Bab 35: Chapter 35: XYZ's Clinic III
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Chapter 35: XYZ's Clinic III
...........
"I am X, a pleasure to hear from you," X answered his phone as he exited his apartment and walked downstairs.
"Pleasure, you've contacted us for a sponsorship," Said the man behind the call, some corpo.
"Indeed, Lady Wakako recommended you to me, telling me you're the best at what you do. Naturally, Japantown's exclusive Clinic requires the best sponsors," X clarified.
"Lady Wakako... Again, it's a pleasure. However, we rarely do sponsorships. Although, we may be interested in advertising in your clinic. Are you interested?" The corpo.
"That would be lovely as well, and I'm certain that once you look up my Clinic, you'll have to consider a sponsorship," X stressed.
"Of course we will, may we know the name of your clinic?" The corpo.
"XYZ's Clinic. Lady Wakako is one of my sponsors. I'm sure she'll speak some good words if you can contact her," X assured.
"We'll do our due diligence and contact you soon." The corpo ended the conversation.
That's pretty much what X has been doing for the past week while the Clinic was undergoing renovations, just making calls every day.
Wakako never gave him any recommendation, he just used her name because she didn't mind.
Before any outreach, X reviewed the clinic's client demographics, identifying patterns in visitor profiles.
The files provided by Chiyo illustrated that pattern to him, like the types of cyberware they seek and common professions or affiliations, mercs, corpos, and gang members.
That helped him compile a target list of potential advertisers; cyberware companies, local bars, nightclubs, weapon shops, high-end cosmetic mod providers, and even tech repair services.
X then crafted the perfect Pitch Deck. He created a sleek digital presentation, with visuals and data highlighting his clinic's traffic, the audience's unique traits, and the lounge screens' visibility.
He included statistics on client demographics, average wait times, and potential screen time for ads.
For larger clients, he customized the deck, showcasing how their specific ads could integrate with the clinic's vibe.
It was truly the perfect pitch... Because the Clinic at the time was in the middle of renovations, so what he showed them was the ideal Clinic in his mind.
He sent the presentation to every corporation and business that could be interested, then made many many calls to key contacts.
Wakako did introduce him to some high-end clients, but X still told every client he called that Wakako introduced them to him.
X even appealed to business owners in Japantown who cater to similar clientele, like upscale bars or shops that sell performance enhancements.
The last week was filled with endless lies and deceit, and it worked out for him as he acquired a couple of sponsorships and several adequate advertisers.
X was somehow a better corpo than the majority of corpos around, and a damn good businessman as well.
He made his way to the Clinic, carrying a large bag in his hand. Today is the day XYZ's Clinic will officially open.
The only reason the renovation even took a whole week was because X's plans were too exaggerated.
However, it paid off, as proven by the long line of people waiting in front of the Clinic.
X needed to attract customers for his opening day, and what better way to do it than free services?
If you want to implant a cyberware, you'll of course have to pay for the implant yourself, but the installation of the cyberware, the service part is totally free of charge.
Hell, even general maintenance is completely free of charge, only for the opening day thought.
X told friends, stall owners, Wakako, and everyone he could to spread the word, till the entirety of Japantown got word of the event, thus the long line of people outside.
The clinic loomed on Japantown's bustling main strip, a slice of sleek modernity against the neon-lit grime of the street.
The Dumpsters were moved, elsewhere, leaving only one trash can by the corner, the area squeaky clean.
Dark, matte panels lined the exterior, their sharp edges catching hints of the city lights, while LED strips embedded in the facade pulsed in a slow, hypnotic rhythm.
Above the door, a holographic sign spun lazily, the clinic's name in shimmering kanji interspersed with English: "XYZ."
The floating letters shifted between shades of icy blue and violet, casting soft glows on the street below and hinting at the high-end tech within.
Inside, the reception area unfolded with a restrained elegance, combining warm wood tones with sleek, high-tech metals.
Behind the desk floated a holo-receptionist, a softly glowing figure who greeted each client by name and handled bookings with a polite efficiency that bordered on uncanny.
In the end, X settled for Joi as an assistant, unable to afford a human assistant simply because he is yet again broke.
Subtle melodies filled the air, a blend of traditional Japanese strings underscored by low electronic pulses that hummed in the ears.
The atmosphere was one of serene efficiency, designed to soothe and assure, even as it hinted at the cutting-edge procedures that took place behind closed doors.
The waiting lounge was a mirror opposite of what it was before. Modular seating, upholstered in midnight blue and charcoal gray, invited clients to settle in while retaining a sense of privacy.
Each seat was flanked by translucent privacy screens that flickered to life, showing rotating holographic displays that ranged from calming animations to curated ads.
Above, sleek, high-definition screens played ads for high-end cyberware, custom body mods, and exclusive events; each advertisement was tailored by Joi to the waiting clientele.
A small, polished refreshment station stood to one side, stocked with drinks that ranged from green tea to electrolyte-rich concoctions designed to aid post-procedure recovery.
The treatment room was a masterpiece of minimalist design, clinical yet undeniably luxurious.
Soft, adjustable lighting cast a clean, white glow over the space. Advanced AR display panels on the walls allowed patients to visualize their procedures in real time.
The equipment was not top-of-the-line, but it was not far off, selected meticulously by X and sourced through his contacts with Vik and Wakako.
Blue UV strips lined the walls, casting a faint glow that ensured sterility, while adding a cool, futuristic undertone to the sterile environment.
And hidden from prying eyes, behind a locked biometric door, was X's personal research lab, a futuristic sanctum dedicated to his ongoing cyberware experiments.
Unfortunately, the lab is pretty much empty... X couldn't afford to do anything with it.
That speaks to the entire Clinic. It's clean, but it's less than he wanted. X suffers from ample vision but a lack of funds.
Still, X had woven himself an aesthetic that was uniquely his own, merging the cultural richness of Japantown with the cutting-edge technology that defined his craft.
Here, in this haven of steel, wood, and flickering neon, X's vision of Night City's future took its initial shape, one meticulous procedure at a time.
And trust me, there were a lot of procedures to go through. People saw the opportunity and took it.
"Why do you inject empty needles into your flesh?" X questioned as he scanned the client.
The client seemed like an addict, with needle marks all over his left arm, and his hygiene certainly wasn't there, "I-I can't help it. It feels painful and itchy. It fuckin' driving me insane!"
The client was emotional, his eyes bloodshot, and his mind wasn't totally there.
"Who's the Ripperdoc that installed the chromes in your left arm?" X questioned with a frown.
"Fingers! Please! Please help me! J-J-Just make it stop... If you can't, end it!!" The client was getting more and more emotional.
"Relax," X ordered with his cold emotionless eyes, "If you cause a ruckus, I will throw you out. Settle down, and you should leave here pain free."
The client sealed his mouth right away. X gave him hope, something he gave up on long ago, til he heard of the Clinic offering free services.
"Chiyo, what do you know about Fingers?" X questioned as he cuffed the client's arm to the medical chair.
Chiyo grimaced as she described Fingers. "He's a real bottom-feeder, you know? Operates out of this dingy hole in Jig-Jig Street, barely even a clinic; just a cluttered back room stinking of sweat and stale chemicals."
"He's cheap for a reason; he'll slap together parts from whatever he can scrounge, half of it recycled, and he won't hesitate to skip steps or use third-rate materials."
"If something goes wrong; And it usually does; I heard he just shrugs, claims 'side effects are part of the gig,' and sends them limping off. Guess this one is one of his victims. Real piece of work, that one."
X performed a very in-depth scan as he listened to her narration, his brows furrowed, "Wow... I couldn't do a worse job if I wanted to."
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
VQuintessence
VQuintessence Make sure to check my Patre.on out if you want to support me and want to read advanced chapters: Patre.on.com/VQuintessence
[22 Chapters in Advance on Patre.on]
Bab 36: Chapter 36: Victims Of Dreams I
Make sure to check my Patre.on out if you want to support me and want to read advanced chapters: Patre.on.com/VQuintessence
[22 Chapters in Advance on Patre.on]
Chapter 36: Victims Of Dreams I
...........
X performed a very in-depth scan as he listened to her narration, his brows furrowed, "Wow... I couldn't do a worse job if I wanted to."
Chiyo frowned as she calibrated the parameters, "Fingers isn't exactly known for being good, but this... When did he operate on you?"
"Th-Three years ago," Answered the client.
"Um, must've done a half-assed job to get him to come back for maintenance. He couldn't afford it, so it only got worse from there. Some Ripperdocs do that," Chiyo speculated.
"So he's bad at what he does but also intentionally bad?" X raised a brow as he questioned while injecting the client with an anesthetic, a very strong one.
"Not totally sure, but Fingers usually offers his ripperdoc services for free to new clients, asking them to pay only what they can, seems generous but it's not."
"The implants and prosthetics offered by Fingers are second-hand retreads at best, and at worst they are obsolete, damaged, or defective."
"These shoddy implants cause his patients more problems down the line, forcing them to return to him sooner or later out of desperation."
"I heard that he does this more so to prey on them, groping and well... You know, assault them during procedures, knowing they will tolerate it because they cannot afford a more scrupulous Ripperdoc." Chiyo explained.
X's cybernetic eye displayed the scan data before him, quickly scrolling through it and determining the best course of action.
The client's arm was a mess, and not just from the needles he'd stabbed into it.
Beneath the mottled, raw skin lay a jumble of mismatched wiring, cheap metal, and unfinished nerve connections; a mark of Fingers' infamous handiwork.
The implant, likely scavenged or recycled, was forged from low-grade alloys that irritated the tissues they touched, that apparently triggering inflammation and an itch so intense it bordered on madness.
Inside the arm, the nerves were a misaligned tangle, crudely spliced and improperly attached, sending chaotic signals racing through the limb.
Fingers had either neglected calibration entirely or had botched it so severely that the implant registered every harmless touch as a pinprick, every flex as a surge of prickling discomfort.
X knew that a cheap doc like Fingers wouldn't have bothered with the delicate alignment process, and without it, the client's brain was left to interpret the garbled impulses as a deep, unreachable itch.
Worse still, it seemed Fingers had failed to include any insulation in the wiring, leaving the implant vulnerable to electromagnetic interference.
That's a shortcut that only amplified the sensation and fed it back into the man's nervous system like static.
But that was only the start of the nightmare. From the signs of redness and the thin, oozing sores, X could tell the arm was most likely infected.
The clinic where Fingers worked wasn't known for hygiene, and the implant had probably been installed in a dark corner, dirt and grime seeping into the surgical site.
Infection had taken root, forming a subtle biofilm under the surface, turning the implant into a breeding ground.
This type of low-grade infection would aggravate the nerves constantly, like an itch that deepened with each passing day, urging the man to claw at his own flesh just for a moment of relief.
Even the synthetic skin overlay was a cruel afterthought, clearly chosen for cost rather than quality.
The thin, poorly crafted layer didn't move naturally over the implant and likely tugged on the scarred edges where Fingers had stitched him up haphazardly.
Each pull and shift created fresh irritation, mimicking a perpetual, crawling itch that could drive anyone to desperation.
As X observed the damage, he understood that Fingers had left this man trapped in the torment of his own body.
It was a macabre twist of pain and technology, a reminder of what happened when cyberware went wrong in the hands of someone unfit to wield it.
It felt oddly satisfying, to understand a man's life just from one scan. X had to wonder how the powerful AIs of this world experience things.
X wondered if provided the entire variables of a person, would they be able to predict their future? Would they be able to reshape his entire existence if they so wished?
X refocused on the patient as he mapped out every damaged nerve connection, faulty wire, and infected area, "Sterilize the area."
"Already done, and I sterilized the tools too." Said Chiyo.
"Calibrate the mechanical arms for nerve issues and let's get to work."
X started by removing the faulty implant, carefully detaching it from the nerve bundles to avoid further damage.
He cleaned out the inflamed tissue, removing any trace of infection with a series of antibacterial rinses and precise cuts.
Next, he meticulously installed a decent quality implant made from biocompatible alloys, ensuring it matched the client's physiology decently well.
X also added a protective insulation layer to the new implant, shielding it from external interference and preventing stray electrical impulses from triggering random sensations.
Once the new implant was in place, X took his time with the nerve connections.
Using advanced tools, he recalibrated the nerve endings with an interface that allowed him to simulate and test sensations in real time.
Each nerve was carefully reattached and aligned to ensure smooth, accurate feedback, eliminating any unnecessary signals that might otherwise trigger itching or pain.
He ended with a gentle overlay of synthetic skin, designed to move and stretch with the client's natural anatomy, minimizing irritation.
"You may not be able to afford the operation, but you should be able to afford these meds. They're cheap," X informed the patient as he prescribed him some meds.
"..." The patient was seemingly speechless as he eyed his arm which looked nothing like it was before.
The patient's arm no longer looked polluted. He no longer felt like ending himself, "Thank you... Thank you," He sobbed his words out, "You need anything... Tell me."
"Name," X asked.
"Hachirou,"
"Very well, all I need from you is to go to the waiting lounge and rest. When you feel better, you can go," X instructed, "If you wanna help, just spread the word."
"I'm surprised you'd go so far," Chiyo commented once the patient left, "You're going far and beyond, just losing money this way."
"It's an investment... In fact, I plan to make this a regular thing. Every Monday, we can choose ten individuals who have applied and help them, for mostly medical issues," X stroked his chin, in deep thought.
"It's exhausting," Chiyo sat on the chair by the side, "How many patients did we go through? Thirty? That's way too much."
"Next client," X wasn't done just yet. He still had the energy to go, and he found himself enjoying dissecting his patients and then stitching them back and better.
All the experience it provides was wonderful. He found himself becoming better and better.
That's mostly because of all the weird absurd cases he faced on the very first day, and he faced them exactly because of his free service.
The clients were people at the bottom of the barrel who could not afford even a session of maintenance; their bodies were desperate and they were desperate for relief.
The next patient was a junkie that crawled into the clinic, eyes bloodshot and leaking a thick, milky fluid from his cyber-optics.
They were installed by a street doc as payment for a debt, but they're incompatible with his nervous system and loaded with faulty software. Each optic flits around his sockets, struggling to stay in sync with his head movements, and visual glitches warp his sight until he sees phantom shadows, streaks of light, and nightmarish images.
The eyes emit a soft whir as they overheat, pressing painfully against the delicate nerves around his sockets.
The man's reality has turned into a horror show, seeing ghosts that make his life a living hell.
It's in cases like this where X felt glad he's proficient in Netrunning because the cyber eyes' software was so faulty that even attempting extraction led the junkie to seize up, screaming as the optic nerves misfire, shooting waves of pain directly into his brain.
X had to rewrite the Cyber Eyes' software in its entirety before he could extract them, "Let me see what I can do with them. You take care of his eye sockets."
He was generous today, but not so generous that he would give out free Cyber Eyes. Those things are too pricey.
Chiyo went to work, cleaning the patient's rotten eye sockets, thoroughly inflamed and fried.
X, on the other hand, tinkered with the Cyber Eyes, cleaning and fixing them with whatever tools he had available.
"I couldn't run a deep modification on them. They should be compatible with you now at the cost of all their features. All they can do now is allow you to see, with ok vision," X clarified.
"Huh?? Wait! Really? I-I won't be seein' things again, would I?" The client seemed awestruck. He only ever wanted to get rid of the eyes which made him live a horror game.
It didn't matter to him if he was blind, yet now he was being told he could keep his vision... He was left bewildered... Good things are a rarity in Night City.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA
VQuintessence
VQuintessence
Make sure to check my Patre.on out if you want to support me and want to read advanced chapters: Patre.on.com/VQuintessence
[22 Chapters in Advance on Patre.on]
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