Chapter 1: The Multiverse Megacorp System! Activation!
Li Ang swallowed the industrially pungent soda with a bitter gulp, staring blankly at the flickering neon billboards. Surrounded by incessant profanity, he was completely dumbfounded.
"How did I end up in Night City?!"
This was the shining star of the American West Coast, the infamous Night City—a "utopia" intertwined with gunfire, smoke, and shattered dreams.
At present, however, Night City was reeling from a "nuclear event" and was in the midst of reconstruction.
Although some areas had regained glimpses of their former glory, large swathes of the city remained desolate, occupied by drifters, rebels, and local gang lords.
The only good news was that the despair-inducing LA Corporation s had yet to grow into the all-consuming dragons capable of devouring civilian destinies. Humanity was in the final chaotic stage of freedom before absolute corporate dominance.
Once corporations like Arasaka and Militech fully ruled the world, that would be true hell.
The more Li Ang thought about it, the more despair he felt.
In a cyberpunk world, the chosen ones either ascend through cybernetic implants to become invincible warriors like the legendary V or wield supernatural powers to crush everything in their path.
But here he was, a nobody with nothing. Worse yet, the cybernetic implant technology of this world was still immature, far from the advanced state depicted in Cyberpunk 2077.
This meant Li Ang could never become an unstoppable cyberpunk warlord, punching Arasaka and kicking Militech into submission.
However, this world didn't entirely align with the Cyberpunk 2077 narrative he knew. It felt like the timeline had been "compressed."
For instance, the Fourth Corporate War, which was supposed to occur thirty years after the Central American Wars, was already underway!
Many iconic figures from Cyberpunk lore coexisted within the same timeframe, creating what seemed to be a parallel universe. Yet, the despair-inducing corporate monopolies remained unchanged.
Just as Li Ang was contemplating a restart of his life in this chaotic world, a thrilling system notification rang in his ears!
[Multiverse Megacorp System Activated!]
In an instant, a translucent data panel materialized before him.
"Holy crap! I have a cheat!" Li Ang was overjoyed.
[The system is dedicated to helping the host build a multiverse megacorporation and become the ultimate overlord across worlds.]
[Expand your corporation, increase monopoly progress, and annex competitors to earn rewards and unlock advanced technologies.]
[Completely free mode: no mandatory system tasks.]
[The host may select a corporate template from the following options: Militech, Arasaka, Kang Tao, Kiroshi Optics, Trauma Team, Delamain...]
[Once a template is locked, all technologies and manufacturing capabilities of that corporation will be fully unlocked without the need for R&D.]
[Note 1: Additional corporate technologies can still be acquired after locking a template.]
[Note 2: The host is encouraged to proceed strategically; death will result in a system rollback to the initial state, with all template data reset.]
When over a dozen corporate templates from Cyberpunk 2077 appeared on the panel, Li Ang couldn't help but grin. By 2077, these corporations were titans of wealth and power!
For example, Militech was so influential that it controlled the selection of U.S. presidents. Its mercenaries and weapons were sold worldwide.
Arasaka boasted unparalleled R&D capabilities, producing everything from electronics to firearms. It even developed the Relic chip, capable of achieving digital immortality.
Kang Tao specialized in cutting-edge smart weapons, dominating the global firearms market with its innovative designs.
Trauma Team, though less advanced in technology, monopolized the high-end medical market with its "nanobot" technology and state-of-the-art cybernetic implants. Supported by European financial conglomerates, it exploited global citizens mercilessly.
...
After reviewing the Cyberpunk 2077 corporate templates, Li Ang was stunned to find even more: Umbrella Corporation, Stark Industries, Oscorp, and even Universal Megacorp!
However, these templates were locked, likely because the technological level of the Cyberpunk world couldn't match these titans.
Loading these templates would result in unbalanced domination—overwhelming power without any challenge.
From the system's description, this was a strategy-oriented system cheat. It provided equipment, technologies, and personnel but offered no physical enhancements.
Li Ang sighed in frustration. "So we, the brilliant and handsome grand strategists, are doomed to be physically weak?"
Still, it wasn't a major issue. As Master Tang once said, "A true capitalist wins with brains, not blood."
As a dedicated Paradox Interactive player, Li Ang had plenty of ways to build an empire surpassing the galactic scale. And when necessary, he could wield the system's resources to become an invincible cyber-warrior, crushing his enemies with overwhelming force.
After analyzing the technological focuses of each corporation, Li Ang weighed his options. The rebuilding Night City presented opportunities for arms trading, not healthcare or infrastructure.
Guns and brute force were the way forward.
Li Ang eyed the templates for [Militech] and [Kang Tao], eventually locking in the former.
While Kang Tao excelled in smart weaponry, Militech's extensive range of weapons made it the clear choice for a burgeoning arms dealer like Li Ang.
[Template Locked: Militech!]
[All Militech products unlocked: firearms (e.g., M-10AF Lexington, M-179 Achilles), vehicles (e.g., Behemoth trucks, hovercars), and more.]
[Corporate Credits: 100 (used for manufacturing products and unlocking technologies).]
[Monopoly Progress: 0% (USA).]
Li Ang quickly noted the exchange rates: 1 credit could produce 10 standard firearms, while 5 credits could produce 10 mythical-grade firearms.
Most importantly, selling one standard firearm would yield 10 credits—a hundredfold return!
"Time to become the ultimate arms dealer!" Li Ang declared with excitement.
In a cyberpunk world, advanced technology was the cornerstone of corporate dominance. And with his system, Li Ang was destined to rise as the overlord of megacorporations.