2077, Night City.
As soon as Lin Yu opened his eyes, he saw himself in the mirror—dressed in a corporate suit jacket, with several silver data cables embedded in his neck.
A red string of characters flashed briefly before his eyes: "Company Employee: NC770416," before disappearing.
"Uh... what the hell?"
Lin Yu pressed his forehead, feeling a bit dizzy. There was a foul taste in his mouth, as if he had just thrown up.
Glancing around, he realized he was in a bathroom. The decor was bizarre, yet oddly familiar.
"This is...?"
Lin Yu's heart skipped a beat. Wasn't this the very bathroom from the opening scene of *Cyberpunk 2077*, the one where you play as a corporate dog?
He was all too familiar with that game—he had just spent days and nights grinding through it. Although the endings had left him with a sense of regret, he hadn't planned on starting another playthrough.
As sensory information flooded in, Lin Yu understood: he had transmigrated!
Night City, the Lizzie's Bar, Jackie, Arasaka Corporation, and the unforgettable Panam—everything flashed through his mind, both achingly familiar and deeply nostalgic.
Now, it was all real!
Lin Yu saw a chance to change the future!
This time, he wasn't bound to V's mechanical dialogue choices. He was a real, living person!
That meant endless possibilities for how things might unfold!
Where would it all lead in the end?
Lin Yu silently clenched his fists, his heart brimming with anticipation for life in Night City.
★★★
"Ding! Congratulations to the host for transmigrating and obtaining the God-Level Sign-In System!"
"The Sign-In System allows you to receive different skills or items by signing in at different locations each day!"
Just as Lin Yu was struggling to calm his excitement, a mechanical, electronic voice sounded in his mind—the system had arrived!
The Sign-In System was simple and direct, feeding all necessary information straight into his brain without any useless chatter.
Lin Yu, already confident thanks to his familiarity with Night City, now felt even more assured—this system was the perfect bonus.
"Host detected at the Arasaka Corporation Tower. Would you like to sign in?"
"Sign in!" Lin Yu said heavily, suppressing his excitement.
"Sign-in at Arasaka Corporation Tower successful. Reward: Legendary Mantis Blades."
The system's voice rang out again. Instantly, the complete information about the Mantis Blades was embedded into his mind.
"Mantis Blades: As swift as a gale, guaranteed to kill enemies. Unlocks Leap Slash and short-distance wall-running abilities!"
"Holy crap, a divine weapon!" Lin Yu couldn't help but exclaim.
In a place as perilous as Night City, where countless bloody incidents occurred daily, having the Mantis Blades would significantly enhance his chances of survival.
And obtaining such a legendary item by signing in at the headquarters of the world's largest arms manufacturer—Arasaka Corporation—was perfectly fitting!
"Beep~"
Suddenly, another voice echoed in his mind.
This time, it wasn't the system—it was a phone call.
As Lin Yu answered, a small screen appeared directly in his mind, displaying the caller's image.
It was Jackie Welles.
"V, you don't look so good. Blacked out from drinking again?"
The figure on the screen was a burly man, noticing Lin Yu's poor state and speaking first.
"I'm fine. Just feeling a bit dizzy after coming over."
Lin Yu replied casually.
If this was the corporate opening, Jackie was already V's friend at this point.
Naturally, he had no idea that V had now been replaced by someone else.
Having already shared a journey with this chatterbox during the game, Lin Yu didn't find his enthusiasm strange.
"Akhoiphjkgh, you're gonna die working that job, man! You should just get out now!"
Jackie rattled off a string of gibberish before earnestly advising him. Clearly, this wasn't the first time he'd said it.
Actually, what Lin Yu meant was that he felt dizzy from just arriving, but Jackie clearly misunderstood.
Not that it mattered—what mattered was that Jackie still treated him like a friend.
Lin Yu was well aware that after taking this last mission, he would soon be kicked out of the company.
He had never liked these bone-crushing corporate overlords, let alone ones run by the Japanese.
He was planning to leave regardless of Jackie's advice.
And in the foreseeable future, he'd even come back to stir up trouble—but for now, the priority was simply getting out.
"What the hell happened? Say something, mano!"
Seeing Lin Yu silent, Jackie quickly grew worried and pressed him for answers.
"Just another scapegoat story. I'll fill you in later. Wait for me at the bar."
With that, Lin Yu hung up.
He already knew the whole sequence of events and didn't feel like wasting time explaining to Jackie.
On the other end of the line, Jackie blinked in surprise, then broke into a broad grin.
Today, V seemed a little different.
Maybe he had finally gotten through to him!
"What happened?"
Suddenly, someone else entered the bathroom, looking at Lin Yu leaning against the sink with a puzzled expression.
"None of your damn business."
Without waiting for a response, Lin Yu brushed past and walked out.
Now that he had decided to leave the company, he had no reason to maintain any relationships here.
The man glanced at Lin Yu's corporate uniform, hesitated for a moment, then simply shook his head and headed into a stall.
He needed to find an exit.
Lin Yu had just reached the elevator when his phone rang again.