Olivia, feeling smug, puffed on her cigar with a pretentious air.

"Hey, this is a Cuban cigar. In the United States, it's a rare treat, only those cowards living in high-rises can afford it."

She clamped it between her lips and savored two puffs.

After the drug crackdown, the only nice things you could get in Dragon Field were booze and smokes, and both were limited edition.

"It's not that great."

Exhaling a puff of smoke, Olivia, now in command, started issuing orders to the experts.

"Hey, the one upfront, don't rush in. Shake off the tailgating car, then park on the side and wait for a bit."

"What do you mean? The meeting is scheduled for eight o'clock, and we're almost out of time."

The expert turned around, not quite understanding what she meant. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Olivia's red cybernetic eye glared.

"Just do as you're told, why so many questions."

Killer Demon glanced back at Olivia.

The once arrogant Olivia immediately shrank, like a deflated balloon, muttering with a shrunken neck.

"It's just a show of strength, that's how we negotiate on our side. They kept us hanging for a month, moving whenever they want makes us look weak."

Everyone turned to Gloria.

"Let's go with Olivia's plan, wait on the side for a bit."

"Damn, how do you pull this off?"

The expert couldn't understand why Killer Demon could train this bunch of bandits to behave so obediently, like little pups.

Killer Demon didn't even look up.

"Just imagine me as your old boss."

The expert suddenly understood, sharing a deep empathy.

"That is pretty scary."

The meeting at eight was delayed. The expert made a few turns, hid the car in an alley, and waited until Olivia smoked half her cigar before heading out.

When they arrived at the hotel, it was already eight-thirty.

The drug dealer's territory was unmistakable: even the hotel entrance had two small trucks welded with machine guns, though still not as impressive as Hansen's Netherworld Dog.

Inside, the hotel was more luxurious than Night City, with golden-plated columns everywhere, statues by famous artists, and barely clad female service staff, which made David flush red.

Olivia was at a loss, but there was nothing she could do. She had long suggested giving the rookie a tour of the nightlife, but Gloria wouldn't agree to it.

When a subordinate of the drug dealers on the first floor saw Olivia and her group, he was furious and approached them to scold.

"Why are you late? Do you know how long my boss has been waiting?"

Olivia, now in Chaotic Blade Association's military uniform, didn't indulge him, merely motioning the expert to shove past him, oblivious to his presence.

As she passed, she cynically held onto her cigar and mumbled,

"Is it my habit to arrive early?"

David was shocked. He only knew Olivia was a former convict, never imagining she once seemed like a big shot.

"You!"

The drug dealer's subordinate was burning with rage, almost pulling a gun to shoot the woman, but his companion hurriedly restrained him.

"She's the boss's designated guest, are you trying to get us killed?"

"Shit!"

The subordinate reluctantly released his grip.

"Better not cross me, or she'll be the first to go."

After venting, he cursed a few times and followed to lead the way.

The hotel's guests were all from the drug cartel, or wealthy folks from elsewhere looking for pleasure, so the environment was either undereducated or indulgent. There were people going at it fiercely near the elevator, and drug addicts shouting wildly, turning the hotel into a chaotic mess.

The group focused intently on the elevator lights, pretending not to notice anything.

Arriving at the designated room, the door was open, and henchmen on both sides reached for the players' waist guns.

"Hold up, hand over the guns."

The expert hadn't responded yet, but David was already grabbing the man's hand, refusing to let him touch it, and when another reached to draw a gun, Gloria uncharacteristically kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him flying. Following Lin Miao and the players for so long, she wasn't just learning medicine, her combat skills were decent as well.

Olivia cursed immediately upon seeing this.

"Get lost, you dare touch my people? Can't you see?"

A voice echoed from inside the room.

"So arrogant? Do you think this is the United States?"

Olivia glanced over, seeing a mountain of flesh on the sofa. At the top, a small bald head puffed on vaporized drugs, engulfed in cloud.

The speaker was a burly black man standing beside him, his skin glistening with a metallic sheen, clearly augmented with combat implants, but Olivia wasn't intimidated.

"I don't care where we are, damn dead knucklehead, mess with my people, and you disrespect me. You're so big, better watch out I don't send you to pick cotton."

"Fuck! You brute..."

The black man's face darkened with anger, his body swelling like steam was about to burst from beneath his skin.

With the clash about to break out, the old bald-headed man finally

"Cough."

The mountain of flesh finally put down the vaporizer, halting the imminent fight, his voice like phlegm stuck in his throat, as if he might pass out any moment.

"Come in and let's talk, guests of the Chaotic Blade Association."

"Hmmph."

Ignoring the murderous glares, Olivia led the experts boldly into the room.

Inside, a dozen of the drug dealer's enforcers surrounded them, and the scene made it clear that these were high-level enemies, intimidating even the expert.