Chapter 188

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"Hahaha, that guy in Glen who does underground fighting wasn't lying. This classic 2056 model is all original sheet metal, stylish and smooth to drive," Jackie said, holding the steering wheel with one hand while his elbow rested on the convertible car door. He floored the gas pedal, speeding up to seventy miles per hour, enjoying the thrill of driving.

V sat in the passenger seat, smiling. "Heh, it looks like our fighter's skills are indeed exceptional. They have just defeated several regional champions. In half a day, V's reputation has spread through the streets of Night City."

Meanwhile, Tang Yu and V were sitting in the back seat of the gold convertible, tinkering with the Blizzard sniper rifle they won from Bark, the boxing champion of the Glen.

"V, Jackie, stop teasing me. I left Night City for two years, and it seems there aren't many good fighters left on the streets," Tang Yu said.

Not long ago, the four of them teamed up and first went to the Glen to beat Bark in an underground fight to win the Blizzard sniper rifle. They then headed to Glen to take on Caesar, the Golden Kid, and won this flashy convertible from him. Afterward, they battled their way to the Animal Gang's territory in Pacifica, where they fought Rhino one-on-one in the gym and also took down the foolish Ozo.

Now they were driving the convertible to their final destination, the West Wind Estate, to find Night City's only heavyweight champion, Razor Hughes.

Viktor had witnessed V's boxing talents firsthand, believing she was born for it. Jackie had also seen enough to be convinced and admitted she was a true Haywoodan. 

V was quite satisfied with the Blizzard sniper rifle. She checked and reassembled the parts meticulously, giving it a thorough once-over. Tang Yu explained, "It's an SPT32 Blizzard, standard issue for Korob, and only 300 were ever made."

"I know," V said, lifting the rifle and making several aiming gestures into the distance. Suddenly, she turned to Tang Yu. "Panam told me your shooting skills are impressive, that you're a real sharpshooter. Is it true or just talk?"

Tang Yu retorted, "Why don't you try and find out?"

"Oh, you want to compete with me," V replied, setting up the rifle and targeting a distant can, pulling the trigger.

Bang! 

The can exploded from the shot, proving V's marksmanship was exceptional even while they were speeding.

Jackie, startled by the gunshot, exclaimed, "Hey, hey, hey! No dangerous stunts while driving! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Viktor smiled and praised, "It seems our fighter is not just good with punches but also has a talent for shooting."

V proudly handed the rifle to Tang Yu, "Your turn."

Tang Yu declined, denying V the satisfaction. "Yes, my shooting is pretty good, but I only use guns in critical situations."

V's pride evaporated, and she put the rifle away in slight annoyance.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Viktor turned and asked, "So, V, do you have what it takes for the next match?"

With confidence, V clenched her fist. "Of course, the night is still young. I'm in the mood for a good fight. This Beast of Burden is top quality, after all."

Tang Yu noticed that V looked full of energy, showing no signs of any aftereffects from using Sandevistan, attesting to her remarkable physical resilience. In the previous fights, V had utilized Sandevistan multiple times, and despite its advanced model and powerful performance, frequent use should still strain the brain and spine. Yet, V seemed unfazed, as if her implants were of the highest grade.

Tang Yu realized her true talent lay in her body's extraordinary tolerance to the high stress of implants, making her almost immune to their side effects, which was an incredibly rare trait. The last person with such endurance was the living legend Adam Smasher, whose cyberization exceeded 90% without losing his sanity.

Seeing that V had no issues, Tang Yu didn't press further. He knew Tang Yu brought V out for these fights not just to enhance her abilities with implants but also to observe their effects on her body. 

Nothing tests the integration of bodily implants like high-intensity combat. From what he had seen, V adapted perfectly, showing both explosive power and endurance.

As night fell, Jackie drove the convertible to the West Wind Estate boxing ring.

Inside, the atmosphere was electric. Fans crowded around to watch tonight's match, excited for Night City's heavyweight champion, Razor Hughes, to step into the ring.

Viktor had pre-registered V for the contest. Razor had heard of V's string of victories earlier that day and was eager to meet her iron fists.

The four entered the arena, and Viktor expertly led them to the ringside, introducing V to her final opponent of the night.

V pointed to the hulking man with dark skin sitting in the distance: "That's Razor, a professional boxer. He's a three-time heavyweight champion, with 47 consecutive wins, including 20 knockouts."

Viktor looked in the direction V pointed. The man was enormous, like a tank, with various augmentation implants all over his body.

"He does look tougher than the last few. Built like a tank."

Viktor encouraged, "Don't be afraid, kid. He's tough, just like you said. That guy is a tank—nano fiber reinforced skin, shock absorbers, hydraulic joints, titanium bones. He probably wouldn't even dodge if you hit him squarely."

Jackie laughed at the side: "Viktor, is this how you encourage our boxing champ, V?"

"I wasn't finished. He's got a weak point. He recently replaced his abdominal muscles with synthetic ones, and he's probably not used to them yet. Hit him hard in the gut, and it'll hurt—a lot," V said with a smile, rubbing her own belly.

Jackie chimed in: "See, in the fighting business, you need a good relationship with the ripperdocs. They might just sell your weaknesses as information, haha."

After giving her pep talk, Viktor helped V onto the ring, preparing for the match.

At the opposite corner, Razor stepped into the ring, glaring at V mockingly.

"Wait… Did I get this right? You're the one who's been sweeping through black-market fights? You're V?"

V, with an expression as if asking him to guess again, teased, "Genuine article."

Razor laughed heartily: "This is a joke for me, but not for you. There's still time to back out."

Clearly, her appearance made it hard for anyone to believe she was a top-tier fighter.

She had no intention of arguing—soon enough, the punches would show who's who.

Quickly, the referee walked onto the ring, asking both fighters if they were ready.

Viktor signaled that she was, only to have the referee come over, crouch down, and whisper.

"V, I know your skills, but Razor's sponsor paid a hefty sum for him to win. If you can hold out for a few rounds and then take a dive, you'll make more than if you win, and it'll be a lot easier, don't you think?"

V asked calmly, "Who's Razor's sponsor?"

The referee pointed at a heavyset man sitting not far away, introducing, "Dexter, a well-known fixer in Night City. He guarantees you'll get paid on his reputation."

V took one look and declined, "Save your tricks, my fists are worth more than that."

Seeing that he couldn't persuade V, the referee returned to the center of the ring, giving Razor a meaningful glance filled with malicious intent.

Razor nodded with a smile, clenching his fists, ready to strike without holding back.

With the referee's command, the match began.

From their physiques alone, V was at a significant disadvantage. Anyone watching would think she was about to take a real beating.

Tang Yu and the others stood ringside, watching.

"V refused to throw the fight. Didn't disgrace me," Viktor remarked with a sense of pride.

Jackie also looked proud, "Of course. Coming from Heywood, integrity is in her bones. Throwing fights is not an option."

Tang Yu sighed, "Viktor, you were forced out of boxing because you refused to throw a fight. Do you regret it? If you had continued, Razor wouldn't hold a candle to you."

Viktor gave a wry smile, unwilling to dwell on past glories.

Tang Yu suddenly thought about placing bets on the match and asked, "For such an exciting fight, no bets?"

"Of course there are. I already placed mine," Viktor admitted, their sunglasses hiding their expression.

Jackie added, "I placed a bet with V."

Surprised by their quick action, Tang Yu went to the counter, placing a bet on V to win.

Returning to the viewing area, he saw an intense match. Both fighters activated their Sandevistans, moving at lightning speed and trading heavy blows.

Fortunately, V was more agile, dodging Razor's heavy punches and landing a few strong hits to his abdomen.

The tide began to turn. Razor, who had the upper hand, started to tire. Overusing Sandevistan took its toll, and the punches to his gut caused excruciating pain, forcing him to reduce his pain sensitivity via his pain editor.

Jackie asked Tang Yu, "How much did you bet?"

"One thousand eurodollars," Tang Yu answered honestly.

Jackie nodded thoughtfully, "Hmm... that's a big bet. I placed six hundred eurodollars."

"And V?"

"I bet four hundred eurodollars."

Jackie shrugged helplessly, "Looks like we're all set to lose big today."

V remained calm, smiling, "If Razor wins, we'll be happy. If V wins, we'll be happy for her."

Tang Yu, confused, asked, "You both bet on Razor to win?"

Jackie, bewildered, responded, "Didn't you?"

Tang Yu: "..."