[Spider Murphy: We really are friends, you know. I think we get along quite well.]
[Mercer: So you're saying that secretly using my connection to privately message Mr. Blue Eyes is your way of being friends with me?]
[Spider Murphy: Since we happened to run into him, I just exchanged a few words. It's what Alt wanted to do anyway.]
[Mercer: In other words, you two were conspiring against me, right?]
[Spider Murphy: Are you angry?]
[Mercer: Wow~ "Are you angry?" Seriously, Murphy?]
[Spider Murphy: Okay, you might think I used you, but you only accelerated the process. We would have found a way to reach him eventually... I just went with the flow for efficiency's sake.]
[Mercer: So you already knew Bruce's situation was connected to Mr. Blue Eyes, but you chose to hide it. You even waited until I met him to seize the chance and cozy up to him, right?]
[Spider Murphy: I hate the term "cozy up"... "establish a connection" sounds much better, doesn't it? As for the rest, yes, but I don't see anything wrong with it.]
[Spider Murphy: Isn't unexpected excitement part of the fun of playing games? That's what makes it enjoyable! Unraveling the truth bit by bit... isn't that great?]
[Mercer: You think this is fun? Dragging V and Rebecca into Mr. Blue Eyes' sight, drawing Night Corp's attention?]
[Spider Murphy: I thought you'd like it. Running into Mr. Blue Eyes unexpectedly... isn't that thrilling and exciting for you, like in a game?]
[Spider Murphy: Fine, if I hurt you, I apologize. But honestly, talking to him wasn't my main goal. Alt and I have many ways to establish contact with him. I just wanted to play with you.]
[Mercer: You find it fun because you can leave whenever you want, but I'm not ready to deal with Night Corp's bunch of who-knows-what-they-are entities right now!]
[Spider Murphy: Okay, I get it. How about this: I'll ask Alt to write a Soulkiller program for you. You can load it into the Relic and activate it when necessary to upload your consciousness. That way, you won't have to worry about physical death! If you want to bring your friends along, you can... you have plenty of Relic chips anyway. We can all go play together on the servers in Hong Kong. Consider this my apology to you.]
Mercer fell silent for a moment, then let out a low laugh under the worried gazes of V and Rebecca.
[Mercer: So you're telling me to kill myself, and them too, turn us all into humanoid AIs, and go make friends with a bunch of rogue AIs in Alt's Hong Kong servers?]
[Spider Murphy: It's not death... it's a new beginning. I thought you'd understand that feeling.]
[Mercer: I'm hurt, Murphy.]
[Spider Murphy: Okay, I'm sorry. I thought we were having fun.]
[Mercer: I feel sorry for you, Murphy.]
[Spider Murphy: What do you mean?]
[Mercer: You're dead, Murphy. You're not the human you used to be. Even though I can't claim to know you well, I can tell you're definitely not the same as when you were alive.]
[Spider Murphy: ...]
[Mercer: No one would want to live as a rogue AI. I don't, and I certainly don't want my friends to end up like that. If you really think you feel fine now, why do you still want me to bring back Bartmoss's body and preserve his DNA?]
[Spider Murphy: I'm sorry. I thought you'd enjoy playing this game too.]
[Mercer: I thought I did too, but not anymore, Murphy. Maybe I should thank you for waking me up. I'm still alive, and so are they... they're counting on me to keep them alive too. This isn't a game, Murphy.]
[Spider Murphy: I... I'm sorry.]
[Mercer: I think it's best if we don't meet casually anymore. Thank you for designing that interesting mission interface for me, but I won't be needing it from now on. So goodbye, Murphy. Let's each go our own way. As for your request, and Alt's... I'll handle them as I see fit, as long as it doesn't interfere with my own priorities.]
Mercer closed the Spider Program and, after only a moment's hesitation, chose to delete it outright.
He didn't want to stay connected to these entities anymore, not Bartmoss, not Spider Murphy, not even Alt.
The living should keep company with the living. As for them, he'd reconnect only when absolutely necessary.
Maybe it would be better never to see them again.
Mercer sighed, glancing at V, then at Rebecca. A pang of guilt struck him. After a moment of silence, he said softly, "Let's go."
"What about Bruce?" Rebecca asked hesitantly, looking at Bruce, who stood bewildered, completely unaware of what had just happened.
Mercer turned to Bruce, his tone complicated. "I don't know. But if you ever run into trouble, you can contact me. I'll help if I can."
Bruce urgently pressed, "Wait, you still haven't told me what's going on! Why am I... what exactly happened to me!?"
"Simply put, Night Corp used you as a test subject. They're developing technology capable of altering human cognition and thought... essentially, turning you into someone else without you even realizing it. Your ideals, life ambitions, moral principles... all of it was programmed by them. Especially since they targeted you when you were just a child. I'm not sure how much they experimented on you, but I suspect there's very little left of the original you to salvage."
Mercer looked calmly at Bruce and continued, "Your personality, your morals, your worldview... they were all shaped by Night Corp before you even had a chance to develop them yourself. Now, they're fully formed."
"You mean... everything about me is fake? Who am I, really? Am I even Bruce?"
Bruce had never shown such an expression, not even when tortured by Maelstrom. He looked on the verge of tears, the kind that comes from complete breakdown.
"It's both real and fake. Let me put it this way: if you were an adult and underwent the transformation as an adult, you might still have a chance to find your 'true self.' But you... you've been used to test this technology since you were a child. You can no longer speak of any true self. You are Murk Man, and Murk Man is you."
Mercer's words pushed Bruce further into despair: "So what am I, then? Was becoming Murk Man a dream given to me by Night Corp? What am I supposed to do now? What can I do?"
"Forget everything from the past and start over."
That was all Mercer could say. "At the very least, from now on, everything you feel, every conclusion you reach through your thoughts, will be your own."
Bruce slumped to the ground, staring blankly at a freshly appeared cigar in his hand, his voice tinged with hopelessness: "How can I know whose answers my future thoughts will belong to? Why would they do this?"
"I don't know. I don't know you. You'll have to figure that out for yourself. And besides..." Mercer fell silent for a moment before continuing, "Rather than dwelling on that, you should be more concerned about how you're going to survive if Night Corp freezes your assets."
Bruce looked up angrily, but then lowered his head again in defeat. "Ha, assets... Whatever. Were those things ever really mine to begin with?"
"At least the parts you spent were. You really are Bruce Weyna, your parents really were killed in a robbery, and the money you got from selling to Night Corp was rightfully yours. Maybe you should consider finding a lawyer or something to see if they embezzled any of your funds? Reclaim whatever you can."
After saying this, even Mercer found it somewhat absurd. Suing Night Corp through legal means in Night City?
But what was even more absurd was that this might actually be the only corporation an ordinary person could successfully sue.
Bruce sat motionless as if lifeless, saying nothing.
V was utterly shocked. "Wait, A, are you saying Night Corp is capable of brainwashing people without them even realizing it?"
"Brainwashing? You could call it that." Mercer nodded. "But from what we've seen, the technology isn't perfect yet. Even someone like Bruce, who's been under their long-term control, can still sense that something isn't right."
"What the hell are these corpos trying to do? Now they're coming for people's consciousness and thoughts too?"
An inexplicable rage welled up inside V. The thought that she could unknowingly turn into a stranger sent chills down her spine.
Rebecca was also deeply unsettled by what she'd witnessed today, even feeling a bit scared. "What's Night Corp's goal? Why would they brainwash Bruce like this?"
"My guess is they want to reclaim this city. And in a way, they want to make it a better place."
Mercer spoke calmly, "I'm not saying Night Corp is some kind of saint, but they genuinely desire order and peace for Night City... to transform it into a commercial utopia of sorts. However..."
He paused, sighed, and continued, "I don't know their ultimate goal, but I'm certain that living in a city controlled by Night Corp would just be another form of hopeless existence... perhaps even worse than now."
As long as corporations exist, as long as this city remains under corporate dominance, people will never have hope or a future.
Moreover, Night City's geographical location is exceptionally strategic, situated at the border between North and South California, it's the largest port city on the entire West Coast, a crucial military stronghold.
NUSA won't let it go, the Free States won't want it taken back by NUSA, and the corporations eager to establish roots and trade with the NUSA continent certainly won't want such a city monopolized by any single powerful force.
This place is destined to become a battlefield once again. The supposedly concluded NUSA Unification War only needs a spark to reignite, and when that happens, Night City will be the frontline.
Mercer turned his head, glancing at the Caliburn inside the container. After a moment of silence, he sighed, "I'll leave that car to you. Night Corp said they won't count it among the assets to be frozen. Sell it secondhand... it should be enough for you to find a new home and start over."
"No, you take it," Bruce looked up, his expression caught between crying and laughing. "I've got a hidden stash of secret funds... I won't starve."
"Then you'd better move it quickly. I've wiped the monitoring program from your system, but I can't erase what they already saw. They're probably tracking your movements 24/7, so your 'secret funds' aren't exactly secret anymore."
After Mercer finished speaking, Bruce slumped his head again. Taking a deep breath, he struggled to his feet and retrieved a CredChip from a cabinet in his safehouse. "Then please take this for me and return it when it's safe."
Mercer didn't ask how much was on it, simply accepting it before saying, "Bruce, whether everything before was their programming or your true nature, at least the experiences you went through were real."
"A 'hero' who only bullies small-time punks? Ha." Bruce let out a bitter laugh.
"Justice is still justice. What you did might have been inefficient, but that doesn't mean it was meaningless. Someone was saved because of you, and someone genuinely appreciated your actions. So, cut yourself some slack, choom."
Mercer handed the CredChip to V. Her street kid outfit might not have much else, but it certainly had plenty of pockets.
"I'll hold onto this money until you come for it. I've sent you my contact info."
Mercer transmitted his contact details, but Rebecca turned to him hesitantly, "Maybe we should bring him with us? Isn't it too pitiful to leave him alone like this?"
"Do you want to come with us to find somewhere quiet for a while?" Mercer asked, turning to Bruce.
Bruce shook his head, speaking with utter exhaustion: "Thanks, but... I just want to be alone right now. At least for now."
"Let's go, give him some space. I'll leave that Mackinaw for you... drive it back to the city if you need to."
After saying this, Mercer nodded at Bruce and turned to leave.
Rebecca and V had lost their earlier excitement; even the sleek black Caliburn now seemed somewhat dull in their eyes.
Watching the door to Bruce's secret base close again, Mercer pointed at the Caliburn with mixed emotions. "Who wants to drive?"
"Hmm, you take it."
V had lost interest in driving too, seeming preoccupied with her thoughts.
Mercer first moved his belongings from the Mackinaw into the Caliburn's trunk, then deactivated the Mackinaw's vehicle ID verification before settling into the driver's seat.
V and Rebecca squeezed into the passenger side together. The two-seater sports car wasn't designed for compactness, so V holding the petite Rebecca made the fit manageable, if not exactly spacious.
The Caliburn's engine roared deeply as they pulled out of the tunnel, but the mood inside was far from the high spirits of their initial departure.
"I'll take you back first," Mercer said.
"A, is there something else you're not telling us?" V turned to look at him, her expression serious. "I can feel it."
Mercer was silent for a moment before finally saying, "There are some things... how should I put it? I just think maybe I should be more careful from now on."
"What, scared now?" V laughed. "Don't chicken out, A!"
"You have no idea how deep these waters run, V," Mercer sighed. "Do you really think this Bruce is actually Bruce?"
"What do you mean?" V frowned.
"I didn't want to upset him, so I kept it to myself... I suspect the real Bruce Weyna might have died long ago. This guy could be someone else... surgically altered, brainwashed, and turned into the Bruce we see now."
As Mercer's words hung in the air, the car fell into sudden silence.
Rebecca pressed her lips together and let out an incredulous "Ha."
"You're saying the current Bruce might not be the real Bruce at all, but a replacement created by Night Corp using another person they brainwashed?"
V raised her voice. "How the fuck is that possible?"
"I hope I'm wrong too. That way, at least Bruce really is Bruce, and not some poor soul who doesn't even know his own name, forced to live with someone else's identity and memories."
Mercer's tone was equally somber.
Rebecca opened her mouth. "No way..."
V was also stunned, but after a moment, she just snorted and turned back to Mercer. "What else? What other problems are there?"
"What problems?" Mercer played dumb.
"What else are you hiding in that mind of yours? Don't try to fool me! I'm telling you, my strong instincts have never been wrong!" V insisted relentlessly.
"Beast's intuition?" Mercer mused thoughtfully.
V's hand quietly found his shoulder and squeezed, actually making Mercer feel a twinge of pain. Damn it, his shoulders were supposed to be iron wrapped in flesh!
"Alright, alright, I'll talk." Mercer prided himself on being a pragmatic man who knew when to yield.
He glanced at the two of them and said, "I just feel that, as your leader, I should be more serious and cautious in how I handle things. I can't just drag you both into dangerous situations on a whim like I did today."
"Damn it, neither of us said we were scared! What are you afraid of?" V couldn't stand the faintly despondent look on his face now.
For fuck's sake, the more she looked at him, the more wrong it felt, and there was an inexplicable anger simmering inside her, though she couldn't pinpoint where it came from.
"This isn't about being afraid. It's about the fact that if I involve you in dangerous situations just because I find it amusing, treating it like some kind of game... if something happened, I'd never forgive myself."
Mercer sighed. "Anyway, don't worry about it. I'll sort myself out. Just focus on your own responsibilities, and don't overthink it. Really, it's fine."
"Tch." V glared at him, annoyed. "Fine then, I won't bother with you. Who do you think actually wants to care about you, anyway?"
Why does this feel like some lovers' spat? Mercer shot her a sidelong glance.
"I do!" Rebecca suddenly chimed in, which made V, who was holding her, tighten her arms in frustration, nearly squeezing the air out of Rebecca's stomach.
"Ow, cough-cough!!" Rebecca gritted her teeth and pried V's arms open, turning her head to glare back fiercely. "We're in the car now. Your Sandevistan isn't as useful as my Gorilla Arms here."
V strained against her. Hey, she actually couldn't overpower her!
Rebecca grinned triumphantly, pinning V's arm down. "Stop struggling. I tried this at home... I can crush a piece of metal like it's a rubber ball!"
"Damn it, just wait till I get my Muscle Enhancement and Mantis Blades installed. Then we'll see!" V grumbled, testing her strength a few more times before giving up.
The two bantered and laughed, seemingly having moved past the earlier tension. But after Mercer dropped them off at the motel, both lingered by the entrance for a moment.
Finally, V shot a look at Rebecca, shoved her hands into her pockets coolly, and headed upstairs alone, leaving Rebecca behind.
Rebecca didn't climb back into the passenger seat. Instead, she stood outside the door, looking seriously at Mercer and saying, "Mercer, I don't know who you were chatting with online or what you talked about... But I'm not afraid of getting tangled up in more Night Corp trouble because of you. So, don't overthink it. I've got your back."
Mercer met her gaze and smiled. "Alright, I understand."
"That's more like it! Night Corp is seriously disgusting. Biotechnica might just mess with people's bodies, but Night Corp wants to completely control human consciousness. Mercer, if I'm fighting Night Corp scum alongside you, I won't regret it even if I die... and I won't be afraid either."
Rebecca's expression was uncharacteristically solemn and serious.
Mercer nodded earnestly. "Yeah."
"Alright then, go enjoy your drive. Just remember to let me take it for a spin later so I can show off back in my neighborhood. Those assholes always used to laugh at me and my brother, saying we'd never make it as Edgerunners. Heh... Now I'd like to see what they have to say!"
Rebecca patted the roof of the car, took a step back, and closed the door.
Mercer rolled down the window: "Go think about how you want to decorate your room. I discussed it with the Aldecaldos... thirty square meters per person, plenty of space for your things."
"Got it! Drive safe, don't go too fast."
She waved at him with a bright smile.
Mercer closed the window and drove off, circling through Night City for a while with mixed emotions before finally heading back to the Aldecaldos camp in the Badlands.
The appearance of the Caliburn naturally caused a minor sensation in the camp. People of all ages and genders gathered around, curious to see the supercar up close.
Mercer simply left the car there for everyone to admire, letting Mitch keep an eye on it while the camp residents experienced its allure firsthand.
Since Mercer had left the Mackinaw with Bruce, he also tracked down the Aldecaldos member he had borrowed the vehicle from and compensated them with an above-market payment. The Aldecaldos cherished their vehicles deeply, so Mercer paid extra and offered a few apologies.
Fortunately, the owner didn't mind. They just chuckled and told him not to overthink it... with the money, they could save up for an even better ride. No loss there.
When Mercer returned to his tent, he didn't get to work immediately. Instead, he lay on his netrunner station, staring blankly until he heard Lucy's footsteps. Only then did he connect and deep dive into the Net.
He tinkered with the ctOS late into the night. When he finally disconnected, he noticed Lucy quietly working on her code nearby.
Outside, the moon hung high amidst sparse stars, and the only light in the tent came from a dim electric lamp casting a warm, yellowish glow.
"What are you working on?" he asked.
"I thought you were planning to wait until I fell asleep before disconnecting," Lucy replied without looking up.
"Why would you say that?" Mercer asked with a light laugh.
Lucy glanced at him sideways. "Just a feeling."
"So you've got wild intuition too, huh?" Mercer smiled wryly and decided to tell her about his day.
After listening, Lucy simply nodded and continued focusing on her screen. "Alright, I'll assume you're feeling down because of what happened today."
"Well, yeah. And also… wondering if I should be more careful with how I handle things. Like you said... be cautious, not treat everything like a game."
"I'm worried I might drag you all into something you shouldn't have to deal with. That kind of thing."
Only then did Lucy stop what she was doing. She turned to face him, studying his expression carefully before tilting her head slightly. "Yes, you should be more careful. But not for our sake... for your own."
"You're right."
Mercer sighed. "I used to think that even if things went south, I could just upload myself like Alt Cunningham. Corporations like Arasaka, Biotechnica, Night Corp... once I turned into an AI, I wouldn't have to put up with their crap."
"Not anymore?" Lucy asked, the corner of her mouth lifting almost imperceptibly.
"No, not anymore. I always believed that even as a consciousness, I'd still be myself. But now it seems like that might only hold true for a while. Over time… things would change."
Mercer shared the insight he'd gained from Murphy that day: "If you lose the sense of life's weight, the feeling of being alive… sooner or later, you become something that looks human but is fundamentally different... a digital lifeform."
He didn't want to use terms like 'Digital Ghost' to describe Murphy's existence, but the difference between such a consciousness and a human was, at its core, akin to the difference between humans and monkeys.
No. Better to compare it to the distinction between silicon-based life and carbon-based life.
No matter how similar they may appear on the surface, their essence could not be more different.
Lucy smiled at him, her tone gentle as she said, "But I think if it's you, whether existing as a consciousness or sitting here in front of me like this, you'll always be Mercer, Alex Mercer."
Mercer sensed there was more beneath her words. After studying her for a moment, he simply chuckled. "Alright then, I won't change?"
"Well, not necessarily. Compared to someday only being able to see you online, I much prefer being able to see you in person and talk to you." Lucy immediately replied, playfully winking at him. "You know I have a psychological shadow when it comes to rogue AIs, so it's better not to end up like that."
Mercer rolled his eyes. "Even if I became a consciousness, I'd be Blackwall AI level. Rogue AI? If I really turned into an AI, there'd only be rogue humans left in the future."
"Fine, then do humanity a favor and don't defect so easily, okay?" Lucy pointed amusedly at the table. "It's probably a bit cold by now. Latte, want to try it?"
"Try it is."
Mercer sat up and downed the coffee she had prepared for him at some point.
And then he couldn't sleep.
—--
Night City, January 16, Dogtown.
After multiple delays, 'Kindling Home' was finally officially completed.
It was on this very day that Diana Cuno finally sent Mercer a message.
[Diana: I've taken care of everything. Barring any surprises, N54 News at 7 PM tomorrow night will expose Joanne's poisoning in Yucca Town and the contamination of the Red Ocher's water source.]
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Bonus chapter @900. Ty for your support.
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