This surgery, in fact, still had one point that made David very hesitant, and that was the deep memory left to him when the Sandevistan was installed.
That wasn't pleasant at all; he almost died from the pain.
But this surgery was completely painless, just like sleeping.
When he opened his eyes, the awkward feeling from the back implant disappeared without a trace; he couldn't even feel the presence of an external object.
If he hadn't touched the cool sensation with his fingertips, he would have suspected that the implant had been stolen.
"How do you feel?"
Looking up, he saw Viktor looking at him with a kind expression, and David felt a sense of relief.
His body was still a little out of control, which should be the residual effect of the anesthesia.
"I feel great, like a burden has been lifted."
"I don't know who installed your cyberware, but it was a mess inside, with visible black and necrotic tissue.
And your nerves, some parts were in shock; don't tell me you had surgery without anesthesia and literally killed those nerves with pain."
Smiling wryly, David recalled the experience of installing the Sandevistan; it was indeed unforgettable.
"I think I never want to relive that experience again in my life."
Heywood, The Glen, The Coyote Bar, in a private room on the second floor.
A burly man was guarding the door, and when he saw Jackie, the stern expression on his face softened.
"I wonder when you'll make a name for yourself. Is this your new friend?"
The big man, peering through his sunglasses, scrutinized Arthur, like a predator in the jungle assessing danger.
"Long time no see, he's working with me on a job; we need to see Father. I've finished what he asked me to do."
Jackie punched the big man in the chest and said.
But the other party clearly didn't let them in just because he was familiar with Jackie; after his eyes flickered a few times, a voice came from the door behind him.
"Let them in, Jackie is a kid I watched grow up, what's there to be wary of?"
The voice was old and deep, with a calming power.
Pushing the door open, a sparse-haired, short old man was sitting on the sofa.
He had a gentle smile on his face, and even the wrinkles on his face seemed amiable.
"That kid, he even stopped you, really..."
Jackie was also delighted to see the other person, as if he had seen his elder.
"Father, your safety is the most important thing. If he hadn't stopped me, I would have given him a beating."
"Sit down. It seems you've completed the task, to venture into Japantown, in Tyger Claws territory, truly young and promising."
Pointing to the sofa nearby, Father looked at the two with sparkling eyes.
After seeing them sit down, he even personally poured two glasses of wine and pushed them in front of them.
"Jackie, I'm happy that you little punks can produce someone capable."
Taking the wine, Jackie tilted his head back and drank it all, then wiped his mouth heartily before looking at Father across from him.
"I respect you, so I won't hide anything.
Do you know what the target of this job was?"
Father seemed to sense something; he pressed his hands down, stopping Jackie from continuing.
"I'm old, Jackie, some things no longer interest me.
Whether it's your side or their side, I'll keep half an ear closed.
As for this mission, they gave 350,000, and I kept 50,000 for the brothers who gathered information, for their drinks.
I don't take a single extra cent of the money, and I don't meddle in the affairs at all."
His speech was slow, but it gave a convincing power.
Saying that, the old man pushed over a shard; that transaction shard was a good choice for payment.
"This is your reward; remember to make the shard disappear after you withdraw the money.
After that, all traces of this mission will disappear, no matter which side comes looking for me, it will be the same."
Jackie also understood what the other party meant; he silently put the shard into his pocket.
Although he couldn't get any information here, fortunately, the result was still good.
Seeing Jackie about to get up, Father pulled him back again.
"You kid, we haven't seen each other in a while, did you come to see me just to talk business?"
Saying that, he refilled the wine glass in front of Jackie.
"Sit down and have a few drinks with me, and introduce me to your new friend."
Thus, the three chatted idly, and the topic never strayed back to the commission; the atmosphere was harmonious for a while.
When Jackie and Arthur were about to leave, Father pulled him back again, but this time it wasn't to keep him.
"Jackie, I watched you grow up, we are family.
When you're out there, sometimes I can't help you.
But if you can't stand it anymore, come home, we'll hide you well, even if we have to."
Looking at the old man's sincere face, Jackie also smiled broadly and simply said goodbye.
"Adiós, padre (Goodbye, Father)."
After the two walked away, the burly guard at Father's door actually burst in.
"Father, I don't understand, for just one sentence, Biotechnica would give us another 400,000, why didn't you agree?"
Seeing the newcomer, Father's face showed a momentary surprise, but it quickly calmed down again.
"Why do you say that, aren't you friends?"
He still spoke in that slow, deliberate tone, his gaze fixed on the wine glass in front of him.
"Personal relationships are personal relationships, but 400,000 can change the gang's situation, and it can even drive those damned 6th Street Gang into a corner. How can we give up this opportunity because of personal relationships?"
The burly man had a righteous expression on his face.
"You sit first. I'm old, and I'm training you to be my successor."
Father's tone was still amiable, but the burly man, engrossed in Father's previous sentence, didn't see the fleeting coldness in the old man's eyes.
"Some things, I need to make clear, lest you don't understand.
Over the years, how many Fixers have emerged in Night City, why are only a few of us old guys still standing?
You must remember, Fixers eat from two bowls, placed on a table with only one leg.
No matter which bowl you smash, this table will tip over.
The corporations, no matter how much food they have in their pot, won't pity you, nor will they let you take your bowl and eat at their pot.
Only Fixers who understand this principle can eat for a few more years."
With that, regardless of whether the burly man understood or not, Father directly left the private room.
By the roadside, Arthur, with a cigar in his mouth, white smoke obscuring his eyes, was walking towards the aerial tram station.
Jackie walked beside him, took just one puff, then snuffed it out and threw the thing into a nearby trash can.
"Compared to a Fixer who deals in information, your elder is more like a leader."
Arthur glanced sideways at Jackie's action, then turned his head back.
"Strictly speaking, Father is the leader; many things in the Valentinos are decided by him."
Jackie glanced at Arthur apologetically and replied.
"It seems he also manages a big family, then he must manage it well. It can't be easy to keep the gang's kids from smoking."
Jackie laughed heartily and explained.
"The smoking issue is because my mom doesn't allow it.
Never mind these small things for now, let's look at our reward. Although it's not very clean, it's indeed a large sum."
After he said this, a gleam flashed in Jackie's eyes, and then Arthur received a transfer notification from his neural interface.
"The money isn't clean, so we'll 'clean' it. This matter isn't going to be easily forgotten."
"Never mind that, brother, we need to discuss what to do with this money; it's a huge sum."
Jackie was clearly very excited, apparently he had already thought about how to use it.
"What, do you have a plan that makes you so happy?"
"I've got my eye on a car, an ARCH, the latest model! I've completely fallen for its tires."
Seeing Jackie's deadpan expression, Arthur didn't say much, and a "wicked" idea surfaced in his mind—
Let David test drive it for him.
"What about you, what are you planning to do?"
Without much thought, Arthur said.
"First, pay back Viktor, then get some good guns, and even implants."
He had carefully learned about implants from Viktor, and although he was still confident in his marksmanship, he couldn't ignore the threat those cyberware posed to him.
Take David's Sandevistan, for example; if that kid practiced his skills and activated the implant near him, even if Arthur could barely catch a glimpse of the opponent's figure, his body would definitely not have time to react.
The body has its limits, and, without being modest, in some aspects, Arthur had already touched that limit.
However, installing cyberware couldn't be rushed; if it damaged his original qualities as a sharpshooter, it would be more loss than gain.