"As a reward, just get him out of Arasaka, and I'll help you once, no matter what you need to do."
"Okay." Mercer agreed without any hesitation.
"Well then, goodbye, Mercer."
Ultraman didn't have much to say. A streak of red data flashed into Mercer's body, then transformed into a beautiful silver necklace resting on his neck.
After that, Ultraman's figure receded into the distance, gradually transforming into a cloud of red data and disappearing.
Spider Murphy also nodded to Mercer, then said:
"Thank you for choosing to come into this world...
This is some geographical information I've compiled. It will help you better navigate around the dangers on your way to Night City.
And I've written a fun little program that might help you better integrate once you're there.
Goodbye, Mercer. This world is pretty rough, but it still has things worth cherishing. I hope you find your... new home."
She also sent over a data packet, which transformed into a small spider tattoo on his neck in cyberspace.
"Uhm... I don't really have anything to offer... Ah, got it."
Bartmos smiled, raised an eyebrow, then sent over some data: "Check it out yourself. In any case... wish you a pleasant new journey in life."
He waved at Mercer, then coolly turned and left alongside Spider Murphy. At the same time, the space Mercer could see began to stretch again.
The IPs started bouncing rapidly, and by the time Mercer snapped back to his senses, he was already near the Black Wall.
Standing at the edge of the Black Wall, Mercer fell into thought, organizing his thoughts before he began to look at the gifts these Gods of Hackers had given him.
The Relic modification program from Ultraman didn't need much elaboration, but the program Spider Murphy sent was quite interesting.
It was actually a 'task log.'
Yes, just like in a game, upon opening it, you could see a whole list of taken or untaken missions!
[Commission: Ultraman's Old Flame Burns
You know, Ultraman just can't bring herself to admit that she likes Johnny, and always pretends that she's not the same Ultraman as before. Hey, we're all data entities here, who are you trying to fool?
So hurry up and rescue Johnny, and don't forget to secretly record their meeting!
I swear, she'll definitely say some hurtful things, and remember to get a close-up of Johnny's face. Serves him right!
Mission Reward: One-time use of Ultraman (don't let Johnny know)]
[Commission: Request from Murphy
Bartmos' body, to be precise, the freezer containing his body, is currently still in storage at Night City's Respectful Logistics Company's warehouse.
You've played the game, so you should know that once the storage contract expires, his body will be tossed into the junkyard along with the freezer.
Even though he personally doesn't care much about this... I think, regardless, someone like him shouldn't end up in a junkyard.
So please cremate him and take him to the cemetery in Night City.
Don't forget to preserve his DNA first, because if one day there's hope in this world, I'd still prefer to live as a human again and enjoy life in that beautiful world.
He probably does too.
Mission Reward: Uhm... I'm not sure what I can give you, so let's call it a favor. When you need help, let me know, and use this little spider program.
Of course, when we meet, you'll need to come to the old network yourself. Our presence is too large to just pass through walls; it might scare some timid folks.]
[Commission: Night City's Knockoff Batman
There's an interesting fellow in Night City right now who goes by the name Night Shadow Hero, claiming to be a justice enforcer roaming the night. Every night he goes out to fight crime alone...
But it's not going well. A lot of people have their sights on him, and his days are numbered. If you get to Night City quickly enough, you might save his life.
Mission Reward: You should recall the game where in the Chaotic Blade Association's hideout cave, there's a pure black 'Sword in the Stone' car inside a locked container?
That's his car, and he's quite wealthy. Get your reward from him directly, or wait for him to kick the bucket and take it yourself.]
[I'm still figuring out the rest. When I find something interesting, I'll let you know. You can decide whether you want to find some entertainment or not. I think you'll definitely go; I know you so well~
Any commissions you take on yourself can also be added to this program, just like in a game. You can even save it as a souvenir; fun, right? XD~]
Spider Murphy... how to put it, she seemed quite serious before, but judging from the message she left, she might be the same kind of person as Bartmos.
And about what Bartmos left behind...
Better left unsaid.
[Night City Mewtwo Tasting Guide—If you ask me how I maintain such a high level of humanity after becoming AI, my answer is: Watch more movies.
Even though importing Mewtwo's data into cyberspace allows me to feel less than when I was alive.
But anyway, don't worry about what others say. Trust me, it's necessary to relax a bit, haha!
Of course, some things are more meaningful to do in reality. The girl beside you, the one named Lucy, is quite nice~
Or V? Although she's still goofing around on the streets, if you're interested, I can help you get her contact information. After all, she takes jobs for a few hundred euros, so she should be quite easy to fool (smiley).
Of course, my suggestion is to want it all!
So you won't regret it after you die.
Obviously, Johnny is the expert on this, and I'm just a homebody, so I suggest you get the chip and talk to him more for some experience.
But I think you're way better than him, so you don't really have to.
Also, don't listen to Murphy's nonsense, don't give up on using AI.
The best way for humans to fight against AI is always AI itself, and to fight against humans, the best tool is still AI. This is something I've realized after creating my own things.
Desire for Death is quite safe, and if you think it's dangerous, it just means you haven't used it properly.
You've got a lot to learn on the path of hacking, don't think you're a pro just by throwing in a few quick hacks like in games.
Research my program more; it's the best teacher and assistant for you to develop your own AI.
Instead of fearing power, learn how to use it—after all, there are AI all over the world now. Damn, can the AI that came out of my program be worse than some moronic AI that tries to control humans?
Ultraman has established 'Shangri-La' in Hong Kong, gathering wandering AIs everywhere. Isn't she playing on a grander scale than me? She's almost becoming the mother of AI.
Worst case scenario, it could destroy the entire network, reverting us to decades ago, but who knows, life might actually get better without the internet...
Anyway, it's up to you.
As Mercer read the beginnings, he initially looked disdainful—but still glanced at the list in the tasting guide... Damn, there were so many things that needed to be criticized; it was this hedonism that ruined the Cyber People!
When he got to Night City, he was sure to fiercely critique them.
As for the latter content... Mercer wouldn't trust anyone, it would merely serve as a reference.
He would observe and think for himself, and ultimately draw his own conclusions.
After closing the messages, Mercer was daydreaming at the edge of the Black Wall until something licked his ankle, startling him. That's when he noticed the blue data cat at his feet, watching him.
"This little guy looks pretty weird..."
He simply crouched down, picked up the cat, then smiled and petted its head—it was a classic Sphynx hairless cat, somewhat similar to the ones in the game.
Desire for Death meowed twice, raised its head, its data-lit eyes looking tearfully at him, rolling around in his arms acting cute.
Aww... he really couldn't resist this kind of thing.
So, he just cuddled and hugged the cat, while away the time, until a girl silently appeared not far away, looking at him with a complicated expression.
"Lucy?"