What a coincidence, Mercer actually wanted them to deliver there—and the employee's expression was a bit strained, but in the end, they nodded in agreement.
After that, Mercer went to browse other stores, a bunch of good stuff made his mouth dry with desire, but looking at his wallet, no matter how tempting, he couldn't buy anything. In the end, he just sighed and held back.
Mercer took Pan'an to get a haircut, mainly to dye her hair back to black.
Her previous red buzzcut had grown out quite a bit, so after dyeing it black, she didn't cut it short, just trimmed it a bit and styled it into a small side part, making her look much more 'docile'.
"What's next? It's getting dark."
Pan'an already seemed a bit impatient—at the company plaza, all the people moving around were middle class or corporate executives.
Their gaze at her was as if they were looking at a homeless person who had wandered to the wrong place, which really annoyed her.
"Hmm, next is to have a good meal... It's been ages since I had real meat, how about you?" Mercer asked.
"Huh? I'm not interested, that stuff is dead expensive... I'll just eat something random when I get back," Pan'an said disinterestedly.
Mercer looked at her determinedly: "I want beef!"
"... Fine, young master." Pan'an could only helplessly take him to find a Western restaurant in the company plaza. It was said to have real beef from Texas, supplied by a local Texas company called 'Texas Star'.
It was said that back when Biotechnology initially planned to enter Texas, they intended to follow their 'usual path' of biological and botanical poisoning in Texas.
They always liked to destroy the local agriculture, livestock, and food industries first, then have their Whole Foods and their pure wheat 2 settle in the area, seizing the market from local businesses.
But this matter got exposed in Texas, leading to Texans almost burning down Biotechnology's companies, forcing them to maintain some local agricultural and livestock production.
The most famous among them is the local Texas Star beef industry, which supplies real beef to several neighboring states.
However, it is said to have accepted large investments from Biotechnology, and in fact, like Whole Foods, has become a subsidiary of Biotechnology.
As for the so-called real beef... The cattle are indeed real but cloned. They selected the batch with the best meat quality for cloning, and the genetically modified cows can be slaughtered in just a month, each marbled to the brim.
From this, it can be seen what kind of conduct this self-proclaimed 'neutral' company fighting 'for nature' Biotech really is.
Obviously having the technology to feed the world, yet wishing to destroy all agriculture and livestock, to control all the markets.
The Mexican industry 'Whole Foods' which they acquired, only produces various protein foods synthesized from insect meat...
Isn't it because insect profits are big, cycles short, easy money?
As a result, Biotechnology monopolizing, made sure no one was eating proper meals, only able to eat this synthetic junk food.
While the wealthy continue with their songs and dances, feasting on beef that even satisfies their hunger... Damn, what a fool's world.
While waiting for the steak, Mercer inwardly swore at Biotechnology repeatedly.
But swearing is one thing, eating is another.
Mercer wolfed down a fillet and a sirloin, and together with Pan'an polished off an entire serving of smoked beef brisket before he was satisfied enough to pay and leave.
Hmm, just like that 5000 euros were gone.
But... damn... it was really delicious...
From that moment on, Mercer's new life goal became tangible—he wants to set up his own farm in Night City, eat chicken when he wants chicken, eat pork when he wants pork!
Biotechnology, damn you to hell!!
Pan'an also got to enjoy a good meal, and the resentment accumulated in the company plaza in the afternoon vanished, she said satisfied, "Head back now?"
"To Rebirth Bar."
Mercer took a deep breath, then after thinking for a moment, said, "On the way, let's buy a special mask from Kabuki District, I'll wear a mask to go there for now."
"Afraid of being recognized? Hackers are so fragile..." she teased, "Why not learn shooting from your sister?"
Mercer chuckled:
"You might not shoot as accurately as me anyways... it's to avoid some fools judging by appearance.
Wearing a mask, at most they think I'm short and sound young, take off the mask, which idiot wants to deal with a kid?"
"Makes sense." Pan'an paused after saying this, her face twisted with displeasure turning to stare at him: "Ha, I'm the idiot now, huh?"
"Hey! Speak your mind! Don't get physical! Or believe it or not, I'll call NCPD on you! Molesting a little boy, huh?"
Mercer desperately saved himself.
Pan'an rolled her eyes: "I'll be damned if I still treat you as a kid..."
She drove Mercer to Kabuki District to buy a mask.
It took Mercer quite a while to finish his purchase, mainly because most of the masks sold there were Japanese demon masks in the style of the Tiger Claw Gang.
In the end, with much difficulty, he only chose a plain black hockey mask.
From Mercer's perspective, it looked a bit like the killer Jason in a movie he saw in his past life.
"You might as well wear a helmet." Pan'an gave her honest opinion.
But Mercer was very satisfied, even got some dye to write a big letter A on the forehead of his mask: "You don't understand the fun, bro."
Borrowing the title and daily style of the protagonist Brother A from 'Prototype', then a killer Jason mask from 'Friday the 13th', Mercer felt he was super cool now.
Some people wear masks to conceal their true selves, but he felt that wearing a mask made him even more eager to let loose.
The car headed to Rebirth, it was not yet eight o'clock as Mercer walked in with his hands in his pockets.
Rebirth Bar was located underground, said to be converted from a morgue or crematorium.
Looking at the graffiti-covered walls, stepping down the stairs leading underground, through an automatic door that opened, a burly security guard stood grim-faced blocking the entrance.
Behind him was the neon-filled Rebirth Bar, the rock music inside thrumming at a non-piercing volume.
"Sorry, Rebirth doesn't welcome nobodies, got an appointment?"
"This security guard's quite arrogant."
Pan'an's temper flared—her temperament felt a lot more aggressive than in the game, probably because she was only eighteen and hadn't yet been beaten by society.
"I have an appointment with Rogue at eight, just say, A is here."
After Mercer finished speaking, the security guard nodded, his prosthetic eye lighting up, clearly communicating with Rogue.
After a while, the security guard said, "You can go in now, wait a bit at the bar, Miss Rogue is doing business, once she's done she'll send someone to call you."
"A woman named V will be coming at eight-thirty, she's here to see me, let her in."
"Understood." The security guard scrutinized Mercer, committing the features of this short man to memory.
Seeing the security guard's tone much more polite, Pan'an just glared at him and followed Mercer inside, not causing any unnecessary trouble.
People who could meet Rogue were rare, and those who could see her definitely had the right to enter Rebirth, because Rogue was the boss there, plain and simple.
Walking inside, the colorful neon lights and underground-themed decor, and plenty who seemed troublesome sat scattered around as mercenaries.
The whole bar was structured in a circular fashion, inside the circle was a large bar, while the outer circle housed various private rooms, pool tables, and other things.
All of this made Pan'an, a genuine countryside bumpkin, involuntarily smacked her lips: "It's really big."
Mercer just glanced around, then took a deep breath.
Rebirth...
Heh, on the first day of entering Night City, he's already qualified to enter here... does this count as Night City's fastest newbie legend?