Cyberpunk 2074: Shadows of the Past

Chapter 65 Escape (Ⅰ)

It started to rain.

He stood in an alley full of rubbish, raised his head, and looked at the towering commercial buildings in the distance.

Several layers of holographic projection screens scrolled and played commercial advertisements day and night.

Endless torrents spewed out from the clouds, covering the standing steel giants with black cloaks.

A woman dressed as a Japanese geisha hides inside, her face obscured by the rushing water.

All he could see was the pale smear all over his face and the glaring scarlet around his lips.

Dilla hated the ad that ran all over Night City.

At night, especially when it's raining, it's a little too scary.

Like a female ghost who is taking her life, she walks in the world openly and aboveboard.

It suits the city quite well.

This city of hell, the capital of sin.

Here in the human world, a gap has been torn open by evil spirits.

Listen carefully, and you can vaguely hear the wailing of dead souls.

Here, too close to hell, too far away from heaven.

Dila sighed. People always realize later that they made the wrong choice in the first place.

A year ago, he was driving a red meteor, arrogant as a god, unruly, and no sports car in Night City could capture his silhouette.

He thought he was fast enough, so fast that he could surpass time and destiny.

As it turns out, he was wrong.

Reality is reality after all, not some fairy tale.

He really transcended time and space and sent Old Rui Fan to the hospital in time.

But all efforts are in vain.

Overnight, the largest taxi company in Night City closed down, or was replaced.

A guy named Delaman fired everyone.

From the driver to the top of the company, they were all replaced by this damn electronic ghost.

Unemployed, how can he afford the high medical expenses at the Night City Central Hospital?
See, this is reality.

In fairy tales, the brave who can slay dragons doesn't need to consider any travel expenses.

He can transform the taxi into a sharp arrow that can shoot through time and space, but he can't shoot through the film of money.

Selling his car and assets at a low price, he tried everything, but in the end he lost old Rui Fan.

What defeated him was reality.

Dilla wiped the dirty food residue from the corner of her mouth. It was always unpleasant to rummage through the trash can for food.

The sour smell seemed to go down the esophagus and seep into the bone marrow.

Fortunately, he has gradually gotten used to it.

Thinking about it, Dila stepped forward, left the alley, and walked in the bustling streets.

Fortunately, the manic torrential rain covered up the stench on his body, so that he could stand a little straighter when walking in the crowd.

"The movie...is online!...Leading lead role!...Score 9.0! A winter masterpiece not to be missed! Come with your friends, family and friends... watch it in the theater!"

Dila put her hands in her pockets, held her head up, and silently watched the promotional video of the new movie being played on the big screen not far away.

Unknowingly, he walked slowly to Ye's Cinema in the center of Night City.

A year ago, he took Nia to watch a movie here.

He has forgotten the specific plot of the movie, he only remembers that her ruddy side face, under the dim light of the screen, is shockingly beautiful.

It's like digging a spoonful of meat in the heart, and then filling the gap with honey.

The pain that cannot heal, but the sweetness that penetrates into the bottom of my heart.

"Let's go watch this one, the introduction is very interesting."

"……Listen to you."

Dila hid in the shadow of the hall, silently watching the people coming and going, among them, a pair of cuddling couple was the most eye-catching.

The silver-haired girl hid in the arms of the tall man, coquettishly sweetly.

Both men and women are unforgettable types at first sight.

The man's half-length hair hung loose, free and easy and elegant like a Greek statue, and his pair of blue eyes focused all his attention on the girl in his arms.

The girl has silver hair and a pair of sparkling violet lakes. Even Venus standing in front of her feels his incompleteness.

Like a fairy tale.

With a low sigh of emotion, Dila gave up the idea of ​​stealing from the crowd.

People always have to leave a little room for kindness to themselves.

Even if he is defeated by reality, he can't help longing for the beauty of fairy tales after all.

If he's even human.

Lao Ruifan's death and unemployment stripped his invincible flesh and blood.

Nia, who died of dystocia, completely shattered his invincible soul.

All alone, with nothing.

So he's completely insane.

He has not been so sober as he is today for a long time.

Perhaps a few days ago, the medicine thrown to him by a man who claimed to be from the Zhang Group worked.

Dila left the movie theater, walked on the brightly lit street, and rubbed the star-like medicine in her palm.

This drug can actually relieve the symptoms of cyber psychosis.

And the price is to take the initiative to jump into the bottomless abyss.

He was just drinking poison to quench his thirst.

First biotechnology, then the Zhang Group.

These big companies always like to toss these sugar-coated poisons.

Dila shook her head and smiled.

The next moment, he fell on the side of the road, cheeks kissed in the rain and mud.

His whole body seemed to be covered with countless tiny insects, nibbling at his flesh and blood bit by bit, tenderly and cruelly.

At the same time, the seams of the bones seemed to be split, and something wanted to climb out, using its sharp claws to leave a deep mark on his white bones.

He wanted to stand up, but he just knelt on the ground, leaning against the wall, and vomited out the food he had collected so hard tonight, mixed with yellow stomach acid.

The countless sharp blades churning in his stomach made him feel miserable.

He wanted to howl, but couldn't make a sound.

In the last second, the organs of the whole body seemed to be soaked in solid ice, but in the next second, they seemed to be roasted on fire.

That's the price.

This life-saving drug is addictive.

Dila deliberately controlled the time of taking the medicine, but the strong withdrawal reaction seemed to completely destroy his last dignity as a human being.

Before, he couldn't choose to live decently.

Now, he can't even die soberly.

Dila gritted her teeth, and finally, she succumbed to the pain again and swallowed the medicine that had been clutched in her palm.

Then, all the pain disappeared.

He seems to have returned to a year ago.

Before all the tragedies begin, time stands still, living in the past forever.

Unfortunately, it was just a momentary illusion.

He leaned on the wall in embarrassment, stood up slowly, and patted the dirt on his body.

Even if it rains cats and dogs, it can't hide the unique smell on his body.

The hounds have come.

Dilla leaned on the wall and limped away into the darkness.

A long sigh hovered in the air and was broken under the violent rainstorm.

(End of this chapter)