Chapter 249: A Bright Future

Words : 1277 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

The transfer of ownership of Redcoat Psychiatric Hospital posed no difficulty. NCPD's enforcement power in this city was rather erratic. If they couldn't apprehend someone, like Jotaro, then even if Jotaro killed an officer, it wouldn't be a big deal. However, with strong backing, dealing with a small enterprise like Redcoat Psychiatric Hospital was a different story. A ruthless corporate battle could be wrapped up in just two and a half hours. River first summoned the director of the asylum under the guise of NCPD authority. This small hospital, which mainly thrived under the shelter of the gray areas, was very sensitive to both gang and NCPD activities. They would decide whom to pay off depending on who represented the higher power. Thus, the director rushed from his luxury residence in Heywood to the remote clinic in Santo Domingo within 40 minutes. Barely ten seconds after taking a seat, River started reading the arrest warrant. In just 25 seconds, the director was dead, and by the 42nd minute, he was in the morgue, being cremated five minutes later. At the 50-minute mark, NCPD began asset examination and retrieval. An emergency board meeting was called by the director at the 60-minute mark. Three minor bosses attending remotely were burned alive in their own conference equipment, one of whom was even a scavenger lieutenant. By the 93rd minute, nearby scavengers tried to take shelter, but the ensuing fight ended in less than ten minutes. According to scavenger intel, Aldecaldos began clearing out nearby scavenger strongholds. Eight minutes ahead of schedule, the area surrounding Redcoat Psychiatric Hospital fell under Aldecaldo's control. Per Leo's plan, the place would be transformed into a fortified safe house disguised as a hospital, serving as a transit point between the Badlands and Night City. From there, a land transport route would be fully established, connecting Night City, New America, the New Mex-American border, and directly to Mexico. With this route, businesses in blood, cyberware, firearms, and even security services could gradually develop. "Many of the patients here are seriously mentally ill. It's quite tragic. Are all Night City hospitals like this?" On the hospital rooftop, Panam emerged, still carrying the stench of blood, her brow furrowed. The Nomads, unaccustomed to such sights, found the hospital more of a torture facility than a healing one. "Some companies save and scam by buying such health insurance for their employees, and others exploit mentally ill patients for profit. But don't worry; this place won't remain an asylum for long." The Redcoat Psychiatric Hospital occupied a considerable area, including a main building and an abandoned parking lot. The surroundings were dotted with low-rise houses, abandoned projects, and the infamous half-finished highway. Homeless people were everywhere. This area was so desolate that even the 6th Street Gang rarely ventured here. Now that Leo had taken over, they wouldn't dare come. Unlike city gangs, Aldecaldos had their roots in the Badlands, making them difficult to confront directly. Local gangs avoided them, Fixer like El Capitan supported them, local merchants cooperated, and even NCPD had some ties. Once the capable Aldecaldos adapted to this process, Leo's plans would unfold. The future looked bright. Leo pointed out the surroundings, saying, "Once we have enough funds, we might even refurbish that abandoned building into a more dignified base." The group followed his gaze to a half-built skyscraper with exposed steel structures. Though the area was desolate, seeing their people bustling in and out of the hospital, organizing and taking inventory, they could envision that future. Panam's gaze towards Leo grew complex. "Sol always talked about establishing a new home in Night City, but compared to you, his words sound like corporate insurance—utter nonsense. Why are you helping us? Someone like you should have plenty of options." "Once you've stayed in Night City long enough, you'll realize it seems to offer many choices, but most are crap, while a few seem interesting. But in essence, it's all crap—I prefer to create my own options. Once I send over the chip's driver, you can start synthetic blood production. I'll explain everything then. That's it for today. Stay vigilant; Night City isn't much safer than the Badlands." Leo turned towards the stairs— Before shifting focus to another world, he had one last thing to do. Leo got into the Mackinaw. "Done—let's head home, and I'll calculate the costs for you. First, the Mackinaw needs repairs—Thorton Corporation agreed to fix it for free, covering fuel costs too. They're also sending some free vehicle mods." "Smart of them," V nodded approvingly. "Then there's our cyberware upgrades. I need two new cooling fins, which are cheap, about 20K. Jackie needs some subdermal armor replaced, which will cost another 20K. For you, there are several minor upgrades needed: synthetic blood dialysis, electrolyte replacement, biolubricant application—a lot. In total, it'll be about 90K. Adding everything up, that's 130K." "So much?" Jackie gave a startled look. "Are you sure?" "I'm sure. I'm the tech guy, trust me, we're using the best." Leo emphasized with a nod. "Then there's the ammo, grenades, medical supplies, and other necessities—totaling 20,000 eddies." "Read the error-free version on 169 Book Bar!" "Plus consumable equipment like welding tools and connectors for temporary modifications, all adding up to 40,000 eddies." V, driving the car, cast a doubtful glance. "This doesn't feel right, but I can't say for sure. So, we made just that little?" Leo replied, exasperated, "Why don't you think it through? Look at this—Kang Tao's crates, NetWatch's crates, and a whole batch of military supplies!" "Anyway, you better not pull any tricks. So, how much does each of us get?" "No tricks—I swear. Each person gets about 40,000 eddies." Of course, there were no tricks. However, V wasn't entirely wrong. The main issue was Leo needing Kang Tao's equipment and his tech skills to figure out a repair plan. What Leo charged to V's account was actually for team repair projects. All three of them required replacements of various biochemical maintenance substances. The so-called equipment expenses were mainly for upgrading and repairing the mechanical arm. But if calculated this way, it would seem like V was getting the short end of the stick while Leo benefited the most. It was all for team harmony! Leo glanced nervously at V—just in time for her to catch him! "You bastard, I knew you were up to something!" V, steering with one hand, hooked Leo by the neck. Leo struggled in terror. "I didn't! Let me go—can you focus on driving properly?!" With Leo held tightly, the car wobbled down the road! The lights on Leo's spinal implant flickered: [Little Octopus: Boss, I think you can just tell the truth.] [Leo: You don't understand. If I tell the truth, they'll probably pin the whole debt on me!] [Leo: This is clearly team expenses, you have no idea!] "You definitely embezzled funds. I bet you spent the most. This time, your cut will go towards interest—work harder to pay it back!" [Leo: See? She's even charging me interest!] [Little Octopus: Boss, I think you brought this on yourself.] [Little Octopus: V is such a great person!] [Leo: You're siding with her now?!] Jackie chuckled, settling back in the rear seat. He pulled out two gift boxes from his pocket. One was for his mom, the other for Misty. Then, he was off to his date!

Chapter 249: A Bright Future

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