Berry was absolutely right; what is real is what best evokes emotion.
Judy held the chips and carefully placed them in a drawer as if they were treasures.
"It's very good, simply incredible... And, I wish you both well."
Judy was momentarily so stunned she was speechless.
It would be popular, immensely popular.
With her many years of market intuition as a Braindance Technician, this film would definitely be a huge hit.
"Thank you."
Jessica casually acknowledged Judy's blessings with a thank you.
"Uh, I'll pay you your full two weeks' wages as usual, and there might be a bonus once the finished film is released."
"Mhm, sounds good."
"To protect the actors' privacy, we will make a thirty percent adjustment to the appearance and physique of the characters, and their names will also be changed."
"Oh, right, you can continue to stay here for a while. After the premiere, we can discuss the bonus based on sales."
"Mhm, understood."
As soon as Jessica left, Judy couldn't wait to turn on all her equipment.
She couldn't resist editing the raw reel into the final film.
Just like an old hunter who can't walk away after spotting a white deer, Judy couldn't restrain herself upon seeing such spectacular material.
Simply put:
Heh heh, the editing itch struck... In the afternoon, after Berry and V finished off the takeout Braised Pork Burgers and Zucchini Vermicelli Soup, among other dishes the restaurant shamelessly called the most authentic Chinese food in Night City and were lying on the sofa digesting, there was a knock at the door.
"Judy, you startled me. Did you mainline dish soap?"
When V opened the door, she was startled by Judy's haggard but wildly enthusiastic appearance.
She had only ever seen that expression on junkies who had fried their brains on 'High Leaves' and were now cracking open Shell Casings to get high on the gunpowder inside.
"It's fine, it's fine, V. Take this to Berry, she knows about it."
Watching Judy stumble around the corner, muttering things like "masterpiece" and "perfect," V closed the door and suspiciously handed the two braindance chips to Berry.
"What are these?"
"I don't know, Judy said they were for you."
Sitting back down on the large sofa in the lounge, V placed Berry's bare feet on her lap and resumed massaging the woman's soft calves.
If an outsider saw this, their jaw would drop.
V, the famous figure of Night City, was actually giving someone a foot massage.
V, oh V, you have fallen.
How could a dignified seven-foot woman do such a menial job?
I should be the one doing it.
But even as she thought that, V was enjoying it immensely.
Looking at those slender curves and fair skin, V felt it was right to keep this 'thing' in her arms.
After all, how could food be placed on the ground?
Meanwhile, Berry was watching TV and comfortably enjoying V's massage.
She felt that life was this wonderful.
"This... Oh, I remember now."
Berry looked at the braindance chips V handed over, thought for a moment, and then remembered her and Judy's Third Industry Revitalization Movement.
She had forgotten again.
"It's only been a few days, and there's already a finished product?"
Berry wondered if her sense of time was messed up; otherwise, why did she feel like the project had only started a few days ago, yet the film was finished?
However, this didn't dampen her excitement.
Are you kidding? This was a film shot under her supreme guidance.
She couldn't suppress her curiosity and started reaching for the braindance headset on the table to watch it.
"V, hurry, hurry! I'll show you something good."
Interrupting V's lingering enjoyment, Berry pulled her feet back and handed her a braindance headset.
"Something good? What kind of good thing? Is it a game?"
"Aiya, you'll know once you watch it."
Berry didn't know how to explain, so she simply shoved the braindance headset into V's hand without explanation, while taking one of the braindance chips from her.
So mysterious.
V frowned, looked at the excited Berry for a moment, and then inserted the chip into the braindance headset and put it on.
She wanted to see what kind of 'good thing' could make Berry so excited... Pippin the Short once said that the oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown.
But King Clovis of the Merovingian Dynasty also said that the anthem of humanity is the anthem of courage, and the source of courage is the protection of love.
Berry received the Jessica version of the braindance, and V received the Veronica version of the braindance.
But what they shared was that both experienced the process of two hearts gradually drawing closer, approaching, and finally uniting within the braindance.
When a fragile soul is finally saved by a kindred spirit who has also struggled in this city, the emotional impact on the viewer is indescribable.
This was real.
Perhaps it was about themselves, perhaps it was happening right beside them.
In Night City, everyone is Veronica, but not everyone can find their Jessica.
And that is precisely why it resonates so deeply.
When the two finally came together, and their surging emotions intertwined, indistinguishable from one another, this feeling was amplified to the maximum.
Even in this city that is nihilistic to its core, such beautiful things still exist.
It was like a tender white flower blooming out of a pile of withered and rotting vines.
When the pale bodies finally intertwined, this sensual scene did not arouse lust but instead provided a cleansing, like salvation, making people involuntarily want to cry.
When they took off the headset and leaned back on the sofa, both were silent, clearly still immersed in the emotions of the virtual braindance.
Something virtual could still convey genuine emotion.
Truly incredible.
Berry patted her face, only to find that tears had welled up.
Looking at V, V was also rubbing her eyes.
Feeling Berry looking at her, V instinctively retorted.
"Don't look. I'm not crying."
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