46-50

Chapter 46: Harvest

“Of course, that’s fine, but you’ve gotta have the skills to back it up.”

Mann’s proposal was something Riku and the others had no reason to refuse.

The guy had laid it out so plainly, showing genuine enthusiasm to help. If they turned him down now, it’d look like they were just here to stir up trouble.

“Don’t worry, the skills are definitely there. We’ve worked with her plenty of times.”

Mann spoke with confidence, clearly trusting the hacker’s abilities.

“Kiwi-neesan is amazing. She’s a veteran hacker with tons of experience.”

Sasha nodded from the side, backing up Mann’s words with her professional opinion.

“Kiwi, huh?”

Riku paused for a moment. At first, he thought it might’ve been Lucy.

But on second thought, it made sense. At this point, Mann’s crew didn’t know Lucy yet. Only Kiwi was close with her.

Kiwi’s relationship with Mann’s team was more like a partnership. She only joined them for big jobs. Normally, Mann’s crew relied on their own hacker—Sasha for now. After Sasha’s death, Kiwi would introduce Lucy to take her place.

Of course, since Sasha was still alive, there was no need for Kiwi to bring in a new hacker yet.

But for Riku’s team, which was currently short a hacker, there was a good chance they’d get the new hacker Lucy through Kiwi’s introduction.

“Problem solved at last. Mann, you’ve got some serious connections, man! Here, let me toast you!”

With the matter settled, Jack Welles raised his glass, ready to clink drinks with Mann and Dorio.

As for Rebecca, she was sipping on juice. Afterlife Bar operated legally, sticking to Night City’s rules: no alcohol for anyone under 21.

“You don’t drink?”

Noticing everyone else raising their glasses while Riku just sat there, Rebecca asked curiously.

“Nope. No smoking, no drinking.”

Riku smiled and nodded, then added, “It’s better for my health.”

“…”

Rebecca gave him a strange look, clearly thrown off by his response.

“So, what do you drink? Juice? Milk? Water? Want me to order you something?”

She held up her own juice, took a sip, and looked at Riku.

“No need. I’m a Devil. I can only drink human blood and eat human flesh. Your mortal food means nothing to me.”

Riku’s face was dead serious, but his words made Rebecca’s mouth twitch. Is this guy nuts or what? she thought.

“Pfft!”

“Riku, stop teasing Rebecca. She might actually believe you,” Sasha said, laughing from the side, amused by their exchange.

“Sasha! You think I’m an idiot or something?!”

Rebecca rolled her eyes. As if she’d fall for that!

“Sorry, my body’s a bit… special. I can only consume specific nutrient solutions. Regular food and drinks don’t work for me.”

Riku gave a little shrug, looking helpless as he explained.

No one believed the truth, so he had to keep building up his persona. At this rate, he was starting to sound like some lab experiment that escaped from a megacorp facility.

“Uh…”

Rebecca and Sasha exchanged a glance, both clearly shocked. This was a first for them.

“Sorry, I didn’t know,” Rebecca mumbled, apologizing even though she hadn’t done anything wrong. Riku hadn’t mentioned it earlier, after all.

“No harm done. You didn’t get mad at me for not noticing your age, right?”

Riku winked at Rebecca. Despite her wild personality, she clearly wasn’t the type to be arrogant or unreasonable.

“We’re even, then.”

Rebecca grinned, her mood lifting as she started joking again. She wasn’t one to hold onto grudges and preferred to be straightforward.

Soon, the group was laughing and chatting, getting to know each other better.

“Alright, it’s about time to head out,” V said, checking the time and glancing at Riku. She stood up, suggesting they wrap things up.

They’d been hanging out for a while, and if they didn’t leave soon, the sun would be up. Riku, after all, couldn’t handle sunlight.

“Yeah, we should get going.”

Riku smiled, agreeing with a nod. V’s so thoughtful!

“We’re heading out too,” Mann said, as his crew stood up as well. At this hour, it was time for cyberpunks like them to call it a night. Their schedules were always this flexible.

After saying their goodbyes, Riku, V, and Jack Welles left Afterlife Bar and drove back to the H10 megabuilding in their secondhand Galena.

V still let Jack drive, trusting him more now.

“Riku, you really can’t eat normal food?” V asked hesitantly in the elevator, finally voicing the question that had been nagging at her. She wasn’t one to keep things bottled up either.

“Of course. No need to lie about it,” Riku said with a nod, answering confidently before continuing, “So, you can take my share of the food. Otherwise, it’ll just go to waste.”

“Uh… I’m not that hungry,” V muttered, her face flushing with embarrassment.

“You could just not order the food combo,” V suggested simply. If he didn’t eat, why waste the eddies?

“There aren’t many people who skip it, right? I don’t want to stand out too much,” Riku replied. Honestly, from a cost perspective, the apartment’s meal combos were a good deal. Hardly anyone skipped them.

They kept chatting as they stepped out of the elevator, said their goodnights, and headed to their respective rooms.

“Limit System.”

Back in his room, Riku called up his system and opened his personal page.

---

*Personal Page*

*Name: Riku*

*Level: Lv3*

*Experience: 72/300*

*Status: Oni Transformation*

*Title:*

Currently Equipped: Hundred Rat Slayer

Hundred Rat Slayer: When equipped, intimidates rodent-like creatures.

*Attributes:*

Strength: 11 + 7 (Oni Transformation)

Agility: 11 + 7 (Oni Transformation)

Constitution: 14 + 7 (Oni Transformation)

Intelligence: 11

Perception: 10

Charisma: 15 - 9 (Oni Transformation)

Remaining Attribute Points: 0

*Skills:*

Oni Transformation Lv3: Transformed into an oni by the blood of the Oni King. Strength, Agility, Constitution +7, Charisma -9. Grants Blood Demon Art and Constitution Alteration.

Constitution Alteration:

1. Regeneration Immortality: As long as regeneration power isn’t depleted, you won’t die, even if your head is crushed.

2. Death by Sunlight: Exposure to sunlight turns your body to ash and suppresses regeneration.

3. Cannibalism: In addition to human flesh, you can consume oni flesh.

Note: Current constitution allows regeneration to sustain immortality for 42 hours.

Blood Demon Art: Shadow

1. Shadow Wolf: Transform your shadow into a wolf to assist in combat.

Remaining Skill Points: 0

Remaining Skill Optimization Points: 0

---

Riku’s eyes landed on the *Experience* section. From this one mission alone, he’d gained a whopping 210 experience points!

*Chapter 47: Skin Swap*

Riku didn’t keep track of how many mechanical guards and drones he’d taken down. Maybe twenty or thirty at most—definitely not some crazy number like a hundred or two.

“So, about 10 experience points per kill, huh? Mechanical constructs give more EXP than fleshy humans?”

Riku rubbed his chin, thinking it made sense. Normal people would be totally helpless against those mechanical guards and drones—pretty cho (super) tough opponents.

“Tch, makes me wanna go back and scrap a few more.”

Riku’s eyes glinted with greed. One kill was worth 10 EXP! If he could take out 23 more, he’d level up again. Compare that to scavengers—hacking through 46 of those scrubs with guns to get the same result.

“But, slicing up scavengers is like doing a public service. The emotional kimochi (feeling) you get from that? Way better than scrapping a few drones. For the corps, losing those machines is just a tiny dent in their wallet.”

Riku knew going back now would be like walking into a trap, so he just hyped himself up, boosting the “emotional value” of taking down scavengers in his head.

Closing his eyes, Riku took a quick nap, then got up to keep practicing his “Baldhead Fitness Regimen”—a training method straight out of some shonen anime grind.

By two or three in the afternoon, V pinged Riku with a message. She and Jack Welles were heading to meet a shady shinpai (priest-like fixer) to buy a car.

Riku couldn’t tag along, but V and Jack offered to livestream the whole thing, showing off the car’s details through their cybernetic cams.

It was just a used car, though—not some fancy hypercar—so no need to go overboard. Riku kept up his “Baldhead Fitness Regimen” while watching the feed, staying quiet and letting the two handle the pick.

With their budget being pretty genkin (cash-strapped), they settled on a sleek black Chevrolet Thrasher, 99% new, for 15,000 credits. Each chipped in 5,000.

The car’s previous owner was a low-level Arasaka corp suit who got sacked not long after buying it and had to sell it to scrape by.

The Thrasher wasn’t exactly cheap, but it was heavy, with a beastly engine and crazy fuel consumption—definitely not a ride for your average ronin. It was a favorite among corporate managers, though.

This thing was built like a tank, fully armored from top to bottom. You could drive it through a minefield and come out fine. The bulletproof windows? Strong enough to shrug off high-caliber rounds.

“Another slow-starter, huh,” Jack Welles grumbled. Sure, the Thrasher’s engine could hit kaminari (lightning) speeds, but its sheer weight made acceleration a slog.

“Don’t forget the Thrasher’s tagline: ‘Better late than never—and you’ll get there in one piece,’” V shot back with a laugh. Sitting in that car felt like being wrapped in a fortress. The price, five times that of a regular Galina, was totally worth it.

They were already on their way to pick up Riku, who had business with Old Vic. Now that he had some zeni (cash) in his pocket, it was time to fix a few things.

Riku waited in front of the massive H10 megabuilding, spotting V and Jack rolling up in the Thrasher from a distance. The car looked mattaku (absolutely) badass.

“Get in!” V poked her head out of the passenger seat, whistling at Riku with a cocky grin, radiating some serious shonen hero energy.

Riku shook his head with a smirk. He got where V was coming from—after being a nobody for so long, she was finally starting to make a name for herself.

Jack Welles had just landed another gig: head to Sixth Street gang territory and nab someone. 50,000 credits if they brought them back alive, 30,000 if dead. Compared to their last job against a biotech corp, the pay was a downgrade, but it was still way better than their old small-time gigs.

Jack didn’t hesitate and took the job. They’d head out once Riku got his new gishi (cybernetic implant) installed.

Soon, the trio pulled up at Old Vic’s ripperdoc clinic. Jack stayed upstairs chatting with Misty, while V tagged along with Riku.

“Yo, Old Vic! Still kicking, huh?” V greeted the ripperdoc warmly, clearly an old friend.

“Girl, I saw what you pulled off with that biotech job. Nice work,” Old Vic said with a grin, giving V a fist bump. The guy was plugged into the streets—total oyaji (old-school) vibes.

“All thanks to Riku. Jack and I were just along for the ride,” V said with a shrug, keeping it real without taking any credit.

“Riku, I knew you’d make waves,” Old Vic said, turning to him. “I’ve got the gishi you wanted ready to go.”

Riku had already messaged him ahead of time, so everything was prepped for the surgery.

“Then let’s do this. Got another job waiting,” Riku said, already peeling off his shirt to reveal a jacked physique and some wicked black tattoos that screamed yakuza energy.

“Hey, hey, hey! I’m still here, you know!” V yelped, flustered. “I’m a lady, dude, give me a break!”

“Ha, if you wanna stare, I don’t mind giving you the full show,” Riku teased with a raised brow and a grin, though he slowed down—he wasn’t that shameless to drop his pants right there.

“Ugh, screw you!” V flipped him off, rolling her eyes as she stormed out and slammed the clinic door behind her.

“That girl? You could totally handle her,” Old Vic chuckled. From what he knew, V didn’t have much of a love life.

“Old rules—no anesthesia,” Riku said with a smirk, dodging the topic. Back in the day, his high charisma stat meant he never lacked for female attention. His approach with women? Don’t chase, don’t commit, just vibe.

No choice, really. As an orphan with no kaban (wealth) to his name, just a pretty face, serious relationships were a tough sell.

“Subdermal armor: 15,000. Fireproof coating: 12,000. Thermal converter: 25,000. Dermal weave: 12,000. Optical camo: 35,000. Grounding plating: 12,000. Total’s 110,000. You got the zeni?” Old Vic rattled off the costs.

This wasn’t a small job. Even if it was older, budget-tier tech, each piece was pricey, and Old Vic wasn’t about to let it slide on credit.

“No problem, I’ll pay it all upfront,” Riku said confidently. His own funds—95,500—weren’t enough, but he’d borrowed 7,250 each from V and Jack to cover it.

“Then let’s get started,” Old Vic said, motioning for Riku to strip down completely and hop on the table. A full-body skin swap wasn’t something you could do with clothes on.

Chapter 48: Built-In MOD

“Ever since subdermal armor came around, the personal armor industry took a huge hit. Companies in that business either went bankrupt or switched industries.”

Riku lay on the operating table as Old Vik pulled out various epidermal cyberware components, explaining what each one did. He had to make sure the client knew exactly what was being installed.

“Grounding Plating: It’s got a smart relay system that conducts electrical charges, making you immune to electric shocks.

Fireproof Coating: Protects your flesh and organs from fire damage.

Thermal Converter: Comes with a temperature regulation system to adjust the temperature of your body and cyberware.

Dermal Weave: A complement to subdermal armor, it strengthens the bonds between skin cells, making your armor even harder to penetrate.

Optical Camouflage: Makes you invisible in the visible light spectrum.”

Old Vik listed them one by one, his expression hesitant. He’d already tried to talk Riku out of this once, and he was debating whether to try again.

“Normally, I’d recommend installing just one or two of these epidermal mods—three at most. But six at once? That’s a first.”

In the end, before starting the procedure, Old Vik spoke up. He felt responsible for every client and every surgery.

“Vik, didn’t you say they’re all compatible?”

Riku countered. He’d carefully chosen these mods—price, type, compatibility—all planned out in advance.

“You’re right, they are compatible. I’ve already designed the setup for you.”

Old Vik pulled out a sheet with a sketch he’d prepared. At 110,000 eddies, this was no small job, and Vik had planned it meticulously.

Whether it was a big or small job, Old Vik’s service attitude was always top-notch.

“Dermal Weave and subdermal armor go on the outer layer. Together, they form your visible skin, protecting you from bullets and blades.

Grounding Plating and Fireproof Coating sit between the armor and your muscles, shielding your flesh and organs from electricity and fire.

The Thermal Converter and Optical Camouflage are on the inner layer. The converter works directly to regulate temperature, while the camouflage seeps outward to cloak your skin for optical stealth.”

Old Vik pointed at the diagram, explaining each layer clearly so Riku could visualize his new skin structure.

Overall, Riku was pretty satisfied with the setup. It covered all the bases. He’d have loved to add more, but his wallet said otherwise.

“Normally, after installing subdermal armor, I’d suggest upgrading to synthetic muscles and reinforced bones.

Not to make extra eddies, but because the armor’s weight is no joke. Most people’s bodies can’t handle it without support.

With synthetic muscles and reinforced bones, the strain is much easier to manage, so you don’t wreck your body.

But you? You don’t need them. Your muscles and bones are more than strong enough to handle this armor.”

Old Vik paused, tempted to ask how old Riku was. After this checkup, he’d noticed Riku’s physical stats had noticeably improved since last time—an abnormal phenomenon.

But realizing it might touch on Riku’s secrets, Old Vik dropped it. He wasn’t one to pry into a client’s past.

“Let’s do it, Vik. I’m good with this.”

Seeing Old Vik hold back, Riku smoothly picked up the conversation. He understood Vik’s concern and didn’t push further.

They both knew where to draw the line, keeping things unsaid. It saved Vik from imagined trouble and Riku from spinning more stories to explain himself. Win-win, right?

“If you’re sure, let’s get started.”

Old Vik nodded. Advising was his duty; whether the client listened was their call.

Riku gave a thumbs-up and flashed a grin before closing his eyes, ready for Vik to begin.

Old Vik let out a small sigh, injected a stabilizer into his arm—this was a big job, and he needed steady hands—and picked up his scalpel. Adjusting the operating table, he made the first cut.

Riku lay there, feeling the sharp pain radiate through his body. Old Vik’s skills were top-tier, but that didn’t dull the agony much.

Still, Riku had never passed out from pain. The excruciating sensation only made his mind sharper, clearer.

Sometimes, he wondered if his high pain tolerance was his greatest natural talent.

Or maybe, just maybe, an extreme adaptability to pain was a baseline perk of being an oni?

Riku wasn’t sure. He’d have to ask another oni someday. His knowledge of their kind was still pretty limited.

The surgery moved quickly. Old Vik was clearly in his element—this kind of work was a breeze for him.

Riku opened his eyes to glance at Vik, thinking, This guy’s the real deal. No wonder Zetatech forced him into a contract.

Even V, the legend, could only handle three epidermal mods, but Old Vik had just installed a full-on “More Cyberware Mod” for Riku—six components at once!

When he’d asked Vik about compatibility and whether they could all be installed, he’d been nervous. Vik’s response? “Possible, but not recommended.”

That was all Riku needed to hear. If it was possible, he was doing it. Sure, budget constraints meant the quality wasn’t top-tier, but the functionality was solid.

Side effects? What side effects? He was an oni—those were nothing compared to the transformation he’d already gone through. A walk in the park.

“Done. Go check yourself in the mirror.”

While Riku was lost in thought on the table, Old Vik had already finished, seamlessly installing all six epidermal mods.

Riku sat up, his bare feet touching the floor. Honestly, in that moment, he was genuinely impressed by TrueSkin Tech’s technology.

Their artificial skin felt identical to natural skin.

If he couldn’t feel the armor beneath, or the activatable Thermal Converter and Optical Camouflage, he’d almost believe he hadn’t swapped his skin at all.

Riku raised his arm, inspecting it, then ran his hand over his body, checking carefully.

No mirror needed—he could tell his appearance was nearly identical to before.

“Your fingers have the one-tap armor deactivation function, as requested. I also replicated your tattoos one-to-one.”

Old Vik explained while cleaning his scalpel and table. Riku noticed the eerie patterns still etched on his skin.

Not that the tattoos mattered much—he’d forgotten to mention they could be skipped. But the one-tap deactivation? That was his special request. Gotta eat, after all.

*Chapter 49: Spend It All, Earn It Back*

Standing in front of a full-length mirror clearly set up just for this, Riku checked his reflection. He was pretty satisfied with the results.

Slipping into his clothes with a crisp motion, Riku adjusted his look. This whole outfit was brand-new—being a "saibā vagabond" sure burned through clothes fast.

"By the way, optical camouflage isn’t true invisibility. Don’t go thinking it’s some superhero power, or you’ll end up dead real quick," Old Vic said, continuing his after-sales spiel. When it came to understanding this tech, he clearly had Riku, the newbie, beat.

"Got it. It’s for sneaking before a fight, right?" Riku grinned. He was actually pretty familiar with this gear. Back when it first came out, he’d learned the hard way—stupidly charging head-on with the camouflage active, thinking he was untouchable.

Turns out, even if NPCs in this world were half-deaf and half-blind, they weren’t complete idiots. A gun or katana floating in midair? Anyone with half a brain would know someone was using optical camouflage. The tech could cloak his clothes, which was impressive enough, but no way was it hiding the weapons in his hands.

The result? He’d get blasted to bits by enemies.

The right way to use optical camouflage was for stealthy hacker vibes or sneaky assassin moves. Sure, you could go full-on mushō tensei sword-saint style and charge in, but you’d better wait until you’re in the crowd before whipping out your mantis blades.

"Exactly. You catch on quick," Old Vic said with a chuckle. He’d seen plenty of folks get optical camouflage installed, go out to cause trouble, and get smoked right away. Riku didn’t seem like one of those types.

"Thanks, Old Vic." Riku gave a nod of gratitude and started to head out, but Old Vic called him back. Riku turned, puzzled.

"Need these?" Old Vic rummaged through a box and tossed him two leather “horn sheaths.”

"Holy—Old Vic, you even thought of this?" Riku was stunned. He’d almost gotten used to the horns on his head, but sometimes he still forgot about them.

He’d gotten this whole subdermal armor setup so he could walk in the sunlight and make use of daytime hours. He’d only thought about leaving openings for his claws and feeding, completely forgetting about the horns. They weren’t skin or flesh, but they were still part of his body. Exposed to sunlight, they’d probably get fried too.

"I’m a dokutā, you know. If I had a bad memory or kept forgetting things, you think patients would trust me?" Old Vic waved him off with a grin. He wasn’t sure if Riku needed the sheaths, but he’d made them just in case—always one step ahead.

Talk about service! Riku’s 110,000 eddies felt well spent. He tried on the leather horn sheaths, and they fit perfectly—Old Vic’s body scan wasn’t for show. Best of all, they seamlessly connected to his scalp and had optical camouflage built in. No wonder they were leather.

Then it hit him: his hair had been shaved off once already. What was on his head now was his original hair, reattached over the subdermal armor. Guess the “bald warrior training” method wasn’t something to mess with. He wasn’t invincible yet, but technically, he was already bald.

So… did this even count as being bald?

With a mix of gratitude and confusion, Riku left Old Vic’s cyber-clinic. The moment he stepped outside, he spotted V crouched by the door, waiting for him.

"What’s with that look?" Riku asked, eyeing V strangely. The street punk was giving him a complicated stare.

"You really didn’t use any anesthesia?" V asked suspiciously. She’d been listening from outside, and not a single peep came from the clinic.

"Course not," Riku said, raising an eyebrow. He could tell why V had that expression. If he’d been the one outside, yeah, he’d probably have the same look.

"…Badass," V muttered after a long pause, clearly at a loss for words. Guess you really do regret not reading more when the moment calls for it.

"No big deal," Riku said, playing it cool. Whether it hurt or not, only he knew.

"Come on, let’s go. The client’s getting impatient," V said, rolling her eyes and giving Riku a light shove. Then she noticed the blood-smeared bag in his hand. "That’s not…"

"Exactly what you’re thinking," Riku confirmed with a nod.

No need to hide it. Last time, he’d taken those two eyeballs without a second thought. O-neeto style—your parents’ essence shouldn’t be wasted. But that part, he kept to himself.

"Might as well keep it as a memento," V said with a nod, not finding it too weird. It was, after all, something from his own body.

Chatting away, Riku and V headed upstairs to Misty’s shop, where Jack Welles and Misty were deep in conversation.

"Fresh off the assembly line? How’s it feel?" Jack Welles called out, grinning as he spotted Riku. Right now, Riku was the most "expensive" one in their crew.

"Bzzt." Riku’s form flickered with a wave of color and vanished, leaving only the bloody bag floating in the air.

"Optical camouflage. Looks pretty slick. My cyber-eyes can’t even scan it," Jack Welles said with an approving nod. The ability seemed worth it—used right, it could work wonders.

"Too bad it’s an older model. The cloaking only works if you move slowly. Go too fast, and it’s super obvious," Riku said, swinging his arm quickly. Sure enough, it created a weird, obvious distortion, making him stand out like a sore thumb.

"Still pretty cool," V said, a bit envious. She was still mulling over what cyberware to get for herself.

"Let’s roll. Spent all my eddies on this, so time to earn the next batch. The more we make, the better gear we can get," Jack Welles said with a confident toss of his head. That’s the saibā vagabond way.

After saying goodbye to Misty, the trio hopped into their new car and headed to the mission spot: Santo Domingo’s Arroyo district.

"This is Sixth Street turf. If we see those punks, better steer clear," Jack Welles said seriously from the driver’s seat of the Thorton car. From his expression, he clearly wasn’t a fan of the Sixth Street gang.

"Yeah, especially you, Jack. You scream Valentino. I’m worried they’ll pop you on sight," V teased, a hint of glee in her voice. She was from Heywood too, but at least she didn’t look too Valentino.

"Hmph. I’ll blow their heads off with my gold kāne," Jack Welles grumbled. He’d left the Valentinos long ago, but his loyalties hadn’t shifted. He and Sixth Street were still like oil and water.

The Valentinos and Sixth Street had been clashing in Heywood for ages. It wasn’t just a one-day thing—their rivalry ran deep.

*Chapter 50: Rescue *

“A poor company dog got nabbed by some random punks who came out of nowhere. They’re demanding 1,000,000 eddies for his release.”

Inside the Thorton, Jack Welles briefed Riku and V on the mission details.

“These folks have some guts. 50,000 for him alive, 30,000 for him dead. So, what do they really want—him breathing or in a body bag?”

Riku was puzzled. Usually, “dead or alive” was a condition for when someone was missing. But this guy was still alive and well in the kidnappers’ hands, yet the family was already setting a price for a corpse. Talk about cold.

“Pretty standard stuff. They can’t pay the ransom, and neither the corps nor NCPD give a damn. Chances of him coming out alive drop by 80%.”

V shrugged, unfazed, like this was just another day in Night City. She got where the family was coming from.

“At least it’s better than his body getting sold to scavs, right?”

Jack Welles added, his words dripping with the grim reality of it all.

Surviving in Night City was no walk in the park. This family at least had some savings to try something. Most people in this situation would be completely helpless.

“Jack, the kidnappers sent the meet-up spot.”

Father forwarded a location to Jack Welles. He was the middleman for this job, which was why Jack took it without hesitation.

“Time to get to work.”

Jack started the car, heading toward the meet-up point—a derelict factory, according to the map.

Like the Northside Industrial District, abandoned factories littered Vallejo. The reasons for their decay varied, though.

Vallejo sat in Santo Domingo, Night City’s oldest district. It had survived multiple wars, serving as a refuge for disaster victims. After the Great Reconstruction, those refugees moved out, and the area became the city’s industrial hub and power plant zone.

Vallejo was Santo Domingo’s industrial heart, still under development and only recently picking up steam.

In 2069, after the Metal Wars, Arasaka returned to Night City. They took over Watson’s port, carved out a chunk of land, and built Arasaka Waterfront for their own use. Watson was thrown into chaos, and the already gang-plagued Northside Industrial District tanked hard.

With no other choice, corpos started migrating south, rebuilding factories in Vallejo. Old plants were torn down, new ones rose, and construction sites buzzed with activity.

But not every investment paid off. Plenty of facilities sat half-finished, some abandoned before completion, others already bankrupt and waiting for a buyer.

These rotting or stalled factories became hideouts for all sorts of lowlifes, with the 6th Street Gang controlling most of them.

“Think it’s 6th Street behind this?”

V asked, a hint of worry in her voice. If it was 6th Street, this job just got a whole lot tougher.

6th Street wasn’t a pushover. Their ranks included ex-soldiers, former cops, and ex-corp security, all with solid training. Plus, they had arms smuggling channels, so their gear was top-notch. No wonder they’d taken over Santo Domingo’s security from NCPD.

“No clue. The client didn’t say, and the kidnappers didn’t either. But extortion like this? Yeah, it’s 6th Street’s style.”

Jack grumbled. To him, 6th Street was just a bunch of no-good punks.

“Doesn’t matter who they are. We do the job and bounce.”

Riku didn’t chime in on Jack’s rant—not because he liked 6th Street. Truth be told, he had no love for any of Night City’s gangs. Maybe the Mox were slightly better.

6th Street wasn’t exactly saintly. What started as a neighborhood defense crew had morphed into a straight-up crime syndicate. Robbery, extortion, protection rackets, carjacking, arms smuggling—once protectors of the people, they were now just another gang bullying the streets.

Jack’s view wasn’t wrong, but that didn’t make the Valentino Gang, 6th Street’s rivals, any better. Their turf wars were about territory and clashing “businesses.” Two sides of the same coin.

The trio drove up to the destination, parking outside the abandoned factory’s gates. A spotlight from the gate was already locked onto them.

“Here for the eddies?”

Behind the iron-barred gate, a guy dressed in gaudy clothes called out, holding a gun and resting his hand on the gate’s chain.

“Yeah, to get the guy.”

Jack answered, masking his Latino accent as best he could.

“Doesn’t look like 6th Street.”

V muttered under her breath. The guy’s style didn’t match 6th Street’s vibe—no military boots, tactical vests, kneepads, cargo pants, or baseball caps with old-school American flags, stars, stripes, or eagles.

“Get out. Only one of you comes in.”

The guy didn’t open the gate, instead raising his gun, eyeing the Thorton warily. That car wasn’t exactly easy to deal with.

“I’ll go. Just got some new gear.”

The three exchanged glances, and Riku spoke up first. With his freshly upgraded gear, he was the obvious choice.

Jack and V didn’t argue. If things went south, Riku’s new subdermal armor gave him a better shot at getting out alive.

Riku stepped out of the car. By now, two more kidnappers had appeared at the gate. Looked like this crew wasn’t small.

“Hands up. No weapons.”

The kidnappers cracked the gate open just enough for one person to slip through, all three guns trained on Riku.

“Easy, chooms, I’m clean.”

Riku raised his hands, speaking calmly as he slowly walked toward the gate and into the factory.

Sure, they could get 30,000 for a body and call it a day. But whether it was for the extra 20,000 or just their own sense of right, Riku, Jack, and V were set on trying to save the hostage.

*(End of Chapter)*