章 90: Once a Decision is Made
Regina's people quickly arrived on the scene and took the unconscious Cedric away.
In the game "Cyberpunk 2077," this fixer specializes in dealing with such cases. Leo trusted her expertise in this area.
Healing cyberpsychosis, even sending them back home, or finding jobs for those without homes, it almost sounds like charity work.
Regina: "I've received the patient, but this one looks like he's barely hanging on."
Leo: "Couldn't be helped. He was really out of his mind. You'll understand when you see the video."
Leo: "Also, there were two reasons for his breakdown this time. First, Biotechnica conducted experiments on him, causing intense nerve pain, which severely interfered with the functioning of his implants."
Leo: "Second, this guy has a fiery temper. As soon as he felt a bit better, he went straight to Biotechnica to settle the score. His cheap combat implants went haywire—luckily, things didn't escalate."
Regina: "So, it was the corporation that drove him to the brink. Not uncommon in Night City."
Regina: "There might be a bigger story behind this. Be careful."
It's more than just a big story—Leo was planning to use that story to get things done.
After Cedric was taken away, the trio wrapped Murphy in a series of bandages and then removed his broken arm, patching him up as best they could.
As for the arm, well, he'd have to find himself a new one later.
However, it's worth noting that when Murphy was dragged into the sunlight, he expressed extreme discomfort, almost as if he was about to catch fire.
That kind of fear was akin to someone with rabies seeing water, manifesting in various neurological symptoms—difficulty breathing, trouble swallowing, and so on.
He also claimed that he had seen the body Cedric brought with him catch fire in the sunlight.
Looking at the body in the car, Leo couldn't help but feel uneasy.
This is a huge problem.
Throughout the entire process, the young man from the Red Ochre family, Navi, remained silent, appearing deeply troubled.
Jackie tried to console the young man: "Cheer up, Cedric will be alright."
"It's just that..." Navi opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
Jackie shrugged: "Tell me about this Andre."
"He... all I know is that he was very close to Cedric. Whenever the family ran out of water, they would rally a group to head to the nearest settlement to find filtered water. If they couldn't find any, they would even raid corporate outposts. But no matter what, he always came back with a big barrel of water, and his implants kept increasing."
At this point, Navi forced a smile: "Sounds like one of those terrorists they talk about on Night City Radio, right?"
"Trust me, Night City's perception of nomads isn't great, but attacking corporations isn't exactly a bad thing in Heywood."
Navi was deeply affected by seeing someone he knew fall into madness, leaving him feeling defeated.
"I just can't accept that Cedric turned out like this, that he did this to Andre. And what I can't stand the most is that I did nothing."
Jackie patted him on the shoulder: "Then hold onto your weapon tight. You did good just getting here."
Andre's body had already burned off a layer of skin under the sunlight.
Anyone who didn't know better would think it had been rescued from a crematorium.
Looking at Andre's desecrated corpse, Navi said, "We usually bury our dead on a nice little hillside. Can I take Andre's body to handle it? I don't want the tribe to know about this."
"Of course."
The two of them worked together to put the body into the trunk of the Rattler that Navi had driven.
After everything was done, Jackie said, "Navi, we've been thinking of buying a car lately. This one you're driving handles pretty well. We're thinking of trading the two V340s parked at your tribe for a Mackinaw. What do you think?"
Navi thought for a moment and said, "In terms of value, a Mackinaw is definitely better than those two V340s. The car's chassis has been modified, and the suspension is made from parts taken from a Militech vehicle, so it's pretty durable. But emotionally, I'd say I'm okay with the trade. Still, I can't make the decision—you'll need to talk to Hector."
"Alright, as long as there's a chance."
While the two were talking, Leo discreetly took two tissue samples from Andre's corpse.
After finishing, Leo made another call to Hector.
Leo: "Cedric had a cyberpsychotic episode and killed some Biotechnica people. I've handed him over to someone capable of treating him—not Biotechnica."
Hector: "What about Andre?"
Leo: "Navi will find a place to bury him. But when Cedric lost it, he shouted a name: Bowen."
Leo: "Is that someone from Biotechnica?"
There was a moment of silence on Hector's end, followed by a noticeable sigh.
Hector: "Not from our family—he was, but now he's with the Maelstrom. It's a long story; let's not get into it."
Hector: "Thank you, Leo."
Hector: "I'm starting to doubt if working with Biotechnica was the right choice. Do you think I should stop?"
Leo: "You're the chief of the Red Ochre family, but if you ask me, trusting corporations is like expecting pigs to fly."
Hector: "You're right. I've been foolish. The neuro-suppressants only eased our symptoms but didn't lead to the improvement Biotechnica promised within a few weeks."
Hector: "I'm the one who got Cedric into this mess."
Leo: "If that's the case, then let me ask you directly: what exactly is going on between you and Biotechnica?"
Hector: "Biotechnica claimed it was an advanced biological modification technology that would allow us to harness energy from sunlight, just like plants, so we wouldn't need to eat anymore."
Hector: "I know it sounds ridiculous, but when I decided to work with them, that's how I convinced my family."
Hector: "In the future, we could roam freely across the Badlands, chasing the sun to the ends of the earth."
Hector: "But now you know how it turned out."
Hector: "Thank you so much, Leo, really."
Leo: "No need to thank me, we're all friends. Oh, by the way, I want to trade those two V340s parked at your tribe for a Mackinaw. If I need to add money, just name your price."
Hector: "It's that practical big guy, right? No need to add money. I'm getting a good deal with two cars for one. It's yours."
Hanging up the phone, Leo watched as Navi drove the Rattler towards the Badlands, heading toward the rising sun.
Jackie and V looked at the mess around them, feeling a bit melancholic.
V nudged Leo: "So, what's the deal with this?"
"Biotechnica claimed it was a modification that would let people survive just by basking in the sun. Hector bought it—chasing the sun to the ends of the earth, how romantic."
"Sounds like a fairy tale to fool kids, and he bought it?"
"More like, when he chose to work with Biotechnica for practical reasons, he could come up with a thousand reasons to convince himself it was the right decision. Once a person makes up their mind, they can always find a way to fool themselves."
"Alright, let's check on how Mr. Murphy is doing with his contacts."
Jackie looked thoughtful as he gazed at the bright sun overhead.
Once a person makes up their mind, they can always find a way to fool themselves.
Could it be that in his determination to become a big shot, he was also comforting himself with the thought that dying for the cause would be worth it?
"Got it. Mendoza agreed to meet. This guy's been digging into Biotechnica for a while now. I set up a meeting with him tomorrow at a place on Bruce Street. Now, can you get me to a ripperdoc? Damn, I'm not feeling so good."
Murphy shielded his face with his hand, seemingly sensitive to the light.
This guy...
Leo remained expressionless: "Do you have a ripperdoc?"
"I do—but I can't go to him now, or Biotechnica will find out. C'mon, man, help me find a ripperdoc."
Find a ripperdoc.
Obviously, he couldn't take Murphy to Vic—that would drag Vic into something huge.
That left only one option.
The sleazy old man who runs the ripperdoc clinic at Coastview.
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