Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 22 Negotiations and Little Coke

Rebecca rested her chin on her hands, her eyes vacant.

I'm so hungry, I miss the Coca-Cola from the vending machines in Japan—that icy, refreshing feeling that stings my tongue.

What a terrible place! Even snacks like Maltesers and Plantain are expired.

"Mann! Mann!"

Rebecca's brother, Pila, walked in through the dilapidated iron gate of the unfinished building. He seemed to be having a good time in Dogtown, since the mechanical junk that could be found everywhere in Dogtown could keep this guy who only knew how to tinker with "inventions" entertained for a whole day.

Like Dorio, Mann sat by the campfire, which served as a light source, while the radio played songs from "Body Temperature Radio."

So, get away…

The melodious songs on the radio made Rebecca feel even worse. The love songs didn't resonate with her at all, and all she wanted was a small Coke or some other carbonated drink.

"Don't go out, there's no guarantee the hound won't bite you."

Mann gave Pira the order.

Pila shrank back; he still respected Mann more.

Regardless of the circumstances, Mann is the leader of this squad.

"Ugh... Mann, have you made up your mind yet?" Rebecca was losing patience. After all, Lin Yue had said that their entire team needed to agree, otherwise it would be even more troublesome if they changed their minds and left Dogtown.

Sasha of Night City had tried contacting middlemen, but at this time of year, who would be so suicidal as to do this kind of work? The roads in and out of Dogtown were even more difficult to navigate.

One solution is to directly register dozens of criminal records with the NCPD; perhaps then the Ghost Dogs can recruit them.

Mann scratched his head. "Where does this kid come from? I'm increasingly convinced that his boss is the company."

Rebecca muttered, "How should I know? There are tons of people in Night City who know our names. I can't possibly ask every single one of them if they're Ghosthound or the company, can I?"

“I think Rebecca is right.” Dorio stood up. “Mann, whoever is behind Lin Yue, we can’t afford to waste our lives in Dogtown.”

“Sasha is out there all alone, and she’s very worried about us.”

Mann sat quietly for a while, then said, "Let's talk to Lin Yue first."

Dorio nodded. "Come to think of it, we're the ones who tricked others—"

"It seems like even the hounds want to chase that guy."

Rebecca nodded. "Damn! It really is, this guy even cursed at me! He seems to be really resentful..."

Rebecca's expression darkened as she heard Lin Yue's voice telling her to get lost.

If the other party retaliates, it would be understandable.

Pila loaded the gun with bullets. "It would be bad if this kid sold us out—I need to get my gear ready!"

Rebecca glanced at the shotgun beside her; she didn't want to use it as a final warning to her overly cautious nature.

Destroy them all, you bastards!

What a lousy place it is, I, Rebecca, don't care.

“Pira, be careful. We need to be polite when we’re talking business.” Mann often dealt with middlemen and gangs, and he knew that it would be a loss if he offended Lin Yue at this critical juncture.

However, we cannot let our guard down.

On a smaller scale, it's uncertain whether the contact information Sasha gave is really Lin Yue's. On a larger scale, after what happened last time, there's a reason why someone might sell out their entire team.

[Incoming caller: Unknown]

Rebecca's eyes lit up, and she shared the call with several friends.

"So, I'm outside the Long Beach stockpile. Should I say yes, boss?"

Dorothy shook her head gently.

“Um…we can pay you.”

Lin Yue said "Oh," and then hung up. "Take care on the road, everyone."

Rebecca immediately broke down, standing on the windowsill and shouting loudly:
"Hey! We can pay! Just name your price!"

"Bastard bastard bastard!"

Lin Yue frowned; this girl was too fierce.

"The boss said, if you work here, we'll let you go. It's that simple."

Dorio and Mann both fell silent. Why did the other side insist on having their cyberpunk squad? The "Afterlife" bar in the city was filled with far more influential figures, seasoned veterans who had faced death with their lives. Besides, they weren't some of those high-level, cybernetically enhanced mercenaries.

The poor working team had no idea that Lin Yue chose them because he knew them well.

Lin Yue had already thought it through. The team in front of him was simple; all he needed to do was be wary of the hacker Qi Wei.

He himself is currently unaware that there is a person named Qi Wei among the hacker members of the team.

The members of Mann's squad were all people from the bottom class who wanted to make a name for themselves in the city, to stop being bullied, and to escape their social class.

They later frantically added prosthetic bodies, partly because they were lost in money and lifestyle, and partly because they were lost in fame and an overly obsessive desire for power.

Cyberpsychosis specifically targets people who are emotionally unstable, blinded by hatred, and have lost their sense of self.

David Martinez, in a way, represents their will; they are all people who yearn to stand at the top and prove their abilities to others.

A mercenary squad with a simple purpose is exactly what Lin Yue needs.

He didn't have time to look for any high-performing mercenaries at the Next Life Bar.

"If you call me an idiot again, I'll hang up immediately."

Lin Yue knew Rebecca was outspoken, but he had his own ways of making this unruly team submit.

Bosses always need to train their employees.

“Mann! Don’t just nod or shake your head like a mute, whether you agree or disagree.”

Lin Yue almost burst out laughing. This Rebecca is really... adorable.

“I am Mann.”

The deep voice sounded from the other end.

The leader spoke succinctly, "To be honest, we didn't trust you, which is why we had Rebecca contact you. We hope you don't misunderstand."

Lin Yue shook his head, "No, I'm not angry. What I can guarantee is that once you're out here, my boss will call you if there's any work, and the pay will be the market rate..."

"Let's add one more condition: when the boss assigns a task, I'll work with you guys. How about that?"

Mann couldn't figure out what Lin Yue and his boss were thinking.

This boss gave Lin Yue far too much freedom.

When did Taipingzhou have such a powerful middleman?

It's no wonder Mann was tempted; the other party's terms were practically tailor-made for them, eliminating all their concerns.

Lin Yue is going to act with them? Isn't that the key to putting their minds at ease?
After all, if something goes wrong with the mission, Lin Yue will also be in trouble.

This guy seems so confident; his boss must be quite reliable. Who could it be...?

Mann couldn't think too much about it; the team was in terrible shape, and he had to be responsible for the safety of every member.

This was decided from the beginning; he is the eldest brother, so he has both responsibility and obligation.

"Lin Yue, you're really good at communicating. I agree. I'll send you the location via message. We'll take precautions to verify your identity beforehand, just in case anything goes wrong. Do you understand?"

Lin Yue agreed, saying, "I understand."

Rebecca shouted as she connected to the phone line, her voice immediately becoming sickly, "You absolutely have to come, Lin Yue."

"I'm dying, I just need that one sip of Coke..."

"Alright, Rebecca, stop talking. Let's wait for Mr. Lin to arrive." Dorio sighed and smiled wryly, unable to bear watching this clown any longer in the channel.

The phone hangs up.

Lin Yue was speechless. This guy was really something, cursing with such force.

From the moment he received Rebecca's call, Lin Yue headed towards the Long Beach stockpile.

He passed by a dilapidated shopping mall that had been converted by the residents of Dogtown, but soon turned back.

The vending machine in front of me, stained with blood and dust, still seemed to be working, though the advertising copy looked rather unreal.

"Little Ke...Cola%￥...Love on...the tip of the tongue!"

Lin Yue's eyes lit up as a slightly chilled drink rolled out of the vending machine.

After picking it up and wiping off the dust, Lin Yue noticed the production date wasn't too long ago, and contentedly put it in his pocket.

Who told Rebecca to provide the assist today?
She's rewarded!
(End of this chapter)