome guy. A natural-born Asian beauty. He'll definitely do great things!" her colleague chimed in maliciously, causing the others to laugh and tease along.
As lower-tier workers on Jig-jig Street, if they didn't get business for the day, even basic necessities like food became an issue. Their playful banter was just talk. Even the elderly owner of the pachinko parlor, Okada Wakako, had tried to adopt Lin Mo, but she was unsuccessful. These women had no means to support an orphan like him.
After walking a few dozen meters, Lin Mo quickly approached an automated vending machine. Pressing the buttons, a blue-packaged food item dropped out from the dispensing slot.
[XXL Wrap - Sky Blue Flavor]
Simultaneously, his data panel displayed that he had spent 3 euros.
In the era of prosthetic freedom, basic implants had become indispensable, almost completely replacing devices like smartphones. The Basic Central Processor—a built-in microcomputer—enabled the brain to function with multiple intelligent features. The Data Panel Connector allowed data panels similar to LCD screens to appear before one's eyes. Additionally, the "Seed" chips installed on the thumb bone enabled fingerprint-like payments—simply pressing the vending machine to connect and make purchases.
Opening the XXL wrap package, Lin Mo took a few bites, finishing his "late-night snack" in no time.
The taste of the wrap was mediocre at best. The texture was akin to chewing on ointment, with sky-blue blueberry-flavored sauce pouring over his tongue like cream, making it overly sweet.
"Man, this is awful," Lin Mo complained.
If it was the first time trying it, the unique flavor might have been tolerable, but eating too much felt like a constant battle against his own taste buds.
Life for the lower class in the cyber world was like this—relying on packaged foods as daily sustenance. Rapid technological advancements and environmental pollution meant that fresh food was a luxury inaccessible to the lower tiers. If you managed to climb the social ladder and had disposable income, you could enjoy fresh synthetic foods. Otherwise, your diet was limited to All-Factory products—synthetic beef, pork, and chicken, along with lab-grown vegetables.
Pocketing his blue wrap, Lin Mo pulled his mask back into his coat pocket and silently followed the crowd along the bustling yet polluted streets.
Eight years in this world felt like an endless struggle, akin to a stray dog tirelessly navigating through muddy alleys, with the sole objective of survival.
If it hadn't been for the UltraDream Simulator indicating that he would meet a benefactor at age 8, his days would have been even more bleak. In reality, he had ruthlessly declined Okada Wakako's offer to adopt him at age 6.
Despite the passage of many years, memories of game storylines lingered in his mind. Naturally, Lin Mo was aware of Okada Wakako's background.
Okada Wakako, the future middleman of Westbrook, was a renowned character in the game, much like the famous V who took on various missions through her connections.
These middlemen were always well-informed and had extensive networks, acting as intermediaries between edge runners and clients. They were indispensable, requiring social connections, financial resources, and sharp minds.
Despite her appearance as a kind elderly lady, Okada Wakako possessed all these qualities. Living to an old age in a place like Night City was half a legend in itself!
The reason Lin Mo refused to become her godson was simple—he didn't want to prematurely involve himself with such middlemen. Based on the game's storyline, Okada Wakako wasn't someone to be trusted, and taking her under his wing would only pose risks.
At his current age, still a child without powerful prosthetics, even a basic street kid could easily be taken advantage of. He had vividly remembered the simulation's ending where he was killed by scavengers, so he was extremely cautious in this life.
"Sigh, I wonder when that adoptive mother who cares for me like her own child will come to 'save' me."
With hopes pinned on the future, Lin Mo reached a dead-end alley.
These narrow alleys, formed by towering skyscrapers, were common in Night City. Occasionally, corpses lay in these alleys, decomposing and reeking, forgotten for days.
Frequenting these streets had made Lin Mo numb to such sights. Sometimes, he even had to handle these mysterious corpses. Members of the Tiger Claw Gang would call him to help remove the bodies, preventing them from decaying in Jig-jig Street and disturbing the customers.
Lin Mo didn't mind doing this work—not only because of the decent pay but also for the chance to scavenge valuable items from the corpses.
Skillfully, he took a soft cushion from a nearby trash bin, dusted it off, and placed it in a corner before sitting down.
There was no trash in the bin—people here were so laid-back, tossing their garbage haphazardly onto the ground was the norm. Neatly disposing of garbage was non-existent.
Fortunately, it hadn't rained recently. Otherwise, the alley would have smelled like a fermenting cesspool.
Neon lights in vibrant colors created a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere on the bustling main street, while the alleys were pitch dark and eerie. Hidden in the dead-end alley, Lin Mo took out his UltraDream device from his bag.
"I never expected this thing to come with me here." Holding the dark metallic UltraDream headgear, Lin Mo couldn't help but marvel.
The UltraDream Life Simulator—when he first wore it in the real world, experiencing life simulations, he never imagined he would truly find himself in the Cyberpunk universe.
And this UltraDream device had brought him here.
Putting on the UltraDream headgear, Lin Mo pressed the switch, activating the life simulation.
[Hello, esteemed Immersive User.]
[Do you want to initiate tomorrow's simulation experience?]
After arriving in the Cyberpunk world, the simulator's functions remained intact, but it could only be used once a day.
Lin Mo clicked Confirm.
[Simulation Activated.]
[Tomorrow: You will receive a commission from a shop owner to deliver a meal to a customer. Completing this errand will earn you 2 euros.]
[Morning Tasks: You bought a bowl of wontons at Rulai Restaurant for breakfast, hoping for a smooth day ahead.]
[Noon: You deliver a letter for a shy Tiger Claw gang member to a young-looking sex bot.]
[You help a sex bot who isn't feeling well by fetching painkillers from a prosthetic clinic.]
[On the way, you witness a sex bot's prosthetic malfunction due to wear and illness, causing her to become mentally unstable. She sits in a small alley, babbling incoherently. You watch as you call in the Tiger Claw gang members to clean up the scene, preventing disruptions for customers.]
[These mundane tasks happen almost daily on Jig-jig Street. In this world, lower-tier sex bots are just disposable commodities.]
[Night: You continue wandering the lively streets, searching for work. Perhaps you'll guide some new recruits, a job that often pays well.]
[As the 24-hour clock nears midnight, you encounter a hurried woman in a Kanto Corporation uniform, followed closely by Tiger Claw gang members.]
[Without hesitation, you approach her...]
[Simulation Assessment: Destiny's Turning Point.]
[Simulation Rewards: Daily Earnings—40 euros, Retained Memories of Special Events.]
Lin Mo was taken aback.
He had intended to simply claim the rewards without wasting time living another simulated life. However, upon reflection, merely obtaining top-tier prosthetics without any combat experience or growth time...
Could he really survive in the real world?
After all, in the simulation, his life ended with his kidneys slit...
Moreover, after extracting the rewards, he didn't know if he'd have any remaining chances to continue simulating.
"I choose to experience. Whether the life I live afterward is real or fake?" Lin Mo suddenly wondered.
[Immersive Life Simulation Experience: Everything you experience is real. You can treat it as restarting your life, with your soul traversing into the Cyber World.]
[Upon your death, the simulation ends. However, everything you experienced—people, objects, events—will serve as your support at some future point.]
There's nothing left to consider.
Lin Mo made his decision immediately.
Restarting the simulation wasn't necessary, especially since this time, the simulation's outcome wasn't too bad.
"I choose to experience," Lin Mo declared.
[Congratulations on activating the Immersive Simulation Experience for the first time. Wishing you a perfect life in your new journey.]
[As a first-time user, you receive the Starter Pack:]
Katana: Black Unicorn
Wolf Clan Bulletproof Jacket
Troll Baby Pillow
Immortal Weapon: Dragon Shadow Standard
3 Character Attributes
[Character Attributes: Physical, Reflexes, Technical, Intelligence, and Composure.]
[Current Attributes: Physical 3, Reflexes 4, Technical 3, Intelligence 3, Composure 4]
P.S.: Due to uncontrollable factors, some countries in the game have been renamed.