Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 168 Fate Reversed
"Welcome to WNS News."

"Let's turn our attention to the edge of the Watson district; according to our reports, a subsidiary formerly owned by Good Logistics was recently attacked by unidentified armed men, and a shipment of weapons worth nearly 7000 million euros was destroyed in a fire."

"This includes, but is not limited to, products manufactured by companies such as Arakawa, Military Technology, Affordable Firepower, and Comto."

"It is worth mentioning that the largest shareholder of the company is currently the Night City Arasaka branch, which holds 41% of the shares. This batch of weapons was purchased by an unidentified wealthy businessman. According to the cargo manifest, the weapons will be transported to Dogtown. As of now, Colonel Kurt Hansen, the spokesperson for Dogtown, has declined to comment."

"And no relevant party has yet taken responsibility for this operation."

"According to sources familiar with the matter, this may involve illicit transactions and violations of relevant Night City laws and regulations; Mr. Arasaka, the spokesperson, gave this station a telephone interview..."

Chiba: "I believe this incident was most likely an attack planned by militants from the Badlands. I would like to ask... will the NCPD issue a criminal record investigation report? The homeless people's activity patterns have clearly expanded... This is a desecration of public safety!"

Host: "Several media outlets have reported that military technology was used to briefly block the main road leading to Taipingzhou. Do you believe this incident is related to military technology?"

Chiba: "No, my friend. Arasaka has always adhered to a strategy of joint development and never maliciously harms related companies. The military activities of the military technology company have absolutely no connection to this attack—"

The radio station immediately switched to Pacific Voice after being slightly interfered with by Lin Yue.

Of course, Chiba, as a mouthpiece for a company, wouldn't involve military science, since the one sitting in the visible position is Nitta Kazuya, and the doves have always been like this... Lin Yue wasn't surprised.

Jack touched his bespoke suit. "Damn, that looks impressive!"

Lin Yue glanced at the scenery outside the window. "I really didn't expect you to come, Jack."

Jack shook his head. "Actually, I wasn't planning to come at all, but you know—if V says so, I'll do whatever the company says. It's just that I'm not good at dealing with my colleagues or superiors in the company."

“I always try to persuade V, I always have.”

Lin Yueshen agreed.

Like most mercenaries in Night City, Jack firmly believed in the so-called legendary stories: whoever destroyed the company, whoever made the most money, and whoever survived a hail of bullets was a big shot in Night City.

People often overlook the truth behind the fantasy: legends are all nurtured by the company, serving the vested interests and meeting the company's needs.

Morgan Blackhand, Weyland the Serpent, Spider Murphy, and countless other characters.

Essentially, they are all beautified winners among companies.

After all, even now, the operas on Channel 54 News still enjoy a very high rate of popularity. Once the high ground of public opinion is occupied, a fixed impression will be formed.

"I get paid to do things, to solve problems for others... I understand, so are we going to take care of Mr. Hans, the good-natured man from Taiping Island?"

Lin Yue looked at Jack in surprise.

V really did speak frankly and openly about this Haywood kid.

Lin Yue asked, "Is Heywood also a well-known figure? You should be quite familiar with the priest, right?"

Jack nodded. "The middlemen in Night City aren't stupid. They know exactly who's behind you. If you ask me, these middlemen will only give you a second glance if you're starting from scratch. As long as you're even remotely connected to the company, they'll stay far away."

This is true.

After V was kicked out of Arasaka, two daring and fearless individuals took on any job, working as priests and wakas. They were efficient and unafraid of retaliation, and ended up getting beaten up in a bar, leaving people with black and blue faces.

Perhaps courage only flourishes when one is alone.

Seeing that the guy V thought was trustworthy didn't react, Jack rubbed his chin, looked out the window, and continued rambling, "Damn, that scared the crap out of me last time. God knows what you hackers are thinking... Is it worth risking your lives for Sanlang?"

Are you willing to risk your life for Sanlang?
Lin Yue shook his head and said something that sounded just like when V had discussed with him how to kill Abernathy.

"In this company, there's no such thing as whether you want to do it or not. If you don't, someone else will do it for you."

At this moment, Jack began to feel indignant on behalf of Lin Yue.

"Think it through, Mano (brother), how many teams of military technology personnel are in that damn logistics park? Hmm... did you hear what they said? That idiot Arasaka is shifting the blame onto the tribes on the border, what utter nonsense!"

"And what about that...ACPA? If V hadn't told me, I would never have imagined in Night City that such a thing would appear, just to target you?!"

"With your skills, even without Arakasa, you could easily make a living anywhere. At the very least, you'd be a top-notch, awesome guy!"

Lin Yue gazed at this sincere man.

Jack was as pure as his epitaph says: as pure as the protagonist in the fairy tale Little Prince.

At this point in the conversation, even he, being outspoken, knew that his words were too idealistic; V and Rin, deeply bound together, were both unable to move…

"Thanks for what happened last time."

One thing at a time, Rin was, after all, a teammate who rescued him from the clutches of the ACPA, who were even more ruthless than mechs.

Jack agreed to the commission partly because he found it hard to bear the feeling of owing someone something.

Lin Yue laughed and said, "Perfect timing, I'm not one to be coy... You'll have to help me out a bit, my leg's useless..."

Jack's expression was serious.

"So it didn't affect your crotch, right? A big gun would be fine too..."

A big steel cannon?
There's a problem with one model of this thing, [it's smoking on the dildo]... It seems like it hurts when you turn it down there like you're sharpening a pencil, never mind.

The two men exchanged a smile, and the serious topic was thus put aside.

Jack: "But which group are we going to fight after we go in? V said that the Hounds are watching over Hanz's territory... If we were to fight this warlord, the few of us would be lucky to escape with our lives."

Lin Yue knew that Jack wasn't involved in this business, so he patiently explained it to him.

"To be a reliable middleman in Dogtown, you need someone to rely on. Hanz doesn't rely on the Colonel; he does the kinds of business the Colonel doesn't dare to do openly in Dogtown, and he also picks up the leftovers to eat."

"Give him another year or two, and I reckon Hanz will be able to really go toe-to-toe with Hansen."

Jack stared wide-eyed.

To the residents of Night City, Dogtown is a lawless criminal kingdom, full of Night City's scoundrels. The idea of ​​a middleman wrestling with such a gang army sounds like a fantasy.

"The Cuban Group, ever heard of it?"

Jack sighed helplessly. "How could we not know each other? Mi Hermano cubano (our Cuban brothers) – a famous legendary figure on the bar menu, Aguilar… The drugs my cousin smokes are bought from this gang by Valentino's gang for the little brats…"

Lin Yue stared at Jack for a long time without saying a word.

Jack felt a chill run down his spine.

"You mean Cuba won't let Hans get out so easily?"

Lin Yue shrugged. "I've experienced their attitude before... Cuba only cares whether there are people selling their goods, it's the same no matter who it is."

Jack lit a cigarette. "Hmm... So who's backing this 'Hands' guy? Is the Colonel protecting him to the death?"

Lin Yue denied it.

"Colonel? My men have been identified. The colonel won't protect him to the death."

Jack pondered for a long time.

"Uh yeah, I'm really not good at this, but I just want to know how we do it?"

Lin Yue looked at Jack's strong arms. "Old Wei and you are both famous boxers. When you are confident that you can beat your opponent, what will you do?"

Jack lit a cigarette.

"Dude, are you out of your depth? I'm not good with knives, but you're wrong about boxing. You can suppress your opponent, or you can protect your head and wait for them to open up before delivering a fatal blow... but don't just attack randomly. You have to always pay attention to the position of your opponent's elbows."

"A punch to the face and the situation will take a sharp turn for the worse. So which do you choose? Wait... judging from your appearance, your informant must be someone important?"

Whether Lin Yue is big or small is hard to say, but Emma could easily do something like inviting a wolf into the house.

As the Netherworld Guardian supercar drove along, Lin Yue seemed lost in thought.

After a long pause, he said to Jack, "If all goes well, one shot will kill him."

"Delay may lead to complications. Let's check out Dogtown first; it won't hurt."

Jack chuckled, “No wonder we entered this doghouse a day early. Everything went smoothly… Hmm, I hope so.”

Just then, an unexpected phone call came in for Lin Yue.

[Caller: Yoriyuki Arasaka]

"Mr. Lai Xuan".

Looking at Lai Xuan, who was clearly exhausted, Lin Yue had a bad feeling.

Yoriyuki Arasaka smiled and said, "Please excuse me, Rin. I stayed up all night. Recently, the business of headquarters and the tsunami defense system has entered a critical period... When I heard V report to me that you launched an operation today, I wanted to see how your preparations were going."

"Whether it's the NCPD or the guards in Dogtown, their approach is smart, but isn't it too rushed... Once you take over the operation of that logistics company and the logistics chain is formed, I think the people in charge of Dogtown would gladly agree to your people moving in."

Lin Yue shook his head.

"A startled prey will seize any opportunity. The company needs to make some preparations with Arasaka, but Mr. Nitta is a bit..."

Lai Xuan rubbed his temples; he no longer had the energy to fly into a rage.

"You guessed what happened to Michiko, didn't you? My father won't really give up... He's definitely trying to get everything back on track now."

"However, there is some news: Michiko's technical experts and my people will work together to begin research on anti-aging prosthetics for your specific situation."

What are your thoughts on this?

Lin Yue bluntly revealed the other party's intentions.

“These are non-negotiable conditions. You must have noticed what happened in Night City. You know very well what Nitta’s people are saying… I will not cooperate with them.”

A hint of reluctance flickered in Lai Xuan's eyes.

"You need to think carefully about the weight of your life, Rin... Honshu predicts that your prosthetic body will enter an irreversible integrated state in a year, at which time only your brain will remain original."

"The data that the Arasaka Medical Department is now reporting to Honshu is all marveling at your tenacious vitality."

Lin Yue only knew that without finding Xiao Beidou, everything else was just empty talk.

Arakasaka might be able to solve the Relic problem, but he'll definitely have to take the same detours as New America regarding the Black Wall. They can't afford to wait, and they don't dare to wait. He's the only test subject, and if something goes wrong, it will be a real laughing stock.

Lai Xuan nodded. "You need to be careful about the appearance of Tsunami Military Industry's products in Night City. This company is not so easy to deal with now. We are only temporary strategic partners, so be cautious."

Lin Yue hung up the phone, feeling a little heavy-hearted.

Lai Xuan was clearly held back. Even if he had all his memories from his past life, he still didn't know what the key was in Lai Xuan bringing out the Relic chip from the Silver Hand.

Oh shit…

Lin Yue now feels that he made two mistakes:

They overestimated Lai Xuan and underestimated Saburo.

Saburo is adept at playing the game of checks and balances; it seems that being kept alive in the refrigerator didn't blind him to the dangers...

Jack didn't notice the change in Lin Yue's expression; instead, he became somewhat nervous.

"So quiet... You're like V, not very talkative?"

"How about we lighten the mood? Once we're in Taipingzhou, our lives are on the line."

Lin Yue took a deep breath and temporarily put all his thoughts back down.

He looked at Jack with suspicion. "Is this some kind of lame joke from a rock kid?" Jack's face stiffened.

"I don't recall telling you or V about intubation, did I?"

Lin Yue shook his head helplessly. A few low, brightly colored houses on Taiping Island flashed past the window.

"Jack, save the jokes for when we win."

"Everyone, you're online."

Just like the dilapidated scene of Taiping Island outside the window, the atmosphere instantly turned grim.

……

Deng!
Outside Dogtown, the familiar fluorescent green in his mind pulled Lin Yue's memories back to this criminal kingdom.

It all starts here…

More than once, Lin Yue had imagined himself taking on more commissions, becoming a skilled mercenary, making a name for himself in Dogtown, and becoming the king of the city he dreamed of.

But in reality, a phone call doesn't guarantee that a middleman will hand you a good piston.

No one else could be like V, carrying the crime of killing Saburo on his back and still daring to wander the streets like that.

Coincidentally, Lin Yue also emerged from Ganbi.

Jack muttered, "Phew... These lasers are said to be able to scan out even the few hairs on a guy's head."

There was only one visible path through Dogtown. Under the influence of the laser, the vision inside the prosthetic eye began to blur. Lin Yue glanced at the Ghost Hound next to him, who was holding a gun and looking down at him. Its eyes were cold beneath the mask.

"Make them wait."

Jack paused for a moment.

He muttered under his breath, "Damn it..."

As the lathe slid down, Lin Yue glanced at the soldier standing beside the vehicle. The roller shutter door in front of them remained closed, and all the sentry guns were aimed at their vehicle.

It has to be said that the professionalism of the Ghost Dogs far surpasses that of the NCPD.

"What's wrong? Is this how Hanz welcomes his guests?"

The hound possessed him, propping his elbows on the windowsill. "Dude... everyone else treats this place like a den of wolves, but you've given us an earlier time. Are you here for sightseeing?"

Lin Yue fell silent.

Jack was trying his best to control his eyes, but he couldn't help glancing at Rin. Damn it... Rin was pretending to be dead at this moment?
Lin Yue looked at the soldier, whose deep-set German eyes naturally carried a contemptuous expression. "It seems Night City has made life too easy for you bunch of country bumpkins."

Although Jack appeared to be comfortably leaning back on the cushion, his hand had already reached for the kinetic pistol that Rin had once given him.

The hound's eyes were already quite hostile.

"Nonsense? Does he think this is a vegetable market?"

"Take advantage of my good mood today, and come in when your access time is up. I don't want to say it a second time—Hanz, who told you that Hanz's people can just come in whenever they want?"

A gust of wind blows from above, and demons wreak havoc below.

It seems that Hanz has lost power.

Just then, Lin Yue burst into laughter, "Have you ever heard of this? German companies can produce machine tools, parts, and even decorations."

“It’s easy for fingers or skulls to jump out of the assembly line.”

"Are you sure about what I'm talking about, all high and mighty?"

The expression beneath the mask of the Ghost Hound soldier was unreadable, but his slightly raised elbow and unnatural movements revealed a hint of unease in his confidence…

Jack bent down slightly, his eyes gazing out the window.

"Friend, is the time accurate now?"

The hound scratched its head and placed its paws in front of it. "I mean, uh, you and your friends are free, and hopefully the Dogtown venue will be a good place for you all."

Jack nodded.

"Thank you, sir."

The car window rolled up, and after scanning the second car, the data inside was normal. The security captain, feeling extremely unlucky, waved his hand.

"Drive the hell faster! Do you think this is a parking lot?!"

Lin Yue, sitting in the back seat, looked in the rearview mirror at the Dogtown entrance covered in graffiti. The hounds of Dogtown were always slippery, and those who were so clueless were probably backed by someone.

It's worth noting that when V left Gemstone Blue, even the most arrogant soldier had his arrogance extinguished by a few foul words from a company dog.

Jack wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

"Where did this bastard come from? Is it so hard to get through the gates of Dogtown?"

Lin Yue's eyes immediately lit up with the call status, and a soft, sweet voice came from the other end.

“Mr. Rin…you’ve finally arrived.”

Lin Yue said casually, "Emma, ​​has Hans met with any other people recently?"

Emma on the holographic screen bit her lip…

“We have many details to take over... Why are you in such a hurry? Hans is in a real bind lately. My people have been keeping an eye on him. He's been arranging to win over some business deals and such... just to have some confidence in front of you.”

"He went to Sapphire Blue a while ago, and then a group of people came to Dogtown. They're supposedly weapons dealers from Night City, and they want to meet him?"

"It's not really convenient over the phone..."

Is it necessary to meet at this critical juncture...? However, Lin Yue is very concerned about this group of so-called city suppliers.

What established business groups in the city are still supplying Mr. Hanz with weapons?
Under Emma's expectant gaze, Lin Yue nodded.

However… before that, he needs to go to Dogtown Stadium to check on his leg. He hopes that the legendary prosthetic doctor will be there. Although it’s unrealistic to treat it in one night, he still wants to get his leg problem fixed after this trip to Dogtown.

Emma's smile instantly blossomed.

"The place is up to you... Hans isn't here tonight, so why don't we meet when you're deep in thought? Perhaps we can have a proper discussion..."

Lin Yue sighed helplessly.

"Didn't I tell you not to use the sensor communication device anymore?"

"I'll go to the stadium... and have Angie get ready too."

……

At this moment, on the unfinished building not far from the gate of Dogtown.

Hanz, dressed in a burgundy gown, rested her chin on one hand. The woman next to her, though dressed casually, had striking features: black gloves and a neat short haircut.

"Let's not even talk about how foolish it is to wait for Europeans to back you up."

"Have you ever thought... that your old rival might infiltrate this time? There are some things I need to say in advance... there is a technology in military technology that allows behavioral characteristics to be recorded in the hands of your enemy."

"However, my men didn't read anything when the gate stopped just now."

Hanz looked at the company woman who had temporarily landed from the vortex of military technology.

"Could it be that military technology companies want to invest in me?"

Meredes sneered, "The colonel can easily take us all by himself, even though he's playing games with us now... but we're the ones who take the lion's share. The other companies can take it, but they don't dare to go all out. We can't lose him. Hedging our bets now is suicide."

"But you have to understand, if this guy is a genuine European, do you know how the Cuban guys will choose? Hopefully you don't provoke those poisoners."

Actually... Hans had already thought it through.

“Cubans don’t care who’s in my position as long as they can make money. Hansen asked me to contact you. The colonel doesn’t want strangers through this gate—it wouldn’t matter if it were a real European, but if it’s an old friend of mine…”

Meredes found Hanz's "no action without a clear objective" attitude somewhat distasteful.

These guys who leave the company are always shrewd and calculating…

Meredes held a chip between his fingers, and as soon as Hanz's silver prosthetic hand touched it, the woman withdrew her hand.

"Did Peizhuo Petrochemical teach you to eat for free?"

The hint of disdain in Hanz's eyes was perfectly concealed.

No matter what, he was a member of the company's management when he failed, while this military science operations manager in front of him was lucky enough to be saved by his man after he slept with him.

"Let me put it this way, if that guy gets in and plugs this into the subnet, it's a data spore of AI... You don't need to know what it is, but if your hacker finds something wrong, my people will help you bury him."

"My request is simple: we'll help you manage the risks, and you help us find the right people."

A hint of hesitation appeared on Hanz's face.

It seems that my own costs are even greater.

"What if he's the one who appears on my face? I've heard that soldiers, lone wolves, and the terrorist mobile unit couldn't stop him... Do you expect my security to handle it?"

Meredes clapped his hands.

"Don't worry, my desire to return to the company is stronger than yours; he is my military achievement."

A short-haired man in a trench coat appeared behind him like a ghost.

Hanz turned his head to look at the man's black prosthetic arm with a cigarette butt between his fingers, his expression as if he had seen a ghost...

Morgan's Black Hand?

Wade, who usually dislikes using profanity to express his feelings, almost blurted out that sentence.

This is blasphemy.

Meredith chuckled, "How about it? Should we get your old employer's [Snake] to join the fun too?"

What exactly is military technology doing?
Meredes stared at the stinking, cesspool-like place. "Your enemy, Rin, is indeed lucky. Sometimes I really believe in fate."

"But in the face of absolute power, fate can be reversed."

“We now have the power to control life and death… Mr. Hanz.”

"The company has already placed its bets. What about you?"

The biting wind on the high-rise buildings whipped the old, dilapidated metal billboards, making a messy noise.

Meredes didn't look at Hanz behind her; she knew Hanz couldn't possibly refuse the deal.

The chip was pinched.

"I like winning no matter what."

Morgan Blackhand stood there blankly, his leather shoes crumpling the cigarette butts on the soles of his feet.

(End of this chapter)