Chapter 20 : Banquet

“Here, drink.”
“Whoa, the Dokkaebi boss himself!”
“Too long. Call me John.”

I hold out a cup to David, perched on the car’s hood with Maine.
He’s calm for a kid who just saw a guy explode, but he’s still a kid.
No way that sticks in his head.

And to wash out dirty memories, chugging something simple ain’t a bad call.

“…Soda?”
“Sorry, my taste’s too refined for cheap synthetic kid drinks.”
“I don’t even like soda…!”
“That’s lucky, then.”

I chuckle loud on purpose, and David, triggered like I’m babying him, snatches the cup from my hand.

Maine, taking his quietly, downs it without hesitation, unlike David’s suspicious squint, and his eyes light up.

“What’s this? It’s good!”
“Not some f*cking chemical sludge—real, pure fruit juice.”
“Gotta be unique, right?”

Fruit’s worth gold these days.
The market’s flooded with locust meat or crude knock-offs mimicking old flavors.
No meat, no drink—nothing’s free of chemicals.
Tasting something purely natural ain’t an everyday chance.

David’s first job wrapped clean.
A drink like this is perfect for popping open now.

I toss the bottle at David, who flinches and dives to catch it.
The kid, hands shaking, spins and yells.

“You crazy?! If this is what you say, it’s worth millions…!”
“Dumbass, check the logo.”
“What’re you… huh?”

A fierce emblem’s etched clear on the bottle.
The Dokkaebi mark, unmistakable.
I pull another from my coat, grinning at his stunned face.

“Pretty killer, huh? Our own brew.”
“You… made this?”
“How?”
“Big plot meant for a factory, outskirts with low pollution.”
“Didn’t grab this zone for nothing.”

Didn’t make a fuss pushing us to the front for no reason.
To save this sh*thole, to build a base nobody can touch, to monopolize this.
Just the first step, but it’s enough to flip the market.

Truth is, I made it by hand, hoping a real item might spark something.

But…

I lift the bottle and take a swig.
Still nothing but a tasteless gulp.
To me, it’s just “no flavor” flavor, pissing me off to no end.
But on a good day like this, no need to ruin the vibe.

“Running jobs or handling business, keeping an outfit going costs a f*cking fortune.”

Sure, these idiots say they’d refuse handouts, but who lives like that?
To act normal, to risk your neck in fights, you need cash—always.

“With a name like Dokkaebi, we ain’t doing crazy sh*t like drugs or trafficking.”
“Don’t want to, either.”

If anyone pulled that crap, I’d take their head myself.

Legally speaking, booze has never not made money.
A monopoly with a premium tag? No question.

Can’t give Arasaka any leverage, so I swallow the rest and nod.

“It’s the kid’s first milestone.”
“I’m covering today, so drink up.”

A chance to mooch off Dokkaebi doesn’t come often.

“Sweet, I won’t say no.”

Easy, now.
I see this lunatic planning to drink till he drops.
Filling that hulk with booze might cost a small building.

“Not bad for a first go.”
“I pass?”
“Pain in the ass, but yeah.”

As if proving his words, Maine keeps chugging, smacking David’s shoulder with a fist.
His heavy, clumsy way of easing tension—clearly thinking of others.

Human moves that don’t fit Night City.
The foundation of the society I want.

No surprise my gaze softens, watching Maine despite pretending otherwise.

“…Even with all that help…”
“Well… it’s Dokkaebi turf, so no choice, right?”

Maine glances over, our eyes meet briefly, and I lean against the wall by David, casual.

“Separate from your job, I’m duty-bound to catch lunatics running wild in my zone.”

Bugs in your house? You squash ‘em.

I pop the last of Viktor’s painkiller smokes in my mouth, digging for a lighter.

“Still, you did solid for a first.”

Huff—

I take a long drag, the cigarette’s glow trailing like a firefly, catching David’s eye.

“In your first fight, facing a guy with a spine-sized blade, you didn’t hesitate to charge.”
“Phew—gutsy move.”

Thought about ripping out his spine, though.
Or maybe he’s just girl-crazy.
His glance at the white-haired chick ain’t subtle.
Already head over heels.

“So, Dokkaebi business aside, how’s the kid?”
“No question—pass.”

A guy burning his lifespan real-time with Sandevistan, pulling reverse stunts.
Good improv and balls? No reason to turn him down.

“But, David, you sure about joining our crew?”
“What’s that mean?”
“Well, with him glaring daggers back there.”

David turns, and sure enough, a guy in a half-face mask’s chugging booze somehow.

“I don’t say one thing and mean another.”
“You fell, so stand up yourself.”

I ruffle David’s hair, and he shakes it off, lifting his head.

“Wait, why didn’t you say you were the boss?”
“I knew Dokkaebi were big, but…”
“F*ck, did you even ask?”

Train’s gone, kid.

“Didn’t need to say.”
“Plus, Arasaka’s hunting me with fire in their eyes.”

Those bastards hate anyone challenging their power.
Sending assassins is chump change for their petty, filthy obsession.
Coming at me? No issue.

They know better—it’s just death for them.
But that’s Dokkaebi’s deal.

“Being near me alone could get you killed.”
“You really think you can take on Arasaka’s f*ckers head-on?”

Give it up.

“Our grunts, non-combatants even, would wipe your crew in twenty minutes, no joke.”
“That’s a stretch…”
“Not ‘you,’ David. ‘Y’all.’ Maine, yeah, your whole team.”

Don’t look so dumb.
These are guys who steamroll NCPD.
Bit of an exaggeration, but…

If our kill squad went all-in, Adam Smasher’d be a joke.

“Told you, I ain’t sitting still out of fear.”

Step up, and nothing’s left.
Bodies, buildings, places.
All dust.

‘Terrifying.’

People usually puff themselves up a bit when talking big.
Hard to stay objective, and who’s hurt by a little hype?

But this… this ‘monster’ is real.
His casual words feel chillingly true because of it.

How did these guys hide in the shadows so long?
Their cash, their execution, their unshakable plans—none of it’s easy.

Is working with David really the right call?

No gripes with the rookie.
He nailed the job, showed quick thinking, protected Lucy—flaws aplenty, but he got it done.
Tangled with Dokkaebi? That’s his luck.

Only worry is, if sh*t hits, will we be the sacrificial lambs?

‘He said that much, so probably fine.’

“Whatever, in this world, the only thing you can trust is yourself.”

“True enough.”

John nods, agreeing with the creed.
No matter how close, how family-like, this is Night City.
Some things you can’t fight.

“But know this.”

A low, heavy voice, different from his usual, cuts through.
The masked man tilts his head skyward, pulling off his mask.

“Once you’re in with these guys, no matter what, you back them.”
“Like they’re your team, like I’m with you.”

Like I’ve got your back.

A big guy with long hair appears, bowing slightly with clear respect.

Not just for David.
More for Maine, who brought him in.

“Work to trust each other, throw yourself in to protect them.”

That’s what this f*cked-up city needs most.

Like I built ties with your mom with this damn body.
Like that’s why you and I have this bond.

That’s how the world works.
That’s what makes us human.