Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 460 The Post-War Era (Part 4) [7K]

Under the midday sun.

The burly man tossed the building materials he was carrying on his shoulder, which were meant to block the road, onto a nearby pile of garbage.

Wiping away a bead of sweat, he uttered Haywood's authentic slang the moment he opened his mouth.

"It was as hot as the day God had no water to drink."

"Oh shit…"

There were many busy residents of the Heywood neighborhood who had spontaneously gathered here to clean up the war's aftermath.

"Hahaha, let's roll up our sleeves and get to work! As long as this road is open, we can eat meat tonight, real meat dripping with blood, the official stuff from the company."

After Jack spoke, the people around him worked even harder.

After the Dreamers took over Heywood, the walls standing on the city's overpasses were blown up, and Heywood, an area separated by the moat, was naturally abandoned by Night City.

Fortunately, the Dreamers didn't intend to let the Haywood people go hungry.

A large amount of supplies were delivered, but one troublesome thing was that the Valentino gang disagreed. Moreover, the Valentino gang, who were used to the rule that one could not survive in the city without committing crimes, naturally did not want the company to dominate them.

With various forms of rebellion and violence emerging one after another, Heywood was essentially divided into two factions that just wanted to get by.

Having comforted Mrs. Wells for a long time, Jack naturally chose to believe the dreamer unconditionally and assured her that he could solve the problem.

Jack boasted to his mother about the promise, but whether it could actually be fulfilled still gave him a headache…

For example, what they are moving right now is actually the work of the stubborn members of the Valentino gang. Although they are criminals, their families and clans are above the law in Heywood. Anyone who dares to lay a hand on the neighbors first will be the first to suffer.

It's worth noting that when Valentino's faction was fighting amongst themselves, no innocent people were harmed.

As Jack pondered these matters, he adjusted his breathing, trying his best to immerse himself in a state where he could exert himself without thinking about these complicated things.

Honestly, Haywood is very unhappy with his current living situation.

Theoretically, he felt he should be a prominent figure in Night City, or perhaps run some business along the city's borders—in short—

Life is enjoyable, and the respectable people on the street are willing to give themselves face and be unrestrained and free.

Of course, things aren't all bad right now. A few requests related to Rin have earned him enough euros that Jack might have to save up in over a decade running a small business...

But it just doesn't feel very energetic.

"Damn, these drug-selling idiots!"

The young, skinny man who was carrying bricks had large body paint tattoos all over his body except for his face, along with a big gold bracelet and a small gold watch—a typical Valentino gang look.

Jack turned his head and glanced at the funny guy a few times.

This is his cousin.

He almost died in Valentino's gang, and he was the one who personally watched him kick his drug addiction.

"Stop complaining." Jack bent down and picked up a whole piece of building material with steel bars that was enough to crush his cousin. "When you have time, go get your swearing tattoo removed and tell the gang you're quitting."

My cousin muttered, "I wouldn't have come if it weren't for you."

Jack shrugged.

This guy doesn't seem to be convinced...

His parents entrusted this guy to them, and if he ever got involved with those drug dealers again, they would break his legs.

"Holy shit!!!"

Jack grabbed the guy by the collar.

"Hey, listen to you, you bastard! Do you know how much debt your own parents have incurred because of you? Even if Valentino's gang comes today, you'd better—"

"Jack!"

The man carrying two large machetes on his back turned around and noticed that many people in the neighborhood had stopped what they were doing.

A woman, wearing fitted distressed jeans, strikingly large gold earrings, and with fiery red hair that perfectly complemented her pale red eyes, walked over...

It wasn't this beautiful woman who made those around her nervous.

Instead, there were nearly thirty or forty Valentino gangsters behind the woman!
With a series of roaring engines, the woman clapped her hands, and various retro and extravagant cars came to a stop. The people inside got out and looked indifferently at the busy neighbors around them...

When Jack saw the person who had arrived, his face turned pale and then flushed.

"Jack."

The woman's voice seemed to have a fiery quality to it.

"It's been a long time. How's it going with your girlfriend who can barely say a word to anyone? Did she die in the cyber war in Night City?"

Camilla.

Jack's "mysterious" ex-girlfriend.

"Stand still and behave yourself."

Jack whispered something to his cousin, who cowered in place like a mouse before a cat. The busy neighbors all stepped back, and at Camilla's signal, the Valentino gang surrounded them.

A woman's words can be sharp and barbed.

Jack turned around.

"Uh. What's wrong? I don't think I've seen you before, ma'am."

Camilla's sarcastic remarks seemed to be stuck in her throat; her face froze, and her expression turned gloomy.

"You really like joking, don't you, Jack? Don't you know when to stop?"

Jack scratched the bun at the back of his head. "What's that saying again... Heywood people don't hold grudges overnight. Even if they lose their heads tomorrow, they'll still eat, drink, and have a good time. I'm right here, and I'll play along with whatever you want."

"Also, if I've hurt your feelings, ma'am," Jack glanced around, shrugged, and said in a deliberately low voice that everyone around could hear, "we can talk about it privately. Of course, I didn't mean it, I just don't like you that much—"

Camilla's joints made a popping sound.

She knew her reaction had made her lose confidence, and some people around her chuckled softly…

Having lost face, Camilla gave no warning, only a simple glance, and two Valentino gunmen stepped forward to grab Jack's cousin behind him!

"Wow!"

A sound like the safety being released on a gun.

Jack moved quickly, holding a golden dagger in each hand, his expression serious. "Oh, Camilla, still got such a temper. If you have a problem, come at me, okay?"

This is going to be difficult to handle...

Jack shook his head inwardly.

The average Valentino gang wouldn't dare to fight with their neighbors so casually, because it would inevitably hurt distant relatives or close neighbors.

But there is an exception.

Mexican and Hispanic immigrants, as well as criminals from other Night City gangs, were among those who had illegally entered the country.

They have no roots here. Large criminal organizations like the Valentino gang often employ such people to engage in high-risk businesses, including drug trafficking, running casinos, sex trafficking, and some outrageous human smuggling.

Of course, assassinating enemy leaders is also something these people do for a living.

It has a very similar meaning to the "foot-wiping cloth" of the Voodoo Gang.

“I just hit the bullseye with all ten darts at the bar last night, Camilla, watch out, lest…” Jack slightly flicked the safety on the back of his pistol, “I accidentally scratched your darling’s face.”

Jack, who is unserious in his actions and speaks with a witty and humorous tone, pretends to be relaxed.

But he has to consider his family behind him…

"You all fucking get down and squat down with your hands behind your heads, damn it!"

Camilla had expected Jack to give in like a cat, but she never imagined he'd point two guns at dozens of people…

This is insane!
Coupled with a less-than-pleasant past relationship, Camilla is on the verge of losing her temper.

“Every wrong has its perpetrator, every debt its debtor. Camilla, what brings you here? Surely it's not me, your cousin who's been out of drug rehabilitation for half a year? Help me out… Valentino’s gang has plenty of strong young men, what use is a weakling?”

My cousin's face turned ashen.

Seeing those fierce-looking, unfamiliar guys, he only dared to shrink behind Jack for a moment.

"Calm down, okay?"

Jack tried his best to keep the conversation going, maintaining a light and humorous tone, though he knew perfectly well what Camilla's purpose was in coming here.

They're just making trouble out of nothing; the company is the thing Valentino's gang dislikes the most.

Unfortunately, Jack was working for the company.

"First, I don't need to tell you what happens to those who desert from the Valentino gang without cause, right? Jack Wells, do you think you can get away with this by joking around? You have to hand him over to me."

Jack turned his head and glanced at his cousin behind him.

What kind of joke is this?

My cousin has been working for Valentino for a year now, but he hasn't actually done any work; he just hangs around and keeps an eye on things...

"Shh, shut your mouth first."

Camilla was clearly furious, and she certainly didn't hold back when it came to her ex-boyfriend, especially the one who dumped her.

"Secondly, Heywood belongs to the Heywood people, and the Valentino gang has always sided with them. You bunch of traitors trying to bring the company dogs in—do you even know how many brothers have died at the hands of those company dogs? Have you forgotten?"

“I’ll give you five minutes. If you don’t leave, I’ll deal with you for Haywood.”

As Camilla spoke, she pulled a pistol from her waist.

"this…"

The neighbors, looking at each other in bewilderment, were completely at a loss. They could only instinctively glance towards Jack's group, seeing those menacing, bloodthirsty guys—how could ordinary people possibly withstand them…? Someone immediately stood up, bent over, and cried out in a trembling voice—

"Do not kill me!"

In the blink of an eye, more than half of the people had run away.

Some people are really there just for the food.

After the city was destroyed, the Night City authorities could not be relied upon at all. Every day, the Dreamers distributed three meals a day in the controlled area, which consisted of genuine fresh water and synthetic food. Without this place, one would starve.

“Camilla, your brother never said anything about leaving the Haywood people without food before he went in.”

Jack's tone was full of warning.

Camilla fears no one, but only her brother can keep this shrew in check.

"You dare mention my brother?! Fuck you, Jack. You probably don't know that my brother's head was burned through by the prison's electronic control system, do you? Without his body, we couldn't even hold a funeral, and of course, we didn't invite your Wells family."

When Camilla got to this point, she was like a raging beast, gesturing wildly and pacing back and forth.

Compared to this.

Jack was even more shocked by the death of his former older brother, who had been a great help to him and a mentor to him.

The news was kept very secret; no wonder Camilla's momentum is so strong.

It seems Valentino's faction has completed the power reshuffle...

“Now… Jack, I want you to put the gun down! Heywood is always in charge of Valentine’s side. Don’t push your luck!”

Looking into the woman's sad and angry eyes.

Jack took a deep breath, his imposing aura completely gone.

He wouldn't joke about his older brother.

“I’m sorry, Camilla…” Jack spread his hands, as if he had a thousand words to say but couldn’t say them. “I can’t let you do whatever you want. The livelihoods of the neighbors depend on the company. Let’s at least stabilize for a while before making any plans.”

Jack tried to reason with him gently, but the neighbors behind him, who were starving and unafraid of death, were the first to erupt in anger.

"The Valentino Gang is the pride of the Haywoods, that's true! But Camilla, look at all these freaks around you, which one of them is a Haywood?!"

"Yes! You've brought a bunch of thugs to attack the Haywood people, haven't you? You traitor!"

"Damn it, where were you when our family of five was starving and our house was collapsing? Camilla, the Valentino gang was probably busy shipping goods and counting money at the port, weren't they?" "Fuck! Try messing with us!"

Camilla has no patience this time.

When Jack noticed that the woman's eyes held no burden, but rather a growing rage, he knew things were starting to spiral out of control.

Just as this talented but not-so-prosthetic street kid was about to rush up and grab Camilla, two menacing gunmen beside him flashed by, their gun butts slamming into Jack's back!
Even though Jack punched one of them in the chest, he still stumbled and fell to his knees!

"Camilla, your brother will be ashamed of you!"

Jack was attacked, and soon someone tried to come to his rescue.

The fearless nature of the Heywood people has always existed.

But those words caused the string that had been controlling Camilla's behavior in her rage to slowly snap...

Camilla, gun in hand, strode quickly toward the neighbors who were being held down by the gunman!

Jack, who had been modified and held down by gang members in a prisoner-like posture, noticed Camilla's hurried footsteps. He looked at the ground and growled, "No! Camilla!"

The angry woman didn't care about any of that.

She strode quickly, gun in hand, to the man who had uttered those words but now cowered in fear. Her eyes, narrowed as she stared at the man whose bones had been nearly crushed by gang members, were like those of a venomous snake eyeing its prey.

"Say that again, you bastard?!"

The man's face flushed red.

"So what? You kill me, and even in heaven I'll tell that guy, your sister is a devil!"

Camilla's eyes instantly filled with bloodshot veins as she pressed the gun against the guy's head. "You fucking know nothing!"

"Girl, don't do something so foolish!"

Jack's roar echoed behind Camilla.

Camilla's heart was pounding, her temples were throbbing, and her ears were ringing.

"They're all pressuring me."

The voice of the older brother kept ringing in my head.

"Camilla, never trust the company. They drink human blood and eat human flesh. This world is even more ruthless than them. Only enough money can keep Heywood!"

Jack's eyes widened, already anticipating the complete chaos that was about to unfold at Heywood.

"Hold!"

Camilla looked at the neighbor in front of her who was yelling at her incessantly out of fear and anger. She remembered that she had received a holiday gift from his child.

Camilla didn't know how the gun went off, but when the person fell into a pool of blood, there was a moment of silence, followed by a sudden burst of noise.

"Oh shit!"

Jack tried his best to turn his head to look behind him, but a bullet struck him squarely between the eyebrows, and there was no way to save him.

Camilla's blank expression lasted only a moment, before it immediately turned sinister.

She looked at the neighbors who had collapsed to the ground, their legs trembling from the gunshot, and said, "The things the company provides are never free. You all think the company is a charity, providing you with food, building housing, and providing security."

“You’ve all been brainwashed by the company! Only Heywood people know what Heywood is all about. I, Camilla, am telling you this: anyone who wants to hang out with company dogs can expect to get a bullet in their head next time.”

The bright red blood instantly brought the neighbors to their senses. No one spoke; only the sound of Camilla's slow, inching footsteps could be heard.

The woman crouched down beside Jack, gesturing for him to look up.

Seeing the deep hatred in the eyes of the person opposite her, Camilla, whose attitude had softened slightly, began to turn ashen.

"The Wells family has decided to side with the company, right?"

Such a huge accusation was pinned on the Heywood family. You have to understand that Mrs. Wells was a respected elder in Heywood, a kind of old lady who could resolve troubles and settle disputes among neighbors.

Camilla's words were undoubtedly meant to imply that Jack and his gang were the company's lackeys.

There were residents who remained hesitant about the Dreamers... but after Camilla's outburst, those people had no choice but to turn against the company under pressure from these not-pure-blooded Valentino members.

Heywood's most honest lad gritted his teeth and said, "Camilla, we didn't have a choice before, that's how the city works—but now we have safer communities, stable jobs, and everyone can have a respectable profession..."

"Heywood men are bold and shrewd; they can make a name for themselves anywhere. You expect these bastards to help you achieve your brother's dream?"

"A thief is a thief. Who doesn't want to live a normal life like a human being?"

Jack's voice was firm and resolute, clearly not the answer Camilla wanted.

"Then let me tell you, Jack, that people at Heywood never trust corporate dogs. Those scoundrels at the company have made you all lose your senses—"

"Yeah?!"

Just as Jack was about to argue, his ex-girlfriend had already pressed a gun to his head. Although they were like enemies after breaking up, Camilla had a pretty good image in Mrs. Wells' eyes. Now, in a fit of anger, Camilla was ready to get rid of this troublemaker, Jack.

"To be honest, we won't stop you if you're willing to be the company's dogs, but you want to move into our territory. I think I've been lenient enough with you, Jack."

"Then we can only try to take back the whole Heywood. Heywood can only be held by our own people."

"you--"

Jack was hit in the back again with the butt of a gun.

Camilla glanced instinctively at the thug who had struck Jack, then blushed and said, "Jack, I'm giving you a chance. Put this matter behind the company, and we'll move on. The Valentino Gang welcomes you anytime—trust me, I've dealt with all those who wanted to get close to the company."

Anyone who dares to obstruct me, I will deal with them today!

Jack pressed his forehead against the muzzle of the gun. "Come on!"

Camilla never expected that Jack would show no regard for their past relationship, and instead urged Camilla to take action sooner.

"Damn it, are you crazy?"

“You dumped me, and now you want me to go easy on you? Fine, fine, fine…” Camilla stood up and pointed at him in a standard execution stance. “I’ll ask you one last time, Jack, do you really want to die?”

Camilla is a "model" ex-girlfriend for being so sentimental about the past.

"From the very beginning, I knew you had terrible taste. Mrs. Wells liked me, and what did you do? You dumped me?" Camilla grumbled and cursed. "And now you want to force me to submit like this? You're dreaming! Damn it!"

Jack's furious expression immediately turned somewhat blank...

What the hell does this have to do with anything?

Before Jack could speak, someone behind him sobbed, "You should really look at Camilla. In the community east of Heywood that the company took over, we did the work, and all those slackers who snuck in from Westbrook got dealt with..."

"What were you doing when the Tiger Claw Gang was committing arson and murder? Now that we finally have a stable community and low-priced security contracts, you expect us to sell drugs and people with Heywood?"

"Camilla, what the hell are you doing?!"

Camilla's face was grim.

This is why she hates the company—

Companies always manage to brainwash people in unexpected ways. She firmly believed that the company had ulterior motives and that the one in Taipingzhou was not only not a model company but also an extremely unscrupulous enterprise that used hypocrisy to build their business empire and bind the entire Heywood.

"I don't believe any company is stupid enough to use its own money to subsidize you poor bastards. Open your eyes and look around. What kind of law is there in this world? Do you really think Night City is some kind of utopia?"

Camilla sensed countless cold stares in Jack's eyes, so she decided she couldn't take it anymore.

“Jack, our relationship ends here. I have to make an example of him. I have no other choice.”

Jack gritted his teeth and struggled, determined that even in death, Heywood's toughest street urchin would never show weakness like a coward.

However, what Misty said a few years ago has indeed come true: he should stay away from anything red, including this red-haired ex-girlfriend.

Camilla's breathing became rapid, her finger lightly pressing on the trigger, wanting to carry out an execution she wouldn't regret.

"Ok?"

The thug holding Jack down suddenly saw a laser dot appear on Camilla's chest. He turned his head to look where the laser might have come from and saw the reflection of a sniper rifle lens.

"Damn, there's a sniper!"

Before Camilla could react, she was suddenly shoved aside, accompanied by two gunshots that rang out almost simultaneously, followed by a burst of sound like blooming roses.

Because of that push, Camilla instinctively fired her gun.

“Jack…”

Camilla seemed to have not expected things to escalate to this point. The blood rushing to her head brought her back to her senses. She watched the massive body collapse, and at the same time, a sharp pain shot through her shoulder, as if flames were burning inside the wound…

"Damn it, where did this piece of trash come from?"

The Valentino gang's gunmen were startled by the sudden sniper fire, and chaos erupted in the crowd. Heywood and his terrified neighbors stood up and ran, while one of the scoundrels grinned horribly at the chaotic crowd.

The rest of the men fired wildly from the sniper's location!
As a Kyo Kusanagi motorcycle roared to life, a group of Valentino's gang turned their guns and spotted a slender man in riding gear, wearing a helmet, riding a motorcycle that, while lacking a license plate—

"V?!"

Jack is obsessed with motorcycles. Besides tinkering with his own, he also helped V get one in Night City. V, who always speaks her mind, wanted a high-performance beast to assassinate a biotechnology executive…

Even if the car was burned down to just the frame, Jack would still recognize it.

Jack wasn't hit; the bullet missed his ear and flew past, leaving only a gruesome scratch next to his cheek...

The motorcycle roared, its front end bobbing up, obscuring the man's face entirely from his all-black helmet. The Valentino gang members on either side of him immediately opened fire.

The raised front half of the car then served as a shield. After blocking the first volley of bullets, the motorcyclist executed a stylish arc in place, the tires smoking. This solo maneuver left the group speechless for a moment…

"Are you alright, V?"

The guy who got off the motorcycle took a baseball bat—a blunt weapon that could be described as the best tool—from behind him and dragged it along the ground with a clatter.

"Wow!"

A woman holding a gun appeared on a collapsed building not far away, and the group of people pointed their guns at her in unison.

The woman was unusually tall, much taller than the 1.5-meter-long Tsunami military sniper rifle, which she carried on her back. Camilla's expression shifted as she clutched her shoulder, seemingly unconcerned about her sniper's confident stride.

"company?!"

The woman's jacket was dark brown, and a quick glance at her back revealed a mask ablaze with crimson light, resembling a prajna (Buddhist sage)...

[Samurai Commemorative Jacket]

This is what the prosthetic eye said; apart from these, nothing else could be scanned on these two people, they looked like ordinary passersby on the street.

ding ding ding…

The sound of baseball bats scraping the ground echoed all the way as the guy in cycling gear walked into the encirclement as if courting death, seemingly trapping a group of people from both the front and the back.

"Are you afraid that Valentine's help from Heywood will cause trouble for the company? Did the company hire two fearless idiots to go looking for bullets?"

The man in the dark helmet seemed to linger on Jack for a moment before turning to Camilla, staring at her for a long time…

Camilla watched nervously. Today's plan was a surprise attack, and if the company arrived, would that mean they were the ones who were surrounded?

But no matter what... these two idiots dare to be so disrespectful.

Camilla glared at the two men with a sinister look, determined to kill these two idiots first!

Unexpectedly——

A muffled voice came from under the helmet, "None of your business. It's just the two of us. We were looking for someone, but when we saw you bunch of bastards causing trouble, we came to check it out..."

"Besides, there are only two of us. Let's see how many rounds you bunch of idiots who love to cause more trouble can last."

The baseball bat was slammed to the ground and bounced up. The guy took off his helmet, revealing a face that only Jack recognized.

Perhaps because they had never seen such a ridiculous idiot in Night City, the Valentino gang, all members of Night City's villainous criminals, were momentarily speechless.

"Be careful, don't kill too many."

The woman's cold voice sounded like a warning.

For a moment, the scene was completely silent.

……

……

(End of this chapter)