Incident: School Bullying

Three days ago—

David carried his mother, Gloria, to the hospital—

He didn't know how he managed to do it, but he remembered every word that Archi had told him.

He had a feeling that if he fainted, if he didn't personally carry his mom to the hospital and watch over her every second… The future that Archi had hinted at would definitely happen.

He placed his mother on the stretcher in the Red Sash Psychiatric Hospital—Gloria had insurance there and often sent bodies to this place for processing.

Then he just stared blankly at the doctor.

"Alright, leave the rest to us doctors. You can rest outside or go home directly.

But I suggest you go home; the cheapest package doesn't include visitation services, so you can wait for news at home.

You look like a student, so you should be going to school, right? Don't miss your classes; we'll take care of your mom."

The doctor finished speaking and began pushing the stretcher towards the operating room.

Click.

The stretcher was suddenly held back.

"I want to watch over her."

The doctor frowned: "Then pay up. If you can't afford it, don't cause trouble."

"We're out of money."

"Then get lost! Pauper!"

The doctor smacked David's hand, but even that didn't make him let go.

Strangely enough—the kid looked like he was about to collapse, with blood still dripping from his head.

David's mind was a bit fuzzy. He just stared at the doctor—his gaze made the doctor uncomfortable.

If the kid had combat implants, the doctor might've suspected him of being a cyberpsycho.

As it was, the doctor figured the kid was just concussed—like his mother.

Fractures, bruises, concussion, minor blood loss, burns… nothing too serious.

Her body still had value.

After handling so many bodies and extracting valuables from them, it was now her turn.

"I…"

The doctor sighed: "Listen, kid, if you don't have money, just go home. We'll take care of your mom, alright? Rules are rules…"

Slap! David, as if possessed, slapped the doctor with full force.

"Slap your bitch-ass face! Still so stubborn?"

David didn't even know what he was saying; he just remembered Archi's words and followed them.

He had carried Gloria from the west side of Santo Domingo all the way to the Red Sash Psychiatric Hospital near the Colorado Farms.

He didn't know how he made it through, and with the nausea and dizziness from the concussion, his mind only flashed with fragmented images.

Among them were Archi's warnings. This was the clearest moment he'd had in recent days.

He slapped the doctor with such force using the hand that held the gun, making the doctor's head buzz.

"You…" The doctor was about to lose his temper but saw the gun gleaming in David's hand and swallowed hard.

Fine, not a cyberpsycho, just a psycho with a gun.

"Alright, alright, just pay a little more…"

Before he could finish, David slapped him again!

Bang!

This time, not only did he slap him, but the gun even went off!

The doctor thought he was dead, his legs giving out: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll let you watch over her! I'll save her! Just don't kill me!"

With that, David pushed his mom into the treatment room with difficulty.

Sitting nearby was a Colorado Farms worker with his arm in a sling, watching the show with a smirk.

"That's how it happened, boss. I taught the kid that trick, pretty impressive, huh?"

In the car, Archi was telling Leo the story to pass the time.

Gotta say, this kid had potential as a driver. Not only was his driving decent, but he also had good situational awareness, knowing to bring up a topic to kill the boredom.

But the story sounded like a reboot of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. If David had been a bit smarter, his mom might not have had to die.

"The kid you mentioned… was his mom a redhead?"

"Uh, that I don't know. My colleague who told me the story just said the kid was acting crazy, pretty interesting, and it worked out somehow.

That hospital wasn't exactly legit anyway, mostly keeping psychos to sell stuff to scavengers."

"Red Sash Psychiatric Hospital?"

"Yeah, that's the one. You know it, boss?"

"Just asking. Alright, stop the car here. I'll go in myself."

"By the way, boss, I have to work for Valentino this afternoon."

"Got it. I can take the subway—just don't use my car for work."

"Understood, understood. See you later, boss!"

The black Mackinaw stood out among the luxury cars at the entrance to Arasaka Academy.

Though the car might have been a bit ugly, big, and cheap, the luxury cars around it all kept their distance—getting a scratch would cost a fortune.

Leo got out of the car and walked towards Arasaka Academy.

The whole day, Leo either studied or thought about his next move.

The data barrier was already set up, and their movement paths in cyberspace were fragmented.

Now they just needed to drop the Burgerking Big Shots Squad alias again, pull off another big job, and no one would connect the two.

But the highest-level alias is the one you know is fake, but you can't find the real clues.

So Leo planned to keep using the name, but with more complex methods.

The best scenario would be to turn it into an urban legend like a certain Cuban hitman, Alagir—someone who could appear anywhere in the world, with a 100% success rate.

No one knew if Alagir was a living Grim Reaper or a group of assassins using the same name.

"Might as well turn this name into an urban legend."

The next step was to head straight to Biotechnica—starting with their R&D director in Night City, Joanne Koch.

She's the one who signed the deal with the Red Ochre family, almost wiping them out.

Figure out what Biotechnica is really up to, expose their dirty experiments, and other corporations will pounce on them like sharks smelling blood.

Then, kidnap Joanne, use her to get the DNA editing device to Night City.

Finally, complete the most critical step of the big plan: robbery.

After that, he could secure the lizard serum and become Lizard Man—no, extend his life.

This job was going to be dangerous, requiring sufficient cover.

As Leo walked, he suddenly heard voices from an alley ahead—it was late, and all the Arasaka Academy kids should have gone home by now.

Just as Leo passed by, he witnessed an incident: school bullying.

"Hurry up and drop out, David Martinez."

Three well-dressed Arasaka Academy students surrounded the poorly dressed David, with the leader, a kid with a bowl cut, talking smugly.

"I'm not picking on you because you're poor. I'm actually quite open-minded. It's not your fault you were born into a poor family, and there's no rule that says poor people can't attend Arasaka Academy.

But the thing is, you have to be able to afford the tuition—what really bothers me is something else."

David sighed, answering indifferently: "So? I didn't understand a word you said."

"That's exactly what bothers me!" The leader suddenly pulled something out of his pocket, pointing it at David, "You don't belong here, freak!

A garbage that'll never fit in, if left to be, will only make others dirty."

Leo watched with interest—gotta say, studying at Arasaka Academy sure was different.

On the streets, this would've been over with a simple "fuck you," but this kid could actually string together a whole speech.

But as Leo was enjoying the show, David was stunned.

That man! That man!

It was the guy who had escaped the Sixth Street Gang's ambush in Santo Domingo, then came back, took out a cyberpsycho on the highway, and supposedly even fought his way to Arroyo!

"Hey! Martinez, are you listening?"

David didn't bother with him, which only made the leader more agitated. He followed David's gaze and saw Leo.

And the Arasaka Adult Education Academy badge on his chest.

Cheap clothes, cheap hair, a body that looked frail… "Tsk, another piece of trash. You should be like him… Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong, move aside!"

Katsuo Tanaka—the kid doing the talking—scanned Leo, finding almost no implants.

So, his two lackeys moved in.

"Tanaka, I'd advise you not to mess with him," David warned, but it only earned him an eye roll.

Leo sighed.

But Katsuo Tanaka was still talking, and it seemed Leo's sigh hit a nerve, as he directed his attention toward Leo, stepping closer:

"Even if it's continuing education, it's not something poor people can afford. People like you must be involved in criminal work, right?

Engaged in criminal work, thinking you can turn your life around by learning something—you're still just trash."

"Yeah." Leo shrugged.

"Huh?" Katsuo Tanaka was stunned. "What did you say?"

"I said, you say I'm involved in criminal work, and I say, yeah—so hurry up and hand over anything valuable."