Chapter 201 - 183: The Past of Hematite

"It was 2029, cinnabar was active in Texas, and because there were many young people, Adkaduo was also at its peak at that time, and their activities were very aggressive."

Cedric, Hector, and Bowen, they were all part of the same cohort who participated in robbery activities."

"The Wolf Pack once invited them, but they all refused."

"Cedric was hot-tempered, Bowen devised the plans, both of them killed without mercy, Hector was very steady, he hardly ever targeted people for killing, focusing more on the mission goals."

"By the fire, Navi looked at the flames while recounting their story."

"Overall, Cedric was the strongest, killed the most people, and as he said, he quite enjoyed killing at that time."

"Bowen was the most cunning, he would only come out to handle the aftermath when the fight was almost over, Hector, on the other hand, always focused on the target, he wouldn’t kill anyone unnecessary."

"As the three of them got involved in bigger and bigger jobs, their prosthetics also became more advanced, eventually, they didn’t care for the junk prosthetics sold on the black market anymore."

"Bowen had gotten an Ice Cone Demon Puppet in Mexico City, the three of them set their sights on several company employees—but Hector felt they shouldn’t go through with that deal."

"So, on a dark and windy night, they robbed a company employee—it was said to be a tourist vehicle."

"The Ice Cone breached the poor sod’s prosthetic system, and Hector disagreed with the other two: he only wanted to collect some ransom as per the commission."

"Bowen incited Cedric to dismantle that guy’s prosthetics."

"It was that time that caught the company’s attention to these three young men, whose reputations were growing."

David, listening intently by the side."

"Cedric died while he was on the scene, it was his first encounter with such intense emotional turmoil."

"He was curious about the story of this Wanderer."

"With his new prosthetics, Cedric became increasingly fierce, once even single-handedly taking down more than thirty drug traffickers on Evil Land."

"People were talking, there was a one-eyed butcher at the border, killing purely for the sake of killing."

"But as long as I can remember, I had never heard Cedric mention this affair, not until a few days ago, he told me the truth:

"He got this name largely because of Bowen, who was consistently selling off those combat Super Dreams produced by the killings."

"This he found out later, Bowen, every time he went to the city not only to help him buy prosthetics, but also installed backdoors in them, and the money from the sale of Super Dreams went to... some pleasure establishments."

"But anyway, during this period, there were many conflicts between the company and Adkaduo, and the old Clan Leader unfortunately died."

"And in the last moment, he chose Hector as the Clan Leader—Cedric was very confused at the time, wondering why they didn’t choose him with a bigger reputation."

"So he wanted to pull off a big one—Bowen had found him this big gig, robbing a very valuable company convoy."

"It was said that the goods in that vehicle were worth three to four million euros, all brand new, rob once, live off it for a year."

"Such a lucrative job, why wouldn’t he take it? The energetic Cedric, supported by many in the Tribe who agreed with his leadership, almost split the Tribe to plan this attack himself."

"A typical Wanderer’s tale—it sounds like this."

David asked, "Did they succeed?"

Navi shook his head, "No, it was a trap, Bowen was caught by the company employees in the city, and willingly betrayed the Tribe."

"Remember the first company employee they robbed? This was their friend coming for revenge."

"All those Cedric brought with him died, he went insane, killed everyone, opened the convoy’s carriage, but inside was all trash."

"When he got back to the Tribe, Bowen ambushed him, razed the camp—if Hector hadn’t arrived with others in time, the rest would have all been sold to human traffickers."

Navi added a bit of fuel, then turned on the recorder on the table."

"This is the audio he left."

"Ssss... Back then, I was too young, I didn’t understand the old Clan Leader’s words, I was angry, I didn’t understand, why wasn’t it me?

"For the Tribe, I killed so many people, robbed so many convoys, every smuggler knew my name, drug traffickers would piss themselves hearing my name."

"I was addicted to that thrill, addicted to their trembling, addicted to the feeling of bullets entering an enemy’s brain, chest, and every other part."

"The old Clan Leader didn’t misjudge me, I was an idiot, and deep down, I was like that bastard Bowen."

"I despised Adkaduo’s tenet of not killing indiscriminately, just like Bowen despised our Tribe’s customs."

"Back then, I thought he and I would be brothers on the same path, since cinnabar didn’t recognize me, I would go out on my own."

"But Bowen was scum of scum, he thought further: right when we just split, he wanted to force himself on people in the Tribe."

"What did he say? All the money he was making, so what’s wrong with screwing a couple of whores?

"I hit him, I should have realized it back then, I... I should have seen it."

"Navi, to be honest, I always thought you were too honest a kid, always buried in those books until...

You might have forgotten, but it was back in Reno when you told me that this knowledge could help the Tribe find water—

It suddenly reminded me of the old Hector, and me? From the start to the end, Bowen and I were the same kind of people, complete idiots, scum of the earth.

Thinking a hard gun could solve all problems, if killing one wasn’t enough then kill two, if something wasn’t enough just rob it, but in reality, it was all just an excuse, I was just addicted to that feeling!

But what right do I have to say these things? I just hope... I just hope... fuck! I’m just comforting myself!

Damn it, damn it, damn it! I fucking lost it again, went crazy and killed people, and now I’m lying here like a piece of trash—

Click."

The playback ended.

The party, which had been joyous, fell silent, only the sound of the flames crackling remained.

Navi poked at the fire, then picked up a bottle of liquor from the table.

"Although he always said that, he never crossed the line like the Chaotic Blade Association did.

Of course, I’m not in a position to forgive him on behalf of the victims.

But as a tribesman, we are here to send him off on his final journey, whether it’s to Heaven or to Hell, the rest of the road is yours to walk alone."

The alcohol slowly poured onto the fire, causing the flames to burst forth fiercely.

The people, thoughtful and reflective, each raised their glasses and then drank down the bitter beer.

This isn’t just a problem for the Wanderers.

The stress-filled survival environment is like the ocean, and people are the drowning victims.

Struggling again and again to swing their arms just to break the surface and breathe a few breaths of fresh air.

People always indulge in the exhilaration of breaking the surface over and over, and in the long run, they seem to grab at anything within their reach just for those few breaths of air.

Violence is the easiest method to think of, but endless violence likely results in irreversible tragedies.

And once they try to solve problems by other means, they might end up played by companies like Hector did.

These issues are like balls of yarn, tangled together, lodged in people’s heads, blocking the path to their ideal lives.

An escape route seems like an unseen shore, making one wonder if such a thing even exists.

Jack put down his synthetic steak: "I want to go home."

Lille said, "Soon, by the day after tomorrow morning at the latest—you remember Mrs. Wales asking you not to get involved with gangs?"

"Yeah, I used to be just like that."

V jumped off the Mo Xi: "This story really is... full of ups and downs.

I’ve seen a lot of people who talk a good game but are actually deep in the grips of violence.

But you know, some who indulge in violence may not be the direct perpetrators."

Lille nodded in agreement: "True, but in Night City, most people personally partake in the process."

"Like us? You think we count as those people?"

"Of course not, uh... saying it like that feels a bit absolute, but as long as the Wanderers are doing well, we probably don’t count, right?"

V stole a glance at the thoughtful Lille.

For her, born on the streets, what other means of survival did she have besides violence?

But means other than violence do indeed have their attractions.

Her own skills are exactly because she didn’t want to become like those people, always working solo, but without the adventure in Atlanta, where could she have gotten?

V nudged Lille: "Anyway, I’m used to using violence, you’d better keep your direction in check or all the sins we make will be on your head."

"Alright, alright, I’m the external brain here, I’ll handle the thinking, you don’t worry about it."

"Hey? Where are you going?"

Lille waved his hand and walked towards the pile of scraps—

"Doing some external brain work."

[Unstable Energy about to burst]

[Countdown: 48 hours]