Chapter 82: Lucy's Past

### Chapter 82: Lucy's Past

The storyline of *Edgewalker* continued, and as the voting for this year's Newcomer Awards began, it was a quiet start with last year's winners already in the past. However, out of the four rookie manga entries from the previous year, only three remained. One of the entries had been abruptly canceled due to low popularity.

The company had a rule that if a work was consistently ranked at the bottom for four issues or experienced a drop in popularity of over 20% for three consecutive issues, it would be canceled. This applied to newcomers as well.

So, before the Newcomer Awards voting began, one rookie's work was already canceled. The remaining entries were *Edgewalker* and two other rookie works. Unsurprisingly, *Edgewalker* was far ahead of the others in popularity.

*Edgewalker* had maintained a steady rank in the top four or five, even reaching third place briefly during the events of chapter 23 when Mann and Dolio left. This level of success was unprecedented for a newcomer.

The manga had even caused a stir, with many fans in America showing enthusiasm. The industry hadn't seen a newcomer so impactful in twenty years. *Edgewalker* and its creator, Lin Qingshan, were considered record-breaking phenomena.

At the start of the voting for the Newcomer Awards on the official website, *Edgewalker* led by a wide margin with over 18,000 votes, compared to just a few hundred for the other newcomers. The clear favorite was obvious. Fans were excited about the possibility of an *Edgewalker* anime adaptation, and the company had already decided to prioritize its production. They also planned to release a complete set of volumes once the manga concluded.

The popularity of the cyberpunk genre was soaring, and similar future sci-fi manga were emerging. The industry was following trends closely, and *Edgewalker* was at the forefront.

The latest chapter, Chapter 28, was titled "Past." It continued the story of David as the new leader of the team, following his interactions with the major figures of Night City. The chapter opened with David returning home and being welcomed by Lucy, who greeted him with a warm smile.

The story showed David and Lucy chatting like family. The scene also included David's late mother, Gloria's ashes, and a photo of them together. Their conversation was filled with warmth despite their physically altered bodies due to cybernetic enhancements.

After chatting for a while, David looked at Lucy and said, "Um..."

[Translator: sauron]

"Yes?" Lucy responded with curiosity.

"We're getting a big job," David hesitated.

"That sounds exciting," Lucy replied with a smile.

"I was thinking... if you could join us," David expressed his true thoughts.

However, Lucy gently declined, "The team doesn't need two hackers right now."

"You know I would prefer..."

"David... please wait a little longer," Lucy said with a serious look.

David smiled lightly, understanding her hesitation. "Alright, I get it."

"Did you go on another infiltration today?" David asked, changing the topic.

"Yes," Lucy answered.

"Why not get a good black suit?" David suggested.

"Not necessary," Lucy replied.

"We could get the latest hacker chair; it would definitely be more comfortable than the ice pool," David proposed.

"Thanks, but I don't like wearing black suits," Lucy said, turning her face away, feeling somewhat down.

"I see... I'm sorry, I didn't know," David said, taking a sip of his drink. He had once been inexperienced with alcohol, but now he had grown accustomed to its taste.

The scene shifted to David and Lucy riding a motorcycle to the outskirts of Night City.

"This starlit sky is amazing!" David said, looking up.

"Night City can't see this kind of scene, right?" Lucy agreed with a smile.

The stars in the manga weren't particularly dazzling, but in a world overrun by capitalism and environmental exploitation, such a modest view was a rare beauty.

"Do you think I can catch a star?" David asked playfully.

"Silly..."

"I really wish we could see the moon."

"The moon hasn't come out, so the stars are shining brighter," Lucy explained.

"Is that so?"

As they enjoyed the serene night sky, David remarked, "This is my first time leaving Night City."

"Really..."

Lucy's mood seemed to drop a little.

David then asked, "Have you lived outside of Night City?"

Lucy's expression turned melancholic and a bit sorrowful as she responded, "From here, Night City looks like a cage made of flickering lights."

The view of Night City, with its neon lights, resembled a prison.

"Remember when you said we were different?" David recalled.

Lucy asked in return, "Do you want to know?"

David replied slowly, "I just... want to understand you better."

Lucy finally began to open up about her past, revealing her difficult history.

---

(End of Chapter)