Sunday night, 11:44 PM.
The electronic gate of the estate slowly opened, and the sleek black-and-gold taxi came to a smooth halt just outside.
Without proper authorization, even a combat-grade Delamain cab had no right to cross the boundaries of North Oak's rules or intrude upon private estates at will.
Lin Mo had no choice but to get out and walk the rest of the way into the manor grounds.
It was already quite late, and he had once again broken his own record for late returns, pushing it from 10 PM all the way to nearly midnight.
If Xu Wanxue had been home, she definitely would've nagged him a bit—after all, coming home later and later was hardly respecting the house rules she'd laid down.
But once she was done scolding, she'd still take care of everything for her dear little brother, boiling him a pot of warm porridge with a slightly burnt edge, regardless of whether or not he'd already eaten.
And finally, after watching Lin Mo wash himself squeaky clean in the bathroom, scrubbing away the filth of the outside world, she'd hug him with satisfaction before returning to her room to sleep soundly.
Of course, all of this was only if Xu Wanxue was actually home.
If she wasn't—then it was all moot.
So tonight, under the stillness of the deep night, Lin Mo walked alone into the vast manor. Motion-sensor lights flickered on over the green lawns, illuminating the estate like a sunset splitting the night.
At this edge of night and day, there was both the darkness of evening and the warmth of the sun.
Bright—but cold. Lin Mo tightened his jacket and calmly made his way toward the empty villa.
He was used to this.
As the one closest to Xu Wanxue, no one understood better than him just how busy his sister truly was.
Maybe... it was time to come clean with her about everything.
Their previous "heart-to-heart" was really just a partial reveal, granting him only limited freedom. For a true showdown, Lin Mo still felt the time wasn't quite right.
His plan was to at least show some solid results—only then would Xu Wanxue stop worrying every day about his safety.
He couldn't just tell her, "Your little brother's not some innocent goody-two-shoes. He's worth enough to make sure you never have to work another day in your life. You could just lie around the house, counting money like a rich noblewoman."
And if she ever ran short on cash? Her little brother happened to be a stock market wizard and gambling king—millions on the line in minutes.
In the right high-stakes game, with a bit of discretion, he could even rake in a few "small goals."
As Lin Mo walked through the empty manor, mulling over these thoughts, he finally shook his head and gave up on the idea.
"Guess I'll save that talk for another day."
Putting the thoughts aside, he entered the villa.
Before bed, he used the simulator to preview the next day.
And there it was—another ordinary, uneventful day.
Lin Mo wasn't surprised.
Even in a chaotic place like Night City, not every day had to involve explosions and drama.
Sure, if he wanted to be Batman, the city had plenty of crime waiting to be solved.
But he wasn't.
At least, not yet.
He turned off the lights in his room and drifted into sleep.
—
Over the next few days, Lin Mo kept things chill—going to class on time, living life in a relaxed, easygoing way.
Every morning, he rode the Excalibur to Arasaka Academy downtown. If a class was boring and pointless, he'd take a nap.
If he couldn't sleep, he'd open his laptop and casually check the stock market.
Once this habit was ingrained, the odds of simulator texts referencing the market rose significantly.
With this laid-back yet effective money-making method, he'd never once run short on cash.
During this time, Maine also gave him a call.
They hadn't seen each other since that night.
At first, Maine sounded a little grumpy. He'd apparently gotten wind from Sasha that she was planning to leave the crew and join some other damn team.
Of course, he hadn't realized yet that the "damn team" was led by the very kid he was talking to.
Feeling a bit guilty about poaching Sasha, Lin Mo could only smile wryly and chat with Maine about life.
Still, Maine didn't blame Sasha in the end.
In their line of work, people switching teams wasn't exactly uncommon.
Just like in football or basketball, stars moved between clubs—it was just the nature of things.
Even if someone left the team, they could still call them back for help if needed.
What surprised Lin Mo most was that Maine had already found a replacement hacker in just a few days—an experienced netrunner, personally referred by Faraday.
According to Maine, this hacker was skilled in both hacking and combat, adept at "quickhacks" during frontal assaults, and equipped with multiple "hacking modules."
Damn, another SSR... Lin Mo clicked his tongue.
Clearly, despite Maine's rough appearance, luck had nothing to do with looks.
From Sasha, Lin Mo had learned just how rare it was for a netrunner to possess multiple hacking modules.
Hell, even Kitty only had one—[Cyberpsycho].
As for the new hacker's name, Maine told him—
—Kiwi.
Lin Mo ended the call silently, once again awed by Maine's ridiculous luck.
Another unexpected surprise came from his casual habit of checking the stock market.
One day, the simulator again referenced fluctuations in stock prices.
Knowing in advance, Lin Mo jumped on the opportunity, made a few moves on his trading site, and walked away with several million eurodollars in profit.
—
So the monotonous days passed, and Thursday rolled around.
Finally, something happened to break the routine.
At Arasaka Academy, in class.
"You sure about this? Your mom really wants to meet with me?"
Usually sprawled out on his recliner like a dead fish, Lin Mo now sat upright, eyes questioning as he looked at his seatmate—
—David.
David no longer looked like his usual cool, sharp self.
His face, once lean and handsome, was now swollen and bruised—blue and purple blotches made him look like a masked opera character.
When he walked into the classroom, even his usual bully, Satoru, barely recognized him.
If he hadn't been sitting in his usual seat, Satoru might've mistaken him for a new student.
Seeing David's battered face, Satoru had even squeezed out a few crocodile tears and offered to call Trauma Team for him.
David forced a cold laugh and declined.
Now, facing Lin Mo's question, David rubbed his face and mumbled with a hint of grievance:
"Who else? That damn Japanese guy—calls it 'pain tolerance training.' No way Mom wouldn't notice."
"At first, I used the ointment you gave me, so the bruises weren't obvious. I could still blame it on Satoru. She just cried and told me to tough it out. But later the bruises got worse, and the ointment stopped working. I couldn't hide it anymore."
Lin Mo nodded thoughtfully, then leaned toward David and patted his shoulder with sincere regret.
"You've really been through it."
David's lips twitched. Lin Mo's "crocodile tears" weren't any better than Satoru's.
Still, the beatings were real—but so was the money.
Looking at his data panel and the funds in his personal account, David felt a strange motivation rise within him. He was ready for more.
Not because he enjoyed pain.
If the job were just about getting beaten up for money, he'd never have agreed, no matter how smooth Lin Mo talked.
But it was effective.
He could feel his combat skills sharpening—his gunplay improving, stamina increasing.
At the start, that devilish Japanese guy could knock him out in one punch. Now? It took three.
That was growth.
Compared to that monster, Lin Mo, who paid on time, encouraged him, and gave him medicine, was starting to seem like a saint.
"So you couldn't hide it from your mom, and decided to use the opportunity to mention I wanted to meet her, right?"
Lin Mo figured it out.
It was time to meet this beautiful red-haired lady.
"She actually wanted to meet you a while ago," David said, somewhat conflicted. "Just couldn't get time off. That's why it got delayed."
To be honest, he wasn't thrilled about it.
It was his mom, after all. Letting her meet with his classmate-slash-friend for business talks felt... weird.
"So tomorrow night's the plan? I get to pick the place?"
Lin Mo leaned back into his chair, eyes wandering to the ceiling as if deep in thought.
"I told her you're the boss. It's not an employee's place to pick the venue," David grumbled.
"Alright then, tell her it'll be at the Twilight Bar at 8 PM. Trust me, the food won't disappoint—and it's on me," Lin Mo said with a grin, folding his arms behind his head.
David blinked, then complained, "Why am I the errand boy?"
Lin Mo smirked, turning to him.
"Relax, I'll make it worth your while. If you're not too proud, you could even ask your mom to bring you some leftovers."
"I don't care about that at all!" David retorted, flustered.
Just then, the bell rang, ending their break.
—
That night, back home, Lin Mo eagerly started the next day's simulation.
[Simulation Begin]
[Next morning, you...]
[...]
Skipping through the usual boring routine of morning, noon, and class, Lin Mo focused on the end of the day.
[You meet the graceful, beautiful lady at Twilight Restaurant. As soon as you step out of your vehicle, you spot her waiting alone at the elevator landing.]
[She looks heartbreakingly lovely—her deep wine-red hair tied in a simple ponytail falling to her shoulders, her gaze soft as spring water yet tinged with a mother's stubbornness. Though her features are weary, they remain gentle, radiating a mature charm. Like a withering begonia thirsting for divine dew...]
Lin Mo's face darkened as he yanked the headset off and gave it a good shake.
Was this damn simulator broken?
He put it back on—the text didn't change. At least it stopped gushing about her beauty after that paragraph.
[You invite her into the restaurant. Clearly unfamiliar with such upscale places, she's visibly awkward, but maintains her composure as a mother before her son's classmate.]
[Sensing this, you tactfully explain some of the customs of high-end dining and choose a quiet corner seat, inviting her to sit with impeccable manners.]
[You talk about many things. In the end, either out of helplessness or because you convinced her, Gloria agrees to all your requests.]
[But unexpected things always come when you least expect them.]
[Your keen instincts tell you someone is watching you. You eventually spot the man—gray-haired, impeccably dressed in a white suit, seated with a stunning blonde.]
[Though you're unsure why he's observing you, the encounter cuts your dinner short. You politely say goodbye to Gloria.]
[To be safe, you arrange for her to return home in a Delamain cab while you walk home alone.]
[Sure enough, on the way, you realize you're being tailed.]
[You quickly deal with the pursuers, but they're professionals—no clues on them.]
[You silently commit this incident to memory, vowing to stay vigilant.]
[You return home safely. Nothing else happens that night.]
[Simulation Evaluation: Strike when it's time to strike—boldly blaze your path across the land.]
[Simulation Reward: Lady's Evening Gown, Heels, Perfume… (Gift Set, total value €$80,000), +1 Attribute Point]
Lin Mo glanced at the simulator screen and its rewards, then set it aside.
After thinking for a moment, he immediately called Kitagawa Hiro.
"Hello, Lin Mo-kun? Calling this late—emergency mission?"
Kitagawa picked up instantly, startling Lin Mo a bit. Was this guy just waiting for his call?
"Yeah, there's something I need you to do. And it's time David got some practice in," Lin Mo said.
"What's the task?" Kitagawa asked calmly, already battle-ready.
Lin Mo explained the assignment in a low voice.
"No problem. Twilight Restaurant, right? I'll bring the kid," Kitagawa replied.
They exchanged a few more words, then hung up.
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🧠💻 MY CYBERPUNK 2077 SIMULATOR 💻🧠
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📢 SYSTEM ONLINE! 📢
My Cyberpunk 2077 Simulator has 100+ chapters ahead available on Patreon! 💾🔥
Enter Night City with a simulator, a system, and the kind of advantage most mercs would kill for.
But this is still Night City.
And in a world ruled by corpos, bullets, chrome, gangs, and cyberpsychos, even a cheat-like power doesn't guarantee survival.
⚙️ Level up.
🔫 Fight harder.
🌃 Stay alive.
💀 Or get swallowed by the city.
Read ahead now before the public readers catch up!
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🛑 ALSO AVAILABLE ON PATREON:
🌃 Cyberpunk: Dogtown Legend
🔥 Cyberpunk: The Relentless
👩👦 Cyberpunk: Lucy Adopted Me and I Got a System
🤖 My Girlfriend's a Cyberpsycho—Who Knew?
🛡️ Star Wars: The Rise of Mandalore
🌌 Star Wars: Relics of the Past
🏰 Game of Thrones: Secrets Beneath the Dreadfort
⚡ The Rebirth of Harry Potter
🌹 R18: Reincarnated in Her World
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