Chapter 1086: Chapter 353: My Knife Is Faster—Use Mine

"But my family’s broke and still owes the company loans, we can’t afford cyberware at all... so I thought... I thought I’d just cut off my own arm and attach it to my mom..."

Absolutely the perfect excuse!

With this excuse, she could milk their sympathy, then seize the chance to sleep with one of them, and once she had evidence she could use it to threaten them into obedience!

"So that’s how it is."

West Fire Grass seemed to suddenly get it. After exchanging a look with Youzi Chef, he glanced at the knife in her hand and said,

"That knife of yours won’t do, it can’t cut through bone. Use mine instead."

A segment of Mantis Blade popped out from his left arm. He opened the mechanical mount on his right hand, took off the blade and put it in front of the girl.

"My blade’s sharper than yours. It won’t hurt when it comes down, and the cut surface is nice and smooth, so the doc can reattach it faster and it won’t even leave a scar.

Here, use mine."

?

The girl’s jaw dropped. She stared at West Fire Grass in disbelief, then at the blade, eyes going blank.

Thinking she was just scared, West Fire Grass pushed the blade closer and encouraged,

"Come on, try it. I guarantee it won’t hurt at all when it cuts. I’ve killed seven people with this thing and not a single one screamed in pain. A solid zero negative reviews."

What the fuck is wrong with you...

Her chest heaved. She opened her mouth, wanting to curse this dumbass out, but was afraid of blowing her cover, so she froze on the spot and looked to Youzi Chef for help.

But Youzi Chef also had a "makes perfect sense" look on his face, like nothing was wrong.

From a player’s point of view, losing a hand or a foot doesn’t even count as minor damage. Let alone in a world where cybernetic medicine is this advanced—reattaching a limb is a walk in the park, cutting off an arm is no biggie at all.

Classic case of using yourself as the benchmark.

"What’s wrong? Don’t dare? Want me to help you? I wouldn’t say my knife skills rank top ten thousand in Night City, but top five thousand should be about right."

As he spoke, West Fire Grass was about to swing the blade down on her right arm.

With the blade getting pushed closer and closer,

the girl kept wanting to speak but stopping, stopping but wanting to speak, her expression constantly shifting. In the end she forced out a pale, stiff smile and stepped back again and again.

"N-no... no need. I suddenly remembered I still have an uncle. I can go borrow some money from him to get my mom a cheap cyber-arm first."

Then she spun around and bolted, disappearing from their sight.

Only then did Youzi Chef mumble,

"Fucking lunatic... She must’ve just arrived in Night City, right? She doesn’t know Corporation ERO is still doing regular free clinics?"

"Who knows? Maybe it’s not her mom that’s sick, but her own brain."

A cheap right-arm implant is at most 200 eurodollars, tack on 50 for surgery. Horizon Corporation has opened up medical loan channels; borrow some money, get it installed, then go to Taiping Continent to haul bricks. Food and lodging are covered; as long as you don’t blow cash, you can pay it off in at most two weeks.

And she runs up to them putting on this act—does she think they’re idiots?

You could only say this chick’s acting out a Night City script from a year ago right in front of them. Totally outdated.

"Wait a sec."

Youzi Chef was the first to react.

"If that’s the case, doesn’t that mean we just missed a hidden quest storyline? This isn’t how the plot’s supposed to go under normal circumstances, right?"

"?! Now that you mention it... that does sound about right."

[Side Quest: The Mysterious Woman]

[Quest Description: She seems to be approaching you with some sort of agenda. Maybe we should try making contact and figure out who she really is, but don’t expose your intentions.]

[Quest Reward: 500 Orokin]

West Fire Grass realized way too late. The two of them stared at each other for over ten seconds, then suddenly took off sprinting, yelling at the top of their lungs while passersby watched in terror,

"Hey! Miss! I screwed up just now, I’m actually a warm-hearted good guy!"

"He’s just a dumbass, I’m the good guy! I’m willing to pay to get your mom a full set! Brand new parts!"

The two argued non-stop as they ran neck and neck, both trying to leave the other in the dust—until West Fire Grass suddenly grabbed Youzi Chef and they both skidded to a halt.

"Hold up! Bro, I think she’s actually after me. How about you let me have this hidden quest?"

Youzi Chef of course refused.

"You know what the biggest illusion in this world is? ’She likes me.’ Wake up, kid. Stop daydreaming, and do yourself a favor and check a mirror."

West Fire Grass refused to back down.

"Don’t care. I’m a newbie. As a veteran player you can’t cut me some slack?"

"You’ve been here for months already, what newbie my ass!"

Youzi Chef rolled up his right sleeve.

"Fine, old rules. Fair competition. Winner gets the girl!"

"Deal!"

"Rock, paper, scissors!" *2

"Aw shit!!!"

Youzi Chef dropped to his knees clutching his head, full of regret.

Meanwhile West Fire Grass was already sprinting full speed after the direction the girl had fled, disappearing without a trace.

———

Motherfucking nutcase!

Maniac!

Dumbass!

The female agent’s head was full of nothing but these words. In Cuba, in New America, in Europe—what kind of freaks hadn’t she seen?

This type of freak, though, was a first.

Not only did he show zero pity for a pretty face or lend a helping hand, he actually pushed the damn blade at her, telling her to chop off her own right arm. And saying it wouldn’t hurt.

What kind of normal person could pull that shit?

Right now her legs were a blur, and she kept glancing back every few steps, scared those murder-happy freaks would catch up. Dying before even getting the mission started—getting chopped up by two cyber-psychos before the job’s done.

She didn’t know how far she’d run. She went all the way into a small back alley off Japan Street. Nearly exhausted, she braced her hands on her knees, panting hard, drenched in sweat. She couldn’t help but reach up, yank off her Wig, and fan herself with it.

In their line of work, it’s best to keep it all natural. That’s exactly what the big shots like.