Guh, just kill me (not really)

It wasn't that he was deliberately keeping anything from Su Xiao.

He only knew that V had asked Jack to go out with her.

As for what exactly they had gone to do...

Peppy didn't know.

Eating his burger with some milk, Su Xiao suddenly thought of something.

He had given V three hundred thousand euros yesterday.

And Jack had helped him find his apartment.

So V had probably wanted to ask Jack to help her find an apartment too.

That must have been why they had left the Wolf Bar so early.

The more Su Xiao thought about it, the more certain he became.

Although Su Xiao's reasoning made perfect sense.

He could have racked his brains forever and still never guessed.

There was more to the truth than that.

Besides finding an apartment, the more important reason was that V wanted Jack's advice.

On what kind of present she should give Su Xiao for his birthday.

Su Xiao planned to sit in the bar for a while.

If V and Jack still weren't back once he had rested up.

He would use that free time to make another batch of tech weapons.

Nobody complained about having too much money.

Even if his money really did become nothing more than a string of digits, Su Xiao wanted that string to grow as large and as long as possible.

"Hey, interested in a job?"

Just then, a voice came from beside him.

Su Xiao turned his head.

The man speaking wore a pair of sunglasses.

He was in his forties.

He was fairly tall, with no beer belly, and in pretty good shape.

He wore a striped shirt and dress pants.

An elegant watch adorned his wrist.

Su Xiao had seen this man before.

He vaguely remembered him.

He sometimes came to the Wolf Bar too.

From what other people said, he seemed to be a reporter.

Su Xiao hadn't paid any particular attention to his name.

"What kind of job?"

"A chance to make some money. Do me a favor and come somewhere with me. Interested?"

Su Xiao looked him up and down.

"You should go to a fixer first."

"Fixer, my ass. All they do is rip people off. They're just middlemen. No fixer-we deal directly, and you get a bigger cut. Why turn down something that good?"

The way things worked in Night City, employers gave their jobs to fixers first, and the fixers then connected them with suitable mercenaries.

To use online shopping as an example, fixers were like the platforms, responsible for coordinating between employers and mercenaries.

If a dispute arose between the two parties, the fixer would step in and settle things fairly.

Of course, just as there were plenty of shopping websites, there was more than one fixer in the city.

Some were reliable, and others weren't.

Mercenaries could also deal directly with employers, but if something went wrong later, they couldn't turn to a fixer to sort it out.

Su Xiao studied the reporter a little longer.

He didn't think the man would try to screw him over.

Of course, even if he did, Su Xiao had the means to make him regret it.

"All right, but you need to explain exactly what we're doing first. I hate cryptic bullshit."

"My name is Max Jones. I'm a reporter, but don't lump me in with those corporate mouthpieces."

Max adjusted the sunglasses on his nose. "Someone named Esteban contacted me this morning. We didn't discuss any details over the phone. Instead, we agreed to meet in person. I want you to keep me safe."

Su Xiao used his last bit of bread to wipe up the remaining sauce on his plate and popped it into his mouth. "You're afraid to meet your informant?"

"First, he's not my informant. Second, you have no idea how dangerous it is to speak out against the corporations. I don't know this Esteban. He might really have dirt on a corporation, but this could also be a trap to lure me in."

"I'm not sure, which is why I came to you. I know about you, the bar owner's son, and a girl. You're all mercenaries."

"I can pay you, provided you keep me alive so I can carry on exposing the corporations' hidden secrets."

Max's expression was resolute.

It wasn't an act.

He truly stood by his principles.

At the same time, he wasn't stupid.

He knew how risky this line of work was.

One careless moment, and committing suicide with a dozen gunshots to the back was practically routine.

That was why he had come looking for a mercenary to protect him.

Under the oppression and shadow of corporate colonialism, most

People had no choice but to submit.

And brave souls like Max, who dared to fight the corporations, were rarer than gold.

So, as long as it was within his means, Su Xiao was willing to help.

"All right. I'll take the job."

Su Xiao asked Max to wait a moment.

He called Jack.

"Su, what's up?"

"I just picked up a job. Protection detail..."

Su Xiao quickly explained everything.

"How long until you two can get back?"

For some reason, Jack sounded anxious and hurried. "Uh, Su, now's not a good time to talk. I'm a little busy here... I have to hang up. We'll talk when I'm free."

Before Su Xiao could say anything else.

Jack ended the call.

"Beep, beep, beep-"

Listening to the busy signal after the call ended.

Su Xiao was stunned.

He wasn't sure whether he had imagined it.

But he felt as though he had faintly heard gunfire and explosions in the background.

Had V and Jack happened to pick up a job while they were out?

Su Xiao wasn't particularly worried about their safety.

Neither V nor Jack was the sort to deliberately bite off more than they could chew and end up covered in injuries.

Su Xiao wouldn't simply assume that V and Jack couldn't take on jobs without him.

That would genuinely be looking down on them.

They had been born in Night City and were more accustomed to its rules than he was.

Besides, while making tech weapons for Padre, Su Xiao had specifically set aside some materials and parts.

He had upgraded both of them to tech weapons, giving their firepower a serious boost.

If any clueless Scavengers or gang thugs really did pick a fight with them.

The other side would be the ones who needed to worry.

Meeting Max's puzzled gaze.

"My partners are tied up with something. Looks like it's just the two of us this time."

Chapter 36: Guh, just kill me (not really)

The difference between the Northside Industrial District and the relatively prosperous Chinatown and Kabuki District was plain to see.

The roads were narrower, and the buildings were shorter.

There wasn't much traffic either.

The farther north they went, the more pronounced the contrast became.

"You look a little nervous." Su Xiao's gaze shifted downward. "Your hands won't stop shaking. Are you cold?"

In the passenger seat, Max shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Eyes on the road, please. Thanks."

Su Xiao smiled.

"Relax. I'm not some rookie. If there's an ambush waiting for us, I'll get us out safely."

As for the ambush Max was worried about.

Su Xiao wasn't particularly concerned.

His Tactical Goggles had a scanning mode.

If there really was an ambush, he would spot it from far away.

Then he could just turn around and get out of there.

"It's just up ahead... Wait, what's that?"

Max's eyes widened.

He stared straight up at the sky.

Seeing his reaction, Su Xiao looked up curiously too.

Two pitch-black heavy AVs were slowly rising into the air a short distance ahead.

The thrusters underneath spewed shimmering blue flames, carrying the heavy AVs swiftly away.

Despite their speed, both men still clearly saw the markings on the AVs-

The Arasaka cloverleaf!!!

Su Xiao and Max exchanged a look.

Each saw undisguised shock in the other's eyes.

Max slumped back against the passenger seat.

As though all his strength had drained away.