Notice: I’ve added an auxiliary Chapter for images. I’ve already listed a few characters there and I’ll add the visuals later. You’re of course welco to share images of how you picture the characters. If you’d like to add soone to the list, just let know.
Secondly, I’ve read your feedback and have already started applying it: I’ve removed or changed most instances of "sister" or "sis" when they can be replaced by ’choom’ or sothing else. I’m keeping the ones used by V, though, because it’s part of her voice and I find it rather endearing.
More broadly, I’ll gradually be weaving in slang specific to the cyberpunk universe. I’ll make these edits step by step, so please don’t expect instant changes.
Thanks to everyone who took the ti to read this, and enjoy!
------------------------
When rcer brought Rebecca and the others to the clinic, Viktor couldn’t help but joke as soon as they t: "I thought your team only recruited girls."
"Who says won are inferior to n, Vik? You’re overthinking it. We only care about skill and personality, not gender," rcer said with a laugh, pulling Rebecca, who was curiously looking around, to sit down.
Viktor glanced at Rebecca and Lucy’s slight fras and couldn’t help but add, "rcer, I’ve told you before, I generally don’t install cyberware on kids. You were already an exception."
"Lucy just needs a cyberdeck upgrade. The Mk.2 version is a bit outdated; get her the sa model as Kiwi. As for Rebecca... she’s almost an adult, fifteen or sixteen. Her body’s pretty much done growing."
rcer finished, and Vik responded noncommittally, "Let run a checkup first."
"Sure, you’re the boss. If you think she’s still got so growing to do, we’ll hold off on major modifications."
rcer went along with it without pushing. He might risk his own life, but he wouldn’t stand by and let his team follow suit. The reason he rushed to equip himself with cyberware was precisely to shield them from the storm, so they wouldn’t have to hurry to get stronger and could take their ti growing up.
Rebecca wanted to say sothing but was stopped by a look from rcer. She could only sulkily cross her arms and wait for Vik to examine her.
But she’d made up her mind. Whether rcer liked it or not, she was going to get those cybernetic modifications. She had to get stronger.
Rebecca felt she had no technical skills and wasn’t particularly smart. What could she do on the team besides the rough work? She’d seen V’s terrifying strength. Even if she couldn’t reach that level, she at least couldn’t remain helpless against enemies like her.
If she couldn’t even manage that... what was the point of being an Edgerunner? She might as well take her dad’s old joking advice and find soone to marry early!
She didn’t want to hold rcer back.
"Standard procedure, let’s check your physical potential first," Viktor motioned for Rebecca to lie on the operating chair.
Rebecca suddenly perked up: "I heard V’s stats are as high as 20? Vik... I an, Dr. Viktor, could the machine be wrong? I think her Intelligence being 6 is the only thing that makes sense."
"Only your team would doubt my equipnt," Viktor said with a mix of amusent and exasperation as he connected cables to Rebecca’s neural link and began scanning with the device.
Watching Rebecca practically itching to see her results, rcer walked over to Vik and glanced at the readings.
As the data gradually appeared, rcer’s eyebrows raised slightly, and Vik turned to him in surprise: "You’ve got a sharp eye for talent, don’t you?"
"Right?" rcer grinned proudly before looking at Rebecca. "Not bad numbers. Body 15, Reflexes 14, Cool 13, Intelligence 7. Congratulations, you win, Rebecca."
rcer made a show of applauding.
Rebecca looked at him with a foolish, sowhat worried expression: "Is 15 a bit low?"
"Not low at all. That’s already at the level of an outstanding rc. You could say it’s worthy of being the daughter of the legendary rc Papa Sunrise. You were born for this line of work."
rcer gave her a thumbs-up and said seriously, "Although there might be a gap compared to those true legendary rcs, compared to ordinary rcs or street kids, you’re already a genius."
Rebecca showed an excited expression: "Then can I get a Sandevistan? Or maybe a Berserk OS?"
"Vik, what do you think?" rcer turned to look at Viktor.
After a brief mont of thought, Viktor shook his head and said, "I’m not sure, but cyberware like the Sandevistan puts too much strain on a person. My advice... if possible, try to avoid it."
"Fair enough, better to be cautious. This ti, let’s just go with her preference. Install Gorilla Arms for her, add a Kerenzikov to boost reaction speed, and inject so Skinweave."
As rcer spoke, Viktor seed about to say sothing but held back, finally only adding, "I need to run further checks to see if it’ll affect her developnt. Let’s do a detailed bone scan and growth hormone level test. My advice on cyberware is to take it slow. Not everyone is like you and V."
But Rebecca interjected, "Let’s do it! If I can’t even handle these three pieces of cyberware, then even if I shalessly tag along with V on missions, I’ll just be holding her back!"
Seeing Rebecca’s determined expression, rcer and Viktor exchanged a glance. In the end, Vik said nothing and simply proceeded to give her a thorough examination.
Just as rcer had guessed, Rebecca’s developnt had basically peaked.
At fifteen, or rather, in ’72, already sixteen, Rebecca’s bone developnt was largely mature, and her physique wouldn’t change much more. She might grow another centiter or two, but that would be the limit of her growth. In this condition, she could already install cyberware without worrying about structural changes due to developnt.
"Then let’s pick out the cyberware list."
Seeing this, Viktor took out a tablet and let Rebecca browse the models of cyberware she wanted to install.
But Rebecca just turned to look at rcer: "You pick for ."
"Alright." rcer didn’t refuse. Otherwise, given Rebecca’s taste, she might end up with so strange, oversized piece.
"MoorE Technologies Hausstock-W? This thing isn’t even on the market yet, is it?" rcer eyed a Gorilla Arms model with a tallic finish.
"I run a black clinic. If I only sold corporate retail versions, what would be the point of keeping this shop open?" Viktor said with a laugh. "Their stuff is good. The hardness of these Gorilla Arms is exceptional. They can effortlessly smash concrete pillars with bare fists without deforming. And since it’s a military model, it’s sturdy, durable, cost-effective, and can be fitted with combustion or electroshock modules. However, if you’re planning to install a matching set, I’d recomnd this instead."
Viktor tapped on the tablet a few more tis and showed it to rcer: "Militech’s ’Destroyer’ series Gorilla Arms, designed to pair with Militech’s Berserk OS.
They’re more expensive. The base model for these arms alone costs 130,000 eurodollars. But as a high-end military-grade cyberware, the number of compatible plugins is extensive.
Shock modules, incendiary modules, those go without saying. Most importantly, they support the highest number of cyberware integrations.
The built-in advanced nano shock-absorption technology allows the user to fire heavy machine guns with minimal recoil drift, which is crucial for soone of Rebecca’s smaller build.
Moreover, they utilize the sa nanite technology as Militech’s Berserk OS, further amplifying arm strength and control when the system is active, enabling you to virtually ignore the recoil even when firing heavy machine guns.
On the other hand, MoorE Technologies’ arms are more geared toward compatibility with their proprietary Sandevistan, emphasizing agility. Their Berserk OS has decent specs when considered alone.
But in terms of overall cyberware synergy, they fall far short of Militech, especially after the Unification War, where a significant portion of Militech’s cyberware underwent real combat validation, proving higher reliability."
Viktor pointed at Militech’s Berserk OS and explained: "This Berserk OS from Militech uses nanite-driven technology, offering perfect compatibility with Skinweave, Destroyer arms, and the Destroyer Muscle Enhancent series.
When activated alongside a Kerenzikov, it can even let you hold your own in close quarters against enemies equipped with Sandevistan.
Of course, speed isn’t the Berserk OS’s forte. What matters is that it drastically enhances your muscle strength and cyberware response ti when active.
The system’s built-in defensive computation uses nanites to better mitigate damage when your body is under attack, reducing the lethality of enemy ranged strikes.
If paired with matching Skinweave, it can further optimize the mobilization of your subcutaneous nanites, enhancing defensive performance upon impact or blunt force trauma.
And if you also have the matching Muscle Enhancent series, the system can push your muscles to overclock, delivering an additional 20%-30% of their base strength during Berserk mode.
On top of already enhanced muscles, that’s a terrifying boost."
As soon as Viktor finished, Rebecca eagerly followed up: "Then how co V runs so fast and hits so hard with just a Sandevistan? Doesn’t Sandevistan need other cyberware to synergize?"
"Of course it does. V is just... how should I put it? A statistical outlier."
Viktor could only sigh in amazent: "Many people with Muscle Enhancent don’t even match her output from simple muscle overclocking stimulation..."
Rebecca pouted: "Well, I still want the Berserk OS first! I’m sure my physique can handle it!"
"Handle it? You probably could, but you should ask V what it feels like after using Sandevistan. You wouldn’t be so eager to push yourself then."
Viktor spoke from experience: "Ask her if her muscles feel torn apart when she wakes up the next day, or if she has chest tightness and joint pain."
Rebecca looked at rcer, saw him nod, then stopped being stubborn and said, "I’ll listen to rcer. If you think the Berserk OS is better for , then I’ll go with the Berserk OS."
"Alright then. Don’t you prefer using heavy firepower weapons anyway? The Berserk OS will also make you feel faster. After all, both are operating systems, just with different focuses. You won’t feel so defeated when you can’t even catch a glimpse of V’s shadow."
After speaking, rcer smiled and said, "Vik, let’s go with the Militech package. Replace her cybereye and neural link too. Kiroshi and Zetatech brands will do. If the load is too heavy, we’ll schedule multiple sessions. The Berserk OS can wait until after she’s recovered from surgery."
"At least a month," Viktor proposed a rough surgical plan. "Today, we’ll install the Gorilla Arms and Skinweave, and replace the neural link and cybereye. After so ti, we can consider adding the Berserk OS, Kerenzikov, and other components. The Berserk OS can better sync with the Kerenzikov and reduce neural load, so the order needs adjustnt."
Viktor checked the price and finally said, "The total cost for the basic surgery is 420,000, which includes necessary Muscle Enhancent and Reinforced Tendons. Adding extra components or higher-tier gear will cost more."
Rebecca grimaced, a bit pained by the expense, but said, "That’s about all I’ve got on hand... Let’s take it step by step."
"Don’t worry, use team funds for what you can’t cover for now," rcer nodded.
"Nah, that money’s ant for renovating our base, and don’t you want to buy equipnt too?" Rebecca looked at him with a grin. "I’ll just take on more jobs! It’ll give ti to adjust to the new implants gradually."
She glanced at her arm and said, "With Gorilla Arms and Skinweave, I should at least have so combat capability, right?"
Before rcer could respond, Rebecca quickly changed the subject to avoid any talk of loans or debt.
"Hey, you jerk of a brother, co take a look too. See what you want installed!" Rebecca turned to Pilar.
Pilar rubbed his hands together, looking excited. "Alright, let’s see what my stats are like! Doc Viktor, your place is really different from others. First ti I’ve heard of testing soone’s attribute potential."
"Most ripperdocs can’t be bothered. They’ll install whatever you ask for, so why test? Sotis, knowing more just causes more trouble, and takes extra effort to bypass corporate backdoors..."
Viktor smiled as he watched Rebecca hop off the chair and walk over to rcer. For soone who seed rough around the edges, she was actually quite thoughtful, a good girl. Say what you will about the kid, he’s got a good eye for won. But these days, Viktor was starting to piece things together.
Glancing at Lucy, then back at Rebecca, Viktor decided then and there that he wouldn’t say a word or spare another thought about rcer’s love life. This kid was headed for big trouble. He could feel it.
After Pilar hooked himself up to the program, Vik looked at his long arms and asked, "Put those together yourself?"
"Yeah, going to get so proper gear installed. Didn’t have much money before, had to scavenge for second-hand parts and patch things together. This arm here was ripped off a corpse."
Pilar spoke without any hesitation: "That guy loved showing off these arms all pretentious-like, until soone blew his brains out in an alley behind the bar. Figured if the Scavengers were gonna get ’em for cheap, might as well take ’em for myself."
"Hmm, so you’re into tinkering with cyberware and machinery?" Viktor asked.
"Yeah, back on the streets, I made a little cash fixing people’s arms and legs now and then, tweaking weapons, modding weapon plugins and such."
Pilar said proudly: "Don’t let my looks fool you. I’ve got skills. Never had any formal training, but I don’t ss up ordinary weapon mods or cybernetic modifications."
"Can tell. That arm of yours has quite a few integrated features," Viktor nodded.
"Intelligence 13, Cool 10, Reflexes 9, Body 11. Not as good as your sister’s, but it gets the job done. Tech work isn’t about stats. Real smarts can’t be asured by tests."
After Viktor finished, Pilar bead: "Right? That’s what I think too!"
rcer almost couldn’t hold back a laugh. Wished he’d brought V along to see what her Intelligence 6 really looked like.
"How about you? What mods are you planning?"
rcer didn’t have many demands for Pilar.
Pilar thought for a mont and said: "Gonna swap out my cybereye. Need sothing with higher precision. Lots of stuff requires fine details these days, and my current one gets blurry when I zoom in. Then I wanna fix up my arms too. Gotten used to these long ones, just need to replace the hands. Zetatech’s ’Sigma’ series looks good. And plate ’em in gold! I want two big golden hands!"
Pilar’s eyes glead: "Not interested in operating systems or whatever, just add a smart hand link. Throw in so Subdermal Armor too, so I don’t get taken out by so random shot. What I really love is chanics, Doc Viktor. Just hook up with finger welding modules, hardware diagnostic plugins for the cybereye, all that stuff."
"Simple. Zetatech ’Sigma’ kit."
Viktor proposed a straightforward procedure: "Buying the whole set gets you a discount. Includes the Sigma K.54 multi-function hand, requires replacing half your forearm and palm, supports nano-scale precision for manual modifications. With that, you won’t need many tools; can handle most tech work with just your hands. Pair it with a Zetatech engineering computer, and as long as your know-how is up to par, you’ll basically be a qualified tech expert."
rcer felt an itch of envy: "Hey Vik, what if I..."
"Get an external one. I’m begging you. Look, I haven’t replaced anything, does it affect my surgery work?"
Viktor shot rcer a rare glare.
rcer could only sigh: "Fine, external for now. Just annoying having to inject my own arm all the ti."
"I’ve been doing surgeries for years and never complained... Alright, don’t stir up trouble. Not modding you anyti soon. Just looking at all that chanical rigging on you irritates ."
After speaking, Viktor turned back to Pilar: "Any other requests?"
"Gone." Pilar shook his head. "I don’t think cyberware mods will do much for . Just don’t get one-shot killed and I’m good."
"Better to spend that money on so heavy hardware, mod so high-powered toys. That’s more my style."
"Sound thinking," Viktor glanced at rcer.
rcer shrugged. "I believe in having both, and making both count!"
"You’re trying to do the work of ten people, rcer. You need to learn to trust the people around you. You’re not alone anymore, right?" Viktor said.
rcer nodded, smiling as he looked at those beside him. "Alright, alright, no need to lecture ."
"Lucy, your turn. I’ve been curious about your stats for a while now," rcer said, turning to Lucy.
Lucy simply nodded and wordlessly took a seat on the operating chair.
Vik went through his familiar routine, checking the readings.
"Body 13, not bad. Reflexes 14, pretty high. Cool 14. Seems the girl’s got strong nerves too. Intelligence 16?" Viktor blinked. "That’s seriously impressive. Where’d you find this gem?"
This was higher than rcer had expected. He thought Lucy would max out at 15, just a bit better than Kiwi.
"Haha~ I didn’t expect it either... 16 points, not bad, Lucy!" rcer said with delight, giving her a thumbs-up.
Lucy just smiled faintly. "Mhm."
Has she been talking less lately? rcer wondered, but he didn’t bring it up, deciding to observe for a while longer.
"Alright then, let’s prep for surgery. Based on the schedule, we’ll replace Lucy’s neural link and cyberdeck first, then Pilar’s arm, and finally Rebecca’s procedure. The Gorilla Arms are on you, Vik. I’ll handle the rest after that," rcer said.
By now, Vik wasn’t even surprised anymore.
Rebecca grinned at rcer, giving him a flirtatious look, but with so many people around, she didn’t say anything bold.
The surgeries were scheduled, and everyone had money to spare. After the Biotechnica job, plus the extortion money, rcer had pulled in over 1.6 million eddies.
After deducting 40% for team funds, about 640,000 eurodollars, there was still a solid 960,000 eddies left for dividends.
Even Rebecca, Pilar, and Lucy, who only got 10% each, still walked away with around 100,000 eddies per person.
As for rcer and V, they each took ho 290,000.
For the 640,000 eddies in team funds, rcer decided that aside from renovating and reinforcing their Dogtown base, they’d also buy so equipnt, like a small 200,000-eddie server to start with, setting up a secure intranet for the base.
They’d also need to stock up on auto-turrets, caras, and other defensive gear to handle Dogtown’s rough environnt.
But more important than any of that was Trauma Team mbership.
rcer was determined to get Trauma Team coverage for all his people before their next job, no matter what.
So, even though the money seed like a lot, rcer figured he might still have to dip into his own share to cover everything.
"Hey, Vik, did you manage to sell those Mantis Blades I gave you?" rcer suddenly asked.
Viktor turned to look at him. "Not yet. Planning to equip V with them?"
"Yeah, I checked yesterday, and the Mantis Blades on the market might not even be as good as the one I took out. Didn’t expect Arasaka’s Mantis Blades to still be top-tier stuff."
rcer said.
"Sure, you can buy it back at the original price. I’ll just charge a bit for the surgery," Viktor replied.
After exchanging a few words, rcer fell silent once Viktor officially began the procedure.
Lucy’s surgery was the quickest, wrapped up in under half an hour, a testant to Viktor’s typically ticulous, unhurried pace.
Once she was done, it was Pilar’s turn. He didn’t need full anesthesia, just a neural link cutoff to disconnect sensory feedback from his arms. He was swapping out his long limbs for a pair of Zetatech Sigma Series cyberware. Throughout the procedure, Pilar kept chatting casually with Vik, who even handed him a can of beer.
Watching Pilar sip beer while mid-surgery made rcer struggle to keep a straight face. Now that’s cyberpunk. Hope he doesn’t spill beer into his own circuitry and short himself out.
When it was Rebecca’s turn, she insisted on staying semi-conscious during the operation too. But the mont Vik finished installing her Gorilla Arms, he turned to rcer and asked, "You taking over?"
rcer nodded without a word, promptly putting Rebecca under full anesthesia. Vik then dragged Pilar out to Misty’s place to continue drinking, leaving only Lucy behind, quietly watching as rcer took his place by the operating table.
Rebecca initially tried to fight the anesthesia with sheer willpower, but it wasn’t long before she drifted obediently into unconsciousness. Only then did rcer undress her and begin injecting the Skinweave.
No way I’m doing this while she’s awake. Who knows what kind of wild nonsense she’d co out with? One slip and I’d end up injecting nanites straight into her flesh.
By the ti the procedure ended, Rebecca was gradually waking up. She followed rcer’s instructions, testing the cyberware and completing the calibration before lying on her side with a grin.
"Like what you see?"
"A bit small," rcer said honestly.
Rebecca rolled her eyes. "Then I’ll get a bigger one installed in a few days. How big do you want it?"
"Cut it out. I prefer the original. Don’t go overboard." Still, he offered a few words of praise: "The proportions are fine. Don’t stress about it."
"I’m not stressed. I’m just asking if you like it."
She chuckled and glanced toward Lucy, only to find her expression cool and detached, eyes fixed on the TV, showing no interest in her or rcer.
After her surgery, Rebecca complained about dizziness and weak legs, stubbornly clinging to rcer for a full ten minutes before finally snapping back to normal under his warning glare. She swung her arms around excitedly, the movent whistling through the air.
The Gorilla Arms she’d been fitted with weren’t as exaggerated as those in ani, just a notch thicker than her original arms, blending in fairly naturally. But the sonic crack from her casual punch made it clear her strength was no joke.
"I feel like I could take out ten Pilars with one punch!" she declared.
"Hey, why use as a unit of asurent?" Pilar shot back with an eye-roll, though he was soon happily flexing his fingers, marveling at the various repair and modification tools extending and retracting from his fingertips.
"These are way more flexible than my old ones! Gonna test them out properly tonight!"
Rebecca shot him a dismissive look. "You better take that research to the bathroom. Don’t let catch you tinkering on the couch, unless you’re looking to upgrade to a Mr. Studd."
Amid the laughter and teasing, the group grabbed a quick al nearby before heading their separate ways for ho.
—--
When rcer was finally alone with Lucy, he suddenly felt a bit uneasy.
The car was filled only with the quiet hum of the engine and the sound of wind outside the window. Beyond that, when he turned his head, all he could see was Lucy staring blankly out the window, lost in thought.
"What’s on your mind, Lucy? You’ve been unusually quiet since a few days ago."
rcer couldn’t hold back and decided to ask her directly: "Feeling down?"
"Not really." Lucy turned to look at him, her expression still mostly blank. After a mont, she turned away again. "It’s just that the others are so loud. I’ve always been pretty quiet, actually."
"Tell the truth." rcer rolled his eyes. "Is it because of Rebecca? Or V? Do you think I’m too close with them? Or because you didn’t get to contribute much on this job?"
"It’s neither." After a pause, she added softly, "Or maybe it’s a little bit of all those things, but that’s unavoidable. We’ve talked about this many tis. I don’t need you to constantly comfort ."
"Then what is it?"
rcer pressed further.
Lucy pursed her lips and, after a long mont, whispered: "It’s just... how do I put it? It feels like the family that used to be only mine isn’t just mine anymore, and it hurts a little.
It feels like you’ve been taken away from .
You’re close with V, and you’re close with Rebecca too. Pilar might seem unreliable at first glance, but he lightens the mood and is pretty easygoing.
Kyoko is carefree and gets along with everyone.
But ... I just can’t seem to get close to anyone, whether it’s V or the Rebecca siblings.
Treat them like family? I can’t. The only family I feel I have is you, and, well, Kyoko too.
Anyway, just leave be. I just need so ti to adjust. I’m not like the rest of you; I don’t warm up to people that quickly."
rcer finally felt relieved.
This wasn’t a big issue. In the end, it was just a matter of not having known each other for long. He believed that once they moved into their new place and spent more ti living together, these feelings would gradually fade.
Coming to a strange new place, Lucy had only him to rely on and trust, while he had now made more friends and companions. It was only natural that she felt a little empty inside.
She had always been the type of girl who lacked a sense of security, from her ti at Arasaka to now in Night City.
He took off his mask and set it aside casually, speaking in a gentle tone: "Rebecca and V are both warm people, Lucy. There’s no need to rush. Take your ti.
Haven’t you noticed? Rebecca and V roughhouse and say all sorts of nonsense to each other, but they’ve never said anything like that to you. It’s not that they’re intentionally keeping their distance. It’s because they know you’re not a street kid like them, that you’re not used to that kind of thing.
Even Pilar tones it down a bit around you. Everyone is trying to be considerate of you.
And you shouldn’t feel like there’s sothing wrong with how you’re feeling. Think about it. How did we used to take care of Kyoko?
In the Kindling Squad now, aren’t you the youngest, just like Kyoko was back then?"
"According to my ID, I’m actually a year older than Rebecca," Lucy retorted stubbornly.
"Haha... Anyway, Lucy, take it slow. No one’s going to rush you."
rcer gently reached out and ruffled her hair. "There aren’t that many cases of instant connection. Developing feelings over ti is what’s normal. It’s just that you tend to keep everything bottled up, always wanting to handle things on your own. That’s not a good habit."
"Aren’t you the sa? Taking everything upon yourself, quietly getting yourself modified without thinking it’s enough." Lucy’s expression finally softened as she spoke to him with a hint of reproach.
"I guess we share the sa personality. If faced with the sa choice, you’d make the sa decision I did."
rcer smiled.
Lucy fell silent, unable to refute him. If she were the one who could equip that cyberware, she wouldn’t hesitate to don it for rcer’s sake.
"But actually, everyone thinks this way, haven’t you noticed? Whether it’s V or Rebecca, we all feel the sa. Modifying with cyberware is more about being able to do more for each other and take on greater responsibility for the team."
rcer spoke lightly, "Of course, as long as I’m around, the heavy lifting won’t fall on you guys. On this point, whether you like it or not, you’ll have to listen to ."
"So domineering." Though Lucy said this, a smile unconsciously crept onto her face. "I get it, take it slow... You don’t always have to worry about ."
"Heh, won~ Keep your distance and they complain, get too close and they beco reserved. Hard to please~"
rcer drew out his words, prompting Lucy to give him a light pat. "No way."
"When I really stop worrying and caring about you, you won’t think that anymore," he said with a laugh.
"Oh really?" Lucy tilted her head, looking at him, then suddenly smiled. "So when are you planning to inject with the Skinweave?"
"...Let’s ask Vik when he’s free, and we’ll go alone." rcer chuckled.
"Sure, just let know ahead of ti so I can take a shower." She said it casually, but her face flushed.
After a mont of eye contact, rcer looked away. "I don’t think it’s necessary. My buddy operates without emotions, just a cold surgery machine."
"Really? I don’t believe you." She smiled, propping her cheek with her hand, her iridescent eyes glinting. "But... never mind."
rcer didn’t ask what she had originally ant to say.
When they reached the camp and got out of the vehicle, she walked slowly beside him with her hands behind her back, speaking softly. "The new base is set up now. Does that an we’ll have to live separately?"
"Yeah, why? Gotten used to being with ?" rcer grinned at her.
Lucy just looked at him, leaning slightly forward with her hands still behind her back, bringing her face closer. "Yeah, most importantly, if you’re not around, I don’t want to deep dive."
"There’ll be a dedicated netrunner station then, right next to the servers. We’ll all deep dive together, looking out for each other."
rcer didn’t respond.
"Is that so..." Lucy tilted her head. "What if I don’t want to use the netrunner station, but an imrsion pod with ice instead? Would that have to be placed there for everyone to see too?"
She smiled slyly, satisfied to see rcer montarily speechless and unable to reply, curling the corners of her lips. "But if you’re by my side, I suppose I could manage with the netrunner station."
"Tsk." rcer felt like he was being outmaneuvered and quickened his pace. "Even Kyoko isn’t afraid to use the netrunner station again, yet you’re this timid."
"Heh~" She laughed softly but didn’t respond, rely matching his pace with light, effortless steps.
Laughing and teasing each other, they returned to the tent at the campsite. rcer went back to his deep dive, engrossed in programming research she couldn’t quite grasp, while she sat quietly beside him, assembling program chips with her notebook and borrowed chip tools.
Sotis, Lucy wished ti could just stand still like this.
Even though the tent was cramped, the mattress was hard, and the workspace was just a jumble of stacked crates.
No matter the mont, he was always just a turn away. Even when sleeping, she could drift off listening to the sound of his breathing.
But soon, Lucy changed her mind.
Maybe it’d be better if ti moved a little faster.
Until she grew taller, until she could confidently sidle up to him like Rebecca did, watching him blush and fluster.
Tsk.
The thought of Rebecca shalessly pressing herself against him made Lucy pause her work. She let out a soft sigh and turned to gaze at his calm face, lost in the deep dive.
The competition’s fierce.
—--
"You want to contact the Red Ocher family?" Saul turned to rcer in surprise.
Early the next morning, rcer had sought out Saul to discuss the Red Ocher family.
rcer was a bit surprised too; he’d assud Panam, true to her nature, would have already spilled everything about Red Ocher to Saul. But it seed she’d kept it confidential for him.
Or maybe she trusted him enough to know he’d tell the Red Ocher family about the poisoning as soon as possible.
"Yes, we took a job related to Biotechnica recently and uncovered so troubling insider information."
rcer paused, then spoke with grave seriousness. "Biotechnica bribed Red Ocher’s ’Red Hand’ to poison their water supply."
"Are you sure?!" Saul’s expression instantly turned stern, unable to mask his anger. "Poisoning the water? Those corpos would actually sink that low!"
"Probably a land dispute. Biotechnica wants to reclaim Red Ocher’s current farmland, and the family obviously isn’t willing... Underhanded tactics like this are practically Biotechnica’s specialty."
After rcer finished, Saul imdiately asked, "Do you have evidence?"
"There’s a recording, but I don’t think it’s even necessary. Red Ocher must have had a lot of people falling ill lately. The reason they haven’t noticed anything wrong with the land is likely because it’s not spring planting season yet.
If they only realize sothing’s wrong during spring planting, they’ll be in serious trouble."
Saul nodded grimly after hearing this. "Yeah, by then they’d have spent most of their savings on preparations for spring planting, only to have the seeds fail to sprout... Biotechnica really deserves to die!"
Without another word, he said, "I’ll contact the Red Ocher chieftain right now."
rcer nodded. Saul’s cybereye glowed as he made a voice call to explain the situation.
After just a few seconds, the other end hung up, and shortly after, rcer received a ssage.
After connecting the unknown call, rcer’s vision was filled with the image of an elderly man with graying hair, appearing sowhat aged yet with sharp eyes, wearing a red ocher necklace.
"Hello, rcer. I am Derek, the leader of the Red Ocher family."
The man spoke with a decisive and no-nonsense manner, reminiscent of Rogue. After introducing himself, he paused only briefly before continuing:
"I’ve heard a brief account from Saul and have a general understanding of the situation. I understand you have video evidence. Would it be possible for to review it?
Red Hand is a very important mber of our clan. Without concrete evidence, even if I were to detain him first, the matter would likely face considerable complications."
Hearing this, rcer wasted no ti: "Give an email address, and I’ll send it to you."
After Derek sent the address via comms software, rcer imdiately forwarded the video originally captured by Kiwi’s cara to his inbox.
"Sent," rcer said. Without waiting for a response, Derek replied, "Please hold on. I’ll review it and get back to you right away."
Before rcer could reply, Derek ended the call. It was clear that beneath his calm exterior, he was likely seething with rage.
rcer sat in Saul’s tent, sipping coffee and discussing the matter briefly with him. After a few minutes, Derek called again.
"Thank you, rcer. You’ve been a trendous help. If not for you, we might never have discovered that Red Hand was the one who betrayed us."
Over the video call, Derek stood up and gave a slight bow toward rcer before adding, "This intelligence is crucial, and the Red Ocher family will never forget this favor."
"Aside from your family, the people of Yucca town were also poisoned by Biotechnica for drug testing. I plan to expose both stories at a later ti, so I must ask for your patience a little longer."
After rcer finished, Derek could no longer contain the fury in his eyes: "Very well, I agree. For now, we will exercise patience! But we cannot let those Biotechnica bastards get away with this!"
"Don’t worry, I’m just waiting for the right mont. The exposure won’t keep you waiting too long," rcer said, understanding his anger.
The elder spoke solemnly: "The Red Ocher family repays every favor and avenges every wrong. Child, if you ever need any assistance from us, do not hesitate to ask. Once we have dealt with Red Hand, you are welco to visit our family."
rcer responded with a smile: "Alright, then I won’t disturb your efforts to purge the traitor. I will expose Biotechnica’s scandal through the dia as soon as possible, and we can reassess the situation then."
"Agreed," Derek replied.
After ending the call, rcer turned to look at Saul.
Saul’s expression remained heavy, as if lost in thought. After a mont, he turned to rcer and asked, "You’re planning to move out soon?"
"Yes, I’ve asked so people in the camp to tidy up the base. After that, we’ll be moving to Dogtown."
rcer then added gratefully, "We also owe thanks to the Aldecaldos for giving us a place to stay when we first arrived. If the Aldecaldos ever need any help in the future, please don’t hesitate to ask."
rcer never considered the Aldecaldos’ kindness in taking them in as so "well-deserved treatnt" after wandering with Cassidy.
Saul smiled: "I believe your sincerity, rcer. You strike as soone capable of great things, and I trust you’ll establish yourself quickly in Night City."
"As the leader of the Aldecaldos, the only favor I’d ask of you in the city is to keep an eye out for stable inco opportunities for our people."
"I’ll be on the lookout. If any suitable opportunities arise, I’ll definitely prioritize our own."
At this point, rcer offered his own perspective and advice: "But I think the Aldecaldos need to start considering how to adapt. I deeply respect your views on freedom and acknowledge your way of life."
"However, Night City, no, this world, has never been gentle to those who simply want to work hard for a better life."
After speaking, rcer looked at Saul and said earnestly, "Staying out in the badlands makes it difficult to find stable inco. Perhaps trying to run so businesses in Night City, using your numbers to claim a piece of territory, could help reverse your current decline."
Saul sighed: "I know, but everyone stays here for a reason, rcer. If we leave the badlands and enter Night City, we cease to be the Aldecaldos."
rcer said no more, as he genuinely couldn’t see how staying in the badlands and continuing the old ways could sustain the family in its current state.
Perhaps the family’s struggles had deeper reasons. As an outsider, even if rcer wanted to repay their kindness, he would have to wait for them to bring it up first.
After exchanging a few more words with Saul, rcer left his tent. Gazing up at the relatively clear sky, he felt a sense of relief.
The base was secured, the team was mostly assembled, and he had money in his pocket. It seed he was truly about to put down roots in Night City.
The urgency that had once consud him now felt considerably eased.
No need to worry about tomorrow’s al or where he would live next. The score from Biotechnica was enough to keep him fed and sheltered for the foreseeable future.
For once, rcer didn’t imdiately return to his tent to tackle the seemingly endless tasks of programming, studying, and pondering, setting all those burdens aside.
He sat alone by the camp’s food truck, ordered a NiCola, and enjoyed the breeze, watching the wind sweep dust across the land.
Until the Morning Star, which had been quietly dormant in his cyberdeck, suddenly sent him a ssage.
[Morning Star: The virus you previously placed in Night City’s City Hall has entered an active state.]
[rcer: On my way.]
rcer’s spirits lifted instantly.
The virus entering an active state ant that the program he’d left in the City Hall servers had detected network transmission activity.
And network transmission in the City Hall’s household registration database most likely ant that the NCPD was updating data from the servers!
Which ant...
The NCPD database! Here I co!
--------
6500 words.
Bonus Chapter @300 power stones
Once again, I recomnd reading HxH: Dying Makes Stronger. We’re nearing the end of the first arc, so it’s a great ti to jump in.
Reviews
All reviews (0)