Cyberpunk: Nirvana of Shoko Toyokawa

……

A few hours after the phone call, Xiangzi appeared outside Chuhua's house, dripping wet.

This was the first time Chuhua saw Xiangzi after nearly ten years.

Xiangzi is different now from when he was a child.

As people grow older, they will naturally change. Chuhua has thought about this.

But she thought Xiangzi would become...softer.

Softer, less worldly, or more of a "company man".

But that is not the case at all.

Xiangzi stood there in ragged clothes, standing in front of Chuhua. She was skinny, exhausted, dirty and bloody. She took off the mask on her face, and in her empty eye sockets, there were horrible blood scabs that had healed. She walked into Chuhua's house, and the wound on her foot reopened due to the movement, leaving behind water stains mixed with dark red blood.

She looked like she had just cried and the corners of her eyes were still red.

"Long time no see, Chuhua."

she says.

"..."

Chu Hua couldn't utter a word.

Xiangzi became more handsome.

Of course she looked like that. Phoenix eyes, willow eyebrows, and a sharper jawline than when she was young. Even though she was covered in blood and mud and had lost an eye, it couldn't completely hide her beautiful features.

But more than that, it's about temperament.

Xiangzi was in such a miserable state, yet there was no air of dejection or defeat on him.

After the huge despair and bottomless madness burned out, something left dragged Xiangzi, and this broken body came to Chuhua's door with the coolness of a rainy night.

The porch separated Chuhua's warm, lighted house from Xiangzi, who walked out of the darkness, soaked all over.

Xiangzi didn't close the door.

She stood in the entrance hall and looked at Chuhua.

The only remaining golden eye lit up faintly in the rainy night.

Like a beautiful, wounded beast, a light quietly burned deep in its eyes.

Even among the "pirates" on the island.

Chuhua had never seen anyone like Xiangzi now.

Just one look and you can't look away.

"Can I come in?"

Xiangzi asked.

"……certainly."

This was the first sentence Chuhua said.

Having obtained permission, Xiangzi did not move forward.

She just closed the door of Chuhua's house.

despair.

A soft sound.

Now, there are really only two people left in this enclosed space.

“I want to be [someone].”

Xiangzi looked at Chuhua with her golden eyes and said.

"Chuhua, help me."

……

I was expelled from the Toyokawa family.

This was the second thing Xiangzi said after Chuhua nodded.

He fought hard to save his father who had committed a crime, but was eventually kicked out of the Toyokawa family.

All points, all skills were washed away. All prosthetics and external parts were removed, and the key synapses for learning were melted.

Xiangzi told Chuhua all this.

"I lost everything in the past, but I don't want to lose everything in the future."

Xiangzi said to Chuhua.

"To do this, I will climb to the top of the City of Joy."

"I will first form a mercenary team, and then expand the influence through band activities."

"I don't have the funds, the family, or the strong [Attribute Points]. I can't start from scratch and work my way up. If I do, I'll be eaten to the last bone by the hungry hyenas at the bottom of this city in the blink of an eye. I can't make a big splash either. The golden age of reclaimed land has passed, and I can't bet that [the five bands] will still acquiesce to the emergence of new bands like they did when RAS and Morfonica were founded."

"I can't wait for opportunities to appear, I have to tear them out of my daily life. I can't gamble on whether others favor me, I have to take the initiative to enter the core circle."

"Chuhua."

Xiangzi said.

“When I started out, I needed someone to lean on.”

"Your company is affiliated with Pastel*Palettes. As a popular artist, you can access their internal lines."

"Any information would be great. Can you help me connect with Pastel*Palettes?"

"...That's very dangerous." Chu Hua said.

Chuhua has what Xiangzi wants.

It can even be said that it is already in our hands.

But this isn’t some delicious strawberry shortcake.

This is a spike bomb that will pierce your mouth and make it bloody if you swallow it.

However, it is conceivable.

Xiangzi did not waver for a second.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s dangerous.”

Xiangzi said.

When Chuhua was a "pirate", he saw many people begging.

Inappropriate, despicable, disdainful, cunning, pretending to be calm, heroic.

But no one is like Xiangzi now.

"Chuhua."

Xiangzi called Chuhua's name.

She stood straight and looked at Chuhua.

She seemed so fragile that she was about to fall, yet it seemed as if nothing could break her spine.

"I beg you."

she says.

……

Ah ha.

After thinking of Xiangzi for who knows how many times these days, Chuhua sighed softly.

Mana seemed to feel that she was lamenting the past, and casually said, "It won't be so hard now," and started checking her phone.

Chu Hua also picked up the phone.

After that, I promised Xiangzi, showed him the important top-secret document, and took Xiangzi to find Pastel*Palettes.

Xiangzi was a little surprised, but did not refuse.

The first time I saw Pastel*Palettes's Egret Thousand Saints, it was really scary.

Beneath the watertight rhetoric lies a sinister murderous intent.

But to Chuhua, Xiangzi is more terrifying than Qiansheng.

It is not an exaggeration to describe it as a gamble. Under the thorough etiquette, the sharp edge is revealed.

You don't have any points, this is too dangerous. It's like putting your head on the other party's gun, betting that the other party dare not shoot.

Chuhua tried his best to protect her.

Did the Pastel*Palettes members who were guarding in the dark notice Xiangzi's attitude?

At least Bai Lu Qiansheng noticed it.

However, she seemed to be very optimistic about Xiangzi like this.

Negotiations were established.

"Thank you, Chuhua. I won't let you lose your life."

After the matter was accomplished, Xiangzi said this and left.

She insisted on not accepting Chuhua's money or other assistance, and only took a set of old clothes.

But Chuhua thought that these didn’t matter at all.

Chuhua no longer always thinks about his childhood.

What replaced it was the fragile yet strong figure of Xiangzi today.

Moreover, the frequency of occurrence has become very high.

Much higher.

Why haven't you contacted me since then?

How are you now?

Injured? Or in more serious danger?

The road you are walking on is too dangerous. You may lose your life at any time.

I want to know if you are okay.

Please ask me for help again.

I can be your strength.

Just when Chuhua was thinking about these things again.

beep.

The phone vibrated.

The ID marked as [Oblivionis] that Xiangzi sent her a few weeks ago sent a message.

Just one sentence.

[Chuhua, I need your help. ]

Chapter 68 Let the professionals come

"excuse me."

Chu Hua appeared politely at the door of Miao Meng's house, which surprised both Miao Meng and Hai Ling.

"Wow, I never thought there would be a star standing outside my door!" Miao Meng took off her monitoring headphones and said, "It feels like the rent in this area has become higher!"

"Can the members of Sumimi just appear here like this?"

Hai Ling asked.