The Giant Corporations that Started in Night City

Chapter 63: This is Night City, the City of Dreams!

"Jack, are you telling me this because you've taken a job from some fixer to kidnap Li Ang?" V asked with a mischievous grin.

"That's not a surprise; that's a shock!"

"Get outta here! Li Ang's the king of weapons in Little Chinatown and the architect of Watson District. In the Chinese community, his status has already rivaled that of Richard Night back in the day," Jack Wells retorted, rolling his eyes. "If we kidnapped Mr. Li Ang, forget NCPD cops—Vic himself wouldn't let us off the hook."

"Vic? What's the deal? Does he know Li Ang too?" V asked curiously.

"Of course he does! LA Corp has invited Vic multiple times to work at their medical center's clinic, but Vic treasures his old buddies here too much to accept the offer," Jack explained.

"Vic has a great personal relationship with Mr. Li Ang, and even Misty has benefited quite a bit from him. Speaking of which, weren't you planning to visit Vic to get yourself checked out? What's wrong with you?"

"Oh, I feel a bit better now, but something still feels off. Who the hell is Sandra Dorsett, anyway? Why would she have a neurovirus in her head?" V was still blaming his discomfort on a possible virus infection, as he couldn't think of any other explanation.

"This gig was referred to us by Wakako Okada. If you've got questions, you'll have to ask her. Don't worry, though; let's see Vic first and figure out your condition," Jack reassured him.

Wakako Okada was a well-established fixer in Night City. The jobs she offered were often dangerous but came with lucrative rewards.

The task of rescuing the beautiful Sandra Dorsett from the Scavs was one such job introduced by her to V and Jack.

"Wait a second—you said you had a surprise for me. Where is it?" V asked.

"Oh, that? Heh, don't rush it. Let's get you checked out first, and then I promise it'll blow your mind!" Jack replied with a smirk.

With that, Jack Wells pulled up in his car, taking V toward Vic's clinic.

---

On the way, V glanced at the towering Azure Tower in the distance, marveling at its grandeur. The scenery was unlike anything he'd seen in the Badlands.

"That skyscraper used to be privately owned by Arasaka, but LA Corp bought a fifty-percent stake in it. Now it's jointly owned by the two corporations," Jack explained as he followed V's gaze.

"Corporations are like that. Even if they're at each other's throats on the surface, they'll still do business when it's profitable."

"Come to think of it, corporations are no different from gangs—they'll tear each other apart over a bone if it comes to that."

V nodded silently. Growing up as a nomad in the Badlands, he had heard countless stories from his elders about the ruthlessness of corporations.

But from his recent experiences, he realized LA Corp didn't seem as cutthroat as his family had described. And Li Ang, surprisingly, didn't fit the mold of a greedy corporate executive.

---

Stanley Radio:

"I'm your man, Stanley! Welcome to another day in the City of Dreams!"

"Do you know where all of Night City's legends are? Oh-ho, of course—they're in the graveyard!"

"But hey, in this town, heroes aren't defined by their origins. It's all about whether you can carve your own path."

"This is Night City. This is the City of Dreams!"

Stanley's seductive voice poured through the car speakers. His repetitive but enticing slogans had long captivated the young souls flocking to Night City.

Jack Wells, dreaming of becoming Haywood's pride, and V, yearning to make a name for himself, couldn't help but indulge in their fantasies as Stanley's energetic words echoed in the background.

---

Little Chinatown – Misty's Esoterica

"Mr. Li Ang, what are you up to with Uncle Vic this time? You didn't bring some bizarre merc crew for cyberware surgeries again, did you?" Misty teased, resting her smoky-eyed face on one hand.

"Or… have you finally decided to join the modern era and install a cyberware port yourself?"

Li Ang chuckled and replied, "What, can't I drop by to visit an old friend? Vic practically wishes his golden goose would show up every day."

"Yeah, right! You two were in there for nearly three hours. Even if you're a chatterbox, that's too long!" Misty quipped.

Li Ang didn't bother explaining further. His visit to Vic wasn't merely to catch up; he had been discussing AI-related matters with the doctor—or rather, imparting cutting-edge AI surgical techniques to him.

Since Arasaka had used its AI "Soulkiller" to assassinate a Militech executive, corporations worldwide had plunged into an AI frenzy.

Night Corp even publicly announced a partnership with "Blue Eyes" AI to advance its interests.

Meanwhile, NetWatch issued a bounty for rogue AIs: 500,000 eddies for termination and 800,000 for capture alive.

This announcement caused an uproar among netrunners, many of whom transformed into AI hunters, diving into cyberspace in pursuit of the lucrative prize.

Among them, the "Plasma Strike Team" emerged as a standout group.

But hunting AIs wasn't easy. So far, only five or six AIs had been confirmed killed, while over a hundred netrunners had fallen victim to their targets.

In any case, AI research had become a focal point for corporations, and cyberware doctors like Vic had to adapt by learning AI-related surgical techniques.

---

"Misty, you're looking pretty good lately. Are you in love? Having a sweetheart seems to have put you in a much better mood," Li Ang teased.

Misty blushed, and Jack Wells' face immediately popped into her mind.

"So what if I am?" Misty admitted straightforwardly.

"Good for you. Wishing you happiness," Li Ang said with a smile before handing her a chip.

"This is a Trauma Team Platinum Membership chip, newly developed in collaboration with LA Corp. I've got plenty of them."

"I just gave one to Vic, and now I'm giving one to you—consider it a little token of protection for you two."

Misty accepted the chip with a smile. "Thanks, Mr. Li Ang. Want me to do a reading for you? I've recently learned how to use the Chinese I Ching for fortune-telling!"

"Want to give it a try?"

Thanks to LA Corp's meteoric rise, Chinese cultural trends were deeply influencing Watson and even Night City as a whole. Misty's Esoterica had even added I Ching readings to its services.