Dogtown was a small place, nowhere near self-sufficient in electricity. Kurt Hansen had always bought power from Jiang Ping, but with her downfall, all previous contracts naturally went up in smoke.
V quickly pieced together the situation and understood what the boss of Dogtown wanted.
"Fine. Easy. I'll introduce you to President Xu later—talk to him yourselves."
"Much obliged. I'll have her delivered to you tomorrow." Hansen hesitated, then added, "Actually, there's one more thing I want to ask of you."
"Go on."
"I hope you can put in a good word for me with President Xu."
V shook her head lightly.
"You don't need to worry. Kang Tao can't exactly haul electricity back to Shenyang in sacks. They'll have to sell it to someone."
"But not necessarily to me." Hansen's tone was earnest. "My deals with Jiang Ping were under the table. If the new president wants to avoid suspicion, he might refuse to work with me at all. I've dealt with Chinese officials before—I know how taboo that kind of thing is. I need absolute certainty."
"So Dogtown really is that short on power."
Hansen let out a self-deprecating laugh.
"Not just power. Dogtown's short on everything."
"You too?"
"Of course not. Electricity, water, money, women—I'm not short on anything. My boys are."
"You're not giving them some?"
"Can't. I became Dogtown's boss to live large. If I give away my own goods to feed them, I'm the sucker."
"You could just not care about them."
"Can't do that. I stand in Dogtown because my boys are willing to fight and die for me. If they can't even get fed, they'll all run. If you want a horse to run, you gotta feed it. I get that."
V nodded.
"You really do speak plainly."
"Honesty builds trust. Before someone like you, I can't hide anything—and don't need to." Hansen leaned forward. "So… about my request—"
Hansen was a classic warlord—absolutely not a good person, but refreshingly straightforward in his villainy.
V thought for a moment.
"That'll cost extra."
Hansen's eyes lit up instantly.
"Ten percent of Dogtown's annual profit. Yours."
V shook her head.
He gritted his teeth.
"Twenty."
V still shook her head.
Hansen began acting pitiful.
"Dogtown's tiny—twenty percent is already a lot."
V shook her head a third time.
"I know you have connections with every major faction and turned Dogtown into a smuggler's haven. But like you said—Dogtown is small. Whether it's ten percent or twenty doesn't matter much to me."
"Then what do you want?" Hansen asked.
V's gaze sharpened.
"I want Dogtown."
Hansen smiled—but it was cold, turning him from wagging mutt to snarling hellhound.
"Your appetite's big. If you think you can swallow it… come try."
"Don't get worked up. Hear me out." V said calmly.
"I want Dogtown—but not the land. You stay the boss. I just want Dogtown's market."
"That's still wanting Dogtown. Without the market, Dogtown's worth shit."
"Even with a market, Dogtown is still worth shit."
Hansen froze, a little insulted.
"Then why do you want it?"
"Markets rely on credibility, not structure. Smuggling even more so. You've run things cleanly for years, and everyone knows it. I could build a market myself, but credibility takes time. So I'd rather take yours—ready-made."
Hansen puffed up with pride.
"Damn right. To guarantee delivery, I've got connections on land and water. If both routes fail, I send aircraft. Every airdrop, my Hellhound squads personally escort it. In all these years, not a single shipment ever went missing—hundred percent safety for every client!"
V's expression turned a little strange.
She'd robbed plenty of Hansen's airdrops back in the day.
That "never lost a shipment" statistic might be… inaccurate.
Hansen didn't know what V was thinking, but he understood what she meant.
She didn't want Dogtown—she wanted the brand of Dogtown for her own operations.
He felt… pleased.
Yes—pleased.
Dogtown's fame sounded impressive, but only to ordinary people.
To big players, Dogtown was a toilet—useful when needed, disgusting when not.
If V borrowed Dogtown's brand, she wouldn't let it break.
And she was Arasaka's top authority in Night City.
If she was borrowing Dogtown's name, then Dogtown was borrowing hers too.
Huge profit.
Hansen knew V was using him.
But being used by V was a blessing—most people didn't get that privilege.
Reason told him to accept immediately.
Emotion told him to bargain.
Emotion won.
"What do I get out of this?"
V smiled and countered,
"So you're agreeing?"
Hansen nodded.
"But what's my benefit?"
"Don't rush. I need others in the loop. Come with me."
V led Hansen to a new room and sent a few messages. Soon, Meredith Stout, Joanne Koch, and Xu Zhong all arrived.
"Introducing Colonel Kurt Hansen, boss of Dogtown."
Joanne and Xu Zhong greeted him normally.
Meredith made snide remarks, but didn't attack.
Militech wanted Hansen dead, but this was V's party—no way she'd sabotage her friend's event over work.
Work was for work hours; this was off-the-clock.
Truth be told, Hansen had no idea why V brought him here.
In fact—V didn't need him for anything at the moment.
She simply addressed the others.
"The Corporate Alliance can handle official disputes. But the real trades—the dirty ones—we can't and shouldn't do publicly. So I'm thinking of building our own underground market. We just seized the Seaview District—it's in Pacifica, basically a no-man's land with easy land and sea routes. Perfect spot. Thoughts?"
Joanne shrugged.
"Fine by me."
Xu Zhong was even more straightforward.
"I'm inexperienced. If Sis V says it'll work, I'm in."
Now that he was a "little president," V couldn't treat him like before.
"Business is business. Speak freely."
"I really have no opinion. I was in the army. Don't know commerce. Grandpa told me to listen to you and learn through practice."
"Your grandpa actually knows who I am?" V was surprised.
"Yeah. Didn't I say he asked me to thank you?"
"I thought you made that up."
Xu Zhong shuddered.
"Who would dare make things up about him?"
So Xu had no objections.
V turned to Stout.
"Stout, you?"
"Sure," Stout said immediately.
V blinked.
"Really? I thought you wanted to use the Seaview District as a beachhead to take down Colonel Hansen."
Hansen's eyelid twitched.
"Taking him down earns me merit. Merit means promotions and cash. But if we build our own black market, we skip straight to the money. Why take the long way?"
Everyone found that surprisingly reasonable.
Hansen found it downright relatable.
That's an American soldier—selling anything for cash.
Unlike NUSA's modern troops—walking posters for Rosalind Myers' brainwashing.
"Alright. If no one objects, it's settled. The Seaview District will be jointly developed by the Corporate Alliance as an open new market."
V concluded.
"Given the district's special nature and geography, I propose we let Colonel Hansen manage it."
The Dogtown boss froze.
Me?
Meredith spoke first.
"Fine. The Hellhounds have reliable combat capability. People will feel safe."
Joanne added,
"In that case, we'll need to shift Dogtown and Seaview's administrative boundaries."
V nodded.
"I'll talk to the Night Corp people tomorrow. Have City Hall issue a plan—Seaview will be under Dogtown jurisdiction. Official reason: Night City and Dogtown are co-developing a new special economic zone."
Xu Zhong asked,
"What can I do?"
"Plenty." V replied.
"Dogtown needs power. Seaview will too. That's Kang Tao's department. Don't worry—Dogtown will pay on time. No handouts."
"Alright. Electricity's gotta go somewhere anyway. I'll have our engineers add more solar arrays at the plant to meet growing demand. As for Dogtown's prices—Jiang Ping's rate was way too low. From now on, it'll follow Night City's standard rates, but without limits."
"Good. You're learning fast, little chief." V praised him, then told Stout and Joanne:
"Spread the word privately. Tell your companies to prepare. Dogtown lacks everything, but that means plenty of valuable goods too. It's a chance for profit. Big bosses like us shouldn't meddle—let your subordinates have their share. Our real profit is still in Seaview's reconstruction. Same rule as always—70/30 split. And this time, include Colonel Hansen. We all make money together."
Seeing no one objected, V finally turned back to the stunned Hansen.
"Alright. Now—your benefit. What do you want?"
What do I want?
Seaview was somehow mine already—what else dare I ask for?!
Hansen rubbed his bald head awkwardly.
"Maybe… I shouldn't take a cut. Doesn't feel right."
"Take it. You've got a lot of men. Don't feed them scraps—give them something real."
The Dogtown boss scratched his head again.
"Alright. You're generous—I thank you on their behalf."
"Do your job well and the corpos won't mistreat you." V said seriously.
"Dogtown is your business; I don't care what you do there. But Seaview is the Alliance's project—we'll be on the news. Tell your boys: anyone causing trouble there… I won't show mercy to the Hellhounds."
Hansen nodded hard.
"If something happens, you won't need to act—I'll cut the bastard's head off myself."
"That's the Dogtown boss I know."
V slapped his shoulder.
"Come on. Drinks."
Everyone got drunk that night.
Especially Hansen—his men had to carry him out.
He had ability, courage, and in NUSA's abandonment he adapted quickly, seized Dogtown, and held it with a mix of brutality and discipline.
V appreciated him.
If not for Songbird, she wouldn't have…
Never mind. No point in old memories.
The next day, V described the Seaview reconstruction plan to the Corporate Alliance, and everyone approved instantly.
They didn't know why Militech gave up the district, but sharing the pie was better than letting one person eat it alone.
As for Hansen—he wasn't part of the circle, but once or twice didn't matter. A local warlord needed to be appeased. No one cared about the crumbs.
What mattered was the implication—if V brought Hansen in, did Dogtown just align with Arasaka? If so, Arasaka's power in Night City needed recalculating.
But before they could think further, V unveiled project after project.
Building three schools in Heywood.
Constructing a pollution-recycling center in Watson Industrial.
Opening a comprehensive cyberware service station in Japantown.
Erecting a new locust farm and two synth-meat production lines in the Badlands.
If not for the consistent 70/30 split, they might have thought V had turned into a saint.
Her moves were shady, but there were too many of them.
Three incomplete schools—but better than none.
A recycling center working only three days a week—but pollution had begun decreasing.
A cyberware clinic that wasn't as cheap as advertised—but reliable, saving the poor from scavenging junkyard implants.
The locust farm and synth-meat lines even lowered Tom's Diner's soy-meat sandwich by €$0.2—the first price drop in Night City in thirty years. Night Corp made twelve episodes praising it.
People's lives genuinely improved.
Public opinion loved V—someone even suggested she should run for mayor.
V nearly choked when she saw it.
"These ungrateful bastards—I help them and they curse me?!"
As Arasaka's top authority in NC, she would never stoop to being a "little mayor."
Xu Zhong laughed.
"Isn't this good? Back home we call that 'the will of the people.'"
"This is Night City." V sighed.
"And why are you following me around every day? Don't you have work?"
"I'm learning from you." Xu pulled out a notebook.
"I've recorded everything you did these days. Getting all the companies to pay up while improving people's lives—that's not something textbooks can teach!"
V snorted.
"Learn what? I only do it because otherwise nothing gets done. You're Kang Tao's crown prince. When you speak, who would dare say no? You don't need these tricks."
"People tolerate me because of my identity—but that won't last forever. If I spend company money on the people every time, both other corps and my own would be furious."
"Why spend money on the people?"
"To improve lives."
"Why improve lives?"
"Do you need a reason?" Xu asked, baffled. "It makes people happy, and it's not hard."
V groaned.
"Change your name to 'Xu the Saint.'"
"Why?"
"Because you are a damn saint," V said through gritted teeth.
"If you weren't Kang Tao's crown prince, you wouldn't survive the first episode in Night City."
"No way." Xu flexed.
"I'm super good in a fight. Regular people can't kill me."
V covered her face.
"That's a death flag. Congratulations—you now live only in the ending montage."
Xu Zhong: "???"
Unable to endure the kid's innocence, V grabbed her coat and headed out.
"Where are you going, Sis V?"
"Santo Domingo, Rancho Coronado. The H4 megabuilding. Koch's over there saving lives. I'm going to back her up."
"That infectious disease case?"
"Yeah."
"I'm coming. I'll drive."
V reluctantly handed him the Rayfield Caliburn keychip.
"No speeding. No drifting."
The Xu family was strict; as Xu Shiming's grandson he didn't get much pocket money.
Unable to afford a supercar, he practically became V's personal chauffeur as soon as he learned she owned a Rayfield.
They drove from Corpo Plaza to Santo Domingo.
Xu drove fast, happy like the nineteen-year-old he was.
V planned to tell him to slow down…
but swallowed the words.
Fine.
Consider it a reward for his hard work.
She didn't even notice the smile creeping onto her lips.
The more she spent time with Xu Zhong, the more she appreciated him—not just for his ability, but for a quality most people in this world lacked.
He was smart but not arrogant, brave but not reckless.
High-born but polite, measured, and humble.
Eager to learn where ignorant, determined where resolved.
He influenced people silently—like a contagious warmth—and made them open their hearts to him.
Stout treated him like a brother.
Koch treated him like a younger sibling.
But Xu clung most to V.
She didn't understand why.
Koch said V didn't need to do anything—just influence Xu naturally.
But V didn't think she'd done anything good.
Her construction spree wasn't charity—it was preparation.
Arasaka's upper ranks would eventually choose a new leader.
Whether Michiko returned or not, V—a foreigner—wouldn't stay on top forever.
Even with Johnny-Saburo's plan, there were risks.
If it failed, she needed Plan B.
So she launched project after project to funnel money into her own pockets in legitimate ways—creating options for her future.
Letting Hansen build a market in Seaview was part of it.
So was building across the city.
What could Xu possibly learn from her? Fraud? Manipulation?
If anything, V felt she should learn from him.
At least his kindness was genuine.
One day, if she healed herself and left Arasaka, maybe she'd go work for him in Kang Tao.
The kid would never screw her—and he was easy to trick.
Lost in thought, the Caliburn suddenly braked hard.
"Sis V—lot of people ahead. Road's blocked."
Ahead stood Megabuilding H4, surrounded by crowds, blocking the street.
V spotted a familiar face.
"Gloria? Not working today?"
"Oh—Miss V!"
David's mother ran over, full of energy—her body long since fully healed.
"I'm off today, so I came to see if the building's reopened."
"You live here?"
"Yes! David and I have lived in H4 over ten years. When the outbreak hit, they sealed the building. If not for your scholarship program giving David income, we would've been out here on the street like everyone else."
V nodded. It was true—H4 had suffered an outbreak. In 2077 it was still sealed; she'd found a black BD in a trash bin nearby.
"Where are you staying now?"
"At Lucy's place, in Japantown." Gloria waved.
"Hey! Lucy! Over here!"
V turned—and saw Lucy dressed not in her usual bold, skintight style, but in a plain, even slightly dowdy home outfit—like a shy girl-next-door.
Seeing V, Lucy clicked her tongue in irritation.
Lucy hated Arasaka, but her annoyance made V happy.
"Well, well. Lucy, taking your mother-in-law shopping? What a dutiful daughter-in-law."
The girl's face flushed instantly.
"Urusai!! (Shut up!!)"
Perfect.
Japanese bloodline wins again today.