Go Into the Muck 193

Chapter 193 – Cyberpunk: Edgerunner (8)

Gloria Martinez.

〈Cyberpunk: Edge Runner 〉’s main character David’s mother.

He is a poor small-town citizen who worked as an emergency medical technician for a city ambulance, but he is also a man who cares deeply for his son, David.
At the time of the original work, the deceased was caught up in a gang shooting and died in episode 1.

‘But that won’t happen if I make her my woman.’

Her occupation is an emergency medical technician.

She’s perfect since the team needed at least one Reaper Doc.

‘Now then, how should we attack it?’

***

“Ha.”

Gloria let out her deep sigh.
It was a tiring day today too. Because there were constant incidents and accidents in Night City, they were dispatched dozens of times a day to collect dead bodies and injured people.

With a tired look on her face she headed to her parked vehicle.

Her car is yellow 〈 Thornton Galena G240〉.

This is Night City’s most representative low-priced vehicle, and its condition varies greatly. Some have rust everywhere, some have solar panels on the roof, while others are occasionally seen maintained like new cars.

And Gloria’s vehicles were all worn out.

It was so old that it wouldn’t be surprising if it was sold to a junk shop right away.

If you don’t want it to break down, it’s right to change it right away, but unfortunately, Gloria couldn’t afford to buy a new vehicle.

‘… In the end, I have no choice but to do that again.’

When Gloria needed money, she worked a second job.
Extracting cyberware from a dead person and secretly selling it, an act that is no different from ‘organ trafficking.’

However, Gloria’s work was the most conscientious in Night City.

This is because there were many cases where cyberware was forcibly extracted from people who had not yet died.

In fact, another emergency medical technician tried to steal Sandevistan by killing David, who was not yet dead, and a scavenger gang that kidnaps people and extracts cyberware is running wild.

Even if it is not an implant, it is common in Night City for large corporations to conduct human experiments and use humans as experimental materials.

Compared to those things, it can be said to be sufficiently conscientious.

Of course, it still remains an evil act.

‘I know too.’

Gloria knows that too.

But she needed money. That’s a lot of money.

For her son, David.

‘That child is different from me.’

Unlike her typical life as a commoner in Night City, David liked her.
So she wished she had a different life than hers. The reason she raises money is to send David to Arasaka Academy and make him a businessman.

‘If I become part of a company, I will be able to escape this gutter-like life.’

Gloria dreamed of a bright future for her son.
But there was something she overlooked.

Even if David successfully graduated from Arasaka Academy and got a job at Arasaka, it is unclear whether he would have succeeded legally and lived happily for a long time.

Due to the nature of the cyberpunk genre, becoming an employee of Megacorp is almost the only opportunity for the poor lower class to rise in status, but at the same time, from Megacorp’s perspective, each employee is a consumable that can be discarded.〈 Br〉

The majority of Megacorp employees suffer from intense work, cannot refuse nonsensical instructions, are pressured if they fail, and are purged even if they no longer have value.

It is literally just one of the small cogs that make up a company. This is a part that can be replaced at any time if there is a defect.

‘I want to see David’s face quickly.’

Trudging.

In the middle of her weary steps, she stopped. Because there was someone in front of her car.
A black coat, a sword at his waist, and an insanely handsome face.

“Ah.”

Her pupils got bigger

I have never seen such a handsome face in my life.

‘Well, now that I think about it.’

Gloria remembered something.

The rumor that her former colleague used to talk about as if it was funny.
A story about a man called Geomsin (劍God) who slaughters gangsters and cyberpsychosis with a single sword.

‘Okay. It’s similar to what her co-worker reportedly said ‘

The moment I realized that.

Her man’s eyes turned to her.

Jump and jump.

A man approaching her

Eventually, it stopped a short distance away.

“Are you Gloria Martinez?”

“… That’s right. I’m Gloria. “Do you have something to do with me?”

“Business? Ah, yes.”

The man, Seojun, grinned.

“I was commissioned.”

“Request… ?”

“The client’s mother died after being involved in a gang fight. “They say all the cyberware that was there before being taken away by the emergency medical technicians has completely disappeared.”

Shocked.

Gloria’s body her trembled.
Seojun continued.

“The client pointed out the emergency medical technician who was transporting the victim’s body at the time as the culprit and asked for a background investigation. And you were the one who carried the body at that time.”

“…”

“Cyberware extracted from a corpse. Where is it?”

Gloria’s eyes her swam through the air like crazy.
Cold sweat runs down her cheeks. Seojun grinned inwardly at the reaction that seemed to be the right answer.

‘It’s all a lie.’

That’s right.

The whole story about receiving a request is a lie.

The story Seojun told was just something he made up to manipulate Gloria to his liking.

‘It’s easy to deal with criminals.’

All you have to do is take the sins committed by the other person and shake them.

Of course, depending on the severity of the sin, the other person may reject it… Gloria’s sins are quite heavy.

Because it was no different from human trafficking.

Besides,

‘David’s existence is an obstacle.’

Gloria is not alone.

There was her son, David.

Since he resorted to criminal activities to feed Geumjjoek, he would most likely not do anything that deviates from Seojun’s expectations.

“… I’ve never done anything like that. “Don’t doubt innocent people. Bring evidence and tell me.”

“It is evidence.”

Food.

Seojun laughed.

Clearly, Gloria did not leave any evidence.

But since she was also human, she was bound to get caught if her tail was long.

“I’ll give you proof if you want. First──.”

Seojun’s mouth opened.

The names of those who mainly did business with Gloria came out of his mouth.

That’s not all.

Date, time, transaction location, etc.

There were even stories that were difficult to know unless you were the person involved.

How did you know?

‘Lucy used some strength.’

On top of that, he personally came forward and threatened me.

Thanks to this, there was no difficulty in obtaining information.

Anyway, for that reason, Gloria was visibly embarrassed when the information came out of Seojun’s mouth.

Because she really didn’t know how to push the evidence.

“… “Stop.”

“Hmm. There’s still more left. Well, looking at that reaction, there’s no need to provide any more evidence.”

Gloria chewed her lips.
Judging by her evidence, she must have already found out what she did.
I can’t hide it anymore.

She eventually decided to make a decision.

“… Please do me a favor. “Can’t I just pretend not to see it?”

The choice she made was her plea.
This was because there was nothing else that could be done.

Money? If a request fails, their reputation will eventually suffer.

Even if you take that risk, there’s no way the poor woman could have saved the amount that would have made it possible for you to accept her offer.

Duress? They are already being pushed out in terms of military power and financial resources.

Even if you try, it’s just an act of urging your own life.

In the end, all she can do is appeal to her emotions.

“I didn’t want to do that either. But I needed money to give my son a better life.”

“I’m sorry, but appealing to emotions doesn’t work for me. If you want to persuade me, come up with an attractive offer.”

Kwaak.

Gloria’s fist was clenched.

“… I want to do that too. But there’s nothing I can give you.”

“Why do you think there isn’t one? “I have a body.”

Shocked.

Gloria looked at her Seojun.

‘This man──.’

She was blatantly wanting her own body.
She closed her eyes tightly.

‘Okay. If only I could protect David by sacrificing this body—!’

I’ve had quite a few flirtations so far, but I’ve turned them all down for David’s sake.

But this time it was different.

You must sacrifice your body for David.

“… Okay, okay. “If you want a widow’s body like this, you can.”

“It’s a good choice.”

“Instead, be sure to keep your promise.”

“Of course. It’s late today, so let’s go. “I will send you the meeting place and time separately.”

Gloria nodded her head helplessly, getting into her car and heading home.
Seojun, who was watching her, raised the corner of his mouth.

“This kind of situational drama isn’t bad.”

It’s a very new taste.

‘Then, shall we come up with a plan on how to corrupt it?’

Well, indeed.

How long can she last?

Seojun licked his lips.