Lin Mo leaned silently against the cold concrete wall, his eyes sharp as he scanned the bustling crowd. His small figure blended into the shadows of Jig-Jig Street, unnoticed by the busy passersby.
He wore a Wolf School Bulletproof Jacket, a gift from the UltraDream Simulator's starter pack. The jacket bore a snarling wolf's head on the back, grey-white fur contrasting with blood-red eyes. While it looked menacing, its true value lay in the protection it offered. In Night City, a little extra protection never hurt.
Lin Mo still found it surreal. Back in his previous life, registering for an account in Cyberpunk 2077 came with digital goodies like the Black Unicorn Katana, the Wolf School Jacket, and even a goofy Troll Plushie. Now, those items were real, helping him survive in this brutal world.
As for the katana, he hadn't retrieved it from the Database yet. If it was anything like the in-game version, it'd be nearly as tall as he was. A kid swinging around a katana half his height wasn't exactly inconspicuous.
Without a close-range weapon, he needed a gun.
But as a kid in Night City, there was no way any legitimate gun shop would sell him one.
After some deliberation, Lin Mo had reluctantly bought an Auto Butcher from a vending machine. It was a disposable 3D-printed firearm made by Budget Arms, the cheapest weapon available. Bright pink, mostly plastic, and prone to overheating or jamming, it looked more like a toy than a real gun.
Still, a gun's a gun—as long as it could kill.
His hand brushed against the cheap pistol in his pocket, giving him a small sense of security. But his eyes stayed alert, scanning the street with growing unease.
"According to the simulation, my future adoptive mother should be here by now. Why hasn't she shown up? It's almost midnight…"
Just as doubt crept into his mind, a sudden commotion erupted in the crowd.
Terrified screams echoed through the street, followed by sharp bursts of gunfire.
At the stroke of midnight, the clock chimed above Jig-Jig Street, drowning out the chaos below.
Lin Mo spotted her—a woman stumbling out of the panicked crowd, her face stricken with fear. She glanced around frantically, trapped at a street corner with no clear escape.
She wore a snug corporate uniform, her figure slim and youthful, her face smooth like porcelain. Even from a distance, Lin Mo could see the faint glow of cybernetic enhancements beneath her skin.
Without a second thought, Lin Mo sprang from the shadows. His body moved with precision, every action calculated, as if time had slowed around him.
He darted through the chaos and grabbed the woman's arm, pulling her with him. "Come with me!" he commanded, his voice firm but calm despite the chaos around them.
Startled and desperate, the woman followed without resistance.
Lin Mo moved quickly, guiding her through the winding back alleys of Jig-Jig Street, avoiding the Tiger Claws patrolling the area. His intimate knowledge of the area's layout allowed him to stay one step ahead, weaving through narrow passages until they reached a dark, secluded alley.
The stench of rot hung heavy in the air, garbage piled high around two large dumpsters. Lin Mo crouched beside one of the dumpsters, his eyes scanning the street for any sign of danger.
"Stay here. Don't move until I say it's safe," Lin Mo whispered.
The woman nodded, crouching down behind the dumpster as Lin Mo slipped back into the shadows.
Moments later, a group of Tiger Claw enforcers arrived, their brightly colored clothes and cyberware catching the flickering neon lights. Armed with guns and katanas, they searched the area for their target.
Lin Mo kept a low profile, sitting casually on the curb like just another street kid.
One of the thugs, a man with teal hair and chrome arms, spotted Lin Mo and sauntered over. "Hey, kid," he sneered, "You see a corpo lady run through here?"
"Corpo?" Lin Mo shrugged. "This is Jig-Jig Street—corpos are everywhere. They come here to blow off steam."
The thug narrowed his eyes. "This one's from Kang Tao. Black and orange uniform. You sure you didn't see her?"
Lin Mo shook his head. "Nah, haven't seen anyone like that."
The thug didn't seem convinced, but before he could press further, one of his comrades muttered, "Careful. Wakako knows this kid. We don't want to start anything with her."
Reluctantly, the thug backed off, but not before flashing a sinister grin.
Without warning, he unsheathed his katana—a bright red blade gleaming under the streetlights. He swung it dangerously close to Lin Mo's head, the blade slicing through the air and embedding itself into the wall behind him.
Shards of plaster rained down, but Lin Mo didn't flinch. He wore the perfect mask of fear, playing the part of a terrified street urchin.
Satisfied with his display of dominance, the thug chuckled and pulled his katana free.
"Alright, let's get outta here," one of the others said, pulling him away.
As the thugs disappeared down the street, Lin Mo's expression shifted from fear to cold calculation. Watching their retreating backs, he stayed silent, biding his time.
When he was certain they were gone, he returned to the woman's hiding place.
"You got a weapon?" Lin Mo asked, extending his hand.
She blinked, still shaken from the ordeal. "I-I do… but it's in my car," she stammered.
"Unbelievable," Lin Mo sighed, shaking his head. "In Night City, and you're walking around without a gun?"
Her eyes widened in surprise, caught off guard by the sharpness in his voice. Was this kid seriously lecturing her?
"You have a car, right? I'll take you to it. Where is it?" Lin Mo pressed.
"Upstairs… in the parking garage," she whispered.
"Then we'll need the elevator," Lin Mo muttered, nodding to himself.
"Follow me."
The pair moved quickly, dodging any remaining Tiger Claws. Lin Mo led the way with confidence, navigating the maze of Jig-Jig Street with ease. They arrived at the elevator, and Lin Mo pressed the button, hearing the familiar clank of old machinery as the elevator descended.
For a moment, it seemed like they were in the clear.
But just as the elevator doors opened, a voice echoed from the shadows.
"Well, well… you two are getting cozy, huh? Guess I picked the right spot to wait," the voice drawled.
It was the thug from earlier—Amao—grinning like a predator. His katana glowed menacingly in the dim light, ready to strike.
The woman turned, her face pale with fear. In an instant, Amao's katana slashed through the air, aiming for Lin Mo's back.
She squeezed her eyes shut, expecting to see the boy cut down in a spray of blood.
But instead, the clash of steel rang out, sharp and clear.
When she opened her eyes, Lin Mo stood tall, his own katana—Black Unicorn—raised to block Amao's strike.
The sword was no ordinary blade. Its ancient runes glowed faintly, casting a blue-green light that seemed almost otherworldly.
Lin Mo's young face was tense, every muscle straining as he held back the larger man's katana. His dark eyes gleamed with a cold, focused intensity.
For a moment, Amao was stunned. He hadn't expected the kid to block his attack. But his surprise quickly turned to rage.
With both hands on his katana, Amao swung again, this time with more force.
Lin Mo gritted his teeth, parrying the blow with Black Unicorn. Sparks flew as their blades clashed, the alley filled with the sound of steel on steel.
But Lin Mo knew he was at his limit. His body was still that of a child, and every block sapped his strength. Each strike pushed him back, step by step, until his back was against the wall.
Amao grinned, raising his katana for a final, killing blow.
But before he could strike, the woman, with surprising courage, slammed into him from the side.
It wasn't a hard hit, but it was enough to throw Amao off balance.
Lin Mo didn't hesitate. He swung his katana in a swift, clean arc, slicing through Amao's arm. Blood sprayed across the alley as the severed limb fell to the ground, along with his katana.
Amao stared in shock, his face pale and twisted in pain. Lin Mo, panting from the exertion, lowered Black Unicorn and stepped back.
The woman, trembling but determined, picked up Amao's fallen katana and pointed it at him.
"I'll handle this," Lin Mo said between ragged breaths.
He pulled out the Auto Butcher, its pink plastic gleaming in the streetlight.
Amao, clutching his severed arm, glared at Lin Mo. "You think this is over? The Tiger Claws will hunt you down. You'll never survive in Night City!"
Lin Mo's expression remained cold. His voice, calm and emotionless, cut through the thug's threats. "You had your chance, we could've settled this peacefully... but you sent yourself to hell."
Without another word, Lin Mo squeezed the trigger.
The Auto Butcher roared to life, spitting bullets in a flash of muzzle fire. The alley lit up in a burst of orange light, and Amao's body jerked as the bullets tore through him. His face twisted in agony before he collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Amao, Tiger Claw Enforcer: Dead.
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