"Iâm sorry," V said from the side, "it seems like your only choice if you donât want to die right now is to become an ordinary civilian, and maybe live a few more years.
The good news is, after this job, youâll at least be able to afford the latest operating system for prosthetics, so you wonât end up disabled."
Lille said nothing, but suddenly remembered an ending from "Shadow of the Past," the story where the legendary mercenary, V, chose to become an ordinary civilian.
Giving up his dependence, his powerful prosthetics and abilities, he chose to preserve his life. He would never again be able to fit any combat prosthetics, becoming a true civilianâ
The kind that could be run over by a car or struck by a stray bullet at any moment in the game.
Laying on the surgery chair, while looking at the medical report on the tablet, Lille said:
"I choose the third optionâI want to buy some things that are suitable for rookie prosthetic surgeons and hackersâthe old-fashioned kind, and then get a brain-computer interface installed, along with a new prosthetic eye."
The prosthetic surgeon looked surprised:
"So youâre going to use traditional technology in 2076, become a traditional technician?
Youâre lucky I happen to have a batch of outdated equipment that was absolutely top-notch in 2020, but now, nobody uses these.
As for the brain-computer interface and the prosthetic eye, those are indeed among the few basic prosthetics you can install. At least youâll be able to use things like âSuper Dream.â
Then Iâll fit this friend with some good stuffâcan we get a discount?"
"Depends on how big the list isâhow about this, Iâll waive the fees for removing official serial numbers. Thatâs not cheap in Atlanta."
"Deal, itâs a pleasure doing business with you, Doctor."
V standing aside was even more surprisedâfrankly, for a moment, V thought Lille would take the down payment for himself to get a high-end operating systemâmeaning a central nervous system implant.
He hadnât expected Lille to actually plan on upgrading his own bodyguardâs prosthetics.
"I have to say, Iâve changed my opinion of you, youâve got gutsâso I wonât hold back."
...
The brain-computer interface mainly affects the brain. Itâs the most basic implant in this world and the most cost-effective one for Lille.
This device allowed Lille to read some contents from the separation chips and display them on the prosthetic eye.
He went for a brand name Qilusi Eye model 2, considering the bodyâs load he only replaced one eye. It was a cheap product, and just one was installed.
After all, he wasnât a combatant.
V was undergoing surgery, and Lille was studying his medical report in detail.
The medical examination covered many aspects, including compatibility tests for various cellsâepidermal, skeletal, myocardial, renal, and othersâas well as immune system strength tests and anti-allergy tests, etc.
From this report, one could glean where medical technology had advanced in 2076.
While reviewing, Lille also searched the net for information, such as the methods used for the skeletal cell compatibility tests, and so on.
Itâs undeniable, the prosthetic surgeon for the corporate dogs provided thorough service, without any oversight.
It took about two hours for Lille to finish reading all the reports and to broadly understand the principles, methods, and purposes of these testsâhonestly, this was a very efficient process.
Especially considering he was also dealing with the pain from immune reactions.
[Affected by Creation: Prosthetic Immune Reaction (Weak)]
[Effect: Slight mental interference caused by pain and dizziness]
[Remove interference?]
[Interference removed]
Though his thoughts were no longer shaken, the pain was real and tangible, a curious sensation.
[Reading completed, Points +5]
[Prosthetic Eye Implanted: Qilusi Model 2]
[Prosthetics Implanted: Public Version of the Brain-Computer Interface]
[First implant type, increase in Points reward]
[Current Points: 50]
It seems that so-called Points are earned upon exposure to new technology.
According to the system, Points could be used to help understand and master technology. Lille thought for a moment, then generated a request in his mind.
[Universal Technology: Prosthetic Implant Surgery (Entry Level)]
[Current Study Progress: 60%]
[Technology Points needed for rapid mastery: 8]
However, if he was just aiming for the basics, given more time, he would have been able to fully master entry-level prosthetic implant surgery without the need to spend points.
Lille checked the timeâit was the eighth hour since he arrived in this world.
Dawn was fast approaching in the other world.
"Hey, system, what about me in the other world?"
[In the other world, the host can perform basic activities and attempt some simple learning]
[The outcomes will be displayed here in text format.]
Shh...
The door to the operating room swung open, and V emerged, looking exceptionally fresh and alert.
"This is the surgery checklist: Subdermal armor, recoil control, enhanced tendons, Skeletal Reconstruction, Bionic Joint, Krensky, Neural Coordinator, Blood Pump, Reaction Coordinator... all are what you requested. No complex software drives for the Combat Prosthetics, and with your goods, after the discount, the total is 200,000 Euros."
"Pay in full, V, make the payment."
"Itâs my first time spending so much money. Feels weird, but now Iâm nearly Superman. Letâs go take down that..."
The prosthetic surgeon, hastily raising his hand: "Donât talk about that here, or Iâll have to call the police!"
V looked over, and Lille shrugged.
"Alright, alright, Iâll pay up and leave. Whereâs my stuff?"
...
With a bang, V closed the trunk and settled into the driverâs seat.
"Now what? Do we just barge in and off that Cai guy?"
Lille glanced at the fierce female warrior: "I know the prosthetics boosted your confidence, but surely they havenât made you into a cyberpsycho, have they?"
"Speak plainly, stop beating around the bush."
"I just went over the report on Atlantaâs underground forces by Kantao. Iâve got to say, thereâs really not much room for underground activity here."
"Yeah, so boring." V shrugged, "Aside from work, itâs just more work. Feels like even those mixed up in the underworld are doing overtime."
"Still, I found the guy we need, Steven Note, the head of the Veterans Association. We find him, then we talk business."
"What are you on about?" V puzzled, "I thought you were talking about a gang, this what association..."
"Oh, over here their gangs are called thatâhavenât you learned that yet after being here so long? Theyâre like... the Six Street Gang of Night City.
However, over here, any gang worth their salt wouldnât call themselves something-something gangâitâs urban culture."
V started the car, her face expressionless: "Hmm, Iâm aware, just a bit surprised by their strange naming habits. Whatâs the business about?"
She couldnât admit that despite being here for so long, sheâd only ever dealt with those XX gangs, right?
No wonder theyâre all broke, with more dirty work than money.
Lille didnât dwell on it and continued, "First off, weâre too understaffed. We need a hacker to create a safe operational environment and Note just so happens to have the resources. And with his military backing, those Kantao folks wonât be a problem for him."
"And here I thought you were some kind of hacking prodigyâable to handle a network with an old computer."
Lille shrugged: "Not yet, anyway. We still have to find this Note. Besides getting his help... we also need to have him cover us."
"Have some guy weâve never met back you up?" V joked, "That sounds like a recipe for disaster, as reliable as a lightbulb in a restroomâdownright suicidal. Youâre that sure he wonât stab us in the back?"
"Donât worry." Lille watched the passing streetscape outside the window, "Iâll make him an offer he canât refuse."
V looked over in surprise: "What, you want me to point a gun at his head?"
"I... I mean, thereâs money to be made for everyone.
Itâs hard for gangs here to make big money anyway. Can you believe that a significant portion of such a gangâs funding comes from New Americaâs veteran benefits..."
Lille observed the harmonious society outside the window, feeling thoughtful.
It wasnât all like Night City in 2076.
V had her reasons for struggling to get by here.