After downing two large bowls of pasta, David felt significantly better.
"How are you feeling now, David?"
Victor studied David's face carefully, looking for any lingering effects from last night.
David took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. He flexed his fingers and moved his arms slightly, testing his body's condition. "Not too bad. A little weak, slight headache, but nothing serious."
Victor raised an eyebrow, curiosity flashing in his eyes. "That's odd. The side effects of using a strong stimulant for the first time should be severe. How are you recovering so fast?"
He gestured toward the operating chair. "Alright, come over here. Let's run a full-body scan."
David nodded and climbed onto the chair. Lucy, Jack, and the others gathered around, watching Victor work.
As the scan results loaded, Victor's eyes widened in shock.
"This is... really strange!" he muttered.
Lucy immediately tensed. "What's wrong? Is David okay?"
"Yeah, Lao, don't scare us like that!" Jack said, looking at the data on the screen. "All the numbers are green. That means he's good, right?"
"That's exactly what's weird!" Victor replied, rubbing his eyes as if to make sure he wasn't seeing things. He pointed at a specific section of the scan. "Look at this—his lactic acid levels. Normally, when someone uses a strong stimulant, their body suffers immense fatigue afterward, and lactic acid buildup skyrockets. It takes days, even weeks, to fully recover."
He paused, then gestured at David's data. "But here? His lactic acid levels have been dropping at a visible rate! It's like his body is metabolizing it ten times faster than normal."
Silence filled the room.
Jack was the first to break it. "So, Lao, is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
Victor exhaled. "It's good—almost too good. This kind of recovery speed is completely unnatural."
Jack grinned and slapped David on the back. "See? I told you! David's built different. He's got that Eastside mystery power or something!"
Victor chuckled and shook his head. "Honestly, Jack, maybe you're onto something."
David frowned in thought. "If my body recovers this quickly, does that mean I can use strong stimulants regularly?"
Victor's expression turned serious. "I wouldn't recommend it."
"Why not?"
Victor leaned back and crossed his arms. "Black-market fighters use these drugs as a last resort. The recovery time is brutal. Even though your body is different, prolonged use of stimulants could mess with your nervous system. That headache you feel right now? That's your brain struggling to repair itself."
"If you use them too often, the damage could become irreversible."
David's excitement cooled instantly. His initial thought of using stimulants to speed up his strength gain suddenly seemed reckless. If he ruined his brain in the process, what was the point?
It looked like training the hard way was still the best option.
After the scan, Victor prescribed some medication to help with David's recovery. With that, the trio—David, Lucy, and Jack—left the clinic.
As they stepped outside into the cool night air, the enormous billboards in Little China were still replaying last night's chaos. News anchors reported the complete destruction of the Tiger Claws' headquarters, while street interviews captured the shock and awe of Night City residents.
"Holy st, David!" Jack laughed, pointing at the screen. "We're famous! You really did it—took down the Tiger Claws in one night. That's some legend-making st right there!"
David, however, remained calm, watching the footage with a thoughtful expression.
"This isn't enough," he said.
Jack blinked. "What do you mean? We just wiped out one of the biggest gangs in Night City!"
David didn't take his eyes off the screen. Corporate executives from the biggest megacorporations were being interviewed, their expressions unbothered. Even a biotech CEO caught up in a scandal looked calm and composed.
It was a stark reminder of where true power lay in Night City.
"If we really want to be legends," David said, "we have to shake those guys at the top."
Jack and Lucy fell silent.
David turned to Lucy. "By the way, where's all the money from last night?"
Lucy snapped out of her thoughts. "I transferred the credit chips to your account. As for the cash, Jack stashed it at your place."
David nodded. "Alright. Tomorrow, you two will split the cash—10 million each. I'll keep the credits and use them to upgrade our equipment."
Both Jack and Lucy froze.
"Wait... did you just say 10 million each?" Jack asked, his mouth slightly open.
Lucy looked just as stunned. "David, that's too much. You risked your life last night. I just hacked the network. I don't deserve that kind of cut."
Jack scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, man. I just looted some s**t. You did all the heavy lifting."
David smirked. "Are you two stupid?"
Lucy and Jack looked at each other, confused.
"If any of us had been missing, last night would've ended in disaster," David explained. "Lucy, you cracked their system and found out about the ambush. Jack, you backed me up when things got hot. Without either of you, we wouldn't have made it."
He patted them both on the shoulders. "So yeah, 10 million each. No arguments."
Jack and Lucy exchanged glances, then burst out laughing.
"You crazy bastard," Lucy muttered, shaking her head. "I thought you were joking before, but you really meant it."
Jack whipped out his phone. "Hey, Ma! Your son's rich! You know that house in Heywood you always wanted? I'm buying it tomorrow! No, Ma, I'm serious. I'm not on drugs!"
David chuckled as Jack excitedly talked to his mother. He then glanced at Lucy, who was smiling to herself, her face reflecting the neon lights of the city.
They had come a long way.
Looking at his bank account, David felt a surge of determination. With over 40 million at his disposal, the future was wide open.
"This is just the beginning," he muttered.
The road ahead wouldn't be easy.
But for the first time, he felt like they had a real chance at something bigger.
Something legendary.
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End of Chapter 89
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