Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 491 The Former Eldest Brother (Part 1)
"Bang bang bang!"

The dull thuds of boxing gloves striking flesh echoed in the dark basement clinic. In front of a screen emitting a faint blue light, Dr. Victor, chin resting on his hand, watched the boxers spar with keen interest.

The body may grow old but the heart remains young.

Victor really wanted to go back to Pacifico to see the Animal Gang's boxing matches, but it was very difficult to go to Pacifico from Night City now... It was hard to enter through the gate under the high wall that spanned a third of Night City, unless the Dreamers sent someone to guide him.

Things haven't been peaceful lately. Although these kids living in Little Chinatown don't say anything, Victor has been treating patients for over twenty hours, and the barely dried bloodstains on his chest brace are the best proof of that.

Viktor is itching to watch the entire boxing match; he's already saved the recording for over a week. His busy schedule has come at the cost of sacrificing his personal hobbies.

No matter what, no one should disturb my leisure time today. There are too many kids on the street getting shot and stabbed, risking their lives for fame. Viktor can't save them all. If you have to ask about the change in Viktor's attitude towards these kids over the years, it's this: I don't owe money to those I'm not familiar with.

With limited energy, even the renowned healer Victor, famous throughout Watson District, realized that there were too many things in this world that he couldn't save.

Perhaps only that kid sitting in the prosthetic surgery chair strumming an electric guitar has the heart to handle the city... As for myself—

Victor got up to lock the basement door, but before he could stand up, a hairless cat's meow, accompanied by a long shadow, was cast into the tunnel. Victor, whose hand was instinctively behind his back, took a few steps before realizing who it was…

"Jack, oh my god... how did things get like this?"

Wells' son often came to Victor's place with Misty, but they heard that Haywood had been taken over by the Dreamers and the neighbors were busy repairing their homes. Little did they expect that Jack, covered in blood, would be standing at the door scratching his head...

Seeing the kid's guilty expression, Victor breathed a sigh of relief and said helplessly, "Come in, Jack. I promise I won't inform Misty—"

As they spoke, Old Vie naturally took Jack's arm. Jack limped in, the pain pulling at the corner of his mouth, forcing him to hiss as he quickly sat down in the operating chair...

Old Wei glanced at the boxing match with lingering reluctance.

Sure enough, wanting to close early is a curse!
“Heywood, you always come over right when Misty is getting off work. What have you been up to out there—and what are you carrying around?”

Jack was grimacing as he watched Old Vie expertly connect the prosthetic wires, and his own prosthetic arm was being replaced with a precision surgical model. After helping the big man lie down, Jack finally came up with an excuse...

"Old Wei, why are you like my mother, interrogating me, this honest kid?"

Jack patted the backpack he was protecting like a treasure. "These are the prosthetic bodies those idiots from the Vortex Gang got their hands on. You know... those metal modification fanatics only have top-of-the-line stuff... and they even had hackers flash the programs. Inside is the Vortex Gang's self-developed Black Spider program, which is incredibly adaptable!"

Old Wei shook his head helplessly. The Vortex Gang and the Valentino Gang had been fighting for a long time, but Jack had stopped getting involved in these things many years ago. Now, carrying a high-end cybernetic body produced by the Vortex Gang, the kind doctor stopped what he was doing and just stared at Jack's evasive and cryptic manner.

"Alright, Old Wei, I'm just helping out. This stuff in my hand... uh, is it payment? Interest? Either way is fine."

Jack spread his hands, indicating that he was in a difficult position.

Old Wei sneered, "Whether you're helping or choosing to worry your mother, you know the answer yourself... But I have to tell you, this thing's program was created by the Vortex Gang, so it's bound to have some problems—"

Jack's disappointment was hard to hide.

However, the kind-hearted prosthetic doctor changed the subject and said, "I'll run the program for you later, so it will be easier for you to use."

Jack instinctively wanted to slap his thigh, but realizing it wasn't convenient for him, he chuckled and said, "Old Vie, you're the best guy ever!"

Old Wei carefully examined the wound on Jack's right hand, meticulously checking for damage to the prosthetic under the skin. But he had no intention of letting Jack off so easily—after all, Misty had waived his rent and helped him a lot in the past, so he had to think about the girl.

The two had been together for five or six years. Although very few people in Night City registered their marriages legally, seeing that they could actually become a couple, he naturally wanted to teach Jack to behave himself.

“Heywood has been in turmoil lately, and everyone has something to fight for, so I need a guarantee… Also, I want to know the details of how you installed this thing, otherwise I won’t be able to explain it to Misty.”

"Of course, I won't ask any questions if Misty knows."

Hearing Old Wei's words, Jack breathed a sigh of relief, "Just kidding, buddy. I can't let Misty know about this, or I won't be seeing Misty's face for the next few days..."

"This girl is good in every way, gentle and considerate, but when she gets angry she becomes mute."

Jack kept rambling on and on, then fell silent.

Fortunately, Old Wei had enough time and was patient enough to wait.

"Alright, Vee, I'm going back to the Valentino gang."

Old Wei didn't seem surprised; he merely glanced at Jack before continuing to work.

Jack couldn't stand this creepy feeling. "There's a reason!"

Old Wei stood up, reached for the materials, and nodded, saying, "Hmm, I'm listening. I want to hear how you managed to forget that the bullet was embedded a few centimeters around your heart."

Jack chuckled.

Old Wei had already spotted the outline of the prosthetic body in the backpack. As he finished processing the materials and attached them to Jack's arm, he muttered, "A spinal control system, something like S.A.S.S.S.S.S.... The prosthetic bodies that the Vortex Gang has their eyes on are not easy to deal with. I trust my skills. As long as you don't want to become a bastard covered in steel, you won't have any problems."

Listening to Old Wei's words, Jack, who was both a mentor and a friend, always had a magic that made people patiently listen to his advice.

"Live life to the fullest, kid. That's what I always say."

“Everyone has drive when they’re young, let alone you guys… Just recently, this old man of mine stood up for a patient. The cleaners had their eyes on his family and almost killed them.”

Old Wei's smile was reassuring. "Guess what I said again?"

"Give him back! When I find you, I'll fucking kill you all..."

Jack couldn't help but chuckle.

Old Vieira's calm demeanor masks his past as an outstanding member of the Valentino gang and a boxer. Even at his age, he could hold his own against a group of up-and-coming boxers... So what often changes people is not forgetting that passion, but life itself.

“But listen, kid, you’re not Jack from five years ago. You have Mrs. Wells, you have Misty, and you have to give them an explanation.”

When Old Vie saw Jack come in, he assumed Jack had landed some big job, which was why he had the kid get the prosthetic body and go all out. But he didn't expect Jack to go back to Valentino and help that mud pit... This dispelled Old Vie's idea. He just wanted to know if Jack had been living a comfortable life for too long and had chosen the most reckless path.

Fortunately, Jack was a rough-around-the-edges but shrewd fellow. He understood Old Wei's concerns and, after thinking for a moment, began to talk about Taipingzhou.

"Old Wei, you've been to Taipingzhou, right? What did you think of that place?"

When Jack asked him about it, Old Vieille, who had wanted to comfort him, rejected the idea of ​​fitting Jack with a prosthetic body from the bottom of his heart. He replied, "It used to be a place that I had to think twice before going there. Now... it's a good place that has nothing to do with this lousy place. It doesn't care about your background or reputation. As long as you live an honest and law-abiding life, you can live like a human being."

"Think about it, the skyscraper apartments in Night City are only for rent, not for sale. How many people have to scrimp and save every month to find a place to shelter from the wind and rain? There are a dozen fewer intermediaries and property management there, at least you don't feel like a dog."

Jack chuckled. "Old Vince, it seems that place is really good. Otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to think of anything else to praise, so you're only focusing on this?" Old Vince also chuckled and said, "Without Misty, I wouldn't be able to help those neighbors in Night City who are temporarily broke or have no way to turn their lives around. I might even have to go down the path of illegal medicine, doing some unscrupulous business to make a living."

Jack: "I understand, I understand... but—"

There was a brief silence.

Old Wei didn't respond; the atmosphere wasn't strange, but rather calm.

“I also want Heywood to be like that.”

Jack's deep voice came through, and Old Wei stopped what he was doing. He slowly raised his head and looked at the big man with a hint of disbelief. He tried to joke with the kid, but found that the other man was extremely serious.

"Old Wei..."

Seeing that Old Wei remained silent, Jack continued, "If I hadn't experienced life like that in Pacific Island, I could have been like any of those idiots on the street, just picking up a gun and going after any corporate bastard or other gangster—or listening to those radio dramas about being a big shot, with death just a final act of glory..."

"But what can that change? These kinds of days are actually... not good."

Old Wei recalled the time he went to the Animal Gang to fight in underground boxing matches.

Back then, Viktor, a poor young man, was single-mindedly focused on breaking free from the shackles of his impoverished life with his own hands. The pressure, the glitz and glamour of the city, the pervasive advertising and capitalist scams made it impossible for him to stop and seriously consider the essence of life.

The only cruel truth is that when you look back, you've already lived half your life.

Victor suddenly realized that he, too, had become one of those who ignored the essence of things and pursued results in isolation. His age had led him to accept one thing: Night City and this world were beyond change—which was why he overemphasized that young people should live life to the fullest…

Perhaps even he himself doesn't know what it means to have lived a fulfilling life.

A life full of ups and downs? Standing up against the system by stepping on the company? Or becoming a legendary figure recognized by the community and the streets?

Because of his aimless and stressful youth, Victor had neither the will nor the courage to consider whether the world could be changed.

"You remind me of something."

Victor stopped what he was doing. "When I was a small-time thug in the Valentino gang, I thought that as long as I trained, I could make my fists invincible and make those drug-fueled orcs in Pacific Continent no match for me. When I was young, I wanted to buy any prosthetic body that could be beneficial to boxing and try it out."

"Back then, in order to save money to buy a coordinator, I saved up half a year's salary, and could only eat low-quality protein every day."

Jack raised an eyebrow and asked, "And then?"

Viktor's smile widened, but it was full of regret. "I bought it, but I found out that it was a synergistic prosthetic body that was phased out in the European boxing world ten years ago, and it has a fatal flaw."

"People often get used to their current bad situation, and when they accidentally come across something so wonderful that it seems unreal, that's how it happens... I understand what you mean, Jack."

Finished saying this.

Old Wei handed Jack a cable. "Here, plug it in. I'll also do a full system cleanup for you... Your prosthetic eye driver has some issues and needs an upgrade."

Jack was confused.

He subconsciously took the tube and, trusting it so much that he inserted it into his brain-computer interface without hesitation, operated the complex prosthetic interface as if he had forgotten the conversation they had just had.

This silence left Jack feeling helpless and confused. His mother and girlfriend would never support the suggestion; he wanted someone to understand his thoughts and feelings.

"Is relying on the Valentino gang really going to work? I heard the NCPD has been on the shores of Haywood for a long time, and a drug dealer died there, so what are your plans?"

Jack's expression relaxed considerably upon hearing this. Knowing that Old V was unfamiliar with Valentino's recent situation, he explained everything about Gonzalez, Tiano, and Camilla in detail, including how Rin and V helped Haywood eliminate Gonzalez, a cancerous growth, and how the Cuban Group's plans were disrupted.

Old Wei was stunned by what he heard.

“Old Wei, look—Lin treats his buddy like family. He’s taken care of everything, practically prepared dinner and put it on the table. He can’t expect to be fed by someone else, can he?”

"There can't be anyone still thinking about doing this kind of childless business in Heywood. Those scoundrels Camilla brought to Heywood also need to be dealt with..."

"Besides, some of the Valentino gang still trust me. They're the old guys who followed Campbell and me to drive those bastards from the Vortex Gang out of Haywood—the Valentino gang was the one that protected the neighborhood when Night City was a cesspool, not some criminal gang that doesn't care about anything except running a street cleaning business!"

"It's okay to make the NCPD and the company uncomfortable! But we can't let the people of Heywood feel disheartened!"

Jack was panting heavily, clearly unable to contain his inner turmoil. He didn't think he could just hide away with his ears covered, waiting for someone else's pity.

Rin and the others have helped enough... now it's time to prove myself!
After the passionate speech ended, Old Wei continued fiddling with the program, seemingly oblivious to Jack's excited tone and expression.

Jack looked on in surprise—

Old Wei squinted at the system program. "Hmm, to support the spinal operating system, you need a good framework. Luckily, I recently learned some cutting-edge techniques from my colleagues, which are suitable for you."

"You agree?!"

Jack excitedly gave Old Vieux a light tap on the shoulder.

Old Vieux smiled, "Then let's see what that kid Haywood, who almost became a high-ranking member of the Valentino gang, is capable of... Don't worry about Misty, once the prosthetic body is installed, I'll accept it even if Misty kicks me out, but I have only one request..."

At this point, Old Wei's expression immediately turned serious.

“Explain this to Misty and your mother. This isn’t a request, it’s a demand!”

“Listen, Jack, I’m not some old-fashioned fool, but the most important thing is your family who are there for you. Your life doesn’t just belong to you, and I guess they’ll understand—”

"But if you don't say it, you'll always have a knot in your heart."

Jack frowned upon hearing this request, but ultimately gave in.

Misty and Jack needed a definite answer, and Jack himself didn't want them to be kept in the dark...

Just then, Jack, who had been hesitating about the occasion for bringing this up, suddenly brightened up. Old Wei heard the loud Chinese voice, cold and laced with anger, say—

"Hang in there! I'm coming!"

……

……

(End of this chapter)