Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 926, Section 136: Walking Back

The NCPD arrived relatively quickly.

Even in the old Night City, the NCPD in the downtown area always had the fastest response time, and this has not changed in Night City.

After all, as the most prosperous core area of ​​the city, this area has always had the most abundant police force, and the selection criteria for personnel are far more stringent than those in other areas.

In the words of street thugs and gangsters: If you cause trouble here, those bastards from the NCPD will be the fastest and ruthless to act. If you cause trouble for a few more minutes, they'll call in the Special Operations Team and the Terrorist Mobile Unit.

Of course, this incident at the restaurant was not a big deal for the NCPD, since no shots were fired and the process was followed. It was just that a customer called the police that someone was blocking the road and trying to rob the restaurant.

In response to this alarm, the NCPD only dispatched a Sky Hera Enforcer, with a total of two patrol officers on board.

"They're probably just helping street thugs cause trouble."

The NCPD officers who arrived with this idea were clearly underestimating the situation. They didn't even follow procedure by checking the road surveillance footage around the restaurant before driving straight to the scene.

However, when they saw the burly men lying unconscious on the ground, the two men gasped in shock, realizing that things were in serious trouble.

This number of people is not something that the two of them can handle easily.

Just as they were filled with regret for their carelessness and were about to press the communicator to request backup—

Their gazes suddenly fixed on two figures standing among the fallen crowd. The two were rummaging through the clothes of the unconscious people as if no one else was around, their movements so practiced it was chilling.

The next second, the two officers simultaneously released the communication button.

"Mr. Carl, what are you doing here? We all thought you were still in Dogtown."

"I came to the city to discuss some business, and then a small thing happened, so I habitually asked you to come and help me deal with it."

Carl, who spoke as if he were coming from the countryside to the city, and who was indeed from the small town of Dogtown, greeted the arriving NCPD.

Carl had met these two NCPD officers a few times before, as they used to help Mr. Johnson handle the firearms left behind after his missions. It had been a while since they last met, so their arrival was timely.

"Let's set up a cordon around here first." Carl casually tossed a confiscated weapon to the officers. "Then come and lend a hand. You guys figure out what to do with this equipment; it might be useful as spare parts."

Following Carl's instructions, one officer skillfully set up a holographic cordon, while another officer routinely rolled up his sleeves to help.

"These people are really bold. They actually saw Mr. Karl and what are they planning to do? Are they just some hotheads who recently came from outside the city?"

“No, that’s not it,” Carl corrected casually. “They saw me but didn’t have time to run.”

"No wonder."

The officer looked enlightened and nodded calmly.

He wondered how so many hotheads could still be gathered here. He almost thought that the NCPD's enforcement was not strong enough and that they hadn't taught outsiders a lesson.

"Talk about it"

After another officer came to help, Carl, as if remembering something, asked, "Why are you two still working as patrol officers? I thought you'd been promoted long ago. With your seniority, you should be sitting in an office by now." As the saying goes, 'When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.'

While it might not be entirely appropriate to apply this to Mr. Johnson's promotion, in the current NCPD, apart from the continuous influx of new officers, the treatment and status of these veteran officers have generally been improved.

After all, with the expansion of personnel, it is natural to need experienced police officers who have remained at their posts despite the poor equipment and treatment in the past to lead the teams. Under these circumstances, almost all the former patrol officers have either led teams or been promoted. It is quite rare for two people like these to still be doing this kind of front-line rapid response work.

Faced with Carl's question, the two officers exchanged a smile and answered frankly:
"The pay has been increased, and office chairs have been prepared for us, but we can't leave the entire downtown area to newcomers, can we?" An older police officer patted the pistol at his waist.

“This area is too complicated. If an inexperienced newcomer follows the old rules, they might be led by the nose by the company’s people in just a few words. We have to keep an eye on things here.”

The younger, but not-so-young, officer chimed in, "Besides, once you're in an office, how can I be there to help you with these 'minor troubles' all the time?"

"I think you guys just can't sit still."

Carl smiled and said, "But seeing you all here really put my mind at ease. It made me feel like I didn't need to do anything anymore, and I really have to thank you for that."

“You’ve said that many times, Mr. Carl.”

The two officers didn't think much of it. They were all familiar with Carl's group and knew his personality well. It wouldn't hurt to help this lazy guy out.

After all, it was done willingly; surely no one would give up working for Mr. Carl to go and lick the boots of those arrogant corporate dogs.

While the officers were chatting, they did notice the middle-aged man who had been picking up the items. Although he was a bit of a stranger, the fact that he was working alongside Mr. Carl meant that...
"Newbie?"

An officer casually approached Jefferson Perales, who was disguised, and gestured for him to throw in the bag he was carrying: "Dogville must be a tough place. How does it feel to be in the city and see the world?"

Clearly, the officer mistook Jefferson Perales for someone from Dogtown, speaking with the air of a city dweller curiously questioning a country bumpkin.

What goes around comes around. Back then, the people of Dogtown said that people from Night City came to Dogtown to beg for food, but now, in the city center, it's the city people asking about the 'people of Dogtown'.

Jefferson Peralez's lips twitched slightly at the officer's curious question.

He was a city dweller; how could he know?

It has to be said that he hasn't experienced such an equal dialogue in a long time.

It seems that since graduating from law school and becoming a lawyer, he has gradually developed a kind of indescribable sense of alienation. He once devoted himself to public affairs with ideals, but now he has fewer and fewer opportunities to chat with ordinary people on the street.

Of course, this may also be related to the fact that Night City was so dangerous in the past that people dared not linger there.

'Once this matter is resolved,' he thought to himself, 'it's time to assemble a professional team and reconnect with the people.'

But before that
Jefferson Perales skillfully changed the subject, chatting with the police officer while glancing at Carl.

'Perhaps I should ask Mr. KK if we have a professional security team.'

(End of this chapter)