After transferring the 20,000 eddies to Viktor, Levi kept his gaze locked on the ripperdoc.
Only when he saw Viktor’s expression remain calm and professional did he finally let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding.
Trusting someone in this city was a dangerous game, but he was relieved to know that Viktor wasn’t planning on backdooring his OS or flatlining him on the table.
“Alright, Vic.
See you in a few days,” Levi said, feeling lighter.
He grabbed his pair of Kang Tao G-58 smart SMGs and stepped out of the clinic.
Less than a day ago, he’d been a target for Scavengers, waiting to have his organs harvested.
Now, he’d survived and made allies in people like Viktor and Misty.
It was a bizarre, jarring swing of fortune, but he was enjoying the momentum.
Survival, however, was a persistent parasite.
He had 80,000 eddies left—enough to rent a cheap hole-in-the-wall and scrape by for a while, but he needed a real income.
As he pondered his employment prospects, he found himself walking back toward Misty’s Esoterica.
Misty was at the counter, Tarot cards in hand, but she wasn’t alone.
Jackie Welles was there, leaning against the frame with his signature swagger.
“Hey, Mano!” Jackie’s face broke into a broad, genuine grin as he spotted Levi.
“You pulled off quite the haul, huh?
Getting your hands on Kang Tao G-58s isn’t exactly easy work.” Levi’s hand flashed to the Nova on his hip.
He hadn’t forgotten that Jackie was a high-threat individual.
He stepped slightly in front of Misty, a protective instinct kicking in.
“Who are you?” “Jackie Welles.
Former Valentinos, now a merc with a dream to hit the big leagues!” Jackie didn’t flinch at the threat.
He’d been chatting with Misty, and she’d given Levi a glowing character reference.
Jackie, always looking to build a network of heavy-hitters to help his family live in luxury, saw Levi as a potential high-tier partner.
“Levi, Jackie’s a good person,” Misty said softly, sensing the tension.
“The Valentinos around here all say so.” Levi didn’t relax his grip.
“Misty, people are complex.
We have a proverb in the East: You can draw the skin of a tiger, but it’s hard to draw its bones; you can know a person’s face, but you can never know their heart.
Sometimes the most honest-looking faces are hiding the darkest intentions.” Jackie stopped three meters away, threw his two gold-plated pistols onto the counter, and raised his hands.
“Haha, Mano, your proverbs are solid, but we’ve got a saying in Heywood too: Don’t fear your enemies, and don’t turn away your friends.
I think we’d click.
I think we could be friends.” Levi watched him, his hand slowly drifting away from his holster as Jackie’s sincerity seemed to hold up under scrutiny.
“I hear you just hit the streets of Night City, Mano,” Jackie said, sensing a crack in the ice.
“You need a friend like me.
In Watson and Heywood, they call me the ‘Living Map.’ I grew up here.
I know every blade of grass, every dive bar, where to find the best booze, the best braindances, and the cheapest rent.
I know where the jobs are.” Levi looked at Jackie.
In a city of walking dead—depressed, desperate souls shuffling through a neon-soaked purgatory—Jackie was an anomaly.
He was vibrant, confident, and strangely wholesome.
To grow up in this hellhole and remain this…
alive…
he must have had a hell of a family raising.
Misty chimed in, “Levi, Jackie has a reputation for being a man of his word in Heywood.
You can ask around.” “I believe you,” Levi said, nodding at Misty.
He still didn’t fully trust Jackie, but if Misty vouched for him, he was willing to entertain the offer.
Jackie grinned, snatched his gold pistols off the counter, and shoved them into his jacket.
“Come on, Mano!
Let me take you for a spin around the city!” “I don’t have time for a joyride, Jackie,” Levi said, shaking his head.
“I need to get rid of these smart guns.
I don’t have the connections to fence Kang Tao gear.” “Haha, Mano, now that is something you definitely need me for!
Most street dealers are too scared to touch Kang Tao tech, but I know a group that doesn’t care.
Want to see?” Jackie raised an eyebrow.
“Watson, North Industrial District.” “Let’s go,” Levi said, his competitive nature triggered.
“Hop on, Mano!” Jackie’s optics flickered blue.
A moment later, a sleek red-and-black motorcycle rolled into the alley on autopilot and pulled to a stop in front of Misty’s shop.
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