The Mantis Blades were legendary-level cyberware, and Victor, being a ripperdoc, instantly recognized their value.
"You... how did you get these?"
Victor tore off his sunglasses, staring at Lin Yu's arm intently. He also noticed that the way Lin Yu had installed the cyberware was rather strange—very different from his professional methods!
"It seems like you haven't even installed them properly? Do you want me to..."
Before Victor could finish his sentence, Lin Yu moved. With a sweep of his arm, the corner of the table was sliced cleanly, the cut surface even gleaming slightly.
Through action rather than words, Lin Yu made it clear: this was no mere decoration!
"This is impossible—absolutely impossible! Sit down and let me have a proper look!"
Even Victor, usually calm and collected, couldn't help but lose his composure. There was no explaining this: the cyberware wasn't truly installed; it was more like it was attached—but it functioned just as if it had been integrated.
His understanding of the world was cracking.
Could this be some newly invented technology?
"There's no time to explain, Vik. Just give us all the information you have. We'll deal with the mess first and talk later!"
Jackie had already seen Lin Yu's Mantis Blades in action, so he wasn't as shocked as Victor. Still, watching Victor's reaction, he figured he must have looked the same the first time he saw them.
Victor, doing his best to suppress his excitement, dug out a chip from a cabinet—everything they needed to know was stored inside.
He had originally intended to take it to a fixer, but now, that wouldn't be necessary.
As they walked out, Jackie inserted the chip into a slot and pulled up all the data.
Time was running short. If those lunatics managed to install the cyberware, they'd have to track them down one by one.
"You're V, right? I take back what I said earlier!"
As they reached the door, they suddenly heard Victor call out.
Lin Yu turned back with a slight smile. "Let's save it for when we get back!"
"I'm usually a good judge of character. You're destined to become a legend of Night City!"
Victor looked at Lin Yu and said it seriously.
"Hey, Vik, what about me..."
Jackie tried to protest but was quickly pulled away by Lin Yu.
They retraced their steps. When they passed Misty's esoterica shop, Jackie took a moment to show a little affection with Misty.
Lin Yu pretended not to notice, sitting in the car and pulling up the data from the chip.
"V, don't take it to heart. Night City's full of hotties. With your skills, you could have your legs shaking every night, hahaha."
Jackie laughed as he drove.
Lin Yu wasn't exactly heartbroken, though; he simply had no time to think about that kind of thing.
Right now, the priority was establishing a foothold—and that meant solving Vik's problem first.
With Victor holding him in such high regard, he couldn't afford to let him down.
Besides, it worked out well—starting off with a major favor would save him a lot of trouble building connections later.
"V, you realize we're about to piss off a bunch of lunatics. You ready for that?"
After accepting the job, Jackie was already thinking about how to tackle the challenge ahead.
"We'll have to piss them off sooner or later anyway. Besides, when has our Jackie ever been afraid of making enemies?"
Lin Yu chuckled in response.
He certainly wasn't afraid. In fact, he knew a conflict was inevitable.
"Haha, you really get me, V. But we need to gear up first. You've got your Mantis Blades; I'll stick to my good old handgun!"
Jackie laughed heartily. Despite his goofy appearance, there was a sharp light in his eyes.
"You go ahead... I need to pick up a few weapons myself, to complement what I've got."
Lin Yu shook his head, wondering if Jackie even realized how inappropriate his phrasing sounded.
As a seasoned mercenary, Jackie knew exactly where to find the good stuff.
Familiar with the city's streets, he quickly led them to their destination.
The weapon shop had a dark, underground vibe to it, almost like a black market.
The entire store was divided into two sections by reinforced wire glass. Inside was the weapon storage area; outside, a long, narrow corridor for customers. Transactions were handled through a small window in the center, making it feel a bit like an old-world bank.
"Hey, Jackie, perfect timing! We just got a fresh batch of premium gear!"
As soon as they walked in, the clerk at the window greeted them enthusiastically, clearly familiar with Jackie.
The clerk was a sturdy Black man, wearing a camo tank top and a bandana tied around his head. In the dim light, his bright white smile stood out starkly.
"Premium goods? Man, I can't afford that! Just give me something reliable!"
Jackie reached out from afar, shaking the clerk's hand firmly.
"Oh, by the way, this here's my best brother—V. You better remember him well, 'cause one day you'll be glad you knew the legend of Night City!"
As always, Jackie enthusiastically introduced Lin Yu to every friend he met.
"The money's already transferred to your account. I've got some cash on me too. Give us the best weapons we can afford!"
Lin Yu said calmly.
Good weapons were mainly for Jackie. In the game, he remembered Jackie dying partly because he could only afford junk gear.
Now that they had the means, Lin Yu wasn't about to let that happen again.
There wouldn't be a second chance if things went sideways.
"V, but we're almost out of funds. Are you sure you want to go all in?"
Jackie asked, confused.
"Spend money like water; it always comes back. To do a good job, you need the right tools first!"
Lin Yu replied firmly.
Jackie stared blankly for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"I don't know what the hell you just said, but it sounds damn convincing!"
The clerk, seeing the energy between them, naturally wanted to make a good sale too.
"Jackie, if your friend here is anything to go by, I believe he's definitely gonna be a legend!"
After all, anyone willing to drop serious cash in the shop was destined for greatness!