Chapter 40: On How Corporations Crush the Dreams of Naive Girls

The first problem to solve was finding a place to live. In 2076, urbanization had reached an extreme and irreversible point, making city land prices skyrocket. It's no exaggeration to say that 99% of people can't afford to buy a home; even those with some money are renting, and many are just wandering the streets. Corporations, to ensure operational stability and boost employee loyalty, provide company apartments for their workers— It's a decent perk, but as soon as you leave the company, you're out on the street, so corporate employees don't truly own their homes. Leo wasn't a corporate employee, so he had to play by these rules and rent an apartment. In Night City, the vast majority of livable real estate is owned by Arasaka Corporation, so this time, Leo would have to rent from them. V faced the same problem; she had long since given up her old, run-down place and now had to rent again. Not that the old place was any good; getting a new one was expected. The two of them lay on Old Vic's clinic sofa, using Braindance to browse apartments. Braindance is a device that, through a neural interface, offers a fully immersive VR experience. It first collects real-world sensory data via the recorder's cyberware, compiles it into a chip, and when inserted into the Braindance device, this data is converted into synaptic signals sent directly to the viewer's nervous system. It's true VR, even allowing people to feel the recorder's emotions. Because of this, some people get addicted to Braindance, especially the more intense ones—like the final moments of a cyberpsycho before being taken down by MaxTac, an intense sensory feast. However, this immersive experience often genuinely alters neural states, potentially triggering cyberpsychosis in severe cases. But using it to house-hunt was pretty mild, and Leo didn't feel any emotions at all. This made him start thinking—maybe he could learn something from those intense Braindances. The sensation was quite novel. As a street kid, V had only ever used Braindance to watch thrilling films; this was her first time spending money on something like this. V spoke up, "Seen any apartments you like?" At that moment, the two of them were simultaneously present in an apartment: a square room with a bed embedded in the wall, and through the large glass window, they could see the Night City skyline. The apartment had a living room, a storage room, and a bathroom. To the right of the entrance was a walk-in closet, and to the left was a workspace. Yes, this was the apartment in the H10 Megabuilding, the same one V had in the game as her first apartment. V walked over to the window, "Not gonna lie, I've always wanted a place like this, look at that view— From up here, Night City looks breathtaking; all the dirt and grime disappears from sight, leaving just the shining skyscrapers. It's like the whole city is reduced to the dreams of the young, hanging in the night sky like stars, lighting up the city." Leo joined her by the window— "Yeah, when you're up high, the filth below doesn't seem to matter anymore." He understood V's longing; young people stuck at the bottom always dream of one day looking down on the world. But his sentiment was entirely different from V's—because he had once looked down on such prosperous cities from an even higher vantage point, only to see them flattened by flames. Coming back to reality, Leo said, "This place isn't bad. Personally, I prefer that duplex in the Valley, but this spot is close to Old Vic, and there's a subway station right downstairs, so getting to Arasaka Academy would be convenient too." V gave Leo a sour look, "So you can't be a little... romantic? I bring you to see apartments, and all you care about is being close to a hospital?" Leo shrugged, "What else? Healthcare, education, transportation... that's what you look for in a place." "Idiot! You don't buy a place for practicality; you buy it to feel good! Are you brain-dead?" This time, Leo didn't argue. "Let's go with this one, then. The rent is reasonable too, 2,500 euros a month, but we should check it out in person just to be sure." "Not bad, we'll be neighbors from now on." V took off the Braindance headset, stretched, and then suddenly noticed— "Were you reading while house-hunting?" Leo waved the book in his hand, The History of Cyberware Development (2024 Edition): "Yeah, too bad I couldn't find a digital version; this is one of Old Vic's private collection. Alright, let's head out. Once we sort out the apartment, I've got to get to Arasaka Academy. Oh, and we need to get a new car." "We'll take a cab! My treat!" V waved grandly, "I already called a Delamain!" "Taking a cab? It's just a short walk away." The H10 Megabuilding was only a few hundred meters away! Leo started worrying that this girl might blow through her remaining 400k-something thousand euros all at once. Then again, he'd already spent over 300k himself. As it turned out, checking in person was important. The rent was 2,500 euros, but basic furniture cost an extra 100 euros, and the basic food service package was 100 euros, which meant eating nothing but compressed bars. If you wanted to eat like a human being, you'd need at least the second-tier package, which cost 130 euros. If you opted out of the food service package, you could also pay 10 euros per meal, which was a sucker's bet. V, in typical fashion, went for the highest-tier luxury package at 580 euros and even got one for Leo as well. Then there was the internet fee, 120 euros a month, with utilities at 400 euros (extra charges apply if you exceed the package). On top of these basic items, there were additional security measures like infrared sensors and pressure sensors that cost an extra 2,000 euros per month... There were also miscellaneous charges like washing machine fees that weren't listed, but in the end, living there would cost at least 4,000 euros per month per person! After signing the contract, V's excitement quickly faded, going from enthusiastic to expressionless as she left the building. In the end, nothing in this "home" truly belonged to her. Leo clicked his tongue, "I should write a book called How Corporations Crush the Dreams of Naive Girls." V cursed bitterly, "I don't know where the company gets this superpower, but they sure know how to take all the good things and make them disgusting and unbearable!" It was supposed to be a triumphant moment, having earned her first big payday, renting an apartment in a prime location, with a beautiful view, owning her own little piece of the city. So why did it feel like this? Two joys should add up to more happiness... But why didn't V feel any sense of belonging to this "home"? Everything in the apartment just felt like a headache. The computer? Rented. The bed? Rented. The sofa? Rented. The wardrobe? Rented—even the washing machine was rented, and you had to pay to use it! "Welcome to the automatic vending machine, today's special: pink burrito." Leo was over at the apartment's vending machine, getting a can of cola. There was a mayoral campaign ad plastered on the machine: "Vote for Peralez!" Leo took a bite of his burger and said, "Wow, they've even got vending machines in the house, complete with ads." "I'm gonna buy my own place!" "Whoa, whoa, slow down!" Leo grabbed V just as she was about to storm out, "Can you even afford it?" "I've got over 400k!" "And then what? Dump it all into a down payment and slowly pay off the mortgage? Wait, you don't actually think the bank will give you a loan, do you? Come on, look at this place, it's spacious, it's bright, and you've got a great view outside. Honestly, it's already pretty good." To be fair, V's disappointment mostly came from her overly high expectations. After all, she'd just earned hundreds of thousands of euros, feeling like she was on top of the world, only to find that her once-dream home wasn't all that great, not nearly worth the money she'd made. But the reality is—500k isn't that much; it can vanish in no time. V paused, then asked in a downcast voice, "When do you think people will be able to afford a home of their own?" Leo, still pulling V back, shrugged, "At our income level, we could start by eliminating the 20 to 30 million people worldwide who need housing. We could start with Poland." V's eyes widened, "That sounds a bit extreme!" Leo used all his strength to keep the stubborn girl from charging out, just as the wall-mounted TV by the door began broadcasting the news: "A shootout has occurred in the area. Residents are advised to stay indoors and wait for NCPD to handle the situation before going out." And then they saw V's expression turn quickly to frustration. Ah, the clash of ideals and reality.