"So, with this condition in place, you shouldn't be afraid that I'll try any funny business, right?"
Lin Mo was convinced this arrangement was absolutely foolproof.
Pay first, work later. If she wasn't satisfied, she could quit at any time. A boss like him in Night City? He must be a saint.
"If you do accept this job, just remember—the duties and locations are set by me. It's written right on the card: everything follows the BOSS's lead."
"If you're still worried that some punk like me might be trying to traffic you or something, well, I don't know what to tell you. No offense, but there's nothing about you worth coveting..."
Lucy said nothing. Sitting on the couch, she gritted her teeth, eyes locked on Lin Mo as her mind raced. Deep inside her brain, it felt like two little voices were battling it out—one urging her to say yes, the other screaming for her to stick to her principles.
But as Lin Mo kept sweetening the deal, the voice urging her to accept had already stomped the other one into the dirt, grinning darkly, just short of finishing the job.
Instinctively, Lucy bit her lower lip. The one thing she couldn't figure out was—why had Lin Mo chosen her?
Seeing that she was still lost in thought, Lin Mo didn't press. Instead, he calmly stood up, walked over to the counter, and ordered a few dishes. Then he returned to his seat with the same relaxed smile.
"So, what's the verdict, miss?" Lin Mo asked.
"Why me?" Lucy finally asked.
Lin Mo chuckled and shot the question right back:
"Then let me ask you—on the day we first met, why did you steal my chip?"
"I told you. It was my job. And you were wearing an Arasaka Academy uniform—why wouldn't I steal from you?" she replied without batting an eye.
Arasaka Academy...? So this woman had a thing against Arasaka? Or was it just that student chips were easy targets?
Lin Mo made a mental note and smiled.
"Well, if you can be so casual about stealing chips, then why can't I be casual about hiring people? I'd suggest you appreciate the opportunity. I'm short-staffed now—won't always be the case."
Because he's young, he lacks connections?
Lucy tried to read him and sneered without emotion:
"Oh? Then I guess I should thank you for noticing me."
Lin Mo simply smiled in silence.
But was that really the truth?
Hell no. If the simulator hadn't offered the lunar trip reward and clued him in that this girl might be something special, he probably wouldn't even bother with a chip-thieving netrunner.
Even if netrunners in this world were as rare and valuable as archmages in a fantasy RPG, Night City wasn't lacking in skilled ones.
Take T-Bug, for example—one of the top-tier netrunners introduced in the game.
That short-haired, dark-skinned woman had real skill. She managed to hack through Arasaka's hotel security grid under full lockdown to open an escape route for the protagonist—all while being hunted and moments away from death.
Her final act saved her team. A pro through and through.
The white-haired girl in front of him didn't seem to stand out that much right now. But if the simulator saw value in her, then she was probably no mere pretty face.
Maybe she had some hidden talents. Enough that the simulator gave a lunar travel voucher as her reward.
"So, you've thought it through? Planning to accept the job?" Lin Mo asked.
"I don't really have a choice. With an offer that tempting, anyone would be moved." Lucy lowered her eyes, unsure whether she'd just made a mistake. "Fine. I'm in. So, what's the job?"
"Talking to you is exhausting. Do you really have to be this suspicious?" Lin Mo finally breathed a sigh of relief. "Since you've agreed to the partnership, I'm your boss now. First things first—your signing bonus."
His eyes sparkled as he transferred the money to her account.
A notification popped up in Lucy's vision—€$25,000 had been deposited into her account.
"Just like that..." She blinked, slightly surprised by how easily he handed it over.
"Trust is the foundation of cooperation. The moment you trust me, I'll trust you just the same." Lin Mo smiled. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the restaurant owner walking over with a few dishes.
"Here's the food I ordered. Want to eat something?"
Lucy glanced at the plates—just some simple Japanese dishes. Nothing fancy. Lin Mo didn't seem picky though. He picked up his chopsticks, gave them a quick flick, and started eating.
She shook her head and smiled wryly. "I'll pass. But you go ahead. Not many people here actually order food."
As she said that, Lucy looked around. Most of the customers bore signs of cyberware. They sat silently at their tables, ordering nothing, like they were just waiting. Then the owner would hand over a bag, and the customer would leave.
It looked like food takeout—but they were really buying gear or supplies.
Normal people who actually came here for a meal would lose their appetite the moment they walked in and saw all these grim-faced edgerunners.
"If you're not eating, no worries. I'll eat while we chat." Lin Mo took a few more bites of rice, then wiped his mouth clean with a napkin and continued:
"So... you wanna sign a contract?"
In fact, the studio wasn't some made-up lie.
He did have a legit studio. He'd even registered it with the appropriate departments in Night City.
A year ago, he told Xu Wanxue he wanted to "play at running a company," so she pulled some strings. As his guardian, she helped him establish a shell company—with Lin Mo as the official founder.
And in Night City, the law bends just fine under the weight of eddies.
Lucy crossed her arms in front of her, posture straight, but with a cold arrogance in her eyes. She leaned back slightly, gazing down at him:
"A contract? Since when do edgerunners sign those?"
"You don't have to if you don't want to. You've already got the money. Now let's talk job duties." Lin Mo picked up his chopsticks again and grinned mysteriously. He spoke casually, like it wasn't a big deal:
"Your first assignment is to head to the open-air junkyard near the Badlands and help me find some specific trash."
Lucy visibly froze.
She stared at Lin Mo in disbelief, her expression twitching slightly.
"Did I hear that right?" she asked.
"You heard right. The job is to go to the junkyard and find the trash I specify," Lin Mo said flatly.
Lucy took a moment to calm herself and think it through. Then, suddenly, her eyes lit up with understanding.
"The junkyard… You're looking for special scrap, right? Like the remains of armored vehicles? Or secret corporate waste?"
She thought she'd cracked it.
Rich kids like him wouldn't be dumpster diving for nothing.
Maybe... he was after some classified scrap, secretly disposed of by corporations.
"You're overthinking it. I just want you to find abandoned freezers," Lin Mo said, immediately shattering her theory.
"Abandoned freezers?" Lucy was stunned again. "What kind of freezer is worth your attention?"
"That part's classified. As a temp worker, all you need to know is your assignment. I'll mark the search area for you and provide some equipment."
Lin Mo wrapped up the instructions, still calmly finishing his food.
Lucy wanted to ask more, but Lin Mo's words shut down every question before she could voice them.
A temp worker doesn't need to ask too much...
Just thinking about that phrase made Lucy feel both frustrated and bitter.
Once Lin Mo finished every last bite, he wiped his mouth elegantly and asked:
"Any other questions? I've got more to do."
"Heh. Didn't you say temps don't get to ask questions?" Lucy snarked. "Since I've taken your money, I'll do the job properly."
"Good. Then I won't keep bothering you. I'll take my leave. Let's hope we can keep things this smooth going forward." Lin Mo stood and straightened his clothes.
He took a few steps, then paused and turned around. "Oh right—where do you live?"
"Why do you want to know?" Lucy frowned.
"To send you a few drones and a couple of trash-handling bots. You're not really planning to dig through garbage by hand, are you?" Lin Mo chuckled.
Just imagining herself knee-deep in junk made Lucy's expression darken instantly.
It even brought back a few unpleasant memories from her past.
"I'll message you the address later, BOSS. Go take care of your 'big important business' first."
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