2077: V really knows how awesome he is

The warden was an exaggeratedly fat man with a pair of gorilla arms and a face full of scars, clearly a typical villain.

"Good luck to you. Don't forget, you only have one hour. If you need to back down, then back down!"

The prison guard went out, and just before closing the door, he saw the warden's sinister smile.

"Sigh, it would have been so much better if he had just stayed put. He had to think about becoming some kind of boss. Now look what happened. He's fallen into the hands of the warden, and he'll be lucky to escape with his life."

The prison guards all thought River Ward was in grave danger, but in reality...

"I'm sorry for neglecting you. Come, sit down, make yourself at home. I have some tequila from Baijiu Shen here, have a sip to calm your nerves."

The saying goes, "What the superiors like, the inferiors will surely imitate."

V likes Baijiu Godiva tequila, and naturally, everyone below him, big and small, follows suit.

River Ward felt the same way, but after considering the mission, he finally shook his head and said, "Thanks for your kind offer, brother, but I'd better not. It would be hard to explain going back reeking of alcohol."

"What's there to explain? They'll just say you're seriously injured and transferred to the medical ward. You can treat it as a recuperation trip. Come on, have a drink with your brother."

Seeing that he couldn't refuse such a kind offer, River Ward had no choice but to agree.

He's no longer the rookie who just joined the NCPD, and naturally knows that social interactions are an important part of interpersonal relationships. As the saying goes, "If the water is too clear, there will be no fish," meaning as long as one is clear on important matters, there's no need to be too serious about minor flaws.

The two then began drinking, one cup after another. The warden praised River Ward for his courage and foresight, predicting a bright future for him; River Ward reciprocated by saying that the warden was mature and prudent, a pillar of Night City.

After a round of mutual flattery and finishing a bottle of tequila, River Ward stated his requirements.

"I need a strict prison warden."

The warden was a smart man; he didn't ask what he wanted to do, only how strict he wanted it to be.

"The kind that doesn't treat prisoners like human beings."

"Okay, leave it to me. The person will arrive tomorrow."

River Ward added, "It's not enough to pretend; it's about genuinely not treating prisoners like human beings."

"Don't worry, brother, I understand what you mean." The warden said with a smile, "There are quite a few people like this in our Night City police system, and they're pure perverts, the kind that can't be whitewashed. So go ahead and do it, because whatever you do is for the good of the people."

They smiled at each other, everything understood without a word.

Soon, astonishing news spread through the prison: the first person to successfully complete the mission under the warden's command had appeared. Although he was sent to the medical ward due to serious injuries, he persevered for three whole hours. The warden used every form of torture he could find, but he couldn't get him to admit defeat.

This person's name is "River Ward"!

The whole prison was like a festival, and the inmates who shared a cell with River Ward were especially proud. Even when they went to the toilet, some people would stand up and give up their seats before they had finished.

"Awesome! River is fucking awesome! We're going to have a huge celebration for him when he gets better!"

Instead of a "hero," the prisoners were greeted by a "demon."

The new warden was a notorious psychopath in Night City. He was dismissed when V cracked down on crime in Night City, but now he's been rehired for reasons unknown.

The prisoners thought he would restrain himself, but they were sorely mistaken. The warden vented his resentment over being dismissed on the prisoners. For a week, he beat one or two prisoners into the medical ward every day, and one of them is said to be in a coma now.

Moreover, the prisoners' treatment also plummeted. Their meals were reduced from three meals a day to two, and from meatballs to just protein strips. Their working hours increased from 10 to 14 hours, but they only earned half the work points for collecting garbage; the deducted points went entirely into the pocket of the prison guards.

If the old prisons were heaven, then the current prisons are definitely hell.

The prisoners didn't dare speak loudly, fearing they'd be the next unlucky ones sent to the medical ward. Alex was especially frustrated; because she received a full salary, she was the most exploited.

"Damn it, I can't live like this anymore, I'm going to kill that bastard!" Alex was furious.

But Li De stopped her: "Don't be impulsive, we can't give ourselves away."

"To hell with your flaws, Reed! The world will keep turning without you!" Alex had a past conflict with Reed, and after being "betrayed" by him, their animosity only intensified: "You think you're a national hero who endures humiliation and hardship, but you're just Miles's dog. She keeps countless dogs like you, and she doesn't care whether you live or die!"

“I’m not a dog, I’m an FIA agent, I’m loyal to my country, and I work for the new America.” Reed said in a deep voice, “Alex, if we don’t respect ourselves, how can we expect others to respect us?”

"You think highly of yourself? You become a security guard, groveling before the rich, and that's how you think you're so great?" Alex said sarcastically. "Wake up, Li De! We're both just pawns. We need to think about ourselves!"

Li De frowned: "What are you going to do?"

"Kill that idiot warden!" Alex roared. "Nobody can stop me from picking up trash!"

Just how much do you love this job?

Li De was a little speechless, but he still firmly said, "No, it's too conspicuous and doesn't fit our prison break plan."

"It was your escape plan; I had no intention of leaving."

"No matter what, I won't let you kill the prison warden!"

"Then try it! I'll fucking kill you too!"

"Alex!"

"Li De!"

The two were arguing quietly in the restaurant when a shadow suddenly enveloped them.

Looking up, I saw the prison warden and his henchmen.

"Damn it!" Alex cursed, and the warden immediately swung a baton at him on the head.

Seeing the fierce glint in Alex's eyes, Li De feared she might attack without restraint, so he quickly stepped forward to block the blow, forcing a smile as he said, "I'm sorry, sir, she's not..."

What is it not?

Before he could finish speaking, the prison warden struck Li De on the head with a stick, causing blood to flow down his forehead.

"Ugh!" Li De groaned, and the prison warden struck him on the calf with a stick again, forcing him to kneel down.

Alex was furious and was about to strike when he yelled "You motherfucker!" but Li De grabbed him.

"Do not impulse!"

In that brief moment of pulling and tugging, Alex lost his chance, and the warden's henchmen swarmed forward, wielding batons to knock Alex down and then giving the two of them a brutal beating.

The baton was infused with electricity, crackling incessantly, leaving scorch marks on the body with every strike, and it showed no mercy, hitting all vital points.

Alex was in agony, and Li De was also a little regretful, because it looked like they were going to beat them to death, and he didn't understand why at all.

Evil people never need a reason to do evil, therefore evil people are evil people.

Seeing the two men being beaten until they were spitting blood, with broken bones and tendons, a loud shout suddenly rang out: "Stop!"

Through his swollen eyes, Alex saw a tall, imposing figure—River Ward!

"Charge with me! Save people! Kill the prison warden!"

At the hero's command, the prisoners launched their charge.

The pain of many days has turned into strength, and the grudges of the past will be settled today!

The prisoners roared like wild beasts and grappled with their henchmen. The warden, seeing the situation was bad, turned and ran, but River Ward stepped onto a stool, stomped across one table after another, leaped high into the air, and descended from the sky like a chimpanzee, slamming the warden to the ground with a thud!

With their leader defeated, the henchmen surrendered one after another, and the prisoners cheered their victory. River Ward walked over to Alex, extended his hand, and said, "Can you stand up? I'll take you to the doctor."

Alex felt a jolt of shock, suddenly stunned.

Just as she was about to reach out, a gunshot rang out. River Ward, who had been cool for less than 5 seconds, was hit in the chest by a tranquilizer dart and instantly lost consciousness. His burly body slammed onto her with a thud.

"Holy crap!"

Alex wasn't killed by the warden, but the blow knocked him unconscious, his eyes rolling back in his head.

The riot was quickly quelled in the prison, and River Ward and Alex, who were unconscious, were immediately taken to the medical ward for treatment.

Li De: ?

No, what about me?

Chapter 59 Solomon Reed's Weakness

Prison, medical ward.

Three days have passed since the riots.

River Ward's sudden fall from the sky broke three of the warden's lumbar vertebrae, leaving him paralyzed and unable to even defecate for the rest of his life. This was originally a very serious case of bodily harm, but considering the warden's abuse of power and prior violation of regulations, River Ward's actions were deemed self-defense and no further action was taken.

The prison was like a holiday again, and River Ward became a hero once more—although this hero hadn't spent more than a few days in his cell since arriving at the prison; he spent most of his time in the medical ward.

However, those who can cause trouble are also capable of handling it; that's how simple the prisoners' values ​​are. Anyway, River Ward is already the undisputed boss of the prison, and no one can change that except V.

V is currently overwhelmed with work: urban reconstruction, the implementation of the Taipingzhou research base, routine business activities for Arasaka 2077, various rights and obligations at the Lunar Cloud Sea base, dealing with the exploitation from Sasha and Michiko. Sasha works Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, while Michiko works Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. On Sundays, V also has to find time to cooperate with Joanne Koch for blood tests in preparation for treatment of her extensive nerve atrophy. She's truly incredibly busy.

To be honest, she forgot about it after throwing River Ward in jail. Fortunately, the future NCPD director is quite capable and did a really good job.

Through a psychopathic prison warden, River Ward subtly separated Reed and Alex, now placing one in a cell and the other in the medical ward, allowing him to make his move on the more extroverted Alex alone and gain his trust.

but……

"Hey River, your pecs are really well-developed, how did you train them?"

River Ward was speechless as he watched Alex reach out and grope his chest.

Now it's not him launching an offensive against Alex, but rather Alex launching an offensive against him. He feels like he's already gained Alex's "trust" before he's even put his bunch of brilliant ideas into practice.

River Ward suspected something was amiss and decided to test the waters.

He slapped Alex's hand away and said in a muffled voice, "Don't touch me like that, we're not that close."

“It’s okay if we’re not familiar with each other, we can get to know each other.” Alex had been a bar owner for seven years, and his skills in chatting and flirting were top-notch: “As the saying goes, there are four ironclad bonds in life: fighting together, studying together, embezzling together, and visiting prostitutes together. Although we haven’t done any of those, prison is still a window. How about we ask each other questions, one for you and one for me, to get to know each other better?”

River Ward had been planning to get information out of him anyway, and this was exactly what he wanted. He nodded and said, "Okay, you go first."

Alex didn't mince words: "What did you do before? How did you get in?"

This was a pre-written character profile, and River Ward didn't hide it: "I used to be an NCPD detective, but I was sent here because I embezzled a little money. What about you?"

“I’m a bar owner, I haven’t committed any crime.”

"How did you get in if you didn't commit a crime?"

Alex said, as if joking, "Because I was a secret agent of the new America, I was dragged out and thrown into prison."

River Ward's heart skipped a beat, but he feigned surprise: "Really?"

Alex didn't answer: "Now it's my turn to ask."

"Oh, go ahead and ask."

"Since it's embezzlement, you'll definitely lose your job at the NCPD. What are you planning to do after you get out of prison? What are your plans and intentions?"

River Ward replied as originally planned: "If I don't work for the NCPD, I'll become a chef. I inherited my family's culinary talent. I'll start with a mobile stall, and after two or three years, once I've saved enough money, I'll open a small shop, serve customers during the day, and spend time with my family at night. It's a bit mundane, but it's stable."

"Yes, yes, stability is good, stability is the best!" Alex nodded repeatedly.

“Now it’s my turn to ask,” River Ward said, bringing up the same question again: “Are you really a New America agent?”

"Yes, I've been undercover in Dogtown for seven years, using the bar owner as a cover. You worked for the NCPD, so you know that bars are a melting pot of all sorts of people, making them the perfect place to gather intelligence. Plus, my bar is located under a secret liaison point for New America in Dogtown. Doesn't that sound like a scene from a movie?"

River Ward was completely bewildered. Why was Alex always telling the truth? Was he deliberately setting up a trap by adding a lie to every ten truths he heard?

Yes, that must be it! He truly deserves to be called a real agent, far superior to me, a self-taught NCPD detective. I must stay alert and on high alert to avoid being tricked into revealing information.

The future NCPD director had just finished tightening his screws when Alex asked a new question: "You mentioned your family earlier. Who are the members of your family?"

“My parents passed away a long time ago. Now I only have an older sister who has three children, two boys and a girl, all of whom are very cute.”

Where is my brother-in-law?

He abandoned his wife and children and ran away.

"This scumbag!"

"He is indeed a scumbag. My sister was sad for a long time and even suffered from depression. Thanks to President V for changing Night City, my sister saw hope for living again, and her depression was cured without medication."

“That’s great.” Alex exclaimed with delight. “V is truly amazing. The people of Night City are so lucky.”

River Ward, fearing he might be tricked into revealing information, didn't want to dwell on V's topic, so he asked, "And you, do you still have family?"

“Yes, I have a father, a mother, and a younger sister, but I’ve cut ties with them all since I became a secret agent.” Alex gave a weary smile. “The former Alina Zenax died in a traffic accident. All that’s left is Alex, a shadow without a past or a future.”

"Feel sorry."

"It's alright, I'm used to it." Alex perked up again. "Being a secret agent sounds impressive, but there's no freedom whatsoever. I have to submit twelve reports to 'explain the situation and explain the reasons' just to have a relationship, so I'm still single. You, on the other hand, you must have a girlfriend by now, when are you planning to get married?"

River Ward shook his head: "I don't have a girlfriend."

A glint flashed in Alex's eyes: "Is that your boyfriend?"

"Then there's no way. I'm a traditional man; I only like women."