The message Karl received from Blanca was simple: she had just wrapped up a long stretch of work and could finally enjoy a night off—so she
The message Karl received from Blanca was simple: she had just wrapped up a long stretch of work and could finally enjoy a night off—so she was inviting Karl over to hang out.
Back when they took care of the former NCPD commissioner, Karl had promised Blanca that if he ever had the time, he'd stop by her place. Clearly, she'd found that time—and was calling in the invitation.
Karl was happy to accept.
Everyone else had plans that night. Back home it would've just been him and Qiuqiu, bored out of their minds. Better to have something to do than sit around in silence.
Blanca lived in Charter Hill, a high-end residential area favored by corpo types. Karl didn't go there often. But after taking a Delamain cab to the location, he was surprised to find Blanca already waiting downstairs.
Charter Hill's apartment buildings had top-of-the-line security. Unauthorized visitors weren't just denied entry—some systems could neutralize threats outright. And while Karl definitely wasn't "unauthorized," busting down a building's defenses just to visit a friend wasn't ideal. Once Blanca got his message, she came down to greet him.
"Yo."
One look was all it took to see she'd just gotten off work. Still in her corporate gear, hair a mess, skin dulled by overwork. No doubt she'd just ended a long grind.
"How long were you working?"
"Thirty-four hours. Straight."
Her voice was laced with fatigue, but she still managed to lift her spirits a little. "No stims. Just sheer willpower. Coffee's a damn scam."
"You corpo freaks really treat meds like snacks, huh? You're not afraid of dropping dead on the job?"
Karl muttered as she led him into the lobby. "Not that saying it's gonna change anything. You're all deep in the grind. Probably too used to it by now."
"Things should ease up now. It's always hell when things pile up. But hey—tonight's free. And you said you'd come over, so here you are. Otherwise we're both always working and never see each other."
"Fair."
Not seeing friends enough… yeah, it sucked. Even if it sounded cheesy, Blanca didn't really have anyone else besides Karl.
They took the elevator up to one of the higher floors. Blanca rubbed her eyes and handed Karl access to the apartment as they entered. Karl took a look around.
He'd been in a lot of women's rooms—but this one was unique.
Not quite "simple," but nowhere near luxurious. Didn't match what you'd expect from a corpo's place. The apartment was dark, cluttered, packed with all sorts of random junk.
Plenty of space, yet it somehow felt cramped.
Blanca caught him scanning the room and offered an explanation. "I don't like letting cleaning crews into my personal space. And I've been too busy to clean myself. This is just how it is. I'm used to it."
Used to dark, crammed spaces?
Karl recalled something she once told him—about growing up in a sunless attic.
So… she really had gotten used to it?
"Sit wherever," she said. "Anywhere that looks like it can hold a human body."
Karl sat down somewhere that was maybe a couch… or a pile of gear. Hard to say. Blanca tossed him a can of sweet tea from her nightstand.
"Not what you expected, huh? Doesn't look like a girl's room at all."
"It's fine."
He caught the tea—clearly her remembering his taste—and shrugged. "Honestly? Kind of fits you."
"What's that supposed to mean? Overworked corpo slave who lives for the company and burns herself out for the job?"
"Ambition."
That hit a nerve. Blanca froze mid-reach for her own drink.
Karl went on. "People who don't stress the little things usually have something bigger on their mind. This room? Just a pit stop. As long as it's private, it's fine. You'll move on eventually. Why waste time tidying something temporary, right?"
"…You sure about that?"
"Nobody recreates the childhood hell they hated—unless they've moved past it. If you can bring it up so casually now, it means you've let go. You're focused on the future. And if you're chasing something, isn't that ambition?"
"Call it a dream. Sounds nicer."
"A dream's just ambition with branding."
"That sounds exactly like merc talk."
"And yours sounds exactly like corpo talk."
That got a tired smile out of her.
"In that case, merc—stay a while."
"Stay?" Karl sipped the tea and watched her flop onto the bed. "You going to sleep?"
"Thirty-four hours, Karl. I'm dead. Goodnight, my friend."
And just like that—she was out.
One second… two…
Yup. Out cold.
Seriously?
She invites a friend over and then just… knocks out?
Karl blinked, stunned. Who does that?
But as he watched her sleeping so peacefully, he sighed quietly so as not to wake her.
So she just wanted somewhere safe to sleep, huh?
He glanced down at the can of sweet tea in his hand.
Alright. Consider me bribed.
It reminded him of those moments from the past—when you asked a friend for help and gave them snacks or drinks. Not because you had to, but because it made things easier. More natural.
Karl looked around and noticed Blanca had actually bought a decent stash of snacks.
He grabbed a bag that wouldn't make much noise, sat back down, and glanced at her again.
Her skin was oily, her hair a mess, posture far from graceful… but…
Thinking back to when they first met—she'd looked perfect and acted like a pain.
This version of her—this one, asleep and at ease—was far more comforting.
-
-
-
🔥 Cyberpunk: The Relentless
📢 Chooms, Listen Up! 📢
You can now jack in and get 100 chapters ahead on Patreon for Cyberpunk: The Relentless! 💾🔥
Stay synced with the chrome, the carnage, and the chaos—early access is stacked and ready. 🧠💀
🛑 Plus, discover exclusive novels only on Patreon, including:
R18: Reincarnated in Her World
Cyberpunk: Lucy Adopted Me and I Got a System
Cyberpunk: The Relentless
My Girlfriend's a Cyberpsycho—Who Knew?
My Cyberpunk 2077 Simulator
The Rebirth of Harry Potter
Dragon King of Ice and Fire
Star Wars: Relics of the Past
🔗 Join here: www.patreon.com/c/MrMagnus👤 Patreon name: SrMagnus🐦 Follow on Twitter: https://x.com/SrMagnusBook
⚠️ Remember, I'll always post more chapters of the novel that gets the most Power Stones!