Chapter 66: Priest and Mr. Ma!

Arthur grabbed the wine bottle and made his way directly to the priest's side. The priest opened his arms wide and embraced him warmly.

"Look who's here! God's child escaped from hell and returned to God's embrace. This is a miracle, just like Adam returning to the Garden of Eden," the priest said with a wide grin.

Arthur smiled and replied, "I think God must be blind, otherwise, He wouldn't have pulled me out of the cesspit. Night City is no Garden of Eden. You could say I crawled back from hell. Another hell."

The priest laughed joyfully, giving Arthur a firm pat on the shoulder. "You can't say that! Night City isn't hell. Well, if I were to imagine it, it's a world that failed to keep the devil out. Since God was willing to fish you out of the cesspit, He surely didn't consider you... well, excrement."

The priest's smile seemed kind, but there was something more beneath it. Don't be fooled by his appearance—this man was ruthless. Except for Rock, no other middleman in the city could rival the priest's influence.

The priest's real name was Sebastian Ibarra. Originally, he was a priest for the Valentino Gang, but his business grew rapidly. Gang fights were a daily occurrence in Night City, with people dying every day. He should have been praying over gravestones, asking God to forgive the world's scum—the killers, the prostitutes, the ones addicted to glitter.

But Night City, with all its accidents and bloodshed, converted him into something far more pragmatic—a middleman. At first, he leaned heavily toward helping the Valentino Gang. But over time, he learned to welcome all sides: the Sixth Street Gang, various other gangs, and even people like Arthur.

The priest wasn't just a man of God. He, like Rock, worked to maintain the delicate balance of power in Night City. To do this, he wasn't as gentle as his prayers might suggest. He read the Bible and repented, but then sent people to meet God—or, more often, Satan—because in Night City, everyone seemed destined for hell.

Arthur turned his attention to the middle-aged man standing next to the priest. Comparing the man's features with the photos the old captain had sent, Arthur's prosthetic eyes confirmed it. "You're the worker representative, right? Did you want the priest to act as a witness for this meeting?"

The priest looked at the man and then at Arthur, seemingly surprised that the mercenary in front of him was none other than Arthur.

"God is merciful, and I believe you are too, Arthur! Mr. Ma's family can't seem to untangle the mess. Be cautious, and you won't make a mistake," the priest said with a calm smile.

Arthur's gaze shifted back to Mr. Ma and then to the priest. "God promised a land of milk and honey, but He also sent a great flood. Father, if this were anyone else, it might be an issue, but you've given me quite the surprise."

Arthur knew why Mr. Ma had come here. He wasn't just meeting with the priest for friendly chat; he wanted to negotiate. Cyberpunks had money and used it to get what they wanted. Anyone who tried to squeeze cyberpunks the way a corporation squeezes workers would soon find out what a cyberpunk's brain color looked like.

Looking at the situation, Arthur knew the odds were on his side. But he didn't want to kill Mr. Ma; instead, he wanted the worker resources that Ma controlled. A small amount of funds compared to the startup costs for his factory.

It might sound like a hassle, but Arthur knew how easy the mission was. Only one shot would be fired, and it would only be a warning, not a fatal one.

Arthur took another swig of wine, finishing the bottle with a quick gulp.

The priest smiled and said, "Mr. Ma has realized his mistakes. I believe God has forgiven him. But Arthur, what price will you ask if you decide to forgive him?"

Arthur paused, tapping his fingers thoughtfully on the table. "Dong, dong, dong," the sound echoed, sending a chill through the room.

The cold sweat began to pour from Mr. Ma's forehead, the tension building. But just when things were about to get too intense, Arthur burst out laughing.

"It's nothing, really. The truth is, I'm getting older, and I want to settle down. I've decided to open a factory. As you know, people in Night City are great at shooting and fighting, but finding someone who does honest work is a challenge."

He leaned back, taking a moment to gauge Mr. Ma's reaction. "I hear your workers have been out of work for a while. How about they come work for me? Don't worry, wages will go up by 5% according to the market price. If they work hard, we'll have the factory up and running before the year's end. I'll even throw in a bonus—the Sword of the Lake Lady."

The priest raised an eyebrow, and Mr. Ma looked taken aback. "The Sword of the Lake Lady?" he muttered, looking at Arthur like he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

It seemed Mr. Ma didn't want that particular bonus, but he was ecstatic nonetheless. He picked up his wine glass and raised it toward Arthur. "Mr. Arthur, I really don't know how to thank you. I'll drink this glass in your honor!"

His Dragon Kingdom accent became clearer to Arthur, who now understood more about Mr. Ma's background.

Mr. Ma took a generous gulp from the glass, his face reddening immediately. But despite the alcohol, he was happy. Mr. Ma had come here expecting to be beaten or blackmailed, but instead, Arthur was offering a job for his workers, and in Night City, finding a decent job was a rare thing. The news outlets might say otherwise, but the truth was clear: finding honest work in Night City was nearly impossible. Gang membership was often the only other option.

Before the conversation could continue, Mr. Ma's phone rang. Excusing himself, he stepped aside to take the call.

The priest let out a relieved breath. As for the Sword of the Lake Lady, the priest thought it was all just a joke. If opening a company could really afford that legendary artifact, then Night City would be a very different place.

He clinked his wine glass against Arthur's, oblivious to the absurdity of the conversation. "Thank you for helping Jack. Good people are always rewarded in the end."

Arthur waved a hand dismissively, scanning the Wild Wolf Bar. It had hardly changed in all these years. The place had the same feel, the same atmosphere. The only real difference was that Jack was here.

"After all these years," Arthur said with a smirk, "the Wild Wolf Bar is still exactly the same. I guess for Mrs. Wells's sake, that's a good thing."

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