Chapter 67: To Remain Nameless or Leave a Legacy in History!
Chapter 67: To Remain Nameless or Leave a Legacy in History!
"Hello, V," Dexter DeShawn greeted.
"Mr. DeShawn, it's an honor to finally meet you in person," V replied, returning the pleasantries.
DeShawn leaned against the car window, scrutinizing V like evaluating merchandise before finally speaking:
"V, would you rather live a quiet, nameless life, die in bed with a catheter, or burn out before thirty and leave your name in the annals of history?"
This question struck V like a thunderclap of destiny. He felt as if he were standing at the crossroads of fate, choosing an unknown path.
Instead of answering directly, V countered, "Why ask such a question? Sounds like you're sending me to my death."
DeShawn chuckled at V's reaction. He had heard about this bold and meticulous mercenary who'd tackle any job in Night City. But meeting him in person, DeShawn found V's demeanor not quite matching the legend.
Today, V seemed hesitant, almost ready to throw in the towel—a state DeShawn could not allow. He knew he had to provoke V into action.
Two months ago, the Voodoo Boys of Pacifica had approached DeShawn, offering him a handsome commission to find someone capable of stealing the Relic chip from Arasaka Corporation.
The Voodoo Boys were generous, to say the least. The payout was astronomical, forcing DeShawn to seriously consider their offer.
Once this job was done, Dexter DeShawn could finally retire, buy a cigar plantation in Cuba, and live like a wealthy gentleman.
No one ever complains about too much money, and even though the Voodoo Boys had a notorious reputation, profits always made risks worthwhile.
As for why they wanted the chip, that wasn't DeShawn's concern. His job was to deliver and get paid.
V was the chosen candidate for this dangerous mission.
After all, V had a reputation in Night City as a mercenary who feared nothing, the top choice for every fixer.
"V, it's just a philosophical question. Before assigning a job, I always like to know if the person is reliable enough to trust with the task."
DeShawn puffed on his cigar, thick smoke curling around him as he observed V.
'He's testing me,' V thought, slightly annoyed. But the mission intrigued him—it aligned with Jackie's aspirations.
As Jackie's closest brother-in-arms, V didn't want to let him down.
"If you want to know how reliable I am, ask the other fixers in Night City. They'll vouch for the weight of my name," V replied confidently.
DeShawn nodded, pleased with the answer.
"Fair enough. I've heard you're the legendary V, the Reaper of Night City who never turns down a job."
"But this time, the task is to steal a biochip from Arasaka Corporation."
"So, V, do you have the guts?"
DeShawn's gaze bore into V, challenging him once more. Would he choose to live fast and die a legend or live a long, uneventful life?
"Make your decision soon, V. The path to glory is calling for both of you."
V: "..."
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Little Chinatown, LA Corporation Headquarters
[Level 6 Task: Unlock the Second Corporate Template]
[Status: Completed]
[Rewards: €$10 billion, 10 million corp credits, 10 roulette draws (enhanced jackpot odds!)]
'Finally saved up enough corp credits to redeem Kang Tao Corporation's template,' Li Ang thought with satisfaction.
Half an hour ago, he had spent a trillion corp credits in one go to unlock Kang Tao's template, bringing advanced weapons and intelligent robotics under LA Corporation's umbrella.
As the latest corporate giant to emerge in the Cyberpunk 2077 world, Kang Tao's intelligent devices were unparalleled. They had even transformed China into a fully automated nation.
From smart subways and highways to vehicles and airports, Kang Tao's technology was everywhere.
Li Ang prioritized unlocking Kang Tao's template not just to expand LA Corporation's arsenal but to strategically position himself for dominance in the Far East.
LA Corporation had already acquired a military factory in Shenyang, China, renaming it Cantao Group Corporation, with retired Colonel Xu Shiming at the helm.
Li Ang's plan was to flood the Chinese market with intelligent weaponry.
Of course, achieving this wouldn't be easy.
Cantao Group Corporation, led by Xu Shiming, was Li Ang's chess piece in the Far East.
By securing China as a base of operations, LA Corporation could finally compete with the likes of Su Oil, the European Union, and other top-tier megacorps.
'Umbrella Corporation, Hammond Robotics, IMC, Weyland-Yutani, Aperture Science, Lobotomy Corp, Hyperion...'
Li Ang reviewed the list of corporate templates awaiting activation, deep in thought.
As he completed higher-level system tasks, the number of corp credits and available templates steadily increased.
However, the cost of activating these templates was exorbitant.
Having just drained his credits, Li Ang couldn't unlock any additional templates for now.
It made sense—the more groundbreaking the tech, the higher the cost.
A megacorp like IMC, capable of interstellar colonization, would require trillions of credits to activate.
At LA Corporation's current optimal revenue rate, it would take Li Ang two and a half years to accumulate enough credits.
For now, Li Ang wasn't focused on god-tier technologies capable of destroying planets but on products suitable for the Cyberpunk world.
After all, LA Corporation needed a steady flow of revenue from selling products to thrive.
If everyone were dead and there was no market, what would be the point?
Power armor, genetic enhancements, AI, biotech, and orbital technologies were Li Ang's immediate priorities.
'For now, let's start with a draw,' Li Ang decided.
The ten draws he'd accumulated could pull rare items from the Level 6 roulette pool, with significantly increased jackpot odds.
This meant he could leverage tech from other worlds to help LA Corporation close the gap with its competitors.
'Start the draw!'
The system's roulette panel spun rapidly, and soon, the ten rewards appeared.
This time, there were two "Legendary Gold" items.