Misty eagerly flipped over the first card.
"The first card is Judgment."
"Hmm, this means your old perspectives on life are fading. You're heeding your inner calling, seeking a new and more meaningful existence. It also signifies resurrection and rebirth, you've endured life's trials and are now on a path pursuing success and growth."
"The second card... The World."
Misty's eyes lit up: "Considering them together, your positive changes will influence many people. Your relentless pursuit of success is already yielding good results.
"The third card... Ah, The Emperor. Such a rare combination."
Misty turned over the final card and fell into deep thought:
"A straightforward interpretation might suggest your authority will rise alongside your career, but... combined, it implies so much more. You may be bearing the responsibilities of many, or perhaps attempting to shoulder the fates of numerous people. You want to change everything, and this process will be arduous for you... Mercer, you might face many emotional burdens, and... This card appearing last also indicates you'll frequently interact with certain powerful figures. These figures aren't necessarily just those in positions of authority, but also those with strength, hmm, and... You may collaborate with them, or conflicts may arise. Either way, it signifies a transformation of the existing order."
Misty set down the cards and looked at Mercer with admiration: "You truly are born with formidable luck. Generally, these three cards rarely appear together. When they do, it means your destiny is far broader and more impactful than that of ordinary people. Indeed, the books say that divinations for the strongly fated often allow the diviner a glimpse into a corner of the world's future. I think that's absolutely true. Perhaps all of Night City might change because of you."
"Really?..." Panam remained skeptical, but Mercer was already convinced.
He laughed heartily, saying with satisfaction, "Everything's going smoothly? As expected of me!"
"Well, from what I see, although you'll face many challenges, as long as you stay true to yourself and keep striving, you'll overcome them. Overall, it's a very positive reading," Misty said with a smile.
"Perhaps even I am heading toward a brighter future because of you.
By the way, Miss Panam, my advice is, if you're ever uncertain about something, you might consider seeking Mercer's opinion more often. His intuition and suggestions will surely be sharp, and the direction he points you in will definitely turn the wheel of fortune in your favor."
"Hmm..." Panam nodded, glancing at Mercer.
Mercer simply smiled, first adding Misty as a contact, then transferring her 100 eurodollars.
"Well, there's a custom from my hometown, when someone gives you a reading or a prophecy, you must pay them. The amount doesn't matter, but it has to be given, or it brings bad luck to the fortune teller."
Misty thought for a moment and said cheerfully, "Oh, Eastern divination? I'm quite interested in that too, but it's much harder to learn than tarot cards, and I can't find any tutorials."
"Mhm." Mercer chuckled, took a sip of his coffee, finished it in one go, and stood up. "Thanks for the reading. Now I need to go buy some things."
"Alright, I won't keep you chatting then. Be careful on the road, the Valentinos and 6th Street have been clashing a lot around here lately. Who knows when a shootout might break out," Misty advised gently.
"Thanks, I will." Mercer waved and left with Panam.
—--
Once in the car, he said directly, "Let's go buy some clothes. Maybe we should head to Corpo Plaza instead of sticking around here. But I want new clothes, not secondhand, you know?"
In this world, trendy clothes were mostly a bit over-the-top, flashy and garish, and Mercer still couldn't quite get used to them. He preferred a more "old-school" aesthetic.
"Yeah, got it." Panam was still thinking about the divination as she started the car and squeezed out of the narrow alley, with homeless people on either side occasionally muttering in annoyance.
They didn't drive far before reaching a "street kid" specialty store in Little China. It sold all kinds of hoodies, flashy shirts, and trendy jackets with bizarre decorations.
Mercer browsed for a while and picked out three sets of the simplest, most basic clothes: three black sweatpants, three plain black hoodies and three black jackets.
Panam rolled her eyes. "You might as well buy black socks too. Couldn't you at least get something with a pattern?"
Hearing this, Mercer thought for a moment and swapped all the jackets for ones with red Chinese dragons printed on the back. The large logo on the back and the red prints on the sleeves added a bit of color to his outfit. After all, even A's jacket in the game had some striped patterns, right? Since he was cosplaying, he decided to go all the way.
The prices were quite cheap, the whole lot only cost him a thousand eurodollars, including a pair of black-and-red sneakers and some socks and underwear.
Before leaving, Mercer thought about it and bought a set each for Daichi and Leon as well.
Then, he dragged Panam along to buy two sets of clothes for Lucy and the others. He wasn't comfortable picking out underwear for the girls, so he had Panam help by asking for their sizes and buying some.
—--
After finishing the clothes shopping, Mercer also bought several BDs, snacks and various other odds and ends before heading straight to Corpo Plaza.
Besides towering skyscrapers, Corpo Plaza also had flagship stores for major corporations like Arasaka, Militech, Biotechnica and others.
Mercer first stopped by Kang Tao, drooling over the various smart firearms, but in the end he resisted the urge to splurge. He hadn't even installed smart-link cyberware in his hands, so even if he got a smart weapon he'd only be able to use iron sights, pointless.
He then dragged a visibly exasperated Panam to browse the stores of Militech, Biotechnica, Zetatech and other companies. After checking out all sorts of diverse cyberware, he didn't dare buy any major items except for some small gadgets like a BD wreath.
After comparing prices across several stores, he finally decided to purchase the hacking equipment he urgently needed from Zetatech. Zetatech, a major corporation that rose to prominence in the early century with its computer technology, has always excelled in both software and hardware products related to computing.
Today, Zetatech is also a giant in the transportation industry, with significant ventures in aerospace electronics and manufacturing.
Mercer directly ordered Zetatech's netrunner station, the latest model known as the "Zeta Speed Killer 2071."
This netrunner station can directly interface with a netrunner's cyberdeck. Equipped with a built-in high-end cyberdeck, massive memory and Zetatech's latest processor chip, it essentially provides netrunners with a portable mini-server.
There's also Zetatech's newest netrunning workstation, the "Zeta Netrunner Pro MAX." Designed to pair with the netrunner station, this laptop boasts massive memory, a top-tier CPU and superior cooling even when used standalone. Despite its portable size, it's advertised as explosion-resistant, its sturdy shell can supposedly even block a rocket when closed. That feature is a bit abstract. Its most crucial function, however, is its ability to connect to the netrunner station via data cable, enabling seamless data exchange and mutual computational enhancement. When connected, the two built-in CPUs operate as a dual-core system, further boosting processing power. Additionally, both devices feature large ports compatible with servers, allowing direct connections.
Then comes the essential cooling system; Mercer opted for the matching heatsink set named "The Zone." This includes a netrunning suit and a professional heatsink compatible with both the chair and the suit. The netrunning suit comes with advanced cooling functionality, dissipating excess heat through the skin. It also features specialized cooling wire slots compatible with certain cyberware, enabling internal cooling systems like integrating water cooling into the body or head.
What caught Mercer's eye was the suit's expandability, it's uniquely modular rather than a single integrated unit. This means each section's cooling can be individually parameterized. It caters to professional netrunners who demand extreme cooling performance, allowing them to overclock specific components for higher efficiency. If a part breaks, you can replace just that section instead of the entire suit. It's also compatible with various types of cyberware, offering flexibility in both hardware and software and giving netrunners ample room for DIY customization.
Additionally, there's a matching heatsink designed to work with both the netrunner station and the suit, simply plug it into the ports on either side. Once connected, the netrunning suit provides far superior cooling than cramming into a freezer or lying in ice water. The set also includes a brain-cooling module; when reclining in the netrunner station, you can wear it like a helmet for a chilled, soothing effect on the head.
Mercer touched the display netrunning suit; aside from some joint areas, both the exterior and interior felt surprisingly soft. It was hard to imagine it was packed with intricate circuitry and countless micro-electronics. The entire outfit looked somewhat like the bodysuits from Gantz, and it was actually quite stylish. No wonder the netrunners in anime and games ran around in their netrunning suits when out and about, maybe just throwing on a jacket at most. The netrunning suit was essentially an exquisitely designed mobile heat sink, what netrunner wouldn't want to carry a large cooling system with them at all times?
The cooling suit package even came with some replacement electronic components and specialized maintenance and DIY tools, proving that this netrunning suit was truly professional-grade gear.
But the price...
Mercer sighed. The computer cost 40,000 eurodollars, the netrunner station 120,000, and the cooling suit 70,000.
Good grief, before the money could even warm his pockets, 230,000 eurodollars were gone!
Panam watched from the side, clicking her tongue in amazement, the most expensive thing she'd ever owned in her life was her beloved car, originally priced at 3,000 eurodollars, which she'd dragged out of a scrapyard. The rest was all pieced together from junk she'd scavenged.
What Mercer had bought was basically the top-tier setup for an average Solo netrunner. Anything beyond this would be custom-made, high-end gear, with individual pieces costing hundreds of thousands of eurodollars, corporate-grade equipment that most netrunners had no use for.
The Zetatech employee smiled warmly, hoping to collect Mercer's information, but Mercer used Panam's details for the purchase, leaving them with nothing but a contact method. The Zetatech employee guaranteed delivery within eight hours, even to a nomad camp out in the badlands. As it turned out, Mercer actually wanted it delivered there, the employee's expression stiffened slightly, but he eventually nodded in agreement.
Afterward, Mercer browsed other stores, his mouth practically watering at all the high-end gear, but a glance at his wallet told him he couldn't afford to indulge, no matter how tempting. He could only sigh and hold back.
—--
Mercer took Panam to get a haircut, mainly to dye his hair black again. His previous red buzz cut had grown out quite a bit. After dyeing it black, he didn't cut it short, just trimmed it slightly and styled a small side part, making him look much more "tame."
"What's next? It's almost dark."
Panam seemed to have long lost her patience, in Corpo Plaza the crowds were mostly middle-class or corporate management types. The way those people looked at her was as if she were a homeless person who'd wandered into the wrong place, which irritated her to no end.
"Well, next is a proper meal. I haven't had real meat in a long, long time. How about you?" Mercer asked.
"Hah? I'm not interested. That stuff's crazy expensive. Let's just grab something cheap back at camp," Panam said dismissively.
Mercer looked at her firmly. "I want beef!"
"...Fine, Mr. Fancy Pants." Panam had no choice but to reluctantly take him to a steakhouse in Corpo Plaza, which supposedly served real beef from Texas, sourced from a local company called "Texas Star."
Rumor had it that when Biotechnica originally planned to expand into Texas, they intended to follow their usual playbook, first launching a biological and botanical poisoning campaign against the local industry. They always liked to destroy the local agriculture, livestock and food industries first, then move in with their own subsidiaries like All Foods and their pure wheat to seize the market from local businesses. The incident was eventually exposed in Texas, leading Texans to nearly burn down all of Biotechnica's facilities, forcing the corporation to retain a certain level of local agricultural and livestock production.
The most famous among these is Texas Star, a local beef industry that supplies all real beef to multiple surrounding states. However, it's said that they've also received substantial investment from Biotechnica and, much like All Foods, have effectively become a subsidiary of the corporation.
As for the so-called "real beef"—the cattle are indeed real, but they're cloned. They select the best batches of meat for cloning, and the genetically modified cows are ready for slaughter in just a month, each marbled with perfect fat distribution.
This just goes to show the true nature of Biotechnica, a company that claims to be "neutral" and "fighting for nature."
Despite possessing the technology to feed the world, they'd rather destroy all agriculture and livestock industries just to monopolize the entire market. The Mexican company they acquired, All Foods, only produces various protein foods synthesized from insect meat. Isn't it just because insects are more profitable, have shorter growth cycles and are easier to monetize?
The result is that, through their monopoly, Biotechnica has left everyone without proper food, forcing people to survive on this garbage synthetic crap. Meanwhile, the rich continue partying, feasting on as much of this premium marbled beef as they want. God, this fucking world.
While waiting for his steak, Mercer mentally cursed Biotechnica's ancestors several times over. But cursing was one thing; eating was another.
Mercer devoured a filet mignon and a sirloin, and together with Panam they polished off an entire smoked beef brisket. Only then did he contentedly pay the bill and leave.
Well, 5,000 eddies gone just like that.
But... damn, it was so good.
From that moment on, Mercer's life gained a new, concrete goal, he was going to start his own farm in Night City. He'd eat mutton when he felt like it, beef when he craved it!
Biotechnica, you really deserve to die!!
Panam also got to enjoy a good meal, and the frustration she'd built up at Corpo Plaza that afternoon had completely vanished. Satisfied, she asked, "What's next? Heading back?"
"To Afterlife."
Mercer took a deep breath, then after a moment's thought, added, "Let's stop by Kabuki on the way and grab a specialty mask. I'll wear one for now when we go there."
"Afraid someone will recognize you? Hackers are so fragile," she teased. "Why not learn how to shoot from me?"
Mercer snorted. "Your aim might not even be as good as mine... It's to avoid certain idiots judging by appearances. With a mask, people will just think I'm short and sound young. Without it, what idiot would want to deal with a kid?"
"Makes sense," Panam said, then paused before turning to him with a glare. "Hey, so I'm the idiot now, huh?"
"Hey! Watch your words! Keep your hands to yourself! I'll call NCPD on you, believe it? Molesting a minor, huh?" Mercer quickly defended himself.
Panam rolled her eyes. "I'd have to be out of my mind to still see you as a kid now."
She drove Mercer to Kabuki to buy a mask.
It took him a while to pick one out, mainly because most masks sold there were Tyger Claws-style Japanese demon faces. In the end, after much effort, he settled on a plain, ordinary pure black hockey mask. From Mercer's perspective, it looked a bit like the killer Jason from a movie he'd seen in what felt like a past life.
"You might as well wear a helmet," Panam commented bluntly.
But Mercer was quite pleased with it. He even found some dye and painted a large letter "A" on the forehead of his mask. "You just don't get the fun of it, man."
Copying the title and everyday look of A, the protagonist of Prototype, and pairing it with a Jason mask from Friday the 13th, Mercer felt incredibly cool at that moment. Some people wear masks to hide their true selves, but he felt that wearing one made him even more eager to let loose and be himself.
—--
The car headed toward Afterlife. It wasn't even eight o'clock yet when Mercer, hands in his pockets, strode inside.
Afterlife was located underground, rumored to have been converted from a funeral home or crematorium. Looking at the graffiti covering the walls, he descended the stairs leading underground, passed through an automatically opening door and took a few more steps before a burly security guard coldly blocked the entrance.
Behind him was Afterlife, awash in neon colors, where rock music was playing at a volume that was energetic but not overwhelming.
"Sorry, Afterlife doesn't welcome nobodies. Got an appointment?"
"This guard's pretty full of himself."
Panam's temper was flaring; she seemed even more short-tempered now than in the game, probably because she was only eighteen and hadn't yet been hardened by life's hardships.
"I have an appointment with Rogue at eight. Tell her A is here."
After Mercer spoke, the guard nodded, his cybereye glowing as he clearly communicated with Rogue. A moment later, the guard said, "You can go in. Wait at the bar for a bit. Ms. Rogue is in a business meeting. She'll send for you when she's done."
"A woman named V will be here at 8:30. She's here for me—let her in."
"Understood." The guard sized up Mercer, memorizing the features of this short man.
Noting the guard's more polite tone, Panam just shot him a glare before following Mercer inside. The guard didn't cause any trouble.
Not many people got to meet Rogue, and those who did were always granted entry to Afterlife, because Rogue was the boss here. It was as simple as that.
Inside, the multicolored neon lights and the underground aesthetic of the decor stood out, along with numerous mercenaries scattered around, looking like they weren't to be trifled with. The bar had a square layout with a central, large circular bar, while the outer ring featured various private rooms, pool tables and other amenities. All of this made Panam, a genuine country girl, click her tongue in awe. "It's huge."
Mercer simply glanced around, then took a deep breath. Afterlife.
Ha. On his very first day in Night City, he already had access to this place. Could he be considered Night City's fastest-rising newcomer legend?
--------
Bonus chapter @900 power stones.
7 advanced chapters on my patreon. p-atreon.com/AstartesTL