At first, Li Pan thought the company would shamelessly nag him again, saying he hadn't completed the mission, dragging things out, bargaining and haggling.
Unexpectedly, headquarters simply marked the task as complete. Apparently, welding the two stairwell doors shut counted as a perfect containment.
The result: another silver key as a reward, and a new "Monster Research" file faxed over—transferring the Ghost Tower case from Operations to the Technical Department.
Well, that wasn't so bad after all. Maybe the company wasn't completely heartless…
No! Wrong! Li Pan, what are you thinking! Two thousand five! Two thousand five!
He quickly corrected himself, straightened his mindset, and looked down at the silver key in his hand.
Honestly, since he could meditate each night and "go over there" himself, what was the point of this thing? To open up some monster from the warehouse? Dig out eyeballs and shorten his lifespan?
Forget it. He'd just hold onto it for now.
Zhang Martin's data card, though—that was an unexpected bonus. Li Pan had 18 check it. The card contained 500 units of cryptocurrency, which on the black market could fluctuate anywhere from one thousand to eight thousand. The price swings were huge because these deep web currencies weren't regulated, decentralized, and influenced by the entire multiversal financial market. Different black markets and vendors valued them differently—one second you might make a fortune, the next you were bankrupt.
And carrying it around was risky—if the NCPA found it, they'd confiscate it and fine him.
Still… it was money.
Tch. Such a mixed blessing.
So 18 suggested,
"Since you can't use it directly, why not let me trade it for you?"
Li Pan eyed her. "You mean use my citizen ID to open an account at a deep web exchange?"
18 grinned, gesturing.
"Exactly. You understand, huh? Not bad. If you don't manage your money, your money won't manage you. Five hundred coins is enough for the entry fee. And since I've got Big Snake, there's no risk of some deep web ghost crawling back through the net. We partner up, make money together. Fifty-fifty split."
Li Pan thought it over and agreed.
Sure, his ID, his risk, and his startup capital were all on the line. A real private investment manager would never demand such a steep 50% cut. But 18 was a top-tier hacker, backed by Big Snake. Security wasn't an issue—if it was, it wouldn't be something Li Pan could handle anyway.
Of course, strictly speaking, this was abusing company equipment for personal gain. 18 might not rat him out, but if she didn't get a decent cut, she'd have no motivation to slack off.
And though he didn't know what she needed so much money for, given that she was about to be canned anyway, Li Pan—struggling at the edge of bankruptcy himself—completely understood the desire to live better.
"Alright. It's yours."
"Yay!"
Then Rama came in to report.
"Ma…nager… thank… you… for saving me…"
Although his file had been reset, years of being treated like livestock by thugs had left him unaccustomed to speaking. Li Pan looked at him and felt the kid was damaged.
Once a person crossed the bottom line—whether willingly or not—some things couldn't be restored, even with a reset.
"You don't need to thank me. I just completed the task. The company's got a lot of crooked rules. Learn them bit by bit. Until you can defend yourself, I won't give you anything too hard."
Rama didn't move.
Li Pan glanced up. "What else?"
Rama looked toward the door. "18… she… Big… Snake…"
"Oh. She'll have surgery soon, her brain cut out and installed in Big Snake for evolution.
From then on, 18 will be Big Snake, and Big Snake will be 18.
…What, you planning to run away with her?"
Li Pan tapped away at his report.
"Forget it, kid. Where would you escape to? Even if I let you go, could you fly out of Night City?
Don't take it so hard. Being canned isn't necessarily bad. You can still date her in Hyperdream, or she could download her personality into a prosthetic body to keep you company.
Now that you've left the cage, you should know—this world is the same everywhere."
Rama clenched his fists and left the office.
Li Pan shrugged. The thoughts of young men and women—so predictable.
Then he picked up the landline, dialed 0791002, and confirmed A-7's report through a psychic trace.
The placement of warehouse employees had gone smoothly enough. Forty-two warehouses—each needing two shifts, with four to eight staff per shift for daily maintenance. Some required extra security. Add logistics and HR, and it was over two hundred people total.
Damn. The reset purge had killed off too many. Operations were completely paralyzed.
Forget it. Time to clock out!
Since he'd had to write a report, no company shuttle was available. So Li Pan mooched a meal at CSI's mess hall and planned to take the subway. He'd barely gone for a fourth helping when his phone rang.
Who else could it be?
Outside the campus gates, three sleek Night Corporation luxury cars were parked.
K leaned against a door in her trench coat and sunglasses. Four Nightwalker bodyguards, also in black coats and shades, stood armed, blocking the road.
"You're slow. Get in."
Li Pan shrugged.
"Such a big scene just to get a room? Why not ride Serena here?"
K seemed to shoot him a glance from behind her shades.
"You miss her that much?"
He followed her into the car.
"Of course I do. The Kusanagi Sword! There can't be many of those in this city. Lend her to me for a few laps?"
"No."
"Tch. Stingy… Anyway, where are we headed?"
"Five Chariots Academy."
Ah. Li Pan understood.
Going after ninjas.
The Five Chariots—also called Wu Huang, Wu Lu—were tied to the Five Emperor Chariots, guardians of the Son of Heaven. From ancient texts, the phrase "scholar of five chariots" had come to mean vast knowledge.
In short, Five Chariots Academy was founded in the Takamagahara era—a direct-financed elite school of the Oda conglomerate, training not only executives and scientists but also special agents like ninjas and assassins.
Back then, it was the top school in Dimension 0791. Tuition-free, guaranteed employment. Passing the exam meant instant ascension.
If Takamagahara hadn't lost, Huang Taihe would have been admitted for sure. Li Pan himself—well, maybe not. He could only match the top 99%, not the true 1%.
Though Takamagahara had collapsed, the academy's graduates were still highly valued. They just couldn't reach core positions in core companies anymore.
Given its background and networks, the Night Clan kept close watch on it—building their own universities, recruiting talents like Huang Taihe from the common folk.
The Nightwalker convoy rolled straight into the Five Chariots Academy's Night City campus. The school dared not be rude; even the principal came to greet them.
"Knight Commander Cornelius, what an honor."
The principal was a woman of explosive, exaggerated beauty—nine heads tall, curves too perfect, body like a sculpture. She looked more like a custom combat prosthetic than a person.
Li Pan gawked. If he'd known the principal was like this, he would have studied until he bled to get admitted!
He glanced at K. Compared to this woman, K's smaller figure felt almost too real. But weren't vampires full-body prosthetics too? Why not make them bigger? Was agility that important?
Sensing his gaze, K glared at him before turning to the principal.
"Principal Koka, do you remember our agreement?"
The principal smiled.
"Of course. Takamagahara has fallen. The Five Chariots must choose whether to return to Ashihara or fall into Yomi. The road is their own."
K raised her head, looking down.
"Then what about this?"
The principal looked at Li Pan in puzzlement.
"And he is…?"
K didn't mince words.
"He is my marked blood thrall. Don't tell me you couldn't find that out!
Killing him is a breach of the non-aggression pact. An insult to Night Corporation itself.
Hand over the culprits—or face war."
Li Pan's heart leapt. She really was backing him up! Hands on his hips, he shouted,
"That's right! Hand over the Akiyama clan and the assassins that helped them! Apologize! Pay damages! Then die, die, die!"
The principal frowned, eyes flashing as she conferred internally. Finally, she nodded.
"Please wait. I will bring them out. You will have a satisfactory answer."
K said coldly,
"Good. You have two hours. Fail, and it's war."
She led Li Pan into a reception room. The principal hurried off to clean up the mess.
Li Pan laughed.
"Wow! K, you really mean it! I thought you were just talking big. But you actually stood up for me! Respect!"
K shot him a look.
"I'm not helping you. I'm just using this chance to crush what's left of the Oyardo."
Li Pan chuckled.
"Sure, sure. Whatever you say. Hey, you Five Chariots folks—where's the tea? No food at dinner?"
The staff scrambled to serve him while the Nightwalkers loomed.
Half an hour later, the principal returned—now dressed as a kunoichi, bringing captives.
"Sincere apologies!"
Here we go again. Why always the same routine? Resistance was better—more fun to cut them down!
Two girls in school uniforms—one plump blonde, one skinny pigtails hacker—then Akiyama Ayako. She looked almost identical to Masako, more like sisters than mother and daughter, though her expression was coldly defiant.
She had been dragged straight from a hospital bed, still in bandages, barefoot, hair a mess, waist braced, dumped to the floor. Humiliated, she pressed her forehead to the ground, tears glimmering.
Li Pan chewed his steak, wiped his hands, grabbed her hair and sniffed. Yes. Same scent.
K asked, "Is it her?"
The principal crossed her arms, hiding her curves.
"It is Akiyama Ayako. No consciousness upload. No brain-can surgery. You may verify."
"Good. Then I accept your apology."
Li Pan stomped her head, drew Tonbokiri, and swung down.
"Ahhh!" Ayako screamed.
"Stop!" cried the principal.
"Wait!" cried K.
The blade halted at her neck. Li Pan blinked.
"What? You want her last meal first? I recommend steak."
Ayako gasped for breath, shaking. The other two girls sobbed.
The furious principal stepped forward.
"You dare kill my student in front of me?!"
Li Pan scoffed.
"Didn't you just tie her up for me? What, you think I'd forgive her with just an apology?"
K coughed, sending a private message.
"I didn't bring you here for revenge."
Li Pan got it. He glared at the principal.
"So you want me to forgive her? Fine. Stab you once and say sorry—call it even, huh? Where's the sincerity, Principal?"
He puffed his chest and shoved her back.
"You! Hmph!"
Flushed with humiliation, the principal bowed.
"This was Ayako's recklessness—and my failure as her teacher. I will punish them. As principal, I cannot escape blame.
I, Koka Asahime, will personally compensate you. Please, grant them one chance to learn."
Hmph. Only bowing for Night Corporation's sake.
But thinking about it, relying on a woman to fight his battles didn't feel right either. His interest waned. He wiped his blade clean.
Still—Tonbokiri was impressive. It had sliced a strand of her hair clean in half.
So he decided.
"Fine. Let's talk money. I'm a gentle soul. Don't call it extortion. I'm worth at least 300k in student loans alone.
Each of them tried to kill me—each owes me a life. Round it off—1,000,000 in emotional damages."
The principal nodded, eyes flashing.
"Your valuation is fair. The transfer is complete."
"Citizen Li Pan has received a private gift: 1,000,000.00. Current balance: 1,000,182.27."
Oh…
Li Pan took a deep breath to steady himself.
"Good! For K's sake, I'll let this slide!"
K turned to the principal.
"In that case, I trust the Five Chariots. From now on, I expect no further Oyardo harassment toward my blood thrall."
"Thank you for your generosity."
Amid cries of apology, Li Pan happily had his steak boxed up and left with K.
Once in the car—
"Give me 500k," K said.
"Oh. Split half, right. Sent."
Her pupils flashed.
"The payment's received. I don't know how you offended them, but Cerberus won't trouble you again."
Li Pan froze.
"Pull over. Out. I've got other business," K said.
He gawked.
"What? Kate, what's this mean? You really trying to hook up with me?"
K shot him a look.
"I told you—I've got you covered."
And with that, the convoy vanished into the neon jungle, leaving Li Pan alone in the wind.
Damn. He felt like he'd just been shocked.
.
.
.
⚠️ 30 CHAPTERS AHEAD — I'm Not a Cyberpsycho ⚠️
The system says: Kill.Mercs obey. Corporates obey. Monsters obey.One man didn't.
🧠💀 "I'm not a cyberpsycho. I just think... differently."
💥 High-voltage cyberpunk. Urban warfare. AI paranoia.Read 30 chapters ahead, only on Patreon.
🔗 patreon.com/DrManhattanEN