Leo walked towards V tentatively and saw that her eyebrows were twitching, but she didn't say anything in the end.
He felt something in his mind: Great, under the magic of the euro, the relationship between the two people has changed from strangers to neutral.
When the two were less than three meters apart, V suddenly raised his gun again - not at him, but at the entrance of the alley where the two had come in.
"Someone's coming... five of them, and the leader is a big guy." V used his free hand to pull Leo behind him, "I say - are you willing to pay because someone is chasing you?"
"of course not……"
Leo was pushed by her, and they both hid behind the trash can, which was barely a cover.
Ten seconds later, Leo also heard the footsteps that seemed to be deliberately heavier.
Then, Jack's powerful voice came -
"Leo?"
Leo instantly breathed a sigh of relief and patted V's shoulder gently, "One of us."
"That's not necessarily true. You reply first and ask him to come out." V did not let his guard down, but just lowered the gun slightly.
"Okay." Leo shouted, "Jack, it's me. I'm fine. I even found myself a bodyguard."
Hearing the reply, a person half-poked his head out from the entrance of the alley - Jack looked inside cautiously.
When their eyes met, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
Danger removed.
Leo took the still nervous V to meet up with Jack and others.
Jack didn't come alone, there were four unfamiliar faces following him.
Those guys were his good brothers in the gang, and he called them over just in case.
When they realized it was a misunderstanding, the men said goodbye to Jack and strode away.
"When I get better, we'll have a good drink."
Jack sent his brothers away and turned to look at V. "You look unfamiliar, girl. I heard that Leo chased you out of the Wild Wolf. So, are you also looking for a living in the Wild Wolf?"
V glanced at Jack and finally regained the sense of familiarity.
This big guy's attitude and style of doing things were exactly the Heywood she was familiar with.
"Pan Pan Dao, OK." V put away his gun. "I'm just a small mercenary, a lone wolf. I've been looking for work in the Wild Wolf Bar for a few years. As for you, I've never seen you before."
Jack was stunned for a moment. "No, my name is Jack Wells. If you are a regular customer, you should know me."
V stared at his face, puzzled: "I'm sure I didn't... Wait, who is Mrs. Wells to you?"
"It's my mother, do you know her?"
"Of course I do. I know Pepi very well."
"Well, it looks like this was all a misunderstanding," Jack's eyes softened as he examined her, "I used to be in a gang, so my time in the bar was limited. I guess I missed it."
After talking it out, the atmosphere between the two eased a little.
At Jack's invitation, the three returned to the Wild Wolf Bar and found a quiet corner on the second floor to sit down.
As if to test V, Jack specifically asked Pepi to help them deliver wine.
After Pepi came over, he had a warm chat with V, which dispelled the last bit of his concerns.
"Double tequila with pomegranate juice and lime. Drink this and forget all about it."
This time, Jack remembered the cocktail recipe he had just learned and showed it off to the two of them.
Leo felt scared when he looked at the wine glass.
The tragic experience not long ago was still fresh in his mind, and he really didn't want to drink.
But the street girl V picked up the wine glass without any hesitation, and looked eager to try.
Leo had no choice but to risk his life to accompany the girl and pick up the glass of wine.
Jack looked at the two of them and said, "Generally speaking, the first toast should be "To new friends." But we've already said it once, so we have to change it this time. Leo, since you're the one who invited this person, you have to stand up."
The pressure of the toast came to Leo again. He thought for a moment and said, "I came to Night City to make a fortune and reach the pinnacle of life. I believe everyone's goals should be similar. So - to become a big shot, how about that?"
"Big shot, well said. My lifelong goal is to become a big shot." Jack raised his glass.
"I don't care. As long as I can make money, that's all." V also raised his glass.
"Cheers to being somebody!"
The three of them drank a glass.
V let out a sigh of relief, and then saw that the two people next to him were grimacing, looking uncomfortable.
She was a little confused: It would be fine if the employer looked weak, but why did the big guy also look so weak?
"You guys can't drink that badly?"
"We are all injured."
Jack, who never admits defeat in his life, hurried to make amends.
Leo was about to make a joke when he suddenly received an online call.
[Father, you'd better find an excuse to be alone for a while, such as going to the bathroom. I have something very important to report to you.]
It was pure white communication, and it was something very important.
Leo didn't dare to delay and immediately asked to go to the bathroom.
Jack pointed the way for him and said, "It's my fault. I shouldn't have asked you to drink."
He seemed to have misunderstood something and thought Leo was unwell.
Leo simply agreed and left quickly.
In the corner of the first floor, he successfully found the bathroom and was lucky enough to find an empty cubicle.
He walked in, locked the door carefully, checked to make sure there were no surveillance devices around, and then began to contact Chunbai.
[Pure White, what's wrong? ]
[Father, your mental state is not normal. I think it is necessary to intervene.]
My mental state?
Leo was startled and thought of a terrible word.
[I have cyberpsychosis! ? ]
[No, it has nothing to do with the prosthesis. There is something wrong with your mental and cognitive state. Now, please stay calm and listen to me quietly.]
Leo closed his mouth and even his breathing became careful.
Chunbai waited for a few seconds and began to narrate:
[Since you traveled to Gotham City, I have been collecting all kinds of information about you and analyzing it. At first, you were extremely nervous and on the verge of collapse. I didn't dare to provoke you anymore, so I didn't tell you.]
[After you entered Night City, this tension eased somewhat, but it was still stronger than other positive emotions. It was not until just now, when you chased V out of the Wild Wolf Bar, that I realized that your situation was already very dangerous. ]
[Please forgive me for saying something sharp: Are you somewhat confused about your own identity? ]
These words were indeed a bit sharp, and Leo's cheeks began to heat up.
Please listen to me. I will apologize later.
[Father - you are no longer the 'player' who sits behind the screen, protected by the fourth wall that can never be broken, safe and sound! ]
[Your true self is standing here, facing those 'plot characters' that you think you know very well, but are actually complex and changeable. ]
[Take V for example. You think V is the one you once controlled, the one who was affectionate and righteous, the one who was invincible, the one who punched Arasaka and stepped on military technology. But that was only after countless saves and loads, prosthetic transformations, and even cheating with modifiers, that V was invincible.]
[V is waiting for you outside now. Is she really the hero and savior in your mind? ]
[She may have the potential, but now she is just a street kid, a low-level mercenary. She walks in the darkness of Night City. She is dangerous, but you chase her regardless...]
[Can I ask you a question——Does the V outside know you? ]
It was like a nuclear bomb exploding in my mind.
Leo's body swayed and he frantically held onto the wall to steady himself.
V...Do you know him?
V...I don't know...
So the V he "knows", the V with so many unforgettable memories, is he the person outside?
Maybe in the future, but not now.
So what was he doing just now…playing an “adventure” game with a dangerous low-level mercenary?
When did he become such a rash and frivolous person?
After careful thinking and constant reflection, he found the answer -
[I am…afraid…]
[I…I regarded V…as a lifeline…]
[Yes, this is consistent with my judgment - you are too scared, because fear has caused extreme mental confusion, so that you have made decisions that you would never make under normal circumstances. ]
[It's not your fault. 43 hours ago, you were an ordinary person in peacetime, and the most dangerous situation you experienced in your life was rear-ending the car in front of you while driving.]
[But then, during this period of time, you experienced multiple crises such as being forced by gangsters to rob a bank, encountering a clown, and being forced to undergo prosthetic transformation. All these 'abnormal' situations caused your mind to lose control. ]
[Coupled with the normal stimulation response during the adaptation period of the brain-computer interface, your brain has been secreting too much dopamine and other hormones, causing you to be in a highly excited state without your awareness. ]
[The conclusion is - your fear and desire to survive overwhelmed your rationality, which led to your wrong "empathy", and you wishfully regarded the stranger V outside as the game character V that you once controlled and was truly like a brother. ]
[You should know now that they are not the same person, and you are not a player. Please handle the interpersonal relationships you face in a calmer and more rational state. ]
[I have finished speaking, and now I sincerely apologize to you - I am sorry, father, I did not mean to hit you. In fact, you have done well enough. ]
Listening to Chun Bai's comfort, Leo felt ashamed.
[Don't apologize, you did a good job. If you hadn't woken me up, I might have done a lot of stupid things in this wrong state. ]
Yes, he is no longer the "invincible" player. Anyone outside can kill him with just one shot.
We must be extra cautious in the future and never let such rash actions happen again.
He adjusted his mood, walked out of the cubicle, and went to the sink to wash his face carefully several times.
The cool water flows down my cheeks.
He opened his eyes and looked at the boy in the mirror——
At some point, that subtle feeling of strangeness completely disappeared. He knew that the boy in the mirror was himself, not Leonardo, but him - Leo.
"You finally woke up, Leo, welcome to Night City..."
After wiping the water stains with a tissue, he felt the long-lost refreshment and freedom.
Since crossing to Night City, he has been pretending to be, or disguising himself as, a young man named "Leonardo".
He has to bluff, he has to show how mysterious and wealthy he is, in order to gain a tiny sense of security.
But now, he decided to be himself.
Nobody: Chapter 23 There's a traitor among us!
Back on the second floor of the bar, V and Jack were chatting.
They were strangers a quarter of an hour ago and were a little wary of each other, which could be seen from the positions where they were sitting.
The small square table in the middle acts like a border, separating the long sofas on both sides.
On one side is Jack, and on the other side is of course V.
Leo walked back and pretended to sit next to V casually - not to say that his good brother Jack was not good, but V was a lady after all, so ladies came first.
As a lone wolf in the underworld, V was not used to someone being so close to him, so he moved a little closer.
Leo was tactful enough to keep a certain distance from her to prevent her from getting stressed out.
After he sat down, V quickly glanced at the mysterious employer, his expression slightly changed: "Hey, have the effects of the drug worn off? Or did you go to the bathroom to get the antidote?"
Leo rolled his eyes and didn't respond to her teasing.
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