[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer":3,"chapter-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-164":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Cyberpunk: Cross-dimensional Science and Engineering",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1151655,1495,"Chapter 164 - 148: The Wanderer Beset by Internal and External Troubles","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-164",164,"\u003Cp>\"So Hector didn’t kill the old bastard...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric, having returned to the Tribe, appeared somewhat dull, seemingly a side effect of curing cyberpsychosis.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His Prosthetics had been completely replaced with basic functional Prosthetics, no longer capable of combat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you disappointed?\" Navi sat beside him, debriefing him on recent events.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No...\" Cedric shook his head, \"If it were me, I would have definitely killed that guy, but I know that old Hector would never do such a thing. The old Clan Leader chose him as his successor for this reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You don’t know what he was like before he took action; he would always think for a long time. In my opinion, he’s capable at what he does, but when it comes to killing...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You think he should be more ruthless?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No.\" Cedric shook his head again, looking rather disheartened, \"I now understand what the old Clan Leader meant.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Putting aside the story of what happened and what he went through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Killing a Zig Q, there will be another host to take his place, maybe even the next day Zig Q’s double would appear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The television station would only remember a Wanderer committing murder in public.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, everyone knows that the shot didn’t kill Zig Q and that red mercury has been experimented on, its blood containing toxins, and nobody dares to claim and treat such a virus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever Zig Q appears on television, whenever people see his processed face, they’ll recall the gunshot fired by Hector.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’ll remember what happened that night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zig Q’s career is ruined, not just as a person but also as a brand—this is an equal response to the humiliation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe one day, the Zig Q brand will be completely discarded. The disgraceful host, deprived of his spotlight, forced to drift in society, might then regret what he did today.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric looked at the people in the Tribe, his figure wrapped in reflective cloth—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’s now the only one with the same symptoms; all the others are dead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if a generation had been cut off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The plight of the unprotected Tribesmen became increasingly difficult, even the mass-produced, cheap dog food had to be soaked with beverages.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching family members only able to consume such food is always torturing within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric gazed at all this—he was the one who recklessly pursued Biotechnology, and he was the first one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now he’s the only one who survived, also the one who suffers the most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly remembered what the old Clan Leader had told him, and he said blankly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Navi, remember, we Wanderers are not psychopaths...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When you decide to kill someone, you should look into their eyes, see their eyes, and be sure they will definitely go to Hell after death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or maybe—you’ll go to Hell.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Navi was startled for a moment, then nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this time, Lille happened to walk out of the tent—he had just finished checking the supplies delivered by Regina.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mainly some food and drinks, and some standard civilian implant Prosthetics, not expensive and not as good as military Combat Prosthetics, but the stable kind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric’s words just happened to be heard by Lille, who nodded in agreement, \"Are you talking about Zig Q? Hector’s choice in this matter did us a huge favor. That shot at least cost our enemies several million euros.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric, I have something to ask you. I need to find a Wanderer Camp with complete Prosthetics doctor equipment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then you’ve come to the right person.\" Cedric stood up with the help of a crutch, \"Although you’re already a legend in Night City, if you want to deal with Wanderers, you need a ’big brother’ like me—I mean, a ’big brother’ among the Wanderers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Navi, you come too; the other Tribes haven’t seen the new Clan Leader yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Inside Adkaduo, there are many Tribes, each specializing in their own thing—but that was over a decade ago, and now it’s becoming increasingly blurry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for the why, it’s because someone started a bad precedent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A decade ago, the Clan Leader of Santiago disappeared, and all sorts of people began emerging from the clan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Corporations started to court these tribes with special abilities, and some people eagerly followed, completely forgetting all that the companies had done to us!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was from that time that many tribes were recruited, became divided, and gradually, we lost touch with each other, leading to what we have today...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alas, you’ve seen it for yourselves.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the vehicle, Lille nodded slightly; this was very close to the truth he had surmised:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dividing a large organization into several departments each specialized in a certain field is a method to enhance operational efficiency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It is also extremely adaptive to the way organizations operate in this society.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, specialization means strong coupling, and conversely, it leads to weak cohesion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wanderer, by nature, is a clan-based organization tied together through tribal kinship bonds, with some individuals possibly excelling in a certain skill, but overall, they still need to help each other with various issues and thus learn knowledge and abilities in other areas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Specialization facilitates efficiency in a certain field but turns the internal organization of the tribe into a group of small organizations with strong coupling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those with particularly outstanding abilities then start to ponder: why remain in this \"family\" held back by others when they can join another \"civilized society\" that offers better conditions and earn more money?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This kind of group hardly withstands the onslaught of the capitalist world—because for them, their distinctly superior specialized abilities can be exchanged for money, a unit of measure of power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then they find that a large portion of their earnings must be invested in the development and aid of other fields to facilitate the growth of the rest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wouldn’t be a bad thing—what’s bad is that after Santiago’s disappearance, it’s clear that the leaderless Adkaduo Clan has no one capable of exercising this power of distribution properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the power to distribute income is misused, there’s no wonder subordinates start to harbor other intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What was once an excellent concept became poison dispersing the large organization, as outsiders just needed to provide a little enticement to poach people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder in the game, every Wanderer is considering a cooperation with a corporation... With both carrot and stick, internal and external troubles are all there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille thought for a moment and asked, \"What is Hematite known for within Adkaduo?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hematite used to be a small group of miners who ran off to form their own organization; we can find water, explore for minerals, but if you want to roam the Evil Land, these skills are fundamental.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We taught this knowledge to other tribes, and then we started learning vehicle modification—that Mackinaw is not bad, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed, it’s not bad—haven’t you seen the news?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What news?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You might as well see for yourself later, I won’t spoil it for you—continue telling me about Adkaduo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where was I? Right, vehicle modification—but then again, this is also a skill necessary for a Wanderer, to understand one’s own vehicle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although vehicle modification is more of a survival skill, we still have to find some dangerous work to do now and then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overall, Hematite doesn’t really stand out in anything, but we possess all the skills necessary for a Wanderer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Logical—if the tribes with specialized skills were poached, then it’s only natural that what’s left would be the tribes without standout abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To protect themselves is feasible, but to live well is extremely difficult—clearly, the tribe they were about to meet was no different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So, the tribe we are going to find now is the Bright Family; their situation is quite similar to ours, though they are mainly engaged in smuggling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They’ve been in Night City for a while and life isn’t easy— I have some connections with their leader from the times we fought over oil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the way, their leader is named Sol Bright; he also considered cooperating with Biotechnology and even asked about our situation—alas, but we haven’t been in touch for a long time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cedric sighed, \"The contract with Biotechnology has this clause, so... it’s a real pain. We’re almost there; I’ll give them a heads-up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lille watched the white tents and RVs growing larger in the distance, thinking to himself: Sol Bright, the man in the game who would storm towers with V.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were prosthetic doctors in the Bright Family camp, perfect for borrowing equipment to do some repairs and check-ups on V and Jack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, Cedric said, \"...An intermediary wants to talk to you, Dakota Smith, a reliable old woman. Do you want to chat?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm... she says she’ll be here soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1453,"2026-06-03T12:33:12.909Z","2026-06-03T12:33:19.802Z",1,"novelbin.me","3d2b1b7c00a09bc95a2058caba4f8949aa46bf56e39f3bdb8ffe43e2d881a9ea","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-165","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-163",1068,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-cover.jpg"]