Chapter 184: Returning to the City

TN:I"m back sorry for missing yesterday chapter was very busy gonna post an extra 3 chapter to make it up [Cross-Dimensional Material Transfer] [Tech Points: -500] [Current Tech Points: 1700] After a full night of effort, Leo managed to extract a large amount of biological material from the scrap pile that needed reverse-engineering, and he uploaded files like the structural blueprints for the Centaur mech suit to the servers over at Marvel. Now, the Cyberpunk world has a huge workforce available for utilization. It's time to speed up the creation of production lines that can accommodate human labor. You can't change much just by smashing and grabbing things. With dark circles under his eyes, Leo splashed some water on his head, watching the steam rise from his skin. It's time to return to Night City. The same red-and-black-striped Mackinaw was parked at the edge of the camp, waiting to head back. V seemed a bit uninterested. "Ugh, Mackinaw again." Leo raised his eyebrows, puzzled. "What's your problem with the Mackinaw? It's cheap and durable! I didn't even expect it to still run after all those repairs." "Ugh, there's no point explaining it to you. By the way, you still owe me 1.7 million. When are you going to settle the debt?" "Hold on, let me pay the mercenaries first." Leo strode over to Maine. "I know, Mom, I'll be home soon. It's really nothing, just made some cash with friends. The boss is here to pay us, so I've got to hang up." David hung up the phone—by now, all the communication equipment in the Badlands had been withdrawn. Although the signal was still poor, at least it was safe. As expected, as soon as communications were restored, his mother called to ask why he hadn't come home last night. Maine patted him on the shoulder. "Still have your mom? That's rare." Everyone nodded in agreement. David smiled awkwardly; he didn't expect to feel so out of place because he still had a mom. Maine was about to say something like: to be a big shot, you can't let your mom hold you back. But then he reconsidered—what's wrong with having a mom? This time, they had met another traitor who betrayed their own family. So Maine quickly changed his tune, though he wasn't sure what to say. He awkwardly mumbled, "Having a mom is a good thing, a real good thing." David looked even more embarrassed. Leo, like a foreman, walked over and eyed the well-known mercenary team from Santo Domingo. Maine had lost an arm again, David had lost both, Kiwi's jaw prosthetic was bent out of shape, and Dorio was wrapped in bandages, wounded by gunfire. Only Pilar, Rebecca, and Lucy seemed unscathed—though, on closer inspection, they likely had internal injuries from shockwaves or blunt trauma. They all looked battered, and who knows how long the payment would last them this time. Leo looked at them and said: "So, are you guys a team now? I'll pay you all together." No one objected. It seemed David had decided to stick with Maine—which made sense. After the night's madness, he probably had a deeper understanding of the so-called "real work." Mercenaries like Maine were rare, but even they were decimated in the fight against the Wraiths. As for David, Bowen immediately shattered the arrogance that had just begun to rise in his head. Just because he rolled with someone like Burger King didn't make him a top-tier mercenary. With Maine around, David was starting to see himself more clearly. [Transfer: -120,000 Eurodollars] [Account Balance: 126,682 Eurodollars] "You did well this time, so I gave you a little bonus." Everyone was amazed. It wasn't just a little bonus. Leo's thinking was simple. This conflict had exceeded his expectations, and Maine's team had performed well, relieving a lot of pressure on the battlefield. Good performance, good attitude—more money. Leo wasn't a miserly boss clinging to his cash. On the contrary, he enjoyed mentoring young people he liked—it was a habit. "Working for you is dangerous but addictive," Maine said, distributing the money with a bit of sentiment. "Go get a better arm—but from what I've seen of your cyberware system, you should first replace your chest's electronic control device and bone marrow micro-dialysis equipment before upgrading to new combat arms. Gorilla arms and built-in arm projectile systems are simple and provide an obvious boost in combat power. But your body is probably falling apart from all the haphazard cyberware installations, right?" Maine grunted, and everyone looked at him. He just lowered his head, unsure of what to say. In fact, even before the subway battle, his body had been trembling, and his cyberware system was malfunctioning. Repeated injuries, leaking cyberware fluid, and frequent replacements were deteriorating his health. Leo continued, "I've recommended some beginner-level cyberware for regulatory purposes. They're expensive, but if you don't want to turn into a cyberpsycho, you'd better pay attention to this stuff." David, sitting nearby, suddenly recalled the brutal scene where Bowen had killed Cedric. Connecting the dots to his own situation, he blurted out: "But without these powerful implants, how do we fight? How do we—" How do we protect our dignity, defend those we care about, and live the lives we dream of? Leo sighed, seeing everyone watching him. This was Night City, or rather, the harsh reality of this world. Wealth and power could be materialized through cyberware and high-tech equipment, displayed in the most direct way. At the lower levels, what people saw was this: better cyberware, more power, faster speed, and more violent methods to force others to obey. But in reality, there are many ways to manifest power. Cyberware modification is just one of the more easily noticeable ones, and it comes with heavy side effects. "I'm not saying you shouldn't install cyberware. Just use your brains. You're human, not machines to be disassembled at will. The less you understand the technology you use, the more likely you are to be blinded by the flashy devices and get lost in your desires. Every day, people in Night City overdose and die, or die playing with a virtual sex toy until they're drained. Don't you think cyberware addiction is similar?" Maine blurted out, "How is that the same?" Leo shrugged. "It's practically the same." Some truths are hard to see for those involved. Even back in his peaceful previous life, things like smartphones—considered low-tech now—could capture people's attention to the point where they lost interest in learning. The allure of cyberware was far more potent, so it's only natural that people would get hooked. Besides cyberware, there were addictive drugs, immersive VR experiences, and violent equipment—temptations were everywhere. But people playing with their toys, convincing themselves that their bodies were their safe space, were just as deceived as those seeking love in the wrong places. Combat cyberware upgrades were similar. People mistook the pain for growth and assumed control because of the increased power. But the true leaders of this world? None of them relied on cyberware for their authority. David, the only one who'd read books, nodded thoughtfully—it seemed he needed to study more about this before deciding what to do with his arms. It was a bit like the saying, "A wise person learns early; a fool regrets too late." After all, he had just dropped out of Arasaka Academy. Leo waved his hand. "Alright, let's head back. But I still recommend you listen to me and fix your circulatory system before considering any combat cyberware upgrades." The group squeezed back into the barely-functioning Columbus cargo van. Dorio leaned over to Maine, saying, "You never told me about your cyberware problems." Maine was silent for a moment. "I thought I could handle it." "Consider Burger King's advice when we get back." "Sure... Mackinaw really is cool. Maybe we should get one when we return." Dorio headbutted him. "I told you to fix your system first!" In the back seat, Lucy looked at David, sighing. "Now you're going to blow all your money on cyberware again. Is it worth it?" "Of course it is," David answered firmly. "Lucy, you once asked me what my dream was, and I couldn't give you an answer. But now, I think I'm starting to understand." "Oh? Understand what? Getting better cyberware?" "I still can't put it into words, but I feel like I'm closer to that dream now than I was at Arasaka Academy. One day, you'll see." "See what?" "See your dream come true," David said earnestly. "Then I'll probably figure out what my dream is. Maybe I don't have a dream yet, but for now, I can watch yours come true." "You're such an idiot." The old van, rattling along with its load of dreamers battered and broken, made its way back toward the city of dreams. [Transfer: -116,682 Eurodollars] [Account Balance: 10,000 Eurodollars] [Personal Debt: 1.66 million owed to V] Around 120,000 divided three ways: Jackie got a little over 30,000, V received 80,000, and Leo continued to carry the debt. Leo's heart ached, but V seemed satisfied. "So, what now? When are we heading back? What's the next move? Weren't we supposed to make big money? Where's my big payday?" "The stolen weapons are still being sold off. It should be done in about a week, and we should net around 250,000 to 260,000 euros from it." "That's it?" "I'm still thinking. Most of those Wraiths have bounties on them, and the NCPD still owes us over 80,000 euros. Also, the last batch of nerve dampeners and vaccines is being dealt with, and the payment will arrive tomorrow, bringing the total to 660,000 euros." "Wait, why only 660,000? Last time we made over 700,000 from a smaller sale!" "That was because we exploited a loophole last time! I swear I didn't skim anything off the top!" "I don't believe you. Let me plug into your system to check." "Get lost!" At Dogtown. In the Black Sapphire Nightclub, an old man in a red suit was on the phone. His neatly combed-back hair was entirely white on top, and he sported a long beard with a well-groomed goatee. "The mercenaries I hired completed their mission above and beyond expectations. The border wall got breached. Happy now?" "Heh, I haven't seen Militech take such a big hit in a long time. Well done. I heard the NetWatch activity is ramping up?" "Yeah, every day more netrunners are pouring into Pacifica. It's getting complicated, but for now, their main focus isn't on Dogtown, so you can relax." "If you've got intel on that, the price can be negotiated." "Understood." The call ended, and Mr. Hands silently sat back in his chair, staying in the same position, lost in thought. "NetWatch... Hanson, what exactly are you up to?" Mr. Hands rubbed his forehead, thinking that things would be a lot easier if those three were in Dogtown. But Hanson would never let them in. Still, he had to focus on the NetWatch situation. Mr. Hands began pulling files from his memory archive. Even though he couldn't leave Dogtown, nor let any heavy hitters in, he still needed to send out the necessary contracts and get prepared. Who knows, maybe an opportunity would come.