Chapter 34: Chapter 34: XYZ's Clinic II
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Chapter 34: XYZ's Clinic II
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"I didn't think you'd want to work with me after what I did," X commented.
"I have a choice? You took my job. Now, I need a job, and Lady Wakako advised me to work for you," Beside him was Chiyo Omoto, "And advice to someone like her is an order."
"Makes sense," X shrugged before asking, "Do you hate me?"
"Yeah," Chiyo was honest. She's in her forties already, so she has a bit of wisdom to her. Lying is useless in this situation.
"Well, one of the conditions for taking over the Clinic is taking you in, so just work with me well, and we will rise very far," X promised.
"Quite the narcissist, aren't ya?" Chiyo raised a brow, not believing him one bit.
She doesn't know much about him, but she knows Night City, 'City Of Dreams.' Yeah, no. It's the city where dreams die... Shortly after, you die too.
X turned his full attention to her with a faint smile on his face, "Sure. Anyway, I will talk biz from now on. I will be different. I will be blunt and harsh, so do not take it personally."
X said something strange as he fixed his shirt, stood perfectly straight, and took a deep breath, "That will be how I do business... It has been a while."
Chiyo was confused as she eyed him strangely. Wakako did tell her that he has mental issues, but what the fuck is he talking about.
However, as she looked at him, she realized that he was right. He was different.
The aura he exhibited was different, similar to Wakako but more pragmatic and... Inhuman.
X ran his eyes over the mess before him with a grimace, scanning the area outside the Clinic.
Neon lights flickered, their buzz a jarring backdrop to walls scarred with graffiti tags, some faded, others fresh.
Trash collected in the corners, and the faint, musty odor of neglect lingered.
The entrance to the clinic that's supposed to be a beacon of healing, feels more like a war zone.
X traced his eyes throughout the street, his vision halting at the metallic Dumpster by the side, "Why is it Asymmetrical? It's all wrong."
He looked at the area with disgust as he linked to his tablet and started taking notes and making plans, "What is your average profit per month? And what was your profit margin last month?"
Chiyo frowned, not linking his cold tone and strange demeanor, but she still answered, "Never calculated the average profit per month, but last month's was around 7000 Eddies. The margin was, as usual, 26%."
"So monthly revenue should be around 26,900... Do the Tyger Claws interfere with your work?" X frowned as he asked.
"All maintenance work for the Tygers is free of charge. I assume it will be the same for you, so don't look at me like that," Chiyo crossed her arms as she responded.
"No, you're just a bit of a failure. I had researched most Ripperdocs in the City, and their margins are similar to yours despite your advantageous location... This is the heart of Japantown." X pointed out.
"Can you do better, smartass?" Chiyo was obviously having none of it.
"Vik has much better margins and I see why now," X remarked, ignoring her as he made notes of everything.
"First, we're rebranding this place from a shady back alley clinic into a pristine, high-tech facility."
"I want people to feel like they're stepping into a sanctuary, not some post-combat triage center."
"For a start, we'll need spotless walls—bright, sanitized white or maybe a cool, calming blue."
"We'll cover every inch of graffiti, put up some neon strips for ambiance, and hire a private crew to keep it that way."
"All this garbage, I never want to see it again. In fact, we should move the Dumpsters elsewhere. Them being here subtly influences people to throw trash around the Clinic."
He gestured around, envisioning what could be. "Next, I want an air purification system. It's basic tech in the glitzy Corpo clinics, and it'll keep the place free of bio-hazards and that awful smell, Agh."
"We should make graffiti of our own, just one of the Tyger Claws with a clear warning to not make trouble here."
"Since they get some benefits from us, we should use their name to deter malicious eyes and troublemakers."
X traced his eyes around, settling on a garage only several steps from the Clinic, "Who owns that garage?"
"Some drunkard, rarely comes by," Chiyo responded with unease, feeling the tension grow the more X speaks.
She especially felt unease about the way he looked at her, those judgmental eyes, as if she was a faulty product to be discarded, obligating her to tone down her combative nature.
"That's it for the outside. Let's head inside," Stated X as he made his way into the Clinic.
He stood in the waiting lounge. There, the receptionist was waiting behind her secure desk.
X didn't feel the need to change her. She was good enough for now. The assistant Chiyo had before, however, was gone.
"How much did these ads make you?" X asked as he eyed the several advertisements on the screens of the waiting lounge.
"Around two grand," Chiyo sounded a bit unsure.
"Sex. Weight loss products, and drinks... Ehh," X, on the other hand, sounded his disapproval of the businesses that apparently approach her.
"Why is that screen glitching?" X questioned.
"Don't know," The moment she responded, she saw them again, those judgmental eyes.
"The floor... Why is it asymmetrical and dirty? Is it an aesthetic choice?" X further questioned.
The floor was covered in faded, cracked linoleum tiles, once white but now a dingy gray, stained, and some parts cracked.
"Budget," Chiyo's tone was low.
X didn't show any emotion to her response as he walked into the surgical bay, the operation room, "Why the dark gritty colors? It feels depressing."
"That's how it was and how it stayed... I-I just didn't recolor the place,"
He was starting to make her feel disappointed in herself.
"Show me the Clinic's files, history, site, and app," X instructed.
"We don't have an app, but we have an official site," Chiyo gave him access to the Clinic's personal computer.
In the operation room, there was a desk in the corner. On it were the computer, statues, booze, and cigarettes... X's OCD was acting up.
He did his best to ignore the mess and started working, beginning with slotting a shard into the computer.
Within the shard was a long string of codes that would perform a thorough reconfiguration of the system while X looked through the other things.
"Are you sure this is your site?" X asked just to be certain.
"Yea?" She was not only confused about the question, she was also confused about how fast he was scrolling through the files... Was he actually reading them that fast?
"Too many improvements to be had but not enough funds. We should prioritize a few things. We don't have nearly enough funds." X remarked, seemingly talking to himself.
"Cleaning the area is a priority. We can't redesign the layout just yet, so let's focus on decoration and introducing a touch of High-Tech Aesthetic."
"Time is money, so let's order the necessary surgical tools to not only assure success but also hasten the procedures."
"We can't get the latest surgical tools if we want to fill our inventory of cyberware. Chiyo's is very lacking."
"The client lounge is important as well. Wakako should help with secure and anonymous payment options."
"We'll declare bankruptcy at this rate. We can let the receptionist go and use Joi instead. She can most certainly be a lovely receptionist."
"Not a bad idea, although psychological reports from corpos show that people prefer humans and that talking to AIs can be very irksome."
"In an age where machines are taking over, a touch of life can go a long way, and we do not want to seem too corporate just yet."
"For now, let's focus on redesigning the site, creating an app for the Clinic, and establishing VIP loyalty and retention programs."
X was having a conversation, a chat with someone Chiyo could not see, leaving her confused about what his mental issues signify.
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