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

Leo was surprised to find that everyone knew how to use chopsticks, although some were not very skilled at it.

Jack kindly explained, "Don't you think about who controls this city? It's the Arasaka Company from Japan. They brought all sorts of Eastern culture with them, like chopsticks and rice."

“But there’s one thing we couldn’t bring in… that’s sake.” V chimed in, “People here drink beer, tequila, wine, and even vodka, but hardly anyone drinks sake. The bars don’t even sell it.”

Sasha listened quietly to their conversation, focusing solely on her meal. Despite her petite stature, she had a surprisingly large appetite, and she was particularly fond of drinking beverages; in no time, several empty cans appeared in front of her.

The dessert was margarine ice cream, and the taste hadn't changed much.

After carefully checking the surrounding electronic devices and confirming that the bag was well soundproofed, Leo whispered the information he had just received.

"The people from Kangtao warned me that someone at Arasaka Academy is watching me and told me to be careful. The one in charge even asked why I came to Night City at this time. I have a feeling that something might happen soon."

Of all the people present, only V had accompanied him to Arasaka Academy. He asked in bewilderment, "We didn't do anything during our enrollment at Arasaka Academy, so why were we being targeted?"

Leo thought for a moment, then pointed to his face: "It's probably because my Chinese identity has made them overthink things. They probably don't think I'm a spy, do they..."

"There's no such thing as a spy applying for admission openly and honestly, so I don't think that's the reason."

"What could it be?"

"It's probably the arms race between your side and the Soviet Union."

""ah? ""

Leo and V were both taken aback and looked at Sasha, who had suddenly interrupted.

Unexpectedly, this new member knew such a hidden story.

Sasha scooped up a large spoonful of ice cream and stuffed it into her mouth with satisfaction: "It's not really a secret. You can find out by browsing various forums—those two countries are seeking to cooperate with Arasaka to purchase an advanced weapons technology."

Leo suddenly realized, recalling the "Middleman, Mercenary, Soldier, Spy" quest in the game. That quest involved the covert struggle between two major powers.

Thinking about it carefully, this possibility is very high.

Given the direct competition between nations, it's entirely possible that such a "major event" could drag on for years.

"I think I know what's going on, but let's not get involved. With our current strength, intervening rashly would be suicide."

After he finished speaking, he glanced at V.

The latter's super intuition kicked in, and the ice cream in his mouth suddenly stopped being sweet: "That look you're giving me again... What's with you always inexplicably calling me stupid?! I didn't do anything!"

Well, to be honest, the "V" in the game is a bit ridiculous.

Most mercenaries would turn tail and run at the sight of such a deadly mission, but V, this genius, dared to take on this job for a few thousand dollars...

Oh, no, that's not right either. The V was played by a "player," so we can't put all the blame on her.

"It's okay, I was just afraid you'd act impulsively."

Leo casually changed the subject, moving on to something else.

Believe it or not, he's now the "middleman," and might actually be able to devise a plan to try and snatch chestnuts from the fire.

The advanced weapons technology that both major powers want must be incredibly powerful...

After more than an hour, everyone left the restaurant satisfied.

Standing at the crossroads, everyone looked at Leo, waiting for his next instructions.

Leo thought for a moment and realized that there seemed to be nothing much to do today, so he decided to disband the group and make the most of the time to do something else.

"That's enough for today. The team has just been formed and is still in the adjustment period. Everyone, please take care of your own tasks and prepare for the series of missions that will follow when I return."

Sasha nodded: "Then I'll go home first and think carefully about how to infiltrate the biotechnology building and steal the data."

Is your residence safe?

"No problem. I've secretly controlled the electronic devices near my residence, and I'm very discreet, so there's no need to worry in the short term."

"No wonder he's a hacker, his mind is so meticulous."

Leo nodded, agreeing to let her leave alone.

After Sasha left, Jack looked at the two of them and scratched his head. "Since there's nothing else, I'll go back to the afterlife for a while."

Leo was speechless: "Fine, the private room is still usable. Go and enjoy the feeling of being a big shot."

"Where? You really underestimate me."

Jack waved his hand in dissatisfaction.

“What’s the point of sitting here alone in the private room? I just saw a few tables of Valentino gang members in the main hall. Even though my buddy has quit, he still contributed to the gang and shed blood. I can still go and try to build a relationship with them.”

If we urgently need manpower in the future, these people are always better than strangers.

"My bad. I'll leave this to you then. Remember to drink less."

"I will try my best……"

Jack waved and left with a flourish.

"What about the two of us?" V asked curiously.

"Go home and continue training. I'll look for some more information tonight. It's a rare trip back to China, so I should bring back some valuable 'local specialties'."

There will be a lot going on during the Spring Festival, so updates may be a bit late. Please forgive me _(:з」∠)_ Using the spell: It's the New Year!

Anonymous: Chapter Fifty-Eight - Goodbye Old Wei

Return to the apartment.

Leo put on his protective gear and, without saying a word, launched into fierce combat.

For four whole hours, he used every part of his body to attack V's fist with all his might, completing hundreds of collisions.

When the ceasefire was reached, even the invincible V-Zhentian couldn't help but gasp for breath.

Of course, the price was also terrible—he himself collapsed limply on the ground like an overcooked noodle.

"Outsiders might think we have some deep-seated grudge... They might even think I'm abusing you."

V walked to the vending machine, bought two bottles of Vatnajökull sparkling water, and handed one of them to him.

Leo struggled to unscrew the bottle cap.

The water he drank finally brought him back to life.

"Thanks, V. Do you think... I've improved today?"

“That depends on what aspect you’re asking about.” V sat cross-legged next to him. “Combat skills and awareness can’t be improved overnight, so there’s not much change in that area. However, on the other hand, you’ve finally learned to take the initiative in attacking, which is quite an improvement.”

Leo smiled with relief, though there was still a hint of bitterness in his smile.

Recalling the battle just now, V was like someone with an automatic parry cheat code; every time he made a move, he was met with a perfect counterattack, spinning like a top...

Seemingly sensing his thoughts, V comforted him, "Don't be discouraged. My intuition can be used in many ways. When you can truly go toe-to-toe with me, most opponents whose physical abilities are not significantly different from yours should be unable to defeat you."

"Hopefully."

Leo took a deep breath and sat up.

A large sweat stain was left where he had lain, drawing an abstract human figure on the floor.

V glanced at it casually and suddenly said, "Feeling any better after the intense exercise? You looked so nervous you almost had a stomachache. Is meeting that important person really that scary?"

Leo paused, "Was my reaction that obvious?"

“Yes, you're always spacing out, whether you're eating, walking, or talking, and your brow is constantly furrowed. Jack and Sasha may not have said anything, but they could probably tell you were upset. Honestly…”

V paused for a moment.

"How about you get me a visa and I'll go back with you? At worst, I won't bring any weapons. Even if it's a big shot from your country, they won't just shoot us both because you brought a stranger back, right?"

Her suggestion really appealed to Leo.

Compared to Batman and other superheroes in the DC universe, he is more inclined to believe V and Jack.

However, the access to the singularity space has not yet been cracked, and he is powerless to do anything about it.

"I'm afraid that won't work... You stay here and watch the house. Once I've made more progress, I might be able to take you with me."

V remained silent for a long time, then suddenly threw the empty bottle away in frustration.

Crash—bang—

The plastic water bottle bounced a few times on the ground and hit the corner of the wall.

V scratched his head haphazardly, his brows furrowing: "Taking money without doing anything is not in line with my principles."

"Isn't this a good thing?"

"Good my ass." V slammed his fist on the floor. "I hate this feeling of helplessness the most, wanting to do something but being unable to do anything..."

"It's normal. When you grow up, you'll find that this is how society works. Ordinary people will eventually have to learn to accept reality and get used to the feeling of 'powerlessness'."

Leo stood up and gently patted V's head.

"I need to take a shower. I feel sticky and uncomfortable all over."

As he turned to leave, he suddenly felt a weight on his trouser leg.

Looking down, he saw V grabbing the corner of his pants.

"You'd better wait until your sweat dries before you go. Also, you adult who loves to preach, you need to learn to get used to all sorts of uncomfortable feelings in order to survive in this cesspool of Night City."

After lecturing each other, the two successfully ended up with both of them severely injured, sitting on the floor staring at each other.

Later, Leo went online to search for various information.

V's prosthetic eye lit up, saying he would help him think of a way to see if there was a quick way to "become stronger".

*

2076 2 Month 21 Day.

Misty's psychic house.

After breakfast, Leo brought a bewildered V here.

"Hi, Misty, it's nice to see you again."

Leo greeted her warmly.

"This is V, my bodyguard."

“This is Misty. You won’t find a friendlier person in Night City.”

After giving the two a brief introduction, Leo gestured for them to chat first, then went to a corner to schedule a consultation with Lao Wei.

Even now, V still doesn't know why he brought him here.

However, she did find the small shop, filled with all sorts of strange divination supplies, quite interesting.

“Hey, hello there, V. Although this is our first meeting, I’ve heard Jack mention you before. He said you’re the real Haywood woman.”

V looked at the female shop owner, who was dressed in punk attire but had an unusually gentle voice, and quickly sensed the comfortable and reassuring aura emanating from her.

Just like Leo said, this guy seems to be a really nice person.

After a brief conversation, she deeply felt Misty's gentleness and kindness, successfully removing the prefix "seems" and confirming that she was indeed a super nice person.

A few minutes later, Leo returned to the counter and found V and Misty chatting happily like best friends.

"Excuse me for interrupting, V, let's get down to business first and chat later."

"What important business is it?" V took two steps toward him, then suddenly remembered something. "Wait a minute, let me and Misty exchange contact information first."

After she finished, she followed Leo out through the back door of the shop.

"Where are we going? Why are you being so mysterious..."

Leo led her to the basement and casually revealed the answer: "Go see the best prosthetic doctor in Night City. I'm getting some new prosthetics installed, and you'd better upgrade yours too. I still remember what the trauma team said."

V slowed her pace slightly: "You should have said so earlier. I finally managed to save up some money. Otherwise... we could have waited a bit longer?"

Without a word, Leo grabbed her leather jacket sleeve and forcibly dragged her: "You're not a capitalist, you can't make big money from small money. If you want to do big things, you have to sharpen your claws first. If you don't have enough money, I'll lend you some first, and then deduct it from your salary later."

"..."

V watched his retreating figure with a complicated expression, and was hesitantly pulled into the clinic.

bang bang-

Leo knocked twice on the metal door and called out, "Old Wei, get up, Old Wei!"