It became clear to Lin Mo that the UltraDream simulator's projections were just rough guides—life was already taking its own course.
In the simulation, he and Xu Wanxue had escaped Jig-Jig Street without much trouble. But here he was, with blood on his hands, having taken out a Tiger Claw. And Xu Wanxue, who was supposed to be his "adoptive mother," now seemed more interested in being his "big sister."
Sigh, life just loves to complicate things, Lin Mo thought as he gazed out the car window.
After a long, quiet ride, Xu Wanxue finally pulled into the parking lot of her apartment complex. It wasn't what Lin Mo had expected.
He had assumed she lived in Charter Hill, the ritzy neighborhood in Westbrook where most corporate middle managers resided. But instead, she took a detour, crossing the bridge and driving into the shadow of Corpo Plaza in City Center, the beating heart of Night City's corporate machine.
In the game world of Cyberpunk 2077, Night City was divided into six main districts: Watson, City Center, Heywood, Westbrook, Santo Domingo, and Pacifica. Now that the game world was his reality, Lin Mo knew the city was much larger than its virtual counterpart.
But the layout was still familiar.
Corpo Plaza loomed ahead—home to the world's most powerful megacorporations. Towering skyscrapers made up Night City's iconic skyline, lighting up the night like beacons of power and greed. At night, they looked like silent giants, watching over the streets below. Majestic, foreboding, and corrupt to the core.
Above them, two enormous holographic koi fish swam in lazy circles, looping endlessly in the sky. Lin Mo had seen them before in the game, but witnessing it now, in reality, was even more awe-inspiring.
It wasn't 2069 yet, so the Unification War hadn't kicked Arasaka back into Night City. But it was only a matter of time.
"Soon," he muttered under his breath, lost in thought.
This world was full of opportunities, and he couldn't afford to waste the one he had been given. Lin Mo was determined to carve out his name here. At the very least, he needed to make it into Afterlife and earn a spot among the legends of Night City. And if everything went according to plan, maybe he could even become the city's greatest legend.
Xu Wanxue, keeping an eye on him as she drove, noticed his serious expression. They were nearing Corpo Plaza, and he seemed to be deep in thought.
"Hey, relax," Xu Wanxue said with a tired smile. "I'm not heading into work right now. I've only got six hours until my next shift—ugh, corporate life sucks."
A glance at the dashboard confirmed it was already 2 a.m. She sighed, shaking her head.
"My apartment's right next to the plaza," she continued. "It's for people who need to be close to the office. Sure, Charter Hill is nice, but I don't have time for long commutes."
Lin Mo nodded, still quietly observing as they pulled into the underground garage.
Once they parked, Xu Wanxue used her Seed Chip to unlock the door to the apartment building. The high-tech security system recognized her implant, and they made their way inside without a hitch.
The lobby was sleek and minimalistic, the hallmark of corporate design. Behind the front desk stood a receptionist with an extravagant amount of cyberware. Her arms, neck, and even parts of her face were covered in gleaming brass-like plating, making her look like a walking statue. Luxurious, but ultimately empty.
Xu Wanxue walked in with her usual air of confidence, giving the receptionist a nod. The woman returned the gesture, bowing slightly, her artificial smile never wavering. Lin Mo took a brief glance at her implants.
By now, fourth-gen cyberware had become standard for corporate employees. But compared to the more functional third-gen implants, fourth-gen was mostly for show.
There were two types of fourth-gen cyberware. The first was top-of-the-line tech, like Advanced Neural Processors, Pressure Analyzers, and Biometric Monitors—the kind of stuff used by execs and special agents. While cutting-edge, it wasn't exactly useful for people like Lin Mo. Too delicate, too expensive, and not suited for the battlefield.
The second type? Pure vanity. Corpos loved to deck themselves out in liquid metal, crystal, or even rare wood to flaunt their wealth. These implants had no real function beyond saying, "I'm rich."
The receptionist's brass-plated limbs were definitely on the cheaper end of that spectrum.
But Lin Mo didn't care about vanity. What he needed was functional third-gen bioware—cyberware that could actually give him an edge in the streets.
He wasn't interested in turning into a full-on borg like V from Cyberpunk 2077. Players often joked about V becoming "V-tron," a walking pile of metal parts. Lin Mo didn't want to go down that road.
No, what he wanted was bioware. Implants that could enhance his strength, speed, and reflexes while keeping him mostly human. Subdermal Nanoweave Armor, Synaptic Accelerators, Nano-meds—those were the things that would keep him alive in Night City.
And, of course, there was one ultimate goal: the Sandevistan, the most coveted cyberware implant in the city.
Lin Mo's thoughts were interrupted by a gentle tap on his head. Xu Wanxue had knocked him out of his daydreams.
"Spaced out again? We're home," she said with a smirk.
Lin Mo blinked, rubbing his head as he followed her to the apartment door.
"Come on, don't just stand there," she teased, pressing the button to unlock the door. The security system scanned her Seed Chip, and the door slid open with a soft hiss.
The apartment was spacious and modern, with sleek furniture and stylish decor. A few rare bamboo plants stood in the corner, adding a touch of greenery to the otherwise steel-and-glass environment. In a city like Night City, where nature was almost non-existent, these plants were a luxury.
"I'm gonna grab a quick shower and catch some sleep," Xu Wanxue said with a yawn. "You can stay here tonight. We'll figure out the rest when I'm off work tomorrow."
Without waiting for a reply, she headed into the bathroom, leaving Lin Mo to explore.
The apartment was impressive, but Lin Mo knew that even with all the advancements in technology, the quality of life in Night City hadn't improved much for the average person. Xu Wanxue, despite her mid-level corporate job at Kang Tao, still had to grind through 14-hour shifts. She barely had time for herself, and tonight's brief escape to Jig-Jig Street was a rare moment of freedom.
Corporate life in Night City was a brutal grind, where employees worked until they dropped, often relying on stims and boosters just to stay awake. And that was without factoring in the backstabbing and office politics that plagued every corporation.
Loyalty to the company came first. In exchange for high salaries and exclusive perks, employees were expected to give up everything—even their bodies. If you crossed the line, the company would take back everything—your pay, your benefits, and even your cyberware.
Despite this, countless people still lined up to become corporate drones. To them, the security of corporate life was worth the price.
Lin Mo stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, watching the dimly lit streets below. The occasional car passed by, its lights flickering like fireflies in the neon-lit night.
At least now, he had a place to call home. For the first time in this chaotic, dystopian city, he felt a small measure of stability.
---
patreon.com/Masterworks951
Author's Note: The bioware implants mentioned here are part of the official Cyberpunk 2077 lore. An example from the game is the Reinforced Tendons (double jump), described as "biomechanical connective tissue that supports leg muscles."