Cyberpunk: From Dogville to Legend

Chapter 494 Haywood's Future (Part 1)

Is it S.A.S.A.?

It was fairly interesting…

Suzuki was relieved that his subordinates hadn't made arbitrary judgments about the situation but had instead followed Emma's instructions: to evacuate in time when chaos erupted at Haywood—an order supposedly given at the behest of Lord Rin.

Heywood's problem is something only Heywood himself can solve.

Everything was complicated and the company's intervention was fraught with obstacles. Suzuki had only one goal: to prevent any changes in the Jack family, who were the pillars of Heywood, and his mother was the most important weakness.

It wasn't surprising that these guys who had infiltrated the Valentino gang had advanced cybernetic bodies. Suzuki just focused his attention slightly and slipped through these guys who were more than half his speed, his target being the child who was most likely to die first.

There's no particular reason; it's almost an unconscious action.

By the time the man grabbing the child's scalp realized what was happening, his forearm and hand were gone, and the well-dressed man stood four or five meters away, the child tucked between his arms.

Only after these movements were completed did the veins in his arm gush out like a burst dam!

The arm fell to the ground, and the man with his hands severed was still staring blankly. Suzuki's hand, which was holding the child, moved slightly, and his strong hand covered the child's eyes.

immediately--

The two guys who were attacking Suzuki realized that this was not some junior manager or anything like that. Sianwistan spurred them to run halfway, but they were still a step too late.

The samurai sword pierced a man's chest like an arrow. Suzuki used the momentum, his strong body surprisingly agile, and with a powerful whip kick, he slammed the man to the ground, sending fragments of his prosthetic body flying everywhere!
Suzuki stared at the last enemy, and with a sudden burst of force, the leather shoe pressing down on his neck produced a sound almost like metal breaking.

Mrs. Wells, lying on the ground, stared at Suzuki, who had dealt with these outsiders in almost thirty seconds, her expression as frozen as a candle.

The imposing man, holding the child, bowed slightly. "Mrs. Wells, I'm sorry you were frightened—I'm here on behalf of Dreamers Corporation and my boss to help you. I'm Suzuki Takeyoshi."

Mrs. Wells, who had been helped up from the ground by Suzuki, whispered a thank you and held the unconscious child in her arms. Suzuki frowned as he looked at the scar on Jack's mother's head. "Would you like to take a look?"

However, this single mother, who had seen her share of storms on the streets of Heywood, possessed extraordinary determination and courage. She merely wiped the scars on her forehead with her hand. "Was it that company woman named Emma who sent you? You want to go into Heywood and fight with the Valentino gang, right?"

However, Suzuki simply pursed his lips and shook his head. "My mission is to ensure your safety, and as far as I know, the Dreamers have no intention of intervening in this street riot with any armed force."

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wells stared intently at Suzuki.

However, Suzuki simply lowered his head slightly, as if saying goodbye, and uttered a meaningful sentence in a low voice...

"Mrs. Wells, isn't it really your turn to make the choice now?"

The woman knew who the corporate warrior in front of her was referring to… This Heywood riot could only be ended by the people of Heywood, and besides, the moment Mrs. Wells saw the child, she had already made her choice after living most of her life…

Mrs. Wells believed that her son would carry on Heywood's hopes, even though it was all a different choice. She was convinced that Jack's choice was correct.

"Jack is still in Watson District. The Dreamers will keep Haywood's communications in place if needed. Be careful."

"Also, Miss Emma asked me to tell you that if the situation becomes irreversible, the Dreamers will take action to clear the coast... At that time, Arasaka will also get involved. We have some tacit cooperation in certain areas."

Mrs. Wells' expression changed slightly at this point.

This woman named Emma is incredibly capable, combining both strength and gentleness... If the Heywood people can't resolve this mess or only intend to temporarily back down, then the Dreamers will have the Valentino Gang eradicate it completely. By then, the damage to Heywood will be immeasurable by Jack's reputation.

After all, many Heywood residents have intricate connections with the Valentino gang.

"Don't worry, the people of Haywood have very sharp eyes. We know very well who the bastards are and who the good guys are."

It must be said that Mrs. Wells was Jack's biological mother, and her words and actions, including her carefree attitude, surprised Suzuki.

So the tall samurai retreated silently and soon disappeared into the alley. Mrs. Wells looked in the direction Suzuki left, hugged the child tighter, and then made a phone call to the network that Wild Wolf had built up over the years and to those who owed her favors.

It's no exaggeration to say that even if Mrs. Wells were to rob Arasaka's goods right now, she could still escape unscathed.

Soon the child's parents came looking for her. Mrs. Wells, seeing the couple who were almost in shock, told them to go home and lock their doors and windows as soon as possible, amidst their repeated thanks.

As the gunfire from the Wild Wolf pub faded in the distance, she guessed that the battle must have ended there… Mrs. Wells didn't know who the people fighting the Valentino gang at the Wild Wolf were, so she quickly drafted a text message for her neighbors in Haywood. The message was very simple:
Fellow villagers of Heywood

The Valentino gang is a part of us, and for a time it sheltered us from the storm, even making Haywood a relatively safer place to live than other neighborhoods.

But things often take unexpected turns. Camilla wants to turn him into a gun, to point it at our heads and tell us that this place belongs to criminals like drug dealers and human traffickers, regardless of whether you have family in the Valentino gang. What Haywood wants is not a gun, but a peaceful life.

Please stay quietly at home now. Mrs. Wells and Jack Wells will not let Camilla's scheme succeed.

After doing all this, Mrs. Wells first called an old acquaintance in the East Side to get a complete understanding of the whole story.

"The Wells family—"

The voice on the other end sounded slightly aged, "I wouldn't normally dare to sell out the Valentino gang so easily, but I owe you a favor, so let's just leave it at that..."

"Karl, do you mean we should trust the Valentino gang?"

When Mrs. Wells learned that the Valentino gang was trying to infiltrate the neighborhood to avoid being caught by the company, she felt a deep chill run down her spine…

The intelligence officer sighed. "Corporate or gang, I'd only choose the gang... What do you expect those suit-wearing dogs to turn Haywood into? Isn't Pacific Island and Santo Domingo a cautionary tale?"

"The Sixth Street gang is also keeping an eye on things. Jack is a promising talent... but he shouldn't be on the company's side."

Mrs. Wells hung up the phone.

She now wondered if the Valentino gang was truly determined to continue their heinous schemes, riding roughshod over the Haywoods.

So she called the girl she had once been most satisfied with, the one she had chosen as her daughter-in-law... but this girl had clearly gone down a different path that caused Heywood pain because of the death of her loved one.

"Hey?"

Looking at Mrs. Camilla Wells in the holographic video, who was standing with her arms crossed and a wary expression, I had no intention of playing the emotional card.

"Has the choice been made? I think Jack will be back soon, and you haven't caught this old man—you're probably not doing what your older brother instructed you to do, are you?"

Camilla knew things were bad when she received Mrs. Wells' call, but she didn't expect the other woman to act as if nothing was wrong. Camilla muttered curses under her breath at the former Tiger Claw gang members from Westbrook, calling them a bunch of good-for-nothings. She then gestured to her subordinate, who was controlling the Heywood neighborhood, to quickly find her, the highly respected number one person in Heywood. "Are you here to plead for Jack? Guess how many people will die if the company gets involved in Heywood, Mrs. Wells... Besides, I have to tell you, being controlled by a gang is better than those corporate scumbags. Do you really think they're doing charity work?"

"Have you forgotten how many times Heywood was cheated by the company before?"

Camilla had always regarded the Wells family as a role model for Haywood, but she never expected that they would be willing to cooperate with the company after her brother's death.

However, Mrs. Wells had no intention of proving herself. "We want food, clothing, shelter from the wind and rain, and for our children to grow up smoothly... The things the people of Heywood want have never changed. We don't want our daughters to be sex dolls, or our sons to be criminals who commit murder, robbery, and kidnapping..."

"Did you manage to make Haywood a better person?"

"Or are you going to let Cuban poison spread through the streets of Heywood, getting your distant cousins ​​addicted, or are you going to have your brothers and sisters ready to be shot in the street by the NCPD at any moment?"

Camilla was clearly well aware of the good deeds the Dreamers had done for the Heywoods, and she immediately flew into a rage upon hearing this… She always felt that Mrs. Wells, with her foresight, could see that it was a temporary plan, and that the Heywoods would eventually take back everything by taking advantage of the Cubans and their vast wealth.

After she growled these words out, Mrs. Wells just stared at her with a cold smile.

“I’m shocked that you’d believe a drug dealer, child. You’ve misjudged this game. The Haywoods will never be on your side.” Mrs. Wells lowered her gun; she began her operation—

"You will get your comeuppance, Camilla. I was once proud of you, but now... we can only regard you as an enemy."

Camilla's rapid breathing gradually stopped.

She watched grimly as the neighbors were dragged out of their houses by the Valentino gang at gunpoint. She pulled a gun from the man next to her, and Mrs. Wells closed her eyes to listen to the neighbors' wails. Camilla's voice was like a devil's whisper.

"Is that so, Mrs. Wells?"

"Then I'll count to three. As long as you don't show up, this person will die because of you."

"How about it?"

Mrs. Wells slowly opened her eyes, her gaze revealing a calm and resolute determination.

“Camilla, I’ve seen far more of this than you have. I won’t tell you to stop—because my child will make you pay.”

The phone call was abruptly disconnected.

Camilla, who had been holding a gun, looked at the kneeling neighbor in front of her and slowly lowered it.

"Keep searching. Confiscate all guns and ammunition from every household. Take control of any place that can generate profit. Quickly! Tell Tiano and the others to be on high alert. Anyone who has contact with Wells' side, don't blame me for turning my back on them! Also, find this old woman and have the people from the Japanese neighborhood take over!"

Just as Camilla was convincing herself that she had gained a decisive advantage—

At this moment, someone reported: "The group responsible for controlling the wolves has lost contact..."

Camilla's expression changed. When did this happen?

Turning her head to look at the cadres, she saw that the one standing at the front was Tiano, who, if Camilla remembered correctly, seemed to be one of his men.

The loyal cadre looked grim. "Jack wasn't dealt with by Aguilar. We had already determined that one of the Cubans was an imposter... I guess Jack contacted his old subordinates."

That's where the root of this operation lies.

It all started when Jack reappeared in Heywood after being taken away by Aguilar.

After realizing that González had been set up, Camilla could no longer sit still. She couldn't guess whether the person behind it was from the company or the Night City mercenaries. She even suspected that Cuba was trying to cooperate with Jack's side.

All of these factors led Camilla to decide to strike first and not give Mrs. Wells and Jack a chance to work their magic.

However, she underestimated the influence of Mrs. Wells and Jack.

"Tiano, this matter is probably not unrelated to you, is it? You used to be in cahoots with that Jack guy, didn't you?"

The cadre from the Tiger Claw Gang smirked as he put on a hat.

Before Tiano could explain, Camille pulled out his hand to interrupt him…

As some of the original founding members of the Valentino gang, it's not surprising that these people had personal connections with Jack. "You should think about why your most capable men got away chasing an old man."

Seeing that Camilla wasn't fooled by his attempt to sow discord, the Japanese man scoffed, "Either the company or Night City's top mercenaries got involved. I'm not taking the blame for this!"

After saying that, the guy turned and left.

Camilla watched the cadre leave in a huff, and gritted her teeth to bear it. She didn't know how many people she had left, so she could only put aside the other party's offense for the time being.

"Tiano, your men are blocking anyone coming in at the edge of Watson. Jack can't go back to Haywood no matter what. Send some men to the Wolves!"

Hearing Camilla's order, Tiano was just about to carry it out himself when Camilla's soft voice came from behind him, and even his expression froze slightly...

"Remember... do not leave any survivors."

Tiano responded with a muffled sound.

Watching Tiano's departing figure, Camilla squinted her eyes, seemingly making some kind of plan.

She knew perfectly well that Tiano's men would have a hard time getting to the Heywoods, but to prevent the company from intervening and to ensure the gang's complete control over Heywood, she reiterated this order—an order she herself didn't realize would come at a great cost…

“When the time comes, randomly deal with a few people and make the company take the blame.”

"This is a necessary sacrifice for Heywood's future... Anyone who refuses to do it, I will finish them off myself!"

As soon as he finished speaking, some of the Valentino gang members looked at each other, their expressions hesitant.

……

……

(End of this chapter)