Chapter 32: PROJECT: Liberty – The Adaptor

After leaving Kuroda’s car, Jhin didn’t go far. Instead, he slipped into a nearby alley, quietly observing from the shadows.
With his advanced surveillance tech, he could clearly read Kuroda’s lips as he spoke.

“Lissandra, run a simulation of what he just said.”
“Understood. Running simulation… His words were: ‘This is truly… another surprise.’”

“Hmph… just as I thought, he’s up to something. Probably planning to deal with me once their little scheme’s done. Whatever… I’ll let him live a bit longer.”

Roland let out a cold snort before finally walking away. As for his promise to take care of Fiers, he’d keep it—after all, changing the course of the Unification War’s story was something he enjoyed.

There was still some time before the target’s meeting with Biotechnica’s executives, so there was no need to rush. For now, it was enough to keep tabs on the man’s movements. Whether an opportunity would present itself was another matter entirely.

The man wasn’t a Night City local, meaning he had no favorite haunts, and he disguised himself every time he went out. Roland had no interest in wasting effort tracking him down. Better to wait for the meeting with Biotechnica and strike then.

“Well then… time to check out that place.”

Jhin’s optical camouflage slowly faded, his silhouette becoming visible again as he walked toward Megabuilding H4.

...

“Mom, you home?!”

David burst through the door, peering around nervously. Finding the apartment silent, he let out a sigh of relief and broke into a grin.
He hopped over to a beat-up Braindance set, setting it on the table before starting to adjust it.

He’d scavenged the device from a secondhand market after much searching. It was a little damaged, but it still worked well enough. He’d been itching to experience a Braindance story for ages but never had the money to get his own setup.

The official stores sold them for ridiculous prices, and there was no way he’d spend his mom’s hard-earned money on one. So he’d scrimped and saved, finally managing to buy one off a street vendor.

Along with it came an old Braindance recording—some street gang brawl. Not a black Braindance, just a regular one.

Once he finished adjusting it, David eagerly strapped the device on. Just as he was about to dive in, a sharp knock at the door made him freeze.
Panicking, he quickly hid the Braindance set away. Then he realized—his mom had a key. It couldn’t be her.

“Who could that be…?”

Muttering to himself, David hopped off the couch. Maybe it was the landlord? No, rent wasn’t due yet…
And ever since Gloria had started working for PROJECT Corporation, the landlord had been a lot friendlier anyway.

“Who is it?”

David opened the door, frowning in confusion—then froze completely.

A tall man stood there, his body covered in sleek black high-grade cyberware. Bundles of synthetic muscle hummed beneath the surface, his face hidden under a matte black helmet. His very presence radiated pressure.

David stood rooted to the spot, staring dumbly.

“David Martinez?”

The sound of his own name jolted him back. He stiffened, instantly on guard.
“That’s me. Who are you—and what do you want?”

“I’m Jhin. As for why I’m here… I’m the one who helped your mother get her job.”

Jhin leaned forward slightly, meeting David’s gaze as he spoke in a calm, even tone.

David blinked, caught off guard. After a moment, he scratched his head awkwardly.
“Oh… thanks, I guess. But… why would you do that?”

He couldn’t help asking. He’d overheard bits of his mother’s conversations with friends, and his curiosity got the better of him.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

Jhin didn’t answer the question. Instead, he gestured toward the room.

“Oh! Uh, yeah—come in.”

David quickly stepped aside. Jhin entered, glancing around. The apartment reminded him of the first place he’d stayed in after arriving in this world.
He took a seat on the worn sofa.

David poured him a glass of water, then immediately called his mother.
“Mom… there’s someone here. He says he’s the one who helped you with your job thing…”

Gloria’s tone instantly shifted. “Alright, I understand. I’ll be home right away.”

She hung up, then went straight to her manager’s office to explain. The manager’s face brightened immediately, even suggesting she speak well of that man when she saw him.

Back home, Jhin broke the silence.
“David, I’m guessing you’ve been wondering why I helped you.”

“Yeah.”

David nodded, staring intently at him.

“Because you’re special, David. I want you to join us one day—to become one of us.”

Jhin’s voice was calm but firm, and he meant every word. The compatibility tests had confirmed it—David’s matching template was PROJECT: Liberty.

“I’m… special?”

David was stunned. At his age, who hadn’t dreamed of being a hero? Everyone believed they were destined for something greater. And now, someone like Jhin—someone clearly powerful and important—was telling him it was true.
His chest swelled with excitement.

“But that’s your future. Right now, you’re just a kid with his head in the clouds.”

The follow-up hit like a brick. David’s face fell instantly.
“I’m not a kid!”

“You probably still dream about those gangsters and edgerunners you see in Braindance, huh? Their lives aren’t glamorous—they’re soaked in blood and pain. But… you’ll understand that one day.”

Jhin chuckled softly, shaking his head, then set a card on the table.

“This is for you. When you’ve grown up—when you have a goal of your own—call me.”

David stared at the card, lost in thought. He opened his mouth to speak, but the door had already swung open again—Jhin was gone.

He looked down at the card in silence. After a long pause, he memorized the number carefully, committing it to heart.