Chapter 377 - 349: The Past of the Six Street Gang

They walked into the event venue, with most of the people around discussing the gunshot incident at the Dewdrop Inn.

Everyone had heard the explosion, loud enough to make people think something like the Watson District explosion had happened in Saint Domingo, creating widespread panic.

There were also some bizarre things happening.

"Thanks for your boyfriend’s contribution to the United States’ unity. He died bravely in the terrorist attack on Martin Luther King Street.

According to our investigation, you’re this boy’s last living relative... Tsk, based on his rank, the compensation is 500 euros in total.

Have you received it? Huh?"

V saw a Six Street Gang member distributing "death compensation" on the side of the street. It seemed a lot of Six Street Gang guys were indeed taken out in the Dewdrop Inn incident.

But there’s actual compensation?

The Six Street Gang soldier looked quite impatient, for a simple reason: a man was standing next to this "widow."

The woman seemed to be struck by lightning when she heard the news and immediately turned and sobbed into the man’s chest, without answering the Six Street Gang’s questions.

The soldier instantly shouted, "Are you deaf?! I asked you if you’ve received it! You motherfucking bitch!"

The man and woman were startled by the roar, and the woman’s tears sucked back into her tear ducts:

A special skill of cyborgs, as cheap prosthetics on their face might cause tear duct vacuum under shock.

"I heard it!" The woman wiped her tears, "I will live well with this money, but for how long can 500 euros last?"

How long can 500 last? That’s a good question.

In Night City’s prices, buying a human life is more than enough, but for mere living, it won’t last long.

Amazingly, the man also showed genuine sorrow on his face. He gritted his teeth and patted the woman’s head, "Dear, it’s okay. I’ll join the Six Street Gang to support you."

"But you can’t even hold a gun tight..."

"That can be learned—I’m joining the Six Street Gang!"

The man suddenly stood tall and looked at the soldier, who was stunned. He had just been thinking about whether to beat up this couple after distributing the compensation.

But now the man was one of their own.

So he laughed meaningfully, patted the man on the shoulder, and shoved a broken old gun into his hand—who knew if it could still fire:

"Hahaha... Interesting, here, take this gun. When you kill a small thief, you can report to the recruitment office."

The man grasped the gun, and said firmly to the woman in his arms, "Don’t worry, I will work hard for our family."

The two kissed passionately, with sunlight shining on them—though after passing through the black smoke, the light seemed somewhat illusory.

"What a soap opera..." The plot left V stunned, "I initially thought that man was her dad."

"Too messy, too messy, this wouldn’t happen in Haywood." Jack shook his head, "The American spirit has even started sharing wives."

They walked into a small bungalow, with the sergeant sitting inside—waiting to appear at the right moment.

"Two of you... Where’s the third one?"

"The event hasn’t started yet, some stuff needs preparation—are you really giving out compensation?"

"Of course." The sergeant snorted, then lit himself a cigarette, "Isn’t it only right to give compensation for fallen soldiers? We, the Six Street Gang, are a legitimate military organization."

"Indeed, looks pretty legit, very popular, there’s already a woman who switched to a new husband while collecting the compensation outside, and her new husband just joined you."

The sergeant froze for a moment, then shook his head, "Not my fucking problem, as long as he contributes to the Six Street Gang."

V said nothing about it, shrugged, and sat on the sofa opposite the sergeant.

"Why don’t you guys pick a better place for the event?"

"What’s wrong with this place? This place is fine." The sergeant said, taking a deep drag from his cigarette, "Though it’s indeed not as good as the Scenic Area, but Valentino took that place, so what could we do?"

The Scenic Area is now a complex zone, where Valentino operates, NCPD is also present, and the Six Street Gang occasionally goes there, but the Six Street Gang doesn’t have much industry there.

It’s mostly busybodies and street punks causing trouble there.

But a long time ago, it was also a starting point for the Six Street Gang.

After he finished speaking, he glanced at Jack, who had something to say: "Alright, I know what you want to say, you’re young. You don’t know what it was like back then."

V showed an interested expression, "Why don’t you tell us?"

"Tell you? I’ll tell you, the people of the Scenic Area owe a big favor to the Six Street Gang! If it weren’t for me bringing people to control the order there, it would still be a lawless place now!

After things stabilized, Valentino and NCPD teamed up to kick us out. It’s fucking corrupt."

Jack felt a bit disgruntled.

Valentino is a gang primarily linked by blood relations, which means that even though he’s no longer a part of Valentino, he still reacts to these statements.

It contradicted what he knew.

"If you were really that good, then why did you get kicked out? I know the local residents jointly reported you to NCPD."

"Haha." The sergeant sneered, "You actually believe that crap? At the end of the day, it was because of money—look at this gun."

He took out a smart assault rifle from the box behind him, now painted in American style.

"Look, it’s Noc’s advanced prototype ’Divide and Conquer,’ the smart chip can lock onto up to 5 enemies, and the bullets cause some... chemical corrosion when they hit the body. Cool, huh?

I plan to use it as the final prize for the shooting competition this time."

V and Jack were puzzled: locking onto 5 enemies was impressive?

Their "AI lock system" could lock onto more than five enemies at a time?

The air froze for a moment, V nodded, "Hmm... Impressive."

The sergeant also noticed a hint of disdain in V’s tone... It must have been his illusion.

So he continued, "Although our business is facing difficulties, it’s still not hard to find a few boxes of these excellent weapons in the warehouse.

But back when we started, we didn’t have these toys. Out there, people say the Six Street Gang are Military Technology’s lapdogs...

Come on, I started with just a goddamn old revolver!

Why didn’t Military Technology support those idiots? Because they didn’t want it? It’s the reputation I built, which made Military Technology come knocking on my door!"

The sergeant finished speaking and recalled the days of making a name for themselves.

Back then, the earliest Six Street Gang wore armor stitched from scavenged leather and used guns from the junkyard.

In the Scenic Area, Saint Domingo... every day there were murders, robberies, and theft. For ordinary people to live longer, the only method was to hide at home and do nothing.

Then they could just starve to death.

"So how did you get kicked out?" V curiously asked.

The sergeant laughed self-deprecatingly, "Simple, no money—once the streets were calm, everyone had to come out to make money.

Valentino had more money, more connections, and more men than us. They ran casinos, sold top-tier drugs, got money, and had fun.

Once they had money, they bribed some cops at NCPD, and NCPD helped them clean us out.

Back then, the Six Street Gang, and I, didn’t have any major company’s backing.

It was only after that I realized I needed money, lots of money—no money means no guns, and no guns...

Hehe, see the slogan? The American dream, the American dream needs money."

"Then... you started doing business with Military Technology?"

The sergeant nodded frankly, "Right, no one’s in charge of security in these areas, so I took charge. But that costs money, it needs gear. People can’t defend their lives with bare fists.

Because robbers and murderers all have guns.

American dreams provide me with goods, let me make money, so I can do whatever I want, so I believe in the American dream."

The room fell silent for a while, and V opened a can of beer from the table. "Sounds nice, selling high-priced vaccines is also part of your plan?"

"Yeah." The sergeant also opened a beer, "I won’t feed you the bullshit, but the fact is: I desperately need money.

The people here need vaccines, so I looked for vaccines. As for the price... that’s out of my control, I didn’t make them.

If I can’t even keep myself alive while being poor, what self-sacrifice am I talking about..."

The sergeant grinned after speaking, looking at Jack, who appeared to be lost in thought: "Big guy, you look like a Valentino. If you were in a gang, you might already be their boss by now.

But you’re not suited for gangs, really, I can tell—so back to business, you two..."

"Actually three," V pointed to his head, "another one is here too."

"Alright, three then..."

"Oh, and we brought in a bunch of good mercenaries, you’ll have to pay them, standard rates will do."

The sergeant withdrew his hand from the toast, annoyed, "You... anyone else? So it’s... how many?"

"Three, I guess." V shook his head, "They’re already drinking outside."

The sergeant internally cursed: who the hell did you inherit this habit of ruining the conversation’s mood from?!

Calming himself, he organized his words.

"Alright... so still three. This time, it’s all up to you. You’re the most professional, the best in Night City.

The Six Street Gang’s, and especially my, life, depends on you."

Jack also opened a bottle of beer, raising it while still in thought.

V nudged him, and he received a message from Lille.

[Lille: A confident smile helps increase the employer’s trust in mercenaries. Employers don’t want to hire a young lad full of problems.]

So Jack put down his thoughts and showed a professional smile.

"Haha, do you even have to say? Professional mercenary, mission accomplished."