Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 389 2. Los Angeles

"Welcome to Los Angeles, everyone from Team KK."

In a deserted town in the badlands near Los Angeles, the largest city in Southern California, Carl met the contact who had sent them a message to welcome them.

It’s not so much that he is a contact person. According to the commission, this person is only responsible for giving them some information needed for the task and then leaving. The entire task process, including how to get the documents and how to bring them, is the responsibility of the KK team.

"It's a good disguise."

Carl looked carefully at the contact who greeted them and had to admit that this man's appearance was extremely deceptive.

Judging from his appearance alone, the contact person is a man, about 1.6 meters tall, wearing a gray, dusty hat with messy blond hair under it. He is so thin that he can barely support the clothes he wears. The freckles and childish face make people think that he is just an ordinary Badland teenager.

This youthful and Badlands-style appearance is indeed unlikely to attract the attention of others, and is perfect as a disguise.

The blond boy did not say anything in response to Carl's compliment on his disguise, as if it was a matter of course. He observed the surroundings and confirmed that there were no other shadows approaching in the bad land outside the abandoned town. Then he handed over something. Carl had just taken it and had no time to say anything when he saw the contact person turned around.

"Then, everything is left to you. I hope you will live up to the reputation of the team."

After leaving these words as a reminder, he put down his hat and walked away in a hurry. Not long after, the sound of a motorcycle engine was heard in the deserted town. When Carl and the others saw the contact person again, he had already driven an inconspicuous vehicle into the wilderness of the Badlands.

"That motorcycle is a model I have never seen before, but from its general structure, I can tell that it is made of parts from four famous and durable motorcycles. It should have been assembled from parts taken from abandoned motorcycles, but I cannot trace its specific source."

V watched the motorcycle going away and explained to his companions based on his own experience as a former wanderer: "Not only his identity, but even his vehicle was carefully selected. This person must have received professional training. At least in terms of disguise, he is already a qualified wanderer."

"A secret agent? Or a spy?"

Oliver rubbed his mustache and speculated, "I've heard of the New American Joint Intelligence Agency. It's the department that leads the internal intelligence of the New United States and has both information collection and law enforcement functions. They specialize in launching actions and investigations on specific things, and they lurk everywhere. Could it be that we ran into them today?"

"Whether it is or not, it is probably not something the client wants us to delve into."

Carl observed what the contact person handed over and found that it was a notebook wrapped in tattered rags.

Pulling aside the rag that could be easily torn into pieces with a little force, Carl opened the notebook with slightly old and yellowed pages and found that it was filled with various information.

Carl took a quick look and found that it was information about the current situation in Los Angeles.

After the division of the United States of America and the independence of various city-states, Los Angeles, once the second largest city in the United States and the largest city in the West, broke away from the control of the federal government, and a series of chaos followed. As the center of industry, commerce, international trade and other affairs of the "City of Angels", Los Angeles was greatly affected by the division of the country. After the rise in prices and unemployment caused by the economic impact, the streets fell into chaos of looting and unemployment. The Los Angeles Police Department, the only one who could maintain order at the time, caused a series of dissatisfaction because of excessive law enforcement during the chaotic period, and thus led to the second Los Angeles riots against police officers. (The first was in 1992)
During the riots, which saw a large number of looting, assaults, arson and murders, the courts were slow to make decisions on violent police officers, which further exacerbated the chaos.
Almost all the citizens of the city joined in the frenzy of chaos, venting their dissatisfaction to everyone around them with their madness. Almost on the first day of the chaos, the death and injury toll in this city with a population of several million exceeded that of the first Los Angeles riot, reaching thousands. Compared to the first riot, which was stopped by the National Guard and the Marines, this second riot even the police were deeply involved in it, and no one could stop it.

No one can tell the exact number of deaths during the Los Angeles riots, but it is well known that since the riots, Los Angeles has fallen from its throne as the largest and most populous 'City of Angels' in western North America.

The city gradually declined due to chaos and economic collapse, abandoned buildings and a large number of people leaving. At the same time, Night City in Northern California rose and replaced Los Angeles as the center of western North America, becoming the well-known "Glorious City" that everyone pays attention to.

Los Angeles and Night City are like brothers, reflecting each other. Compared to the prosperous Night City, Los Angeles has not been able to return to one-tenth of its past prosperity until the end of the split and the return to the Federation in the form of accepting the intervention of the New United States. Therefore, Los Angeles, which hurriedly wants to return to its past status and swears allegiance to the New United States, hates the "brother" who took away its status.

"In the city, you can't say that you are from Night City, let alone that you are a Night City resident. Otherwise, you will often be treated hostilely by the chaotic street people. They hate the people of Night City and envy the people of Night City who have not given in and are still enjoying the prosperity of Night City."

Looking at the introduction of Los Angeles today on the pages of the book, Jack and Oliver, as natives of Night City, both had twitching expressions.

"Are you jealous of the people in Night City who are enjoying their prosperity?"

Jack muttered.

“That sounds too niche.”

Oliver looked strange.

It's outrageous that there are still people who envy Night City, a damn place like that.

"Don't worry, there's more to come."

Carl turned the page and found that there was nothing written on the second page, just two simple lines of words.

"Seven bars in the city."

"The code is 'all-match, free'. You can use it to get information about the city from the bar owner."

"It seems that we have not only obtained information on local conditions and people, but also recommended locations."

　ps. Los Angeles is the location of the movie version of Blade Runner, and it is also the prototype of Night City, similar to the difference between Gotham City and New York, but the prototype and the virtual one are in Southern California and Northern California respectively.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)