Cyberpunk 2074: Shadows of the Past

(This story has nothing to do with the main text or the original work. The timeline and worldview are slightly different. If you don’t mind, don’t read it. It’s just given to everyone for free as a New Year’s gift.)

On the vast gray land, a tiny shadow stared blankly at the empty black void.

The dazzling sunshine shines on the top of the head, but there is no warmth at all.

After a long time, she turned her head and lowered her shading arm.

Several slight sighs echoed in the thick and bloated spacesuit.

She closed her eyes, raised her head, and opened her arms, as if she wanted to embrace the blazing sun hanging high in the starry sky.

"Card! Perfect! Once and for all!"

The director's praising voice brought her back to reality from her immersed emotions.

"Okay! Lucy! Well done!" Colleagues who were waiting quietly on the side ran over and celebrated the end of the video recording.

"Wow, the performance was great, I cried when I watched it..." David, who had just finished the show, wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and rushed over to give Lucy a hug.

"Oh, wait, let me take off this obstructive helmet first."

Lucy looked at the big boy crying in her arms and touched his head tenderly.

"Hehe, you guys are not pretending to be real, are you..." Rebecca covered her mouth and snickered as she watched, the scary makeup on her face not yet taken off, "Hey, David, you are a couple in the play. , how about the two of us getting together outside the show? You can’t let me watch all the time, right?"

"You're the only one who talks too much..." Lucy complained, taking off the obstructive helmet on her head and breathing in the fresh air, "This costume is really realistic, but it's a little heavy. I can't breathe... …”

"The Queen of Night City's investment is different. Look at this scene layout, it's exactly the same as real outer space!" Mann, who had finished filming for a long time, took a drink and planned to come over to join in the fun.

"You stupid guy is so ignorant..." Qiwei folded her arms and stood far away, silently rolling her eyes.

"Okay, okay, everyone, please stop making noise!" The director clapped his hands and gathered the actors who were laughing and joking. "I'll treat everyone here to a meal tonight. After the film is officially released, everyone will Members come out to get together again!"

"Director, when will the finished film be released?" Lucy asked softly, fiddling with her messy short hair that was wet with sweat.

"At the end of 2077, release them all in one go!"

"The Chinese New Year is about to come, so why don't you show something sad to the audience?" Rebecca lightly kicked the director on the butt, turned around and ran away.

"Hey!" The director touched his butt and smiled helplessly.

Different from the setting in the film, Rebecca, who is actually the youngest, is the naughty girl and pistachio on the set. She can always make everyone play around, and no one can do anything to her.

"David, Lucy, come with me." The director waved to the male and female protagonists of the film, indicating that he had something to say to them alone.

"Director Imaishi, what do you want from us?" Lucy pulled David, who had not yet left the scene, and trotted to the director.

"You two have very good acting skills, you don't look like newcomers at all..." Director Imaishi scratched the back of his head, "I just want to ask, do you two have any ideas to continue your studies in the film and television industry in the future?"

"As for me, I don't plan to continue in this area before graduation..." Lucy shook her head gently and turned to look at David.

"Me? If Lucy doesn't act...then I'll continue studying..." David glanced at Lucy and answered softly.

"Well... that's okay..." The disappointed look on his face disappeared in an instant. Director Imaishi smiled and didn't say anything more, "It's okay that David is a boy. Lucy should pay attention if she wants to continue to work in movies. One thing, for example, you can still find a stand-in for some revealing scenes now, but that may not be possible in the future..."

"Thank you, director..." Lucy thanked her sincerely.

"One more thing! David and Lucy..." Director Imaishi coughed, suppressed the smile on his face, and put on a serious look, "Your parents said this when they signed the contract. , don’t fall in love! Don’t pretend to be real!”

"ah?"

"Don't worry!" Director Imaishi glanced at the wailing David and the somewhat disappointed Lucy, and smiled softly, "But now that you don't plan to continue filming, I can't control it..."

"Director...do you know that you really deserve a beating right now?" David said through gritted teeth, clenching both fists.

Director Imaishi coughed and touched his chin in embarrassment, "Anyway, I've said everything that needs to be said... Anyway, let's have a small gathering later. After the film is released, we will find everyone, including investors. Come and get together too."

"So, I can meet the famous V?" David, who was filled with idols in his heart, forgot his unhappiness in an instant, and his face was filled with excitement and joy.

"You will know then..."

◎

In 2077, on December 29, a ten-episode online drama called "Edge Walker" was released on the world's largest online platform, instantly detonating the Internet.

The realistic story setting in 2076 and the famous horror legend Adam Hammer who died in Arasaka Tower are already eye-catching enough. Coupled with the beautiful heroine and the ups and downs of the storyline, countless people have watched it. It ranks as the best of the year.

The people, topics and surroundings related to it suddenly became popular.

◎

December 31, 2077.

The crew of "Edge Walker" plans to hold a celebration party that will be broadcast live to celebrate the New Year with the viewers who love this film.

"A toast to all the members of the crew!" The legendary Ms. Valerie (V), who is already the Queen of Night City, stood at the top of the table and said loudly, holding up the wine glass in her hand.

"To the City of Night! To Queen V of the City of Night! To the next life!" David shouted loudly, looking like V's number one fan.

V smiled with a smile on his lips and nodded lightly towards the big boy with punk hair.

Even though she is already in a high position, she still prefers this down-to-earth approach. She is not used to the lofty demeanor of big shots.

"Lucy, David, are you really not planning to continue acting? You are now the most dazzling people in the Night City..." V asked softly, looking at the male and female protagonists sitting together, "And Rebecca , you are also very popular with everyone."

"I don't want it... I'm going to make a movie, and my good-for-nothing brother won't have anyone to take care of me. Besides, I'm not interested in movies with other themes..." Rebecca shook her head and said softly He stepped on Pyrrha who was sitting next to him.

"I keep my original idea...I still prefer the life of ordinary people than that of big stars." Lucy sighed softly. The love of online audiences made her both happy and distressed.

"Me too...I want to stay with my mother..." David was already eating hard. Gloria, who was sitting next to him, shook her head as she looked at him with exaggerated eating. She couldn't bear to look at her.

V held up his wine glass and asked other members of the crew one after another, and received mostly similar answers.

"Oh, I made the biggest sacrifice in this film..." Qiwei took off her mask and looked like a mature big sister, which was very different from her appearance in the film. "If we keep filming like this, how can we not find a boyfriend?" manage?"

"I plan to marry Dolio directly after the New Year..." Mann said a little coyly, looking very funny.

"Wow...congratulations to you..." V happily toasted the soon-to-be-married couple.

"Hey, director, how do you resurrect dead people on the screen? What kind of special effects are they?" V walked back to his original position and poked Director Imaishi, who was sulking while eating, with his elbow, "It's Adam. That guy with the heavy hammer, if I hadn't personally killed him in Arasaka Tower, I almost thought he was a real person."

"Of course, the epoch-making AI technology..." Director Imaishi wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth with a proud smile on his face, "It can use AI to retrieve almost all the remaining information of the dead characters and recreate them almost realistically. Come out of character..."

◎

"Xida! It's New Year's Eve already, don't watch TV..." A gentle female voice sounded in the girl's ears.

"Mom! I want to watch it for a while...Is AI really that powerful?" The silver-haired girl pouted, praying for her mother to give her some more time.

"No, your father and I are going to bed. Going to bed early is good for your health, be good!" the mother whispered, and gently touched her daughter's head.

"Okay..." Xi Da reluctantly agreed, looking at the TV screen that had gone out, and sighed softly.

"Go back to your room and go to sleep! Be good, baby!" The mother looked helplessly at her tantrum-making little daughter and coaxed her with kind words.

"I know... a little bit~" Xi Da grabbed the edge of the door, and before closing the door, he took the opportunity to stick out his tongue cutely at his mother through the gap.

"Good night, daughter..."

"Good night, mom!" Xi Da replied loudly from across the door, turned around and rushed towards her crib.

The bright moonlight filtered through the window and softly splashed on her long silver hair.

Xi Da opened his violet eyes and looked out the distant window.

Even the lively atmosphere of New Year's Eve did not affect this quiet remote town too much.

As far as the eye can see, there are all lights that have been extinguished.

Only the moon still hangs stubbornly in the sky, seemingly unwilling to let this last lonely person who is still awake fall into the lonely night.

"Good night, Moon..." Xi Da waved to the moon with a cute smile.

How far is the bustling Night City from this town?

She asked herself softly, but there was no answer.

In the silent night, even the sound of the wind became softer.

Xi Ta took out his small cell phone, put a pair of old headphones into his ears, and let the notes pouring out of the headphones engulf him completely.

"I couldn't wait for you to come clear the cupboards..."

"But now you're gone and leaving nothing but a sign..."

"Another evening I'll be sitting reading in between your lines..."

"Because I miss you all the time..."

She sang softly along with the music, filling the quiet sky with her ethereal voice.

Xi Da didn't take off her headphones until she felt sleepy.

"Happy New Year! Hope... I will also be happy in the new year..." She got into the warm quilt, with only her head exposed. She held her head high and looked at the cold moon outside the window. Said a few words to himself.

The moon watched her silently, as always.

Xi Da smiled and slowly closed his eyes.