Starting From Night City

"Here, this is your share."

"This much?"

Su Xiao took it, feeling the thickness of the bills, a little surprised.

Because the money Jack gave him was much more than the agreed-upon shipping fee.

"The previous reward was for outsiders. Now, I have a better idea."

"What?"

"Let's team up, partner up. What do you think?"

"..."

Seeing Su Xiao remain silent, Jack wiped his nose.

"Ahem, I'll tell you the truth. Actually, I never intended to give you any money. I planned to ditch you as soon as we crossed the border. But... you're a pretty honest guy."

Su Xiao: "..."

Damn, I can't even say anything.

Jack, I feel like you're the one who's more honest.

"By the way, let me ask you, in Night City, have you figured out what you want to do?"

"Why are you asking?" Su Xiao raised an eyebrow.

Jack didn't hide anything, being completely honest.

"Because I think you have no money and no work."

"In Night City, you can't survive without some backup."

"But don't worry, I'll help you find work. We can still make a living doing something."

"When things happen, it's important to have someone to back you up, like family. Maybe you can find some in this city too."

What Jack said made a lot of sense and was very sincere.

Su Xiao felt a little touched: "Thank you, Jack."

Jack waved his hand: "Forget it, this is nothing. We click so well, it would be a waste not to do something together. Partner."

Jack extended his palm, signaling Su Xiao to high-five him.

Su Xiao understood.

They high-fived each other with force.

"Later, I'll take you to see Old Wei, the most badass cybernetics doctor in Night City. He'll install some cybernetics for you. Ordinary people can't survive in Night City."

Su Xiao was about to say he didn't plan on getting cybernetics, but he saw Jack shake his head at him.

"Hey, wait a minute, I have a call coming in."

Chapter 14: Kindred Spirits

At the same time.

Somewhere in an abandoned factory building in Santo Domingo.

Several people dressed as mercenaries and a man in a sharp suit were gathered in this unfinished building.

And in the corner of the room was a middle-aged man wearing a hood, also in a suit.

The man in the suit nodded at Mann.

Mann stepped forward and yanked the hood off the middle-aged man's head.

The middle-aged man, seeing the scene before him, was terrified out of his wits and begged for mercy.

"If it weren't for me back then, you would have been optimized by the Corporation and become one of the talents supplied to society. Now you're hiring the Animal Gang to kill me?"

"Wait, wait a minute! I had no choice, I'm already forty years old. If I miss this opportunity, I'll never be able to climb up again in my life."

"That's it?"

"Your parents died early, you have no ties. I have a wife and children to support. I can't just stay put. You know the competition within the Corporation. If you don't climb up, you'll be trampled down by others. Sacrificing you for the happiness of my family. If it were you, what would you choose?"

"It's just for a promotion? I thought you were caught sleeping with my wife."

As soon as he said this, the entire place fell silent.

The expression on the middle-aged man's face shifted from fear to bewilderment, and then to rage.

"You slept with my wife?! You son of a bitch--"

Bang bang!

Two gunshots.

Two smoking bullet holes appeared on the middle-aged man's forehead.

His body went limp, and he fell to the ground.

Blood pooled beneath him.

"Good work. I'll transfer the money to the middleman. They'll distribute the payment to you later."

The man in the suit didn't spare Mann and the others another glance before driving off quickly.

Looking at the corpses on the ground with eyes wide open in death, Dorio wiped his nose.

"Your circle is really messed up."

Mann rested his hands behind his head.

"Corp Dogs, that's how they are. Either they're screwing someone, or they're getting screwed. That's why I never wanted to join a Corporation."

Dorio joked, "You probably couldn't get in anyway. I heard they require a college degree even for the hotel doorman. Do you even have a primary school diploma?"

"Shut up!"

Mann's embarrassed reaction sent everyone into fits of laughter, filling the air with a cheerful atmosphere.

Rebecca, standing nearby, tugged at Sasha, who hadn't spoken. "Hey, Sasha, want to go for a drink later?"

Sasha flashed a sunny smile.

"Sure."

Heywood, Wolf Bar.

Jack finished his call quickly.

His eyes on Su Xiao were a mix of surprise and joy.

"Su, you're truly my lucky star."

Su Xiao: ???

"I was actually planning to introduce you to Old Wei today, but it looks like Old Wei will have to wait. Su, if only I had met you sooner."

Su Xiao, confused, asked, "What happened?"

"I just landed us a big job, a huge deal."

"What big job?"

Jack didn't answer. Instead, he looked around.

As if searching for something.

His gaze finally landed on the laptop tucked under Su Xiao's arm.

"Can I borrow your computer?"

"Here."

Su Xiao handed out the laptop directly.

He'd gotten the computer for free anyway, so he wouldn't feel bad even if Jack broke it.

Jack placed the laptop on the table, opened it, and went online.

After a series of operations, he turned the laptop screen so Su Xiao could see it more clearly.

The screen displayed a futuristic-looking supercar.

Below the supercar image were its specifications.

Name: Rayfield "Guinevere" (Rayfield AERONDIGHT S9 GUINEVERE)

Production Time: 2075-2077

Powertrain: Rear-wheel drive

Horsepower: 950

Curb Weight: 4052

Manufacturer: Rayfield

After reading the information, Su Xiao nodded. "This car is nice. Are you planning to buy it?"

Jack's face immediately turned red, veins bulging on his forehead. He quickly said, "Are you kidding?! Su! Do you know how much this car costs?!"

"It's equivalent to fifty-two times the average lifetime income of a Night City citizen!"

"This is a supercar produced by the top vehicle manufacturer, Britain's 'Rayfield' company."

"They are renowned for their excellent quality sports cars and custom luxury sedans. The design of these models considers both comfort and speed."

"For many, Rayfield is synonymous with wealth, and for good reason."

"The price of the Rayfield 'Guinevere' has already surpassed the GDP of many island nations."

"It's worth mentioning that this British-made supercar boasts incredible performance, ensuring every penny you spend is well worth it."

"The engine under the hood comes from a prestigious lineage, making it capable of rivaling any professional race car. The interior feels like a five-star penthouse suite."

"If that doesn't tempt you, then know that the Guinevere doesn't have a single window."

"With the support of crystal ball technology, the outside environment is displayed in real-time inside the car. This not only fully guarantees the driver's privacy but also provides passengers with an astonishing travel experience."

Jack suddenly fell silent.

He noticed Su Xiao staring at him.

He subconsciously wiped his face with the back of his hand.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

"No, it's just... the way you're rambling on, you sound like a car salesman."

Jack chuckled.

"Do you think those words don't sound like something a poor kid living in a garage next to a bar would say?"

Su Xiao remained noncommittal.

"Who hasn't dreamed of driving a supercar and living in a mansion? Even toads dream of eating swan meat, let alone humans. I just happened to look at luxury car ads when I had nothing else to do."

"Alright, then this 'big job,' this 'big deal' you're talking about, isn't it about us trying to sell this car all over Night City, is it?"

"How could it be?" Jack held up two fingers. "First, Night City has plenty of rich people, and there are only four of these supercars in the entire city. They're top-tier luxury, impossible to buy even with money."

"Second, while Night City has many rich people, it has even more poor people. We don't have the connections to reach the rich, and the poor can't afford it. There's no way to make a living as a salesperson."

Su Xiao asked, confused, "Then what is this big job you're talking about..."

"The middleman who called me earlier wants me to acquire this car. He's willing to pay this much."

As he spoke, Jack held up several fingers.