Finally, the moment had arrived.
Lin Mo's heart raced like a storm gathering strength, years of patience and perseverance in this harsh world finally yielding rewards. The simulation had run its course, and now, the results were flowing into his account.
The familiar data panel flickered into view on his retina, revealing a credit of 40 eurodollars. Along with the financial reward, a torrent of memories rushed into his mind. Suddenly, everything was clear—the exact time, location, and even the escape routes for tomorrow night's critical event. The simulation had gifted him more than just money; it had handed him foresight.
Each completed simulation left Lin Mo with small but valuable rewards, further cementing the UltraDream Simulator's value. Unlike other systems that promised legendary gear but rarely delivered, this one felt authentic. The rewards were real.
He still had the starter pack stored away in his Database, untouched. After all, as a kid in this gritty world, a katana or a set of crafting blueprints weren't immediately useful.
"If only attribute points came as rewards," Lin Mo mused, turning his attention to his personal attribute panel.
[Current Attributes: Body 2 (3), Reflexes 4, Technical Ability 3, Intelligence 3, Cool 4]
Due to his young age and underdeveloped body, his Body stat hadn't reached its full potential yet. All his current stats fell within the range of a typical human.
The five core attributes were straight out of the world of Cyberpunk 2077. Back when Lin Mo was a player, he'd spent hours fine-tuning his character stats across these same categories:
Body: Strength, health, and endurance.Reflexes: Reaction time, agility, and coordination.Technical Ability: Skill with machinery, tech, and cyberware.Intelligence: Cognitive sharpness, hacking, and problem-solving ability.Cool: Willpower, composure, and the ability to stay calm under pressure.
When he played the game, he'd dived deep into the Cyberpunk compendiums, learning the ins and outs of how attributes worked.
A score of 3-4 was considered typical for the average person.A score of 5-6 marked someone as skilled.Reaching 7-8 placed you among the elite, the top tier of human performance.9-10 pushed you to the peak of human ability.
Anything beyond 10? That was entering the realm of superhuman, the stuff of legends.
With cybernetic enhancements, you could potentially push an attribute up to 20. Lin Mo vividly recalled that even the fearsome Adam Smasher, the towering boss of Cyberpunk 2077, only had a Body stat of 18 at his peak. And then there was V, the game's protagonist—after fully leveling up, V could max out three attributes at 20.
Compared to that, Adam Smasher was underwhelming as a final boss.
Still, with his current stats, Lin Mo was very much normal. But the future held immense potential.
"Why haven't I been getting any attribute point rewards?" Lin Mo pondered, frustrated. "I've been using the simulator every day for years now, but the only attribute boost I've seen is from the starter pack."
Beyond the 3 points he'd been given as a beginner reward, every other simulation run had come up empty in terms of attribute boosts.
"Maybe it's tied to combat," Lin Mo speculated. After all, he'd yet to truly test his abilities in a fight.
"Well, no point in waiting around. I should allocate those points," he decided.
He had held onto the starter pack's 3 attribute points for a long time, waiting for the right moment to spend them. That moment was now.
After careful consideration, Lin Mo dumped all 3 points into Reflexes.
Three points might not seem like much, but focusing on a single stat always paid off more than spreading them thinly across multiple attributes.
Tonight's mission was crucial—he had to save his future adoptive mother. That meant running, chasing, and reacting quickly. Reflexes would give him the edge he needed.
Though the simulation predicted he'd succeed, Lin Mo didn't want to leave anything to chance. The simulator was a guide, not a guarantee.
He refused to believe that his life would end as just another Scav kill.
Plus, there was David Martinez, his classmate at Arasaka Academy. He had to figure out how David's story intertwined with his own—was it part of the game's narrative, or something else entirely?
After allocating the points, his Reflexes stat rose to 7.
That meant he was now among the elite. A part of him couldn't help but feel a thrill.
Removing the UltraDream device, Lin Mo could feel the shift in his senses immediately.
The dim alley that stretched before him was clearer now. His vision pierced the darkness effortlessly, while the thrum of music from the nearby streets pumped through his veins. The world felt sharper, more alive.
People moved past in a blur, but to Lin Mo, their faces and clothing were clear as day. He even spotted the holsters some carried under their jackets.
If he wanted to, he felt like he could reach out and snatch a weapon off them without them even noticing.
"Just 3 attribute points made this much of a difference? Imagine hitting 20. I'd be unstoppable," Lin Mo muttered to himself, absorbing the intensity of his surroundings.
For the first time in his life, he felt an undeniable craving for more power.
Night passed, and soon, the next evening arrived.
Jig-Jig Street was alive with chaos. The streets were packed, nearly suffocating with the press of bodies. Neon lights flashed in time with the booming music, casting the world in a hazy, dreamlike glow. Inside storefront windows, provocative scenes played out, enticing passersby to stop and spend their hard-earned eddies.
Inside a pachinko parlor, the atmosphere was even more intense.
The clinking of steel balls against machines filled the air, a mechanical chorus that seemed to hypnotize the players. Screams of victory or groans of defeat followed each spin of the wheel.
As in most places in Night City, conflict was a constant companion here. Especially when the stakes were high.
A middle-aged man dressed in the telltale attire of the Tiger Claws, with teal-streaked hair, scowled at a young woman nearby.
She was wearing a sharp corporate uniform, orange and black, her hair tied back in a slick corporate style. Her smile gleamed as her pachinko machine lit up with a massive payout.
Meanwhile, the man's machine kept blinking "すみません (Sumimasen)," a mocking message of failure that only served to fuel his frustration.
"Uncle, seems like luck's not on your side tonight," the woman called over, her voice laced with teasing mockery.
"Baka yarou," the man muttered under his breath, his face darkening.
"Luck's one thing you can't control, no matter how angry you get. Better pack it in early tonight," she said smugly, collecting her winnings.
As she left, she couldn't resist a final jab. "I'll leave you my machine. Maybe you'll turn your luck around before you lose it all."
Watching her walk away, the man's face twisted with anger. His resentment toward corporate types simmered beneath the surface. He stood abruptly, heading for the back room of the pachinko parlor.
Inside, the noise of the parlor gave way to a tranquil tea room, where the smell of jasmine floated on the air.
At the table sat an elderly woman, serene and dignified in her traditional kimono. She wore reading glasses, her delicate fingers tracing the rim of her teacup with the precision of an old-world artisan.
Without looking up, she spoke, her tone icy yet calm. "I expect an explanation, or tomorrow you'll be done with the Tiger Claws."
The man's aggressive demeanor melted away the moment he crossed the threshold. Kneeling on the tatami, he bowed deeply. "Wakako-san, I need information on that Kang Tao executive."
Wakako Okada, the elder fixer, didn't even blink. "500 eddies, plus 100 for the intrusion. Total is 600."
The man transferred the money immediately, his eyes glowing blue as the eddies shifted accounts.
"Kang Tao's Deputy Manager of Intelligent Weapons Research, Xu Wanxue. She's new in Night City, fond of gambling, and visits Jig-Jig Street every night at 10 PM," Wakako said smoothly.
"She's got a Platinum Trauma Team membership, so tread carefully. If things go south, you might as well pray."
"Thanks, Wakako-san. Just looking to teach her a lesson," the man said, standing up to leave.
As he exited, his men were waiting, weapons ready.
The Tiger Claws ruled this area. Every casino, joytoy den, and braindance club in Japantown was under their control. A corpo coming in with no bodyguard and no respect? That wouldn't fly.
The man chuckled darkly, sitting back at his pachinko machine. It was only a matter of time before he heard the outcome.
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