The Daily Life Of A Cyberpunk Magician

Chapter 76 - 77 Preparation for Magic
Chapter 76: Chapter 77 Preparation for MagicTime had moved into the afternoon, within Jiang Shu’s Magic House.

”Kirie, can I trust you?” Jiang Shu looked at Kirie Tsukimiya with a serious face.

Kirie Tsukimiya felt like she was facing a formidable enemy, fearing that her little scheming had been discovered by the Wizard using his Mind Reading Technique. She was immediately filled with fear and trepidation.

”Yes... I suppose.” After what seemed like a long while, she responded with a quivering voice.

”Good, can you help me?” Jiang Shu was still serious.

Kirie’s reaction was swift, quickly displaying her loyalty, ”Of course, you can fully trust me, both in my ability and my loyalty.”

”Really?” Jiang Shu found Kirie’s words a bit odd, but he didn’t pay much attention.

There were many odd things about Kirie Tsukimiya, but that didn’t stop her from being a good girl.

Right, that’s true.

”Yes, yes.” Kirie Tsukimiya kept nodding.

Jiang Shu first explained the situation, ”I’ll be on a variety show on Tuesday, you might have seen it, called ’Entertainment First Line’...”

”I don’t watch variety shows, my teacher said those are for fools to watch,” Kirie interrupted him bluntly. ”Fools spend time watching variety shows, so they won’t have time to think about why they are so poor, and that makes them very obedient.”

”...” Jiang Shu felt a bit awkward, sensing the word ”fool” was virtually written on his forehead, but he was very clear, Kirie’s way of thinking...

Was correct.

In fact, he had realized this a long time ago.

In a Cyberpunk world, ten percent of the people held ninety percent of the wealth, which means that ninety percent of the people were marginalized by the upper echelons of society. If those ninety percent were not given a way to feel secure, conflicts would inevitably arise with the elite ten percent.

In other words, Lonely City had to make the ninety percent contentedly accept their fate of being ”discarded,” thereby avoiding conflict with the elite ten percent.

Lonely City provided the ninety percent with opportunities to climb to the upper echelons of the pyramid, but the opportunities were too few and far inadequate to assuage the dissatisfaction of the marginalized masses.

Once exploited by those with ulterior motives and agitated, these people would quickly turn into flames, burning everything in Lonely City to the ground.

In a wasteland world, if any part of Lonely City’s self-sufficient system failed, it would inevitably have a butterfly effect, leading to tremendous turmoil.

Therefore, to ensure their worry-free lives, the elite class adopted means that were both soothing and narcotic in nature, which were low-cost and quite effective.

Firstly, satisfying entertainment. Occupy the marginalized population’s time with a vast amount of meaningless TV dramas, movies, and reality shows so they wouldn’t have time to reflect on society.

Secondly, venting entertainment. Each major district had a zone like EF, which lacked regulation over violent incidents, and also opened up underground special industries, branding these social hazards as ”Wanderers” and tossing them into the ”trash bin,” where they banded together, chasing petty gains all day long.

As a transmigrator, although Jiang Shu was one of the ninety percent, he saw issues much more clearly than ordinary people.

Of course, he wouldn’t admit that he was part of the ”fools,” and thus he slightly countered Kirie’s radical view, ”I think, watching a little bit...”

”Just means reducing the time for thinking a little bit.” Kirie remained blunt.

”Fine, I agree with your view, I never watch variety shows.” Jiang Shu found he simply couldn’t refute Kirie, a researcher, with his magician’s skills, so he decided to join her side.

”Right. I understand, you already sleep so much every day, and if you watched these things, how could you possibly come up with such ingeniously crafted magic...” Kirie began to mimic the flattery techniques she read about in the book, but there was still one thing she managed to say—

How could anyone come up with these exquisitely intricate magic tricks, or how to harness the residual witchcraft power in this world, or how could they build a vast dark empire beneath the ground?

”Uh...” Jiang Shu looked at Kirie, who was starry-eyed and full of admiration and didn’t know what to say.

He recalled the days when he didn’t have to handle Deception cases or prepare for performances, nor did he have to teach Su Xiaoou; it seemed like all he did was laze around in bed wanting to do nothing, which made him feel slightly embarrassed.

B: Stop scolding, stop scolding.

”Yes, that’s right, I always use my time very efficiently,” Jiang Shu suddenly spoke, ”The reason I sleep a lot is because I expend more energy than the average person handling daily matters.”

C: Matters = scrolling through short videos

Kirie, of course, did not see the barrage of comments from the Tablet Spirit nearby, and upon hearing Jiang Shu, she adopted an expression of ’as it should be.’

Matters = Managing the underground dark empire.

Hmm, that’s right.

”So, what do you want me to do?” Kirie asked tentatively, lightly biting her vermilion lips.

”Discuss some issues, and help me make some props,” Jiang Shu continued, and then suddenly remembered something, ”Oh right, for installing the shower and that electric wok last time, I’ll pay you together with that, and for the props custom-made for this time, I’ll also foot the bill.”

”No, no, no need!” Kirie extended both hands, waving them and saying, ”Just tell me what the problems are, what your requirements are, that will do.”

”Uh, no, you must take the money,” Jiang Shu exclaimed righteously. He couldn’t always freeload; having freeloaded from Sister Suo and now Kirie, how could he always be on the take!

B: Adhering to the principle of white-knighting through and through, advancing through self-reliance, retreating through tough mooching, oh yeah!

Jiang Shu darkened his face and silently kicked little B to the side.

”Fine then...” Suddenly graced with the favor of the wizard, Kirie was sincerely alarmed, but dared not say any more.

”Can you get that kind of black paint you mentioned last time?” Jiang Shu asked, ”I also need a hot air balloon, some reliable high-strength glass railings, the retractable kind, and a few chemical agents.”

”I can.” Kirie nodded, she could do her best with these things, but she added, ”Only common chemical agents would do; those rare elements, I can’t procure.”

”Right, I know,” Jiang Shu nodded, ”I’ll give you a list, all things that are easy to synthesize and produce, and I’ll also ask you about some matters when the time comes.”

”Okay, and...” Kirie took out a small box from her pocket, with a black metallic texture, and handed it to Jiang Shu, ”Here, these custom cards you mentioned, they’re done.”

”Great, thank you,” Jiang Shu said, a look of delight crossing his face as he took the box and opened it to have a look.

Inside were two playing cards, each with a different design on the back and the face. Overall, they were both black.

He picked them up and felt the cards; he didn’t know what material they were made of, but they felt nearly identical to normal cards, yet were very flexible and had a certain strength.

”Are these hard enough?” Jiang Shu asked Kirie.

”You can try; ordinary weapons definitely won’t damage them,” Kirie replied, ”Anyway, it’s more or less what you need.”

Hmm, Kirie was very clear that these cards were probably the Witchcraft that this Great Wizard Jiang Shu used to assist his sorcery, and she, too, was already advancing further and further on the path of aiding a wizard.

There was no turning back.

Tired at heart.