2077: V really knows how awesome he is

Alex's eyes lit up even more: "Great!"

River Ward: "?"

"Ahem." Alex quickly composed himself. "I mean, it's your turn to ask a question."

River Ward, who always took his work very seriously, put aside his previous doubts and asked, "You're a New America agent, so why didn't New America come to rescue you? Even street gang leaders know they have to stand up for their underlings, otherwise, if morale drops, who will work for them?"

Alex got angry at the mention of this: "Hmph, that's because the new US president is even worse than a gang leader! Miles is a piece of stinking dog shit, the kind that's been sitting around all night. She abandoned me in Dogtown for seven years without a care, but I'm sure she'll come crawling back with a big mouth and spout nonsense like 'The country has never forgotten you'! Do you know how I got into the FIA?"

River Ward shook his head.

“I grew up in the slums of Los Angeles. My parents were drug addicts, and my friends were involved in criminal activities every day. In such a hopeless and terrible environment, my dream was to fucking become a Mewtwo actor. I sent countless samples to major studios for this purpose, but they all disappeared without a trace. Just when I was completely disheartened and about to give up, a studio finally took notice of me and sent me an invitation.”

"With renewed hope, I packed my bags and went to Washington alone, ignoring the advice of my family and friends. When I got there, I found out that the so-called studio was just a shell company set up by the FIA ​​to cover up their activities. They were not recruiting actors, but agents."

"It's ridiculous, isn't it? The supposedly high-ranking secret agents actually recruited in this way. I even thought they were scamming me, trying to get me to do a medical check-up and buy work clothes. But in the end, I was defeated by their sweet talk about 'serving the country,' 'your talent is one in a million,' and 'the people need you.'"

"I thus became a full-fledged agent of the new FIA, and I was quite pleased with myself at the time. But much later I learned that they said similar things to everyone. The reason for recruiting agents from ordinary people was simply to recruit cannon fodder. These hot-blooded young men and women would die one after another in dangerous missions, and the one who survived in the end would be the real agent!"

River Ward felt a pang of sorrow: "You survived."

“I survived, but sometimes I feel like I would have been better off dead.” Alex gave a wry smile. “Alright, let’s talk about something lighter. Do you have any plans to get married?”

“Huh?” That was a rather broad question, but River Ward answered anyway: “Yes, but it’s just the initial stage of finding the right woman.”

"So what are your requirements for a woman? Appearance, occupation, income, personality?"

"The main thing is personality; appearance can be changed at any time, and occupation and income are not problems. Of course, a criminal profession is definitely out of the question."

"So what's your view on the division of labor in a married family? Is it only the man who has to support the family, and the woman who has to take care of the children?"

Feeling the questions were getting increasingly bizarre, River Ward said, "Isn't it my turn to ask?"

“Oh, you asked.” Alex replied generously.

River Ward considered for a moment and asked, "Since the new America treats you this way, why should you remain loyal to it? If you ask me, the most practical thing to do is to sell the intelligence you know for a good price and live a peaceful life from now on."

“I’d like to, but I don’t know how,” Alex answered without hesitation, then asked again, “What about the division of labor in the household after marriage?”

“Anything is fine with me. I love kids, and taking care of them is no problem for me.” When it came to the crucial question, River Ward’s speech quickened considerably: “What if I could help you get connections? I know some big shots when I was in the NCPD.”

"That won't work either. You know Solomon Reed, right? The one who got beaten up with me. He's also an FIA agent, my boss. He's keeping a close eye on me. If I want to sell information, I have to get away from his surveillance first. Speaking of children, how many children do you want?"

"Two, preferably one male and one female, but it's not mandatory. Solomon Reed, I'll figure something out. Are you willing to sell information?"

"Yes, but the buyer must guarantee my safety. What are your views on children's education?"

"The children's education must keep up. Night City has a compulsory education system, and I will fully support the children if they have the opportunity to pursue further education. The important people I know are people in the company, including Arasaka and Conto, so their safety is definitely not a problem, but it must be valuable intelligence, such as information about President Miles. Do you have any?"

"Not much, mostly trivial stuff. The liaison work is mainly handled by Solomon Reed; he has firsthand intelligence and the most dirt on people. Do you have any preferences regarding your home's decorating style?"

"No. So Solomon Reed is the key?"

"Yes. How many times a week do you plan to do it?"

"About ten times. Do you have a way to persuade Solomon Reed?"

"Don't even think about it. If Miles is stinky dog ​​shit, then Li De is the rock next to the dog shit—stinky and hard! Can you accept a woman on top?"

"It's not impossible, the most important thing is the cooperation between the two. Does Li De have any weaknesses?"

"Almost none. He's an extremely powerful man. If you had to put it in perspective, he obeys the new US president's orders unconditionally, without thinking. As for restraint and control?"

“I understand. I’ll figure something out with Solomon Reed.” With that, the investigation was considered complete. River Ward breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Alex with a strange expression: “Your questions have been getting weirder and weirder since earlier. When I said I didn’t have a girlfriend, you said ‘that’s great.’”

"What, did you think I was using getting to know each other as an excuse to go on a blind date?"

"Is not it?"

Alex laughed: "Of course! Otherwise, why would I answer so many of your silly questions? I fell in love with you at first sight!"

Bang!

River Ward didn't even flinch after being shot, but this straight shot knocked him off his hospital bed.

"I...I need to go to the restroom!"

The future director of the NCPD has been reassigned.

But he stopped at the door of the ward.

“I don’t like being tied up or restrained, but with you… it’s not impossible.”

"YES!"

Alex put one hand on his hip and made a victory sign, while River Ward blushed and fled in embarrassment.

The new American agent has confirmed once again that this big guy who infiltrated the organization not only doesn't have a girlfriend, but probably has never had one at all.

"Pure, so damn pure!" Alex's mouth watered.

Soon, a complete assessment report was sent to Carter, who organized it and then submitted it to V.

After V looked at it, he called Meredith Stock over and had her take a look as well.

“Alex is more likely to be won over, but he has less intelligence; Solomon Reed is less likely to be won over, but he has important intelligence.” Meredith Stock frowned: “Solomon Reed’s weakness is unconditional loyalty to the new US president? What kind of weakness is that? Does he expect Miles to order Reed to betray Miles?”

“That’s definitely not possible,” V said with a smile. “So we need a new US president to give the order.”

"Change it? Our goal is to change the US president. But isn't the impeachment process still ongoing?"

“You know the impeachment is still ongoing, and I know the impeachment is still ongoing, but Solomon Reed doesn’t.” V shrugged. “Don’t forget, he’s in prison now. Information is scarce there. Whatever we let him know, he has to know.”

Meredith Stock pondered, "You mean to say?"

V leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms: "Make a fake new US president give orders to Li De. I'll have News Channel 54 record a real fake news story. You can also use your military technology connections to get some real fake documents."

"Damn, that's a really cunning move. When Li De comes out and finds out he's been tricked, he'll probably regret it so much he'll want to shoot himself!" Meredith Stock grinned from ear to ear. Li De was Miles's man, and Miles was the enemy that Military Technology was targeting, so she really didn't care about Li De's life or death. "Alright, leave the fake documents to me, but first give me a fake president candidate so I can get a few photos."

V looked at the blonde, slicked-back-hair mature woman, making the latter feel uneasy.

"Why are you looking at me?"

“Stock,” V smiled, “you’ll be the new President of the United States!”

Chapter 60 A Little Interlude in the Fourth Wall Studio

Meredith Stock firmly rejected the offer to impersonate the new US president, for no particular reason other than he simply couldn't bear the embarrassment.

But V made a phone call to the president of the military technology corporation, who in turn called Meredith Stock, the president of the branch office, and the idea of ​​"impersonating the new US president" went from being a suggestion to a formal task.

Meredith Stock can refuse his friends, but he can't refuse his boss; that's the tragedy of the working class.

"You're ruthless!" The blonde, slicked-back, mature woman angrily gave a V-sign and the middle finger: "Let me make it clear beforehand, I can't act, so don't blame me if I mess it up."

“Don’t worry,” V said with a smile. “I’ll find professionals to give you a comprehensive makeover.”

"Who are you looking for?"

"Don't worry, I already have someone in mind. I'll take care of this. Your task now is to handle the fake documents."

"Okay, okay, you're the famous V, you're in charge."

Meredith Stock left looking resentful.

V called over the pink cat next door: "Sasha, arrange a hovercar to go to 'The Fourth Wall Studio'."

"Ok."

Half an hour later, the hovercar slowly landed on the helipad on the roof of the Fourth Wall Studio.

The studio's portly owner came to greet V, bowing and scraping as he ushered him into his office.

Through the office's floor-to-ceiling windows, V saw a crowd protesting with signs at the fourth wall door: "Quite a few fans."

The portly boss broke out in a cold sweat: "High-end art is always difficult for the general public to understand. Our aim is to make some thought-provoking dream films, in order to..."

"Don't bother explaining to me, I'm not here to cause trouble, I'm here to..."

Before he could finish speaking, gunshots rang out from the gate.

A Chevrolet Emperor 720—an armored patrol car used by the NCPD—slowly drove up, and suddenly one of the protesters pulled out a handgun and started firing wildly at the police car.

The crowd scattered in panic. A tall, burly police officer got out of an armored patrol vehicle and used the vehicle door as cover to repeatedly warn the attackers.

"Cease fire immediately, back off and drop your weapons! I'm saying it again, cease fire immediately, back off and drop your weapons!"

But the attacker paid no heed. He was an ordinary-looking middle-aged man with short hair, wearing a construction worker's uniform. He fired at the police car like a madman. Unfortunately, the Constitutional Military-Industrial Union he was using was a kinetic energy pistol known for its cheapness. Its greatest use was providing arguments in your daily arguments with your coworkers. Trying to use it to attack the NCPD was obviously wishful thinking.

Even worse, the man had very little shooting experience, and most of the bullets he fired went straight into the air.

V, an ordinary person, came to a conclusion.

Seeing that the police officer had already raised his gun and aimed it at the man, ready to blow his head off in the next second, V made his move.

Her eyes flashed blue, easily breaking through the ICE of the police officer and the man. She threw a set of [Weapon Malfunction] at them, and the weapons in their hands turned into scrap metal with a thud.

"Bring them here, let them fight it out in broad daylight, that would really make me proud!"

Seeing V's displeased expression, the fat boss was almost scared to death and quickly ordered everyone involved in the incident to be brought over.

In addition to the police officers and men, there was also a woman and a prisoner wearing an orange detention uniform.

The portly boss pointed to the woman and introduced her: "This is our Fourth Wall's most outstanding Mewtwo planner, Rachel Kasich. Rachel, and this is..."

"V, the famous V!" Rachel was so excited to see V in the boss's office that she was shaking with excitement. "It's such an honor to meet you, President V! Your legendary deeds are the talk of the town in Night City. Please allow me to tailor-make a super dream movie just for you. I guarantee that the whole world will become your loyal fans!"

"Thank you, Rachel, but not now. I have other business to attend to today."

Rachel Kasich persisted: "This isn't your excuse, is it?"

"Of course not. Send me your number, and I'll have my secretary contact you later."

Rachel Kasich was overjoyed and immediately sent the number: "I will always be waiting for your call, 24 hours a day, no matter the time of day or night!"

V nodded. The entertainment industry was part of her existing plans, and Super Dream Films was naturally included within it. Since her own brand was effective, she would use it. V was a typical pragmatist, without much concern for her image. She could save the president of the new America for money, and she could certainly license her experience for money as well.

But that's all in the future. V asked everyone to sit down and then asked, "Tell me what happened just now?"

The four men spoke at the same time, and the scene descended into chaos. V raised his hand to stop the crowd, pointed at the man who had launched the attack, and asked, "You go first. What's your name? And why did you attack the NCPD?"

“My name is Bill Jablonsky.” The man was very emotional. He pointed at the prisoner in his detention uniform and shouted, “I’m not going to attack the NCPD. I’m going to kill Joshua Stevenson. This scumbag brutally murdered my wife. I can’t stand by and watch him get away with it!”

"Going unpunished?" V narrowed his eyes, an invisible pressure spreading out, causing the tall NCPD officer to break out in a cold sweat.

"No, it's not what you think. Joshua Stevenson's crimes are undeniable. The NCPD has already apprehended him and he is currently being held in the police station's high-crime jail."

"What's your name?" V asked.

“Vasquez, sir.”

“Very well, Officer Vasquez, please tell me, why would you be driving around in your car with a murderer?”

Vasquez hesitated for a moment, but finally said, "It's the mayor's request."

“Lucius Lane? And there are more and more people involved.” V’s face darkened. “Explain yourself!”

“Yes.” Vasquez, a lowly constable, dared not offend the mayor of Night City, but he dared not disobey the true emperor of Night City either. As soon as V asked, he spilled everything: “Joshua Stevenson was arrested for armed robbery, and of course, many other crimes, such as the brutal shooting of multiple people. Scum like him should be sent to the electric chair and the guillotine, and that was the final verdict. But just recently, the mayor asked the NCPD to cooperate with the Fourth Wall to film a dream movie, saying it was to comfort the public and alleviate the pain of people who lost loved ones in the war.”

"What the hell is this? How can a murderer comfort the public? Did he stand up during the war, defend Night City, and save many people?"

"No, he was in a serious offender prison during the war."

"Then what gives him the right to comfort the public? What exactly are you filming?"

Vasquez looked at Rachel Kasich, who was just the driver; this was the real mastermind behind Mewtwo.

Rachel Kasich, unfazed, smiled and said, "Why don't we let Joshua speak for himself?"

V looked at Joshua Stevenson, a man in prison garb covered in tattoos, who looked devout. He first recited a passage from the Book of Revelation before speaking: “I confess to all my crimes. Although I didn’t care at the time, I now deeply understand my sins. After being arrested, I had ample time to reflect on my actions, and I began to think about how to make amends for the mistakes I made.”

"You can correct a misspelled word." V scoffed. "How will you make amends if you kill someone?"

"To make it up to their families."

"Give me money?"

"No, I want to guide them away from the darkness, help them forget their hatred, get rid of their pain, and let them live with a healthy mindset, instead of being trapped in the pathetic cycle of violence, just like Mr. Bill."

A murderer teaching the victim's family to forget hatred? V finds it absurd.

Bill Jablonsky was filled with pure, undisguised rage. He suddenly stood up and tackled Joshua Stevenson, pounding his face with the rough fists of a construction worker: "Fuck you, you killed my wife and now you want me to forgive you? No way, you'll never forgive me in your life!"

Joshua Stevenson was beaten black and blue in the face before Vasquez slowly pulled Bill Jablonski away.