Wakako

"Oh no! The intruder is BT!!"

"Run, don't block my way, ahhh!!"

"Spare me, please, give me a chance, I'll quit the Scavengers right now"

"..."

An underground Scavengers hideout in Kabuki suffered a devastating blow. Three minutes later, Chen Nuo returned to the surface, wearing a high-imitation Pilot helmet, a tactical vest, and a Jetpack on his back.

This was the fourth Scavengers base he had wiped out this month.

"That took a bit longer this time"

Lucy leaned against a red-and-white motorcycle by the roadside, speaking to Chen Nuo. The high-waisted leather skirt visually elongated her already perfect lower body proportions, making it hard to look away.

"These guys started running as soon as they saw me, so it took some effort to hunt them all down"

Chen Nuo pressed a button on his helmet, causing the visor to retract upward, transforming it into a motorcycle helmet. He then took the coat Lucy handed him and put it on, effectively concealing his gear.

"The video has been edited and uploaded. Many people have left comments and made requests, but unfortunately, they're still just small jobs"

Lucy said with some regret.

Thanks to the sacrifices of the Scavengers, the name BT has gained some reputation in Kabuki, attracting quite a bit of attention.

If you don't want to start from the bottom as an Edgerunner, doing menial tasks like running errands or sweeping floors, the easiest way is to use others' corpses as stepping stones.

Even if Scavengers are looked down upon by Edgerunners, they are still an undeniable gang force in Night City.

A Scavengers hideout typically has at least a dozen or twenty cybernetic thugs with armed cyberware. Even a seasoned Edgerunner might get taken down by these guys.

After all, bullets fired from Scavengers' guns are just as deadly.

Even advanced subcutaneous armor can't withstand large-caliber armor-piercing rounds.

Even the most arrogant Edgerunners had to admit, after watching Chen Nuo's raid footage, that this guy has some skills.

Of course, facing a bunch of Scavengers doesn't really showcase Chen Nuo's true strength—they're all just one-shot kills.

"No need to rush, have a little patience"

Chen Nuo got on the motorcycle, pressing close behind Lucy, wrapping his arms around her slender waist, and happily resting his chin on her soft shoulder.

"I think you're addicted to killing Scavengers. Many people online are calling you the Scavenger Killer now"

"What a nickname, it sounds terrible"

Lucy put on a matching couple's helmet, twisted the throttle hard, and the motorcycle accelerated sharply, shooting out of the alley like an arrow onto the street.

Even in heavy traffic, she showed no intention of slowing down.

When gripping the handlebars, Lucy couldn't help but get carried away—cyber-madness is ingrained in her bones. But now, when with Chen Nuo, that madness might only surface, probably all used up in bed.

But Lucy's driving skills are indeed excellent.

The nearby surveillance devices only then returned to normal.

Lucy's hacking skills aren't bad; she's considered upper-tier on the streets. Those who can completely outmatch her are among the famous Edgerunners, like veterans such as T-Bug.

With Lucy handling the cleanup, Chen Nuo's tasks became much simpler.

Not long after, NCPD arrived at the scene in response to a call and started collecting the Scavengers' bodies. They didn't seem interested in investigating at all.

If ordinary residents had died, NCPD would at least put on a show, but for Scavengers, providing a body bag is the limit of what they're willing to do.

"It's that BT again. Just look at the gunshots—every one is a headshot. It's frighteningly accurate"

After examining a few bodies, an officer couldn't help but marvel.

"This is the fourth incident. He's probably killed over a hundred Scavengers by now, no wonder he's called the Scavenger Killer. There must be some story behind it?"

"I don't think it's that complicated; probably just another one trying to make a name for himself"

"Why bother? They're just Scavengers. We should thank him for boosting our performance bonuses; this month's pay will be much higher"

"You're right"

The officers chatted while cleaning up the bodies... Back home, Chen Nuo took off his gear and was about to take a bath with Lucy to wash off the bloodstains when an unknown call came in.

"Is this BT?"

In the video call, an elderly woman with glasses and graying hair appeared, exuding a tough, no-nonsense aura.

"That's me"

Chen Nuo immediately recognized this most famous fixer in the Westbrook Area. It seemed his advertising was effective.

"I've watched all your videos. Talented newcomers like you are rare these days. Interested in doing a job for me?"

"No problem, as long as the pay is good"

"Of course. I'll send you the job details shortly. Show me what you've got, BT"

With that, Wakako hung up the call, efficient and to the point, with no intention of further conversation.

Well, Chen Nuo was just a rookie, after all. Wakako probably saw some potential in him and, since he was in her territory, decided to test him with a job.

If Chen Nuo performed well, there might be more opportunities for collaboration in the future.

As one of Night City's most famous fixers, Wakako had no shortage of powerful Edgerunners under her.

But Chen Nuo didn't take Wakako too seriously either; he hadn't even checked the job details she sent.

With a fragrant cyber-beauty waiting for a shared bath, an old lady could wait.

After some intense activity in the bathtub, an exhausted Lucy lay on Chen Nuo's chest, her fingers lightly tracing circles as if reminiscing.

"Who called earlier?"

"Oh, it was Wakako. You've heard of her, right?"

Hearing this, Lucy became a bit more alert but still didn't look up. In the past, she might have been more excited, needing to earn money for upgrades, but things were different now.

"What's the job?"

"I haven't had a chance to look yet"

Chen Nuo shared the information Wakako sent with Lucy, and they reviewed it together.

The job details were brief, targeting the Maelstrom.

Just yesterday, Maelstrom members hijacked a Tyger Claws transport vehicle. The Tyger Claws wanted to save face without triggering an all-out gang war, so they hired Edgerunners to handle it.

In a way, this was related to Chen Nuo.

If he hadn't burned down a Maelstrom warehouse earlier, they might not have targeted the Tyger Claws.

But who cared? As long as there was money to be made.

Wakako offered 100,000 eddies for the job, which was quite decent.

Jobs involving gangs usually fall within this range, considered medium difficulty. Higher-paying jobs involve corporations, where prices vary widely.

As low as tens of thousands, as high as millions.

The job was essentially about killing. As for the stolen goods, Wakako offered them as a gift for their first meeting—if Chen Nuo completed the job, they'd be his.

What the goods were wasn't specified in the job details.

"The old lady likes to keep secrets"

Chen Nuo muttered, lifting Lucy out of the bathtub and drying off with a towel.

"Are we moving tonight?"

Lucy guessed Chen Nuo's intentions.

"Since she's being so polite, we should show some respect"

Chen Nuo picked up the hairdryer, helped Lucy dry her hair, then put his clothes and gear back on. The bloodstains on them had only just dried, so he figured he'd wash them all together tomorrow.

Naturally, Lucy would be joining Chen Nuo on the mission.

The intel provided by Wakako pinpointed the Maelstrom's hideout, and even noted their numbers and armament level. This showcased the professionalism of a renowned fixer.

A fixer's job isn't just being a broker.

That's just the most basic part. They also have to provide intel to Edgerunners and do their best to handle the aftermath.

There's a lot they need to do, otherwise they couldn't possibly take such a high cut from the Edgerunners.

The red-and-white Nazaré carried Chen Nuo and his companion through the neon lights of Night City... In a dark alley on the edge of the industrial district, a transport truck bearing the Tyger Claws' insignia was burning. The acrid smell of melting tire rubber mixed with a rich, meaty aroma.

A dozen or so Maelstrom members were gathered around a barbecue.

Skewered on the wire were beef smuggled in from outside by the Tyger Claws.

Judging by the smell, this was definitely not synthetic meat. It was the real deal—authentic A5-grade Wagyu Beef. The Tyger Claws' higher-ups had a taste for it, smuggling in a batch every so often.

In Night City, selling organic meat is illegal.

As for why, aside from the potential risks from various contaminants, the main reason is that all of Night City's protein sources come from Biotechnica's Protein Farms.

Anything that touches a megacorp's interests is bound to be illegal.

But that's only for the lower classes. For those with power and money, getting a taste of real meat isn't that hard. The smuggled meat trade is still rampant in Night City.

In fact, many smugglers' bases are located near the Protein Farms.

If you think they have no connection to Biotechnica, who would believe it?

But as the warnings say, most smuggled meat does indeed bring various diseases. Even if ordinary people had the spare cash, few would dare buy real meat of unknown origin.

However, the Wagyu beef supplied to the Tyger Claws definitely wouldn't have such issues. The supplier's neck isn't as hard as the Tyger Claws' blades—they wouldn't dare pull such a stunt.

What a shame. A truckload of Wagyu beef worth over a hundred thousand eddies ended up in the Maelstrom's mouths for free.

"Damn, this meat is so good it makes me want to kill a few people to liven things up!"

"Those Tyger Claws bastards are vicious. Almost split my skull open. Good thing my Titanium Alloy Skull is reinforced, or I'd have been done for."

"Boss! When are we hitting another job?"

"..."

The leader among the dozen or so leaned against a Tyger Claws corpse, using it as a sofa. He tore into the still-frozen Wagyu beef with his teeth. His fist-sized mechanical cyber-eye glowed red, showing no intention of acknowledging his crew of psychos.

Though he was a psycho too, his condition was slightly milder.

At least a shred of rationality remained in his mind, telling him it was best to lay low for now. The Tyger Claws could retaliate at any moment.

Just then, the sound of a motorcycle echoed from the distance, growing closer. From the sound, it was just one bike.

The Maelstrom's one-eyed leader's eyes flickered slightly, but he paid it no mind. How many people could one motorcycle carry? If it were Tyger Claws, the commotion wouldn't be this small.

His underlings grew restless first. Hiding here all day, they'd been itching for some fun.

Who the hell rides into Maelstrom territory in the middle of the night instead of staying home? They're just asking for trouble.

Seeing their boss stay silent, a few Maelstrom members knew his stance. With their last hesitation gone, they got up and headed toward the road, ready to intercept.

But the motorcycle's headlight swerved, heading straight for the Maelstrom group. The blinding light flashed in their Cybernetic Eye. By the time their vision adjusted, they saw someone leaping toward them.

"Bang..."

The gun muzzle spat lightning in rapid succession.

The kenshin pistol was hailed as the best machine pistol. Beyond its power, its most standout feature was naturally its rate of fire—3.57 rounds per second, mowing down lives like wheat.

By the time Chen Nuo landed and ended his slide, he'd already emptied two magazines.

Apart from Chen Nuo, no one else was left standing. The only one still alive was the Maelstrom leader. His mechanical cyber-eye had reinforced alloy plating behind it, blocking the fatal bullets.

But before the Maelstrom leader could react, Chen Nuo fired a bullet into each of his limbs. His artificial joints weren't that tough.

"Edgerunner! The Tyger Claws scum didn't dare come themselves, so they hired you for a house call?"

The Maelstrom's one-eyed leader could still speak normally, as if he felt no pain at all.

"That doesn't sound quite right. I'm not a Sex Doll."

"What's the difference? You both get paid to do a job."

"Tsk. No other last words?"

"Stop wasting..."

After a brief charge, Chen Nuo's kenshin unleashed a powerful surge of electricity. The bullet's power skyrocketed, piercing straight through the Maelstrom leader's single eye, cutting off his words.

"No other survivors nearby."

Lucy rode her motorcycle leisurely up to Chen Nuo's side.

"Are these guys eating my welcoming gift?!"

Chen Nuo noticed the Wagyu beef on the grill and immediately realized. He was so furious he wanted to kick these Maelstrom members awake and put another bullet in each of them.

"There's still some left."

After a scan, Lucy found a few freezer boxes. Inside were a dozen or so perfectly preserved cuts of Wagyu beef.

"Thank goodness."

Chen Nuo breathed a sigh of relief. Don't underestimate these dozen or so cuts—they were worth tens of thousands of eddies, and they were hard to come by.

"I'll pan-sear you a steak for a late-night snack."

"Want to pair it with some red wine?"

"Absolutely."

Chen Nuo casually snapped a photo and sent it to Wakako, thanking her for the welcoming gift.

"(Well done, BT. You're even better than I imagined. Trust me, the next collaboration won't keep you waiting long.)"

Despite her age, Wakako wasn't asleep this late. She replied quickly and transferred the payment.

A single job earned more than an ordinary person in Night City could save in a lifetime. This showed just how lucrative mid-to-high-tier Edgerunners could be, and why so many were drawn to this line of work.

"Looks like we'll be able to move to a new apartment soon."

Chen Nuo said to Lucy.

"What's wrong with our current apartment? It's fine."

"Fine? We get woken up every night by rocket launches, the environment is terrible, and we don't dare open the windows all day. If we have the means, of course we should buy an apartment in Corpo Plaza. Who knows luxury better than the Corpo Rats?"

Chen Nuo had a bit of an obsession with buying property.

Besides, if he didn't spend his money on enjoyment, where else would he spend it? He didn't need to install any cyberware.

Lucy was the same. Her current cyberware were sufficient. Further upgrades weren't something money could solve.

"True enough. I'll follow your lead."

Lucy nodded. The environment really was noisy. She hadn't noticed it before.