22: Chapter 22 Family Affairs
The rain that had been falling for days finally stopped, and Lin Yi took the opportunity to rest for a few days to recover. Night City had been washed with a layer of hypocritical freshness, and the mixed scent of rust and garbage in the air had faded slightly, but Lin Yi knew in his heart—the filth of this city had long since seeped into its bones; it wasn't something a single rain could wash away.
The matter of the Scavengers, after the catharsis of that night, had settled down. It hadn't dissipated; it had settled into something colder and heavier. He had no regrets, nor was he pretentious enough to ponder, "Have I also become a monster?"—every one of those scumbags deserved to die. The real change was in his perception: morality was an unaffordable luxury here, and power was the only hard currency in circulation. And "Bai Ze" was the sharpest blade in his hand.
He was sitting in his apartment studio, using Bai Ze to deconstruct some data shards dug from the edge of the Old Net—they could be valuable intelligence, or just a pile of trash encrypted by someone with a twisted sense of humor—when his communicator rang. It was Jackie.
"Hey, brother! Where are you holed up?" Jackie's voice was as robust as ever, as if unilaterally declaring that no gloom was allowed to exist.
"Apartment. What's up?"
"Get to Heywood right away! Father Sebastian has some 'family business,' and he specifically asked for us!" Jackie's tone was full of excitement. "It's a good thing! We can plant our feet more firmly in the district!"
Lin Yi closed the data stream. Sebastian Ibarra—the most influential fixer in Heywood, the spiritual pillar of the Valentinos. The Father's commissions were never just about payment; they were about favors, reputation, and whether one could gain a foothold in this district. For Lin Yi, who currently needed a foundation and allies, this call came at the perfect time.
"Be there soon."
Driving his galena through the city, plunging from the cold refinement of Charter Hill into the chaotic yet warm streets of Heywood, Lin Yi felt an indescribable sense of relaxation. There was no suffocating pressure from corporate towers here; instead, there was graffiti, Latin music leaking from street-corner speakers, and the unmasked expressions on the faces of passersby—kindness and malice were written plainly, which was strangely reassuring.
Jackie was waiting for him at the entrance of El Coyote Cojo, with a few young men wearing the Valentinos' signature jackets standing beside him. They were respectful to Jackie, while their gazes toward Lin Yi were mixed with curiosity and a bit of appraisal.
"Brother, you finally made it!" Jackie greeted him with a hug that felt like it could crush his ribs, then lowered his voice, "The Father's matter this time is a bit sensitive. It's a small internal conflict in the family that needs a trusted outsider to handle it cleanly and efficiently."
The two walked through the noisy crowd to a quiet booth in the back of the bar. The Father was already sitting there. Wearing a simple, old coat, his eyes calm and wise, he didn't look like a fixer, but rather like an old priest who had just stepped out of a confessional.
"Jackie. Mr. Lin." He nodded slightly, gesturing for them to sit. "Thank you for making the trip."
"Father, you're too kind. Heywood's business is our business." Jackie patted his chest.
The Father smiled, a trace of exhaustion hidden beneath the smile. "It's a young person's matter. There's a young man named Miguel; he's quite capable, but he's been a bit restless lately. He's been getting too close to the Tyger Claws and may have leaked things he shouldn't have. I need to know just how far he's gone with the Tyger Claws—if it's just minor trouble, a warning will suffice. But if he has truly crossed that line..." He didn't continue, his eyes having already finished the sentence for him.
Lin Yi understood instantly. This wasn't a simple investigation or a gang war; it was a matter of internal family discipline. It required an outsider to act—to enforce family law while avoiding the awkwardness of direct conflict between gang members. The Father handing this task to them was both a sign of trust and a test.
"What should we do?" Lin Yi asked directly.
The Father glanced at him, his gaze filled with approval. "Miguel will be meeting with a Tyger Claws fixer at the Totentanz club tonight. I want evidence of what they are trading. If it's just skirting the line, a warning will do. If not..." He paused for half a beat, "God will forgive his sins."
The subtext: Your mission is to send him to meet God.
"Don't worry, Father." Jackie nodded solemnly. "We'll handle it."
Walking out of El Coyote Cojo, the night wind rushed over, carrying the smell of smoke from a street-corner barbecue stand. Jackie was already impatient, pounding his palm: "¡Maldición! Finally, some real family business! Let those brats see who's really in charge of Heywood!"
Lin Yi was calmer than him. His consciousness sank, and [Insight] activated silently, beginning to scrape information from public databases and street intelligence nodes.
[Totentanz Club—Maelstrom territory. Security Level: Medium. Main entrances/exits: Front door, back door (usually locked at night), kitchen exhaust vents (narrow but passable).]
[Target Fixer: Codename "Viper." Behavioral characteristics: Suspicious, cautious, does not leave bodyguard line-of-sight unless necessary. Typical number of accompanying bodyguards: 2.]
"The club is on Tyger Claws turf; we can't just storm in." Lin Yi pulled up the analysis results. "Either we infiltrate, or we wait for them to finish the transaction and intercept them when they come out."
"Infiltration is too much trouble!" Jackie preferred directness. "Once they come out, I'll just stand in front of him, and I guarantee that kid Miguel will wet his pants on the spot and spill everything!"
Lin Yi didn't argue. When it came to street matters, Jackie's experience was more seasoned than his. He just needed to provide the information support and cover.
"Fine. I'll hack into the surveillance around the club first and figure out their entry/exit times and manpower."
"No problem! You handle the ones with eyes, and I'll handle the ones without!" Jackie grinned, that smile looking particularly expectant under the neon lights.
For Lin Yi, this wasn't just a commission. It was a crucial step toward integrating into Heywood—gaining the Father's approval and the friendship of the Valentinos. While the shadow of Kang Tao still hung over his head, these street roots and the web of human favors might be the most important protection for the future. And [Insight] would once again help him walk more steadily through these familiar alleys.