Night City, Dogtown, an illegal zone that Mayor Lucius had publicly criticized and which was never spoken of kindly in news reports, seemed to have become, years ago, everyone's idea of a slum, a hideout for wanted criminals, a hub for smugglers, a rat's nest for Scavengers, and a place illegally occupied by armed forces...
To describe it in one word, it was 'chaos'.
To describe it in a phrase, it was a 'lawless zone'.
However, in reality, only those who had visited Dogtown and lived there knew that the actual Dogtown was, in fact, even... safer than Night City?
It was indeed more chaotic and dirtier here.
Wraiths, Scavengers, Animals, Voodoo Boys, smugglers, corporate defectors, and wanted criminals all holed up here, but!
Precisely because the Wraiths militarily controlled Dogtown, their leader, Colonel Hansen, had turned this place into his personal domain. He was a very capable man, able to keep all the Wraiths in line, and at the same time, all the factions within Dogtown.
Here, if something happened, the Wraiths would respond immediately, apprehending criminals. They were genuinely maintaining Dogtown's public order and fighting crime.
And what about Night City's NCPD? Aside from City Center and Charter Hill, the NCPD you saw elsewhere were often just issuing tickets or cleaning up after a shootout had ended.
For example, Gloria's situation is the best proof: a person driving normally on the street almost got shot to death in a shootout. You wouldn't see such a thing in Dogtown, because there are no fanatics like the Tyger Claws or Maelstrom here.
The gangs in Dogtown and the gangs outside Dogtown are also two different matters.
This is because of the Wraiths.
The Wraiths organization possesses high individual combat capabilities and excellent firepower. Its core personnel are all former Militech and NUSA special operations soldiers.
From firepower to cyberware, they could completely overpower all conventional armed forces in Night City. This level of professionalism is just damn different.
Coupled with the Arvin Protocol, a ceasefire agreement, Colonel Hansen, despite betraying NUSA, meant NUSA could not deploy armed forces into Night City. This ceasefire agreement turned Dogtown into a place where corporations couldn't enter, the city government couldn't take over, and the NCPD dared not intervene.
Its main feature is being a borderland, a cybernetic Golden Triangle!
And at this moment, in a room in a civilian residential building in a corner of Dogtown, a girl with black, slightly frizzy, bubbly hair was tidying up by the bed, stuffing one important item after another into her suitcase. Her face was delicate, cute, and charming.
Her natural cat-like lips curled upward, and the cooling slots on her face resembled cat whiskers. Reaching for a large-sized figure with a Danger Girl print, featuring a small basketball, she looked at it, and a hint of hesitation flashed in her cat-like eyes.
"Still not bringing it... it's already too full." She muttered reluctantly, placing the large figure back on the bed.
This thing cost her over six thousand euros, and now... besides throwing it away, it had no other use.
If she had time, she could sell it on the second-hand market, because Danger Girl had a wide audience. Although they were an old idol group from decades ago, they were still active in Europe. Selling it at half price would surely attract many buyers.
But she didn't have time.
"Sasha, are you really leaving Dogtown?"
A voice sounded behind her. Sasha turned around and saw a woman wearing a gray hoodie.
Same black hair, same bubbly head, but the other's bubbly hair was close to her cheeks, a classic short, rounded hairstyle.
It was considerably shorter than Sasha's, and interestingly, her face also had cyberware slots, and... there was only one.
Sasha had two; she had one.
"Yes, I'm going." Sasha looked at her, smiled, and then said, "Don't worry, Sis, I've already investigated."
"Everyone is still alive. After invading Arasaka, I got information that they were apparently taken away by another team of agents and are now in the Badlands. And Rebecca has a marker I placed on her; when I get close, I'll be able to find them directly after I go over."
"..." Stella's mouth twitched. She looked at her sister and said, "Why would you put something like that on your teammates? Are you tracking them?"
"Hmm..." Sasha tapped her chin with her index finger, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She blinked and said, "It's a secret."
She wouldn't tell Stella that it was to prevent Jax and Rebecca from having private contact...
A cat is just protective of its food. What bad intentions could a cat have?
"I know you're very independent, you've been like that since you were little, and you're also more outstanding than me. But I still have to say, Sasha, staying here is the right thing to do. Dogtown is a safe place, as you've seen. Here, as long as you don't provoke the Wraiths, you don't have to worry about your safety at all.
This is a place for business, and to maintain this order, the Wraiths won't actively bully the people here, after all, a large number of their family members live here and are the main local residents. Besides, I really don't think you need to take this risk... Although I don't know why, after so many days, the NCPD's wanted poster was suddenly withdrawn, and their pursuit was hastily concluded, but this is too dangerous.
Arasaka certainly won't let you go, right? Stay with me, Sasha. Of course, I believe what you say; they are all very good people, but... you don't have to for your teammates..."
"Alright, Sis, don't say anymore." Sasha interrupted Stella.
Sasha showed a speechless expression, then said, "My life was given to me by him. If he's in danger, then I definitely have to go help him. Although I know I might not be able to do anything, and he probably never even thought I would help him, but Sis, it's not because he needs me, but because I want to go."
"It's him again, him, him! What in the world did that guy named Jax do to you?!" Stella grew agitated. She exclaimed, "Ever since you came back last time, he's been all you talk about every day! You used to recommend Danger Girl to me, hoping I'd become a loyal fan of Danger Girl, but what's wrong with you lately?!"
Sasha didn't speak, just quietly looked at Stella, then smiled.
Should she tell her sister that she and Jax had already played on the rocking horse?
In this era, emotions have become fast food, and high pressure has given rise to desires. Under the trend of desires and the general environment, so-called chastity is nothing. Physical contact between people is a normal occurrence, all for the release of desire and pleasure.
But Stella and Sasha were indeed rare... relatively traditional people.
Perhaps because of their mother? Her sister became a pure love type. Although she had a few relationships before meeting her brother-in-law, Stella treated every relationship very seriously. And Sasha?
It was her first time falling in love with someone, whether it was because of a hero saving a damsel in distress, or Jax's gentleness in their daily interactions, or her admiration for Jax's strength.
In short, it was truly her first time falling in love with someone.
Her mother's teachings and her sister's influence made Sasha... extremely sentimental.
Damn, what kind of bad person could a otaku cat who likes anime be?
Putting her hacker suit and mini-computer into her suitcase, she zipped it up. Sasha stood up, then moved the case from the bed to the floor.
She turned to Stella and said, "I'm packed. I need to go find them, but before I go, I need to contact Jackie. Sis, can you give me some space?"
Stella: "."
"You'll regret this one day! Damn it, damn it!" Stella stomped her foot in frustration and yelled, "Three days, no, two days! You must contact me every two days."
"I know I can't stop you, but... you have to let me know how you're doing, understand?"
Sasha chuckled, stepped forward, and gently hugged Stella, whispering, "Okay, Sis, I promise you."
"I'll do it, alright?"
"I still have to attend your and my brother-in-law's wedding. Aren't you and brother-in-law always saving money, hoping to buy a small house and have a small wedding? Don't worry, I'll be back by then."
Embraced by Sasha, Stella buried her face in Sasha's shoulder and hugged her tightly, her voice a little choked up, "You better be, you bastard..."
"Who the hell is the older sister here anyway?!"
"Hehe." The little cat just chuckled foolishly.
"Jackie, good morning."
"Good morning, Sasha. How have you been lately? Is Dogtown comfortable? By the way, I've never been to Dogtown in all my life; my mom wouldn't let me."
"I'm doing great. I'm staying with my sister now. Dogtown has complete facilities, lots of entertainment venues, so you won't get bored.
And it's safer than Night City. But Jackie, you don't look like you're doing very well. You look really... really haggard," Sasha smiled.
"Damn it, girl, that just pisses me off." On the other end of the phone, Jackie immediately raised his voice and began to complain to Sasha, "You know what? Not going with Jax and Maine was truly the best choice. Gloria didn't leave Night City either, right?"
"What happened to her?" Sasha asked.
"She's in big trouble! Although Arasaka and the cops didn't notice Gloria, and didn't know we had her in our team, those stupid 6th Street Gang members, for some reason, have been bothering Gloria recently. If David hadn't told me last time, they were actually planning to forcibly take Gloria and David, mother and son."
Jackie's voice was full of anger: "Damn it, when I got there, there were over a dozen people, forcing Gloria to join them."
"Wait, weren't they trying to hurt Gloria?"
"No, I was wondering too, but do they recruit people like that? Is that an invitation? That's coercion! I fought them directly. If Gloria hadn't told me not to kill anyone, the leader wouldn't have just taken two punches from me; I'd be damned if I didn't blow his head off with a shot!"
"...You didn't really get into a conflict with them, did you? Your situation isn't good either, is it?"
Jackie paused for a moment, then burst out laughing:
"I'm fine, just running between the Moxes and Gloria. It's nothing, girl, don't worry about me. I'm used to it, and besides, this is what I want to do.
I have to help the Moxes. Although the police and corporations haven't bothered the Moxes, the Tyger Claws can no longer tolerate them. Actually, I didn't do much; I can handle a few Tyger Claws members, but I can't beat a whole group. Rogue is helping in the shadows, otherwise the Moxes would really be finished."
"Jackie, what about the Valentinos Gang? How's your relationship with them?"
"We've completely lost contact, of course. I used to have a few friends, but after that incident, they've all distanced themselves from me. I can understand that, so now in Heywood, besides my mom, there are very few people willing to talk to me."
Jackie said casually. He then asked, "What about you, girl? Have you really made up your mind?"
"Yes, I'm going to the Badlands to find them. They're still alive, and Rebecca has the software I put on her. I'll... I'll try my best to bring them back."
"Alright, I won't talk nonsense anymore. In short, take care of yourself."
"Okay, Jackie, you too."
"Alright then, I have to go help the Moxes watch their turf. Tonight, I also have to go to Gloria's and sleep in the same room as David."
"Okay, bye, Jackie."
After hanging up, Sasha clapped her cheeks with both hands.
Jackie was truly a very good person. Even though he was currently burdened with a mountain of troubles—the Valentinos Gang, the Afterlife bar, all sorts of things that were suffocating Jackie—he still tirelessly helped everyone clean up their messes.
He protected the Moxes, whom Jax valued, and protected Gloria, who had only joined the team a few days before it fell apart and she got dragged into it. In short, Sasha had truly never met such a loyal guy before; in this regard, even Maine seemed inferior to him.
Thinking of this, Sasha lowered her head and whispered, "You see, there are still many people in Night City who need you... You can't stay in other places for too long, Jax..."
Sasha sat in front of the mirror, starting to put on makeup and get dressed.
A moment later, a woman with long hair, dressed in flamboyant clothes, and heavily made up, walked out of the room, pulling a suitcase, and stood on the streets of Dogtown.
Narrowing her eyes, Sasha, disguised, got into the car Stella had prepared for her in advance. It wasn't expensive, just an ordinary car, and it was black.
But such a car had the advantage of not being conspicuous, suitable for leaving the city.
Leaving the city was dangerous, the Badlands were dangerous.
But she was going anyway.
Taking a deep breath, the car slowly started, drove out of the block, got onto the highway, and then headed out of Dogtown.