Chapter 144

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On a rainy night, the Lizzy Bar was shrouded in mist, and the square in front of it was unusually desolate compared to its usual hustle and bustle. The bar's gate was closed, only the sign's curved lights were still on, but it wasn't conducting business as usual.

Inside Lizzy Bar, the girls from the Moxes gathered together, some smoking, others sitting at the bar sipping their drinks in silence, making the atmosphere heavy. Gloria and Sasha sat quietly by the bar, watching in silence.

The wall-mounted television was broadcasting a special night program of Night City.

In the TV program, the host, dressed in golden finery, greeted enthusiastically, "Good evening, viewers of Night City!" "This is 'Night Chats with Ziggy Q.' On this story-filled rainy night, let's welcome our special guest, Mr. Zuo Teng!"

The man, who sported a Japanese bun hairstyle and wore a wine-red suit, stepped into the studio and sat down on the sofa next to the host. Ziggy Q exaggeratedly waved to him and said, "Hello, Mr. Zuo Teng."

"Hello, host," Zuo Teng nodded slightly in greeting.

Ziggy Q smiled at the camera and said, "I believe our viewers are quite unfamiliar with Mr. Zuo Teng, but once I mention another name, you'll know who he is." "Tiger Claws." "That's right, Mr. Zuo Teng is a key figure in the Tiger Claws." He turned to his guest, jokingly saying, "Heh, perhaps I should refer to you as the gang boss."

Zuo Teng was serious, no-nonsense, and explained, "Actually, the Tiger Claws don't have a gang boss per se. We are led by several high-ranking members who manage the gang affairs together, each with different responsibilities."

Ziggy Q chuckled, teasing, "It seems the Tiger Claws are not only traditional but also keep up with the times, implementing a better management system. Quite interesting."

"But what the audience is more curious about is the recent love-hate entanglement between the Tiger Claws and the Moxes." "About ten years ago, you guys suffered a great loss at the hands of those beautiful girls, how is it that now conflict has arisen again?"

Zuo Teng seriously clarified, "This time it can't be considered a conflict; the Tiger Claws do not wish for any clashes with the Moxes, but one of our high-ranking members suffered persecution at the hands of the Moxes." "The Tiger Claws have always valued unity and mutual assistance; we cannot tolerate the wrongful death of a brother."

Ziggy Q interjected, "The high-ranking member you mentioned must be Seizo Norimoto. However, to my knowledge, his reputation isn't exactly stellar."

Zuo Teng, with stern words, replied, "No one is perfect. Seizo Norimoto indeed had many flaws, but that's no justification for his murder by the Moxes."

Ziggy Q pressed on, "The recent news coverage says that the girls of the Moxes broke the rules of business, killing Seizo Norimoto out of greed and even attacked the Tiger Claws. It's hard to imagine a group of unarmed girls undertaking such a crazy act. Is there perhaps more to the story?"

Zuo Teng argued, "The Moxes are not as simple as you think. The occasional acting chips can be used for business and can also be adapted into combat chips, which should not be underestimated in lethality." "The Tiger Claws do not resort to violence lightly, but the Moxes must provide an explanation."

Ziggy Q nodded thoughtfully, "It seems there's a big show tonight. So, viewers in front of the TV, do you support the Tiger Claws in their quest for justice, or the beautiful girls of Lizzy? You can send a text to..."

Seeing the Tiger Claws' leader twist the truth on the TV show, the sisters of Lizzy's were filled with rage.

A Moxes girl couldn't contain her anger and cursed, "What a trash program, stupid host, that dressed-up beast from the Tiger Claws is spewing nothing but lies. Does anyone believe this?"

A bald-headed black girl beside her, worried, said, "These media programs belong to Arasaka, and they are in cahoots with the Tiger Claws, of course, they would speak for them, nobody will care about our side."

Another girl with purple hair, not considering the feelings of everyone else, packed her bag and said bluntly, "We can't beat the Tiger Claws. Suzie has disappeared, and even if she returns, it would only be to surrender to the Tiger Claws. If you don't want to be oppressed by them, it's better to leave early."

Many girls present were swayed by this, as they came to work at Lizzy's to live better lives, not to be controlled by the Tiger Claws.

Previously, some of the Moxes girls chose to stay at the top, working under the management of the Tiger Claws, and it was practically unbearable.

They had tasks every day, and when idle, they were treated as playthings by the disgusting Tiger Claws, without rest even when sick.

They were also forced to undergo invasive cyberware modifications, and if damaged, they could only go to makeshift doctors for repairs.

In bad luck, some might even be taken away by the Tiger Claws, never to be heard from again.

Therefore, the girls of Lizzy's didn't want to work under the control of the Tiger Claws and would rather earn a hard living in a small shop.

Seeing someone suggest disbanding, the girls started arguing with each other.

"What's the rush, if it comes down to it, we'll decide when the boss comes back!"

"What's the use of waiting for her? If the Tiger Claws want to claim justice, would she be willing to take the fall?"

"If it weren't for some meddling, kidnapping Seizo Norimoto, how did it get to this point? Now you regret it, don't you?"

A baseball girl retorted angrily, "What the hell are you talking about? Have you forgotten how Lizzy's started? You play nice after getting benefits, if you're scared, just scram!"

Judy sat at the bar, elbows on the table, fingers entwined in her short hair, troubled by the statements on the TV as well as the arguments around her.

They had no way out but to watch as Arasaka's media bombarded them, with the Tiger Claws quickly gaining the upper hand.

Although not many believed the lies of the Tiger Claws, it still confused the public.

With the loss of support for the Moxes, they stood little chance against the Tiger Claws.

Now, there were significant internal divisions within Lizzy's. Some wanted to make peace with the Tiger Claws and others were determined to fight, which put Lizzy's at the risk of being torn apart or annihilated.

Overwhelmed with a mixture of emotions, she yelled, "Stop arguing!"

The noisy hall instantly fell silent as everyone's gaze turned to Judy.

The girl walked up to Judy, patting her back and comforting, "Judy, don't worry, the sisters of Lizzy's won't give up the fight. We all support you."

"Fight? With what will we fight the Tiger Claws? Their men are on their way here now, with what will you resist their demand for an explanation?" A black-haired girl interjected sarcastically.

The girl responded furiously, "No one's asking you to stay, if you want to leave, do it now, rather than regret it later."

"Why should I leave? It should be you leaving. Suzie is the owner of Lizzy's Bar, not you!" the black-haired girl pushed back forcefully.

Judy was trapped in a tangle of distress; she hadn't anticipated that kidnapping and killing the scum Seizo Norimoto would lead to such severe consequences.

TVs and projections in the streets and alleys of Night City were all broadcasting about his death.

Doesn't a complete scoundrel deserve death?

As she pondered over what to do next, she suddenly received a call from Evelyn.

Judy hesitated for a moment but decided to answer.

On the phone, Evelyn's voice was urgent.

"Judy, are you still at Lizzy's Bar? Pack up and leave there quickly, the Tiger Claws are mobilizing to come to Lizzy's," she warned.

"They've found out it was you who sought people to investigate Seizo Norimoto. Suzie has sold everything out, and she's also headed to Lizzy's."

Judy fell silent.

Everything Evelyn said was true. To settle the matter with Judy, she had gone to the Tiger Claws' high-ranking members and those company executives.

But not a single one was willing to help her, and the Tiger Claws were determined to take over Lizzy's Bar.

Evelyn shared all the information she had with Judy, and seeing that she had nothing to say, she hurriedly added an explanation.

Judy, stop hesitating. I've asked an acquaintance at City Hall to get NCPD involved. They will protect Lizzie's Bar for a while and can arrange for a vehicle to help you escape in secret.

With your Braindance expertise, you can find work at any entertainment company. I can introduce you to better places. Stop throwing yourself at Lizzie's Bar, Judy!

Hearing Evelyn's words, Judy replied with tears in the corner of her eyes, "Evelyn, you still don't understand... Let it be. Stop worrying about me."

After hanging up the phone decisively, Judy knew that there was no turning back. She had to stand up and do something, otherwise, everyone present would suffer because of her.

At that moment, Gloria, who had been observing the situation, received a message from Tang Yu. It was about Suzie Q, the owner of Lizzie's Bar; she had died in a car accident while hurrying on the road, and the message included a short video.

In the video, a truck lay overturned by the side of the road, flames blazing as indifferent pedestrians walked past. What caught her eye was a woman in a pink jacket lying in the rainy night, her body gruesomely mangled by the vehicle and leaving behind a long trail of blood, quickly washed away by the rain.

Suzie Q dead? Gloria was shocked. Receiving such a message from Tang Yu held deep implications. Was this arranged by Mr. Tang?

That was the first thought that crossed her mind. Without Suzie Q, the seat of Lizzie's Bar owner was now vacant, and there would be no chance of advancement. Moreover, there were still many in the bar who supported Suzie Q and hoped for a successful negotiation with the Tyger Claws to avert the crisis.

But with Suzie Q's death, all of that became impossible.

The Moxes now faced two outcomes: either to be absorbed by the Tyger Claws or to resist alongside Judy without a puppet leader to negotiate.

Immediately understanding Tang Yu's intent, Gloria informed Regina Jones about the location of Suzie Q's accident. She knew that Channel 54 News wouldn't turn down such a scoop.

Standing beside Judy, Gloria said, "The Tyger Claws are not unbeatable, and there are companies in Night City other than Arasaka."

Wiping away her tears, Judy looked up with a glimmer of hope, "Do we still have a chance?"

Gloria nodded firmly, "Whether there's hope or not, we must fight this battle with the Tyger Claws."

The black-haired girl interjected mockingly, "Who are you? Talking about fighting so lightly when you're not part of the Moxes."

Addressing the employees of Lizzie's, Gloria confessed, "Though I'm not one of the Moxes, I took down Jotaro Shobo myself. Such scum doesn't deserve to live in this world. Today they dare to reach out to the girls around Lizzie's, tomorrow they'll reach out to you. Do you have to wait until disaster strikes before resisting?"

"As women, I know it's hard enough just surviving in this city, let alone dealing with the Tyger Claws' scum. If we don't unite, endless oppression awaits us."

"What about tomorrow or the day after? How can we be sure the Tyger Claws won't target you someday?"

No one spoke up in the bar, the truth too self-evident. They could run for the moment but not for a lifetime. 

Faced with the menacing Tyger Claws, many were still hesitant, "How can you ensure the staff of Lizzie's won't be threatened by the Tyger Claws again? Surviving tonight is hard enough, let alone the future."

Gloria rebutted fiercely, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. If they bully one of our girls, we'll return it tenfold. If they want to play with fire, we'll play with their lives."

The Moxes girl, holding up her baseball bat, cheered in agreement, "I can't agree more. I've always despised those scums!"

Inspired by Gloria's call, others began supporting her, even Judy looked towards Gloria, uplifted by her impassioned demeanor.

Someone asked, "The Tyger Claws have over five thousand members, while the Moxes barely make two hundred. How can we fight them?"

Gloria's determined response was, "If the Moxes are short on people, we'll recruit more. There are millions of girls in Night City who could become sisters of Lizzie's. Let's amplify our own voices so that everyone in Night City can see the cruelty Jotaro Shobo and the Tyger Claws have inflicted on the Moxes girls – we have plenty of evidence and won't be afraid of their lies."

Someone asked, "But the owner of Lizzie's Bar was Suzie. We had no say. She only wanted to reconcile with the Tyger Claws. What can we do?"

Meanwhile, Channel 54 News suddenly broadcasted live breaking news from the accident scene, confirming the death of Suzie Q.

The staff at Lizzie's looked at each other in shock following Suzie's death on the news.

Someone broke the silence, "The damn Tyger Claws, they must have engineered this, determined to swallow the Moxes. Did they kill Suzie because the negotiations failed?"

The speculation continued, "This indicates the Tyger Claws aren't interested in peace anymore..."

Murmurs filled the room, questions about what to do next without Suzie to lead, and whether they could also fall prey to the Tyger Claws.

Judy, watching the TV, was in disbelief. She had hoped Suzie could negotiate with the Tyger Claws and find a peaceful compromise. Even if Suzie had betrayed her, Judy wasn't prepared to hold her accountable as long as Lizzie's could survive, and the Moxes remained united.

Gloria seized the moment, "Judy, you are now the only one who can lead the Moxes out of this crisis."

Outside in the rainy night, a procession was moving towards Lizzie's Bar, a stark presence against the neon-drenched rain.

On the road, the Tyger Claws' funeral procession, numbering in the hundreds, marched in the cold rain, a statement of their presence in Night City.