To explain how Bedsheet got beaten into a handkerchief, Li Pan casually wrote a wuxia short story and submitted it as the daily mission report, claiming he kept the handkerchief safely in his pocket.
Unexpectedly, the company was shockingly generous in monster settlement: as long as the manager judged it acceptable, it counted as a completed mission. He was even awarded a Silver Key.
So, having wrapped up his day's work (and slacking online all day), Li Pan clocked out right on time and went to meet Uncle Chen at the appointed place.
It was at the border of the Old Capital District and the Commuter Zone, under the Canal Bridge, in a triangular riverside diner. One window looked out at skyscrapers, the other at endless lights from the slums.
The place's name: The Shit Burger.
Not Li Pan's opinion—that was literally the name.
And yes, they served burgers. What a ridiculous name…
Inside, it was surprisingly busy, delivery bots queuing at the counter.
"Xiao Li, over here."
"Uncle Chen! Sorry I'm late, rush-hour traffic was hell."
Li Pan sat opposite him, smiling. At that moment, a tall, wheat-skinned, handsome waiter in uniform brought their tray.
"Here is your order. Enjoy your meal."
So Chen had brought him directly.
Li Pan only smiled. Uncle Chen didn't mind.
"Try it. Burgers are a little pricey, but not bad."
"Thank you for the compliment. Please enjoy."
Yamazaki Rei nodded politely and went to serve other customers.
Li Pan watched his back and chuckled:
"His Mandarin's decent. Does he really know eight languages?"
Uncle Chen sipped his cola.
"Fluent in fourteen, actually. These days, kids rarely study without smart-assist chips."
Li Pan nodded eagerly.
"Right, right! Such promising youth—public security's finest! Isn't warehouse duty a bit of a waste?"
"No harm. He's still in internship, got in through connections anyway. Training under you is just right."
Chen sent him a photo: three young inspectors, in formal uniforms, swearing allegiance to the Bureau. On the right stood Yamazaki Rei (clearly a fake name), nametag replaced with Section 4 – Counterespionage.
Li Pan sweated. "Uncle Chen… are you sure it's okay showing me Bureau secrets like this?"
Chen snorted.
"Secrets? He hasn't even been formally placed yet. Not a secret."
Chen opened his cola, fished an ice cube out, and placed it on the table. Inside was a transparent worm.
"Nanobot. Tracking device. Hidden until the ice melts. Don't worry—he's here to investigate me. You're on the watchlist. Anyone you contact, they'll check."
"Since an undercover was bound to be sent your way, better a rookie like him."
Li Pan swallowed hard. Not the type of undercover he expected…
"Wait—Section 4? Counterespionage? You mean… I'm a spy now?!"
"Section 4 investigates all hostile forces against the Security Committee. Originally focused on remnants of the defeated Legions. Now, in Branch 0791, their primary target is Akaten-gou—a splinter extremist group after Takamagahara's surrender."
Uncle Chen munched his burger, speaking through secure comms.
"That kid was meant to infiltrate Takamagahara. But our contact there got tossed off a roof—unsafe line. No position for him there. Since you were hiring, they reassigned him to monitor you. Don't fuss about his background—use him however you like."
Li Pan was speechless. If the kid died on a mission, people would blame him!
"Uncle Chen, what do you guys want? I'm just a wage slave! If it's too much, I'll quit! Forget the 2,500 salary!"
Chen sipped.
"They're just following protocol. You've been showing up in Takamagahara's affairs, tied to Ye Clan too. Several divisions flagged you.
But truth is, the Bureau and the monster companies cooperate often. Your company's a member of the Security Committee—we in Section 3 classify you as top-tier confidential.
So, off the books, we communicate with managers privately, avoiding unnecessary clashes. When needed, we can even mobilize Bureau resources to support monster handling.
Most of the time, we hire you to manage and contain monsters. General managers are basically our external advisors. We are your consulting firm."
Li Pan blinked. So the Bureau was basically the company's… security department.
Chen dipped fries in sauce.
"But Xiao Li, since you've reached Level 5, don't go rampaging in the streets. Too loud. Everyone's watching. If you get caught, we'll only be able to bail you out. Why cause trouble?"
Li Pan nodded.
"Got it, Uncle Chen. I'll keep it clean—no survivors, no mess for you."
Chen smiled.
"Good. Now, besides Rei, look again at the photo. Recognize anyone?"
Li Pan squinted. The man in the middle—square face, thick brows. Familiar. Then it hit him.
"Yes! I've seen him!"
Back at his starship officer academy interview—the same guy. The one he brushed past outside, and then inside, one of the examiners.
"That exam! Engineering Academy, starship corps! The time they dumped me in the trash! That guy!"
"But wait—was that really an official recruitment?"
Uncle Chen shook his head.
"The Bureau has its own channels. Mostly recruits from New Tokyo University, polytech elites. But also from technical schools. You had talent in mechanics and military studies. With your family's military background, in earlier days you'd have been shipped to Mars for training, then straight into ops."
He glanced out the window—skyscrapers casting shadows over the slums.
"But those days are gone. Pity I was away then. If I'd written you a recommendation, things might've been different."
Li Pan only smiled bitterly. Once, he'd raged at being robbed of opportunity. Now, after life's beatings, he no longer cared. Dreams crushed—nothing left to mourn.
"Thanks anyway, Uncle Chen. I've let it go."
Chen raised a brow.
"Let it go? Then why did you slaughter Oda's whole family the moment you got hired? Bureau couldn't even find why Oda offended you! If it weren't for that, they wouldn't have called me back from retirement to deal with you.
Face it—some things you don't let go. But fine. Here's the deal: I'll track him down, bring him to you. You do nothing until then. Agreed?"
Li Pan thought, then nodded.
"Alright. For your sake, Uncle Chen. But just give me the name. I'll handle it myself, no monsters or company involved. I'll notify you first."
He added:
"I've got a friend. Can you check on him?"
He sent Huang Dahe's info.
Chen shook his head.
"Sorry. That's corporate-level infighting. We can't touch it."
Li Pan understood. So Dahe really was in the company's hands. If even Section 3 refused, it meant he'd been taken by a peer of the monster corporations within the Committee. No wonder Eighteen couldn't trace him.
At least the Shit Burger's artificial-meat patties were decent. "Holyshit" indeed.
After junk food and candid advice, Li Pan decided to take in Yamazaki Rei. Better to play by the rules.
The Bureau represented the Security Committee—no way around that. Unless he could win an outright corporate war, he had to coexist.
He had no ties to Akainu anyway. If Section 4 wanted to check him, let them. A free worker at 2,500 a month—why not?
Still, Chen's warning was clear: too many agents watching. He'd need to lay low. NCPA missions were off-limits for now.
He'd already earned enough to cover this cycle's loan. So that night, Li Pan picked up Orange. Together, they went to find her cyberpunk contacts and commission a search for Huang Dahe.
Cyberpunks were usually ex-soldiers, moonlighting as bounty hunters or detectives, skirting the edge of legality. Citizens on paper, but living in underworlds and war zones.
Orange's networks proved useful. Mercs like Warrenstein had crossed paths with her in NCHC medevac. Scrap-surgery, death's door—everyone knew the value of mutual aid.
So word spread: Orange was looking for her son. Even if no one helped, at least they'd know not to shoot him on sight.
Li Pan admired the cyberpunk lifestyle—free, risky, lucrative. Better than corporate wage-slaving.
But becoming one required more than implants—it needed paperwork, networks, trust. Without a fixer, no jobs came your way. Trust took time.
As their car auto-routed to the outskirts, they arrived at the infamous bar: No Good Death. A cyberpunk haunt.
Gunfight outside—punk vs. punk. Licensed Bronze and Silver hunters, popping off 3rd-grade rounds only. Cheap firepower.
"Why?" Li Pan wondered. "Because they're broke."
Orange confirmed: "They argued over the split."
Classic. Money splits ruined more crews than bullets.
Li Pan asked her: "You good?"
Orange: "I'm fine. What about you?"
Li Pan blinked. "Me? Why?"
"You just had ceramic armor grafted to your skin. Major surgery. You're not even resting? Anesthesia's worn off—you're not in pain?"
"Oh. No anesthetics. Hurts a little. Manageable."
Orange punched his shoulder.
"…But 'No Good Death'? What an unlucky name."
"Heh. Dying in bed with a catheter—how could that be a Night City legend?"
She sent him a contact: Steel Queen Vajira.
Profile: only a curvy female back shot. Friend request required approval.
"Vajira? Entertainment industry?" Li Pan joked.
Orange explained:
"Vajira—from Sanskrit, commander of Yaksha legions. Former special forces colonel, now mercenary leader, arms dealer, and owner of No Good Death. Night City's top fixer. Highest mission success and survival rates among all teams."
"Oh. You want to commission her to find Dahe?"
Orange sighed.
"Commission her? Meeting her costs five figures minimum. I'm here for someone else. But since it's your first time, I had to register you. If she refuses corporate dogs, you'll wait in the car."
"Fair enough. But no robbery inside, right?"
Li Pan gestured outside at the firefight. Orange clutched her bag tightly. Clearly, her "payment" for the job.
"Don't worry. It's her turf. See? Not a single shell casing lands near the bar."
She hesitated, then opened her bag.
A cybernetic spine.
Li Pan stared. Familiar.
"It's from that cyber-psycho massacre in Central District."
Orange gritted her teeth.
"I'll install it. Only then will I have the strength to bring Dahe back."
Li Pan was speechless. Then the system pinged:
"Steel Queen Vajira has approved your friend request. You may now chat with her."
.
.
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⚠️ 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.
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