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Cyberpunk Edgerunners: David Martinez With A System! [8]
🕑 Added 2025-01-19 13:30:09 +0000 UTC[Host can use the recycle function to exchange unwanted cyberware for credits.]
David froze.
“…What?”
Then bolted upright.
“Wait—WHY THE HELL DIDN’T YOU SAY THIS EARLIER?!”
His exhaustion vanished instantly.
This was huge!
“Quick, quick—recycle these detachment chips first!”
This was it!
A true comeback moment!
Like finding a hidden loot chest after being stuck in a dead-end maze!
Sure, it was a shame that all the Scavenger implants had been left behind—
But at least he still had this pile of detachment chips!
Selling them at full price to the system should at least get him enough for a decent upgrade, right?
Right?
…
Wrong.
[Friendly Reminder: This system is not a garbage bin. It does not accept trash.]
“…???”
“FUCK!”
David cursed loudly, his excitement instantly shattered.
These chips—
Sure, they weren’t the most valuable cyberware, but they weren’t completely worthless, either!
At the very least, they should be worth a couple thousand eddies!
And yet—
The system just called them trash?
How fucking arrogant was this system?!
[If the host wishes to know the cyberware’s true value, this system can provide a free price estimate.]
The moment the message appeared, his vision shifted.
Numbers floated next to each item.
The detachment chips?
0.
Completely worthless.
Meanwhile, the two remaining military-grade cyberware pieces had actual price tags.
-Sandevistan: 8,000 Eddies
-Kerenzikov: 3,000 Eddies
“…That’s it?”
[Because they are second-hand, the price is reduced by half.]
“Goddammit.”
David collapsed back onto the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling fan.
Where was that grand promise of helping him get stronger?
So far, all he had gained from the system was disappointment.
Sure, the price was better than what a ripperdoc would offer.
Hell, that scumbag ripper had only quoted 10,000 eddies—
Then slashed it to 6,000 the very next day.
But still—
What a fucking scam.
….
“When faced with difficulties, what’s the best solution?”
Simple.
Give up and sleep it off.
Sighing, he stretched, then rummaged through the hidden compartment of his couch—
Fishing out a handful of black-market braindance chips.
David’s personal collection.
Rare, premium stuff.
Back when he played the game, he had gone through hell just trying to get his hands on these BDs.
Even almost lost a kidney when some Scavs tried to scam him.
But now—
Now, he could finally enjoy them in peace.
The moment he slotted the chip in and the visuals kicked in—
His whole body tensed.
“OH SHIT—THIS ONE—YES! THIS ONE!!”
Instantly, he curled up like a shrimp, his back arching.
This was it—
This was peak entertainment!
Especially for a guy who was this close to turning into a damn wizard from sheer abstinence.
And as for how long this would last tonight?
Nobody knew.
The only certainty—
Night City never slept, and neither did its chaos.
….
The next morning, David was up early.
His movements were automatic—habitual.
Peeling off the sticky, sweat-drenched pants from last night’s indulgence, he tossed them into the washing machine before grabbing his neatly folded academy uniform from the side.
It was the last time he’d ever wear clothes his mother had prepared for him.
A barely audible sigh escaped his lips, vanishing into the air.
Without dwelling on it, he grabbed his black duffel bag from the table and headed for the door—
But something on the TV caught his attention.
“Good morning, I’m Arif Iqbal, and you’re watching WNS News.”
“Last evening, a brutal murder took place at the abandoned Redwood Psychiatric Hospital in Santo Domingo’s Coronado Farms district.”
“According to NCPD reports, the incident appears to be a gang-related conflict of extreme brutality…”
David clicked the screen off before the reporter could finish.
“Didn’t think a tiny mess like that would actually make the news.”
Normally, Night City headlines were dominated by corporate power struggles, not some back-alley bloodbath.
But thinking about it—
It made sense.
The city had been too quiet lately.
Too stable.
Aside from the usual gang skirmishes and corporate espionage, there hadn’t been any big events worth covering.
And with nothing else happening, the media had latched onto this like a starving mutt sniffing out a fresh corpse.
“Fucking journalists.”
That was his only comment as he stepped out the door.
….
David’s schedule today was simple.
Step one: Get to Viktor and install his new cyberware.
After the shitstorm with Katsuo Tanaki yesterday, there was no doubt the bastard would try something today.
And before stepping into school, David needed to be ready.
Step two: After sundown, start hunting Animals and make some extra eddies.
Step three: Avoid any shady ripperdocs trying to sell him black-market braindances.
Vik was the only ripper in this entire fucking city that David actually trusted.
….
A sleek, high-end corporate office.
Behind a polished mahogany desk, a woman in a tailored Militech blazer sat with an arrogant air—
Her short blonde hair, piercing gaze, and imposing presence making it clear—
This was Meredith Stout, a high-ranking Militech executive.
On the holographic screen in front of her—
Security footage from Redwood Psychiatric Hospital.
“Why are you showing me this?” she asked, her voice flat, eyes narrowing slightly.
A man—Anthony Gilchrist, a Militech field agent—stood across from her, his expression serious.
“Ma’am, the teenager in the footage is David Martinez—seventeen years old, currently enrolled at Arasaka Academy, originally from Santo Domingo…”
“Get to the point.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“I believe David Martinez has exceptional potential.”
“With the right guidance, he could be molded into another Morgan Blackhand.”
“A true legend.”
A loud bang.
Meredith slammed her palm onto the desk, cutting him off mid-sentence.
“Enough.”
Her tone was sharp, eyes flashing with impatience.
“Gilchrist, do you even hear yourself?”
“Ma’am, I—”
“No.”
She silenced him with a cold glare.
“This is not your job.”
“Stay in your lane.”
She waved a hand dismissively, spinning her chair around, effectively ending the conversation.
“Now get out.”
A long pause—then, grudgingly—
“Understood, ma’am.”
Gilchrist turned and exited without another word.
As the automatic doors slid shut behind him, Meredith let out a slow breath, pulling a cigarette from her case.
Click.
The tiny flame from her lighter flickered in the dim office, igniting the tip.
She took a long, deep drag, exhaling smoke as her gaze drifted to the neon skyline outside.
Through the massive glass window, Night City stretched before her—
A jungle of lights, steel, and ambition.
Her eyes were distant, almost thoughtful.
