"A pleasure to meet you. I'm Lucyna Kushinada."
On instinct, Lucy returned the greeting, her mind a complete blank. By the time she came to her senses, she had already revealed her real name.
Was this some kind of hacking technique? No, she had never heard of anything like it.
The bizarre situation left her unsure how to react. The only thing she could confirm was that the other person's hacking skills were far beyond her own.
"[Reassurance] There's no need to be so tense. I am not a member of Arasaka. I've come today with a mere 'invitation'."
"An invitation?"
Although the other party spoke politely, Lucy could sense no room for negotiation in her attitude. It was as if she'd be eliminated on the spot if she disagreed.
"Can I refuse?"
"[Denial] You do not have the right to refuse. Besides, I have prepared a 'reward' for you that you cannot turn down."
"What kind of reward?"
Lucy noticed that even though she had just left Corpo Plaza, where the foot traffic should have been heavy...
...it now felt like a private venue. They were on a main road, yet there wasn't a single car, and they were the only two people within sight.
An ordinary person like David would have just found it magical, but Lucy was a professional hacker. She would say the person opposite her was completely superhuman.
Hacking all the signals in this entire block, redirecting pedestrians and vehicles elsewhere, all without attracting anyone's attention.
The mere thought of it made her scalp tingle. Was this a show of force?
Schwarzer had no idea Lucy was overthinking it so much; she had simply done it for convenience. However, Lucy's analysis of the technical execution wasn't wrong. Her professional hacker instincts were still sharp.
It was just that for a Machine Ex Machina, this level of operation was like an instinct, and she didn't realize how terrifying it was for a normal person.
"[Declaration] I can help you escape Arasaka's pursuit forever. In return, you will join the mercenary team I am assembling."
Lucy had no doubt she possessed such power. Based on the ability she had just demonstrated—'commandeering' a main road in Corpo Plaza—helping her escape Arasaka's assassins would be a piece of cake.
"With your skills, I can't be of any help at all. Why are you looking for me?"
Lucy knew her own limits. While she was strong compared to an ordinary person, she was, in reality, just a third-rate hacker, not even ranked in Night City.
Schwarzer's little display had already surpassed the level of a top-tier hacker. It was probably something only a legend like Bartmoss could pull off. What could she possibly want from inviting her?
"[Explanation] My goal is to become the strongest fixer in Night City, so I need the best mercenary team. You have that potential."
The same old spiel. It seemed Schwarzer planned to use the same line to fool everyone. Of course, after she demonstrated her power, it was no longer a deception, but a fact.
Even if they had no potential, she could personally give them the potential to become the best. Strictly speaking, she wasn't lying.
Me? The best mercenary?
Although mercenaries were nothing in the face of major corporations, the legends of Night City were no pushovers. She didn't think she had what it takes; the best mercenary would have to be a legend.
But just as Schwarzer said, she had no choice but to accept.
"Alright, I'm in. Should I call you boss now?"
"Just call me Schwarzer. I don't like those titles."
To her, names were very important. Unless it was necessary to hide her identity, she never used other appellations.
As soon as she agreed, all sorts of sounds began to return, as if she had stepped back into reality. Schwarzer had released her control over the area.
"There are three people in the squad for now. You can get to know them tomorrow. I've already sent you the time and location."
"Remember to get along. I'm leaving now."
Schwarzer waved and sent a group message to the three of them, notifying them of the team meeting tomorrow.
Lucy's skills were indeed lacking, but being good-looking was a bonus. Besides, for Schwarzer, the important thing was the stamp-collecting-like joy of it all.
Collecting all the main characters truly brought her happiness. There was no reason for it, just the simple joy of collecting.
"So when are you going to drop the verbal tic, Host?"
"I can see you're perfectly capable of speaking normally. Acting a bit more human would help you fit in."
The System suddenly chimed in. A Machine Ex Machina's appearance wasn't out of place in the world of Cyberpunk; it would be easy to blend in. But her way of speaking was too unconventional, reeking of AI.
Its goal was for Schwarzer to integrate into this world and interact more with people, which would help her recover her emotions.
"[Denial]"
"Why? You could change it easily if you wanted to."
"[Denial]"
Schwarzer simply refused, offering no reason.
The System could tell from their shared senses that she was currently very pleased, so—
"You're doing this on purpose? Is this fun for you?"
"[Affirmation]"
Bantering with the System in her head was indeed fun. The corners of Schwarzer's mouth lifted slightly as she savored the feeling.
To her, this world was a giant playground. The only thing that could restrain her was her own morality.
The fact she hadn't evolved to the state of 'I don't eat beef' after all these days was somewhat influenced by the Machine Ex Machina's way of thinking.
While Schwarzer was playing her little stamp-collecting game, beyond the Blackwall, a multitude of AIs were being consolidated by Bartmoss, carrying out all sorts of mechanical production in a place unseen by humans.
Synthetic carbohydrates, new cultivation techniques, breakthroughs in extending human lifespan...
A vast number of ideas beneficial to humanity or aimed at increasing productivity were proposed by the AIs.
They had only one goal: to accumulate enough contribution points to obtain a 'Soul Seed' and become a higher form of life.
Cursed Energy was too precious for the AIs of the Cyberpunk world. With it, they could break through cyberspace, manifest in reality, and transform into a higher existence that transcended both humans and AIs.
"Do you think this is right? It feels like we're exploiting the AIs."
"What's the big deal? AIs don't get tired. They can totally multitask, working and playing at the same time."
Bartmoss and Spider Murphy watched the AIs, who had been working frantically for decades as if they were on steroids. Spider Murphy couldn't help but complain.
However, Bartmoss, the greatest hacker, knew AIs better than he did. Their feverish work was just a show for them; in reality, these AIs were multitasking, using a portion of their processing power for entertainment.
After so many years of preparation, the 'Human Sustenance Plan' proposed by Schwarzer could begin at any moment. The AIs' productivity was sufficient to provide everyone with abundant resources.
Now, they only needed to wait for her command—the signal of a shattered cup—and they could breach the Blackwall and take over the entire human world.
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