Li Pan ground his teeth in frustration, but forced a smile."Yamazaki, since Imai-san appreciates you so much, you go drink with him. I'll keep watch over the goods."
"Yes, Manager. Then, excuse me."
And so Yamazaki was pulled upstairs to drink, with Imai Shōichirō introducing him to the other pampered heirs and heiresses of their circle. Soon the android attendants brought out a lavish meal, and the group settled into cheerful chatter and laughter.
Li Pan sat alone downstairs, an android seated in front of him with the chest containing the Golden Buddha, as if to taunt him—letting him stare at it while not even pouring him a glass of water.
The feeling was like being a chauffeur waiting outside while his boss attended a banquet—present, but not welcome at the table.
Damn these skyfolk! This wasn't negligence; it was deliberate contempt. The street rats of Night City envied and hated the heirs, while the heirs of Sky City in turn despised the crude, violent, poverty-ridden rabble of the ground.
Even as a manager of Monster Corp, Li Pan's résumé betrayed him: conscripted soldier, vocational school graduate. To these New Tokyo elites with advanced degrees and even study-abroad credentials from other worlds, he was beneath notice. That Shōichirō spoke to him at all was only for Ayato Yamazaki's sake—as his "junior."
The feeling was like spotting a cockroach in one's living room.
Sensing the disdain, Li Pan nearly flipped the table and started a brawl.
Fortunately, Yamazaki—sensitive to the mood—sent him a flood of documents about the Sakai Port Guild, many of them pulled from Security Bureau files. Something to keep the boss busy, and to keep him from starting a fight the Bureau would have to cover up later.
After all, this was Yamazaki's contact. Li Pan had to endure, passing the time by browsing files while waiting for the Collectors to arrive.
He wasn't truly a cyberpsycho—he didn't snap at the slightest slight. And "skyfolk discrimination" was a well-known phenomenon in District 0791, the symptom of widening social stratification.
The term skyfolk itself was derogatory. It referred not just to residents of Sky City, but more deeply to locals who bent over backwards to curry favor with cosmics—the "spaceborn," offworld vampires of Ye Corp, the Sons of Dawn, combat chassis shipped in from other dimensions, or QVN-linked avatars from alien planes.
For security reasons, unregistered chassis weren't permitted to descend directly onto Earth. They were stored aboard orbitals or stations and only descended via shuttle after clearing bio-checks. These were the cosmics.
Caught between grounders and cosmics, locals who eagerly replaced their flesh with augmentations and identified with the spaceborn became skyfolk.
Discrimination went both ways. Skyfolk looked down on grounders, whether commoner or even noble-born samurai. Their disdain was equal opportunity.
Even the Takamagahara samurai Li Pan had dealt with weren't this extreme. Akiyama or Saitō might posture, but they still bowed when the time came. But perhaps that was because the swordmasters, innkeepers, and kunoichi he'd met were all retainers used to serving.
Commentators online dissected the phenomenon constantly. Yamazaki's files explained further:
The kazoku (samurai nobility) of Takamagahara were raised in traditional ways. Beneath their corporate titles, they still viewed themselves as lords. They despised the destitute, yes, but as long as one donned a suit, tied a tie, and observed corporate culture, one was accepted as a footsoldier within the hierarchy. Their discrimination stayed within the system.
Skyfolk, however, were different. Without the right pedigree or education, you were invisible. This was more than class contempt—it stemmed from 0791's peculiar history.
Most assumed Takamagahara was Oda's private creation. In truth, Oda Jōsuke I had brought 0791 as an investment into Takamagahara's corporate board. At first, Earth-0 alone was "true Earth," and all parallel Earths like 0791 were colonies. Jōsuke was only a cruiser captain of Earth-0. He could conquer tribes, yes, but couldn't develop an economy or join the multiversal trade.
So he sought investors. Using intelligence from his campaigns, he courted defeated Oriental conglomerates—stripped of fleets and colonies by the Legion Wars—offering them a lifeline. Thus, Takamagahara was founded: Oda kept local power, while offworld financiers injected capital and tech.
The "heavenly gods" of the first board were all cosmics. The Oda remained nominal rulers of 0791, appointing CEOs, while the true capital was managed by the Sakai Guild, merchant families like the Imai, who became the trusted stewards and white gloves of offworld capital.
The system worked. With vast funding and multiversal trade access, Takamagahara boomed. At its peak, it nearly won a seat on the Security Council. Then came the crash: real estate collapse, stock implosions, capital flight. The samurai class fell into ruin. Oda turned to militarism, chasing imperial delusions, and in the end, lost the corporate wars.
But the merchant guild? They profited even more.
The skyfolk were their scions—educated from birth with an offworld perspective, raised on QVN connections, more at home in alien worlds than on the dirt of 0791. To them, Night City was mud. Their allegiance was with the cosmics, with the Security Council's order, not with the samurai dream of empire.
Rumors even claimed the skyfolk had played a treacherous role in Takamagahara's defeat. No wonder they stayed locked away in Sky City, too afraid to set foot on the ground.
Having reviewed the files, Li Pan understood. Imai's willingness to humor Yamazaki and offer up the Golden Buddha was likely a calculated attempt to cozy up to Security Bureau connections.
Still, if Yamazaki's undercover work could reel in other relics from the guild's vaults, Li Pan was fine letting him handle future dealings.
Hours passed. Finally, the Collectors arrived.
ACA sent two representatives: a female-shaped android avatar, clearly remote-controlled by a cosmic; and a boy of about Rama's age, maybe a teenager.
The android was no different from Sky City's attendants—leased Level-5 business chassis. The boy, however, stood out: a scrappy street kid look, shock of black-and-white hair spiked like a hedgehog, a forehead protector, tear-like tattoo under one eye, leather wristbands glowing faintly. His aura was odd. Not a ninja… perhaps a psychic?
"Oh my, a company suit? You must be from Monster Corp. What an honor! Here's my card!"
The android extended a digital business card.
BeliyaACA – Antique Collectors AssociationStation S68 ManagerMA-Rank Collector
"So it's Ms. Beliya. A pleasure. I'm the acting manager of TheM."
They exchanged cards. She smiled."What a coincidence—you're also here for the Rishi Statue, aren't you? But since you arrived first, why don't you make the opening offer?"
Rishi Statue?
"Not at all—they're only here for the chest."
Imai Shōichirō drifted down from upstairs, cutting in. "Since we're all here, let's see the goods."
The android attendant opened the chest. The Golden Buddha gleamed. For Li Pan, they raised the lid just enough to flash the box seals again.
"Authentic," Beliya nodded, then bowed politely to Li Pan. "We'll be taking it. Is that acceptable?"
He gestured. Your money, your risk.
"Thank you."
She snapped her fingers, signaling Imai. Funds transferred. The boy stepped forward, reached in, and lifted the Buddha barehanded.
At once, black smoke billowed from the idol, crimson tears streaming down its face. The boy's wristbands flared with white light, forming a cocoon around the statue, suppressing the corruption.
Li Pan's eyes gleamed with interest. Not qi—some other alien energy, drawn from sigils on his forehead and wrists, channeled through charms. Clearly a power bound by 0791's monster rules.
"And this one? Also a Collector?" Li Pan asked.
Beliya smiled and waved it off. "No. Huskie is my pet."
Li Pan arched a brow. The white-haired boy showed no sign of brainwashing. He clearly had self-awareness, not a drone.
Imai's eyes lit up with mischief. "Ah, so that's your taste, Miss Beliya. Since today's business was so fruitful, allow me to host you tonight. My family has many young hounds—I'm sure you'll enjoy taking some as souvenirs."
Beliya chuckled. "Very well. Our association has just arrived—we'll be working together often. Huskie, guard the goods."
Huskie cradled the Buddha as an android brought over a bulletproof case. Li Pan quietly collected the empty chest.
Seventy-five million transferred. Imai beamed."Marvelous deal! And such a reunion—let's have a class gathering tonight! Ayato, you must join us. Let your manager take the goods home. We'll celebrate together!"
"This… might not be wise…" Yamazaki hesitated, worried that pushing further might end with blood on the floor.
Li Pan, however, was unbothered. His gaze lingered on the Buddha. Sure enough, as soon as he closed the chest, the idol's eyes snapped open, a red beam searing a hole in Huskie's cocoon, black smoke slithering free toward the second floor.
It was gone in an instant. Huskie didn't even react.
Li Pan smiled."Since it's a rare reunion, Yamazaki, go ahead and represent the company tonight. Report back tomorrow. I'll bring the cargo back."
Exchanging a final nod with Beliya, he departed under android escort.
Rishi Statue, was it…?
Li Pan looked it up. In ancient South Asia, rishi were ascetics predating Buddhism—seers who tortured their bodies to awaken latent power, hoping to transcend into immortality. Their statues were usually fanged, demonic, utterly unlike the serene Sukhothai Buddha.
So why confuse the two?
Perhaps the Collectors knew the truth of the idol. Or perhaps they saw something different altogether.
Either way, if the cosmics spurned the locals, why bother chasing them? Let the Imai family test this monster's true nature. Buddha or demon, the truth would reveal itself soon enough.
.
.
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⚠️ 30 CHAPTERS AHEAD — I'm Not a Cyberpsycho ⚠️
The system says: Kill.Mercs obey. Corporates obey. Monsters obey.One man didn't.
🧠💀 "I'm not a cyberpsycho. I just think... differently."
💥 High-voltage cyberpunk. Urban warfare. AI paranoia.Read 30 chapters ahead, only on Patreon.
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