193: Side story: A ride on the beautiful bad land

"Vavinia, do you want to go for a drive in the Badlands tomorrow?"

"Sure, I don't have any plans tomorrow anyway. I know a few interesting places; I'll take you there tomorrow."

"Alright, it's settled then."

"Hmm... Hmm? Again? Please let me go."

... (Intense musical performance)

... Morning Light, Badlands Tour

First, Biotechnica Farm.

The powerful engine of the thunder roared through the empty and silent Badlands wasteland, spreading far into the distance.

Following their planned route, Fang Yun and Vavinia arrived at their first stop—an abandoned Biotechnica farm.

Fang Yun stepped on the brakes, and the tires carved an arc in the sand.

Once the vehicle stopped, Vavinia eagerly jumped onto the roof, her hand shading her eyes as she gazed at the continuous silver domes in the distance.

Those massive inflatable structures were technological products long abandoned.

They stood silently in a remote corner of the endless sand, allowing themselves to be forgotten.

The surface of most of the special canvas was covered with traces of wind erosion, constantly fluttering with the strong winds of the Badlands, occasionally reflecting dazzling sunlight.

"I still remember the taste of that synthetic steak."

"It was absolutely disgusting. Like expired artificial honey mixed with rust, thrown into a cement mixer to gurgle for half a day, then taken out, sticky and stuck in your throat, and when you swallowed it, you could feel every cell in your body resisting."

"However, it was that incredibly disgusting synthetic steak that saved my life."

"The one three years ago?"

"Exactly."

Fang Yun climbed onto the roof and sat beside Vavinia, once again patiently listening to her slowly recount the events of three years ago.

"On a stormy night three years ago, I was curled up behind cultivation pod B-47, listening to my blood drip onto the metal grid."

"Drip... drip... drip..."

"The blood dripped slower and slower, and my body temperature dropped lower and lower."

"The hounds of the 'Snake Gang' had been shaken off, but the family's rescue was still nowhere in sight."

"I once thought my life would end in this remote corner of the farm... until my brother found me just as I was about to fall unconscious."

"At that time, I found them in the seventh damaged sealed box."

"The synthetic steak cans were marked 'Best before: 207203 – 207302.'"

"'Just expired, good luck,' I told myself."

"Although it tasted as horrible as I described, it was indeed the only food I could get while seriously injured."

"The first bite I took, I threw up."

"Those shitty companies won't leave you any loopholes; as soon as it expires, the food's taste becomes incredibly awful."

"However, as long as it's still edible, the taste isn't a big problem."

"So I picked up the synthetic steak I had just thrown up, put it in my mouth, covered my mouth, and forced myself to swallow it."

"My miserable state was reflected on the glass wall of the cultivation pod: a broken shin bone in one leg, two broken ribs, my left eye was completely red from congestion, and dark red residue of synthetic steak hung from the corner of my mouth."

"Thankfully, there were no open wounds that I couldn't handle, and the bleeding wounds had already begun to scab and heal with the limited medical supplies."

"To avoid being discovered by the 'Snake Gang's' hounds, and to make it easier for family support to find me, I stayed cooped up in the farm, surviving on the few cans of synthetic steak."

"A day later, the wound on my leg became infected, and I could no longer move freely."

"Two days later, I had my last bottle of water."

"On the third day, at 3:16 AM, I used a small knife to pry open the last can of synthetic steak."

"At 7:20 PM, I swallowed the last bite of steak. It was very dry, a bit scratchy on the throat."

"And then, I had no more food."

"Time flew by, and in a blink of an eye, the evening of the fourth day arrived as scheduled."

"Just as I was about to give up, in a daze, I thought I heard my brother's voice."

"It wasn't a hallucination; it was indeed my brother's voice."

"I don't know what kind of willpower my brother, who is only one month older than me, had to support himself, alone in the boundless Badlands, searching for me for four days and four nights."

"I only know that from then on, I would be a good sister who always listens obediently."

"I've always been very obedient, never had disagreements with my brother, and never thought of contradicting him."

"Except for that one time, when I wanted to elope with you."

Fang Yun looked into Vavinia's eyes, his gaze gentle.

"That would be the honor of my life."

Vavinia rested her head on Fang Yun's shoulder and hummed in agreement.

Silence fell between the two for a moment.

On the vast Badlands wasteland, only the rustling wind remained.

... Second, Ghost Town of Stone Ridge Mountain.

After a moment of tenderness, Fang Yun and Vavinia revisited cultivation pod B-47 at the Biotechnica farm before continuing their journey.

Second stop—the Ghost Town of Stone Ridge Mountain.

The midday sun baked the low-rise buildings of Stone Ridge Mountain, with half-finished concrete skeletons standing in the neat street grids, and faded billboards still displaying advertisements for "Desert Oasis."

The interesting thing here was finding strange insects of various shapes among the abandoned building ruins.

There were quite a few people in Night City who liked to buy these insect specimens.

... Third, Solar Matrix.

Miles of mirrored arrays formed a surreal optical maze, and the tilted solar panels cast dazzling refractive patterns in the afternoon.

... Next up was inside Night City.

Fourth, Twisty Street Night Market.

Twisty Street, Night City's most vibrant civilian entertainment district, where neon signs formed a flowing waterfall of light.

Newcomers are recommended to try the spicy corn wraps sold by the food truck named "Radiation Cockroach"; not only do they taste delicious (not), but they also come with a free glow-in-the-dark sticker (Twisty Street stickers, I don't need to say where to put them, do I?).

... Fifth, Underground Boxing Ring.

Nothing much to say, bare-knuckle fights, bloody, violent, brutal combat, a great place to vent wild emotions.

After making a small profit in euro, Fang Yun quietly withdrew from the betting table and headed to the next location.

... Sixth, Wild Wolf Bar.

He pushed the door open, got out of the car, and activated defensive mode.

Fang Yun exhaled, a hint of melancholy in his eyes, and looked up.

The neon wolf head sign howled in the night rain, its crimson electronic eyes flickering with electrical static.

This was the Wild Wolf Bar, the spawn point for the big shot Jackie, and the starting point for street kid V's first mission.

Stepping forward, the moment the bar door opened, a mix of curses in twelve languages and the smell of cheap synthetic whiskey assaulted him, like being punched in the face.

The cracked resin floor was sticky with old bloodstains, beer, and cyberware lubricant; every step felt like walking on chewing gum.

A holographic jukebox in the corner was playing energetic rock music.

He looked around, but didn't see Jackie.

"Looks like I'll have to see him later."

He sat at the bar and ordered a Badlands Tequila.

"Cheers."

"Cheers."

... The winding road back was like a data stream, and Night City collapsed into a neon speck in the rearview mirror.

Vavinia stuck her head out of the sunroof, letting the wind and sand hit her face:

"I had so much fun today!"

Fang Yun chuckled softly:

"Me too."

A gust of evening wind blew, and Vavinia's laughter was fragmented by the wind.

The thunder rolled over a rusted train track, heading towards the Barker Family Camp.