Chapter 3: Expulsion

Kurt Hansen’s "vipers' nest," the Sapphire.

"I hope this doesn't cause you any trouble... mhm, I’ll handle it, don't you worry."

Kurt Hansen, shrouded in shadow, hung up on the Night City official. He was a businessman; everything was negotiable, and a skirmish of this magnitude was simply part of the cost of doing business. He needed to manage the fallout and, of course, exact his revenge. For that, the cooperation of Night City’s politicians would be indispensable.

Lin Yue, held captive, kept his head bowed. From the distance, Colonel Hansen’s military boots clicked against the pristine floor as he slowly approached.

"Let him go. Our friend here still has broken bones, after all."

Lin Yue shook out his numb, tingling arms. His gaze remained steady, though the beads of sweat rolling down his forehead betrayed him. *I hope that interface wasn't lying to me.*

The man in the sharp tactical T-shirt had cold, sharp eyes. He was robust and imposing as he scanned Lin Yue and the two other Barghest soldiers who had been dragged here—or rather, the stray dogs who had returned with their tails between their legs.

"Speak. You know exactly what happened."

Lin Yue took a deep breath. "Colonel, it was an attack by a cyberpunk crew."

It wasn't a lie. This cold-blooded warlord possessed formidable investigative and interrogation skills, and Lin Yue didn't want to reveal more than necessary.

"I know that, boy." Colonel Hansen tapped his finger against Lin Yue’s chest. "You should have waited for our reinforcements, shouldn't you?"

*So, he’s going to use the 'deserter' excuse to deal with me, is he?*

Lin Yue swallowed hard, his fists clenching involuntarily.

At a gesture from Hansen, the soldiers behind Lin Yue hesitated, but under pressure, they pressed their hands onto his shoulders. "Sorry, pal."

Lin Yue’s mind raced. The cyberpunk crew, Dogtown soldiers, a convoy transporting a massive cache of weapons—damn it, there was definitely something he had missed.

"Wait, Colonel Hansen!"

Lin Yue stepped forward, and two dark gun barrels were immediately pressed against his fractured ribs, causing his expression to contort in agony.

"The cyberpunks weren't there to steal the cargo. They were there to cause chaos, to catch us off guard!"

"A bunch of mercenaries wouldn't need to arm themselves with brand-new corporate-grade gear."

"You have to consider if someone else is pulling the strings!"

Colonel Hansen immediately held up a hand. "Let him finish."

Lin Yue hurried to reply, "Most of the procurement this time was Arasaka equipment. It passed through three middlemen; how could the cyberpunks have known the route so easily?"

"It’s strictly business, Colonel! This shipment was corporate property. They wouldn't let their own people skim off the top... this was an act of retaliation!"

Hansen listened, downing his whiskey in one gulp. The scent of alcohol on his breath hit Lin Yue’s face as Hansen scrutinized his subordinate with the gaze of a wild wolf.

"Bring that one in."

The Barghest soldiers dragged in a man who looked like a dead dog. It wasn't until the man was tossed onto the floor that Lin Yue realized who it was. Had it not been for the gaudy Barghest tattoo, he never would have imagined that the soldier with his head nearly pulverized was Ceno.

"Deserter."

Colonel Hansen’s voice was filled with disgust. He kicked Ceno, whose throat was still making wet, gurgling sounds, though whatever the poor bastard was trying to say was unintelligible.

"He wanted to leave this 'paradise.' Guess who sold the intel?"

A chill ran down Lin Yue’s spine. *Ceno sold the intel?*

"You know, I’m a lazy man. Whether you two were thick as thieves or not, I don't care to investigate. But you should be grateful—this guy confessed to selling the intel himself."

"You were close, lived and ate together. I should have executed you both, but... I’m willing to give you a chance."

Lin Yue had been standing tall since he entered; even when he saw Ceno, he had only glanced at him. Hansen found himself intrigued by this one.

*Phew, that’s just how cyberpunks operate.* Today you sell me out, tomorrow I backstab you. God knows if your "best friend" is human or a snake.

Hansen drew a pistol from his waist and aimed it at the prone Ceno. He knew the young soldier, Lin Yue, hadn't been involved in the betrayal, but he still believed in a balance of mercy and fear. Hearts were won through the small favors granted between life and death. The former Militech soldier understood that principle well.

*Bang!*

The eardrum-shattering gunshot made Lin Yue flinch. Hansen fired three times. When Lin Yue opened his eyes, the steaming barrel of the gun was pressed against his own forehead.

*Gulp.*

Lin Yue stared at Hansen. He knew he couldn't show weakness; if he did, Hansen wouldn't mind being one Barghest soldier short.

"Go to 'Heavyhearted.' Look for an old friend of mine. Any trace of you in the Barghest will be erased."

"Help me out, kid. Someone has to give me an answer regarding this shipment, right?"

Hansen holstered his weapon, and the soldier behind him patted his shoulder. Only then did Lin Yue begin to walk away from the Sapphire with stiff, mechanical strides.

Standing in the elevator, Lin Yue’s legs felt like jelly. The aftereffects of the pain editor and the sharp sting of his broken ribs forced him to lean against the handrail just to stay standing.

"Hey, Lin. Maybe it’s not that bad." It was Otto, the soldier who had just reminded him to stay on his toes.

"Nobody in Dogtown wants to leave the ranks. You know how it is—one day you're sleeping soundly at home, and the next, some resident is here for revenge."

The Barghest’s treatment of Dogtown residents was notoriously harsh; once you took off the uniform, you were bound to be targeted. Furthermore, the cutoff of military pay was a disaster. Otto seemed to be comforting him, but in reality, he was stripping away what little hope remained. Those who were addicted to the high life couldn't survive without money.

"But I believe in you, kid! Damn! That was nothing for you. You actually stared him down while Hansen had a gun to your head? You've got guts!"

Just like the name of the place he was headed, Lin Yue was now "heavyhearted." Was he fired? Yet, hearing Hansen, it seemed he was meant to do some tasks for him. It was all a tangled mess. No one would let a grunt see the full picture—that was reality, and Lin Yue knew it. After all, the "god's eye view" was reserved for players, not living, breathing NPCs.

[Character "Kurt Hansen" affinity updated.]
[Affinity: 10 (Do your job well for your boss. Having your life hanging by a thread isn't the first time, nor will it be the last.)]
[Reward: All attributes +1, unlocked opportunity to interact with other legendary figures.]
[Special Reminder: From now on, you must act on your own and carry your own burdens.]
[Aside from the rewards, this panel will no longer provide any mission guidance. Farewell.]

The "backbone" supporting Lin Yue finally snapped. Seeing Lin Yue on the verge of collapsing, Otto hurriedly supported him and pulled a canister of "Stims-Heal" from his belt, pressing it against Lin Yue’s mouth.

*How dark.* Even the interface was playing the backstabbing game.

As the medicine took effect, Lin Yue’s taut nerves finally unraveled.

"Lin! Lin! Alright... you need to rest..."

Otto’s voice grew muffled, and Lin Yue’s eyes plunged into total darkness.