Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 374 Gilafa [5.8K]

Good morning, Night City!!!

"It's another beautiful, sunny day. Ready to greet a new day in the City of Dreams?! I bet some guys who just woke up from vomit in the bar are ready to go all out!"

"The worst area in the US?"

"Oh no, no, no, it's the city with the most unique experiences in the entire United States! Night City is the first choice for tourists; although some passersby may call you an idiot, it doesn't mean that this city has no value for money. You can experience a wide variety of military cybernetic devices that are strictly prohibited in other cities!"

Stanley's voice on the radio was still as captivating as ever.

Inside the alleyway.

The rock youths were panting heavily as they ran, glancing back every now and then.

After he ran past what seemed to be an empty alley, a large group of men carrying knives, guns, and clubs suddenly emerged.

There is no doubt that he has offended the local gang, the Sixth Street Gang, in Santo Domingo.

The leather jacket he wore and the pistol he carried were his last weapons!
"Fuck you!"

The young man threw his clothes away.

The man whose face was covered by clothes was caught off guard, and soon there were several gunshots and flashes of bright light in the alley.

The young man tossed the empty magazine aside and slipped like an eel into the combat taxi that was already parked by the roadside. He turned his head and looked at the furious guys behind the box and the driver of the makeshift group shouting about how exciting it was.

Ironically, the car that took him on the run was modified by a driver from the Sixth Street Gang.

For this rock-and-roll kid who was also a "part-time" mercenary, raiding other people's territory to steal goods was just one of the exciting things he did every day.

……

"Should we live one day at a time, or seize the opportunity and turn the world upside down?"

"Don't tell me you want to be a useless person whose brain is full of holes from watching Mewtwo."

"Most legendary figures don't achieve their success overnight; for example, you have to learn how to deal with street rules first."

Stanley said so.

Lijiang Scenic Area.

Rock 'n' roll kids are increasingly appearing in more and more businesses.

Everyone knows there's a guy who's an amazing singer and gets things done just as well.

As long as a broker comes to him with payment ready, he dares to sit in front of the priest and speak frankly, making demands. In short... I've never seen such a fearless person.

Whenever he had to steal a car, he would make his partner vomit violently after getting out of the car.

It felt like the last time I'd ever drive a car...

The old captain was standing by the car from a distance, waving as it approached.

The rock youths approached each other, shook hands, bumped shoulders, and patted each other on the shoulder – a standard way to greet someone on the street.

But when the old captain saw the car the young man had driven back, his sunglasses couldn't stay up anymore. He angrily pointed at the parts that would cost a fortune to repair, while the rock kid, with a cigarette in his mouth, had a nonchalant expression.

……

Inside a bar in Santo Domingo.

The young man on stage shouted himself hoarse, and the guitar strings in his hands sparkled like sparks from steel wire.

Red clay is the starting point for the spark to ignite.

The bars in Santo Domingo are filled with these rock youths, their followers are growing, and their voices singing about the city's injustices are becoming louder and hoarser.

KIA's main tactic is indiscriminate attacks, not even sparing small companies with bad behavior. Even some unscrupulous media outlets are cut to the bone by this Night City "truth knife." KIA's fans are undoubtedly manic, and according to WNS news, they are a group of "anti-social scum."

Who knows?

In short, the company has created so many terms that they seem to be nothing short of praise for anyone wanting to make a name for themselves in Night City.

Of course, it's certain that you'll be resented by others.

Stanley often quotes the old saying: "People are afraid of becoming famous, just as pigs are afraid of getting fat."

Small companies often face warnings and retaliations from gangs—and here it is, it's happening again.

"cheers!"

The foam of industrial beer breaks free at the rim of the glass, and the beer with too much fusel oil makes your head ache like it's splitting the next day, but the drunken rock 'n' roll kids don't care about that.

This is a required course for rock and roll. The price of being intolerant of everything is misanthropy. You can vent a few words to numb yourself. After all, there are only so many things that guitars and microphones can do.

One beer after another went down my throat.

The strongest lone wolf in Night City is just like any other ordinary person in the city, like all the other zombies, only occasionally remaining conscious.

KIA, who was quite tipsy, was invited to sit in the most prominent booth in the bar. Soon, a group of menacing-looking people roughly pushed through the crowd and came over from the dance floor.

The band was having a great time, and Li, who was so proud of himself, even stood on the coffee table and boasted that he was the best rock musician in Night City!
"Hey!"

The drunken crowd heard someone shouting.

Soon, fists rained down along with the shadows cast by the burly men.

Bang!
The beer bottle was smashed on the big man's head, eliciting a pig-like scream from him.

The crowd, who had been enjoying themselves just moments before, quickly descended into chaos.

Lin Yue's counterattack was worthy of a skilled street fighter; the beer bottle in his hand was smashed and tossed aside.

The guys who were dancing with joy just a second ago are now the targets of an attack. If the bar's security guards hadn't squeezed through the chaotic crowd, Li would have been beaten half to death.

However, this is just a microcosm.

A glimpse into the life of a rock star in Night City over two or three months.

Every guy in Night City who wants to be a big shot is living the dream Stanley talks about, yet they all end up rotting in the mud.

They only hope that one day they will stumble upon an opportunity to become famous throughout the world; this is the unique survival philosophy of Night City.

Stanley's voice continued on the radio...

"Finally, I'd like to give everyone a piece of advice: if you want to eat your fill, you have to work like crazy."

How do prominent figures rise to prominence?

That is... to boldly try new things!

……
-
"The person died in the Night City junkyard?"

"Although this guy has caused us a lot of trouble... it's not his fault, so forget it... he should have been dead anyway."

Inside the bar's restroom, where upbeat music could be faintly heard from outside, Lin Yue rubbed his hands against the holographic mirror, a mirror with the usual blurry style found in Night City.

A young man dressed in a rock-and-roll style, reeking of alcohol, approached the mirror and scrubbed the prosthetic face where beer foam had accidentally splashed.

The sound of water splashing as people washed their hands could be heard nearby.

"Compared to this, you're quite proactive."

Lin Yue said with a smile.

A tall, samurai-style man dressed like a Japanese bodyguard stood beside him, a slight smile playing on his lips as he quietly watched the rock youth.

Lin Yue knew that guy was definitely laughing at his incongruous attire.

"Welcome back, Suzuki."

"I'm returning this great gift to you."

Suzuki Takeyoshi bowed slightly, as if returning a greeting.

"Actually, compared to this 'gift,' I still think it's more exciting to go with you to find the thugs working for the middleman on the streets of Westbrook."

Thank you for your care.

Standard Japanese politeness.

Of course, Suzuki said this from the bottom of his heart; the Dreamers were the ones who borne the entire cost of the trauma group's long-term rehabilitation treatment.

The largest healthcare provider in North America has countless deceptive clauses in its contracts.

"Suzuki..."

Lin Yue was both angry and helpless.

Suzuki knew that his boss just wanted to express more than just welcome.

How is your life in Night City?

Suzuki seemed genuinely curious.

Someone like Rin-sama, who held a high position in the company and was a legendary lone wolf, was one of the best in Night City…

Would you feel comfortable accepting the rules on the street?

Although I don't want to use the terms used by Night City to measure the level of mercenaries to describe Rin, he has already earned the qualification of a legend by firmly grasping his fate in his own hands on the brink of life and death so many times.

"very good."

Lin Yue's cheek still stung a little, and when he licked his gums, he could still taste the sweet, metallic taste of the blood.

"As you've seen, if someone holds a grudge against you, you might get shot in the back of the head one day... that's a common occurrence."

Suzuki shook the water droplets off his hands.

"You're not going to die so easily. To be honest, not only can the company's informants not find out that you're still alive, but even we, who have been working our way up from the beginning, can't connect you with the company's leader at all."

Lin Yue coughed lightly.

People who have received formal training always have a pleasant speaking voice…

Suzuki, seeing through Lin Yue's embarrassment, didn't point it out but instead said seriously, "I came here today to tell you about the recent situation. The biotechnology industry in Night City has been basically dismantled. Apart from the R&D center and the biotechnology building, the only reason they are still in Night City is because of Europe."

Lin Yue's brow twitched.

The roots of such century-old companies are so deep that even in North America, eradicating biotechnology is not something that can be done in the short term.

"I heard that the idea of ​​having the company fund the renovation of Taipingzhou was yours?"

Lin Yue's question left Suzuki unsure of how to answer.

"The blast wave affected too much of the area..." Suzuki knew that such an expenditure was unnecessary for the company, especially from Rin's perspective; it was tantamount to throwing money around on the street.

"Moreover, the media's constant criticism of our company... if it goes on for a long time, people might start to believe it—isn't the opera on Channel 54 a good example? Even children can sing a few lines of songs mocking Arasaka. Even if it's just like military technology, they're all birds of a feather and no one can say it's clean, but that's the root of long-term news brainwashing."

Lin Yue suddenly found the guy in front of him to be quite adorable after lying on the hospital bed.

The first sentence probably reflects Suzuki's true thoughts.

However, the second game seemed more like a reason tailor-made for Lin Yue and Emma—

"You, Suzuki, try to balance your own ideas with the company's interests."

Lin Yuecai wouldn't blame Suzuki for this; rather, he saw growth in this loyal samurai.

Compared to his reckless rule-breaking in Japan, Suzuki now clearly knows what the bottom line of conscience is, which is consistent with the mindset of a dreamer.

"Please take care of these matters, but there's one thing..."

Lin Yue thought of Yuko outside the ward.

"You can't close off your own escape route because of the mission."

Suzuki opened his mouth, but his gaze was somewhat somber.

"To achieve certain goals, it is probably impossible without making sacrifices. Aren't you... sacrificing yourself?"

"The danger you faced was something that even with a prosthetic body, survival wouldn't have been guaranteed..."

"Compared to your actions, which have never shown any fear, I will naturally not break the agreement we made at Arasaka Tower—I will not be cowardly, nor can I be cowardly."

Lin Yue was somewhat annoyed by this guy.

Although I hardly thought about fear and dread during the battle, no one wants to die. It's just that when I see injustices that cannot be erased by force, this courage will always support my belief.

“I heard what you and Yuko were saying.”

Suzuki's voice was soft, but it sounded so clear amidst the noisy environment.

Lin Yue stared in astonishment at this subordinate who had almost never shown his sharpness in front of him, and then suddenly smiled.

"Then let's try our best to ensure safety, okay?"

Lin Yue couldn't continue this discussion. Some of Suzuki's words pointed out something: how many sacrifices had been made along the way? Clearly, he was the one who was most afraid of sacrifice.

Suzuki didn't dwell on the issue, simply nodding in agreement.

"Miss Emma is also very enthusiastic about rebuilding Taipingzhou..."

Changing the subject, Suzuki went on to explain in detail what had happened recently; in fact, this was the very reason he had disguised himself.

Suzuki's team is responsible for a significant difference in the areas they are in charge of.

This experienced professional from the company is well-suited for handling business competitions and other tasks according to the company's rules. He is also a reliable and trustworthy asset. More importantly, he has a broad perspective. Having worked at the Arasaka headquarters, he can sometimes be very knowledgeable about European companies.

There are quite a few companies in Night City; if you really want to count them, the office buildings in Japan Street alone could house more than a dozen companies. But there are many companies in the world that truly wield power; Night City is just a small part of it…

The sand table analogy would be most fitting.

Night City's unique history, coupled with the coercion of the Free States and the new America, has allowed it to maintain this relative stability under bizarre rules. Now that biotechnology is being reshaped, new companies are bound to set their sights on this territory.

"【Girafa?】"

Upon hearing Suzuki's account, Lin Yue felt a sense of familiarity with the name.

I reckon... I should have seen this company in my past life memories?
It should be a Russian/Soviet company, right?

Little did I know that the origins of this story didn't end there.

Suzuki was about to explain…

Several drunk guys entered the restroom, including one dressed as a woman with a figure more feminine than a woman's who was also entering the men's restroom...

Suzuki decided to go to the back door of the bar with Lin Yue and finish talking about it.

"Is Dogtown's energy reserves related to this company?"

Lin Yue realized that he was really too big for his own business, and he was used to being a hands-off manager. Emma from Dogtown got the right to use most of the generators, which made Lin Yue overlook an important fact: how did the black market for Gemstone Green and Pedro Petrochemical Stadium maintain a normal power supply, especially when there were hackers running large servers?
Unexpectedly, the reason this place was created was because Hansen shot down a transoceanic airship. The airship contained a miniature nuclear engine, which was the foundation of Hansen's construction of "Paradise".

Through Suzuki's narration, Lin Yue finally understood the general outline of the matter:
Hansen shot down a cargo ship belonging to the Gilafa Company that was en route to North America using a surface-to-air missile.

It's no wonder the colonel was such a gambler; he didn't seem to have even considered what to do if the engine was ruined.

ZHIRAFA was heavily involved in postwar reconstruction around the world, and in particular, the company's introduction of the ZHIRAFA III after the war made postwar reconstruction work a key opportunity for the company's growth.

It seems that in the Red Age of 2045, Girafa has also set its sights on the wasteland where the nuclear radiation of Night City has dissipated.

Hansen's attack undoubtedly shattered the dreams of many who wanted a place to live on the outskirts of Night City...

Why would you say that?

Lin Yue looked at the information Suzuki had sent him, which contained detailed information about the Gilafa Company, including the life story of the company's founder.

Looking at this guy with black hair just like himself, he had a strange feeling that he had met someone similar.

Because these are also guys who try to change the world.

The reason why Girafane has grown so rapidly into a giant enterprise that even Su Petrochemical dares not compete with it is not only because of Girafane's excellent biomimetic design, outstanding compatibility, and lifting capacity of up to five tons, but also because of the almost similar experiences of the company's founder and Lin Yue...

Gilafa's message is that everyone should have equal access to the rights that technology brings.

Therefore, the company's contracts with impoverished communities mainly involve renting out the Jirafa series machinery at low prices, which is very similar to the short-term guarantee of stability in impoverished communities provided by Taipingzhou Emma.

A company's operating style often reflects the will of its top management.

Suzuki wore an expression of certainty, patiently waiting for Rin to read the documents.

The more Lin Yue looked at him, the more interested he became.

Company member, edge walker (mercenary), outstanding hacker and technical expert, company leader who uses "cheap methods" to fight back against attackers at a global company conference.

It's hard to believe that these adjectives could be applied to the same person.

Lin Yue immediately became interested…

“Miss Emma had already obtained the relevant rights to the land near Dreamers when she entered Pacific Island. She was asking if she could contact this European company. She might have to go to Europe.”

In any situation, for a world ravaged by war, guns are far less effective than rebuilding houses.

Gilafa's philosophy may apply anywhere, but Night City...

Lin Yue felt a little regretful.

"Let Emma try it."

Everything still needs to be discussed face-to-face. As for Emma going to Europe, it's because those arms dealers' orders expired.

"Our good colonel seems to be living a very peaceful life."

Lin Yue put away the information box he was reading in his prosthetic eye. That missile attack was also Emma's clever trick. It was almost a straight hook, and this guy actually bit it and even generously gave Lin Yue two or three!
I wish I were dead...

Of course, the colonel also realized that the "death" of Dreamer Lin Yue didn't seem to have any impact. His opponent was still Emma Watson, and Emma had even gained some power in the black market of the Pedro Petrochemical Stadium under the pretext of the colonel's attack.

Emma is still the one who torments people.

Lin Yue thought to himself.

She timed the situation perfectly; the colonel hadn't reached the point of desperation, so he had no choice but to swallow his pride and accept it, like swallowing a fly...

Lin Yue was still somewhat worried that the dignified Midnight Storm Operation, which had outmaneuvered New America, was being so bullied by a woman who refused psychological treatment.

Fortunately, things are progressing well in Santo Domingo. Reports on Pedro Petrochemical are becoming increasingly sharp, and some audacious shills have already started interviewing and reporting all over Santo Domingo. This has made the company's silencing plan somewhat ineffective. After all, killing one person is fine, killing ten or even a hundred is fine without batting an eye, but if it's half the city, the company has to think twice.

"Then I'll have to trouble you and Emma."

"Actually, you didn't need to make a special trip here, um..."

Lin Yue was a little happy, perhaps because the situation was going well, because the spot on his face where he had been punched earlier still stung.

The legend of Night City, the king of Badlands, the mastermind behind Dogtown, the instigator of the Pacific Island explosion—

A street thug punched him in the face when he wasn't looking...

Suzuki's face was expressionless, and his hand was in his shirt pocket. Lin Yue was a little scared. Was this guy going to do something like revenge?
Unexpectedly, the next second, this guy pulled out a pink band-aid with the words "Go for it!" written in neat Japanese on it.

Lin Yue: "..."

Suzuki: "..."

It seems they felt something was amiss.

"Yuko asked me to bring this. I often get cuts on my hands from guns during daily training, and I find it a nuisance, but... I put it on when I'm resting."

Lin Yue admitted that his fists were clenched a little.

"Marriage is a happy thing!"

Lin Yue muttered sourly, he had accepted the thing, but having it on his face could easily lead to misunderstandings, and besides, his mouth was ripped open by the punch, so it was unusable...

But this was the peak of Suzuki's emotional intelligence, and Lin Yue didn't want to waste it.

"Perhaps you will marry Miss V—"

"Cough cough!"

Lin Yue choked on his cigarette. "If there's nothing else, I'll head back now."

“I have a request from Badlands recently. I’ll go check it out and see if there are any clues about that guy’s (the cyber police chief’s) body at the landfill.”

Actually, Lin Yue had another purpose, but he didn't intend to tell anyone.

Suzuki stood quietly on the street, watching Rin-sama flee back to the bar as if she were running away. Her expression remained calm for a long time before a smile suddenly appeared on her face.

At least…

Isn't he safe like this?
Immediately afterwards, the burly man disappeared into the dazzling neon lights of Night City.

……

……

　【Giraf】: A heavyweight company in cyberpunk, on par with Su Petrochemical.

　　[Russian/Soviet Enterprises]: In this article, terms like "alarm clock" and "Soviet L" are used as appellations; please don't nitpick the exact words.
　　[Cheap Method]: For critics, the company's founder chose to Photoshop those who were attacking him into memes.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)