Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 346 Santo Domingo's Plan

The life of a rock 'n' roll kid isn't just about staying up all night in a drunken stupor, or scribbling on sheet music while smoking, fiddling with audio equipment, or having endless unwanted romantic advances while partying in nightclubs.

Lack of self-discipline has become the norm in this world.

Drugs, Mewtwo, and various product placements have led people into an endless descent into a state of neurological depravity.

Hating the company yet submitting to it—that's pretty much what the world is like.

Lin Yue had tried the Mewtwo technology before.

On some level, there's a strange feeling of having one's "id" consciousness invaded.

In the Mewtwo storyline, any subtle feeling of the characters can be captured, and many secrets can be revealed with the help of powerful editors.

The person who invented this was undoubtedly a genius; it made holographic devices something that was neither useful nor worth discarding in this timeline's technology tree.

The sense of immersion is maximized, to the point that even the temperature of the surrounding environment can be perceived...

It felt like I was reliving my own life.

That's quite novel.

But it's not to the point of addiction.

Perhaps I have what this world calls Hyperdream Syndrome, and the nausea and sensory disturbance that follows a Hyperdream experience can last for a long time.

For Lin Yue, it has lost its unique appeal.

He prefers to spend his energy on training and information gathering.

You can't accomplish anything without self-discipline. Even with implants, you still need a strong body and nerve recruitment ability to control them. The big shots in Night City all work hard behind the scenes.

After all, it's a violent path to survival that involves fighting to the death, and at any time, "sweat more in peacetime, bleed less in battle" is the truth.

In the past three months, apart from manipulating everyone to make military technology and biotechnology clash, he has lived a very orderly and regular life.

The literal meaning of "three-faced" life.

In the eyes of his partners, Rin, who could deliver a heavy blow to the company, was still watching the company's every move from the shadows of Night City. No one knew where he was during the day, not even V and Emma.

What about Santo Domingo?
There will be a group of people in the bar, belting out rebellious rock music and shouting soberly among a group of drunks.

As for now——

"Whoosh..."

Lin Yueteng pressed down on the replaceable filter on the breathing mask and accurately threw the blocky object, which had long since turned from snow-white to gray-black, into a roadside trash can that no one had cleaned for a thousand years.

The replacement process is very efficient; from Santo Domingo to the riverbank in Westbrook, it usually involves replacing five filter cartridges.

The air quality in Night City is terrible in the morning; even synthetic lungs need to be careful.

"A bright and sunny day, my friend."

Brandon's built-in model rang in Lin Yue's ears, like having a good friend to talk to and relieve boredom at all times.

Lin Yue looked up at the sky. The holographic image of the Japanese diva appeared somewhat dim in the daytime. Just as Brandon had said, it was a sunny day.

"Then let's speed things up today."

As he spoke, Lin Yue, dressed entirely in black sportswear and wearing a sports cap, hunched over and sped up.

Of course, you can't go too far, and it's best not to use a prosthetic body...

Although the NCPD may be blind, if you use the speed of the Sinwidman in front of them, they will naturally open fire on you for more than a dozen reasons, including illegal possession of a dangerous cybernetic body and dangerous behavior in public places.

Yes, the NCPD's practice of issuing warnings before firing is now outdated.

The current NCPD allows paid leave for shooting someone in the torso and killing them, so be especially careful in more busy areas.

It's not that he's afraid to confront the NCPD, but if things escalate, it will attract the Special Operations Team and the Terrorist Mobile Unit, and Lin Yue doesn't want his peaceful days to be ruined.

"The speed has increased again."

Brandon grumbled in dissatisfaction.

“I kind of miss the woman who’s always buzzing in your head. She’s funny and knows a lot of things I don’t.”

Lin Yue once felt that he could throw a party in his head, but Brandon was implanted in an external device and had little to do with his own head.

It could sense that the matter of Ultraman did initially make Lin Yue somewhat worried.

But then it was gone—

He even suspected that Brandon wasn't a man-made program existing within the Black Wall, but AI itself wouldn't admit to such things, so he didn't bother to investigate further.

Lin Yue had long since tacitly accepted that Otto would occasionally delve into cyberspace to investigate clues.

He had mentioned earlier that he needed help, but Ultraman hadn't answered.

never mind…

Let's go for a run instead.

In fact, running is a test of endurance. When the prosthetic body is not in use, the developed muscles and physical points of the legs are basically disconnected from the prosthetic body. In other words, these two original legs, which were saved by the Qiansi Fox Relic chip, are equivalent to running with dozens of kilograms of iron blocks strapped to them. This is undoubtedly an extremely good weight training.

The Tiger Claw Gang in Westbrook seems to have toned down a lot.

Lin Yue rarely saw a restaurant dare to put tables outside. The office workers in the building were all standing at the entrance smoking, watching Lin Yue, who was wearing a mask, run past with indifferent eyes...

I had a dazed feeling, as if I had returned to the normal world.

But around the next corner, you'll see the Tiger Claws' signature attire and motorcycles...

Still the same.

"What's wrong, Brandon? Are you bored?"

"Didn't the biotechnology and military technology stuff last time satisfy your appetite?" Lin Yue shook his head helplessly. "Sometimes I really wonder if you're a human Brandon."

"He is curious, likes to tell jokes, and may even deceive others."

Brandon sounded a little embarrassed.

"I thought I was careful enough to hide it, but you still saw through me... Of course, I know there are risks involved, but every time I act with my comrades, it gives me a feeling of—"

"A completely refreshed feeling, yes! That's it!"

This adds another piece of evidence that Brandon resembles a human:
They enjoy seeking thrills.

"Don't worry, Brandon, it won't be too far."

"My team will keep causing trouble; we just need to do our job."

Brandon guessed that Lin Yue would use the mask on his face, this prosthetic body that he couldn't understand, to do many interesting things.

"Ah, I can't wait..."

"So, my friend, what should I do? As long as I don't stand on the street like a vending machine, I'm happy to participate in any activity!"

Lin Yue lowered himself and leaped up, taking two or three steps to cross the riverbank embankment connecting Japan Street to the Watson District Bridge, just as the toxic heavy metal haze of the early morning was about to dissipate.

The river glistens in the sunlight. Even without smelling it, just looking at the scenery, the neon lights of this progressive city have faded, the sunlight is gentle and languid, and there is a new kind of vitality. Perhaps this is what Richard Knight originally intended when he founded this city.

"Brandon, what you have to do has always been very simple."

"We copy whatever the company is unhappy about."

Sensing that the air quality index was starting to rise and that his synthetic lungs could handle it, Lin Yue removed his mask and stared intently at the city.

Brandon wholeheartedly agrees.

[Incoming call: Unknown number].

Lin Yue curled the corners of his mouth. "What did I tell you? Isn't this a job we've got?"

Old Captain.

Lin Yue had a deep memory of this guy with the weird hairstyle.

He's rooted in Santo Domingo, and he's one of the well-known middlemen who has expressed his disgust at the company's practices. In fact, most middlemen either have an ambiguous attitude or act as the company's front man.

The "lady" from Badlands is a long-time rival of the company, so she can only operate in the Badlands. Otherwise, the company would have dealt with this troublesome person long ago.

Even if you do bad things, you still have to maintain a semblance of dignity; that's what a corporate dog is like.

It has to be said that using the mindset of a corporate dog to deal with other corporate dogs works well, like what we're doing right now.

"Hello? Hello? Uh... Damn, who are these people? Aren't you going to answer the phone?"

The old captain on the other end sounded very busy.

Lin Yue replied, "I can hear you."

The old captain paused for a moment, then said, “How come you’re not what I imagined? You’re a bit young. I thought you were the kind of veteran who looked like you had suffered a lot on the battlefield in the new America without receiving any compensation.”

I've heard your songs, but I've never met you in person.

Lin Yue didn't care about that much. "How well someone sings has nothing to do with them. I'm K, no doubt about it." The old captain became interested in this guy who clearly had a certain presence.

He thought it would be one of those guys who'd be babbling incoherently after a hangover answering the phone, but to his surprise, not only was he full of energy, but he was also incredibly composed—like a seasoned mercenary.

"Mysterious, huh? Anyway, I haven't been able to find out where you came from, but I really need your help."

The old captain smacked his lips.

"Can I ask you, a middleman who sponsors our performances, asks us to speak up for the neighborhood... and even takes a cut, don't you want to explain yourself?"

Lin Yue still couldn't understand why the old captain had started a band.

"Look at you guys courting death on the street. You won't even know when the company will take you down. Besides—that's how I, the old captain, got my reputation—by having a keen eye for talent."

"If you just stand on the street and wail without a record company, what will you eat? Why not write some songs for us poor folks and do something practical?"

Lin Yue shook his head.

"Tsk..."

The meaning is quite clear.

I do not believe.

The old captain was also resigned to his fate; he was genuinely afraid of dealing with these artists, who didn't care much about money and were incredibly stubborn.

"I keep an eye on anyone who doesn't get along with the company."

The old captain's action was unintentional. You see, this was the most he had ever spoken to a stranger when they were not familiar with each other.

"Besides, my younger brothers all like you a lot. It would be nice if you wrote more songs so we could listen to them and relieve our boredom."

In fact, the old captain has been having some worries lately.

Seeing the rock kid dawdling, I lost my patience and snapped a couple of times.

Who would have thought—

"That's a good reason. I respect anyone who doesn't get along with the company."

The old captain chuckled strangely twice.

"Alright, awesome bro."

Things seemed to have reached an agreement, but Lin Yue wasn't going to let this opportunity slip by.

He had long since seen through Watson. Westbrook was most deeply controlled by the company, so the only places to make a move were Dogtown, Pacific Island, and Santo Domingo. Building momentum in Santo Domingo was part of the plan, and now it wasn't out of the question to use the old captain's influence to gain his trust and make some big moves.

As for the squad, they will continue to attack the company under their instructions.

What I need to do now is to make my image as someone who deeply hates the company more three-dimensional.

There are quite a few rock 'n' roll kids who also cause trouble, with guns right next to their guitars.

"Also, you can contact me if you need any other work."

As if afraid the old captain wouldn't believe him, Lin Yue added a sentence.

"We're short of money."

The old captain was stunned.

Who is this big shot who came to Santo Domingo?
The old captain was a bit bewildered; he could sing and loved to cause trouble.

"Wait a minute, buddy—"

"You mean, you've done all sorts of jobs?"

Lin Yue didn't confirm either. He knew that these middlemen were all shrewd people, and they wouldn't easily assign tasks.

He didn't expect to become successful overnight, and he wouldn't do anything too dangerous. He just used these opportunities to build connections and make Santo Domingo a part of the dreamers.

Take your time...

"I'm forced into this situation. What I mean is... you can contact me."

"If I mess this up, you won't let me do it again, right?"

The old captain applauded in greeting.

"Wonderful…"

"Writing songs about emotions is your hobby, right? Okay, okay, I'll definitely ask you for work."

Lin Yue neither confirmed nor denied it.

This can be considered a tacit rejection.

The old captain wasn't the type to go around looking for people. In his memory, V had accomplished several things before being trusted by this middleman. However, V was preoccupied with his survival crisis, and Lin Yue didn't need him.

The call ended.

The old captain sent the contract with more details.

Lin Yue had always felt that contracts in this world were really strange. There were companies that specialized in protecting contracts, but generally speaking, there were only verbal agreements without contracts, which were not a guarantee at all in Night City where the law had been completely lost.

It's common for people to change their minds on a whim; middlemen selling out mercenaries, and mercenaries selling out informants.

The fact that the old captain unexpectedly lost a contract proves that the band has started to take off.

If you have the right approach, everything will go smoothly.

"What a pity, it seems that the middleman from Santo Domingo rejected you?"

Brandon was indignant.

If the old captain knew Lin Yue's abilities, he would probably be eager to have him do some work now, but Lin Yue didn't want to be so high-profile at all.

Always remember what V told you.

Keep the company in chaos and remain invisible.

Lin Yue didn't answer Brandon, but in the instant he turned around, he saw a familiar face.

Two young people were by the riverbank. The girl was wearing a pink tracksuit with a touch of neon green, and she was holding a slender cigarette between her fingers.

The boy, shirtless, was doing push-ups on the ground.

哟…

Cyber Couple.

Lin Yue stared with great interest at the two people who seemed inseparable even by fate.

To be honest, if it weren't for Suzuki's situation, Lin Yue might have been more merciful to Lucy, but unfortunately, life is a game that can't be replayed.

As he looked at Lin Yue, a kind of benevolent gaze appeared on his face.

Brandon was convinced that it was kindness—

Even a slightly mysterious smile.

So what do these two kids do in their spare time?

Lin Yue shook his head. School bullying is something you have to deal with yourself. If David can't learn to be tough, he'll always give in.

Prosthetic body…

It's not something a child can grasp.

Not interfering and letting some people and things develop on their own is not necessarily a bad option.

Lucy, smoking a cigarette, sat on a cold concrete park bench. As if sensing someone watching her, she suddenly looked up.

But the steps above were empty.

"Well?"

Lucy exhaled a puff of smoke, looked at David panting on the ground like a dog, and her expression changed to one of great interest.