Chapter 2: Anniversary Celebration

Cyberpsycho, or rather Cyberpsycho, are mostly just pitiful wretches stripped of everything by Night City, having nothing left. They have endured too many setbacks and sufferings, their humanity slowly carved away piece by piece by this cruel world, leaving only cold mechanical skeletons behind, becoming neither human nor ghost, unable to ascend to heaven nor descend to hell.

Xida sighed, ending her boundless thoughts. Sometimes she too became sentimental, but for a rookie Mercenary struggling to survive in Night City like her, such pitying emotions were far too luxurious.

In Night City, the aging of the mind is as fatal as the decay of the body; at least in the Mercenary trade, old timers dreaming of hanging up their boots and retiring have without exception turned into trash. Unless one can escape Night City, this cage, the dump is your final destination.

So, no matter what a Cyberpsycho has experienced or how pitiful they are, when a money-making job to eliminate them is placed before Xida, she will still take it without hesitation, pull the trigger hard, empty the magazine, and end their painful lives with Dynamite Pistol rounds. Although she is still a newcomer who has only just started out, Xida believes she has prepared herself mentally enough.

Xida remained in a crouching position, glanced at the time on the green, dilapidated display inside the car; about twenty minutes had passed. She poked her head out to look through the window; the road seemed no longer congested. At least, no cars were abandoned on her lane, and normal driving was possible.

Xida crawled out from under the seat, adjusted her posture to ensure both feet were in the correct position, and restarted her beloved car. True to a vehicle she had chosen, although a bit ugly, at least it did not fail to start. She carefully drove this Sky Hera, both hands on the steering wheel, looking at a glance like a good driver who obeyed traffic laws and drove honestly. In reality, she was a hotheaded driver; her license was obtained by pointing a gun at someone's temple. She had to put on a show because she was about to pass the scene where MaxTac and a Cyberpsycho were fighting, and she had to ensure she looked completely non-threatening so MaxTac would not find a reason to take her down along with the Cyberpsycho.

100 meters, 50 meters, 0 meters...

"Phew... passed smoothly..." Xida let out a long sigh, her posture immediately relaxing. While driving, she peered through the rearview mirror with her Native Eye, surprised to find that this Cyberpsycho was actually a young, beautiful woman. Typical Neo-Kitsch attire—"substance and appearance combined." A high-end pure white dress, both bulletproof and aesthetic; fashionable, streamlined golden stripes of Skin-like Armor were the cutting-edge trend of the moment...

Xida looked at it enviously several times; these were the bestsellers in the fashion magazines she often flipped through before sleep, and she dreamed of owning a set.

"Damn rich people, now they've become Cyberpsycho too! Hmph..." Xida pouted, concealing none of her schadenfreude. She still held a shred of sympathy for the Cyberpsycho driven mad by damn life, but facing such damn rich people, she wanted to raise both middle fingers. If it weren't for the fact that it was unrefined and would damage her image as a beautiful girl, she would have taken off her shoes and socks and raised the middle fingers of both her left and right feet.

"Actually installed a pair of 'Sunset' 2013 model Mantis Blades, a model discontinued 69 years ago. No wonder she went mad... typical Cyberware Erosion... yet not shot dead on the spot..."

Although slightly surprised by the fact that the female Cyberpsycho was captured alive by MaxTac, Xida did not care what became of that woman. Experimental research? Making a sex doll? Having her cyberware hollowed out to become trash?

In Night City, before caring about others, take care of yourself first.

Xida recalled the various cyberware-related knowledge she had crammed every day after returning to her small den, feeling her life experience points rise a little bit—non-compatible cyberware, she would never install it even if she died! Although she was currently so poor that her body was all native parts, one day she would be able to afford her beloved cyberware treasures. One day!

Xida finished her daily routine of "summary and reflection." According to the process in her little notebook, next was entertainment time.

"I heard Body Heat Radio recently updated with a few good songs..." Turning on Body Heat Radio, Xida happily drove her beloved car onto the highway leading to the city outskirts.

"Good evening, Night City! Interrupting with an urgent news flash: Cyberpsycho appeared on the streets of Watson leading to the city outskirts. Statistics show thirteen people died as a result. The culprit is Melissa Rory, twenty-three years old..." Xida rubbed her brow with one free hand. Although Night City's media were all mouthpieces controlled by Corpo, there was nothing to criticize regarding reporting efficiency. However, this had nothing to do with Xida; she simply did not care about the name of that rich Cyberpsycho, nor was she interested in their past experiences. She could only endure this news flash with slight irritability, hoping the new song later would bring her some surprise.

As stated earlier, Hitata Castedei had never been in love, had never installed any strange cyberware, was a rookie Mercenary with all native parts, loved reading fashion magazines, watching second-hand pure love Braindance films, and listening to music. She loved Chopin's F Minor Nocturne No. 15 from several hundred years ago, and also loved the rock melodies of the Samurai band from over fifty years ago. Listening to this music, she always felt inexhaustible power surging from her heart, transmitting through her blood vessels to her whole body, giving her the courage to survive in the treacherous land of Night City that eats people without spitting out bones, to seek revenge, to chase dreams, to do things she had never thought of, and to meet people she deemed worth knowing.

When listening to music alone, she was always relaxed and emotional, like a knight removing the heavy armor that wrapped her entire body, revealing the fragile and sensitive little girl inside.

So when Body Heat Radio finally ended the news interruption and began playing new music, goosebumps rose all over her body, her pores opened, a shiver traveled from her brain all the way to the crown of her head, and her heart seemed to surge with a warm current, a warm feeling enveloping her entire body. Music indeed possessed an indescribable power; Xida confirmed this once again.

"I couldn't wait for you to come clear the cupboards..." Listening to the female voice's low chanting, accompanied by psychedelic electronic music, watching the flashing neon lights outside the car window, she felt inexplicably melancholy. So Xida stomped hard on the accelerator, increasing her speed, as if only by driving fast enough could sadness and trouble fail to catch up with her.

"Turn away... Another way to be where you didn't want yourself to go..." Her mood fluctuated with the singing; she involuntarily wanted to flee recklessly, flee Night City, flee everything, to fly far away. The old Sky Hera obediently sped along according to its master's will, passing through the neon-lit city center, through the cold highway, through the suburbs, slowing down upon reaching the Eastern Wasteland, until stopping in front of the dump, under the cold moonlight.

Thus Xida understood; she could not escape this cage for now. Songs would end, and journeys too had their endpoints.

Gratitude, revenge, dreams... ten thousand shackles entangled her, granting no freedom.

Xida sighed, opened the car door, got out, and adjusted her equipment on the spot, ensuring the Dynamite Pistol in her hand had sufficient ammunition and would not accidentally discharge or jam. Through mechanical operations, she emptied her mind, cleared away excess emotions, ensuring she would not overthink anymore.

I must complete the mission first, Xida thought to herself. Do not fantasize that anyone will extend a helping hand to you. Always remember, Night City believes in no tears.