Two strange panels appeared in Luca's mind at the same time, flickering with a soft neon glow as if someone had installed a heads-up display directly into his thoughts.
One of them looked like a typical attribute panel from a video game—clean, systematic, listing his stats with numbers attached.
But the second one… the second panel was something Luca recognized immediately, something legendary, something that had defined invincibility in the game worlds he once knew. It was none other than—
Fengling Yueying.
His heart skipped.
Holy crap…
This wasn't just some passive buff or gimmick skill tree. This was the system of legends, the one every old-school player dreamed about. It was the embodiment of unstoppable force. Just seeing it here made Luca's blood surge with excitement.
This is going to be insane! Combat power off the charts! Adam Smasher? Oda Sandayu? Bah, they'll all be sitting at the kiddie table when I'm done!
He almost laughed out loud, brushing aside the boring attribute panel and focusing eagerly on the Fengling Yueying panel.
But when he tried to "unleash" it, something felt off.
"…What the hell?"
Instead of being immediately active, the panel displayed a set of locked abilities, each requiring Survival Points to unlock.
Survival Points.
The term alone made Luca's brow twitch.
The explanation was simple: one Survival Point would automatically be added every single day. At this moment, Luca's total was 280 points.
"Two hundred and eighty? That's weird. Shouldn't it be a clean number? Like two hundred, or three hundred?"
Then a thought struck him like lightning.
He was twenty-eight years old before transmigrating.
Twenty-eight years… 280 days.
"…Holy shit."
If the calculation matched his age, then that meant over two-thirds of his potential points had already been used up.
That realization hit him hard.
Before transmigrating, he'd already been squeezed dry by his boss in the corporate world. Now, after transmigrating, he was being squeezed dry by his supposed cheat system.
So I went through all this trouble just to get scammed again?
For a brief moment, he wanted to throw a tantrum, to curse the heavens for giving him such a raw deal.
But reason quickly doused his anger.
First of all, this was just his own speculation—he couldn't be one hundred percent sure yet.
Second, strictly speaking, he had already died. The fact that he was alive now in a new world was a kind of miracle, a second chance. Complaining felt a little ungrateful.
And third, even if he wanted to rebel against the system, where would he even start? He had no leverage, no backup, and no alternative. The system was his only ticket to survival.
"…Fine."
Luca exhaled slowly. "Since I'm here, I'll make the best of it."
For now, observation was the best strategy.
He turned back to the attribute panel, scanning through his stats:
Body: 2 — Average. For a programmer who sat in front of a computer all day, at least it wasn't 1.
Tech: 2 — Standard. Nothing special.
Hacker: 4 — This made him smile. Back in his old life, hacking was his bread and butter. Clearly, even fifty years into the future, his skills still held weight.
Reflexes: 2 — Predictably mediocre.
Cool: 2 — He chuckled bitterly. So my writing and social skills really didn't make the cut, huh? Level 1 Cool at best… pathetic.
He sighed and closed the panel.
From the outside, his vacant gaze and muttered sighs made him look completely deranged.
Rebecca and her brother Pila exchanged glances.
"Why are you looking so gloomy, you weirdo?" Rebecca puffed her cheeks, her sharp voice cutting through his thoughts.
Luca turned his head and blinked at her. For a moment, his brain short-circuited.
"…So it's a kid."
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
Rebecca froze.
Luca quickly realized he'd just made a huge mistake.
Rebecca was in her twenties, but with her small stature and childlike appearance, people often mistook her for a loli. She hated it—loathed it, in fact.
Her face darkened. In the blink of an eye, she whipped out a gun from nowhere and pressed it against Luca's temple.
"Who the hell are you calling a kid, you fossil?! I'm a full-grown adult! Say it again and I'll paint the walls with your brain matter!"
Luca immediately raised his hands, his voice sharp with panic. "Sorry! Sorry! My bad, I didn't know!"
Rebecca glared at him, finger tight on the trigger, but her brother stepped in.
"Come on, Bex. Cut him some slack. He doesn't know you. First time seeing you, it's natural he'd think you're a kid."
"Shut up." Rebecca hissed, eyes flicking to her brother before reluctantly lowering her weapon. She stuffed the gun back into her pocket and jabbed a finger toward Luca.
"My name's Rebecca. And I'm an adult. Remember that. This big dumbass here is my brother, Pila."
Luca blinked. Recognition hit him.
Rebecca. Pila. The names were familiar—they weren't random mercs. These were characters from the Edgerunners spinoff.
No wonder he felt a sense of déjà vu.
He smiled sheepishly and extended his right hand. "Got it. Rebecca, right? I'll remember. My name's Luca. Nice to meet you."
Rebecca snorted, crossing her arms but reluctantly shaking his hand. "What a weird name. Even for a Chinese name, it sounds way too old-fashioned."
Luca rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. "Well, it's the name my parents gave me. Not like I had a choice."
Rebecca tilted her head, curiosity sparking. "So why'd they name you that?"
Luca chuckled softly, memories stirring. "Deer Antler Grass. It's a kind of traditional Chinese medicine. Said to strengthen bones, mend the body, even revive the dying. To my parents, it was… a symbol of hope. They wanted me to live strong."
His words carried a faint melancholy. Perhaps that hope was why he'd been granted this second life.
Rebecca blinked, clearly not expecting that kind of answer. She turned her gaze away with a small "Tch."
Meanwhile, Pila studied Luca more carefully. His instincts told him something was off.
"What do you plan to do next?" Pila asked in a cautious tone.
Luca paused. That was a good question. He had no idea how much of his original body—or soul—had come with him. And in this unfamiliar city, survival alone was already a challenge.
Still, honesty might buy him trust.
"Well," Luca said slowly, "since you saved me, I was hoping I could stay with you for a while. Maybe take on some small jobs. Honestly, I don't even know where I am. This definitely isn't China, right? With amnesia on top of that… living here won't be easy."
Pila remained silent for a moment, eyes narrowing.
Rebecca frowned. "Amnesia, huh? How convenient."
Luca raised his hands again, this time not in surrender but in appeal. "It's the truth. I don't remember much, but I know enough to realize I'm not where I used to be. You two found me. That makes you my lifeline right now."
Pila glanced at his sister, then back at Luca. Finally, he gave a small nod. "Alright. You can stick around. But remember—every place has its rules."
"I understand."
"Good." Pila leaned forward. "But should we really call you Luca? Or do you prefer something else?"
The question caught Luca off guard.
He hesitated. If this was truly transmigration, was he occupying someone else's body? If so, was that person also named Luca? If not, using this name could cause trouble down the line.
After a moment of thought, he smirked. "Then call me… Iron Rider."
Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "Iron Rider? Sounds like a wannabe merc handle."
"Exactly." Luca grinned. "In this world of mechs and smart guns, it fits. Besides…" he tapped his temple lightly, "I've got my own cheat. Who knows? Maybe I'll actually become an Iron Rider."
Pila gave a short laugh. "Fair enough, Iron Rider. For now, rest up. If you need anything, call me or Rebecca. When you're ready, I'll take you to meet our boss. Maybe you can try your hand at being a merc. But for tonight, we've got a party to attend."
Luca nodded gratefully. "Got it. Have fun."
The siblings turned to leave. Pila threw an arm around Rebecca's shoulder, steering her toward the door.
Rebecca squirmed. "Hey! What are you doing? Why didn't we talk more with him? And isn't the party later tonight?"
Pila pressed a finger to his lips. "Shh. We don't know if he's good or bad yet. Better not say too much to a stranger. And he's injured—let him rest. It's the smart play."
Rebecca pouted, muttering under her breath. "You're too cautious. My gun isn't just for show."
"Maybe so," Pila said calmly, starting the engine of their beat-up car, "but let's report this to Mann first. He'll want to know."
The car rumbled to life, neon reflections gliding across its rusted hood as they pulled away.
Inside the safehouse, Luca lay back on the bed, staring at the flickering neon outside the cracked window.
"Iron Rider, huh…?" he whispered to himself.
The name felt strange on his tongue, but also empowering. A new name for a new life.
He clenched his fist.
This was Night City—the city of broken dreams and endless possibilities.
And for the first time, Luca felt the faint spark of excitement.
Maybe this second life wasn't just survival. Maybe it was the beginning of something legendary.