2077: V really knows how awesome he is

"Choose Delaman, and leave your troubles at the door. Welcome, Ms. V."

"Good evening, old man. Heading to Santo Domingo, to the dam viewpoint."

Chapter 6 The Dam, the Captain, and the Stars in the Night Sky

The Santo Domingo Dam is wide and sturdy, generating enough electricity each year to power half the city. It is like a guardian of the city of night, and every locust pizza that the people microwave should be grateful for its bounty.

The dam is incredibly magnificent, a miracle that only humankind could create. Its top is not only wide enough for four cars to drive side by side, but it is also hundreds of meters higher than the average elevation of Night City. It is said that if you stand on it, you can reach out and pluck the stars from the night sky.

A middle-aged man with long hair and bangs lay on the hood of his car, drinking canned beer and admiring the starry sky and the earth.

He has been looking at this scene for over forty years, yet he can never get enough of it.

The starlight in the sky is bright and clear, and the lights on the ground are warm and beautiful. If you still find this scene unpleasant, then there must be something wrong with the person who has been drinking.

Squeeze the empty can flat, toss it away without a second thought, then open another can and take a big gulp. That feeling... is wonderful!

The middle-aged man's lips curled slightly as he enjoyed the wonderful moment, but the sound of an engine approaching from afar shattered his smile.

A Delaman taxi smoothly pulled up and stopped beside him.

The car window rolled down, revealing V's profile.

Black sunglasses, a cold expression, and a suit—you don't even need to look at a middle-aged man; just by smelling him, you can tell he's a high-class corporate employee.

Damn, nothing good ever comes from companies. Trouble is brewing!

The middle-aged man thought to himself, then asked V, "Looking for me?"

V countered, "When did the dam viewpoint become private property?"

The middle-aged man choked for a moment, then saw V stick one hand out of the car window and reach towards the sky.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously.

"People say you can reach for the stars at the top of the dam, and I want to try it."

Then a night breeze blew up, and several pieces of trash flew up. V didn't pluck the stars, but only a dirty old napkin.

"Hahaha!" The middle-aged man burst into laughter: "Legends are just legends, how can you believe such nonsense!"

“I didn’t believe it at first.” V threw away the napkin. “But I’ve been given a second chance at life, so I don’t want to miss any possibility.”

"A second life?" the middle-aged man asked curiously. "You were sick before?"

"That's it."

"Is it cured now?"

"That's it."

"That's great." The middle-aged man raised the can in his hand and said sincerely, "Health is invaluable, this toast is for you."

He finished the drink in one gulp and then casually tossed it aside.

V looked around at the dirty and messy environment, with bottles and trash everywhere. Everyone who came here to see the scenery left their mark, as if offering sacrifices to the guardian deity.

"You really like coming here?"

I love it!

"You even love the trash here?"

"Bullshit, I'm so fed up with these pieces of trash!"

"Then why not protect the environment?"

"Because I'm one of those who throw away trash."

V looked at the man, and the man looked at V.

Then the two of them burst out laughing.

"So you had no choice but to go along with it because you couldn't resist?"

“That’s right, I’m not a saint, I never have been.” The man opened another can of wine: “Now I believe you didn’t come here to see me.”

V raised an eyebrow: "Why?"

"Because the people who come to me for help are either wronged or filled with hatred; they are trash themselves, so they never care about other trash. But you are not trash."

V became interested: "Then what do I look like?"

The man thought for a moment, then grinned and replied, "You're like a metal ingot that's been to a recycling center, pressed into a square shape in the recycling machine, clean and sharp-edged, as if you're ready to rebuild the world at any moment."

V took off his sunglasses and smiled.

The man couldn't help but whistle at her beauty; today, he had witnessed a beauty comparable to the starry sky.

“You’re wrong,” V said.

The man asked, "Aren't you a perfectly straight metal ingot?"

“No, I mean, I came here to see you.” V said calmly, “Muammar Reyes, the best middleman in Santo Domingo, known as ‘The Old Captain,’ nice to meet you.”

"Hey, I never thought I'd misjudge someone." Muammar, or rather the old captain, put on a business-like expression and asked with a smile, "May I ask your advice?"

“My name is V, just V.” V introduced himself: “Currently working at Arasaka Corporation, as the deputy head of the Counterintelligence Department.”

The old captain's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained calm: "A big shot, huh? I usually only see people like you on TV. So, Vice Minister V, what brings you to my humble abode?"

"Of course I'm asking you, old captain, for a commission. It's not like I'm asking you to put on a concert, is it?"

“That makes sense.” The old captain chuckled and scratched his head. “However, the waters here are shallow, and I don’t have many mercenaries I can count on. I really can’t take your job. Why don’t you go ask in the afterlife? That’s where big business is done.”

"My commission is not a big business."

"Don't be ridiculous. Even a small order from the deputy head of the Arasaka Counterintelligence Department is a big deal."

"Why don't you listen to the details of the request? Just in case you can complete it."

"Hey, I'm not stupid. Once I hear the details of the request, whether I accept it or not won't be up to me."

The old captain's stubbornness left V speechless. She had come because of his steadiness, but his obstinacy was truly a source of annoyance for her.

"Old captain, I don't want to go back empty-handed."

Threat? I'm fucking scared.

The old captain chuckled, "Then you're destined to have your way today."

V remained silent.

"Nothing else to say?" The old captain jumped off the engine cover. "Then I'll be going. Farewell, Vice-Minister V."

The moment he opened the car door, V spoke.

“3月17号凌晨1点45分，荒坂工业园第22集装箱。”

The old captain's expression changed drastically at just a few simple numbers.

"you?!"

V shrugged: "I didn't want things to get this far, you're just being disrespectful to me."

"Damn it, and you're blaming me for this?!" the old captain gritted his teeth and said, "What do you know?"

"Everything. The timing of your operation, the mole who provided the cover, the stolen equipment, and the purpose of it all."

"You even know our purpose?" The old captain scoffed. "You're fucking kidding me!"

"The Cloud Sea Type III personal medical pod, manufactured by Crystal Palace, is designed for space travel, but it can also treat all diseases on Earth," V said, enunciating each word clearly. "The inhabitants of Santo Domingo have always been plagued by water pollution; every drop of water you drink is poisonous. If you're lucky, you might live to middle age like you; if you're unlucky, you'll die as a child. Of course, there's another category—those who aren't dead, but are plagued by incurable diseases, living a life worse than death. Arasaka ordered personal medical pods from the moon..." They steal to heal your loved ones and friends. The old captain always sits in his luxury car, coldly observing the chaos of Santo Domingo, displaying a cynical attitude towards street violence and gang conflicts. But in reality, the old captain is closely connected to the community and is a spokesperson for its interests. You are unwilling to completely submit to the company's power, yet unable to completely escape the rule of prioritizing profit. You are neither a pure rebel nor an absolute exploiter; you are a pragmatist walking between morality and self-interest. Your situation reflects the complex social structure of Night City and expresses…”

"Enough!" the old captain roared, his face as red as a monkey's bottom.

On the one hand, I felt a little embarrassed that someone had seen through my thoughts, and on the other hand, I was also scared.

He had no doubt that the company could crush anyone as easily as crushing an ant, including him.

I didn't grind it before because I was too lazy to do it.

But now?

The old captain looked at V, his right hand unconsciously reaching towards his waist.

V slowly shook his head.

“Don’t do anything foolish. This is a Delaman taxi, and I’ve even activated the premium package. You might not believe it, but this car can fight its way through Adam Hammer’s blockade. You can’t stop me.”

A layer of white sweat appeared on the old captain's forehead.

He actually wanted to kill a company executive; he must be insane.

But he wasn't insane, so there's only one possibility left: he was driven to a dead end.

"I surrender." The old captain was remarkably straightforward, or perhaps his assessment of the situation was remarkably accurate. He raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, and said with a wry smile, "What do you want me to do? Return the medical bay?"

“No need. It’s just a medical pod; I don’t even consider it a concern,” V said slowly. “If I wanted, I could even give you a better medical pod.”

The old captain's expression turned even more bitter after hearing this, rather than any happier one.

"It seems you're asking me to do something that won't be easy. Well then, tell me about it."

"It's simple. I need information on biotechnology. Personnel composition, organizational structure, business scope, operating habits, both legitimate and illegitimate information—anything you know, I want it all!"

The old captain was stunned, not because the job was too difficult, but because, as V said, the job was actually very simple.

"That's all? Can't you Arasaka get any?"

"Of course. But rats have their paths and snakes have their ways. The company's intelligence network is too rigid. I need more information to enrich the data model."

"I understand. It doesn't matter if I say biotechnology is a bastard, or if your subordinates say biotechnology is a bastard, or if we both say biotechnology is a bastard, then it most likely really is a bastard."

“That’s right.” V nodded.

"So meticulous that it breeds paranoia, typical company style. After all these years, you're still the same." The old captain cursed, "I can tell you everything I know, but you have to answer one question for me first."

"what?"

"Why are you looking for me?" the old captain asked seriously. "Biotechnology isn't exactly a highly confidential field, and there are so many middlemen in the city. Why are you looking for me?"

“Ha, what a stupid question.” V laughed out loud: “Isn’t the water pollution in Santo Domingo the work of biotechnology? They used you as guinea pigs and then made a fortune developing new drugs. Because of this grudge, you are much more interested in biotechnology than other middlemen. After all, in Night City, the most enduring motivation is not alcohol 2, but hatred.”

The old captain gave a wry smile: "You really know everything."

V shrugged: "These are no secrets."

"Yes, these aren't secrets, everyone's just pretending not to know." The old captain pulled a chip out of his pocket.

V reached out to take it, but he dodged it.

"Since you know I have a grudge against biotechnology, then I'd like to ask you, do you want their data to deal with them?"

V shook his head: "I don't want to lie to you, old captain, I want to cooperate with biotechnology."

"Damn it!" The old captain couldn't help but curse, "I knew there wasn't a single good guy in the company! Those damn biotech guys use people for experiments, they don't treat people like human beings. Not only did my brothers and sisters die like guinea pigs in the past, but even now, countless people are dying because of them!"

"I know."

"You know you also collaborate with biotechnology!"

“You’re in a terrible situation,” V said calmly, “but what does that have to do with me?”

The old captain opened his mouth wide, but couldn't utter a word.

"This is Night City. And, like you, I am not a saint."

V took the chip from the old captain without much effort.

This man wasn't as strong as he looked, nor as optimistic.

Perhaps it was precisely because he understood everything so well that he enjoyed admiring the scenery alone on the dam.

The chip was inserted into a nerve slot behind the ear, and the information the old captain had collected came to mind.

So that's how it is. So the company really does have its own fascinating dirty secrets. Oh well, not entirely unexpected. Joanne Koch... I think I received an assassination commission from her in a past life. She's not a good person, but she can be used. Let's start with her as a breakthrough.

V copied the intelligence, removed the chip, and returned it to the old captain.

"Thanks. In return, I'll help you erase the traces of the previous theft." V rolled up the car window: "Goodbye, old captain. It was a pleasure talking to you."

"Damn, so this is what they call a big shot? Terrifying." The old captain slumped dejectedly on the hood of the car. "My legs are shaking!"

If even one senior executive is this difficult to deal with, it's simply impossible to defeat the company.