chapter 68

Cyborg

Holding the crispy bread with the rich aroma of wheat in his left hand and dipping it into the creamy mushroom soup, Karl savored every bite. With his right hand, he picked up a piece of potato omelette and stuffed it into his mouth. Karl swore this was the best meal he had ever had in 2075—the most satisfying by far.

There was something special about the real thing.

After finishing two portions of potato omelette and one serving of cream of mushroom soup with bread in ten minutes, Karl asked the shop owner to pack three more servings of the soup and six portions of the omelette. After tasting these dishes, Karl was certain they were delicious enough to bring back for Jack and the others to try.

The total came to 1,160 euros for Karl's meal and takeaway. The shop waived the packaging fee because he had bought so much in one go.

After paying, Karl picked up the tightly packed food with one hand, ensuring nothing would spill.

In Night City, it was crucial to remain vigilant and keep one hand free at all times.

As Karl carried the food and approached the door, someone else happened to enter—a man in an Arasaka uniform.

Their eyes met, but Karl didn't recognize him. The man, however, clearly recognized Karl and froze, fear evident in his eyes.

Ah… can my prosthetic eyes read emotions now?

"You go first," Karl said calmly.

Whenever a "company dog" crossed his path, Karl always made way. Why bother arguing about precedence with a dog?

"Yes, thank you!" the Arasaka employee stammered, visibly relieved. He forced a smile, nodded at Karl, and walked past him into the store, almost groveling.

The Arasaka security guard silently rejoiced. 'How did I run into this killing star here? Luckily, he's in a good mood.'

Though Karl didn't remember this Arasaka employee, the guard remembered him vividly. He had witnessed Karl's prowess during a mission protecting Arasaka Haruko. Karl was not someone to be trifled with.

As the Arasaka employee felt a fleeting sense of relief, Karl's voice from behind froze him in place.

"Wait a minute, I think I recognize you."

Though Karl didn't recall the man's face, his silhouette seemed familiar. "Were you the security guard from before?"

"Yes, it's me…" the man replied hastily, turning around and instinctively attempting to bow, only for Karl to stop him with a raised hand.

"I'm not your boss; no need to be so formal."

Karl smiled, though his words were cutting. "Even though you stood by during our first attack and failed to protect the target, nearly causing our team's downfall, I'll overlook that since you later fought hard with Jack and his friends."

Karl patted the Arasaka employee's shoulder lightly, causing him to tense up. "Don't worry. I'm not one of those stereotypical guys who'd kill your whole family over a grudge. I'm just unhappy, and it won't affect your entire family."

Karl patted the man's shoulder again, harder this time, making the guard nearly collapse to his knees. "But if you make me unhappy again, you'll be the only one left in your family."

Karl was very particular—he gave people one chance. The next time, there would be no mercy.

Feeling the weight of Karl's hand, which could easily crush his shoulder, the Arasaka employee nodded frantically, desperate to show his sincerity.

"Make sure you do your job properly."

Karl could tolerate someone merely observing during a fight—mercenaries like him were used to being cannon fodder. But failing to fulfill their duties and endangering the mission was a different story. The anger from incompetence was far greater than from expected challenges.

After his warning, Karl noticed the curious stares from others in the restaurant. Though his conversation with the Arasaka employee wasn't loud, the scene was too intriguing to ignore—a mercenary almost making an Arasaka guard bow or kneel. It was a spectacle worth watching.

Karl, uninterested in being the center of attention, withdrew his hand, glanced around the restaurant, and exited, leaving the Arasaka employee sweating and relieved.

'Strange,' Karl thought as he stepped outside.

As a seasoned mercenary, he was always aware of his surroundings. When he had left his seat to pay, the woman with pink hair who had arrived after him was still eating. But when he finished his conversation with the Arasaka guard and glanced back, she was gone.

Does this place have a back door? But she didn't seem to pay the bill…

Did she run off without paying? Taking advantage of the commotion to sneak out—classic Night City behavior.

Karl recalled a news report about a fugitive who couldn't resist watching a spectacle and got caught on surveillance.

"Ding…"

Karl received a message from Blanca.

Intel already?

Karl hoped it was about the ACPA pilots entering Night City. He opened the message eagerly, only to find a new assignment. It was unusual to get a new task before completing the previous one.

Scanning the message, Karl noticed a word he had never encountered before: Cyborg.

Thanks for the good soul's who support mee