"What the hell was that?"
Song So-mi asked, forcibly suppressing the urge to punch V in the face.
V shrugged.
"As you saw—we shot a braindance."
The corner of Song So-mi's mouth twitched.
"So… it was all fake?"
"Not entirely," V explained.
"The two missiles that hit Orbital Air One were real. The Little Beidou Facility under Pacifica is real. The Rogue AI Myers released was real. And the fact that you were willing to sacrifice yourself to save others—that was real too."
She paused.
"But the battlefield situation map you saw was fake. The Rogue AI did breach the surface and take control of some electronics, but I had already run diagnostics. Most of those devices were old civilian-grade junk. No matter how powerful a Rogue AI is, it can't weld a microwave and a coffee machine into a Terminator."
"So Xu Ling's side wasn't actually pushed to the brink. They cleaned up the surface-level machine uprising pretty fast. All those 'about-to-collapse' moments were just dramatic staging."
Song So-mi looked at Xu Ling, who was squatting in the corner devouring a boxed meal, her expression complicated.
"I never thought Kang Tao's Xu Shiming's own granddaughter would be this… childish."
Xu Ling looked up, righteous as hell.
"This human–machine war was extremely valuable! I got firsthand data on Rogue AI behavior patterns and combat logic. It lays the groundwork for future conflicts. That's not childish at all!"
Song So-mi froze. She hadn't expected such long-term thinking from a girl who wasn't even an adult yet. Just as admiration was about to form—
"Don't listen to her bullshit," V cut in.
"She just wanted some pocket money. The Xu family runs a tight leash—she's poorer than you."
"Hey! V-jie, don't expose me like that! I was deep in character!"
"In your ass. You just love showing off."
"Showing off isn't illegal!"
"But it does get you punched. Want one?"
"Whoa, whoa—my Command stat's maxed, Strength's trash. I'll shut up and eat. Won't interrupt your flirting."
Xu Ling turned back to the wall and resumed shoveling food.
Women were incomprehensible. Eating was king.
Song So-mi still didn't get it.
"So why go through all this?"
"For the same reason as Myers—for the Rogue AI under Pacifica," V said, stomping her foot.
"With something like that sitting under my ass, I can't sleep at night. Night City doesn't have the capability to deal with it, and digging it out recklessly risks becoming the idiot who releases a Rogue AI."
She smiled faintly.
"Luckily, Myers was considerate enough to travel all this way to be my scapegoat. I couldn't waste such kindness."
"The fact that two missiles didn't bring down Orbital Air One was unexpected—but did you really think Night City only had two missiles? Myers managing to manually land the aircraft while gravely wounded and crash it into Little Beidou was impressive."
"But doesn't it strike you as odd? I'd hacked the aircraft OS long ago. How did she even switch it to manual?"
V spread her hands.
"Simple. I let her. Even if she'd done nothing, I would've crashed it myself. She suffered for no reason—hard mode for nothing."
"But she really released the Rogue AI," Song So-mi insisted.
"It could've killed all of us. You weren't afraid?"
"I trust my skills," V replied calmly.
"But honestly? I underestimated it."
"Humans fighting Rogue AIs in Cyberspace is like holding your breath underwater against a fish. It's not about strength—it's a fundamental disadvantage. The strongest human alive can't out-breath even the tiniest fish."
She exhaled.
"The only way to beat AI… is probably to become AI."
V finally understood why legends like Bartmoss and Spider Murphy chose digitization.
Humanity's path had reached its limit.
To go further meant abandoning being human.
No right or wrong—just a choice.
Song So-mi, who had crossed the Blackwall before, understood that helplessness.
"So… you lost?"
"Yes," V admitted without hesitation.
"I had the upper hand early on, but once my body hit its limit, I started losing. If I were fully healed, I could've beaten that Rogue AI—but it wouldn't matter."
"There are countless AIs like it beyond the Blackwall. There's only one me."
"So I lost. Fortunately, I had a backup plan."
"What plan?"
"You."
"Me?" Song So-mi laughed bitterly.
"You had that much faith in me?"
V shook her head.
"I didn't."
"Then why bet everything on me?"
"I didn't bet," V said calmly.
"Even if you'd stayed indifferent, it was fine. Remember the backdoor I left in you? If necessary, I would've forced your connection to the Blackwall—your consent irrelevant."
Song So-mi froze—then ground her teeth.
"V, you're a complete asshole!"
"Yeah. I am," V smiled.
"But this asshole made you see who you really are. Didn't I?"
That composed, calculating confidence made Songbird's heart skip.
She looked away, then snapped back:
"You had the Blackwall as insurance—but what about people on the surface? Civilian electronics aren't combat-capable, but electronic warfare is what Rogue AIs excel at. One slip, and everyone's brain gets fried!"
V countered with a question.
"Do you know who our biggest investor was?"
"…Who?"
"NetWatch."
Song So-mi: "…Fuck."
V laughed.
"'Humanity united against Rogue AI' hits NetWatch right in their sweet spot. I barely pitched it, and they went from cold goddess to screaming 'Yes!'."
"They funded us. Provided tech and equipment. Pacifica's network was fully isolated to prevent escape. Frontline operators were equipped with NetWatch's latest Personal ICE, guaranteeing zero brain-burn."
She shrugged.
"The price? In the script, you—the genius hacker who saves the day—are NetWatch's director's daughter. Forced into the fight, afraid of conflict, but ultimately embracing NetWatch's noble mission and wielding the Blackwall to defeat the Rogue AI."
Song So-mi couldn't help it.
"That plot is cliché as hell."
V spread her hands.
"Cliché—but investors are daddy."
That shut her up.
Then Song So-mi frowned again.
"Wait. If the Rogue AI's robot army was already wiped out… what were all those things we destroyed?"
"Kang Tao, our second investor. Donated some obsolete bots. Took up warehouse space anyway."
"And the cost this time?"
"Xu Ling as female lead #2. Otherwise why would she have so many lines? Military prodigy leading the masses—Kang Tao loves that stuff."
Song So-mi went silent.
"NetWatch and Kang Tao… You really screwed me over."
"That's realism," V said, giving a thumbs-up.
"And you weren't the only one fooled."
"…Who else?"
V chuckled.
"A certain Militech subsidiary CEO. Or rather—Madam President."
Washington, D.C.
"What?! An AI uprising in Night City?!"
Meredith Stout had barely rescued the hostages when the news hit. She immediately lost her shit.
"Plane! Now! I'm going back to Night City!"
"Ma'am, please don't rush—"
"Bullshit! That's an AI revolt! The whole world's waiting to pile on V—only I can help her!"
"…Yes, but at least change clothes. You're covered in blood."
"The fuck, it's an emergency! Grab me anything!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
Minutes later, her aide returned with a fresh uniform.
Meredith kept dialing V—no answer. Absentmindedly, she slipped into the uniform.
She looked down.
"…Huh?"
It was a New United States presidential uniform.
"Hey—hey? Hey?!"
Four consecutive "heys" perfectly conveyed her confusion.
Her subordinates didn't care—grabbing sleeves, tugging legs.
"Ma'am, it's cold—wear this one!"
Cold my ass. It's almost June.
Meredith never returned to Night City.
Because V called to congratulate her on becoming President.
After hearing the full story, Meredith laughed and cried at once.
"You really screwed me over."
Back in Night City, V ended the call.
Song So-mi stared.
"You used this to install a president? Presidents are decided that easily?"
"To ordinary people, presidents are untouchable," V said flatly.
"To corporations and capital, they're just toys."
Song So-mi was about to complain—then suddenly panicked.
"Oh shit—Myers is still down there!"
She rushed forward—but V stopped her.
"Relax. Someone's already on it."
"Who?"
"An old colleague of yours."
Rosalind Myers ran.
Three gunshot wounds. Pain everywhere.
She ran anyway.
Because stopping meant dying.
V had done this on purpose.
She didn't know V's endgame—but she knew one thing:
V was prepared.
Never fight on ground your enemy has prepared—that lesson Myers learned long ago.
The moment she woke, she escaped through Little Beidou's emergency exit.
Due to geological shifts and pipe leaks, the tunnel was flooded. Myers dove anyway, barely finding an exit before drowning.
She clawed out, gasping—only to nearly vomit from the stench.
Sewage. Sludge. Decades old.
She crawled through shit for over two kilometers.
When she emerged, her white presidential suit was black. Her hair clung to her forehead, ends dripping filth.
The outlet opened into the Badlands.
Lightning split the sky. Rain poured.
The filth washed away.
She tore off her coat, raised her arms, and screamed:
"Freedom!!!"
A gun pressed to her skull.
The Pawn.
"Myers. Long time no see."
Solomon Reed's voice was low.
At death's door, her memory was razor-sharp.
"Reed! You came to save me?!"
"No," he replied.
"I came to kill you. By order of the new President."
"The new President?!" Myers shrieked.
"I'm the President! There is no new one!"
Reed hesitated—
Another gun pressed to her forehead.
Her Majesty.
"She's lost it," Alex said coldly.
"Still thinks she's President. Reed—an agent's only duty is to complete the mission. Or have you abandoned New America?"
Reed breathed heavier.
Myers screamed:
"Wait! There's been a mistake! I'm sane! Check the Net!"
"My cyberware's locked. No access."
"Then use mine! I'll show you!"
Silence.
Finally—
"I'm sorry, Myers," Reed said.
"You lied to me too many times. I don't believe you."
She reached for her waist.
They were faster.
Gunfire erupted.
Rosalind Myers was hit thirty-seven times.
She died in a cesspit.
She lied her entire life—and was consumed by a greater lie.
In the movie, V spared her for a sequel hook.
Reality didn't need sequels.
"Let's go. I'll take her back to prison," Alex said, hoisting the body.
"Don't worry. You'll probably be free again soon."
"Freedom," Reed murmured.
"You know what I want to do most after getting out?"
"What?"
"Eat a corn tortilla from home. I dream about that taste."