Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 108 Wolves and Caged Birds (1.1 words)

Good morning, it's your best buddy Stanley!

Let me tell you a little wake-up story for everyone in Night City!

"In a mysterious walled city somewhere in Taiping Continent, within a dark and abandoned building, a terrifying creature descended into cyberspace."

"That's the darkest depths of the data collapse, a dangerous, sunless corner where demons roam—and howls of ghosts... You know what I mean!"

"The company's army was ordered to deal with this monster for the citizens. It was a well-equipped squad that traversed winding, gloomy paths and finally obtained a clue deep somewhere in Taiping Island..."

Stanley's voice grew lower and lower.

"There's a shadow standing there! They're calling to each other—"

"That's a demon from cyberspace!"

Stanley's speaking speed increased.

"He only needed to open his eyes, and the undead burrowed into the bodies of the squad—with a sharp, terrifying, hair-raising scream…the entire squad perished, and the secret was buried forever underground by the company!"

After a chilling silence.

"Hahaha! You don't actually believe that, do you? Help me! Is it really that strange that hell exists? My mom took me to church since I was little, and I'm sick of hearing stories like that—"

Click, the TV was turned off.

[Arasakako.com reminds you: There are 10 tasks to complete today. You need to complete the company handover and appointment ceremony before 8:30.]

Lin Yue didn't sleep well on his first night in Night City, listening to the television on and off throughout the night.

He sat up from the soft bed, shirtless, his face flashing with a strange light. Half of his face was Lin Yue's appearance when he was in the Netherworld Hound, and the other half was how Lao Wei looked after his surgery.

[Prosthetic Body: Behavioral Feature Face (Censored)]

A glint appeared in Lin Yue's eyes, and he tampered with the programs modified by those "mysterious friends."

In fact, the Benshu Research Center discovered Lin Yue's facial prosthetics from the very beginning.

At the time, the eye prosthesis was damaged and the origin of the facial prosthesis could not be identified. The plan was to replace Arasaka's optical implant first and then remove the facial prosthesis. However, after the procedure was carried out, incompatibility issues quickly arose.

To avoid this problem, they could only use the equipment provided by the Pathfinder and did not continue to move the seemingly useless facial prosthetic, keeping the entire face in a delicate balance.

"What? Dude, you want to have your own face too?"

Lin Yue sneered to himself, lit a cigarette, and went into the bathroom.

Looking at his reflection in the bathroom, he frowned, and his appearance automatically transformed into that of another person.

"Hmm, is there really that much information inside and outside the Black Wall?"

The voice was unmistakably Mr. Hans's.

"Hello, I'm Emma~"

Lin Yue tilted his head, and his appearance transformed back into that of a seductive woman with alluring eyes—his demeanor, mannerisms, and looks were exactly the same.

"So that's it..."

Lin Yue restored his appearance and began to wash himself with clean water.

It seems that even behavioral traits and facial expressions couldn't escape the fate of being rewritten by the black wall—

Although the things inside the body wanted to control the prosthetic body, the dominant power was still in Lin Yue's hands, and the massive amount of information and the logic code of the Black Wall had changed its original operating mode and information collection model.

In other words, the behavioral feature faceplate no longer needs to collect various aspects of the other person's characteristics face-to-face. As long as Lin Yue has the memory, the faceplate will instantly cover the person's appearance in his memory.

The last prosthetic body has returned.

The more noisy they were, the calmer Lin Yue became.

He knew he had lost something in his head, but that wasn't a bad thing.

At least... I still know who I am, don't I?
After washing up, Lin Yue took a cold shower, changed into clean underwear, and walked into the modern retro-style living room—the huge floor-to-ceiling windows sensed the homeowner's approach and automatically displayed the view outside:

The roar of hovercars, the sound of advertisements mixed with car horns, and the daily traffic jams during the morning rush hour on the blood vessels-like roads... What a prosperous and dreamlike city scene.

The sight of the company square outside even made Lin Yue feel that the desolation and ruin of Dogtown was like a chaotic memory that was not real at all.

The automatic door behind him opened, and Lin Yue subconsciously turned around.

V lived next door; she seemed to be in a hurry, and was currently holding onto the door frame, trying to catch the hem of her high heels.

"Rin, you'd better hurry!"

Lin Yue put on his coat, but V threw the black suit bag he was carrying onto Lin Yue's sofa. "Put on a suit."

“V, you never said you could come into my apartment whenever you wanted.”

V felt no guilt whatsoever for bothering you. She waved her hand and said, "I can come into the address you registered at, of course. Besides... what's the difference between you looking like you're naked?"

"Don't worry, I won't do anything to you—if you're afraid I'll catch you cuddling with a sex doll or... doing your own handicrafts, you can go to the front desk on the first floor and cancel my information verification."

Lin Yue sighed helplessly.

I have a feeling that V has been acting strange ever since we came back from Honshu, like a caregiver.

Lin Yue didn't actually have a strong sense of personal space or territory. He reached for his clothes on the sofa and quickly put them on in front of V.

This was a high-end custom-made suit and shirt that only the middle and upper management of Arasaka would wear. With an Arasaka pin on his chest, Lin Yue, wearing "men's armor," looked very upright.

After all, his face was the kind of handsome face that Old Wei found in the sample database, coupled with some prosthetic structures on the back of his neck—he looked like the company's young alpha wolf.

"You would have been more handsome if you had your old face."

V pushed his tie up for him, smoothed the slight wrinkles on his chest, and took a step back to look him up and down.

Well, I think my taste is pretty good; women should be the ones choosing men's clothes.

satisfaction!

Lin Yue extended his black prosthetic arm and fiddled with the cuff. V nodded. "Looks like the size is fine—let's go."

V's level wasn't high enough; only Jenkins could be equipped with a hovercar. The two sat in the sapphire blue seat of the Herrera thug GTS, which had been pre-programmed with a route. V flipped through the documents on his tablet, while Lin Yue stared at the scenery outside the window.

What V held in his hand wasn't a document, but a questionnaire.

Psychological assessment report for [NC01344], Supervisor: V (Valerie)

Does the project participant exhibit any signs of emotional instability? No.

Does this person exhibit binge eating or drinking habits? No.

Do you have any bad habits? ...No.

Is there any addiction to sex? No.

……

After V filled out Lin Yue's relevant report form, the car slowly began to drive into the Arasaka Tower underground parking lot.

What are you filling in?

"Nothing much, just some miscellaneous work at the company."

As Lin Yue got out of the car, the security personnel in the underground parking lot opened the car door. They bowed and greeted him, saying, "Ms. V, Mr. Rin."

Lin Yue nodded in return. The agent stepped forward and extended his hand in a gesture of invitation, "I am your personal security assistant. Please come with me."

Meanwhile, on V's side, her subordinate held up a report, saying, "Ms. V, you have a meeting."

V turned and gave Lin Yue a reassuring look before quickly walking towards the elevator on the left.

Lin Yue coughed lightly and, guided by the security personnel, walked onto another vehicle.

The two elevators were separated by a wall. V, standing on the left, instantly composed herself, regaining her cold demeanor, and slightly raised her chin. Lin Yue, who had turned around, no longer had the confusion in his eyes; instead, a sinister aura clung to the corners of his eyes.

The elevator doors closed, and the two lone wolves, each with their own thoughts, stared out of the elevator and headed towards their respective "arenas."

The security department is on the 89th floor of Arasaka Tower, while V's counterintelligence department is on the 90th floor.

As soon as the elevator reached the floor, Lin Yue noticed that the entire security department was standing quietly on both sides of the corridor, with Jenkins and Abernathy at the far end.

Lin Yue stared at the woman with the high ponytail. Her eye makeup was exaggerated, and her thin face looked somewhat harsh. At this moment, there seemed to be a hint of contempt in her pupils.

"Look who this is." Jenkins clapped his hands lightly, his face very pleased.

Jenkins was naturally extremely pleased that his people had made it this far!
"Congratulations, Rin."

Lin Yue and Jenkins shook hands briefly.

Abernathy, on the other hand, rested his left hand on his right elbow, his hand hanging limply, seemingly with no intention of shaking hands.

Lin Yue took a step forward and grasped the reluctant hand.

"I'm your direct supervisor, Susan Abernathy. It's a pleasure..."

As she spoke, she leaned close to Lin Yue's cheek and gently performed a cheek-touching ritual.

A cold voice reached Lin Yue's ears.

"...I know you."

Lin Yue let out a soft breathing sound from his nose.

Susan paused for a moment, but then smiled. She knew very well that a docile sheep wouldn't survive standing here.

"Me too."

The man's tone was unexpectedly calm.

The eyes of Agent Arasaka next to Abernathy lit up, and Lin Yue saw the progress bar and words of the permission upload in his eyes. At this moment, he became the company dog ​​who could mobilize the company's private soldiers and agents in a practical sense.

In other words, aside from those elite soldiers they kept, even if these lowly underlings rotted in the filthy mire of Night City—

The safety supervisor doesn't need to be responsible; they only need to submit reasonable reports.

But this doesn't mean the game is easier than you think. Lin Yue can see all sorts of emotions in his subordinates' eyes: scrutiny, disdain, and blatant hostility.

Subordinates overthrowing superiors... One must be prepared to overthrow one's superiors, and also be wary of subordinates who may overthrow one's subordinates.

Are we surrounded by wolves?
That would be wonderful.

The brief handover ceremony was quickly completed, and Lin Yue now had his own office, half the size of Jenkins's:
In any case, the special operations and counterintelligence departments within Arasaka Tower could restrain him, but Lin Yue had his own authority to handle any attacks targeting Arasaka assets; it was just that his subordinates weren't as elite as the counterintelligence department.

Lin Yue had just put a cigarette in his mouth when, pop, a ball of fire was brought close to his face.

He glanced at his "personal security assistant," exhaling the first puff of smoke from his mouth, and asked, "What's your name?"

The agent bowed slightly. "Suzuki."

Lin Yue hummed in agreement and began processing the tasks to be done within the subnet. The agent, who had served in Kyoto, Japan, stood by his side without leaving his side, quietly watching Lin Yue review the action reports prepared by his subordinates one by one at the table.

"Were you sent from headquarters?"

After carefully reading through one of the documents, Lin Yue glanced at it again.

He stopped writing.

"Yes."

He held up the document, having met his superior less than ten minutes earlier, and said, "Call the person in charge of this operation over here."

A short while later, a curvaceous woman walked in, and Lin Yue sized up his subordinate.

"This counter-espionage operation is already halfway through, so why are the documents here with me? Shouldn't the counterintelligence department or the special operations department be in charge?"

The woman lowered her head, revealing a large expanse of dazzling white skin.

"You've misunderstood. This is the responsibility of the security department. The previous supervisor was attacked, and the situation was urgent, so we acted quickly—and we've already taken care of those who needed to be arrested or killed. You just need to sign."

Lin Yue tossed the file onto the other end of his desk. "I've never even seen the person. You killed him? Is the information in that file... reliable?"

"you…"

Lin Yue felt that some people seemed not to understand him. "Hmm, then let me put it another way—I'll cover for the people Abernathy killed?"

The woman looked rather unpleasant.

"How the previous head of security died is none of my business. Abernathy is a hopeless case... so don't let outsiders clean up her mess. Return the items to the people who did the job and let them take responsibility."

A deathly silence followed.

Even the security assistant standing next to Lin Yue felt a little uneasy and cleared his throat slightly.

The woman took the document, bowed to Lin Yue, and left the office.

V had already given himself this lesson on the way back to Night City from Honshu.

Abernathy wanted to promote his own people to management positions, but Lin Yue interfered—with the Night City board of directors making changes.

Now, how this unlucky guy died is not important... what's important is that someone wanted to pin the blame on themselves from day one.

Arakawa, the smell is way too strong!

Lin Yue shook his head and began to seriously deal with the remaining tasks in the subnet: During this time, Lin Yue did not inquire about the department staff, nor did he have any conversations with them, nor did he call on the person in charge to report on their work.

The entire security department was filled with employees buried in their work, each with their own hidden agendas.

Their gazes would occasionally drift towards that office, but what made them uneasy was that only signed documents were sent out by their superiors' security assistants, and there were no personnel changes or personnel transfers during this period.

Because all new officials investigate people as soon as they take office, but this new young guy did not.

The news has spread throughout the security department that Rin was transferred from the counterintelligence department, and everyone feels that their good days are over.

Perhaps they lack a solid foundation and can't grasp the complex relationships within the security department?
Everyone was uneasy; no one wanted to be kicked out halfway through.

For company employees, the scariest thing is not layoffs, but the agonizing wait.

At this moment, agents stood around the entire office, watching everyone like prisoners.

Lin Yue breathed a sigh of relief in his office.

It would be a lie to say that intelligence points are useless; the intricacies of documents are unlikely to fool Lin Yue's eyes.

In general, the responsibilities of the security department are threefold:
First, this department is responsible for maintaining the safety of Arasaka's assets and staff, including sentry posts and building security. Second, it is responsible for the safety management of all Arasaka middle and senior management, including technical staff, and the personnel arrangements for security personnel. Third, it is responsible for cooperating with the actions of the two major departments—and even the internal investigations at headquarters.

The fact that the security department doesn't have its own people is a very frustrating problem.

How to find out which side your subordinates are on? This is clearly a troublesome problem.

Therefore, some transactions still need to be made.

Since everyone thinks they climbed up from the counterintelligence department, they shouldn't expect to be virtuous on the first day. Purges are necessary under any circumstances.

Lin Yue was waiting for a phone call.

Jenkins' call came as expected, and a detailed personnel report was compiled and delivered to him, someone without sufficient authority, by the counterintelligence team.

Lin Yue looked down and stared intently, while the security assistant behind him was already sweating profusely.

"Is your wife from Osaka?"

Lin Yue didn't even look up. The security assistant hesitated for a moment, then spoke hesitantly:

"Yes…"

Lin Yue pulled out the security assistant's personal information record and set it aside. He tapped the photo with his finger and gave a cryptic smile. "She's beautiful, and your children are adorable. You need to find a way to bring them to Night City; it'll boost your work motivation."

The security assistant clenched his fists and stood quietly.

Lin Yue pulled out the personnel information sheet by sheet and divided it into three stacks.

"Let Ms. Sonoko from the field department come in."

The security assistant walked stiffly to the center workstation, where the woman from before stood.

Two agents stood on either side of the woman. "The supervisor requests your presence in his office."

The woman walked step by step toward the end of the judgment, and this time no one followed her into the office; even the security assistant stood outside the door.

Everyone in the security department was on edge.

"We meet again, Miss Sonoko." Lin Yue's smile, coupled with the red light from the alcove in the Arasaka behind him, made him look exactly like a madman who would stop at nothing.

Sonoko mustered her courage and sat down opposite Rin.

"Serving in the Arasaka Security Force, unmarried... Good employee reviews. Very good."

Sonoko lowered her head and forced a smile, saying, "You flatter me."

There was silence.

Lin Yue made a muffled "hmm" sound from his nose, "But unfortunately, you're fired."

Sonoko froze for a moment, then abruptly stood up. "What did you say?! This... is not in accordance with regulations!"

Lin Yue smiled. "My security assistant found 40 euros worth of encrypted chips at your workstation. Based on your salary and bonuses, you don't have that much savings, so... please leave."

Sonoko's hair stood on end. "I didn't! You're slandering me! I don't accept it! Where's the evidence?"

The woman immediately moved to Lin Yue's side and grabbed his sleeve. "This must be a misunderstanding!"

Lin Yue glanced at the hand gripping his sleeve, and at the woman's subtle hint.

"Your attire is also seriously problematic. It should be formal wear, why are you wearing stockings and a top with a very high neckline? Ms. Sonoko, your job duties seem a bit too broad..."

"I recommend a place to you, the Japanese street is perfect for you."

As he spoke, Lin Yue grabbed the woman's hand that was pressing on his shirt button with one hand. "I hope the dismissal goes smoothly... okay?"

The woman's face turned ashen. Lin Yue pushed her to the ground, and the special agent came in and immediately revoked her privileges. She was then carried out like that.

This process is still unfolding; some employees working at Arasaka Tower are "gently" taken away, and some in Night City... there are ways to deal with it.

Agents would often come to Lin Yue with information about the execution of personnel to claim a reward. It seemed that every Arasaka agent was willing to meddle in other people's business and, incidentally, solve their boss's problems in a physical sense.

The money will arrive in your account on time.

In the dimly lit office, Lin Yue leaned back in his chair, loosened his tie, and stared intently at the relief of the Arasaka logo on the office door.

……
-
Bright light from the crystal chandelier shone through the crimson wine.

The house is exquisitely decorated; it's hard to find such a retro-style mansion in Night City, where punk and technophobia are prevalent.

The red wine slowly slid down Emma's fair neck. The wine did not have the characteristic berry aroma that the drinker could taste. Instead, the tannins brought a sour and astringent taste that invaded every inch of the throat and tongue.

She was slightly drunk, and her fair skin was flushed with a hint of alluring red.

She felt dirty, especially her body.

Ever since the two dogs belonging to Fuyutsuki's company representative died in Dogtown, her heart died in the mist of that morning.

One cruel man turned himself into a commodity, while another coldly watched his body beg for "mercy" and let him go.

This is the most painful way to live.

She dared not recall it, nor dared she watch the news—she didn't want to know if she had been turned into a black-clad dream, traded in the dark alleys of Night City.

Emma's expression began to contort, and she gripped the wine glass tightly.

Well, maybe it's a kind of lucid madness.

She didn't even know if anything had actually happened that day—which was what disgusted her to the extreme.

She thought Hans would discard her like a worn-out shoe, so she could walk towards the end without any burden.

But that wasn't the case. Hanz not only paid the exorbitant fees for the trauma team to enter Dogtown, but also forcibly brought himself back.

He's just a spineless man.

She downed the last of her drinks in one gulp. Emma rarely goes out these days, especially in the last month; she hasn't attended any of the high-society parties in Westbrook and Watson.

This was also Hans's order.

The usually tough Hans had lost his patience with Emma this time. As she could see, the villa's security was now much tighter than before, staffed entirely by a new group of people Hans had replaced.

She didn't understand why she couldn't just be discarded like a worn-out product.

She had to meticulously groom herself in this enormous "birdcage" and pretend that nothing had happened. What she hated most was what Hans said when he brought her back: "The child needs a mother."

Emma felt no freedom in the huge house, even though she lacked nothing.

"Madam, Miss wants you to keep her company."

The maids recruited by the mansion are all carefully selected from the few well-known high-end service companies in Night City. They are almost all experienced housekeepers from the Charter Hill Company, speaking softly and knowing how to read people's expressions.

Emma tilted her head slightly, her eyes blurred with intoxication.

The maid instinctively took a step back.

The lady's disgust was written all over her face.

"Hmm? Do I need to tell you to get lost?"

The maid looked helpless, her hands clenched tightly. "You haven't told Miss a story for days. She misses you so much..."

story?!
What a disgusting and vulgar joke! And now she has to pretend to be a virtuous wife and loving mother and tell her child fictional stories that don't even exist in her dreams?
Tell her you're busy.

Emma waved her hand, picked up the decanter and poured herself another glass. The maid lowered her eyes, understanding the lady's meaning, and silently withdrew.

The automatic door closed, and Emma gave a bitter, mocking laugh.

If things continue like this, let alone being able to tell stories to her child in peace, even the red wine in front of her and this spacious room... will no longer belong to her.

The incident in the winter month was a heavy blow: it even caused Zeta Technology, which was in the initial stage of cooperation, to withdraw from Hanz's business.

Just when everything was in place, someone delivered a devastating blow to Hanz!

The company representative sent by Dongyue was shot in the head, leaving behind a mess and an endless scramble to clean up.

That's not all—

A mysterious guy sent Bennett a video of himself impersonating Aguilar.

In the video, she felt like a controlled lump of flesh, twisted and contorted, with the sex puppet chip in her brain tormenting her from time to time.

Hans might lose.

"Useless trash," Emma muttered in French.

She even had a wicked idea: to make Hans watch helplessly as she took everything from him and casually gave it to a complete stranger. That feeling would be far more satisfying than revenge!
She wants to be a bad woman; that would be best.

She's currently wondering: Where is Rin?
All of this became question marks because of the appearance of Lin Yue.

Even without the military's operation in Dogtown, as long as this mercenary is still alive, it proves that there must be an unseen hand manipulating and directing this operation. Hanz, caught up in the chaos, had no idea when the enemy had infiltrated his surroundings.

Emma knew that Hanz's bodyguard was the mole, and that Rin had somehow controlled Fentara, allowing Hanz's affairs to be fully exposed and ultimately destroyed.

Voodoo Gang and Winter Moon are Hanz's two most established businesses.

Each link is interconnected; if gaps appear in the middle, it becomes very difficult to put them back together.

Wade Blick seems to have never learned a lesson from the restructuring of the top management at Pedro Petrochemical: it's almost impossible to challenge a company on equal terms; you can only ever be their dog and obediently solve their problems—that's how you get the meat.

As things stand, the building is showing signs of collapsing.

Only Cuba, across the ocean, offered some "comfort" to this self-important middleman through cheap means. In fact, there was not a single piece of useful support. They only cared about whether the goods sold well and whether they made enough money.

"We're going to lose"—Emma strongly resisted the feeling of entrusting her fate to someone else.

The fire has begun to spread.

She was like a canary in a cage watching a raging fire outside, while those trying to put it out were too weak to do anything but watch helplessly as the flames slowly licked away at her feathers.

"Mother……"

A timid call came from the doorway, where a little girl, about five or six years old and untouched by any alterations, stood. She was wearing a nightgown, holding a teddy bear, and looking at Emma, ​​who was sitting on the wooden chair, with some fear.

Emma glanced at the girl, expressionless, then turned her gaze to what was behind the girl.

A maid, looking embarrassed and frightened, quickly approached from the side. She reached out to pull the girl out, but the girl stubbornly gripped the doorknob and refused to leave.

"Miss, you..."

"No! No..."

Emma took a deep breath.

"enough!"

Emma's already agitated state was like a barrel of alcohol being ignited; even though the volume wasn't loud, it startled both the girl and the maid.

Honestly, she had never felt so disgusted with this kind of life.

At least a few months ago, I should have been quite happy.

The girl pouted, trying her best to suppress her feelings of grievance, and stared straight at her mother, who had never smiled at her.

But right now, she's not in the mood.

Emma naturally criticized the unprofessional maid: "If this happens again, please have the company take you back, okay?"

But the girl was very stubborn and refused to leave the room no matter what.

This tug-of-war wore down Emma's last bit of patience, but when she turned her head and saw the girl's blurry, tearful eyes, her gaze became somewhat evasive.

After all, a girl has her own blood flowing through her veins.

She sighed softly.

"Let her stay."

The maid, feeling as if she had been granted a pardon, gently pushed the girl into the room and closed the door with trembling hands.

The two people in the room, one big and one small, remained silent. The girl stood blankly at the door, while Emma continued to drink her red wine.

a long time…

"Go lie down and sleep."

Emma eventually gave in and spoke to the child in a softer tone.

Those terrible things should not be known to such naive children.

Hearing her mother's tone soften, the girl's tear-streaked face immediately broke into a smile. She moved her slightly numb legs and quickly ran to the bedside, quietly and obediently crawling into bed, even tucking herself in.

Emma's daughter's name is Wade Katherine, a name that sounds like that of a queen.

“Catherine, tell me why you don’t want to stay in your room?”

Catherine, who had been staring silently at the ceiling with wide eyes, suddenly became nervous when her mother asked her a question.

She bit her lip and whispered, "I'm sorry, Mom. Can I sleep here tonight? Just tonight... I promise I'll be good tomorrow."

Catherine is usually quite willful, but children are sensitive—especially girls—and she knows that something is making her mother unhappy.

At this critical juncture, even mischievous children seem to control their behavior.

As she spoke, she gently raised her head to observe, wanting to see if her mother, who had her back to her, would react—suddenly, Emma stood up!
Catherine quickly put her head on the pillow, closed her eyes tightly, and pretended that she was asleep.

Emma sat gently on the edge of the bed and watched quietly for a long time.

She sighed and reached out her warm hand to stroke Catherine's forehead.

What do you think is the happiest thing?

Catherine secretly opened her eyes and found Emma staring at her. She swallowed nervously.

"My mom is with me."

Emma continued, "What if one day I have to leave here? Will you still be happy?"

Such questions are easy for Catherine, who has received a systematic education, to understand.

She immediately gave an answer that was inappropriate for her age: "So Mom is worried about something, right? Is there something Dad did wrong?"

"Mom...where are you going?"

Emma was stunned, a barely perceptible hint of sympathy and tenderness appearing in her eyes.

This child is like a meticulously crafted monster, with an endless supply of educational resources, resulting in her cognitive abilities being completely disproportionate to her age—another ingenious machine, at least that's what Emma thinks.

"Yes, your father did something wrong."

This wasn't something you'd say to a child, but Emma knew Catherine would understand.

Unexpectedly, Catherine only paused for a moment before smiling and saying, "There will be punishment for making mistakes, right?"

Perhaps in some ways, Emma and Catherine are just like caged birds.

Although she was created through artificial life science, she was still Emma's child, sharing some of the same blood, even if the subtle bond between them was imperceptible.

"Can Mom tell me a story?"

"Catherine pleaded."

Emma rubbed her forehead, her head spinning, but she still nodded.

As Emma told some interesting fairy tales, Catherine gradually quieted down and listened attentively.

The story is titled "The Witch's Silver Shoes".

As her eyelids grew heavy, she mumbled, "Mom, I want us to stay together for a very, very long time."

Emma gently brushed the stray hairs off Catherine's face, got up, and slowly walked to the window.

She knew how filthy those corners of Night City, shrouded in a shell of light, were, where no light could reach.

Emma knew very well what the consequences of losing power would be. She didn't need to measure how much a woman and a child meant to Hans, because she had already experienced it herself. At a certain point, a child might be something that this former company dog ​​could discard at any time.

Emma believed that Hans's three ex-wives would have more authority to speak on the matter than she did.

Just then, a phone call came in.

An unfamiliar number...

Emma's eyes lit up. The child was sleeping. She rested her hand on the windowsill and was talking to the child in a silent fairytale mode.

"who are you?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end. "My name is Angie."

Emma thought for a moment, then sneered, "Hasn't Hanz dealt with you yet? What do you want by calling me, darling?"

Angie: "You...have met Lin Yue?"

Emma's fingertips turned white as she gripped the railing tightly, taking a deep breath. "What do you mean?"

Angie's smile on the holographic screen was somewhat lewd. "Hey, hey, hey, my Lady Emma... are you still going to pretend to be so smug? Being implanted with a sex doll chip and sold like a commodity... don't be so arrogant, please answer my question, okay?"

That's how women like Angie, who's involved in gangs, talk. The fact that she doesn't use any profanity is already a sign of good manners.

Emma: "Yes, I've seen you before. What's wrong?"

Angie: "Can you tell me what you know? I've investigated, and the people from Dongyue died at this guy's hands... You wouldn't happen to be that wicked woman who sold her husband, would you?"

Emma rubbed her temples. "I don't know where he is... and your guess is completely wrong. I have nothing to do with him. He just killed the company dog ​​to cause trouble for Hans. As for why he didn't kill me, I don't know either—it's no use you coming to me."

Angie was somewhat disappointed. "Well... let's put it this way, the video of someone impersonating a Cuban was sent to Bennett by me. It was probably a hacker under Rin's management—anyway, this thing was delivered to me, and I... reluctantly used it, which delayed the security period by a month."

Emma nodded slightly, saying with a hint of sarcasm, "Then it seems I need to talk to Hans about this. The Savage King of Taiping Continent has already taken control of all the animal gangs, and the next step is for you to be replaced—you like to court death, don't you?"

Angie raised her hand, looking like she was admitting defeat.

"Ah, I've already prepared myself to die, so I was wondering if anyone hates this Mr. Hans and wants to join me, okay?"

"By the way, do you know if you have any connections in the city to contact that squad and find out where this mercenary Lin Yue is—because…you know, most of my men have been dealt with."

"To be honest, I really hate this bastard. He disappeared for more than a month, just like a man who runs away as soon as he pulls up his pants."

Emma clearly knew a lot more: "Your boss Rin is long gone, and Lin Yue isn't much better off. Military technology had an operation in Dogtown—the traces have been cleaned up, and they might have already killed them. Maybe Arasaka doesn't even have Rin anymore?"

Angie seems to have Emma completely under her thumb.

"Killing the company dog ​​and keeping you is inherently unreasonable. What are you still sitting in this luxurious villa waiting for? Do you expect the man who sold you like a sex doll to cherish and take care of you? How about we take a gamble—help me get some information channels; it's better than waiting to die, isn't it?"

Emma remained silent.

She didn't know what Hanz was thinking, nor how long he could hold out. After hesitating, she said helplessly, "I'm under house arrest. I'm sorry... I can't help you, Angie."

Angie thought for a moment, then laughed dismissively, "There's a way out, Madam. Don't be an ostrich burying its head in its wings. Be tough on yourself, okay?"

"I look forward to hearing good news from you. I only have three days. If you don't hear from me by then, I'll take matters into my own hands. I'm not going to be a stupid idiot who just sits around waiting to die!"

The phone hangs up.

Emma stared out the window for a long time.

Some flames were ignited in her heart, and her expression gradually began to twist from confusion—at this moment, an almost frantic desire began to emerge in the eyes of this carefully cared-for "canary".

She pressed the service bell, and the maid came in.

"Make me a steak, and bring me a knife and fork."

“Madam, Mr. Hans has instructed you not to touch these dangerous items—the kitchen can prepare them for you.”

Emma narrowed her eyes. "Can't you understand?"

"Uh...yes."

Before long, meat, which only wealthy families with a certain amount of wealth could afford, was brought in.

The maid knew that the mistress was not usually like this; she was very particular about the occasion and time of her meals—eating in the bedroom was too unusual.

The maid, clutching her chest as she walked out, made up her mind to call her "boss."

Emma took bites of the steak, glancing at the blunt knife with only serrated edges.

He then expressionlessly moved the knife to his wrist and rubbed it back and forth, producing a chilling, subtle friction sound.

All of this was stared at by the seemingly asleep "little canary" lying on the bed, before she closed her eyes shortly afterward.

The trauma group program started smoothly, and Emma breathed a sigh of relief, leaning back quietly on the sofa.

……

Next Life Bar.

Pila rubbed the bottle up and down, and Dorio tossed her a cigarette, which Pila caught with a swift movement of her neck.

Everyone burst into laughter, while Rebecca facepalmed, not wanting to watch her embarrassing brother.

"Isn't it awesome?"

Bathed in the unique green ambient lighting of the private room, everyone was filled with the joy of having just completed their task.

Mann put his hand on Dorio's shoulder and said, "I must say Dr. Victor's skills are really good, and the prosthetic body is really awesome."

Sasha sat down next to me, hugging her knees, and said with lingering fear, "Thanks to you, Mann—the Vortex Gang almost shot me when their information was discovered."

“With our equipment, this kind of work is a piece of cake!” Pila exclaimed. “How was that young lady who came for the interview yesterday?! Colorful hair, and a really hot figure—it’s just that the woman wearing a mask wasn’t very appealing.”

Rebecca muttered, "She's just an old lady!"

"Yeah!"

Mann glanced at Sasha. "One person is enough for the backup hacker job. Two people can split the money quite a bit. Let's talk about it later."

Just as everyone was preparing to continue their revelry, a pale-faced woman with a curvaceous figure stepped into the gates of the afterlife.

Pila looked her up and down. "Wow! Hot chick, beautiful mature woman, what brings you here?!"

Sasha frowned deeply.

She recognized the woman; she was a commodity sent out by the middleman in Dogtown!

"Do you... know where Lin Yue is?"

Silence fell instantly in the private room. Everyone glared at the uninvited guest with hostility. The cigarette in Mann's mouth burned silently. The next second—

All the guns were pointed at the woman.

Pila teased, "What's wrong? Are you pregnant with that boy's?"

Dorio gave Pila a warning look. "This is nothing, Lin Yue. Please leave."

Emma was stubborn. "Please, I'm counting on you."

Mann didn't want to make a move on a woman at the Rebirth Bar. "I've given you Rin's number. Try calling her yourself!"

Emma made a call, and the message she received was: "[User not found]".

Is this how despair kills?
A bitter smile appeared on the lips of the woman who had no one to rely on:

"He doesn't want to continue with the Dogtown thing?"

"If you can contact Lin Yue... or your boss Lin, please tell him that the Animal Gang is still holding onto his last territories. That's all."

At this moment, Sasha stood up.

"We can't get in touch with him either. To be precise, please don't talk about this matter casually—lest... you get dealt with."

After he said that, everyone's expression turned sour.

They had experienced Arasaka's methods firsthand.

Rebecca frowned, her eyes lighting up as if in a huff.

She made her 130th call to Lin Yue this month—she wouldn't have called if Emma hadn't come, because she had given up on making the call three days ago, heartbroken.

For a full 33 days, Lin Yue's phone was out of service!

This time, however, it was different; the connection was active.

Rebecca said those words: "Wait a minute!"

Emma stopped walking.

Everyone in Mann's squad looked at Rebecca.

To Rebecca's surprise, the phone was answered at the last second before it was about to go unanswered.

A slightly tired voice sounded from the other end, and a man in a suit appeared on the holographic screen: "Hey, Rebecca."

Rebecca's eyes instantly filled with tears. "Lin Yue...you bastard!"

The entire Mann squad stood up, staring blankly at the crying Rebecca. Pila scratched her head, "Wait... damn it, what's going on?"

They all assumed Rebecca was crying uncontrollably because of Lin Yue's disappearance, but unexpectedly, after cursing, Rebecca's eyes lit up, and she sent the contact information to Emma—

"Contact him. He and the boss care a lot about Dogtown—Lin Yue…is back."

The bottle in Pira's hand fell to the ground, shattering into pieces with a loud bang.

……

　[First Three Wives]: In the 2077 setting, Mr. Hanz (Wade Blick) had three wives.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)