Kiwi even wanted to go up and kick Pilar, but Pilar was very slippery and, seeing that Kiwi might make a move, he directly ran away in a flash.
"Are you planning to sell guns?"
"When will the store open? Can we go in and have a look now?"
Kiwi turned her head at the sound, looking at Gloria, who was greeting Kerry and the others. She was directing Kerry and them to smash walls and renovate.
Pursing her lips, Kiwi coldly gestured, "Go ask that red-haired woman over there. She's the owner of this shop."
The mercenaries heard this and looked at Gloria outside the small shop. Her beautiful red hair was tied back in a ponytail, sweat beaded on her fair neck, she wore a yellow cleaner's jacket on top, and pure black slim-fit trousers on the bottom. She was occasionally speaking a few words to the front, then lowering her head to draw something on a mobile tablet.
Several mercenaries walked over. Kerry happened to be passing them, carrying a hammer. One of them, who had an alright relationship with Kerry and could exchange a few words, called out to Kerry.
"Kerry, what are you doing now?"
Kerry looked at the man. He was covered in dust, his face smudged with wall ash from smashing walls.
Kerry first glanced at the two buddies he brought into the family. Those two were bending rebar, their faces flushed red, putting all their strength into it.
Then, at this moment, by Jax's side, Rebecca saw this and rolled up her sleeves, walking over. She first told Dorio to pick her up. The latter struggled to lift Rebecca, and then Rebecca exerted force to move the rebar.
The rebar, as thick as a human thumb, was actually moved by Rebecca...
Holy crap, what incredible strength?!
Kerry's mouth twitched as he watched. He now understood why Jax told him not to offend Rebecca. Not only did she have a bad temper, but she was also incredibly strong!
"Kerry, Kerry?!"
"Uh, what?"
"I mean, what are you doing now?" The mercenary who asked looked at Kerry, then hesitated before adding, "Are you working for Maine's crew?"
To be honest, deep down, this person didn't want Kerry to say he had joined Maine's crew.
Because Maine's crew... was no longer an ordinary mercenary crew. They might not have much experience right now, and they didn't look wealthy.
But no one would doubt the future potential of Maine's crew.
All the Fixers in Night City knew about this crew, and Rogue, the biggest Fixer, had a connection with them.
The most incredible thing was that they had killed a high-ranking Arasaka official and caused such a huge commotion in Japantown, yet the ending was left hanging. These people were now living well in Night City again, which clearly indicated they had powerful backing!
And because of this, following human's selfish nature, this person naturally didn't want Kerry's situation to improve because of this.
Before, at Afterlife, Kerry was a mercenary ranked ahead of him, but later Kerry paid the price for his actions, and his ranking at Afterlife dropped. He couldn't express how happy he was at that time!
It truly confirmed the saying—fellow professionals are rivals!
"Are you blind? What can I do carrying a hammer?" Kerry cursed. In the past few days, he had been running around with Maine and Jackie. Although in terms of mercenary age, he was Maine and Jackie's senior.
But on the streets, it wasn't about seniority. The one with strength and a bigger fist was the senior. Therefore, Kerry naturally called everyone in the crew 'Big Brother' and 'Big Sister'.
Even with Rebecca, who looked like a l*li, Kerry had no qualms calling her 'Big Sister'. The two buddies he brought initially had reservations, thinking they had been in the game for so many years, only to call a little girl 'Big Sister'—that was too humiliating.
But when everyone was drinking at the bar, and Rebecca breathed on her small fist in front of the strength tester, then punched the machine half to smithereens, their faces immediately blossomed like flowers, and they started calling her 'Big Sister Rebecca' one after another.
The mercenary's face darkened at the words. Just as he was about to speak to Kerry, a voice sounded from the front.
"Kerry, come here for a moment!"
Kerry, carrying his hammer, looked over. Seeing that the person calling him was Jax, he immediately ignored the mercenary beside him and jogged to Jax's side.
"Damn it, that's Jax, the black-haired, fair-skinned Asian youth. I'm telling you guys, Kerry seems to have really joined the Maine family."
"Remember to tell Maverick to stop thinking about bothering Kerry. He should remember to walk around Kerry from now on..."
"I also went to the streets to stop the cops at that time. Is it still too late for me to join the Maine family now...?"
The mercenaries looked at Kerry, who had reached Jax's side, exchanged glances, and whispered among themselves.
Jax looked at Kerry and said with a laugh, "Don't be so nervous. I called you over because I just wanted to ask what your plans are next."
"I'll follow what the Big Brothers say," Kerry immediately said.
Are you kidding me...? If he embraced this big leg, Kerry wouldn't let go!
"Alright then, the security company doesn't have enough staff yet and is still in the planning and construction phase. You and your two friends have nothing to do right now, so you might as well help Gloria run the gun shop. You'll still receive the basic salary from the security company, and the gun shop will also have an additional salary."
"This..." Kerry paused, looking at Jax and saying hesitantly, "The basic salary from the security company is already enough for me to live on. As for the gun shop, I can do without..."
"Stop right there. To be able to hire a mercenary of your caliber for a thousand euro, you might not take it seriously, but I have to. Otherwise, it would be too shameless," Jax immediately said seriously.
Jackie had said that Kerry's previous monthly income was around 20,000, although he did life-threatening work where one wrong step could cost him his life.
And as a mercenary, most of Kerry's money was spent on medicine and weapon repairs, but even so, Kerry's monthly living expenses would not be less than a few thousand euro.
And yet, Jax had taken on such a high-level mercenary for a thousand euro a month. This was indeed quite absurd, wasn't it...?
A thousand euro—that money wouldn't even cover an apartment in a place like Santo Domingo, only low-rise houses and slums. Perhaps for ordinary people, a thousand euro was enough for use and living, but Kerry was previously an elite mercenary.
Jax continued, "The basic salary for the security company is a thousand, and for the gun shop... honestly, I can't offer you too much right now, so it's also a thousand. So, your current salary is two thousand a month. How does that sound?"
"Enough, enough, this is already enough for me," Kerry nodded.
Is it little?
Compared to his previous income, it was indeed very little.
But Maine had also told him about the security company's situation. Once the company was officially established, Kerry would get a commission when he went on missions.
The specific mission process... would probably involve protecting someone or investigating certain matters.
In any case, the work was very similar to his old profession, but in terms of risk, it was much safer than being a mercenary, because at that time he would be on the "right path," with a company as his background to protect him.
What's more, joining now, enduring some hardship with the family, would make him an elder of the family in the future... Of those who stay in the mercenary business for so long, besides those full of chrome and crazy in the head, how many people who can last more than three to five years are fools?
"Alright then, starting tomorrow, you, Rice, and Dorman will live here. During your time off, you can go to Afterlife. I'll talk to Rogue about it then. Don't worry, your treatment will improve in the future," Jax said with a smile, patting Kerry's shoulder.
"I understand, then Big Brother Jax, I'll go get busy now."
"Mm, go ahead."
Kerry left with a smile, picking up his hammer and starting to smash walls again. Under Gloria's direction, the wall bricks began to fall with a rumble.
"Have you thought of a name for the shop?" Jax also walked to Gloria's side and asked her.
Gloria turned around, thought for a moment, and said, "Shouldn't that be for you to decide?"
"Me? I'm not good at naming things," Jax said, thinking. He really had no talent for naming. Gunblade · Shadow Song—if it hadn't included the 'Shadow Song' suffix after being enchanted, it would have sounded no different from a weapon used by cannon fodder.::
Look at the excellent weapons in games, which one doesn't have a good name?
Byakko, Satori, Jinchu-maru, Baing, Black Unicorn, Cocktail, and Fujitsu... wait, no, that's not right, that thing isn't a blade, it's a blunt weapon!
And that thing's design is not suitable for minors!
In short, Jax was indeed not good at naming.
But Gloria just shrugged and said, "Then you still have to name it, because you are the big boss behind this shop."
"How about using the family name?" Jax thought for a moment and said.
"You plan to call it Maine's Gun Shop?" Gloria said, then looked somewhat disgusted, turning to Jax and saying, "No, don't. Besides, Maine has already said that you will be the leader of the family in the future."
"If you think calling it Jax's Gun Shop would be satisfactory, then let's call it Jax's Gun Shop."
... Jax looked at the small shop being built, then thought of Maine's suggestion about establishing a family and a gang. After some thought, Jax said, "Then, Edgerunners."
"What's the difference from Edgerunners?" Gloria paused.
"No difference, because we are Edgerunners, and the people we recruit in the future will also be Edgerunners and ordinary people," Jax said.
Edgerunners, living on the edge, always pushing their own limits. Unlike gangs who simply strive and fight, Edgerunners frequently put themselves in danger, walking a tightrope in a world where one wrong step leads to eternal damnation.
Gloria heard this, lowered her head in thought for a moment, then looked up and said with a smile, "Hmm... actually, it's not bad."
"This shop will also specifically serve Edgerunner mercenaries, so this name is indeed acceptable. So, will the family's name also be this?"
Jax wanted to say he hadn't even thought about the family name, but after some thought, Jax nodded: "Let's use this name."
"Maine!" Gloria immediately called out.
"What is it?" Maine, who was chatting with Jackie, turned his head and looked at Gloria.
"Jax has already decided on the family's name," Gloria said.
Maine's eyes lit up at the news, and he strode over, with Jackie quickly following.
Nearby, Pilar, who was napping in the car, got out, and Kiwi, who was smoking alone, tossed her cigarette butt and walked over.
Lucy and Sasha didn't come to Afterlife; the two netrunners had other tasks to do, which was to gather intelligence online and prepare for the establishment of the security company.
Therefore, everyone gathered around. Maine looked at Jax excitedly and asked, "What name did you choose?"
"Edgerunners."
"Hmm? Isn't that a profession?"
"Yes, but I thought about it, and taking this name is quite good," Jax said to Maine.
Maine pondered for a few seconds, then mused, "Don't say it, it actually seems pretty good... If anyone asks, just tell them we're all Edgerunners by origin, so why can't we use this name?"
The family name was settled, it would be called Edgerunners.
Jax's thoughts weren't that complicated. He was just bad at naming things and simply thought this one was good, not only fitting the lives of their current group but also potentially attracting some mercenaries to join in the future.
For Jax, competing with corporations for talent was impossible, and no one expected to truly mass-produce weapons, develop technology, and compete with big corporations.
That was simply impossible to achieve; the class divide was right there. Not to mention talent, just consider the money.
The research and development of a drug, an implant, or a new type of weapon required astronomical initial funding, and the development team would need a hundred or even more people.
And the Edgerunners family?
At present, they had a dozen people at most... and some of them were "illiterate."
Therefore, it was simply... because it sounded good, and he liked it.
Late at night, in an apartment building in northern Watson District.
As Jax had just dressed and pushed open his door, he heard Sasha's voice from behind him.
"Where are you going so late?"
Jax turned around, looking at Sasha, who was wrapped in a blanket on the small bed, rolling back and forth like a caterpillar, and found it amusing. He said, "I'm going out for a bit; I have some things to do."
"Hmmph... Are you going to cheat?" Sasha squinted her eyes, looking at Jax with a displeased tone.
Jax was amused by Sasha's little expression and said, "Cheat my ass, I'm going to deal with the Tyger Claws."
Sasha heard this, pulled her arms out of the blanket, and struggled to get up, saying, "I want to come too, I can help you—" "No need, I'm going to raid a Tyger Claws squad. One person is enough. If there are too many people, it will become difficult to move around," Jax said.
Zipping up his black athletic jacket, he activated the anti-recording cyber-eye function, put on his baseball cap, smiled at Sasha, and then closed the door.
Leaving the apartment building, Jax walked into the dark alley.
Watson District at night was more dangerous than places like Santo Domingo or Heywood.
Animals, Maelstrom, Scavengers, Tyger Claws... all sorts of characters operated in the chaotic district of Watson District.
And Jax's target was the Tyger Claws.
After returning to Night City and resting for some time, Jax had never forgotten what he had said when he first came back.
He was going to drive the Tyger Claws out of Night City.
So, he would start with the Tyger Claws' subordinates.
Reaching up, he pulled down the brim of his baseball cap. Jax's eyes were bright and clear in the night, and his figure gradually disappeared into the deep darkness.
Silently.