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Lin Mo, remember this: since you've chosen this path, my only request for you is to survive."That last sentence from his sister, Xu Wanxue, kept echoing in Lin Mo's mind long after their heartfelt conversation had ended. In her eyes, it didn't matter if Lin Mo achieved greatness. She only wanted him to stay safe and live a long life, hopefully until old age.
Returning to his room, Lin Mo still felt a bit dazed. He held the set of keys in his hand, feeling like he was clutching millions in assets. He knew his sister was wealthy, after all, she was the vice president of Kang Tao Corporation. Her wealth was beyond what he could ever imagine.
But he never expected her to be this rich—casually gifting him military-grade weapons and telling him that if he wanted more, he only needed to ask.
"With all this firepower, I could practically storm Arasaka Tower. Hell, if I gave this to V, they might just level all of Night City!" Lin Mo mused quietly to himself.
After all, in the Cyberpunk 2077 game, the protagonist V was notorious for taking on any job, no matter the pay. The Night City's deadliest mercenary could be bought for mere pocket change.
"But seriously, my sister's indulgence is reaching absurd levels," Lin Mo sighed.
Today had been one of the most eventful days of Lin Mo's life. He had completed a job, visited the braindance parlor, gotten into some trouble, met a mercenary crew, and then came home to find himself inheriting a fortune.
The thought alone made Lin Mo too excited to sleep. He tossed and turned in bed, restless.
"Screw it. I might as well use my simulation today," he thought, pulling out his secret braindance simulation device and placing it on his head.
With everything that had happened, he had pretty much made up his mind—there was no going back to Arasaka Academy after tonight. He had already had an open conversation with his sister, and she supported his ambitions.
School? That would only slow him down.
[Simulation Begins]
[The next morning, after such an eventful day, you finally get a good night's rest. Just as you think you'll be able to skip school and sleep in, your sister wakes you up, telling you to get ready for class.]
[You're confused. Didn't you two have a heart-to-heart last night? Why the sudden change of heart?]
[Xu Wanxue's words hit you like a cold splash of water: 'If you can't even finish school, how do you expect to become a legend? If you can't handle this small task, how do you think you're going to save the world?']
[Left with no choice, you begrudgingly grab your things and get into the AV-4, flying with your sister to the company plaza.]
[School is usually boring, but today you're in for a shock. It turns out it's midterm exam day, and you haven't studied at all.]
[Wearing the braindance headset, you're seated in the virtual exam hall. Staring at the test in front of you, you have an existential crisis.]
[Why, in 2075, are exams still done on paper? The only difference now is that the classroom has become a virtual space.]
[Why can't you answer most of the questions? You've got an intelligence stat of 4, which is above average.]
[Why can't you move your body in this virtual exam room?]
[Because of this, no matter how skilled you are, cheating is impossible while wearing the headset.]
[You curse under your breath, thinking braindance is a terrible invention.]
[During the midday break, you receive bad news on your communicator.]
[You're shocked to discover that the stocks you invested in have crashed, wiping out 30% of your savings in a single day due to some unclear reasons.]
[Devastated, you try to commit the day's losses to memory while noting the stocks that gained value.]
[Your losses today, ranked from most to least: Moore Technologies, Zetatech, Dinara Tech, and Tsuki Electronics.]
[Your gains today, ranked from most to least: Kang Tao, Militech, Arasaka, and Kiroshi Logistics.]
[Oh, the folly of repeating the mistakes of the past...]
[You want to cry, but you pull yourself together, making mental notes of today's financial movements.]
[As you continue sulking over your losses, you get a call from your sister, informing you that she'll be working late again.]
[You feel a pang of disappointment, realizing it's yet another day without spending time with her.]
[So, you decide not to go home tonight. Instead, you head to the Afterlife to blow off some steam.]
[You invite Kitagawa Hiro along for another night out, but this guy—who now prioritizes his sister over everything—politely declines, saying his sister just woke up and he needs to spend time with her.]
[That night, you arrive at the Afterlife, determined to blow off steam from the day's losses and continue your adventure from the previous night.]
[While enjoying the braindance experience, you can't help but think, 'Braindance is truly the greatest invention of this world.']
[After some time, you begin pondering the deeper questions of life, contemplating the balance between human desire and rationality.]
[You're lost in thought...]
[Still thinking...]
[You finish your philosophical musings and step outside the club for some fresh air. That's when you unexpectedly run into the techie Pilar and the nomad driver Falco.]
[You're pleasantly surprised by the encounter, and the three of you hit it off, talking shop and trading stories. You learn a lot from them, expanding your knowledge and understanding.]
[Hanging out with friends...]
[More hanging out...]
[Feeling generous and excited, you decide to flex your wealth and treat the two to the most expensive drinks at the bar. They both appreciate the gesture, and their opinion of you improves.]
[At around 10 PM, with Pilar drunk out of his mind, you and Falco help him get home. You also learn where he lives: a small apartment in the northern industrial district of Watson.]
[You help carry Pilar up the stairs, and when you knock on the door, his sister, Rebecca, answers.]
[You're taken aback. This violent, short-tempered girl (or, technically, young woman) greets you by pointing a gun at your head. Her paranoia is impressive, but the fact that she's dressed in nothing but a three-piece swimsuit is a bit distracting.]
[What could you do? With Pilar slung over your back, you can't exactly defend yourself, so you endure the discomfort of having a gun pointed at you.]
[When Rebecca recognizes you, she lowers her gun, looking slightly surprised before asking what happened. You explain the situation as best you can.]
[Upon hearing that her brother got himself drunk and needed to be carried home, she makes no effort to hide her disdain. With a look of disgust, she glances at Pilar, then waves you inside, instructing you to dump him on the floor.]
[You feel bad for Pilar, but there's not much you can do. It looks like he's going to be sleeping on the cold, hard floor tonight.]
[Before you leave, Rebecca transfers 500 eddies to your account, calling it 'thanks for the trouble,' while flashing you a sly smile. She even invites you to stop by again sometime.]
[Suddenly, you find yourself warming up to this feisty, gun-toting girl.]
[You return home after a long night, wash up, and collapse into bed, utterly exhausted.]
[Simulation Evaluation: A somewhat unlucky day.]
[Simulation Reward: Arasaka Academy's 2075 midterm exam answers, 500 eddies.]
Lin Mo's eyes widened.
Wait, what?
The stock market's going to crash tomorrow?
Without wasting any time, Lin Mo pulled off the braindance simulator and rushed to his computer. Quickly logging into his stock trading account, he immediately sold off all the stocks that were about to tank and reinvested in those that would rise the next day.
Once he had finished, he leaned back in his chair, letting out a deep sigh of relief. Having a simulation device that could predict the future was practically cheating when it came to playing the stock market.
Too bad stock-related events didn't always appear in the simulation logs.
But when they did, it meant a guaranteed payday. And that was one of the reasons his bank account was already looking pretty healthy.
Satisfied with his moves, Lin Mo relaxed. Life was good when you had the right tools to make it work.