Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 241 The Beast Tamer (Part 2) (7.6K views plus two extra chapters)
Since the collapse of the initial internet, games in the mainstream sense no longer exist in the online world. Instead, there are pixelated game consoles from the 20s, which some people call arcade games.

While advertising is utilizing holographic technology, games, as an important social stabilizer and outlet for stress relief, seem to be standing still.

Aside from the forgetful gamblers who would lose their last penny to the ridiculously expensive pinball machine at this Twisty Street pinball shop, most of the time a skinny old man would sit at the door, who loved watching comedian Hino Hidetoshi's shows.

"Damn! I might as well just buy a dead man's lottery ticket!"

The man with red eyes kicked the machine, and the marble inside, representing the chance to recoup his investment, began to move slowly. He nervously stared at the marble that would determine his dinner that night, completely unaware that two men with brightly colored ukiyo-e tattoos covering their entire bodies were standing behind him.

"hateful!!!"

The glass beads seemed to be under a spell, rolling back down the slope in an instant.

Enraged, the gambler pounded on the damned machine, the loud noises echoing around him.

When he spotted two members of the Tiger Claw Gang behind him, the gambler was lifted into the air, his sallow and emaciated body raised like a chick.

The fangs on Tiger Claw Gang's neck made him look even more ferocious. He muttered disdainfully, "Where did this bug come from?"

At that moment, an old woman's voice came from behind the pachinko parlor, "Takikawa-kun, don't settle this trouble here. Please let this guest rest. You need to go eat anyway."

The menacing-looking fellow merely tilted his head slightly. The gambler, drenched in sweat and practically kneeling on the ground, chuckled ingratiatingly, thinking he was saved. Visibly, the Tiger Claw Gang began to slowly loosen their grip on his collar. However…

The guy was incredibly fast; in the next second, his hand gripped the gambler's neck tightly, and his face slowly moved closer to him.

The other companion leaned slightly against the game console, watching with great interest.

There wasn't a single word spoken throughout, yet you could sense that the gang member guarding the place was prepared to kill.

Even as he strained to make a sound, the gambler gripped the gang member's hand tightly, but it was a prosthetic hand with the Tiger Claw gang's signature design and a dark red paint finish, leaving not even a scratch.

"Hey, hey, it's just a bead, isn't that a bit much?"

A thunderous sound rang out not far from the two of them.

"Ok?"

The Tiger Claw Gang member loosened his grip slightly, staring with extremely hostile eyes at the black-haired young man who walked in through the narrow automatic door.

He was quite good-looking, with a smile on his face. His street-style jacket made him look both slim and strong. What was striking was his hand, which was clearly a high-end prosthetic. A shiny object was tossed up and then fell back down in his hand.

Japanese?

It was still an Asian face, which left the Tiger Claw Gang members somewhat bewildered.

Although the Tiger Claw Gang is full of scoundrels, they are still people who follow Wakako around, so they have a good eye for things—this kind of aura is very mysterious. In short, the feeling they get from the other side is either a troublesome enemy looking for trouble or a young member of the gang…

Lin Yue looked around at the compact pinball shop, which could only accommodate two people walking side by side through the passageway.

It was much smaller than I had imagined. It seems that being a middleman can offend people quite a bit. Otherwise, the renowned Mrs. Westbrook wouldn't have made herself suffer in such a place, would she?
He paid little attention to the two Tiger Claw gang members, but through the thin bamboo curtain behind them, he could see a blurry figure behind the desk.

"who are you?"

The Tiger Claw Gang spoke in broken English with a heavy accent, "You're not Japanese. I can tell your Japanese... is off."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a burly man with a scar near his eye and a bun hairstyle squeezed through the door.

Lin Yue touched these retro-style arcade machines. Having been in this world for so long, he really missed these kinds of toys that he could still play in the arcades of shopping malls in his previous life.

Sitting down and playing a few rounds should be quite relaxing, right?
Lin Yue glanced at Suzuki beside him and swallowed back his harsh words. He originally wanted to say, "It's quite difficult to learn how to bark like a dog," but changed it to, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do. I'm afraid you loan sharks... who sell women with the boss, won't understand."

Depend on…

Suzuki's eyelids twitched.

He was actually shocked. Every penny a small pachinko shop earned was squeezed from the bottom of the Japanese street, right under the nose of Wakako, whose background was unknown... It was truly rotten beyond measure.

"This is not where you should be."

Tiger Claw Gang offered a "kind" reminder.

The drowsy old man at the door opened his eyes and craned his neck to look inside…

At this moment, the young man who had his back to him turned his head slightly and said, "Could you please close the door?"

Bang!
The prosthetic arm, wielding a short dagger, slammed into the old man's face, startling him so much that he immediately pulled his head back, leaving only the rocking chair beneath him swaying. He had vanished without a trace...

With a flick of his knife, Suzuki closed the door automatically.

poof...

The gambler was carelessly thrown to the ground, clutching his neck, almost coughing up his lungs.

Even though he was about to be strangled to death, he still scrambled to run outside. In his panic, he could only squeeze into the gap of the game machine next to him, covering his head and not daring to move.

Lin Yue watched the light behind him disappear, then slowly lit a cigarette and said, "We've come to talk about something. Like your boss said, if you don't want to be finished, you can turn around and go back to eat through the back door now..."

"Of course, I still hope you won't leave."

A furious roar erupted.

"What kind of joke are you talking about, you bastard?!"

Lin Yue closed his eyes, his eardrums almost ringing. These guys from the Japanese gang, speaking with a Kansai accent, were shouting deafeningly loudly.

The curtain was lifted, and several members of the Tiger Claw Gang with brightly colored hair surged in from the back of the passageway…

In an instant, the place became extremely small.

The Tiger Claw Gang doesn't have time for trash talk; they'll start killing without warning. And sure enough, the leader charged forward in one step!

A loud thud sounded as a heavy blow struck someone's chest!
Suzuki's shoe soles lit up, and the person who had been so aggressive suddenly had a dent in their chest, instantly retreating backward, eliciting a roar...

Lin Yue lightly wiped his hand, and the coldness of the blade shone from the black patch on the side of his jacket. His teeth, which were biting a cigarette, seemed as cold as the blade.

Suzuki took a step back.

He knew Rin was harboring resentment, and perhaps he also wanted to see just how far his own gimushi could go...

"Arrogant scum!"

The reflection of the Tiger Claw Gang's samurai swords brightened the room considerably. The clanging of metal accompanied the noisy shouts as Lin Yue drew his sword and charged forward.

At that moment, Suzuki's pupils suddenly contracted.

He had absolutely no idea why Rin still possessed such incredible speed; that impact was no different from the speed he had ever displayed in any of his previous actions…

Verify the first condition.

Lin Yue confirmed that the reaction points had nothing to do with the prosthetic body; they were simply the ultimate reactions of the body and movement.

Cybernetics will only make these points even more ferocious.

Secondly…

The arm is so heavy. The prosthetic body feels like a lead weight that doesn't fit the body. Even if the brain reacts, the arm can't make the corresponding commands.

Wow!
The blade twisted and struck only the man's knee. Lin Yue leaped up, stomping his feet hard on the back of the man who had fallen to the ground.

"Xinei!"

A piercing shout reached Lin Yue's ears, and he turned his head instantly, the narrow blade reflecting part of his profile.

Suzuki was about to throw the dagger at any moment, but he noticed that Rin was still dodging. However, this momentary lapse in concentration caused the dagger to strike hard at the prosthetic link on Lin Yue's shoulder.

The cut-resistant fabric was still slashed open, and the ferocious Tiger Claw gang member's face froze...

Little did he know that although Lin Yue's prosthetic body was practically useless in combat, its high-strength, prototype-level material couldn't be cut by a street thug's knife.

A cigarette butt, still burning with ash and sparks, slammed into the Tiger Claw Gang member's eye. The young man in front of him had incredible jumping ability; he stomped on the head of the man who instinctively covered his eye and howled in pain. The raised blade, though slow, slammed into the crowd with the force of the falling weight...

The clash of blades, the screams of agony, and the angry roars lasted for a mere minute or so...

The man holding the knife stood tall and straight. At that moment, Lin Yue felt as if he were electrified, his tired nerves experiencing an indescribable stimulation.

After the blade completed a flourish, the samurai sword that had accompanied Lin Yue in executing countless enemies slowly slid back into its sheath.

Lin Yue had a lot of blood on him, but it wasn't his own.

He glanced at the jacket with a pained expression; it was a custom-made style along with V's jacket.

The floor was a bit slippery. Lin Yue wiped the blood from his face, picked up a marble that had rolled out of a broken machine, and tossed it into the hand of a gambler whose eyes were wide with shock and whose hands were trembling uncontrollably.

He then used the hilt of his knife to lift the curtain of the inner room…

……

Wakako, who was inside, had already noticed something was wrong and was about to leave. However, the security system of the entire room seemed to have been hacked, so she could only enter but not leave. Therefore, she simply gave up the idea. Women of this age are much more detached. It can only be said that this time, the enemy seems to have made very thorough preparations.

She just wanted to see when such a bold guy had entered Night City.

Even though she was mentally prepared, her eyelids still twitched involuntarily when she saw who came in…

"It's you?"

As Lin Yue and Suzuki entered one after the other, Suzuki's face darkened even more than before as he listened to Wakako's mutterings.

A group of elderly gangsters from Night City know the security chief of Arasaka. Are you sure this isn't a joke?
Lin Yue, on the other hand, was not surprised at all.

He didn't keep her in suspense any longer, but still greeted her politely, "Hello, Wakako."

Wakako glanced at the people standing on either side, forming a pincer movement, and gently pushed up her retro reading glasses. "Let me guess... is this retaliation for some actions by the Tiger Claw Gang that are detrimental to you?"

"Your name is quite prestigious. I've heard of you even in the gutter of Westbrook. Mr. Rin, the head of security at Arasaka? Forgive my intrusion, but it seems a bit too obsequious for someone my age to call you 'sir'."

It's unrealistic to say that Arasaka and the Tiger Claw Gang didn't communicate, but the fact that Wakako, as the middleman, was able to uncover so much information further proves her ability to obtain the route for Arasaka Hanako's parade float.

However... this is not the debt Lin Yue wants to collect.

A finger and a ring were left in front of the old man.

Wakako glanced at it casually, as if it were an object, then lost interest. "Looks like the Tiger Claw Gang has offended you—"

Lin Yue shook his head, his gaze seemingly containing a hint of provocation.

"Wakako, how did your grandson die?"

Wakako, who had been calm and composed all along, suddenly pursed her lips. From her perspective, this could only be seen as a threat.

Wakako let out a sigh of relief. "It's not a good habit to ask questions you already know the answer to."

Lin Yue's scabbard pushed the finger forward slightly...

“A child died just like that, and unfortunately I saw it. That's a reason for me to come and talk to you about it... It seems to be Jun Honokazu’s person.”

Upon hearing this, her aged eyes locked onto the person who appeared in the information she could only obtain from some veteran middlemen in Night City.

"Upholding justice... In your opinion, Mr. Rin, what is justice?"

Lin Yue shook his head, realizing that his guess about the relationship between Wakako and the Tiger Claw Gang might be slightly off...

"Where is the justice in Night City's mess... It's like the air outside where you need a synthetic lung to breathe; there's no oxygen at all. Even the best synthetic lung probably can't let you breathe smoothly, right?"

Wakako was very surprised by Lin Yue's answer.

Lin Yue continued, "What I mean is... if this continues, you won't be much different from the Cleaners. Your experience working at the Crossroads Division should have made you understand the meaning of light very well. Do you have to make everyone unable to see the light?"

Wakako stood up slightly. "When a group needs to eat, their bottom line, morality, and needs are all diverse."

“All my husbands and children have accumulated wealth through this vast power, right up to me… But there are times when I can’t control it. Many people do things behind my back, and I can’t do anything about it. They are only willing to listen to this old man’s occasional manipulation because they are afraid that one day I will hold a knife to their throats.”

Without giving Lin Yue a chance to speak, she continued, "There's a woman in Arasaka who tried to kill you because of the irrational behavior of a certain leader of the Tiger Claw Gang. In the end, I'm the one who suffers the consequences; my power has been weakened by Arasaka."

After speaking, Lin Yue quietly looked at the expressionless old woman. He wanted to see any deception in this woman whose husband had died for "unknown" reasons, yet she remained so active.

Wakako: "Many people in the Tiger Claw Gang have unimaginably low moral standards. Low-level beasts bite and hurt, but you have to bear some bad consequences. And I am the manager who puts muzzles on these carnivores, but I can't always put them on properly."

"Even pregnancy can lead to unexpected problems, let alone a club?"

Suzuki's mouth twitched, which Lin Yue happened to see.

He immediately put on a serious face, reached out and scratched his face, pretending that he had just suddenly felt an itch on his face.

Lin Yue sighed helplessly, "You and Rogge are the same; those guys who can settle things in different regions are indeed good at talking..."

Wakako slowly walked out from behind the desk, clasped her hands together and placed them slightly in front of her. "I will make those people of Hanakami pay the price. I thank you for reminding me of that—of course, I can't forgive you for offending me with my deceased grandson."

Lin Yue shrugged. Anyway, it was Arasaka who was doing this, not him. Besides, the next issue was the most important.

He wanted to teach this organization, which was closest to Arasaka, what they should and shouldn't touch; the most important thing was that the Tiger Claw Gang couldn't cause trouble for V.

Unbeknownst to him, Lin Yue had already begun to put his idea of ​​leaving the company into action. In this world, those who stagnate are destined to be eliminated. V's position is not stable enough. What if one day the old man above suddenly decides to let Michiko, who was "studying abroad," come back to continue working?

That will be the time for true convergence and confrontation, so we must not lack any of the necessary resources.

When Wakako saw the young man's peaceful smile as he looked at her, her heart suddenly tightened for no apparent reason.

“Wakako, I may not be as experienced a mediator as you when it comes to debate, but I’m here to use this thing in my hand to let you know a message.”

Wakako: "What?"

Lin Yue said calmly, "My face matches my name, and... won't the Tiger Claw Gang cause me too much trouble? Let's see your sincerity. If you think you can't do anything, then I'll make a deal with other bastards. I believe many people are hoping you'll leave the Tiger Claw Gang, aren't they?"

……
-
"What the hell! The Animal Gang?"

The clanging of guns being cocked echoed through the bar.

Angie feigned surprise, "Oh my god... guys, be careful not to let it go off!"

"The Animal Gang seems to have a bad reputation? Hmm... Are they even worse than the Cleaners?"

At this moment, someone muttered, "No, not at all..."

Everyone glared at the guy who had such a loose tongue, except for Angie. Although the guy's face looked like the kidneys that the cleaner had cut out, Angie thought he was quite cute.

She clapped her hands.

"Look, there's someone who understands."

The bar seemed to need a leader, and everyone subconsciously looked at the fair-skinned Daphne. Everyone regarded this place as a place of emotional support. Daphne had been running the bar for so long, and everyone knew that she had a lot of connections, so she was suitable to be the temporary person in charge.

"This is not a place for you. Long Beach stockpile doesn't welcome gangs... Can't you see? Cleaners can only sell kidneys in those abandoned buildings outside."

Daphne was very impolite.

Although most people who come here have some kind of grudge, Dogtown is one of the few good places left, and who knows what kind of trouble a gang might cause once they come in.

Angie shook her head, showing no unease or wariness as if she had ventured in alone.

Please…

Someone who's been through Hansen's snake pit is probably not afraid of a bunch of guys at the Long Beach stockpile who're all too eager to fire the first shot and are just hoisting their arms with their gear.

The burly animal gang member behind her looked like a fool, his face expressionless. He followed Angie every few steps she took.

Angie lightly tapped her baseball bat on the counter. "Looks like even you, the white girl, aren't willing to make me a drink or anything. Well then, I'll get straight to the point... Hansen doesn't have anyone to help you manage this area right now—"

"In other words, he lost the Long Beach stockpile to us."

"Electricity prices, fuel costs, water costs, and... all sorts of other miscellaneous things need to be recalculated. Hmm, that's all I'll say."

These words made everyone's expressions turn sour.

Anqi still had an expression as if she was announcing some earth-shattering good news, but when she noticed that everyone's expressions weren't very good, her voice gradually softened.

"Click."

Someone has opened an insurance policy.

Angie was taken aback at first, then her expression turned unfriendly. "Have you gone mad?"

Daphne walked up to Angie, resting her hand on the counter. "Trying to rip off the neighbors' hard-earned money again? Aren't gangs afraid of getting too rich?"

Angie was almost laughing in exasperation.

She snorted first, then pulled down her hat brim to suppress her anger a little. "Are you sure you're not out of your mind? When the hell are we going to raise prices? Or are you just happy to give Hansen money?"

However, we must mention Hansen's management of Dogtown.

Hansen didn't delve into the details of what these guys in Dogtown were doing, whether they were trying to make a living or simply trying to avoid trouble. He only cared about one thing: a reasonable price and keeping promises.

However, his soldiers are cunning and sometimes do despicable things, but for the ordinary residents of Dogtown who have nowhere else to go... this is not bad, especially the closer you live to the Long Beach stockpile, the safer it is. If you have enough money, you can have everything.

Before she even arrived, Emma had told herself that this job wouldn't be easy.

Animal Gang is not as powerful as a gang army like Ghosthound. Implementing military control will not be as smooth and effective as it was with Ghosthound. Dogtown, with its "simple and honest" people, is not to be trifled with. If the neighbors think you are not a good person, riots are entirely foreseeable.

Keep in mind that this is inside the Long Beach stockpile. If we went any further out, Angie wouldn't have brought just this few people.

But this place is unavoidable.

Emma has a better grasp of the big picture than Angel. Although she's a bit crazy, she's still a shrewd person like Hans, who knows how to manage and create a virtuous cycle. Both the animal gang and Emma's territory need fresh blood, so the neighbors, especially those who want to make a living, are the most important human resources.

"I told you to look for them on Taiping Island, why all this trouble..."

Angie muttered a dissatisfied under her breath, looking at Daphne who seemed to be devouring her. She always felt that this girl had a kind of Night City-like quality, like those politicians and councilors who led the charge for freedom but ignored the fact that they were currently exploiting their groups.

"So... you can leave now."

Daphne didn't want to make things too ugly, so she just kept urging them on.

Everyone in Dogtown knows the Animal Gang is at the height of their power. If Emma hadn't said they had to be gentler, Angie would have already broken those bastards' legs with her stick. Then these idiots would have had to obediently pay up. There was no other way... this was the most outrageous method the Animal Gang leader could think of.

But going this way is definitely not an option.

Anqi felt that if someone insulted her and she walked away like that, she would be no different from a bastard.

then--

Angie tapped her cane on the counter. "That's easy. My guys will be here soon. Once you pay, we can all talk."

I don't know if Angie learned a thing or two from Emma, ​​but she seems to have a lot more ideas in her head than before.

"The guy who pointed a gun at my sister just now, his electricity bill went up by 10%. Don't ask me why—I'm in a bad mood, so the generator isn't running at full speed."

Then, under Daphne's puzzled gaze, she looked around the bar and said, "It looks bright and clean. How about this, girl... I'm not one to hold grudges, so the electricity bill won't go up. After all, you're on good terms with the Animal Gang."

A hint of anger immediately flashed in Daphne's eyes.

The people around him had strange expressions.

"Holy crap... why the hell is this happening?"

Looking at this woman who could be considered weak even among the animal gang, Daphne realized that she seemed to have fallen into a fixed mindset, thinking that the animal gang were all a bunch of reckless and brainless guys.

But unfortunately, this is Angie.

The smartest animal in Dogtown… no, or rather, the smartest animal in all of Pacifica.

Anyway, she finally felt relieved. Seeing everyone's expressions, as if they had swallowed flies, Angie smiled with satisfaction.

She finally understood what Emma was thinking when she came up with such bad ideas—it was nothing but pure pleasure, like her head was about to explode…that's just how it had to be.

Angie stepped back a few paces, waving a baseball bat in her hand and smoking a cigarette as she walked out of the automatic door.

In fact, Angie came today to lower the price for the neighbors. She was tasked by Emma with giving up the price difference to win over the people at the Long Beach stockpile.

But Angie was still unhappy.

What's the difference between this and eagerly becoming a grandson?
But what's done is done, and there's nothing to regret...

At this moment, a member of the animal gang who had been silent all along spoke up: "Boss, isn't this different from what our boss agreed on?"

Angie rolled her eyes. "Do you want me to tell you?"

She stared at the tree covered with faded yellow photographs and candles, the most vibrant thing in Dogtown, a town bordering Badlands. Looking at the residential area that most resembled a peaceful and stable region of Dogtown, Angie felt a momentary daze.

People coming and going, garbage vendors hawking their wares, and the light that squeezes out from those makeshift shacks that pose a significant safety hazard.

It's a great place, and it's very popular.

Angie regretted acting impulsively and could only raise her eyes and call Emma.

Emma's languid voice remained as calm as ever (except when she was going crazy), "All done, darling?"

Angie took several deep breaths. "Um..."

The beautiful woman on the holographic screen seemed to know the outcome, but she didn't speak. Instead, she rested her chin on her hand as if she were staring at a pet... Perhaps it sounds strange, but that's how it was.

"Hmm, the infamous Queen of the Dogtown Animal Gang, the leader of the Ghost Hounds, whose name some people avoid at all costs—Waterloo?"

Angie said helplessly, "I've done my research. This place has the most people, so word spreads quickly. Our arrival won't cause such a big reaction—but the problem is these guys are stubborn and arrogant, thinking we're here to raise prices!"

"I...I can't stand it!"

Emma nodded. "Okay, I understand."

Angie thought Emma would remain silent and then look at her with that gentle yet slightly crazy scrutinizing gaze, but the other woman just smiled with narrowed eyes as if she were teasing her.

In an instant, Angie realized that she had been tricked by this woman.

“Then let’s go all the way and raise the price. In Dogtown, Hansen and I are the only ones who can get things done. If they want to find someone to settle this, they can only come to me. I knew you couldn’t stand those guys at the Long Beach stockpile who just want to huddle in there and have a peaceful life.”

"Hansen has a good eye for them. They'll eventually accept the price increase, even if it goes up a little today or a little tomorrow."

"But what about us? We don't have time. I know all too well that good intentions are often misinterpreted... Let's do this: come back first. Whether they call me, the new middleman, or we cut the difference and only make a profit, we'll take them down."

Emma said with a smile.

Then a girl's voice sounded beside her, and Emma said, "That's it then? Remember to come over sometime."

Angie hung up the phone dejectedly.

She found herself seemingly always playing a strange role, like Rin and Emma, ​​using her personality in a way that never backfired. This feeling of being intellectually challenged was truly unpleasant.

Animal Help...

So, I've really been tamed like a gorilla?

At this moment, Angie, who was furious, turned her head and saw the animal security guard next to her still standing with his hands in front of him, staring at her without blinking—

Angie kicked the guy in annoyance.

"Look at you! Let's go!"

……

……

　[Hidetoshi Hino]: In the main quest of 2077, "Snatching Teeth from the Tiger's Mouth," Goro Takemura is mistaken for a comedian by an old man outside a waka pachinko shop and asked to deliver a dramatic line. This character can be scanned at the Sapphire Blue Gathering in the DLC "Shadows of the Past," and bears some resemblance to Goro.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)