After leaving the Afterlife, V quickly tracked down Panam Palmer through a phone call.
To make ends meet, Panam had no choice but to dig into what little savings she had left and borrow a battered taxi that had clearly changed hands more times than anyone could count.
She was getting ready to take on another transport job.
When V arrived, Panam was practically half-buried beneath the hood, hard at work trying to repair the old wreck.
If V remembered correctly, Panam had only gotten the car yesterday.
And it was already breaking down?
V didn't interrupt her repairs.
Instead, she brought news about Panam's missing car and cargo.
The moment she heard it, Panam's emotions began spiraling out of control.
Maybe she hit the wrong component by accident, because the taxi's horn suddenly began blaring nonstop.
The piercing sound tore through the air without pause.
"Damn it!"
That was the final straw.
Panam completely snapped.
With a furious yank, she tore the horn clean off the taxi and slammed it onto the ground.
Her chest rose and fell heavily as she leaned weakly against the car.
"I can help you."
Her voice was tight with frustration.
"But first, I need my car back."
"Without it, I can't do a damn thing."
At that moment, the broken horn seemed to symbolize the last fragment of pride she had left.
It had been crushed just as thoroughly.
Once, she had believed she could leave the Badlands behind and carve out a place for herself in Night City through skill alone.
Reality had beaten that illusion out of her.
In the end, she was still just another insignificant ant.
One gust of wind, and she could be crushed.
"No problem."
V nodded calmly.
"I know exactly where your vehicle is parked."
"And I know where the cargo is being stored too."
Then her tone shifted.
"But in exchange, you need to help me."
"I need to snatch someone from a corporation."
"This job might take us into the Mechanicus's Holy Land."
She looked directly at Panam.
"I'll need someone familiar with the area to guide me."
The moment Panam heard those words, hesitation flashed across her face.
"The Mechanicus?"
Her expression stiffened.
"By the God of All Machines…"
"I'd rather die than have anything to do with those idiots ever again."
To be honest, that was the very reason she had fled.
She couldn't stand being associated with those fanatics.
She had absolutely no intention of ever going back.
"In that case, there's nothing more to discuss."
V shrugged helplessly and turned to leave.
"Wait!"
Panam quickly grabbed her arm.
"Don't rush it."
"Let me think."
She knew this might be her last chance to turn things around.
After several seconds of silence, she gritted her teeth.
"Damn it."
"I'll do it."
Her eyes hardened.
"Some things need to be faced sooner or later."
Having made up her mind, she immediately pulled out her phone and called the consignee, Boz.
Thanks to Panam's previously excellent performance, Boz was willing to give her some room to maneuver.
"Good."
V nodded.
"From here on, follow my arrangements."
"You don't need to do anything else."
"I'll recover your car and cargo."
"After that, you take me into the Holy Land."
She climbed into the passenger seat.
Panam immediately glared at her.
"Who the hell do you think you are?"
"Don't talk to me like you're giving orders."
Her mouth immediately turned into a machine gun.
"You think I'm easy to push around?"
"Believe it or not, I'll throw you out of the car right now."
V was instantly overwhelmed.
"Alright, alright."
She quickly raised both hands in surrender.
"I'll listen to you, okay?"
Only then did Panam's anger ease a little.
"Then hurry up and give me the location."
"I still need to get my car back."
"It's at the abandoned auto plant east of Santo Domingo."
V immediately sent her the exact coordinates along with a map.
Panam slammed on the brakes so hard the taxi lurched violently.
Her eyes widened.
"Oh, come on."
"Isn't that the Scavengers' base?"
"I heard there are two to three hundred of them stationed there year-round."
Her face turned pale.
For someone like her to walk into a place like that—
it would be suicide.
If those perverts caught her…
she'd be tortured to death first.
Then chopped into parts.
Then sold across the entire city.
Just imagining it made her shiver.
"That's exactly why you don't need to worry about anything else."
V looked at her helplessly.
"I'll handle it."
She understood Panam well.
Panam had fierce pride.
But she also knew her own limits.
There were some things that couldn't be solved through pride and guts alone.
"Fine…"
Panam muttered weakly.
"I'm telling you right now, even if you killed me, I still wouldn't go into that place."
For someone usually so fearless, the fear in her voice was unmistakable.
V immediately realized that whatever happened there had left a deep scar on her.
"I said I'll handle it."
Her voice softened.
She reached out and lightly patted Panam's shoulder.
Then she closed her eyes and quietly waited as the taxi started moving.
As the vehicle continued east, the surrounding environment became increasingly chaotic.
The streets grew emptier.
People became fewer and fewer.
The once-busy roads gradually gave way to abandonment and decay.
Ever since the Mechanicus took over the Badlands and Pacifica, the former lawless zone had changed drastically.
It was no longer the same den of vice as before.
Instead, it had become an exclusive district for the wealthy.
Only people with money and status could afford to live there.
Because of that, it had become one of the safest places in Night City, attracting even more rich residents.
But evil never truly disappeared.
It merely moved.
And now, that darkness had all flowed into Santo Domingo.
As the poorest special district in Night City, it had naturally become the new breeding ground for crime.
All of Night City's filth and darkness poured into eastern Santo Domingo like a flood.
The area had descended into complete chaos.
Those who originally lived there had either died in "accidents" or fled by any means possible.
And those who couldn't escape?
Many of them would rather join the Mechanicus than remain there.
After all, joining the cult meant a stable job.
Benefits.
Housing.
A home in Pacifica.
People liked to say the cult brainwashed its followers.
But in truth, aside from matters of faith, those who joined didn't change much.
And even if they were brainwashed—
it was still better than being captured by Scavengers.
Better than being tortured.
Filmed into a black-market braindance.
And finally dismembered into spare parts for sale.
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