Starting from Night City

"Right at this crucial moment? I heard that Santo Domingo hasn't been peaceful lately. Out of nowhere, a Fixer known as the 'Old Captain' appeared."

Hearing the name "Old Captain," Faraday's eyelids twitched.

But he immediately said dismissively, "What Old Captain? Muammar Reyes was just a Corp Dog before, now he's trying to muddy the waters as a Fixer."

"Being a Fixer isn't easy. One wrong move, and you could be hunted by both employers and mercenaries."

The Priest said with a kind and benevolent smile, "It seems you're quite confident."

"It's not me being confident. That so-called Old Captain isn't cut out to be a Fixer at all. Just you wait. In a year at most, if he's still alive, he'll quit this line of work. The only Fixer in Santo Domingo will be me, and always will be me."

As the two were engaging in pleasantries, a voice suddenly came from the side.

"You've arrived, excellent. As expected of reliable Fixers in this city."

Both turned their heads simultaneously.

They saw another man in a suit walking over.

However, this man hadn't modified his face like Faraday.

He was just dressed like a typical Corp Dog.

The man in the suit arrived at the table where the Priest and Faraday were sitting.

The two sides of the table were occupied by the Priest and Faraday, respectively.

But the Priest reacted faster.

He shifted inward slightly.

"Child, you don't mind being a little closer to the Lord's servant, do you?"

"Of course not, Father."

If Mann's crew were here, they would recognize the man in the suit sitting with the Priest as the employer they had previously protected.

The Priest and Faraday exchanged glances.

When they saw each other in Tom's Diner, they had already guessed that the other might be a competitor for this commission.

Now, it seemed, their guess was correct.

The man in the suit cleared his throat, drawing their attention back.

He adjusted his glasses and said, "I won't waste time with pleasantries. I'm short on time and have no patience to waste here."

"A few days ago, I was targeted for assassination by a former colleague who hired the Animal Gang. I say former because that guy is now lying in an abandoned factory in Santo Domingo. Days have passed, and his body is probably rotting by now."

"Although he's dead, the Animal Gang he hired to attack me is still at large."

"Therefore, gentlemen, I want you to eliminate the leader of that Animal Gang. I want his head."

The Priest nodded slightly.

Commissions like this popped up by the dozens every day in Night City. This one was probably on the smaller side.

"I understand, sir, but I don't understand why you've sought out two Fixers."

Faraday's gaze shifted intentionally or unintentionally towards the Priest sitting next to the client, "We have a very good working relationship. Did my people not leave a deep impression on you?"

"Because I want to ensure absolute success. I don't want any loose ends escaping and coming back to seek revenge. Do you understand?"

"I have a request, my child," the Priest said slowly, "My people will complete the task you've assigned, but my people should not split the reward with Faraday's people. Instead, we should receive a separate share."

The Priest's implication was...

Since this job was commissioned to two Fixers.

Don't expect to get away with paying for just one Fixer.

"Chinese food is here."

Su Xiao walked over with the prepared breakfast.

He placed the Luosifen V had ordered and the Hot Dry Noodles Jack had ordered in front of them respectively.

Only then did he sit down and take a sip of the beef noodle soup.

One sip of soup.

Refreshing.

"What's the job?"

Early in the morning, Jack received a call from the Priest.

Then he quickly called the two of them.

The Chinese food Su Xiao made last time had suited their tastes perfectly.

They had strongly requested another meal.

The three of them were now sitting at a table in the Wolf Bar, eating and chatting.

Jack swallowed the fragrant noodles. "Remember the roadside gunfight you saw on the overpass in Santo Domingo when you first came to Night City?"

Su Xiao nodded.

He wasn't so forgetful that he couldn't remember something that had happened so recently.

"The employer for this job was in the Godtler Sedan that was attacked by the Animal Gang. His request was simple: eliminate the leader of the Animal Gang members who were attacking him."

"The Animal Gangs in the city operate independently; they aren't unified. We'll only be dealing with one of their crews."

"We aren't the only ones on this contract. There's another mercenary team active in Santo Domingo, and their target is the same as ours."

Su Xiao curiously asked, "Did the Priest hire them too?"

Jack shook his head.

"No, the employer found a Fixer in Santo Domingo in addition to the Priest. This is uncommon; usually, they'd only find one Fixer, but it's not entirely unheard of."

"Don't worry, I've got your back."

Jack patted his chest, looking very reliable.

"Thanks, but I can take care of myself."

Chapter 28: Whether to forgive them is God's business, I'm only responsible for sending them to see God.

After breakfast, the three got into the car.

A few dozen minutes later, Su Xiao drove the car to a long-abandoned construction site in Santo Domingo.

"Keep driving inside, they're in there."

He drove the car deep into the construction site.

Sure enough, a pink sedan was parked inside.

Four mercenaries of varying heights were either sitting or standing.

Seeing a car approaching, their gazes all shifted to Su Xiao and the others.

Su Xiao and his two companions got out of the car and walked towards them.

"You guys are Faraday the Fixer's people, right?"

The burly leader nodded. "Then you must be the Priest's people."

"Let me introduce myself, I'm Mann," the big guy pointed to himself.

"Dorio."

The woman, as burly as a man but actually the leader, gave a thumbs-up.

"Rebecca."

The twin-tailed loli, whom Su Xiao had met once before on the Santo Domingo overpass, waved with a smile.

"Sasha."

The cat-girl with a fluffy hairstyle, who was just missing a pair of upright ears, gave a faint smile.

Su Xiao and his companions then introduced themselves.

Mann wasn't one for unnecessary chatter.

"You all look capable. I hope you won't let us down when the time comes."

"Alright, let's go over the plan first."

Mann nodded to the cat-girl. "Sasha."

She took out a laptop and placed it on the hood of the pink sedan, then beckoned everyone over.

They gathered around the laptop.

After a few taps from her, a photo of a muscular man appeared on the screen.

The man in the photo was even bigger than Mann.

"This guy is the leader of the Animal Gang crew we're going up against. The Animal Gang always respects strength; whoever has the bigger fist is in charge."

"They favor using potent testosterone and animal enhancers (like Horse Growth Hormone) to make themselves stronger."

The Animal Gang has unique tattoos and headbands, exuding a natural beastliness.

Their appearance differs from ordinary people (e.g., spotted or striped skin). Advanced cosmetic surgery and cybernetic enhancements also affect their looks (like beast-like jaws).

This is the opposite of the Vortex Gang, who are keen on modifications.

The Animal Gang is obsessed with the untamed aspects of human nature and has an almost dangerous attachment to their identity.

They are fierce and tough, pursuing the most savage and primal side of humanity.

They aim to break the boundary between human and beast, becoming a new subspecies (Orcs?).

To this end, the Animal Gang constantly undergoes brutal and violent skill training and often engages in battles with dangerous opponents who use enhancement components.

Yet, despite being such an aggressive gang, they don't have a fixed territory.

The Watson District is the Vortex Gang's territory.

Japantown and Kabuki District are the sphere of influence of the Tiger Claws Gang.

The Valentino Gang is in Heywood.

The Sixth Street Gang is in Santo Domingo.

Only the Animal Gang is everywhere.

This is because they are not a centralized gang, but are scattered into small groups, led by independent "leaders."

Now, what Su Xiao and the others are going to deal with is one of the many groups within the Animal Gang.

Mann crossed his arms and explained, "We've already investigated. Every so often, he goes to a black market in the Pacifica scenic area to buy Enhancers."

V raised his hand and asked, "Wait, he's already a leader, and he still has to go buy them himself?"

"Because he doesn't trust anyone else with it, fearing they'll buy defective products. This isn't an appliance; if you buy a used appliance, at most you'll just lose some money. Enhancers are injected into the body; if they're defective, you might ruin your body."

"The apartment building where this group of Animal Gang members is hiding houses quite a few civilians. If we raid their stronghold directly, it's hard to guarantee we won't be discovered. They have a large number of people, and if it turns into a protracted war, it will be disadvantageous for us."

"Therefore, it's most suitable for us to ambush them at the black market while the Animal Gang leader is out buying medicine."

"The black market is in an underground parking lot. I've already scouted it in advance. There are only two entrances and exits in total. You'll be responsible for one, and we'll be responsible for the other."

"When the Animal Gang leader goes in, no matter which entrance or exit he uses, don't alert him first. Let him go in, and immediately notify the person guarding the other entrance or exit. Once everyone is in position, we'll surround him."

The plan sounded very reliable.

Su Xiao and the others had no objections.

Since there were no questions, there was no time to delay. Everyone got into the car and headed towards Pacifica.

If you don't pay close attention, Pacifica is almost no different from the blueprint conceived back then.