KyokaSuigetsu
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Chapter 34: Holy Sh*t, A Box!
🕑 Added 2025-04-01 03:20:11 +0000 UTC"So, what do you think? Not bad, right?"
"You can stay here tonight. Just lock the door and pretend we're roommates."
Leo circled the room, confirming once again that it was indeed a "small but well-equipped" space.
V, seeing the room's setup, finally felt at ease. As long as she had some privacy, she could accept the arrangement.
After fiddling with the control panel for a bit, V nodded in understanding. "This isn't a weapons storage room. It's an emergency shelter for you. If intruders break in, you can lock the door from the inside. They say even standard explosives can't breach it."
"A shelter? That explains the amenities, even a vending machine. Perfect for you to stay in tonight. If anything dangerous happens, both of us can squeeze in here."
"Don't jinx it."
V gave the room one last glance and agreed to the plan.
Leo was secretly thrilled — thank you, scavengers! Without their interference, V might not have agreed so easily.
Living under the same roof? Proximity was key!
With the housing issue settled, V prepared to head out for some personal necessities. Leo, offering to accompany her, was swiftly rejected.
"Get some rest. I'm just grabbing some clothes and essentials. I'll be back soon."
V took the spare keycard and left alone.
Leo watched the elevator descend before heading to his desk. He mentally connected to Shironeko.
"Shironeko, help me look up information on Arasaka Academy. See if someone like me can apply."
"Certainly, Father. Please connect your personal link to the computer. I'll need some masking."
"Masking?"
*"Yes. In this world, my existence resembles that of a rogue AI. If I act alone or go too far, it will leave traces that could be detected by the NetWatch or other rogue AIs.
While they won't be able to pinpoint our exact location, it could pose a security risk. By using your personal terminal as cover, it will appear as though you're the one conducting the operations."*
"That sounds... pretty clever. So I'll look like a badass hacker?"
"To others, yes. However, my current capabilities are limited by the data available online. My hacking skills are not on par with other rogue AIs. You enrolling in Arasaka Academy would also benefit me, providing further knowledge and enhancements."
Leo grinned. Now that was a win-win.
He pulled out the data cable from his left wrist, the act still feeling surreal.
It made him wonder — those people with over 90% of their bodies cyberized, did they still consider themselves human?
Connection established.
Shironeko took over, swiftly combing through Night City's intranet for information on Arasaka Academy.
Minutes later, the streaming data slowed.
"Data acquisition complete. Father, your fake identity can apply to both the high school and university divisions of Arasaka Academy. Since you lack technical knowledge relevant to this era, I recommend starting with the high school division."
"Here are the details..."
A document appeared on the screen, neatly displaying the admission information.
Leo skimmed through it and realized that Arasaka Academy operated similarly to a private university. Their standards were surprisingly lenient — if you could pay the tuition and score at least 60% on the entrance exam, you were in.
Virtual reality classes, credit systems, and upon graduation, you were practically guaranteed a high-ranking corporate job.
At least, that's what the brochure claimed.
Leo's cover identity labeled him as an Eastern high school graduate. Applying to the high school division as a prep for university sounded plausible.
But damn, the tuition was insane.
Even for the high school division, a single year of tuition cost nearly 50,000 Eurodollars, excluding additional fees — like the absurd "official software update fees."
Want to use Arasaka's educational software? Pay up. And every time it updates? More fees.
It was like DLC hell.
"They split the year into two semesters. I only need to pay for one upfront... I can manage that."
Leo checked his account — 86,000 Eurodollars.
Still enough left over to dabble in trading. Buy some goods from Night City, flip them in Gotham, rake in some DC dollars, then reverse the process.
"Shironeko, how soon will my body adapt to the implants? Would it affect my ability to apply? And that entrance exam — I'm a 50-year-old relic of a programmer. Can I even pass?"
"Based on biometric data, I recommend resting tomorrow. You'll be fully adjusted the day after. I can book an appointment for you at Arasaka Academy for the morning after."
"As for the exam, you needn't worry. I'm with you. Cheating will be effortless."
"Perfect. Book it for me — 9 AM."
"Understood. Appointment confirmed. The admissions officer will meet you at Arasaka Academy's reception."
In less than ten minutes, the entire enrollment process was handled. Leo was starting to appreciate the power of AI.
While he was at it, he gave Shironeko another task. "Figure out what goods I can smuggle to Gotham for easy profit. Legal stuff only — Batman's always watching."
"Understood. I will gather relevant data and report once your enrollment is completed."
Task delegated. Done and done.
Being the boss was fantastic. Just hand off the work and watch it get done.
Feeling pleased, Leo started casually browsing the web.
His first impression of the Night City net? Absolute chaos.
Without even registering on any sites, his inbox was already flooded with spam.
Threats, insurance ads, pills promising enlargement... Of course, the "massage parlor" flyers had some appealing visuals, but everything else was garbage.
"Shironeko, manage my inbox. Block all the junk."
"Understood."
Half a minute later, the inbox was clean.
To Leo's dismay, even the mildly interesting spam from the parlors was gone.
But oddly, one email remained — a medical insurance offer.
Curious, he clicked on it.
Just one line into the email, his vision blurred.
"To Mr. Leonardo Di Caprio, residing at Highwood Canyon District, Apartment 75, 12th Floor — Thank you for purchasing a licensed BioTech implant."
"We have gathered your basic information (within legal limits) and noticed that you have yet to purchase Trauma Team medical insurance. To ensure the safety of elite individuals like yourself, we strongly recommend enrolling in our insurance plan."
"Rest assured, Trauma Team is composed of highly trained combat medics on standby 24/7. We offer the following services —"
The service list covered the entire screen, every inch filled with luxurious promises.
But Leo couldn't focus on any of that.
All he could think was —
"Holy shit, a box!!"
