Cyberpunk 2074: Shadows of the Past

January 17, 2074

Lucy's sixth day in Night City.

In less than a week, she was completely bored with this city.

This is a sinful place that exists between hell and purgatory.

She traveled through it day and night, but she could never find any trace of the final paradise.

The divine song has been sung, but she still has not reached the end.

She was a little tired.

From the moment she escaped from Arasaka, she began an endless journey of life's reverse journey.

She ran hard, just wanting to be a little further away from the death that was destined to come.

Night City seems to be an endless spinning wheel of death.

The name of every person who enters the game has been imprinted on it by the God of Death in advance.

One day, the life-threatening needle will point to your own name.

At that time, there was nothing to do but wait quietly for death.

Just like the man who died on the roadside a few days ago.

He died so simply, in a splendid fireworks.

Even the embers in the urn are so light.

Lucy didn't even know his name when she buried the jar in the cemetery.

Maybe it's "Joel".

She was confused.

The news report yesterday morning seemed to mention this name, but she didn't pay much attention to it.

She was used to life and death.

Burying this stranger was just to maintain a little bit of conscience in my heart.

rather than sympathy for his plight.

She is an outsider in this city.

She is alienated from society at large.

She was like an audience sitting quietly under the stage, silently watching the actors with blurred faces on the stage performing the joys, sorrows, joys, life and death.

Living a personal, lonely, emotional life on the edge of it all.

She likes to sit by the window, light a cigarette, and watch the bustling people and life and death in the endless smoke.

She likes to soak in ice water, amidst the cold and trembling, and feel the same for the dead souls lingering around her, so as to soothe the unhealed scars deep in her heart.

She likes to wander in the virtual cyberspace and the deep web, digging for old garbage that has been abandoned by corporate giants - memories of happiness and hope that humans once had.

She came into this world alone, and spent her only childhood in cruel training day after day with orphans who had the same experience.

No one cares about the education and growth of these talented mining workers.

In the deep web, she picked up the historical fragments of old humanity one by one among the mountains of useless data.

Use those beautiful memories lost in the dust to piece together the real "person".

So she understood and chose to escape and resist.

The corpses of her friends became her stepping stone to escape from hell.

She lives in 2074, but her soul seems to come from the past.

She is a lonely ghost who does not belong to this era.

It is the epitome of an abandoned, old era.

A... shadow of the past.

With indifferent pupils, he looked at the world with abstraction.

January 17, 2074, 12:50

Lucy comes to the Afterlife nightclub.

She sat at the bar, eavesdropping on every move in all directions.

This was her newfound good place to spend time.

"Would you like a drink? New here?" Claire, the bartender, greeted her familiarly.

"My name is Lucy...any recommendations?"

Lucy rested her elbows on the edge of the bar, with five slender fingers as white as jade hanging on her chin, pretending to be thinking.

"For newcomers...how about a cup of 'Johnny Silverhand'?" Claire smiled and recommended her boss's favorite flavor.

"It sounds very spicy..." Lucy shook her head, she preferred a lighter taste.

"Have a drink...Piano Woman"

She glanced at the menu and selected a drink with an interesting name.

"The original name of this wine suits you very well..." Claire said while mixing the wine quickly, her movements were professional and ornamental.

"I want to know the story behind this glass of wine..." Lucy took the glass and stared at the layered liquid with gradient green and green colors in the glass.

She tapped the delicate glass body with her fingers to express her interest.

"The original name of this wine was 'Pretty Woman'. Not long after it was released, bored drunkards complained and asked to change the name just to match the existing glass of 'Piano Man'." Claire smiled helplessly. This matter was discussed in their discussion. The bartenders are also famous.

"Thank you..." Lucy nodded, she was thanking Claire for her subtle compliment and interesting explanation.

There are many people who praise her beauty, but such novel ways are rare.

She thought, taking a sip of "Piano Woman."

The refreshing sweetness in the mouth and the right alcohol concentration make people feel relaxed and can't help but bring a smile to the corners of their mouths.

"Are you paying attention to that side..." Claire wiped the cup and looked in the direction of Lucy's line of sight.

"What are they doing?" Lucy licked her lips and pointed her index finger in the air, pointing at the silver-haired girl and handsome man not far away.

"I'm accepting a commission from the Queen of the Afterlife..." Claire followed the rules and didn't need to say more.

"Who are they?" Lucy gently put down the empty glass, tasting the pleasant sweetness in her mouth.

"Do you want to join them?" Claire put away the empty wine glasses she had finished drinking and looked at the man and woman walking towards the bar.

"I don't know... let's have another glass of 'Piano Woman'." Lucy wrapped her fingers around the ends of her hair, noncommittal.

"Hey! Heda, Yahweh!" Claire called them over while mixing drinks for Lucy.

"What's wrong? Claire!" Seeing Claire, the familiar bartender, Heda jumped over with a smile on his face, leaving Yahweh where he was.

"This is Lucy." Claire pointed to the beautiful woman on her left, and then pointed to the silver-haired girl on her right, "This is Xi Da."

"Hello..." Xi Da and Lucy both maintained proper etiquette and greeted each other.

Yahweh scratched his hair and sat next to Heda.

I always feel an ominous premonition.

"Hello, I am Yahweh." He shook off his distracting thoughts and politely greeted the beautiful woman who looked familiar to him through Xida beside him.

Lucy responded equally politely, but there was a rare wave of emotion in her heart.

"Yahwe?" She whispered quietly. In this era when most of the past historical legends have disappeared, how many people still know the true name of God?

She looked into those blue eyes and couldn't help a genuine smile.

"Lucy, what's wrong with you?"

Xida asked Claire for two glasses of strawberry juice. Seeing Lucy looking a little dazed, she asked softly, expressing concern.