Chapter 15: Sasha Yakovleva

At dawn, the low rumble of a Delamain cab echoed along the roadside, gliding through the empty streets like a silent dragon before gracefully slowing to a stop in front of the estate.

Lin Mo, carrying a shoulder bag, casually tossed it into the car and climbed into the back seat.

"Welcome to Delamain Taxi Services, esteemed guest. A pleasure to see you again."

"Take me to Jig-Jig Street, Westbrook."

Lin Mo leaned back, letting the plush seat cushion ease the fatigue of waking up so early.

"Understood. You appear slightly fatigued. If time permits, may I suggest a brief nap? I will reduce speed to ensure a smooth, restful ride and safely deliver you to your destination."

"Thanks, Old D," Lin Mo replied calmly.

"It is my honor to serve a distinguished guest like yourself," said the bald-headed AI in his usual composed and elegant tone.

The vehicle quietly pulled away from the estate. Its sleek black frame was a clear signal of status. The reinforced doors and bulletproof windows could withstand even heavy machine gun fire.

With a vehicle like this, no gang member with half a brain would dare mess with it. In Night City, this was no ordinary taxi—it was a moving fortress.

After a short nap, just enough to shake off his grogginess, the Delamain cab arrived precisely at the edge of Jig-Jig Street.

"Thank you for using Delamain Taxi Services. I wish you a safe and successful day."

It was still early. Only a few joytoys lingered on the streets, scattered here and there.

They knew this wasn't peak business time, so they paid little attention to their surroundings. None noticed Lin Mo watching them.

The street layout hadn't changed at all. Trash still piled up in the alleyways—some of those places had once been where he slept.

But the joytoys themselves were new. None of them were the same from back then.

Just like crops—you cut one batch down, another grows in its place.

Returning to this place stirred something within him.

Lin Mo moved through the streets and arrived at a pachinko parlor he hadn't visited in years.

There weren't many customers. He walked in casually and drew no attention.

In the back, at a private booth, Lin Mo found a suited bodyguard standing at the entrance.

"So, the old lady's status has gone up quite a bit over the years," he thought. "No wonder she became the number one fixer in Westbrook in the game."

In Cyberpunk 2077, Okada Okako's backstory mentioned she'd had six husbands, all of them Tyger Claw bosses or higher-ups.

Every single one of them had died. Only she remained.

He remembered how the lore described her:

A venomous scorpion in the guise of a kindly old grandmother.

Without hesitation, Lin Mo stepped forward.

"Halt," the bodyguard said, raising a hand to stop him.

"I have an appointment with Okako. Don't recognize me?" Lin Mo replied, his voice calm as he stared the guard down.

The man's eyes scanned Lin Mo. Likely optical implants—zoom-enhanced, and capable of facial recognition. A moment later, he stepped aside respectfully.

"My apologies. Please, go in."

The booth was only separated from the pachinko floor by a thin wall—there wasn't even a proper door, just a curtain of glass beads that gently shimmered in the light.

Lin Mo stepped through and immediately saw her.

Sitting behind the table, Okada Okako wore a simple kimono, her white hair neatly arranged, her expression as calm and kind as always.

A cup of hot tea steamed gently before her. The aroma reached Lin Mo's nose—but remained confined to the quiet stillness of this space.

One wall away, yet it felt like an entirely different world.

"Long time no see, child," Okako greeted him.

She sat with perfect posture, wearing circular reading glasses. Her hands rested neatly on her lap, the very image of a gentle old lady.

But her legs—gnarled with age—were tattooed with a fierce, colorful ukiyo-e tiger. The design looked ready to leap off her skin and devour anyone who dared cross her.

"It really has been a while, Granny Okako," Lin Mo said politely.

"My, how you've grown. If even one of my useless sons had half your looks, this old woman could've died happy."

Yeah... you'd probably sell their looks to gain favor with some corporate execs, Lin Mo thought.

Though cyberware and plastic surgery were common, natural good looks were still a rare and powerful currency in Night City.

"Thank you for the compliment, Granny."

Okako gently set a teacup in front of him and asked with a warm smile, "And how are things with your sister? Getting along well?"

"Meeting her was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me. I'm grateful every day she took me in."

"That's good to hear. I was furious when I heard the Tyger Claws tried to pick a fight with her. But what shocked me most... was you. A kid who managed to take down a grown man? Now that's impressive."

"Just luck," Lin Mo said, sipping his tea. "By the way—what happened after that incident?"

"Not much. The guy who ordered it all found out some street brat had foiled his plan. Felt humiliated. A few days later... he 'killed himself.' Waste of resources, really."

Right. Even stray dogs wouldn't believe that story... not that there were any dogs left in Night City.

Lin Mo smiled faintly, then got to the point.

"Granny, about the favor I asked—everything ready?"

"Always so impatient," she chuckled, pulling a data shard from beneath the table. "All the info's here."

"A netrunner named Sasha, right?"

Okako blinked. "How did you know?"

Lin Mo smiled but didn't explain. He took the shard and plugged it into the data port behind his ear.

This method of info exchange was efficient and secure.

The neural processor instantly began parsing the data—name, age, skill level, even call logs between her and Okako.

"She's not bad, right?" Okako said proudly. "She's a seasoned netrunner. Been to the Afterlife. Doesn't belong to any gang or corp. Though she usually works with a merc crew."

"If you're interested, I can make the introductions. They're a promising new team—solid track record."

Just as Lin Mo finished reviewing the shard and placed it back on the table, he spoke up:

"If you want to sell your connections, Granny, you should at least give me a teaser."

"You've gotten clever," she said with a chuckle. "The team leader is Maine—veteran merc, usually takes point. His second-in-command is Dorio. Sasha's their netrunner. Their techie is Pilar, and their gunner is a girl named Rebecca. Sometimes they bring in a drifter named Falco as their getaway driver."

"A textbook loadout. Maine's got a good eye for talent," Lin Mo nodded.

"If you want to hire them, come talk to me. Just don't forget to pay the rest of your tab," Okako said with a grin.

"Of course. I'd never shortchange Granny," Lin Mo said, his eyes flashing blue as he transferred the balance.

"If you want to talk with the netrunner, better step outside to make the call—too many ears in here. If you're feeling lucky, I'll even give you a thousand free pachinko balls to play with."

"I do have something to discuss with her. I'll catch up with you later, Granny."

Lin Mo rose and stepped outside.

He pulled up the number Okako provided and initiated the call.

"Hello?" came a soft, sultry voice through his commlink.

It was the kind of voice that made you think of a purring kitten—gentle, warm, and straight-up tickled your soul.

PS: At this point in the timeline, Sasha is still alive—so Kiwi and Lucy haven't taken over netrunner duties in Maine's crew yet.

Also: Regarding Rebecca's Chinese translation—there are both "丽贝卡" (Libeika) and "瑞贝卡" (Ruibeika). This version uses the official Cyberpunk 2077 localization: 瑞贝卡 (Ruibeika).

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