chapter 128

...Tanaka Arrives....

At night, at the agreed-upon secret spot.

"Is this guy Jimmy Kurosaki?"

Karl looked at the BD director with long, dark blue hair, surprised that the man responsible for capturing him on film twice actually looked like a stereotypical artist.

Long hair, earrings—everything screamed "serious artist."

As Karl examined Jimmy Kurosaki, the director also studied him closely. The moment Jimmy saw Karl's face clearly, his expression shifted. Despite Maine pointing a gun at his head, Jimmy's excitement broke through.

"You... you can't be Karl! You're the famous mercenary K from Night City!"

Karl wasn't surprised Jimmy Kurosaki recognized him. After all, he'd been caught on BD twice already, but he didn't understand the sudden enthusiasm.

"Yeah, it's me. What's the problem?"

"I'm Jimmy Kurosaki, the top BD director in Night City!"

"Yeah, I know. You're also the guy who put me on BD and made me waste money to get it erased. That alone makes me want to punch you. So?"

Under Karl's sharp glare, Jimmy Kurosaki suddenly became animated. Despite the pistol pressed to his head, he quickly produced a card from his pocket and handed it to Karl with a theatrical flourish.

Karl glanced at the card. It was Jimmy Kurosaki's personal business card.

"You're giving me this for what?"

"If you ever feel like starring in a BD, contact me. I'll pay you handsomely."

Karl raised an eyebrow. "Let me ask—what kind of BD do you think I'd star in?"

Jimmy's face lit up with an almost fanatical glow. "Of course, the Cyberpsychosis series! With your credentials, it'd be a tragedy not to include you!"

Karl scowled. "I'm not a cyberpsycho."

"Every cyberpsycho says that," Jimmy replied dismissively. "And even if you're not one yet, it's just a matter of time. I'm reserving my spot in advance. The pay will be worth it."

"A reservation, huh?"

Karl clenched his fists, his anger bubbling to the surface.

"You made me waste money buying BD footage to erase it, then tried to rope me into the Cyberpsychosis series, and now this? That's strike three."

Before Karl could swing at Jimmy's face, Jack and Oliver grabbed his arms, holding him back.

"Don't, Karl!" Jack pleaded. "With the mods in your arms, one punch will kill him. Wait until after the mission to deal with him."

Under Oliver's calming voice, Karl reluctantly lowered his fists. Meanwhile, Jimmy Kurosaki, completely unbothered, adjusted his posture and smiled.

Instead of retreating, Jimmy boldly stepped closer to Karl.

"Don't stop him!" Jimmy said eagerly. "I've already activated the BD recorder in my head. If he kills me, this footage will be the masterpiece of my career! Imagine the irony: the man recording cyberpsychosis becomes a victim of it. It's poetic genius!"

"Jesus Christ."

Mann groaned and yanked Jimmy back by the collar.

"You're just as unhinged as a cyberpsycho," Maine muttered.

Rebecca, who had been watching in stunned silence, finally spoke up, voicing what everyone else was thinking.

"They're all lunatics."

The chaotic scene eventually settled down, but the peace didn't last long.

Tanaka was nearby.

Jimmy Kurosaki, despite his antics, quickly regained composure. He was determined to finish the job so he could pitch his next BD collaboration with Karl.

When the time came, the mercenaries moved into position. Karl, Oliver, and Maine's crew all hid in the shadows, their weapons trained on Jimmy Kurosaki, who stood in plain sight on the first floor of the designated meeting spot.

Several guns were pointed at Jimmy's head. If he so much as hinted at betraying them to Tanaka, he'd be riddled with bullets.

Yet, Jimmy didn't seem to care. After Lucy and Kiwi blocked the BD recorder in his head, Jimmy focused solely on cooperating with the mercenaries and completing his task.

The sound of tires crunching over gravel broke the silence. Under the dim light, a sleek vehicle rolled to a stop, and a man stepped out, his footsteps calm and deliberate.

Tanaka entered the building.

When Tanaka saw Jimmy Kurosaki, he gave a subtle nod but kept his expression neutral.

"What's this about, Kurosaki? You've been releasing BDs at a rapid pace recently. It used to take you months to release something new."

Jimmy smiled confidently. "When you find good material, it's easy to work quickly. You know how selective I am about my sources."

Tanaka raised an eyebrow. "The BD of James, the former Militech lieutenant, is still trending in the company. Even my subordinates can't stop talking about it. Have you found inspiration for something even better?"

"Of course," Jimmy said smoothly. "But instead of saying I found inspiration, it's more accurate to say..."

"More accurate to say what?"

"...That the best inspiration came to me."

Before Tanaka could react, the cold barrel of a gun pressed against his back.

"Don't move," Karl said, standing behind him.

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