Ignoring the "boring" Johnny with a warning, Luo Qi dialed the number again.
"Hello, Regina, it's Lucky."
"Ah, I know. What's up?" Regina answered the call, seemingly busy with something.
"I need a job nearby Watson District, give me one," Luo Qi got straight to the point.
"You're in such a hurry to pay me back? I don't charge you interest."
After making a good deal with her as an intermediary, Regina generously gave Luo Qi a long grace period. She understood that for someone as capable and reliable as Luo Qi, short-term gains were just that – long-term collaboration was the key to a better win-win situation.
"I thought you went to make a big deal? What happened, it didn't work out?"
"I wish it did, but unfortunately, it didn't," Luo Qi said meaningfully.
"Alright, that's your business. As long as you're alive, I can collect my money," Regina said, "Someone's paying to rescue his sister from the Maelstrom gang's territory. The only requirement is that the target must stay alive. Check the attachment for details."
The call was quickly disconnected, and a "beep-beep-beep" sound followed shortly after.
[Job Type: Urgent Need for Mercenaries
Objective: Rescue Lucy Chakri, who was captured by the Maelstrom gang
Location: Quick Cut Clinic on Long Beach North Street
Details:
Blood debts must be paid in blood. Buddy got blinded by greed and joined the Maelstrom gang. He soon found out that the gang's rules were simple: either leave your life, your money, or your person behind.
His sister, Lucy, chose the third option. Not with money, but with her medical expertise to save her brother. Repairing cyberware for three months was supposed to clear the debt. The problem is, it's been five months already.
Now you need to step in. This job will be on Buddy's tab: I guess he should have some private funds.]
Luo Qi glanced at the message and told Delamain the location.
The two in the car remained silent.
"Wait in the car for me, it won't take long," Luo Qi said to Delamain's screen, but his tone was directed at Moer.
For some reason, Old Delamain's big blue bald head was becoming increasingly annoying.
"I used to do this kind of job."
Moer responded concisely and firmly.
Actually, she was a very smart person, and she didn't need Luo Qi to describe everything in detail; she could guess the whole situation just by listening to the outline. She was well aware of her condition. However, when facing Luo Qi, her calmness seemed to lose a bit of accuracy.
"You're not in a condition to fight right now," Luo Qi shook his head, feeling that his tone might be too strong, and added, "I don't underestimate you, and I don't want to give up on you. Just... rest well for now, and then we'll see, okay?"
"I know."
Moer turned her head, her delicate hair scattering over her shoulders.
Looking into her eyes wasn't an easy thing to do.
It was just... a little too beautiful...
Luo Qi had to admit that what happened earlier was partly due to Moer's provocation, but mainly because he couldn't resist.
Though that "warm fragrance and soft jade" was a bit "fierce."
"Thank you, I'm much better now."
What did you say?
Luo Qi looked at Moer in shock, his face full of disbelief.
I thought you were going to kill me.
It's like a delayed revenge, the kind that involves "cutting off my ding-ding" in the middle of the night.
[Not bad, not bad, you've reached half of my level.]Johnny, with his microphone on, was enjoying every moment, his desire for gossip satisfied like never before, [What are you still standing there for? Go on, do I need to teach you how to awaken the primal instincts of a male creature?]
"Slap."
Luo Qi stuffed the PDA under the seat cushion with a slap and quickly cut off the connection.
The world was quiet.
As for that old pervert who's always thinking about "inserting tubes," Luo Qi didn't want to talk to him.
"Well... that's good."
Having said that, Luo Qi wanted to slap himself.
Good, my ass.
Fortunately, just as he was hesitating and feeling so awkward that he almost wanted to escape through the window (sadly, Old Delamain's sturdy window didn't give him the chance), the car slowly stopped across the street from a place filled with shipping containers.
This was the Northern Industrial District (NID).
A prime example of Night City's decline, a place where abandoned factories and equipment were piled up, and one of the best locations for shooting post-apocalyptic films.
Most importantly, the Maelstrom gang was everywhere.
"Take one step further into cyberpsychosis, or take one step back to die on the streets" was the motto for these guys.
The Maelstrom gang's clinic across the street was the target location.
Clean Cut?
Luo Qi looked at the large sign and the giant mechanical prosthetic hand model on the roof, rubbing his head.
A clean cut? (Misunderstanding)
The Maelstrom gang was indeed capable of such twisted acts, but fortunately, for the sake of doing business with ordinary people, their storefront sign was more decent.
Clean Cut, precise cutting.
Medical services, medical services.
24/7 store, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, round-the-clock service.
Next to it was the towering vertical billboard of the Kang Tao Corporation, which looked quite decent.
It would be even better if the Maelstrom gang's modified cars at the entrance, painted like ghosts, were removed and the place was cleaned up.
Luo Qi turned his head and looked at Moer. Under the sunlight, the blush on her cheeks was bright and charming.
No, now is not the time to think about these things.
After making sure she was fine, Luo Qi took the lead, walking in front with his left hand on the hilt of the katana hanging from his waist.
"Is there a problem?"
With his hands crossed, the Maelstrom gang's cyberpsycho blocked the entrance, speaking coldly.
Is this how you welcome guests?
Luo Qi lowered his head, following the gaze of the Maelstrom gang member.
He was still wearing that strange outfit.
The white bathrobe-like ronin outfit, the headset hanging around his neck, the assault rifle strapped to his back, and the katana at his waist, none of it made him look like a proper guest.
"Oh, I came to find... what's her name again?"
Luo Qi retracted his katana and walked towards the room on the left.
The Maelstrom gang member's body slowly fell against the door frame, blood pooling on the floor.
"Phew..."
He flipped over the enemy who had just turned around, still confused.
"It's over, my memory is getting worse and worse."
"Click...!"
He stabbed a guy standing outside the door.
"Moer, do you remember?"
"Bang, crack!!!"
The sound of someone's head being smashed came from across the room.
"Lucy."
"Ding ding ding ding ding—" The camera's compact structure turned around, sounding an alarm.
Unfortunately, the last Maelstrom gang member in the room was killed under the colorful neon signs of the forked path, with blood flowing to the edge of the refrigerated transparent display case.
The closed medical room in the corner was opened, and Luo Qi's blade had already pierced half the room, stopping in front of the injured and doctor on the operating table.
"Don't shoot."
The slow-witted female doctor finally raised her hand and said.
"Do you have some kind of misunderstanding about guns?" Luo Qi looked at the knife in his hand and curled his lip.
"I'm a doctor, not a member of this gang." Seeing that her life was not in danger, the doctor continued to operate on the Maelstrom gang member on the operating table.
"Ah, Jessie, I remember the name this time," Luo Qi said.
"It's Lucy," Moer held a pack of tissues, wiping the blood from her hands, and corrected.
Damn it! Why is this name so hard to remember?
But the doctor ignored him and muttered to herself, "This machine is blacking out again! What a piece of junk!"
She kicked the messy cables underfoot and continued working. After a while, she remembered that two people had rushed in.
"Who are you?"
"...Just passing by, masked riders. Your brother asked us to save you."
Luo Qi rolled his eyes.
He really didn't expect anyone to ignore him even after he charged in with a knife.
"Bodie?" The doctor of African descent was surprised and then turned her head back, "OK...OK, wait for me to finish."
"What's going on with him?" Luo Qi looked at the half-dead guy writhing around, not much different from those Maelstrom gang members who had their eyes replaced.
"Heart rate 33 bpm, blood pressure 52/102 mmHg, body temperature 31℃."
Moer, equipped with combat-grade cyberware, scanned the readings.