CyberGene: Cybercrawling to Cyberwanderer of Cyberrunes of Cyberascension of Cybertoxin of Cybertabar

Hey guys, Sixbees2 here with some stuff I'd like to say.

As of writing this message, I believe I have spent 4 days on RS and have only been in publication for about 12 days officially (First chapter was hidden for a few days). Despite that, remarkably we have gotten to spot 27 on RS which is incredible. I know Cyberpunk and Sci-fi LitRPG can be a bit of a niche genre on RR, but so far you guys have blown me away with the support I've gotten.

So, I thought I'd give you guys a bit of an origin story for CyberGene. The truth is, CyberGene started out as a way for me to cope with bad mental health. I read a lot, and writing was something I dabbled in from time to time, but CyberGene served as a way to offer some structure and purpose in my life during a time where I frankly felt like shit and had to start from scratch in many personal endeavors. This isn't some sob story, just the facts.

I was stressed, writing relieved me from stress. So... I wrote a lot, then I edited a lot, then I plotted a lot and before you know it, I had a document dictating the rules, history and world of CyberGene. Using that, from November 2023 to September 2024, I wrote Cybergene's first volume which clocked in at around 380,000 words and am currently about halfway through the second Volume in writing (which I am pretty sure will be longer). In total, I think I wrote more than half-a-million words before posting a word online.

Believe me, it's dogshit. I am not posting anything how it was originally written, from plot holes to the egregious missing letters you guys have been most kind to point out, it was (and is) very much a rough first draft. And probably why my chapter length is so inconsistent, lol.

Yeah, I did not realize how many 5000+ word chapters I had written, believe me I thought most clocked in at 3000. I'd like to think I got better at managing my word economy, but don't hold that as a fact.

Point of the matter, CyberGene: Blood and Steel is only a third of the way done, and CyberGene: ??? and ??? is eagerly being made as I publish this. (I cannot wait for you guys to see what I cooked in there)

This series will probably be very long, have a whole host of characters with sad backstories and a dash of wholesomeness in between all the grit and despair of a dystopia. Plus a lot of fun asskicking as our MCs grow more badass. I am incredibly hopeful in the future of CyberGene, and that's because of you guys. It's almost a replication of the feeling I want to evoke with the novel, that no matter how much you've messed up and how dark the world could be, your light is enough to give meaning and deserves to embrace hope, love, and wonder. So sincerely, thank you.

As for some teasers about what to expect from Act Two [Every Breath You Take]

- Ripley's and Diana's (almost) full backstory.

- Some more interaction between them fairly soon.

- A return from Skelly.

- A hint into Cyberspace.

- Some romancing (or attempts at it).

- Build up to a heist.

- An auction (because every Progression Fantasy needs one).

- More Shardware, more Mutations, more Blood and more Steel.

I suppose if there's one last thing I want to say, it's going to be a favor.

I love music, without it I would not have written CyberGene the way it is. A lot of the feelings I try to invoke are born from how certain songs made me feel and I try to emulate that in my writing. As such, I have a... 200 song playlist for CyberGene on Spotify. If you have any songs that you think fit the vibe of my novel, leave them as a comment down below.

As for myself, I'll leave some song suggestions too and might do so regularly in chapters I feel fit their vibe.

If I had to choose a theme song for CyberGene: Blood and Steel, it would without a doubt be 'Big Time Nothing' by St. Vincent.

For the first songs I'll share for Ripley and Diana, they'll both be from the Cyberpunk 2077 Soundtrack.

Ripley gets 'Black Termina (Upgrade)'.

Diana gets my personal favorite song from the soundtrack 'Delicate Weapon'

I'll be linking the songs at the bottom and might even put a few up before some chapters if I feel like they fit the vibe. I'll also reveal more character theme songs as you get introduced to them, my choice in their songs is half-vibes and half-meaning (who knows maybe you'll find some hidden meaning in them). Anyways, ciao! See you all for Act Two... coming within a few days as soon as I figure out Patreon and Paypal. Once again, your support means the world. And your follows, favorites, ratings and reviews mean... extra-terrestrially?