While Jingxuan was being pulled away by Valentania, V had already given the mission chip to Jackie.
This was an assassination mission, offering a large sum of eurodollars, released by Jenkins, who was V's superior at Arasaka, the head of the Counter-Intelligence Department.
The target of the assassination was Susan Abernathy, the Special Operations Director of the same company.
Dog Brother actually enjoyed romantic encounters very much, but tonight was really not the time, and besides, the other party didn't say a single serious word, so there shouldn't be any important business.
He returned to the booth where V and Jackie were, handed control back to Jingxuan, and read the chip.
Jackie, unlike his usual muddled self, said:
"This job isn't simple. It requires a super awesome hacker and a reckless driver. Yeah, these two are essential."
Jingxuan: "I can be the hacker. As for the driver... how about Falco?"
Jackie: "Hmm, indeed, the personnel is good."
He then looked at V and continued, "Is this all you want me to do? To kill this lady?"
V waved her hand: "Jackie, I know your methods best. You just made a huge commotion at Arasaka Tower yesterday and got out unscathed."
Jackie's tone was troubled:
"You know me, I'm not too keen on this kind of work, and you're not too keen on it either, right?"
V: "Jackie, I have no choice."
Jackie: "I want to refuse, and I think you should refuse too."
Jingxuan: "Jackie? Are you sure you won't help? I will definitely support V."
Jackie waved, summoning a Lizzie's waitress, who brought over three small glasses of alcohol. He clearly wanted to skip V's previous mission:
"Alright, people should live happily. As for the company's dirty work... Today, they can make you do in others in the company. Tomorrow, they can make others in the company do in you. Don't risk your life for them. Come on! Have a drink!"
V and Jingxuan also raised their glasses, and V spoke:
"Alright... Cheers to 'this'..."
Jackie leaned his head back:
"What are you talking about? What kind of toast is that? You can toast to your mom, your sister, that sexy little wildcat you just met at the bar... But 'this'? What the hell is 'this'?"
Despite his complaints, Jackie still said:
"To 'this'."
With that, he downed his drink.
Jingxuan also gulped hers down.
Jackie then complained:
"V, you've sold your soul to those Arasaka bastards."
Jingxuan: "Jackie, you can't say that. I really support V working at Arasaka. It will greatly benefit our future operations. And putting aside everything else, we have to support V. Siblings look out for each other, don't we?"
V retorted, "This is all temporary. I'll climb to the top."
Jackie stood up, walked two steps away, and leaned against the railing behind him:
"Climb to the top? Saburo Arasaka is at the top. You don't stand a chance. V, don't work for others. You have to work for yourself."
That tequila just now made Jingxuan a little dizzy. Jingxuan had no tolerance for alcohol; she literally got drunk from one drink. She felt her face burning, covered her face with one hand, and closed her eyes, hoping to recover quickly.
Dog Brother: "Little girl, your constitution is truly amazing. Beer was fine, so why are you so weak with hard liquor?"
Two Nisshoku Island men in suits walked towards them, looking very fierce.
They stood in front of V.
Jackie's tone suddenly changed, clearly with a warning:
"Hey! Who are you looking for? Or are you looking for trouble?"
The corner where Jingxuan was sitting was particularly dark, and she was still covering her face. She peeked through her fingers, which delighted Dog Brother...
Weren't these the two Arasaka Corporation dogs he had beaten down in the hallway earlier?
Both of them had bruised noses and swollen eyes, and their speech was still a bit slurred, but their tone remained arrogant:
"You! Are you V?"
V sat calmly:
"Did Jenkins send you? I don't seem to know you."
Suited Man: "You don't need to know us. It's enough that we know you. Jenkins has arranged a mission for you, and we need to know all the relevant details."
V: "Name and department. If you don't say, I won't bother with you."
The suited man didn't answer again. His eyes glowed red, which Jingxuan was very familiar with. Nine times out of ten, it was a hacking attack!
How could she let them succeed?
Jingxuan immediately intercepted. As soon as the data made contact, she sensed that the suited man was attempting some kind of network tampering with V, seemingly to shut down some of V's exclusive permissions.
But how could that person be Jingxuan's opponent?
Jingxuan countered instantly. A burnt smell emanated from the back of the opponent's head, and he cried out in pain.
Jingxuan moved the hand covering her face:
"What's wrong? You two still think that beating wasn't enough?"
These two Arasaka Corporation dogs immediately recoiled a few steps, letting out exclamations of surprise.
Their mouths were still defiant: "Damn it, you guys just wait!"
After saying that, they fled towards the hallway.
Jingxuan stated her guess:
"V, I estimate these two are Susan Abernathy, mentioned in the chip; they are her subordinates. It seems your superior, Jenkins, is unreliable. He was found out by the opponent before even launching an attack."
Jackie looked displeased: "See, I just said it, and it's already here! Today they can make you do in others, tomorrow they can make others do in you. It doesn't even need to be tomorrow, damn it! If it weren't for Jingxuan, you would have been done for just now."
Jingxuan: "Let's go. It's not safe here anymore."
Jingxuan stood up, glanced at Valentania at the bar, and quickly walked away.
Dog Brother: "Hey! Xuan'er, let me send a text to that girl."
Jingxuan granted partial permissions and walked out of Lizzie's with V and Jackie.
Dog Brother: "Sorry, little wildcat, let's reschedule. Something came up."
Valentania: "Hmph, so busy."
Dog Brother said to Jingxuan: "How was it? Don't pretend, you enjoyed it too, right? After all, we share senses. As long as my emotional feedback is positive, you synchronize."
Jingxuan: "You!"
...
The three of them got into V's car.
Jingxuan: "V, you have no choice. We're going to take down that Arasaka Special Operations Director right now. Jackie, stop complaining. I don't like Arasaka either, but we have to protect V first."
V's tension was written all over her face:
"Damn it! All these years of working so hard, and one wrong step can ruin everything? It's so unfair!"
Jackie: "You still want to talk about fairness? Look at this screwed-up world, this filthy Night City. Fairness is just a joke. The information about that Special Operations Director in the chip is no longer reliable. She must have changed locations. What do we do next?"
Jingxuan: "V, you drive first. In any case, we can't stay on Nisshoku Island Street. Let's go to another district."
V stepped on the gas, driving very fast. She called her superior, Jenkins, on the phone:
"Jenkins, your information leaked early. Abernathy's people almost got me just now. You be careful!"
Jenkins: "Damn it! I was so careful, and that old hag can still monitor me? I'm a useless head of Counter-Intelligence! Alright! Since we've already ripped off the mask, V, don't panic. I'll send people to support you right away!"