Chapter 17

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Tang Yu and Maine, along with others, left Gloria's apartment.

Pilar, who was left behind by Maine, started tampering with the apartment's door while talking to herself.

"For someone familiar with the manufacturing of various weapons and equipment,"

"Fixing a door is hardly a challenge."

"I should be able to handle this within three minutes."

"See, it's already fixed!"

Pilar stood outside, frantically assembling the apartment door, and in the blink of an eye, slipped away.

The door didn't hold for even two seconds before it collapsed to the ground with a loud thud, echoing Pilar's voice in the dark corridor.

"Sorry, I just didn't have the right tools. If you still want to charge for repairs, remember to find Rebecca!"

Gloria, looking at the messy apartment, touched her forehead with a light frown, somewhat helplessly.

David, who had been standing by the bedroom door, suddenly asked, "They're gone, is the trouble resolved?"

Only then did Gloria turn her attention to David, who had just woken up from his faint. She walked over to help him back to bed to rest, and then forced a weak smile.

"It's fine, the trouble is taken care of. You rest up, I'll ask for another day off from the academy tomorrow."

David, looking at his mother's somewhat haggard face, remembered the mornings she would collapse on the couch from exhaustion, remembered her begging the principal for his tuition in a demeaning manner, remembered the first time she cried because he didn't want to go to school.

Ever since he had that vivid dream, he felt as if he had changed.

He had always thought that it was his mother who forced him to attend Arasaka Academy, who forced him to climb the ranks at Arasaka Tower, who forced him to adopt her dreams as his own.

But in reality, it was poverty and hardship pressing down on him, his own weakness and helplessness.

And his mother just wanted him to have a bright future; if anyone had such selfless dreams, it was her.

Having realized a lot, David softly said, "Mom, I'm alright, I'll go to Arasaka Academy tomorrow."

Hearing that David was willing to go to Arasaka Academy, Gloria's heart warmed, and she gently covered him with the blanket.

"Yeah, rest well."

After speaking, Gloria left the bedroom, tears unbidden from the corners of her eyes. She raised her head, attempting to take deep breaths to ease her sadness and emotion. She wished more than anyone for David to have a carefree and wonderful youth, seeing his spirit worn down and the harsh realities made her suffer internally more than anyone else could. She murmured to herself.

"David, perhaps only when you truly reach the top floor of the Arasaka Tower, will you be free to chase your own dreams."

Gloria felt that there might be a survivor's bias when she saw Tang Yu, not much older than David, already at a senior management position within the Arasaka corporation. She believed David could do it, just like Tang Yu, and become an elite within the company.

"Mr. Tang's favor must be repaid no matter what. His future truly knows no bounds."

Gloria clenched her fist, her dream far from extinguished.

...

"If you're only here to talk business, then I'll take my leave."

The tall woman clad in a red leather coat crossed her arms in front of her and spoke to Maine as she walked away.

Maine's thick voice carried a hint of apology: "Um, Kiwi, you head back first. I can handle the rest of the dealings myself."

He had thought that this visit would culminate in a major battle, so he deliberately called upon the team's hacker Kiwi. However, it turned out that Tang Yu was an unmodified normal person, leaving no room for hacking and cyber infiltration to be of any use.

The hacker Kiwi nodded, her gaze shifting to Tang Yu and then to Lucy, who was smoking on her own. She seemed to be pondering something, and finally, she turned and walked away from the crowd.

"Call me for the next job."

Maine responded solemnly: "Kiwi, don't worry, you won't miss out!"

Meanwhile, Maine's companion, a girl in a Jackieet who looked tough as nails, turned to Lucy and asked..."Lucy, what's your plan? Are you with us?"

Tang Yu, who had been leading the way on foot, suddenly stopped and spoke in a deep voice.

"I still have a score to settle with her."

Lucy stared cautiously at Tang Yu's back, pursing her lips without making a sound.

Tang Yu continued, "Don't worry, this matter has nothing to do with Arasaka. It's better for you to know less if you don't want to get involved in what comes next."

Under the shadows cast by the streetlights, Lucy's expression was unreadable as she gazed evenly at Tang Yu through the neon glow.

"Do you think I still have a choice?" Lucy knew that from the moment she had taken the chip from the compartment, she was implicated. Moreover, the contents of the chip involved top-secret information about Arasaka; if the military-grade cyberware wasn't handled properly, it wouldn't just be Maine who'd have trouble hiding further.

Tang Yu turned to face Maine and the others, trying his best to appear sincere as he spoke in a rather kind tone.

"I believe everyone should have a chance to change their life."

"I remember the fixers always like to say that everything in Night City can be negotiated."

"I may work for Arasaka, but I don't like their forceful tactics."

"So, it's your choice whether to talk with me or take the cyberware and leave. You can decide for yourselves."

Tang Yu was aware that they had no real option to refuse, but it was important to at least present the illusion of choice, reminding him of an ancient proverb from his hometown.

Win the battle without a fight.

Maine was also uncertain; he knew well that one of the rules of survival in Cyberpunk was not to cooperate with the corporations that devoured everything in their path, at least not without a middleman to mediate.

This was supposed to be a simple transaction: Gloria would steal the cyberware, and Maine would just pay for it. Private to private, no one else involved.

Now with someone from Arasaka sticking their nose in, it implied deeper turmoil. In the past, he might have abandoned the cyberware, but now he was desperate to become stronger. He had to install this military-grade cyberware!

Maine's partner, Dorio, advised, "Maine, let it go, just pretend we never saw this cyberware. We'll find another chance to buy some."

Maine gripped the package containing the cyberware tightly, his unwillingness evident. He didn't want to give up!

Dorio understood that Maine, who appeared easygoing, was actually quite stubborn. He'd never give up on what he believed in, no matter who advised him. But it was precisely during these heated moments that someone needed to remind him.

But an ever-silent Maine cut off Dorio's advice with a serious statement: "I agree to the collaboration, but just this once..."

It seemed Maine had made a significant decision. Working with the corporation meant abandoning his usual survival principles, always ready for the possibility of being devoured.

Angry, Dorio yelled, "Maine! You'll kill us all doing this!"

Even Lucy, who had kept a calm demeanor, furrowed her brows. Cooperating with a corporation often led straight to hell.