Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 476 Havana's Venomous Fangs (Part 2)

Lin Yue and V learned of the message from Jack from the slow-moving traffic on the Japanese street overpass.

Lin Yue put down the phone, his expression calm.

"Jack found out?"

V quickly inquired.

Lin Yue sat in the passenger seat, looked out the window and thought for a moment, "Does Arakawa know any specific information about the Cuban pharmaceutical group?"

Upon hearing about the Cuban drug cartel, V's expression turned somewhat sour.

It was through the special operations director of Arasaka that Lin Yue learned about a key figure in this illegal profit-making group, namely Aguilar, who was feared throughout Night City.

Cuban gangs are active in Night City in 2045.

As the company returned to order, these bloodsucking thieves went into hiding, and Aguilar was no exception.

"To be precise, Aguilar is not a person. He (or she) could be male or female. The information that Arasaka has is that the real Aguilar is most likely an organization."

"Within the Araka group, they are called 'Vipers' because the Cubans can always strike from the shadows and deliver a fatal blow, no matter the circumstances."

"Is Jack absolutely certain that Cuba is supporting the Valentino faction?"

Objectively speaking, it's not entirely certain.

“Jack himself said that Valentino spoke on behalf of three low-ranking officers and a drug addict.”

V is a little undecided.

She is the intelligence chief of Night City Arasaka. There's no reason why her subordinates shouldn't report any moves made by Cuba... I wonder where these people came from.

V increased the car's speed a bit. "The local roads in Night City have been rerouted, and I guess you think so too."

Lin Yue nodded.

Dogtown.

Colonel Kurt Hansen's little kingdom has been getting increasingly difficult these past few years. Sending Miles back was actually a gamble, and she wouldn't let herself lose easily, while also giving Rebecca hope for treatment.

At the same time, such politicians don't care about hatred; instead, they value interests more.

Even if Miles was unwilling, he had to grit his teeth and let Hansen be the double-edged sword of the new America in Night City. This was a political choice, not a matter of revenge or retribution.

"Hansen's actions against Miles have made business in Cuba difficult. They've been wanting to dump their goods in Night City for a long time—the Valentino gang is a South American gang, so wouldn't it be easier to negotiate with them?"

After listening to Lin Yue's analysis, V understood many things.

She said softly, "The Cuban goods must have come by sea; how dare they sneak in with so many warships..."

However, just as V's hand touched the phone, Lin Yue grabbed her wrist—

"Don't let Arasaka launch a targeted blockade."

"We need to use this place to solve Heywood's problem."

Lin Yue nodded.

At the same time, a data transmission appeared in V's eyeballs.

V asked, "What is this?"

Lin Yue didn't answer, but smiled and said, "I'll tell you how to use it when we get to Haywood."

V isn't the type to insist on getting to the bottom of things. As long as Lin Yue is confident he can solve it, she never interferes or asks too many questions.

Lin Yue said leisurely, "Actually, the Valentino gang had been having an unclear relationship with the Cuban group for several years. I even remember it—Jack's cousin, the goods that harmed him were bought by the Valentino gang from the Cubans."

"Cubans have definitely sold a lot in Night City these past few years. It used to be Hansen's exclusive, but now someone is personally sourcing the goods."

"I do think Aguilar is really in Haywood, otherwise Camilla wouldn't have any reason to fight so hard. What gives her the confidence to go against the company...V?"

Yes.

On the surface, Heywood was divided into two factions: one still believed that the Valentino gang was Heywood's money-printing machine, while the other believed that gangs were always a destabilizing factor and wanted to eliminate them to establish a corporate-led order.

Of course, the latter isn't exactly honest either.

Lin Yue was well aware of Jack's thoughts; his mother still wanted the Heywood people to live without being controlled by any organization or force.

V thought about it.

"Unless the Valentino gang has corporate backing, or is an organization of the same size as a corporation?"

Lin Yue likes to discuss intelligence with smart people, and V has a high level of comprehension.

“Oh! I see… The Cuban Group is very large, and with Aguilar backing it up, they are not afraid at all of the Dreamers using company lone wolves or small teams to settle scores with their top executives.”

“The Valentino gang has the majority of local support, and even with the introduction of members from outside gangs, they still want to maintain the name of the Heywood gang… so a Heywood person has to be the boss.”

"Camilla can't be harmed, so they rushed to get her back?"

Lin Yue clapped his hands lightly.

"You are the famous and intelligent V."

Valerie rolled her eyes at Lin Yue. This guy was getting more and more audacious. After she finished dealing with Haywood, she would make him pay the price... definitely!
Lin Yue loves making fun of people.

"Camilla can't be allowed to get into trouble. The Haywood gang wants purebloods, so Aguilar is very likely in Haywood."

"I bet the Cuban drug cartels have been itching to get back to work for a while now. The Colonel smashed Dogtown to pieces, and the Cubans are trying to rebuild their business chains. Plus, most of their illicit money can only be laundered online... They're probably bringing a lot of people this time."

Lin Yue's expression turned serious when he said this.

After all, his memories from his previous life only included the dealings between Aguilar and Hanz. He had never been to Cuba, let alone had any detailed information about the group.

Don't involve the company.

V felt this was not a good solution.

There are only two options at hand: the first is to send Camilla to her death, causing chaos within the Valentino faction, the effect of which is predictable—but it will most likely be suppressed by Cuba.

The second option would be to uproot the Cuban group from Heywood, which could also drag Dogtown into the mess.

If we follow the middleman's mindset—just getting paid for doing the job—Lin Yue would choose the first option.

But his own interests were no longer as simple as company operating funds, plus Lai Xuan had secretly provided a considerable amount of funding... Lin Yue had wanted to give his past self from five or six years ago an explanation for this matter.

At that time, he lacked the ability and was somewhat flustered by the name Aguilar in Dogtown. Even though he used his wits to outmaneuver Hansen and Cuba, business continued.

With the city's network in dire need of rebuilding, the Cuban conglomerate has already extended its reach beyond the city's borders. While it's understandable to remain self-sufficient when lacking the capacity, now…

Perhaps V had been influenced by this world for too long, and she didn't understand the reason why Lin Yue was so profound.

Fortunately, Lin Yue still spoke up.

"Any heinous crime originates from products manufactured by the Cuban conglomerate; people's physical and mental well-being will suffer fatal damage—"

“V, this matter must be eradicated completely.”

"It's not a stimulant for the Animal Gang, nor is it a medicine used in Night City; it's a solid poison!"

Valerie didn't react for a moment.

In short, in Lin Yue's mind, anything the Cuban group had anything to do with was absolutely untouchable, and he would eliminate it as soon as he saw it!
"It seems you've made your choice: drive the Cubans away... But there are only two of us, and so many people are watching outside. What do you plan to do?" Lin Yue smiled.

"Kill them, of course we must kill them."

"But it depends on who does the killing."

V was focused on the congested road ahead, completely unaware that the guy beside him had changed his appearance. Although he was wearing Lin Yue's clothes, his face had become that of a South American, with a pair of prosthetic eyes that were grayish-white and looked sinister like a venomous snake.

Amidst the muted, dark colors of spring, a hoarse male voice rang out, "Then let the Cubans kill themselves."

V turned her head and looked at the "strange" man beside her.

He smirked and said, "The Cubans made many promises to Valentino, and your actions have created a crisis of trust. So, have you thought about how you're going to handle this?"

While talking.

V transformed into a slender woman with similar physical features, but with a more sinister appearance than Lin Yue, especially her almost black lipstick and the lines on her face…

"Ah, it seems that only a lady's face-changing technique can match my imagination of Aguilar."

Lin Yue got up and began searching under the thugs' vehicle...

Not long after, he found the Death Apple, which had been buried among a pile of weapons for several years. However, there was only one gun, and Lin Yue handed it over to V.

A two-pronged approach is needed to resolve issues on the street.

No company or third-party force was involved.

"Heywood has arrived."

As soon as V finished speaking, the sounds of the entire food factory outside the car window switched to Spanish.

A rapid ringtone sounded. Lin Yue looked down and saw it was the communication device used by Dreamers for internal communications. But as soon as he answered, Suzuki's voice on the other end sounded heavy—

"Boss, Jack has disappeared."

"The company's website has been hacked by an unknown hacker, and the content is..."

Lin Yue's eyelids twitched. "Speak seriously, Suzuki, tell me everything clearly."

"Those who stand with the company will be purged in Havana!"

……
-
beep beep beep…

The room, which didn't resemble a hospital ward, was filled with various niches in a strong South American style, all decorated with prayer ornaments placed by the Valentino people in their faith in God and the Virgin Mary.

Dark gold, intricate patterns, and colorful glass panes on the windows.

The Valentino gang's members use different pendants, guns, houses, and so on. Most of the items here are newly added, intended to bless the living and mourn the dead.

The rhythmic sound was produced by the instrument.

Small, cramped rooms seem to be a long-standing habit of the people of Haywood, which is certainly related to the fact that every inch of land in Night City is extremely valuable.

Of the ten people present, seven were senior members of the Valentino gang, three others had prominent Tiger Claw tattoos, one was dressed as a cleaner, and one was a politician in a suit and tie.

"May God bless Valentino."

The person in the hospital bed was not unconscious, but staring blankly at the ceiling with their eyes open.

It's been two days.

Camilla, who hadn't eaten a single grain of rice, was clinging to life with intravenous nutrition, and seemed to be lost in a daze.

“Gonzalez (Gemstone), you need to talk to the BOSS—South America is pressing hard. For some reason, Arasaka's warships keep approaching the bay. The goods brought in are expensive, and if they can't get out, Havana will cause us trouble.”

Thiago, a former high-ranking executive who oversaw the Valentino casino and sex club.

The prosecutors investigating him were lined up so long they could circle the company square, but he never fell. His loyalty was nothing more than morality—to his older brother who died in prison.

"Mierda!"

"Her biggest mistake was not killing that old woman's son!"

González, shrugging his shoulders with his hands in a cone shape and replying sharply, said, "She still loves that kid, the good brother-in-law your older brother picked, what do you think?"

"Are you still thinking about the goods? Shouldn't you be thinking about what those idiot company dogs who squeezed in from Taiping Island are going to do to us?"

González also wielded considerable power; his business relied on distributing Cuban goods.

Thiago pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment.

“I’ve already contacted Cuba, and I’ve taken care of everything that needed to be done—so are you spying on me?”

González seemed to laugh in anger. "Amigo (brother)! Your solution is to have those ruthless Cuban brothers bring the person back to you and feed them well?"

“Without good food or drink, I made Jack realize his mistakes. His mother didn’t realize that Valentino was the one who supported Haywood.” Thiago raised his eyelids. “So, as his brother, I’m teaching him a lesson.”

González seemed to want to say something.

Thiago said coldly, "Are you really only satisfied when Jack Wells is dead? I know my brother best; he's never touched business with the Valentino gang, and he never leads his men to charge in and kill—"

At this point, Thiago, who had been calm just moments before, stood by the hospital bed and became agitated, pointing his finger heavily at the other man's chest. "Four bullets were lodged near my brother's heart. Why did the Vortex Gang collapse? Have you ever thought about it, you bastard?!"

“You’d better take it if Jack calls you a bastard, it’s none of your business to talk back to me like that.”

That's already quite a harsh statement.

Seeing that several other cadres around him had unfriendly expressions, Gonzalez extended his hand to indicate his surrender. Although he had a smile on his face, he couldn't hide the resentment in the corner of his eyes.

"Does the Valentino gang now want to rekindle old friendships?"

"Fine, fine, fine. If you're not going to come up with a solution, then I'll handle it myself. Just don't come out with that damn questioning tone of yours when something goes wrong."

Just as González's angry footsteps creaked on the floor, his steps abruptly stopped at the doorway.

The Valentino gang leaders, who had their backs turned, sensed something was wrong. It turned out that González, who had been furious just moments before, was slowly backing away with his hands raised.

Everyone instinctively bent over, hands on their waists, and a silver-white revolver with a red leather grip and cylinder slowly appeared outside the automatic door frame…

"A...Aguilar?!"

As the woman wearing a greyish-white top hat slowly walked in, her extremely thin lips resembled those of a venomous snake about to flick its tongue, and as she slowly opened her mouth, she revealed her fine teeth.

"Every time a cigar is lit in Havana, it means that a life has been taken somewhere in the world in Aguilar."

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines.

This nursing home is heavily guarded by Valentino's men, how...did she get in?
The woman's gray-white pupils darted around as she looked at Thiago not far away and sneered, "You've got some nerve, Thiago, making the Cubans do you a favor."

“Give me a reason why I won’t kill you and that Haywood brat, or else…”

The woman turned the gun, pointing it directly at Camilla on the hospital bed.

"Let's find someone else to renegotiate our business."

……

……

(End of this chapter)