Chapter 99: To the Moon!

Chapter 99: To the Moon!

"By the way, V, did you know? My mom finally agreed to let Misty come over for dinner at our place."

"All thanks to the Trauma Team chip she gave me. If it weren't for that, you and old Vic would be stuck eating whatever scraps I could throw together."

Jackie Welles chuckled as he touched the Trauma Team chip in his neural slot, letting out a relieved sigh.

"Misty saved my life, man. My mom dotes on her now like she's her own daughter. Honestly, I never thought I'd see the day."

"Congrats, Jackie. Wishing you and Misty a speedy wedding. I'll be there to drink to your happiness for sure," V said, genuinely happy for Jackie.

"Of course, you're my one and only best man!"

After the laughter subsided, Jackie's thoughts turned to another chip—the Relic biochip they had stolen from Arasaka Tower.

"Speaking of chips, V, what did you end up doing with that one? Don't tell me it's still in your head."

Lowering his voice and glancing around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, Jackie cautiously asked.

"That thing? I accidentally broke it and tossed it in the trash," V replied nervously, unable to admit the truth. The chip was indeed still in his head.

"Good riddance! I always had a bad feeling about that chip. If you'd kept it in your head, something terrible would have happened. Glad you didn't."

Jackie breathed a sigh of relief, missing V's subtle discomfort.

The Relic chip's contents… truly weren't anything good.

---

["Your friend's got a real way with words, doesn't he? Calling me 'nothing special'? A nobody almost killed by Arasaka soldiers? Ha! He's not even fit to evaluate me."]

At that moment, Johnny Silverhand's figure materialized in V's mind, seated beside Jackie, though only V could see him.

'Dammit! We agreed today was my call—why the hell are you showing up again?!'

V silently cursed, urging Johnny to vanish.

Ever since undergoing the Prototype 6 Implantation Surgery at LA Corp, V had been plagued by Johnny's appearances.

Their first night together was chaos, filled with shouting and brawling until the morning. Johnny was just as V had imagined: a loudmouthed, arrogant terrorist.

Yet, Johnny's personality wasn't entirely evil. They found some mutual ground when it came to sharing control over V's body.

Upon learning about Li Ang's treatment plan, Johnny had stopped trying to take over. Instead, he became a constant chatterbox, ranting nonstop in V's mind.

["What, I can't stretch my legs? Being cooped up sucks."] Johnny retorted.

'Don't make me deal with you.'

["Yeah, like I want to talk to you, either."]

'Idiot.'

V cursed silently. Meanwhile, Jackie called over Claire, the barmaid.

"Hey! Give me a Jackie Welles! You know, the one I had you mix last time."

"Oh? It's you two. I heard some rumors about you breaking into Arasaka Tower. Didn't think you'd make it back alive. Is it true?" Claire asked curiously as she spotted Jackie and V.

"In Night City, just staying alive makes you a legend. My brother V and I have plenty of legendary stories. Now, get us some drinks! Tonight, we toast to ourselves!" Jackie declared with fervor.

"Haha, alright, sounds fun. Drinks coming right up. But if you're looking for 'love,' that's on you to add." Claire glanced at the mix Jackie had left behind and chuckled.

Soon, two glasses of vodka, ice, lime juice, and ginger beer were placed before Jackie and V.

"V, we kept our promise. We really made it to the Afterlife."

Jackie's words struck a chord with V. They had escaped death and now celebrated their survival at Afterlife.

The two downed their drinks in one gulp. But before long, Johnny's voice echoed in V's head again.

["That bland drink? You're really drinking that? Get me a Johnny Silverhand—tell Claire to add extra chili powder."]

'Shut up.' V's reply was curt.

["Philistine."]

As the drinks flowed, Jackie eventually slumped over the counter, drunkenly dozing off. V, nearing his own limit, called out to Claire once more.

"One more Johnny Silverhand. Extra chili."

"V, you sure about this? You're already plastered," Claire asked with concern.

"Just… make it."

V's vision blurred as the alcohol hit him harder. The booze turned into little sprites, urging him to pass out.

["That's more like it! If you're not dead, keep drinking till you are. Still, your tolerance couldn't even satisfy a kitten. Once you're out, it's my turn."]

Watching V down the tequila, syrup, chili powder, and Mexican beer mix in one go, Johnny finally seemed pleased.

["Three… two… one—lights out!"] Johnny counted down as V collapsed onto the bar.

---

As the Hermes spacecraft broke through Earth's atmosphere and escaped its gravity, Lucy finally saw the moon she had long yearned for.

The blue sky and ocean merged into one, creating a serene, breathtaking view. The starry cosmos added its splendor to the scene.

But even this wasn't the pinnacle of beauty.

At the Crystal Palace's Black Hole Club, guests could marvel at real-time holographic simulations of swirling galaxies and nearby black holes, a surreal spectacle.

The sight gave travelers an overwhelming sense of dominion over the universe—a primal joy embedded in human nature: the thrill of conquering nature itself.

Of course, experiencing this extraordinary visual feast came with a hefty price tag. The Crystal Palace was the epitome of luxury, a place where fortunes could vanish in an instant. Only LA Corporation s like Arasaka or LA Corp could afford such indulgence.

While Lucy, Maine, and the others eagerly pressed against the windows to admire the scenery, Li Ang was on a call with Mayor Lucius back on Earth.

"Li Ang, don't worry! I've picked the perfect spot at the company plaza for your LA Corp headquarters. It's prime real estate for a landmark building—absolutely unbeatable!"

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