Chapter 63: Mission Accomplished!

Arthur glanced at Jack, who was still catching his breath after their narrow escape. Patting his companion on the back, Arthur gave him a smirk. "Relax, Jack. The hard part's over."

Jack groaned, still uneasy. "Yeah, but you've got that look again. Don't tell me you've got more crazy ideas brewing."

Arthur scratched his chin, a mischievous glint in his cybernetic eyes. "Let's just say there's no need for hacking this time. I've got a better plan."

In this cyberpunk world, hackers weren't like the ones from ancient times, sitting in front of computers typing furiously. Now, hacking required direct neural connections, real-time reflexes, and the nerve to face life-threatening risks.

Arthur double-checked the connection plug on his wrist. Satisfied it was secure, he flipped the activation switch. Instantly, gray static electricity buzzed through his vision, and the word "Online" flashed before him.

A moment later, a nauseating wave of weightlessness hit him as he entered cyberspace—a dazzling maze of neon lights and flying grids.

Within this virtual realm, hackers navigated and manipulated data like physical objects. The primary advantage was speed; actions that took minutes in the real world were completed in seconds here.

But the dangers? They were equally amplified.

An opposing hacker could fry your brain with a single malicious attack. The resulting explosion would be a horrific mess, leaving behind what could only be described as pressure-cooked brain matter. It often took several cleaning teams to sanitize such a scene.

This, however, wasn't Arthur's concern at the moment. He wasn't interested in leaving any traces for others to follow. In Night City, being careless was a fast track to ending up in a gutter—or worse.

Arthur exited cyberspace with a focused mind and crouched beside Michael, who was still slumped on the floor with a demented grin plastered on his face.

"You wanted a flower girl, right?" Arthur teased, leaning closer.

Michael giggled, his expression dreamy and detached. Lust flickered in his eyes, even in his unstable state.

Arthur patted Michael's head mockingly. "Alright, here's the deal. You transfer three million eddies to me, and I'll let you touch the flower girl's thigh."

Michael's face shifted slightly, and his gaze wandered toward Jack. His goofy smile widened. "Young girl's thighs… can't be touched…"

Arthur suppressed a chuckle as Jack, visibly uncomfortable, shuffled backward.

Jack folded his arms, clearly irritated. "Arthur, don't tell me you're seriously selling me off here."

Arthur smirked. "Six to four split. I get six, you get four."

Jack blinked in disbelief. "You've gotta be kidding me."

Suddenly, Jack's expression changed. The thought of earning hundreds of thousands for something as simple as letting someone touch his thigh didn't seem so bad anymore. After all, in Night City, desperation bred creativity—and survival often meant bending one's pride.

"If there's a job like that, most of those broke street punks would probably line up for it," Jack muttered under his breath.

Arthur grinned, then turned his attention back to Michael. "Alright, buddy, how much do you actually have left?"

Michael scratched his head, his smile still plastered across his face. "I don't know… how much do I have?"

Arthur leaned in, his voice soothing and persuasive. "How about you transfer everything to me, and I'll make sure you meet the flower girl? Sound good?"

Michael's eyes lit up, and Arthur watched with satisfaction as the account data scrolled across his prosthetic display. The transfer was complete.

Even in his diminished state, Michael still had over two million eddies left. Not bad for someone who was on the brink of bankruptcy. Arthur knew that this amount would be more than enough to pay the outstanding wages—and leave a tidy profit for himself and Jack.

Arthur stood up, brushing off his hands. "Alright, Jack. Time to clean up. Let's leave this place in good shape."

Jack groaned but didn't argue. As a mercenary, he knew the importance of covering one's tracks. Leaving evidence behind in Night City was a guaranteed way to get hunted down.

"Sure thing," Jack grumbled, grabbing a nearby baseball bat. "I'll make it look like a robbery gone wrong or something."

Arthur lit a cigarette and watched as Jack went about his work. They had left no cameras, and neither of them had fingerprints—prosthetic hands took care of that. DNA wasn't an issue either; Night City didn't bother recording such details for its citizens.

Satisfied, Arthur stepped outside and dialed the old captain's number.

"Job's done," Arthur said, exhaling a puff of smoke. "The wages are secured, but I'll need to meet with the workers' representative to finalize things. Oh, and about those extra personnel I mentioned earlier…"

The old captain's voice crackled through the receiver, agreeing to Arthur's terms.

Arthur hung up, got into his car, and revved the engine. Moments later, Jack climbed into the passenger seat, looking somewhat satisfied.

"So?" Arthur asked, glancing at Jack.

"No issues," Jack replied. "I gave him a few extra whacks to make sure no one recognizes him. We're clear."

Arthur chuckled. "Good. Let's get out of here."

The car glided smoothly through the neon-lit streets of North Oak. Arthur couldn't help but reflect on how far they'd come. The workers, who had been unpaid for months, would finally get what they were owed. Meanwhile, he and Jack would walk away with a hefty bonus.

In Night City, that was as close to a win-win as it got.

"Hey, Arthur," Jack said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah?"

Jack hesitated before shrugging. "You think those workers will stick around? I mean, even after what Michael did to them?"

Arthur smirked. "People in this city are resilient. If they've stuck it out this long, they'll adapt. Besides, they'll have us keeping an eye on things. That's more than they ever got from Michael."

Jack nodded, seemingly reassured.

As the car sped toward its next destination, Arthur couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. In Night City, no mission ever truly felt accomplished. There was always another challenge waiting in the shadows.

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