Chapter 138

Future chapters at patreon.com/FFAddict.

Additionally, I have many new works readers may be interested in. Go look, if you wish! 

It was noon.

Tang Yu sat leisurely on his balcony, basking in the sun.

Winter had arrived, and the entire city would often be shrouded in the chill of winter fog in the early mornings.

Only after the white fog dissipated near midday could a bit of sunshine be seen.

Tang Yu did not go to work today.

There weren't many matters at the company that required his personal attention; Sasha could arrange for the procedural issues.

He turned to look at Sasha, busy working earnestly in the living room at the computer.

By now, Sasha had gotten the hang of the company's basic operations and would only consult him if she was unsure or undecided about an issue, normally not disturbing Tang Yu.

If there were any sudden matters in the counter-intelligence department, Sasha could also cover for him at the company.

Tang Yu picked up his teacup, sipped some hot water, and opened the contacts interface.

Jackie had been complaining to him about the terrible Braindance he saw at Lizzie's Bar.

"Damn it, I've never seen such a terrifying Braindance in my life. Why would anyone recommend such a weird flick? It nearly scared the shit out of me."

Tang Yu: "Did it leave a psychological scar? You should go see Misty for some counseling to relax your mind. Don't keep thinking about those strange Braindances you watched at Lizzie's."

Jackie: "There's a bit of a shadow, yes. If I had known, I would have chosen 'The Wizard of Oz' instead. Lucky for you, you didn't see that Braindance. It was choppy, and I wonder, do people actually like that kind of stuff?"

Tang Yu thought to himself.

Good buddy Jackie, not only have I watched that Braindance but more than once.

The first time was quite intense, both disgusting and frightening.

The second time, you find it different and sort of intriguing.

By the third, it opens the door to a new world. I never thought it could be played that way; indeed, it was fresh, stimulating, and frightening.

The severe side effects the Braindance brings can raise the excitement threshold so much that for a long while after, other flicks feel bland.

Tang Yu: "Don't overthink it. Normally, you should appreciate Misty a bit more. Lizzie's Bar is a place for fun—they go for whatever's fresh. All kinds of Braindance flicks have their market."

"Just like some people like heartwarming ones, others prefer social ones, some others enjoy the great outdoors, and some like the horror genre."

Jackie: "Hey, bro, you've got a point. Now that you mention it, it doesn't seem so scary. Maybe it was just the shock of the first viewing. Thinking back now, it seems kind of interesting."

"Those female zombies, devils in the face and angels in form, certainly do have a unique flavor, especially with the varied performances. Some zombies move slow and stiff, while some are agile and quick. When they pounce, they have no teeth."

"It's hard to describe the feeling, but I'd say it sends shivers down your spine."

"I don't think I should bother Misty with this little issue. I've got to have some pride."

"Let's find another chance to go to Lizzie's and try again. Watch it a few more times and, hopefully, overcome the psychological shadow soon."

Tang Yu: "..."

Suddenly, Tang Yu felt that maybe Jackie was too idle and needed someone to take care of him.

"Have you thought about when you're going to propose to Misty?"

"I think your relationship has matured enough. If nothing else, find a time to take care of the important stuff."

Jackie: "Why bring this up suddenly? Bro, you know I can't even pull a coin out of my pocket right now."

"Plus, my mom still doesn't know about me and Misty. She probably won't be fond of her. It'll take time for her to accept and come to terms with it."

Tang Yu knew Jackie's character. Even though he always complained about Mrs. Wells, he kept her close to his heart.

He remembered when Jackie had a long talk with his mother before going to Afterlife for that big deal.

Little did they know that call would be their last conversation.

But Tang Yu, being more experienced, knew Mrs. Wells didn't dislike Misty, especially after Jackie 'left.' She had accepted Misty and even adopted her as a daughter.

He believed that with Misty's gentle nature, she would soon win Mrs. Wells' approval and help her forget about Jackie's ex.

He felt he had to hasten the marriage between Jackie and Misty to resolve the regret in his heart.

Tang Yu: "You always have so many excuses; stop looking for them. Do you like Misty, and do you want to marry her?"

Jackie: "Uh... Haha, why ask all of a sudden? Of course, I do, but Misty might not agree. We haven't reached that stage yet..."

Tang Yu: "Cut the crap. Your spending records at the Konpeki Plaza are all here, and damn it, you open a room several times a day. Isn't it a hassle going back and forth?"

Jackie: "..."

Tang Yu: "When I'm free in a few days, I'll go with you to see Mrs. Wells, bring Misty, and say that Misty's carrying your baby. I believe Mrs. Wells would gladly accept the news."

Jackie: "Ah? Is that really okay? If my mom finds out the truth, she'd definitely kick me out, and then I wouldn't even have a hot meal."

Tang Yu: "That's perfect. You can eat at Misty's, stand up for yourself, and actually have the baby."

The two pined for each other for so long without moving forward, mainly because of their personalities.

For someone like Jackie who gets shy about emotions, quick decisions are best. Dragging it on would only frustrate them both.

Misty was also hesitant; despite her accurate tarot readings, she was the most indecisive when it came to herself.

Tang Yu didn't want to hear more excuses from Jackie. He had urged him to marry more than once, but Jackie wouldn't budge.

He didn't realize that life is finite; if he didn't cherish it today, he might not see the sun tomorrow.

Why wait until you have success, wealth, and recognition? By then, it would be too late.

If two people are in love, they should act decisively and handle matters without future regrets.

The key point was that Jackie had no money, but Tang Yu had plenty.

If Tang Yu didn't have enough, the counter-intelligence department and Arasaka corporation had loads.

Having done so much for Arasaka, getting a little money was only fair.

Tang Yu knew Jackie wouldn't accept the money if he just handed it over. Instead, he could let Gloria give Jackie a couple of easy jobs, and it would amount to the same thing.

With that in mind, Tang Yu didn't dwell further with Jackie. He set a date and planned to push the young couple straight to Mrs. Wells, set a wedding date, and get it done quickly.

After sorting out Jackie's marriage issue and browsing his recent messages, nothing else caught his attention.

Suddenly, a call came in.

Gloria?

Tang Yu suddenly remembered that after the last mission had ended, he hadn't contacted her much.

Now was a good time to check in on her progress.

Being an intermediary wasn't about making a name with just one or two deals but about continuously working, building networks, reputation, and credibility until accepted and established among mercenaries and clients.

The call connected.

Gloria asked softly and politely, "Mr. Tang, are you free right now?"

Tang Yu found her behavior polite, even after having known her for some time—not like Rebecca, who didn't see him as an outsider and would cheerfully call him 'company's'.

When they went shooting, if Rebecca won, she would even treat him to a couple of drinks.

Tang Yu actually found Rebecca's straightforwardness quite endearing.

Tang Yu replied calmly, "Yeah, I'm not busy. What's up?"

Gloria seemed relieved and quickly said, "Mr. Tang, there's a commission from the Mox gang. They want my help investigating a series of disappearances involving some street girls."

Tang Yu thought for a moment and asked for clarification, "Aren't those missing girls part of the Moxes?"

Gloria confirmed with emphatic replies, "Indeed, they are not."

"I've done some prep work and found that these disappearances might involve broader issues, so I wanted Mr. Tang's opinion."

Disappearances of street workers in Night City weren't uncommon.

Some died on the streets, unable to make ends meet.

Others succumbed to untreated illnesses due to cheap cyberware implants.

Some met violent ends at the hands of clients.

And still more could be kidnapped, tortured in unspeakable ways, and disassembled.

The street workers, with no one to turn to, were the most vulnerable in Night City.

Had the Mox not requested an investigation, no one would have bothered with such matters.

Gloria's cautious approach suggested she was becoming aware of possible risks.

Simple disappearances were manageable, with clues possibly obtained from the Scavengers.

But if higher-level individuals were involved, it wouldn't be as straightforward.

Tang Yu said with gravity, "Alright, let's meet at the usual place."

Gloria agreed readily over the phone.

After hanging up, Tang Yu got up to prepare for leaving.

Approaching Sasha, still busy with company matter, he checked in with her.

"How's it going? Still a lot to do?"

Sasha looked up at Tang Yu, realizing he was getting ready to leave. She hurriedly assured him, "Not much left. Sasha will finish soon!"

Tang Yu glanced at the work on the screen; it was mostly routine. He patted her head gently.

"These tasks aren't critical. Let's go out and discuss an important job."

Sasha's face lit up with anticipation at the thought of going out with Tang Yu, and she quickly went to get ready.

In no time, they headed to the agreed spot with Gloria.

Santo Domingo, Valles Street, the entrance to the factory, in front of the Chinese hot food stall.

Gloria was already waiting, clutching a cup of hot water and casting occasional glances down the street.

Steam billowed from the hot food stall, where the owner was busy preparing meals.

Business at the stall was not booming, likely due to the cold weather, with passersby rushing by with their heads down.

Gloria turned to the public transport station and spotted two familiar figures emerging.

Tang Yu, donning a black coat, walked alongside his assistant Sasha.

She stood up and waved to greet them.

Tang Yu and Sasha crossed the street to the hot food stall.

Gloria greeted them with a smile: "Mr. Tang, Miss Sasha."

Sasha, recognizing the red-haired woman, happily returned the greeting and added, "Just call me Sasha."

Noticing Gloria's red scarf, Tang Yu realized she might not have extensive cybernetic enhancements, unlike Sasha, who remained sharp even in cold weather.

The trio settled again at the front of the stall.

Gloria asked Tang Yu and Sasha what they wanted to eat.

Sasha said anything was fine, and Tang Yu straightforwardly ordered three bowls of hot noodles to warm their stomachs.

Soon, three bowls of steaming noodles arrived at the table.

Seeing them as regular customers, the stall owner Darrell promptly brought out three cans of DumDum, placing them in front of them.

"Here, try these on the house."

Tang Yu, noticing the upbeat mood of the stall owner Darrell, casually asked, "What's up? You seem happy. Run into some good luck?"

Darrell, the stall owner, touched the corner of his mouth, leaving a few streaks of flour, and replied with a smile, "Is it that obvious?"

"Actually, you're right. My sister recently got a position in a company and got a significant pay raise."

Tang Yu remembered something about Darrell's sister joining ZetaTech. Holding a position seemed good, but for someone without connections, it might not be a blessing.

However, he didn't want to dampen Darrell's spirits and said nothing more.

Sasha, eyeing the DumDum cans, was curious about the green container with a monkey on it and asked if the drink was tasty, having read poor reviews online.

Gloria chuckled at the question and explained, "It's not that bad. Depends on your taste, really."

Sasha skeptically pulled the tab on the DumDum, releasing a cloyingly sweet corn syrup scent.

She wasn't fond of the smell, which was almost dizzyingly sweet.

Seeing both Tang Yu and Gloria take a sip, she no longer hesitated and took a bold draught of the DumDum herself.

A sweet syrup surged in instantly, the taste of corn wafting through the senses and infusing the brain with a sweetness that nearly caused dizziness. Sasha closed her eyes tightly, swallowed another gulp, trying to force it down while some corn fruit syrup spilled from the corners of her mouth.

Finally, Sasha guzzled down the clumsy Bon Bon Monkey, nearly breathless from the effort. Tang Yu pulled out a tissue to wipe the corners of Sasha's mouth.

"No need to hurry like that; nobody's competing with you. There's plenty of Bon Bon Monkey to go around."

Sasha remained silent.

Gloria couldn't help but laugh, noticing Tang Yu's care for Sasha and her gaze softened.

After finishing their noodles, each holding a cup of hot tea, they sat in front of the noodle stand, chatting away. Seeing the moment ripe, Gloria took the initiative to say, "Mr. Tang, about the task the Moxes have entrusted us with, when would you like to discuss it…?"

Tang Yu nodded, happy to discuss it there. "Sure, let's hear it."

Gloria straightened her thoughts before explaining. "In truth, there's nothing too complex about it. Recently, a number of streetwalkers have mysteriously disappeared, and the Moxes suspect foul play and want to investigate what's really happening behind the scenes."

"These disappearances aren't anything new but this time, the Moxes have provided some clues. Some of the streetwalkers were spotted in some Braindance dens. Moreover, body parts have been found transplanted onto other girls by unknown means."

Streetwalkers, disappearances, abduction, Braindance dens, organ transplants... A chain of sinister interests lurking in the underbelly of Night City tightens its grip on those struggling at the bottom, choking them with no future to speak of. They live day to day, hoping they might catch a break; perhaps with good looks and some skill, they might get employed by Lizzie's bar and get an ID, dramatically changing their lives. At least they won't have to worry about being targeted while doing their business. When Mox girls work the streets, they walk the night more confidently.

Tang Yu spoke gravely, "These disappearances are indeed no coincidence; there's likely a complete black market chain at work involving many powerful figures."

Gloria added, "Also, it's been discovered, whether by design or coincidence, that most of the missing girls worked near Lizzie's Bar. Many have even sought to join the Moxes, all to be invariably rejected."

Rejected?

Tang Yu keenly sensed something fishy. He remembered what Evelyn said about the Moxes in the basement of Lizzie's bar. Judy was eager to recruit more unfortunate girls into Lizzie's, but was deterred by Susie Q citing business reasons. These streetwalkers, even if they didn't manage to join Lizzie's, chose to work near the bar for safety reasons. Could their disappearances be connected to the Moxes? Or more specifically, to Susie Q, the owner of Lizzie's Bar? After all, she decided who got in and who didn't.

The Moxes did offer some protection to ensure the girls' safety to some extent, but what about the scavengers? The scavengers didn't care about affiliations; they'd target anyone, from corporate executives to gang leaders. All the disappearances occurred near Lizzie's but avoided the Moxes, suggesting a tacit agreement.

Looking at Gloria, Tang Yu felt this task could be an important step in her becoming a fixer.

He thought Gloria was already becoming familiar with the trade, with her own contacts and resources, but she still needed her own territory, like the renowned Rogue and her Afterlife Bar, or Wakako Okada and her pachinko parlor at Japantown.

Part of being a fixer with reliable sway involved running service-based establishments – undeniable marks of power and places for trade. All sorts of tidbits and secrets tended to converge and spread from these places.

For Tang Yu, getting information meant relying not only on Arasaka's counterintelligence but also on a parallel, darker line, unaffected by high-ranking Arasaka executives' knowledge like that of Arthur Jenkins or Michiko Arasaka.

Just like the recent riot in Corpo Plaza, the slightest use of Arasaka resources could spread the news immediately across Arasaka Tower. Even Evelyn Parker could catch wind from her clients, showing that relying solely on Arasaka wasn't safe or reliable.

Gloria couldn't just be a middleman accepting contracts; her position needed to support Tang Yu's requirements.

Noticing Tang Yu's persistent gaze, Gloria became flustered, pretending to check her face, worried she might have soiled it, only to find nothing amiss. Seeing Tang Yu still looking at her thoughtfully, her cheeks warmed, and she instinctively raised her teacup to hide her embarrassment.

'What's with Mr. Tang's serious look all of a sudden,' she thought.

Then, out of nowhere, Tang Yu asked, "Are you interested in running a shop?"

Startled by the sudden question and lacking experience in retail despite having worked various part-time jobs, Gloria responded tentatively, "Mr. Tang, I'm not exactly familiar with running a shop. May I ask what kind of shop it is?"

Tang Yu calmly replied, "A sex shop."

A sex shop?

Gloria was shocked, the teacup in her hand shook, spilling some tea. She drank a bit to prevent more from spilling but choked in her haste. Covering her mouth to suppress a cough, she apologized.

Tang Yu was not surprised to see Gloria's reaction; he expected it since for all the hardship she went through, Gloria had always found a decent way to make a living, never compromising her morals, even to avoid gossip at David's school.

So the idea of running a sex shop hit her like a bolt from the blue. Gloria's mind raced with images of sensual dances, dim lighting, crowded clubs, and private booth encounters. The mere thought of it made her blush, let alone facing the reality.

Tang Yu waited for her reaction. Despite her distress, running a sex shop echoed with intelligence gathering potential, given that women in that industry often had easier access to sensitive information from clients.

"If you're willing, we can plan it out further in the future," Tang Yu suggested, acknowledging it as a mere preliminary idea.

Gloria was taken aback by Tang Yu's willingness to discuss and plan with her – a stark change from the usual direct commands she'd received from him. This marked a newfound recognition and importance in his eyes, lifting her spirits.

As Sasha heard of the potential sex shop, her cybernetic eye searched for related information, finding the market competitive. She offered her help, indicating that the shop could provide an excellent cover for Tang Yu's intelligence operations.

For Tang Yu, it wasn't about starting a new establishment but rather taking over Lizzie's, which had a proven business model. If possible, this would meet all his requirements – the venue, the turf, and the personnel.

The first step was to investigate the missing girls, a chance to infiltrate the Moxes. A long-term strategy was needed.

Agreeing to take on the task, Gloria noted Tang Yu's instructions to focus on factions like the scavengers and Tiger Claws. Knowing the risks didn't deter her; the trust she placed in Tang Yu's power was resolute.

They all agreed to look into the issue, moved by empathy for the hardship others faced contrasting starkly with their own challenges and despair. Now with Tang Yu's commitment to the Moxes' cause, Gloria felt a comforting reassurance that, despite any danger, such worries were no match for the influence and power Tang Yu wielded over Night City's dark undercurrents.