Cyberpunk: Becoming a Legend from Dogtown

The Sapphire, Colonel Hansen's viper's nest.

"I hope this doesn't cause you any trouble… Hmm, I'll handle it. Don't worry."

Kurt Hansen, hidden in the shadows, hung up the call with a Night City official. He was a businessman; everything was negotiable, even a large-scale firefight like this—it was just part of the risks of doing business.

He had to manage the fallout and settle the score.

And that would require the help of Night City's politicians.

Lin Yue, restrained and forced to keep his head down, heard the crisp sound of Colonel Hansen's military boots approaching on the clean, polished floor.

"Let him go. Our friend here still has broken bones."

Lin Yue gently shook his numb arm, his expression firm, though the sweat dripping from his forehead betrayed him.

He hoped the panel hadn't lied to him.

The man in the crisp military T-shirt had cold, calculating eyes and a powerful build. He scanned Lin Yue and the other two Barghest soldiers who had been brought in with him—

No, not soldiers. Dogs with their tails between their legs, running back after a defeat.

"Speak. You should know what this is about."

Lin Yue took a deep breath. "Colonel, it was an ambush by a cyberpunk squad."

It wasn't a lie. This cold-blooded warlord had a keen sense for interrogation, and Lin Yue didn't want to reveal more than necessary.

"Of course I know, kid." Colonel Hansen tapped Lin Yue's chest with his finger. "You should've waited for our reinforcements. Don't you think?"

So he was going to use the "deserter" excuse to deal with him, huh?

Lin Yue swallowed hard, his fists clenching involuntarily.

Colonel Hansen gave a look, and the soldier behind Lin Yue hesitated but, under pressure, placed a hand on Lin Yue's shoulder.

"Sorry, bro."

Lin Yue's mind raced. The cyberpunk squad, the Barghest soldiers, the convoy transporting a large shipment of weapons and equipment—

Damn it, there must be something he was missing.

"Wait, Colonel Hansen!"

Lin Yue stepped forward, only to have two gun barrels press against his broken ribs, twisting his expression in pain.

"The cyberpunks weren't there to steal the cargo. They were there to cause chaos, to catch us off guard!"

"A bunch of mercs wouldn't need brand-new corporate gear to arm themselves."

"You have to consider, Colonel—maybe someone else is behind this!"

Colonel Hansen immediately raised a hand. "Let him finish."

Lin Yue quickly continued, "Almost all the equipment we were transporting was Arasaka gear, passed through three hands. How could the cyberpunks have known the route so easily?"

"This is about business, Colonel Hansen! That shipment was corporate property. They wouldn't let their own people profit from it. This… this was a retaliation!"

Colonel Hansen listened, downing the whiskey in his hand in one go.

His alcohol-laced breath hit Lin Yue's face as he scrutinized his subordinate with wolf-like eyes.

"Bring him up."

The Barghest soldiers dragged a man who looked like a dead dog forward. It wasn't until the man was thrown to the ground that Lin Yue realized who it was.

If it weren't for the flashy Barghest tattoos, he wouldn't have recognized the soldier with his head nearly blown apart—Snor!

"Deserter."

Colonel Hansen's voice dripped with disgust as he kicked Snor, whose throat was still making gurgling sounds. The poor guy was trying to say something, but it was impossible to make out.

"He wanted to leave this paradise. Guess who sold the intel?"

A chill ran down Lin Yue's spine.

Snor sold the intel?

"You know, I'm a lazy man. Whether you and him were in cahoots, I don't care to investigate. But you're lucky—this guy confessed to selling the intel himself."

"You two were close, eating and sleeping together. I should've put a bullet in you too—but, I'm willing to give you a chance now."

Lin Yue had stood straight since entering, barely glancing at Snor. Hansen found himself somewhat intrigued by this young soldier.

Sigh, typical cyberpunk behavior.

Today you sell me out, tomorrow I stab you in the back. Who knows if your "bro" is friend or foe?

Hansen pulled a pistol from his waist and aimed it at Snor, who was still lying on the ground.

He knew this young soldier, Lin Yue, hadn't been involved in selling the intel, but he still wanted to assert his authority. Loyalty was built on the edge of life and death, with a little mercy here and there.

This former Militech soldier understood that well.

Bang!

The deafening gunshot made Lin Yue flinch.

Hansen fired three shots. When Lin Yue opened his eyes, the smoking barrel was pointed at his head.

Gulp.

Lin Yue stared at Hansen, knowing he couldn't show fear. If he did, Hansen wouldn't hesitate to lose one more Barghest soldier.

"Go to Heavy Hearts. Find an old friend of mine. Your record with Barghest will be wiped clean."

"Help me out, kid. Someone's got to answer for this shipment, right?"

He holstered his gun, and the soldier behind Lin Yue patted his shoulder. Only then did Lin Yue take stiff steps out of the Sapphire.

Standing in the elevator, Lin Yue's legs felt weak. The aftereffects of the pain editor and the stabbing pain from his fractures forced him to lean on the elevator railing for support.

"Hey, Lin. Maybe it's not so bad."

It was Otto, the soldier who had reminded him to think on his feet earlier.

"No one in Barghest wants to leave the barracks. You know how it is—one day you're sleeping soundly at home, and the next, you've got residents coming for revenge."

Barghest was notorious for its harsh treatment of Dogtown residents. Shedding that uniform would inevitably lead to retaliation.

Secondly, losing military pay was a disaster. Otto's words sounded comforting, but they were crushing any remaining confidence.

These guys, hooked on glitter, would be lost without their pay.

"But I believe in you, man! Damn, you stood there with Hansen's gun to your head and still looked him in the eye? That's guts!"

Just like the name of the place he was headed to, Lin Yue was now "heavy-hearted."

Was he fired?

But from what Hansen said, it seemed like he still had a role to play.

Everything was a tangled mess. No one would let a grunt know the full picture—that was reality, and Lin Yue understood that.

After all, the god's-eye view belonged to the players, not the living NPCs.

[Character "Kurt Hansen" favorability updated]

[Favorability: 10 (Do your boss's bidding well. Having your life on the line isn't a one-time thing.)]

[Reward: +1 to all attributes. Opportunity to interact with other legendary characters.]

[Special Note: From now on, you're on your own. You'll have to handle things yourself.]

[Apart from rewards, this panel will no longer provide any mission guidance. Goodbye.]

The "backbone" supporting Lin Yue had been completely severed.

Otto, seeing Lin Yue about to collapse, quickly reached out to steady him, pulling a can of [MaxDoc] from his belt and pressing it to Lin Yue's mouth.

Too cruel. Even the panel was stabbing him in the back.

As the medication took effect, Lin Yue's tense nerves finally relaxed.

"Lin! Lin! Alright… you need some rest…"

Otto's voice grew distant, and Lin Yue's vision faded to black.

...

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