Great, now we are dead!

"She really wanted to see the scenery in Mewtwo, but I felt she was a little skeptical."

"Ah"

Ye Shou chuckled, unsurprised.

Even if there are pristine natural environments in Cyberpunk, they are mostly private gardens of the super-rich. As for the macro-level scenery, you really can't find it anywhere else, so it's normal for me to have some doubts.

However, once she got on Ye Shou's pirate ship, she definitely wouldn't be able to get off—just look at Lucy!

What's it like for the residents of Night City to go to the main world? They feel like they need a lung cleanse just to go back to their hometown!

Therefore, when Ye Shou is selecting people, he only needs to consider whether they are reliable and obedient, and does not need to worry about whether the treatment will be enough to retain them.

"So how did you convince Boss Mann?"

Lucy's expression was strange: "He went to the back alley with you, and when he came back he was acting all fussy, covering his arm and rubbing his eyes, like a little girl who had been bullied—everyone noticed that, and the way they looked at you changed."

"This is all because you have too much imagination."

Ye Shou couldn't help but burst into laughter, then said seriously, "I performed a little magic trick for him..."

After listening to Ye Shou's story, Lucy blinked, both curious and expectant.

"You can even do something like this?!"

"These little tricks I just learned these past few days seem incredible, but they're really nothing special."

Ye Shou leaned back on the sofa and said with an air of superiority, "Who knows, I might learn even more exciting things in the future."

"I see... Can those children also use my body?"

Lucy's first instinct was to look down at herself, but then she remembered the children at the medical center.

The prosthetic technology being developed by the [Blue Dream] Group is certainly promising, but in Lucy's opinion, no matter how excellent the mechanical performance is, it is ultimately not as good as a living flesh body!

(In fact, people in the main world have never experienced an AI rebellion, nor have they ever seen cyberpsychotics, so they don't get caught up in the ethical issues between machines and the flesh.)

When this was mentioned, Ye Shou became serious: "It depends on the situation. The essence of healing magic is to repair damage. If the injury is recent or has not been there for long, there will be no problem in healing it."

However, if it is a congenital disease, healing magic is powerless, and prosthetics are still necessary.

However, if the injury is acquired later in life, and several years have passed... the person's consciousness and soul may have completely forgotten that part of the body, and it will not regenerate during repair.

"That Mann?"

"Because you are cyborgs, you have replaced your flesh and blood with machines. You still have various senses and nerve impulses, so your soul has a new vessel and has not forgotten the shape of this part of your body."

Even after the prosthetic body is removed, you will still have a subconscious awareness of your physical injuries, so healing magic can still be used to repair them.

At this point, Ye Shou suddenly realized that if he used healing magic on those "over-modified" cyborgs—for example, those with three arms or six legs—wouldn't that create something like a chimera?

...We need to be careful!

The human body is a very precise structure, with each component fitting perfectly. The reason why prosthetics can be so varied and unique is because they are supported by extra energy and high-tech materials.

If a flesh-and-blood body were to become like that, it would most likely die suddenly due to reasons such as high blood pressure, oxygen supply, or joint problems.

"Is it the senses and consciousness that matter?"

Lucy wasn't stupid either, and she quickly understood what Ye Shou meant: "This seems difficult to explain scientifically."

"Because it involves the concept of the soul, it needs to be explained using magic."

Ye Shou smiled slightly, "Our group is also researching Yao Guang, and in the future we may be able to analyze the essence of the soul... If we reach that point, we may be able to solve the related problems."

"...You've made me want to try it myself."

Lucy put down her drink, climbed over onto Ye Shou's side on the sofa, and rolled over to lie on his lap.

"Would you like me to try it out?"

"You have a real thirst for knowledge, Miss Lucy!"

"After all, I'm currently working for a shady company and an unscrupulous boss. If I don't keep up with cutting-edge technology, I might get fired."

"This makes me feel very ashamed."

Ye Shou stroked his silky silver short hair and smiled, "Let's give it a try... Which part do you plan to repair?"

"Removing the artificial organs and bones would require surgery... so let's use skin instead."

Lucy took the boy's right hand and pressed it against her neck.

"here."

Then there's the bare shoulder area.

"here."

Next is the collarbone.

"here."

Finally, here comes the last one.

"besides……"

Ye Shou raised an eyebrow: "Is this place one too?"

The feel... is very natural.

"Would you like to have this checked?"

Lucy looked up and met Ye Shou's gaze, applying slight pressure with her hand, causing Ye Shou's fingertips to sink deep into her skin.

"Well……"

Her face flushed slightly, and her eyes gradually filled with tears, revealing the expression of a bad girl.

"Is this how doctors palpate during a physical exam?"

"no way."

Ye Shou's fingers moved as gently as if caressing jade, sometimes with force.

"I'm very thorough when I examine patients."

Although he did not have a medical license, Ye Shou's medical ethics were beyond question. Even though it was a free clinic, he still did his best to examine the surrounding area carefully.

From color to texture to temperature, it proves to be an extremely healthy and vibrant young woman, a rare natural product in Night City.

"It's a beautiful color, just like cherry blossoms."

"To say something like that without batting an eye... Hmm... Aren't you an unscrupulous doctor?"

"You naughty child, how dare you slander me like that."

Ye Shou's fingertip twitched, causing Lucy to instinctively tighten her lips.

"Don't you know you should follow your doctor's orders carefully?"

"...I was wrong, doctor...don't be so mean."

Despite saying this, Lucy held Ye Shou's right hand and continued downwards.

“Let’s examine it more...more carefully…”

The left and right sides of the abdomen.

"This pattern is clearly a trace of cybernetic modification."

"As a hacker, you need to install stealth devices on your spine, and the skin there is usually modified."

Lucy's lips moved slightly as she looked directly into Ye Shou's eyes, her hand being guided downwards.

"..."

"..."

"doctor?"

"……Um?"

"Can you tell the difference?"

Lucy's breathing grew heavier: "Is this artificial skin?"

"I need to look into this carefully... um?"

Ye Shou's movements were originally gentle and slow, but Lucy suddenly got up and tackled him, causing him to lean back on the sofa.

The girl forcefully grabbed his hands and sat on his lap with a single step.

In this position, Lucy's waist and hips were slightly raised, and her gaze was slightly higher than Ye Shou's. When the two looked at each other, he felt as if he was being looked down upon.

"Ugh?"

Suddenly, Ye Shou was stunned as the situation turned around and he found himself in control.

Lucy stared at him expressionlessly, then suddenly let go of his hand, unzipped her jacket, and took off her already disheveled clothes, leaving her in only a form-fitting bodysuit.

"Doctor... are you ready?"

"W-what preparations?"

"I want to be here..."

Lucy's delicate lips brushed against Ye Shou's ear, her cool silver hair brushing against his face.

The murmuring sound flowed into the brain like liquid—

"It will leave you with a mark that you can never erase for the rest of your life."

……

When Lucy couldn't hold back any longer and actually opened her mouth to bite her own shoulder, Ye Shou finally understood the meaning of her previous words.

—But she was clearly speaking too soon.

Since it's only just begun, if this counts, she's leaving far too many marks on Ye Shou this night...

Chapter 82 What's the most valuable thing in the cyber age? Talent!

Nothing happened that night. The next day, Ye Shou got up early, washed up, greeted Lucy who was still in bed, and went alone to the upper floor of Garden Plaza in the city center—he had arranged to meet Mann there.

Not to mention Ye Shouyi, who was beaming with pride and exuded confidence, his entire demeanor had become carefree and relaxed. Mann, on the other hand, gave off the impression of someone who had been up all night and suffering from insomnia; he looked listless and even a little flustered and uneasy.

This is rare for a seasoned mercenary who has been in Night City for many years. After all, in order to survive in this cruel world, they should have been able to toughen up their nerves to the point where they are not surprised by anything.

"What's wrong? Didn't sleep well?"

Ye Shou handed him a can of beer, and for the first time ever, he opened one for himself.

"You look very tired, Boss Mann."

"It's all thanks to your Mewtwo... Sasha mentioned it to me before, and I thought it was just something with added ingredients, but I never expected it to be something like this..."

Mann covered his head, leaned forward against the railing, and gazed at the entire city from the edge of the rooftop.

"I understand why she keeps thinking about it."

It sounds like they're talking about contraband—Ye Shou curled his lip.

Of course, Mann's insomnia wasn't solely due to the content of "Mewtwo," but mainly because of a piece of information integrated into it:

Using his own image as a navigator, Ye Shou produced a historical documentary about the differences between the "main world" and "cyberpunk," mainly summarizing the development of "Ye Shou's hometown" in the 20th and early 21st centuries.

The extensive and detailed historical records simply don't seem like they could have been forged!

—Ye Shou comes from a "parallel world"!

It sounded unbelievable, but considering Ye Shou's various miraculous behaviors, Mann subconsciously believed this outrageous truth.

They've even used magic! Even if they're scammers, they're being incredibly sincere. You'd feel bad if you didn't fall for it!

"You really dare to tell me something so important."

Mann turned his head and observed Ye Shou's expression through his sunglasses. "Aren't you worried that I'll sell your information? I'm sure quite a few companies will be interested in you, this person from another world!"

Of course I'm not afraid, not just anyone can afford the price I'm offering!

This isn't about having a lot of money or a little; it's about the fact that only Ye Shou can provide certain things, which could be considered a monopoly!

—Doesn't Mann want to travel or even settle in another world like Lucy?

Moreover, whether from the "original work" or his own personal experience, Ye Shou understands Mann very well. Mann is someone who still has the concept of "companion" even in his cyberpsychotic state, which is quite reminiscent of the ancient Chinese emphasis on loyalty and righteousness.

Ye Shou was quite confident about how this mercenary would act.