Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 211 Company Engagement: The Scales of Justice (Part 3)
"You are... Falco?"

The man's tall figure, accompanied by a black prosthetic hand extending from beneath his exquisite suit... Falco, a farmer, driver, and mercenary born into the "Wanderers" family, was instantly overwhelmed by fear of this behemoth, Arasaka.

It's like the natural law of Night City. Aragaka stands all over the world, and the skyscrapers of those companies are like iron nails that nail down the souls of the lower classes, making them unable to move.

Rebecca and the others clearly did not expect Falco to have such a strong reaction when he saw Lin Yue in his company uniform.

However, as a cold-blooded driver on the track, Falco's composure was beyond expectation. He calmly extended his hand and said, "Yes, from Texas."

Lin Yue smiled slightly, his gaze as if he were appraising a rare and precious item…

This driver, who survived his predetermined fate, was bold, calm, and dared to assess the situation, allowing the last member of the team to evacuate at the final critical moment. He also exchanged text messages with V to distance himself from the team. I'm quite interested in this person.

Falco's appearance at this juncture undoubtedly solved the team's long-standing weakness.

In Lin Yue's mind, driving was nothing more than using the accelerator and brake. As long as you could drive fast enough in a straight line and shake off your enemies, you were a good driver. But as it turned out, no matter how high your intelligence points were, you wouldn't excel at this kind of technical skill.

It's no wonder that racing still exists today, given how advanced technology is. Most sports eventually become battles between cybernetic bodies, but in racing, a strong driver can often win.

"Um…"

Falco and Lin Yue shook hands perfunctorily, while he himself was filled with doubt.

Do these corporate dogs have a hobby of maintaining their appearance? But looking at their combat-oriented cybernetic bodies, they probably have close ties with some of the company's violent departments. For a moment, he couldn't figure out the stance of these fringe individuals.

Although the mercenaries get jobs through middlemen, the company also assigns them a lot of work. Often, the mercenaries pretend not to understand and do whatever the middlemen say. But dealing directly with a company executive, especially a high-ranking one, was clearly unexpected.

"very curious?"

Lin Yue glanced around at the team members behind him and took a step back with a strong sense of boundaries.

Rebecca is like a piece of chewing gum; she immediately lifted Lin Yue's heavy prosthetic arm. "Holy crap... I thought you were going to be roasted into jerky by the internet cable. Arasaka wouldn't let us take your 'corpse'... oh no, I mean, you. Pila almost got into a fight with that woman from the company!"

Pila wiped the vomit off her face. "Don't fucking talk nonsense, that was Dorio's doing!"

Qi Wei sighed and slowly stepped out of the car. "But you weren't like this when you were yelling 'brother' with a red face and a bulging neck..."

Lin Yue smiled and let Rebecca look around, saying casually, "It seems that Roger from the next life has connections everywhere. He already knew that you've made a name for yourself in the area, and many street urchins would beg you to drive a car for them, but you wouldn't go... What's the reason today?"

The company dog ​​has all the precautions it should have.

Falco's appearance was so abrupt, and given that he only cooperates with teams of senior members, Lin Yue wasn't entirely confident in his loyalty. That's why he was trying to probe him indirectly.

The "gentleman" driver from Texas stubbed out his cigarette and said, "I see you're no ordinary person either, Mr. Rin."

Qi Wei's eyes instantly changed, her gaze turned cold, and she slightly prepared to circle around behind.

Pila wiped her mouth, her other hand already reaching behind her back. Rebecca, on the other hand, blinked and suddenly broke into a wide smile. "Awesome Uncle! You've heard of this? I told you we'd get along, right?!"

Pila was keenly aware of her younger sister's occasional naiveté and didn't even complain about it; it seemed she was genuinely planning to take action.

That's how these people are. No matter who you are, as long as they feel that you are fighting alongside them, that's a bond of life.

Lin Yue chuckled, "What are you doing... They just got you out of the Tiger Claw Gang's clutches, and you're already rushing to kill us to cover your tracks and give us less money? Is this how you operate in Night City?"

Falco was taken aback.

He had certainly sensed the tense atmosphere, but he hadn't expected these fringe travelers to be so loyal.

Rebecca's face fell; at times like this, she would pretend to be invisible.

Falco: "I found it strange that those NCPDs brought mechs but didn't fire on us... Plus, I spent a long time in the afterlife trying to find a powerful intermediary to talk to Rogge about you, but I was rejected—"

"And this squad [took down the Savage King in Pacifica], assassinated the leader of the Animal Gang, and rolled around in Dogtown several times... only accepted your request."

“Lin…Lin Yue, according to your Eastern reading habits, this name is surprisingly consistent.”

Lin Yue knew this person, but not in great detail.

Falco comes from a truly wealthy family. In his youth, his family owned large tracts of land in Texas and did business in biotechnology. Education level is often linked to family wealth, which was a very normal phenomenon in that kind of society.

As the saying goes... it's an education monopoly.

Lin Yue nodded. "Looks like this team has been doing pretty well lately?"

Falco spoke as casually as if chatting with an old friend, even ignoring the two fringe travelers who wanted to attack him. "Of course, in the next life, we'll all consider these guys as the next round of legendary candidates... Everyone's betting on when they'll die."

Lin Yue felt that the people in this city... were really a bit wild.

However, given the mercenaries' unorthodox methods, this is indeed the case. The greater the fame, the higher the probability of offending the company. If they ever threaten the company's interests, they usually only face two outcomes: "recruitment" or execution. It seems that's exactly what happened to Old Man Sunrise...

But what if the team is backed by a company?
A flame flickered at Lin Yue's lips, and Suzuki shielded the flame as he lit a cigarette for his superior. "I know they've handled several biotechnology-related matters; I heard about it on the way here. But that's not what I wanted to talk about."

Falco's simple "I'd like to hear more" won over 99% of Night City's "high-quality" residents.

But soon he regretted saying the Chinese phrase he had learned.

Lin Yue: "I was the one who exposed the biotechnology safety issue."

The young man's dark eyes held a ruthlessness beyond his years, a ruthlessness that belonged only to a hardened criminal, and Falco was very familiar with that aura of someone who had been through countless deaths.

Such a huge secret was so easily revealed on the streets of Night City. Falco had no doubt about the veracity of Lin Yue's actions; on the contrary, he was astonished by the young man's instantaneous thinking ability.

Is this considered forcibly binding someone?
Falco was both amused and exasperated. Had he known that this squad had such a close relationship with Arasaka, he would never have wanted to get involved in this mess.

Lin Yue extended his hand a second time, “In Arasaka, they call me Rin, Rebecca and the others call me Lin Yue… it’s fine, anyway, you Europeans and Americans are used to calling people by their monosyllabic surnames; as you can see, the company’s xenophobic ability is beyond our imagination, and I have been temporarily sidelined.”

"But this is my own choice. I need a mature team in Night City, and drivers are a must."

Immediately afterwards, Lin Yue's eyes lit up.

Falco was momentarily flustered when he saw the 50,000 euros that had entered his account.

"Too much."

Lin Yue shook his head, his hand still hanging in mid-air. "Compared to my people—their lives—I think this is nothing. I have to thank a lady from a company who taught me how to manage my finances; otherwise, I might have transferred even more to you."

Falco chuckled, finding the faint, almost imperceptible scent of a corporate dog about the guy quite intriguing.

As Falco's hand and Lin Yue's hand overlapped again, the tense atmosphere instantly lightened.

"Yes, yes! I knew the uncle was a really nice guy!"

Rebecca happily pulled a money chip from the pocket of the little black jacket she was still wearing after making a fortune, and stuffed it into Lin Yue's suit pocket.

"Seeing you get ostracized by the company... that's pitiful. My brother paid you back the two million from before. This is my latest commission money, 150,000 euros! How about that?! Aren't I awesome?"

Lin Yue's eyebrows twitched. "You sold your kidney?" Rebecca's forehead veins throbbed, and she shoved Lin Yue hard with her chubby leg. "Go to hell!"

Pila, on the other hand, looked miserable, slamming her hand hard on her forehead before it slid down her face in despair…

I left my money with my sister, and both of our entrusted fees were so casually stuffed into the pocket of "Yellow Hair"—no, "Black Hair"—… It hurt like drinking a cocktail made with MSG; my heart ached…

Qiwei floated slowly to Pila's side like a ghost, crossed her arms, hesitated for a moment but ultimately couldn't bring herself to pat Pila on the shoulder.

The woman was somewhat surprised; she felt that Pira's shoulders seemed to be... trembling?
Are you crying?

Unexpectedly, Pila suddenly tilted her head back with a lewd expression and said, "Miss Qiwei... although your figure isn't great, you smell really good!"

Lin Yue felt that although these people were reliable, he still felt it was somewhat embarrassing to take them out...

Falco didn't mind. He was a thrill-seeking driver by profession and had even done mercenary work with several well-known cyberpunk figures, so he wouldn't refuse this seemingly simple team format, even though the setup was a bit odd...

But no one in Night City can guarantee they'll be able to open their eyes to see the sun tomorrow. As long as they have what they want right now, that's enough!
Lin Yue watched the chattering squad, and a phantom appeared beside the car. Dorio seemed to be leaning against the car, gently brushing her short golden hair aside, revealing a reassuring smile.

Mann stood beside Dorio, grinning foolishly with a set of white teeth, half-bent over, and gave her a thumbs up!

Ugh…

Everyone has something they want to pursue. Dorio and Lin Yue both know very well why Mann left the Terrorist Mobile Team. In fact, the excessive thirst for power is an innate driving force that never stops. It is a primal worship in the bones, especially for men.

But Dorothy just wanted a platform to be with her lover, nothing more.

Seeing that it was almost time, Falco glanced at the old-fashioned wristwatch that was almost impossible to find in this era. "Hmm... it seems that the pleasant meeting has come to an end."

He then interrupted Pila, who was about to speak, "And of course, you too, Mr. Vomit Bomb!"

Lin Yue felt that Night City had finally seen a truly shrewd person. He possessed the indomitable pride and audacity of a borderline traveler, yet also had a mature and steady demeanor. Perhaps, in some mysterious way, only those who recognize and accept the truth of life can survive.

Falco turned and left without hesitation, and Lin Yue watched him go silently.

Rebecca tugged at Lin Yue's sleeve, thinking that Lin Yue didn't care about Falco, since no one knew if they would be dealt with by the Tiger Claw Gang if they walked on the street tomorrow.

Those mad dogs are social animals; kill one and a whole litter will follow!
[New contact person: Falco]

Lin Yue shook his head, thinking that Falco was a ruthless person who thought Lin Yue would tie him to the company and not let him leave. Seeing that Lin Yue had a good sense of boundaries and was not very controlling, he felt relieved to give out his contact information.

Pila retorted angrily, "Rebecca, you worthless little thing, have you ever seen a company dog ​​who got kicked out of the company arrive in a hovercar?! 150,000, you think you can just give it to me like that!"

Rebecca was slow to realize what was going on, but all she remembered was that Lin Yue always looked miserable...

Lin Yue smoothed things over, "Alright, do you think we'd really take your money? But we have indeed changed locations. We conducted an operation at the Kejing Logistics subsidiary in Watson District. I have control of the company now, but... it's just an empty shell. We still have a lot more to do."

Rebecca jumped three meters high in excitement!
Lin Yue was startled and subconsciously looked at Rebecca's thigh!

"This is…"

Double jump?!

Rebecca quickly pulled her jacket down a little. "What are you looking at?!"

This made everyone a little awkward. Lin Yue pursed his lips guiltily. "Alright, now we need to figure out how to 'start from scratch'. Of course, Mann, Dorio, and Sasha are all alive, but they probably won't go down the mercenary path anymore."

The team members were all delighted.

Just as we were about to get on the hovercar together and head to the Watson branch, a phone call came in, "unsurprisingly."

The woman in the yellow shirt in the virtual camera lens is like a bottle of aged wine, full of spiciness.

"It seems Mr. Rin has a lot on his mind. I've already given Falco face and haven't even transferred the money yet. Why don't you settle the bill first?"

Lin Yue gestured for everyone to get into the car first. Enjoying the breeze from the river, he smiled and replied, "Being able to introduce a racer like Falco to the team is enough to get you a price to negotiate with me. I'll do my best to help you."

Roger shook his head. "Being too straightforward means you have no friends, but... I really like your personality."

Then, without wasting any more words, Roger said, "People often say that Night City is lawless, and that as long as you don't mess with the company or the NCPD, life will be fine. But is that really the case?"

Lin Yue chuckled lightly, "The law is just an illusion that Night City Corporation offers to people. They associate the scales of justice with it, but the company has long known how the scales of justice are manipulated. They're pulling the strings—you don't expect me to uphold the law, do you? You know I'm just a company... employee?"

Roger: "No... I've never heard of anything outrageous you've done. In other words, you're a decent person. Perhaps I'm just ignorant, but that doesn't matter. I want you to break free from your conscience and manipulate the law to help me, to help you resolve this matter together—"

"That company, you're the one you want to acquire, right?"

At this point, Lin Yue's hand slightly gripped the railing, instantly causing it to deform slightly.

Does Rogue have such a deep intelligence network in Arakasaka?
Could it be that behind the rise of every city king is this woman manipulating intelligence resources...?

Being caught red-handed is nothing, but at this sensitive juncture, if Arasaka's public relations and legal departments lose, Lin Yue won't let this woman off easily.

"Don't rush to kill me. I'm the kind of person who doesn't bother others when I'm trying to be friendly. Company affairs are none of my business. I only need to help my clients solve their problems. You just need to do it for me as a side job. Of course... if you refuse, I'll find other ways, but you have the most ability and the lowest cost. I want to make more money from this deal with the client."

Rogge has clear logical thinking and is a veteran who has been involved in intelligence networks for many years.

After listening carefully to Roger's explanation, Lin Yue gradually dispelled his doubts.

Before hanging up, Roger said, "Thank you, kind 'Black Hand' gentleman. Could you please help me steer the 'scales'?"

"Forgive my bluntness—but your prosthetic hand is so unforgettable, and you're so young. If I were decades younger, I wouldn't have been so foolish as to sleep with that rock star, right?"

Lin Yue never expected to be taken advantage of by an experienced person at the last minute.

A ticking sound.

Lin Yue's "vacation" doesn't seem as relaxing as Lai Xuan described...

Is it an illusion?

……

……

　【Wanderers】: According to the official background setting of Edgewalkers, Falco was born into a wealthy family in Texas, but in reality they are wanderers. In the impression of 2077, wanderers are associated with being shabby and dilapidated, but in fact many wanderers have reached cooperation with companies, which is also reflected in the 2077 straight line 【Breakthrough the Storm】.

　　[He even exchanged text messages with V]: A little Easter egg in Edgewalker 2077.

　　[Becoming a battle between cybernetic bodies]: Because of cybernetic technology, many traditional sports eventually become bloody.

　　[Foolish enough to sleep with a rock star]: Queen Roger once dated Johnny Silverhand.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)