Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 256 The Gambler [7K]

"Heavy hammer..."

Lin Yue naturally saw the slaughter machine that was considered a top-tier combat force in Night City.

Perhaps because they both had the same experience of "fighting their way out of near-death situations," Lin Yue could guess that the guy had discovered his exact location—

However, just as the brain pain from the overload caused by cracking the Arasaka mecha had subsided somewhat, a tearing pain suddenly erupted again…

Lin Yue bit through the filter of the cigarette he had in his mouth!
Fragmented memories surfaced in my mind…

Under the cover of night, the giant moon of the Arasaka Tower seemed to be the only hope and sanctuary in this broken world. However, a discordant sound rang out, and the heavy hammer stared at the girl with twin ponytails swinging back and forth in the square below as if she were looking at an ant.

call out!
...

He also saw the slender figure rushing into the Arasaka Tower. The stubborn girl, who had shed her corporate suit, was holding a knife and fighting against the combat machine that was almost inhuman.

Suzuki noticed something was wrong—

"Lord Rin!"

He was filled with worry at this moment. Even though things had come to this point, he was still completely stunned... It was all too sudden!
The feeling comes and goes quickly; it seems that when certain major events occur, there is always this inexplicable feeling of being locked in by fate.

"fine."

Seeing Lin Yue slowly straighten up, Suzuki gritted his teeth and asked the question that was on his mind.

"Why did you do this? Assistant Xu clearly..."

"I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have asked that question."

Suzuki was already starting to worry that Arasaka might be about to attack NID's logistics company. In this city, the company was the rule above all else—if he didn't get back soon, the logistics company would probably be attacked under various pretexts.

In fact, this loyal samurai was very curious about one thing: whether someone like Rin had no fear.

The name Arasaka not only intimidates petty villains and makes external enemies think twice, but those within the Arasaka organization also fear the day they might be abandoned by Arasaka, because at that time, they might lose not only their assets and status, but also their lives.

As for such rebellious behavior, if Suzuki were an outsider, he would definitely say he was crazy!

Unfortunately, he couldn't detect even a trace of fear on the young man's face.

"So you're saying Assistant Xu made a move?"

Lin Yue had his own ideas.

"It seems like they're helping us... But if even such a simple connection can cause such big problems, what if the enemy handles the rest? Are we just going to watch Lai Xuan's people fight amongst themselves and then use this company to add leverage to Arasaka's rivals? Besides, I've never trusted the company."

Suzuki's expression turned somewhat unpleasant as he listened to what was being said.

Lord Laixuan has been incredibly kind to Lord Rin. Few people can earn the appreciation of the current CEO. In Suzuki's view of things, this is a favor that must be repaid—which is why he is here right now.

Lin Yue wasn't indifferent; he just knew very well what kind of person the guy above him who was so mild-mannered towards him was.

For the sake of an ideal, one can destroy everything, even oneself; if you are bound to that ideal, then you must be prepared to be destroyed.

Saburo is still alive!
Even if it weren't for the fact that I was the unseen variable that caused many things to deviate from their original course, I could still sense Lai Xuan's helplessness when facing Saburo.

“Suzuki, compared to things like loyalty and honor, your own life is what truly matters; I understood that before. In that situation, if you were still sitting there waiting for Xu Zhi's charity, there was no guarantee that a mech and the Arasaka Commando Team, which quickly took their positions to try and deceive you, wouldn't rush in.”

Suzuki: "Is it worth bearing Arasaka's hostility for just this?"

Lin Yue nodded, his gaze full of certainty.

"This is not a hasty decision."

"If I had to choose between dying early and dying late, I would definitely choose the latter! If I die early, I will have nothing left, but if I die late, I will at least have the most precious things in my hands. Time is the key to winning many things. I feel like I have never had enough time in all this time, so this is the only choice I can make."

"Lai Xuan's people are already very unstable."

Since things have already come to this—

Suzuki gradually composed himself, adopted the demeanor of a safety supervisor, and began to assign tasks step by step.

Furthermore, his family and others had already been taken care of. Naturally, some of the Arasaka employees who had been forcibly taken aboard were unwilling to sit idly by and wait for their doom, so the cleanup began.

After arranging the work, Suzuki noticed that Lin Yue was sometimes frowning and sometimes smiling bitterly.

"Suzuki, I was actually tricked."

Did they play a trick on you?

Seeing the other party's confusion, Lin Yue continued, "Someone used me to complete the cleanup, and incidentally weakened the Night City branch's strength further, making it easier for them to intervene..."

Suzuki was stunned for a moment.

How can it be…

Who could possibly scheme to this extent?

"Lord Arasaka?"

Lin Yue denied it, saying, "No, it's Lai Xuan."

Lai Xuan?

Lin Yue sighed. In fact, he had guessed it at the conference table, and the possibility was very high.

Lai Xuan's men, seeing that Lai Xuan's power was no longer as swell as before, had long formed a wavering faction. They themselves were, on the surface, people whom Lai Xuan had helped to establish. Even if someone in the Konbi Building had ulterior motives, it would not be a large-scale ambush by Nitta's faction.

This presents two favorable conditions—

Lai Xuan completed the cleanup remotely, having already distanced himself from the company due to his distrust of it.

only…

Does Lai Hsuan really think so highly of himself? He's willing to completely take over the company. Isn't he afraid of ending up with nothing?
When everything was arranged, Lin Yue, who had smoked several cigarettes in a row, smiled with a hint of helplessness, as if he knew the outcome but still jumped into it himself, a strange feeling.

However, Suzuki, who was already on board, didn't care about this.

With Lord Rin here, that's a good thing.

"Damn hovercars."

Suzuki didn't dwell on the topic any further; some things were simply beyond his comprehension, so he decided not to think about them.

At this moment, he realized that Adam might have destroyed more than one engine; perhaps he had also destroyed some of the autopilot firmware. They were now circling in the air several times.

The stiff samurai, with a slightly paralyzed face, turned his head to the side and forced a smile that he wanted to offer comfort.

"I'm so sorry, Rin-sama, there's been a problem. Please make do with a seat."

……

[Incoming caller: Unknown]

Lin Yue was startled.

He naturally assumed it was Lai Xuan calling.

If you make the wrong guess and choose such an extreme approach, you may have created a powerful and ambitious enemy through your mistake.

Whether he accepts the offer or not is not important. If it is a V offer, Lin Yue also wants to explain the current situation.

V's dual ministerial status allowed him to weather this storm. If he had believed that V would be attacked from both sides in this operation, he would never have rebelled like this.

However, the holographic phone depicts an old woman wearing round-framed glasses.

Wakako…

It seems that the Tiger Claw Gang is indeed quite well-informed within Arasaka. Wakako's call was the first one to come, and Lin Yue naturally assumed that it was a provocation from the other side.

Because his attitude towards this "Garden Lady" was far from pleasant.

"To be alive... is the best thing."

Lin Yue smiled and responded, "Then it depends on whether you feel fortunate or regretful, Madam."

Wakako stared at Lin Yue quietly for a few seconds.

"Thank goodness."

She sighed, "Although you lack the respect that a junior should have and don't use honorifics with me much, you have indeed helped me."

Lin Yue didn't waste any words.

"Now? You can just say it."

Wakako crossed her arms in front of her. "Let this old woman think carefully about what to say—I never hesitate to praise those who have courage. It seems that your decision was very decisive. I have a feeling that we will be good partners, so I am glad."

"Secondly... because you helped me, I've decided not to help certain people."

"I will try my best to keep an eye on the Tiger Claw Gang members, but I'm getting old, and there are occasionally some unruly dogs. You'll have to be careful, but they won't cause any real trouble."

Wakako rejected Arakawa…

Lin Yue's expression became quite interesting.

I never expected that the efforts I wanted to make to help V would be put to use so soon. The lack of cooperation from the Tiger Claw Gang will force Arasaka to personally intervene... In that case, other corporate spies or informants won't be sitting idly by, and things will only get more chaotic.

"I never expected this..."

Lin Yue smiled.

Wakako gestured for herself to put away. "Many gangs are being incited by Arasaka. For some reason, Valentino in the west got into a fight with the Sixth Street Gang. And that's not all. The Uzumaki Gang, which has always disliked Valentino, has also chosen to get involved."

"I have to say, you're better at creating a safe environment for yourself than I thought."

Lin Yue could only explain it as a fluke—

Because these are things I wanted to do step by step, not because I had exceptional vision. Intelligence and vision are two different things.

Lin Yue: "It seems that the famous Mrs. Westbrook is an opportunist who likes high-risk investments?"

Wakako doesn't shy away from the topic, saying, "They're gamblers—my husbands are the best example."

“My work at the Crossroads Bureau taught me one thing: boldness pays off. Besides, I got revenge for my grandson, so it was worth it.”

“When you’re not in a hurry, maybe you can come here and talk.”

Lin Yue nodded.

"Well then... thank you for the information."

The phone hangs up.

Lin Yue himself was not afraid of gangs, but unfortunately there were other people in NID's logistics company who were not good at protecting themselves. If the Tiger Claw Gang was determined to be Arasaka's dog, it would definitely be a big problem for Lin Yue. Fortunately, Wakako liked Ying Da.

It seems that those who have struggled their way up in Night City all appreciate this kind of venture capital.

However, the Valentino gang is now facing attacks from both sides. It seems the Vortex gang is also keeping a close watch. Could it be that they want to take over Heywood?
Jack had already said that the conflict between Valentino and the Vortex Gang had been going on for a while, but the timing was so coincidental that it seemed like Rogge had revealed the truth.

However, it's good news. Now Lin Yue needs to sit down and think about how to proceed.

At that moment, the familiar ringtone, accompanied by the flickering holographic image within the prosthetic eye, floated up once more…

Lin Yue found it difficult to describe his feelings when he received Lai Xuan's call.

Just half an hour earlier, this rebellious young president, who had always been suppressed by Saburo, had completed a brilliant plan—if Lai Xuan hadn't thought this way, he wouldn't have made this call, because Lai Xuan wouldn't have used such a proclamation-like method to deal with enemies.

"Rin, not bad, right?"

The man on the other end had an expression that was neither sad nor happy, and his tone was also quite casual.

Lin Yue felt a sense of relief for some reason... He was glad that he hadn't made the wrong bet, and that he hadn't created an enemy that he couldn't handle at all.

"It's been so long since I've seen you."

Lin Yue spoke in a relaxed tone, as if he had met a friend.

But he did have a different feeling in his heart... Lai Xuan seemed to be more shrewd than he had imagined, and Saburo's shadow seemed to overlap behind him.

Could it be that my memory is faulty?
Although Lai Xuan was intelligent, he would never dare to take such a risk. Moreover, this move showed a perfect combination of strategic vision and understanding of human nature.

“You wanted a holiday, but there weren’t any provisions about holidays in Arasaka’s regulations—so this is what we did.”

Lai Xuan smiled, but you could still see the pain in his expression.

Lin Yue sighed softly.

When did it start?
Perhaps on the day he woke up, Lai Xuan, who was willing to completely oppose his sister, had already set up such a game. His obsession and unreserved trust in his subordinates perfectly fulfilled the preconditions for being betrayed. No one would doubt him, no one at all!

“Mr. Lai Xuan, I am no longer one of Arasaka’s people. Making a phone call would be very dangerous.”

Lai Xuan knew that the guy on the other side was testing him.

If you listen closely, it sounds more like a threat.

"I'm growing too, Rin."

Lai Xuan didn't want to ramble on about this condition, but instead sighed with a touch of melancholy, "I finally understand the key to my father's continued success."

Lin Yue listened attentively.

"Be a fanatical gambler and trust your first instinct."

Lin Yue seemed to have heard this word several times today.

Lai Xuan said in a deep voice, "He is like a shadow that I can't get rid of no matter what I do."

Lin Yue knew that Lai Xuan hadn't reached the point of trusting him enough, because Lai Xuan hadn't revealed his vision of dismantling the company to him yet.

Sometimes, obsession can be contagious.

Moreover, Lin Yue clearly knew what he was fighting for.

"Is it worth it?" Lin Yue felt that Lai Xuan was hurting himself while harming the enemy. Today's events would undoubtedly cause Lai Xuan's good reputation among the hawks to collapse. The act of self-destruction won the trust of the old dragon on the throne, but the price was equally painful. The hawks were a group of interests, and Lai Xuan was the core.

Now that this has happened...

Lin Yue didn't know how to describe this man.

"A wavering subordinate is often worse than a righteous enemy. Rin, you did a great job... Thank you very much."

Lai Xuan nodded slightly, expressing his gratitude in a solemn manner.

Lin Yue was momentarily at a loss for words.

Anyone would know that getting involved in the Arasaka affair, especially following Yoriyuki who is now clearly able to win against Saburo, is an extremely dangerous path!
Is Lai Hsuan really that confident?

You should know that you now have the option not to work for Lai Xuan.

However, Lai Xuan seemed to have guessed what the other party was thinking.

"Now that things have come to this, I no longer need to treat you as my subordinate or anyone else—my new partner. I will gradually address the internal problems of Arasaka sooner or later, but I don't have much time left. I need to ask you for a favor."

Lin Yue gestured for him to speak.

"I need your help at the right time... just once."

Lai Xuan's glasses seemed to have a few cracks. He quietly looked at the black wall weapon he was supporting with one hand. "If you agree, this is the final form of the vacation and gift I'm giving you; if you refuse, I will definitely deal with you first when I finish dealing with the internal affairs of Arasaka."

Lin Yue had already anticipated his response.

Lin Yue believed the last half of the sentence.

What wouldn't an idealist who dares to bring down a giant corporation do?
"よかった...(so good)"

When Lai Xuan smiles, he doesn't look as fierce as he used to. Maybe he was a handsome guy when he was young. It's just that his short hair and current style of dress don't suit him very well.

Lin Yue knew why he had agreed to his request.

Because that gambler's reckless obsession and frantic betting style is just like myself trying to carve out a path to survival in the gap between Dogtown and Blackwall.

That look in his eyes... it was so familiar.

"If you have time to rest, take a look at the world more; it may already be a very bad place."

Lai Xuan suddenly said something that seemed completely unrelated...

"Be careful, Rin."

Lin Yue nodded gently, "I understand, I will be careful."

After the call ended, Lin Yue's fingers tapped lightly on the dark brown leather seat.

……

V, sitting in the back seat, held his forehead.

She's having a terrible headache right now.

Because the counterintelligence department has caught up with several leads, some mid-level members of the Yoru no Shiro Arakawa faction, identified as belonging to the Yoru no Shiro faction, are mobilizing military force!

The reason she went to see Rin in person today was to reveal this information…

V admitted that his will to fight with everything was shattered by a few words from the other party.

Rin's words kept echoing in his mind...

"If you're going to waste all your effort, then go ahead and do it."

"Do you want to be kicked out of the company? Or do you want the entire Arasaka district to be cleansed all over again?"

What has been the purpose of all this journey?
V himself couldn't explain it clearly.

She knew very well that her position was not hard-won, so every day in her post, she supported herself with a strong mentality and resilience. She hated it when others looked at her with doubt or uncertainty, because she didn't want to lose at all.

I guess I'm the kind of person who... if I lose my job, I'll complain about losing my assets, my house, and my implants.

Too cowardly...

At this moment, she only hoped that the person at the headquarters in Japan could intervene in this farce, but the counterintelligence department's monitoring showed that this was almost impossible. Arasaka Yoriyuki had been completely suppressed and could only focus on the research and development of the Relic Soul Protection Project, which Arasaka was advertising all over the streets.

"what is that?!"

People were whispering among themselves. V opened his eyes and stared coldly at the soldier's face reflected in the rearview mirror.

The Arasaka soldier clearly realized he had lost his composure—

“I’m sorry, Minister… but some of the hovercrafts aren’t following the planned route and are getting too close to the buildings in the company plaza, which could cause a collision.”

V tilted his head, and his excellent prosthetic eye quickly pulled the hovercar above him closer.

Then her eyes narrowed slightly…

The Holy Sword of Reyfield is a rare sight in Night City.

She actually started praying that it wasn't that guy.

"Depend on!"

The soldier almost cried out.

In V's eyes, five or six warheads, like deadly serpents surrounded by fireworks, lunged at the airship!
Sensing something was wrong, she immediately ordered the car to stop. In a panic, she opened the car door and saw that the hovercar had already completely disintegrated in a ball of flames.

[Subnet message: An Arasaka employee has been attacked nearby. Rin... is currently offline...//]

The pop-up data message froze V's expression instantly. He could only stare blankly at the flame, completely unaware that his hand was already gripping it tightly.

[Caller: Jenkins]

"where?"

Jenkins looked like he'd swallowed a fly, staring intently at the apprentice he'd personally trained.

V quietly watched the debris fall in the distance, then said, "Back to the company immediately."

Jenkins: "Damn it... a bunch of sons of bitches are causing trouble at the Azure Building. Things are really bad—Rin has betrayed us, and Adam said he shot down that hovercar, which is very likely to be his."

"Perhaps you can see it now?"

V suddenly looked at Jenkins.

The man opposite him made no attempt to hide his gaze—

V took a deep breath and nodded slightly.

The special operations department naturally has the highest authority over this matter. Jenkins no longer has time to consider V's feelings. "Let's think about the consequences first. We can't talk about it over the phone... This can only be discussed in person. Let's make a smart choice as soon as possible and see if the two of us are worth it."

"Of course, you don't have to come, just hurry up—ugh, that's fucking amazing!"

tick...

V understood Jenkins's unspoken message perfectly: he only had two choices.

If you're worried about getting implicated, you can leave now... but what if you go back?

Perhaps as soon as you enter the company gate, you'll be surrounded by a group of fully armed soldiers, and in the end, you might be dismissed and thrown out of Arasaka... No, it might be a deadly predicament where you lose your life.

Almost instantly, she made a phone call.

“Harry, reject any order to revoke authorization—unless I return.”

"Have the security department supervisors stop what they're doing immediately, and you personally lead a team to take control."

The other party agreed without hesitation.

"Go back to Arasaka."

V, now in the car, shook his sleeves, his hand gripping a cold blade, and silently watched the NCFD fire trucks whiz past him on the driveway.

Right now, she wanted to rush into the scorching wreckage without hesitation to confirm anything, even if there were no bodies there—

That guy always likes to do things this way.

But it won't work...

V knew that if she was too slow to act, she would be the first one to be crushed in the vortex. The cost of losing was too high. She could only gamble that Arasaka was not willing to make any rash moves and did not have much specific information.

The flames flashed past the car, V's hands trembled, but she pursed her lips and remained indifferent.

She was about to break free of the stiffness in her back; a tightness in her chest made her want to bend over…

forget it.

The thought had crossed V's mind more than once: turn back now.

The torment in her heart made her reach into her suit pocket, fumbling for something to distract herself—

But after touching it for a while, she suddenly remembered…

But that pack of cigarettes had already been stolen by some bastard.

She suddenly let out a soft, dry laugh.

V sometimes wonders if people like Rin are born with the ability to restrain themselves.

Why…

She sighed, her eyes seemingly obscured by shadows, and the car began to slowly slow down as it entered the underground parking garage of Arasaka Tower.

"Minister, ahead..."

With his mind in complete disarray, V saw a dense array of Arasaka security guards standing on both sides in front of him. Their prosthetic eyes were all glowing blood red, and even the prosthetic markings on their faces were somewhat terrifying. They were just staring at him silently.

The driver was clearly flustered, and he instinctively turned his head to glance at his boss.

V suddenly reached out and placed her hand on the driver's shoulder, saying in a cool voice, "Drive forward, and it will stop naturally."

"But…"

The superior's unquestionable gaze made the soldier weigh the consequences clearly, and he gritted his teeth and drove forward.

The moment the car slowly came to a stop.

V's heart seemed to freeze; she sat there waiting for the person outside to reach out and open the car door...

Time seemed to slow down; the woman could even hear her own breathing.

Wow!
The hum of the ventilation system in the underground parking garage squeezed in through the open car door, and the agents outside just watched quietly as Arasaka Tower, the young minister who held two positions, came into view.

A faint red glow began to appear in V's eyes, and the security guard outside the door seemed to be reaching behind his back as well.

Damn it, I lost the bet?

Just as V slowly tightened his grip on the knife, a text message suddenly came in…

Her mind went blank for a moment as she stared at the text message in astonishment.

His expression then gradually relaxed.

She then slowly raised her head, while the soldier outside the door, who had been staring intently at V, began to slowly turn to the side—

He decisively extended his hand in a gesture of invitation.

"Please come in! Minister V, the heads of the security department are all present, and Mr. Jenkins is waiting for you. All contingency plans will proceed as scheduled!"

Like fresh oxygen being poured into deflated lungs, V finally managed to salvage her mindset from the brink of collapse.

clatter…

A simple yet sophisticated patent leather shoe emerged from under the car door.

Then the soldiers blocking the way all stepped aside and bowed their heads slightly in unison.

The woman gathered her soft, shiny hair, which was draped around her ears, into a ponytail... and then, with her hands in her pockets, slowly walked towards the elevator protected by her subordinates.

When she turned around, her face remained unchanged.

With his slightly raised chin, perfect face, and tall, slender figure, he looked as if he were wearing armor.

only.

No one present noticed the change in this haughty woman, after all, it was just a faint smile at the corner of her mouth.

But this did not diminish her confidence to return.

Because V bet correctly.

Actually, the text message wasn't long, and you could even tell the guy who sent it was a bit of a jerk—

It even reads a bit like a love letter written by a frivolous, irresponsible young man…

V guesses that few girls in Night City would pay attention to this text message.

But she will.

Valerie, keep going.

【I am here. 】

……

……

(End of this chapter)