Rushing back to the Counter-Intelligence Department of Arasaka Tower without a moment's rest, V's superior, Jenkins, listened intently to the report.
"So you managed to acquire this intel within the half-hour you were offline."
Jenkins' gaze betrayed his suspicion, but the intel in his hands appeared to be genuine, as it detailed the names of moles within the Arasaka Intelligence Department and the specific information they had leaked.
Whether it was true or false could be verified in an instant.
"V, you're dismissed for now. Go to the Security Department for a check-up later."
With the intel in hand, Jenkins gave his orders nonchalantly.
However, V spoke up:
"BOSS, I have an idea."
"You have a plan too?"
V laid out Asa plan in full. Jenkins nodded repeatedly as he listened.
"A good suggestion, but I want to make some modifications."
Wiping out a single Militech agent squad was too small-scale; if they were going to do this, they needed to aim bigger.
How could a single intelligence agent and one Militech action squad compare to a big fish like Mercedes Scotto, the new head of Militech's Night City branch?
This woman, who had just taken office, was Gabri's direct superior. If the stakes were high enough, would it catch the big fish's attention?
As for the content of the leaked intel itself—just a defecting Netrunner, no need to worry about her.
Night City had been peaceful for too long; it was time to make some big news.
"How could that work?"
V had underestimated Jenkins' greed.
He saw the potential merit before him, but he didn't realize that if even a low-level Militech agent knew about the Arasaka mole, what attraction would this semi-public intel hold for the branch's high-level executives?
The people of Night City were combative; a gold-digging radicalism was practically etched into their bones.
When Jenkins decided to take the risk, the matter shifted from a stable positive gain to an unstable high-reward, high-risk gamble.
Moreover, once Jenkins took the lead, V certainly wouldn't get a share of the spoils!
V immediately appealed to Jenkins' emotions and laid out the pros and cons.
There was no other way; when stuck with such an impulsive leader, one had to learn how to give harsh but honest advice.
Finally, the radical superior abandoned his idea.
"You're right. Since even ordinary Militech agents know about it, this lead is likely useless."
"In that case, V, you handle this matter. Take this money."
Knowing when a plan was unfeasible was one of Jenkins' few virtues; he knew when to let go and chose to do so decisively.
While arranging for V to go to the Security Department for Cyberware verification, he also provided V with a stack of cash.
In the 2077 World, Cyberware is more common than mobile phones were on 20th-century Earth; it's rumored that even primitive tribes in Africa can film scenes of blonde heroes massacring people.
Electronic transactions are more prevalent in the cyber world, but that doesn't mean cash has been completely phased out.
In certain specialized industries, cash is very useful.
When corporate agents look for outside help privately, the mercenaries they hire often refuse to accept electronic transfers.
Firstly, it's easy to trace back to the source; secondly, working with 'Corpo rats' affects one's reputation on the street—if you're working with them, you're seen as having as little credibility as the corporations themselves.
Cash, however, passes through too many hands to be easily tracked, making it the perfect way to settle accounts with those jackals.
The Arasaka Corporation's server data stream swept over V, confirming that V was still loyal.
At least for now.
With the trust crisis resolved, V's superior Jenkins obtained operational clearance for V. From here on, the fate of the Arasaka mole was entirely in V's hands.
"Then I'll go find that mole and set the bait."
V opened the personal communication system and sent a message to Asa as previously agreed:
"It's settled."
Of course, this didn't mean it was settled for tonight.
By the way, what exactly is the Wizard's profile picture?
V fell into deep thought.
...
On the other side, good news had also arrived for Asa.
In the evening, the cat profile picture shook.
Sasha told Asa that Maine and Dorio had agreed to the request for a joint operation; aside from a certain hiring fee, they had no other demands.
This was actually beyond Asa expectations. From beginning to end, the only person he wanted was Sasha.
Conditions were just conditions; the higher they were set, the easier it was for someone to back down.
Even without any extra rewards and having to work with agents of low credibility, Maine and Dorio still chose to stay by her side.
In a sense, they truly were like family to their teammates.
Asa couldn't judge how strangers interacted in this era. People at the bottom were on the fringes of society, so huddling together for warmth was not an issue.
Whether it was Nomad families, the Moxes, or a mercenary's fixed team, they all originated from this.
"Remember to tell me the time and location of the operation! (*´▽｀)ノシ"
At the end of the sentence, Sasha added a cat-paw-stretching emoticon.
So cute.
With a healed smile, Asa turned off his phone. In front of him was the three-hundred-pound big black guy, Dexter DeShawn.
That year, weighing three hundred pounds, standing like a lowly lackey.
Dexter was trembling with fear.
Compared to his previous mysterious and unfathomable aura, Asa was barely hiding anything now. Blue-white lightning sparks swirled between his fingers like tamed pets. Yet the staggering light and heat, even from two or three meters away, still made Dexter DeShawn feel dizzy.
Having tried role-playing as a diviner these past few days, Asa felt his interests had been satisfied.
Though he hadn't actually divined much of anything.
"Hello, Mr. Wizard. Regarding the task of finding high-ranking officials and nobles, I have found a suitable target."
"Oh?"
Asa asked with interest:
"Go on, I'm listening."
Speaking of his target, Dexter immediately looked up and said:
"It's the most famous Fixer in all of Night City, Queen Rogue of the Afterlife Bar!"
The big black guy practically shouted it out.
Once upon a time, he too had yearned to become a legendary Fixer like Rogue.
As a Fixer, Rogue had practically reached the pinnacle of her profession in Night City.
Rumors on the street said Rogue had close ties with the corporations, but Dexter knew clearly that these weren't just rumors; they were merely the smallest part of Rogue's power.
Decades of her career as a Fixer had allowed Rogue's influence to swell to the peak—the peak of Night City.
Accessing satellites and testing the latest weapon prototypes were just a small fraction of her assets.
Even more terrifying was Rogue's network of contacts; no one knew how many informants she had. In short, there was no intel in this world that Rogue didn't know.
Asa nodded understandingly. "I see."
His face showed no emotion, which left Dexter slightly disappointed.
"By the way, I have a contract here. If there are no objections, sign it."
Asa naturally pulled a piece of paper from his robe. The paper was of a hard texture and covered in gold-foiled runes. As for the language, Dexter DeShawn couldn't understand it at all.
"What is this? Why the hell should I sign it?"
The big black guy instinctively wanted to curse out loud, but he forced the words back down.
He put on a forced smile and said:
"Mr. Wizard, I can't read these words. Could you explain?"
"Just a Classified Agreement."
Asa explained calmly:
"Sign it, and you cannot disclose anything about my identity. That is all."
"And what if I accidentally let it slip?"
Asa scratched his head and said uncertainly:
"Your brain might be burned into sweet tofu pudding."
"Then why would I sign? Mr. Wizard, you may be strong, but I have my own bodyguards."
Dexter DeShawn pulled out a gold-plated handgun, backed away, and shouted with false bravado: "Don't come any closer!"
Asa sighed softly and said:
"Mr. DeShawn, did no one ever tell you not to come to a meeting alone?"
DeShawn was struck with terror and instinctively tried to run out the door. The exit was right before his eyes, but he hit something with a 'crack' and was bounced back onto the floor like a rubber ball.
What?
Gritting his teeth, DeShawn shouted to the bodyguards outside: "Save me!"
Nothing happened.
Separated only by a threshold, the bodyguards acted as if they hadn't heard a thing, continuing to stand outside with their hands behind their backs, loyally performing their duties.
"Damn it! Traitors! Scoundrels!"
DeShawn cursed inwardly, then turned to Asa and said fiercely: "Don't hit me! I'll sign! I'll sign!"
DeShawn used the toughest tone to say the most cowardly words. Asa was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, patting DeShawn's dreadlocks:
"Haha, you certainly know how to be tactful."
A moment later, DeShawn, whose face had turned dark with anger, left the divination shop.
This was great; he had originally come to divine his fate and future, but now he had completely become someone else's pawn.
Thinking back, the reason he had instinctively walked into that shop was very likely due to the influence of the Wizard's magic.
As for his subsequent rise and fall, those were also the Wizard's tricks.
Dexter didn't dare provoke such a sorcerer at all.
For the first time, DeShawn missed the times of his ancestors—though there were whips back then, there were also burning stakes.
The Classified Agreement was a new magic Asa had researched in the 2077 World. Unlike the Flowing Light Cloak, the Classified Agreement only had restrictive power over ordinary people who signed it with Asa.
If the other party were to leak information about Asa specified in the treaty, their brain would be incinerated by the flames marked by the treaty, resulting in death.
The treaty's effect was one-way, only possessing power over the signer.
Thus, after signing the Classified Agreement, Dexter DeShawn was destined to never escape Asa grasp.
Unless he could self-teach magic in the 2077 World to dispel Asa magical ability.
That was fundamentally impossible, so the Classified Agreement could be called the ultimate unfair clause.
The Classified Agreement also had its drawbacks: for non-supernatural beings, or rather, those with certain abilities, if they wouldn't die after their brain was burned, then the treaty would be ineffective against them.
So this was an ability specialized for ordinary people. Perhaps in the not-too-distant future, he could upgrade it to an ability that could counter supernatural beings.
The design idea came because Asa remembered the resident evil world; he seemed to have controlled the Mayor and the Health Minister in a similar way, though the current method was undoubtedly more advanced.
Speaking of resident evil, Asa realized with a start that it had been quite a long time, and he actually missed it.
During his one-year cycle of learning knowledge in the Wizarding World, he rarely returned to the resident evil world. The last time he went back was... the last time.
Since he had nothing to do, he might as well go back and take a look.
No sooner said than done, the 2077 World faded into gray and white.
Now, Asa had returned to the resident evil world once again.
At this time, there were only a few minutes left until Jill got off work. Asa waited quietly until a 'click' sounded at the door; Jill was back.
She was wearing her blue S.T.A.R.S. uniform and carrying several bags of groceries. Seeing Asa, she said:
"Honey, get in the kitchen."
Asa was a genuine homebody; the skill of being a good husband was naturally a necessity.
Previously, after trying the Chinese food Asa made once, Jill had inevitably fallen in love with the sweet and sour dishes he prepared, which she loved like a child.
"Again?"
Asa shrugged but took the ingredients and turned to enter the kitchen.
Nearly a month had passed since the night the two had shared their hearts. Sometimes Asa stayed at Jill's house, and sometimes at Ada Wong's place. The two protagonists seemed to have silently agreed on an alternating schedule. However, no matter how much they demanded of him, Asa expression remained as usual.
In terms of one-on-one combat, Asa feared no one.
In the warm atmosphere, Asa stretched his limbs and prepared to process the ingredients.
Jill, having nothing to do, suddenly came to Asa side. Watching him seriously handle the food, she suddenly said:
"Honey, let me help you relax."
Asa eyes showed alarm:
"What are you doing? This is the kitchen, not a playroom!"
But Jill ignored Asa protests. Instead, she calmly tied her hair into a ponytail.
"Holy crap!"
Asa took a sharp breath, his gaze fixed intently on the ingredients.
Among the ingredients Jill brought back was fresh corn. How should one handle corn?
Step one: Grasp the entire cob with both hands so it doesn't slip away.
Step two: Peel back the husk to prevent any dirt from hiding inside.
Step three: Use your palm to rub the kernels off for later use.
And the final step is, of course, to eat it.
The fresh corn kernels were sweet; one bite was like a burst of juice.
Asa suddenly looked up at the ceiling, his hands firmly pressing down on the corn-stripping machine, and then he let out a long sigh: "Preparing food is really hard."
A moment later, Jill rushed to the bathroom, while Asa continued to simmer today's dinner.
Today's dinner was Western-style, but it was slow to cook and needed to boil for a while longer.
The doorbell suddenly rang. Asa sensed who it was and showed a look of surprise.
Jill opened the door, also looking surprised, for standing outside was none other than Miss Ada Wong in a red dress, black stockings, and high heels.
"What are you doing here?"
Jill was a bit uncomfortable.
Hadn't they agreed on one person per day, and no one was allowed to double dip? Looking at Ada Wong's outfit, she clearly intended for everyone to eat from the same big pot.
How could this be allowed!
"Hello, Miss Valentine."
Ada Wong smiled and extended her left hand, saying: "I've come for the sake of our friendship."