From Gotham to Night City, my infamy is known to all.

V turned to look at him and complained, "The security here is pretty tight, it makes me feel like a petty thug trying to rob someone..."

"Once you save up some money and get some awesome gear, they won't dare to look down on you anymore."

Leo comforted her, and then saw her walk to the inside of the elevator and look at the Valentino gang's logo.

"Twelve roses... This place is quite high-class."

"Is there a reason for this?" Leo asked, glancing sideways.

"Of course, the biggest gang in Heywood is the Valentino gang, and Jack used to be in that gang. They believe in God and the Virgin Mary, and they value honor very much."

Well, I'm also from Haywood, so I know a bit about them. For example—the number of roses represents the gang's level of importance.

Twelve roses. This means that anyone who dares to cause trouble here will be considered a mortal enemy of the Valentino gang, and they will send people to haunt them, a fight to the death.

Leo understood: "Then this place is pretty awesome."

"Who can argue with that? The upscale apartments around here are their cash cows. About 30% of the rent you pay goes directly to the Valentino gang as protection money."

Ding--

They arrived at the twelfth floor, and Leo's room came into view.

She walked in, glancing left and right, and teased, "Twelve roses, twelve layers, you have a good eye for picking. Twelve is a very special number in the Bible, with a very good meaning."

Leo readily accepted the praise—not at all ashamed of having taken V's future place to live.

After all, she hasn't made it big yet, and if things don't go smoothly, she might not become the Cyber ​​Superman in the game.

"A good place, with a wide view and plenty of space."

V wandered around the room, then casually sat down on the sofa, crossed his legs, and...

"I'll wait here. Go change your clothes. Remember—keep it simple and low-key. Don't dress like a show-off."

This time, it was Leo's turn to stand up for himself. He had finally regained his youth, so what was wrong with dressing up a little more elegantly?

That silver-gray suit is so handsome, it's sure to turn heads.

It's all that wretched Night City's fault, preventing him from being a dashing and debonair guy...

Going up to the second floor, he changed into another set of casual clothes in a youthful, campus style. Don't ask why he didn't wear the more understated secondhand outfit—it had long been thrown into the trash can of a high-end clothing store.

Back in the living room, V turned around and immediately covered her face with her right hand: "Keep it low-key—keep it low-key! Don't you understand what keeping it low-key means? Why do you have to wear an expensive new outfit to Watson District to your death?"

"I just arrived in Night City and only have these two outfits..."

Leo was also very aggrieved.

Life is tough, sighed the female V.

In the end, she went to the nearby Apple Store and bought several "local style" outfits in Leo's size.

Of course, it was paid for with Leo's money.

Leo changed into one of the outfits and stood in front of the full-length mirror—a brown leather jacket, a hooded top, simple jeans, and sneakers.

After changing his clothes, his charm plummeted by several points...

"That's much better. Remember to wear a hood and sunglasses to cover up your face that looks like you're a 'rich person'."

"What do you mean? What's wrong with my face?"

"Even the ladies at Genting Highlands don't have your youthful skin. Anyone can tell you're rich to have skin like that and a relaxed demeanor."

Leo accepted her explanation and then asked, "You've mentioned Genting twice in just this short time. Are you very familiar with that place?"

"What? You want me to show you the way?" V asked instead of answering.

Leo wanted to nod, oh no, he didn't want to nod at all!

He was a model young man who kept himself pure and upright, and he had absolutely no interest in places like Genting Highlands!

V was skeptical of his explanation but didn't delve into it: "Cloudtop is the most famous entertainment venue in Night City, and it's very popular among mercenaries. However... I don't like those kinds of places, so don't expect me to take you there."

Leo wisely dropped the topic and set off again with her.

They boarded Delaman's car and arrived smoothly at the skyscraper, "Ant Nest".

Nobody: Chapter Twenty-Seven - First Encounter with the Cleaner

Towering into the clouds, yet filled with the warmth of everyday life.

And... the NCPD has a lot of cops.

This was Leo's first impression of the "ant nest".

Two police cars were parked at the entrance of the building, causing burly men who liked to go shirtless and show off their tattoos to walk around them, for fear of getting into trouble.

"Stay close to me, looks like something's happened again."

V tightened his leather jacket uncomfortably, concealing his weapon even more thoroughly.

Seeing the somewhat chaotic crowd, she simply reached out and grabbed Leo's arm, as if he were an ignorant child who could be kidnapped at any moment.

Leo took the opportunity to adjust his hood, covering his face as much as possible: "Another incident? How often does this 'another' happen?"

“In a couple of days,” V said, leading him forward. “The people living here are all slightly better off than the homeless. It’s a mixed bag, and something always happens every day.”

Passing by several fragrant food stalls, they walked up the steps.

The police officers who were randomly checking people's identities glanced at them casually a few times, then slowly turned their heads away, pretending not to see them.

V gestured for him to be quiet, and the two walked past the policeman in silence.

Once inside the building, after walking a few steps, there is an elevator lobby on the right. There are about four elevators there, and ten times that number of people waiting.

“Those are the lower-level elevators, we won’t go that way.”

V tightened her grip slightly and pinched him lightly.

"Don't look around. The people here are sensitive. If you're staring at a fugitive, you might get shot."

The two continued forward and found the high-rise elevator that Leo "once knew" at the end.

A large iron gate, four televisions arranged in a grid pattern, and even more billboards.

The only difference from what I remembered was that there were clearly more than just the two of them waiting for the elevator.

"Damn, why is the elevator on the right closed again? It's always breaking down?"

Strangers complained loudly.

His companion answered his question: "It's not a malfunction, it's just that someone died inside and the body was just taken away. If you want to get some fresh blood on yourself, feel free."

"Depend on……"

Not just these two, everyone waiting for the elevator took a few steps back.

After waiting for a while, the elevator on the left came down from upstairs, pulling down a full elevator of people.

Leo glanced around and asked softly, "The next one?"

“It’s like this every time. Come on, try to stand as close to the wall as possible.”

As the crowded people squeezed into the elevator, Leo felt a bit like he was squeezing onto the subway during rush hour in Japan.

About ten people squeezed in, while many more were outside cursing and swearing.

He noticed that the people here were really cautious, even in a crowded elevator, they tried to keep a distance from others and vigilantly observed the people around them.

hum-

The elevator began to ascend at a steady speed, and the scenery flashing past the window caught Leo's eye.

He tilted his head and looked down at his feet.

The rapidly widening field of vision obscured everything in the thick fog, making it impossible to see clearly.

Suddenly, he heard V speaking.

His tone was threatening, just like when the two first met.

But it was clearly not directed at him—

"What the hell are you looking at!"

It wasn't a roar, but a lower, harsher, and threatening whisper.

Leo's heart skipped a few beats, and he quickly turned his head to look.

V remained in front of him, confronting the two black men who clearly didn't look like good guys.

They had a row of nose piercings, dreadlocks, and tattoos covering their exposed skin. Most importantly—they were staring at him with the same eyes one would use to look at a rare animal.

"What, is your mistress so precious that I have to pay to look at her?"

The atmosphere in the elevator suddenly became tense as he responded with trash talk.

"Not here, there are children here!"

A Latina woman in the elevator objected and pushed the child next to her.

The boy, who looked no more than ten years old, stared timidly at the adults, his right hand clutching something inside his jacket. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a dark object, perhaps the grip of a gun…

With children present and the space cramped, the two sides in the standoff restrained themselves a bit and looked in different directions.

Soon, the elevator arrived at the 7th floor service area, and V pulled him out first.

The two old black men didn't come down; they continued upwards.

"call……"

Bang—bang bang—

Just as Leo breathed a sigh of relief, he heard a series of gunshots, and his whole body tensed up.

V let go of his hand and gave him a push on the shoulder: "Don't be nervous. Right in front of you is a gun shop that also serves as a shooting range. It's never quiet all day long."

Those two people from earlier gave me a bad feeling; we need to be careful.

Leo hesitated, unsure of his judgment: "The smell of blood?"

"You smelled it too? That's right, it's the smell of blood, a bloody smell mixed with the smell of fresh offal. If you ask me, it's probably the smell of a 'cleaner' that just finished its work."

"..."

Leo's brows furrowed. He hated those people the most in Night City, so much so that he wished he could blast them to smithereens with a rocket launcher and then completely decompose them with strong acid.

"A cleaner lives here?"

V scoffed: "How novel! Cleaners are just sewer rats that are a little better than homeless people, but still not respectable. They like to live in places with a lot of people."

"Hmm...we need to finish quickly and leave before dark."

"Because bad things always happen in the dark?" Leo said in a literary tone.

"No, because they like to drink at night, and when they get drunk, they don't know their own limitations."

After V finished speaking, he pushed him forward.

Leo looked up—the signboard displayed three handguns, and the store's name was "The Second Amendment."

"Open 24 hours a day, that's quite diligent."

"There's no other way. In Watson District, guns are as essential to everyone's life as water and food!"

The person who answered him wasn't V, but the fat shop owner standing behind the barbed wire fence.

He had a classic Mediterranean hairstyle, a voluptuous figure, and his appearance... well, a face full of flesh, fierce eyes, and a thick horseshoe beard—he looked like someone you didn't want to mess with.

But his voice is quite friendly, which is kind of endearing.

"This is Wilson, the most ruthless gun dealer in Watson District. This is L, my new friend."

V gave a brief introduction to the two, omitting Leo's name and giving him a code name instead.

“New friend… haha, I like new friends too.” Wilson looked Leo up and down, catching a glimpse of the color of money through the gaps in the hood and sunglasses. “Oh, my friend, you look fantastic, definitely someone who can afford a good gun!”

"Of course, you're not bad either, V. You've made a comeback so quickly. I told you you're suited for Night City!"

"I fucking thank you..."

V gave a curt "thank you," his gaze sweeping over the firearms displayed in the gun cabinet—

Assault rifles, submachine guns, bullet guns, and a light machine gun—those big guns are much more exciting than pistols.