Looking at the pile of chips stacked like a small hill in front of her, Lucy—despite her normally calm demeanor—couldn't help but show a look of astonishment. "You managed to collect this many chips in a single job?"
Even at her best, Lucy knew she could only gather about twenty or thirty chips in one sweep before needing to quickly exit the scene. Lingering too long in one place always carried the risk of alerting observant passengers.
Yet today was different. Following Thailia's lead, they strolled leisurely through the train, exited at the station without drawing suspicion, and somehow managed to acquire more than she ever had in a single run.
This level of success was insane.
More shocking still was that Thailia—a man with no visible prosthetic and done this with unknown method that defied logic.
"Thailia, were you in this line of work before?" Lucy finally asked, unable to contain her curiosity.
"Thirty-six, thirty-seven… no, this is my first time," Thailia replied without even looking up, his hands busy counting chips. "Forty-one, forty-two, forty-three…"
Lucy stared at him, stunned. "First time? And you're this good already?"
Her first thought was that he was bluffing, but when she glanced into his clear, unwavering eyes, her doubts faltered.
"For someone without prosthetics, what should I even be worried about?" she thought to herself.
Besides, this was Night City. Here, money solved problems faster than questions ever could.
Before Lucy could continue her train of thought, Thailia spoke up, interrupting her. "Finished counting!" He raised his head, brushing his hands off. "Lucy, there are fifty-two chips in total—huh?"
He paused, confused, as he noticed Lucy giggling faintly to herself.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh, it's nothing…" Lucy said, snapping out of her thoughts. She turned her head away, the soft sunlight filtering through the parking lot roof highlighting the faint smirk on her lips.
The golden light fell on Thailia's angular features, his golden eyes gleaming in its glow. His slightly puzzled expression only added to the unintentional charm.
For a moment, Lucy found herself caught off guard.
Then, with a sly grin, she leaned in suddenly, her face so close to his that their noses nearly touched.
"Isn't it lucky to meet me today?" she teased, her voice low and playful.
The proximity threw Thailia completely off balance. He leaned back instinctively, lost his footing, and landed on the ground with a thud.
"Ah—ouch!" he yelped, grimacing as he rubbed his lower back.
Lucy burst out laughing, the sound clear and melodic like a bell. She stood in the beam of sunlight, her silver hair catching the light, making her look almost ethereal.
Thailia scratched his head and chuckled nervously. "I guess… yeah, meeting you is pretty lucky."
Still laughing, Lucy extended her hand to him. "Come on, get up already."
Without hesitation, Thailia grabbed her hand and stood, dusting himself off.
"Back to business," he said, shifting his focus back to the chips. "So, we're splitting 30-70, as agreed earlier, right? Should I come with you to meet the buyer, or will you transfer the money to me?"
Lucy raised an eyebrow. "In a hurry for cash, huh?"
"Very," Thailia said simply, his tone steady and honest.
Lucy sighed, shaking her head with a faint smile. "Fine. Since you did well today, I'll transfer it to you right now."
As she pulled up her payment interface, she paused. "Oh, wait. You don't have a payment implant. What's your account info? I'll send it directly."
Thailia quickly handed over his phone, showing her his account details.
"Done," Lucy said a moment later, standing up and brushing off her hands. "Check your balance."
His phone buzzed with a notification. Opening it, he read: [Bank Notification: 55,000 Euros credited to your account.]
Thailia blinked in disbelief. "Fifty-five thousand?! Are you sure you didn't send too much?"
"That's what you earned, no more, no less," Lucy replied casually as she crouched down to start sorting through the chips. "Besides, you said you needed it, didn't you?"
Her nonchalant tone only made the gesture feel more genuine, and Thailia felt a warmth he hadn't expected.
"Thanks…" he murmured, his voice quieter than usual but filled with sincerity.
Lucy glanced up briefly, her expression softening. "If you really want to thank me, help me sort these chips instead of just standing there."
"Oh—right!" Thailia quickly crouched beside her, eager to assist. "Uh… how do I know which ones are which?"
"Look for this code—it's a standard credit chip. This one…"
As Lucy patiently explained, Thailia fumbled and made a mistake.
"No, no, not like that!" Lucy scolded with a smirk. "Were you even listening?"
"Sorry, sorry!" Thailia replied sheepishly, laughing at his own clumsiness.
The two worked together in the sunlight, their laughter echoing faintly in the otherwise quiet parking lot.
Neither of them noticed the shadowy figure watching from the corner, eyes locked on the pile of chips.
"We've hit the jackpot," a gruff voice whispered into a communicator. "There's a goldmine in our territory…"
"…Hold them there. I'm on my way."
"Yes, boss!"
Unaware of the danger, Thailia and Lucy continued their work, lost in the moment.