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"You're just as stubborn as ever. Can't change your mind once it's made, huh?" Misty sighed in mock exasperation, setting down her tarot cards when it became clear Lin Mo wasn't about to indulge in a reading.
Lin Mo smiled faintly, shifting the conversation. "So... has Jackie been around to see you recently?"
"Same old Jackie," Misty said with a soft sigh. "He's always busy, running jobs since he left the Valentinos. Now he's doing solo gigs, trying to make a name for himself in Night City. He's got this idea that he can make it big, become a legend."
Lin Mo nodded, his eyes thoughtful. "I haven't seen him that often, but I know he's doing it all for you, and for his family. Trying to give everyone a better life... but yeah, you'd know him better than I ever could."
Misty chuckled at his words. "If Jackie heard you say that, he'd probably laugh and tell you, 'Hey, choom, it's like you're inside my head!'" She mimicked Jackie's deep, teasing tone.
Lin Mo chuckled along. "I respect him, honestly. The fact that he's working solo shows he's got real skill and guts. Maybe I should take some notes from him."
Feeling a bit tired, Lin Mo sat down on the steps outside the shop, brushing some dust away before settling in. Misty followed his lead, sitting beside him with a small, amused smile.
"I'll be sure to pass that on to Jackie," she said, her tone light. "He'd be flattered, having someone look up to him like that. You'd make his day."
Lin Mo gave a small smile in return, but his thoughts wandered back to Jackie's past. In the game, Jackie and V—the protagonist—were inseparable partners, working together from the very start. Their bond had been cemented through battles, most notably the firefight at the Maelstrom hideout and the chaotic escape from the Konpeki Plaza, which had been surrounded by Arasaka forces.
Even with these high-stakes missions, Jackie had proved his mettle, especially during the Konpeki Plaza job where he had been grievously injured, yet still fought his way out alongside V.
In this world, Lin Mo had managed to cross paths with Jackie a few times, thanks to his connection with Misty. Through their conversations, he had quietly tested the waters and discovered that Jackie didn't have an old friend named V. That piece of information told Lin Mo something critical—this version of Night City's V wasn't someone from a corporate background. After all, in the game's Corpo path, V and Jackie had been long-time friends.
Lin Mo had also done some digging in Heywood, hoping to find a street kid named V, but had come up empty. This could only mean one thing: in this version of the world, V would likely be a Nomad.
If his understanding was correct, V would arrive in Night City sometime in 2076, driving that old, beat-up red car.
That's when it hit him—he knew exactly who V was. In this world, V would be the Nomad woman he had played in the game. A black-market netrunner, the one he had built to perfection. Lin Mo recalled playing through the game with her, focusing on maxing out the quickhacks skill tree until she could shut down entire systems with a blink. At the height of her power, she was practically untouchable. Even Adam Smasher, the game's fearsome final boss, hadn't stood a chance—V had been able to obliterate him in seconds.
And now that same V was somewhere out there in the world—perhaps on her way to Night City as they spoke. If Lin Mo could somehow cross paths with her, build a connection, it would be like grabbing onto a rocket headed straight to the top.
The legend of V was unparalleled in Night City lore. She wasn't just a legend—she was the one who stood at the pinnacle, the Deathbringer who had changed the city's fate forever.
Lin Mo let out a quiet sigh, his daydreams fading as reality settled back in. He and Misty continued chatting for a while, exchanging stories and thoughts about the city. Eventually, the customer inside the shop awoke, signaling the end of their conversation. Misty stood up to tend to them, leaving Lin Mo to sit alone on the steps, waiting for Hiro and his sister to emerge from Viktor's clinic.
As he sat there, Lin Mo's mind wandered to his past life. Back on Earth, he had been a medical student, just starting his career. He couldn't help but draw comparisons between the medical world he had known and the ripperdoc culture of Night City. Here, medicine was less about healing and more about mechanics—cybernetic augmentations and body modifications were the norm. Ripperdocs were a combination of engineers and surgeons, capable of upgrading and repairing the human body in ways that traditional medicine never could.
But while ripperdocs excelled at implanting cyberware, their understanding of actual medicine was often limited. If you caught a cold, they'd recommend a full immune system upgrade. Got a lung infection? Just replace your lungs with biotech ones. It was all about eliminating the problem, not treating the disease.
In this world, true medicine was a luxury for the rich. Most pharmaceutical companies focused on drugs that could make them a profit—treatments for the poor weren't profitable enough to justify the research. It was why only the wealthy had access to life-saving medications or treatments that could extend their lifespan. The rest of the population was left to fend for themselves, relying on cyberware to fix problems that were otherwise untreatable.
His musings were interrupted by the sound of a metal gate clattering open. Lin Mo glanced up to see Hiro emerging from the underground clinic. He looked far more composed than he had before, the desperation and anxiety from earlier now gone.
"How's she doing?" Lin Mo asked, rising to his feet.
Hiro exhaled deeply, a weight lifting off his shoulders. "Thanks to Viktor, she's stable. Turns out it was just a matter of her neural processor getting infected by a virus from overusing braindance tech. She was also physically exhausted from days of torture. Viktor cleaned up the virus and gave her some nutrient injections. He says she'll wake up by tomorrow."
Hiro's face shifted to an expression of deep gratitude. "And the best part... Viktor's letting me pay on credit. Can you believe that? He's the most decent ripperdoc I've ever met."
Lin Mo grinned. "Viktor knows what kind of person you are. He can tell you'd do anything for your sister. That's all he needs to know."
Hiro nodded solemnly. "I owe you everything, Lin. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to save her." He stepped forward and bowed deeply, his gesture full of sincerity and respect.
"Enough with the formalities," Lin Mo chuckled, trying to downplay the gratitude. "Now that your sister's safe, how about we grab a bite to eat? I'm starving, and I'm sure you could use a break."
The sun was beginning to set, casting the city in hues of orange and purple. As day turned to night, Night City would come alive once more, the streets filling with the neon lights of bars, clubs, and endless distractions. It was a city that thrived in the darkness, where the nightlife was as dangerous as it was exciting.
Hiro thought for a moment, then smiled. "There's a bar I know, Lizzie's Bar. Ever been? I used to hang out there a lot. Let's go."
But as soon as he mentioned it, his face fell slightly as he remembered his current financial situation. "Ah, but... I'm broke."
Lin Mo smirked. "Don't worry about it. First round's on me."
Author's Note:The game timeline suggests that V and Jackie had been in Night City for about six months before the main story begins. If we look at the game's timeline, V arrives in Night City around October or November of 2076. By May 2077, the events at Konpeki Plaza take place. This timing can be deduced from Arasaka's records.