Stepping out of the Pachinko parlor, Lin Miao shoved his hands into his pockets and walked down the sidewalk without looking back. Maybe it was because of the suit he was wearing and that cocky, look-no-ground attitude, making many around him think he must be a corporate drone.
But only Lin Miao himself knew that the clothes were second-hand, freshly bought. Corporate drone? He hadn't even worked a single day here. The reason for playing the part was purely to ensure Wagako didn't see through him.
A petty thug or an ordinary person carrying 500KG of genuine meat worth hundreds of thousands of euros to do business with a fixer in the shady underworld could easily get killed without knowing how. But as a company employee, it was different. Though the lowlifes and gangs of Night City hated corporate workers, nobody questioned where a corporate guy got his money or resources.
That's why the more badass Lin Miao acted in front of Wagako, the safer he was.
This was his conclusion after a week of observing in Night City. In a way, Lin Miao was indeed a corporate dog, just not of this world. He used to be a project manager in a company's marketing department.
As for acting... anyone who talks business in the marketing department usually has a few tricks. Crying and playing the fool? Easy. If you think corporate veterans fake tears with water like those TV pretty boys, think again.
It's all for the money, nothing to be ashamed of.
And as for putting on a show, you just have to watch your boss cuss and brag a few times to know the drill.
Even that sneaky tall guy following him a few steps back, Lin Miao knew what was up.
He walked to a small alley by the street, stopped, took a glance down the alleyway, and immediately turned and disappeared into the side path. The underling sent by Kang Jie, seeing him vanish, hurriedly followed. As he turned the corner, he saw only a few garbage bins and cartons, with the suited figure running toward the exit. The lackey sprinted to catch up, no way would he mess up the task the boss assigned him.
But just as he hopped over the garbage bin, a hand holding a gun suddenly aimed at his head.
Lin Miao, dressed in a white undershirt, stepped out from behind the pillar and trash can. He tilted his head at the thug. "Put your hands up, turn around, and lie down."
The sudden threat made the thug tense all over. He quickly stopped, raised his hands, and turned around, grinning nervously.
"Hey man, no rush, I mean no harm."
In a city with good security, one might gamble that the other wouldn't shoot, but sadly, this was Night City. Here, double-digit deaths by gunfire happened daily. For someone like him, dying here meant no one would even bother picking up the body.
"Then what do you mean, tailing me for three blocks? Surely we're not just going the same way."
As Lin Miao spoke, he pressed the gun barrel against the thug's forehead, "I know you're listening, Ogata Wagako, give me a sign."
"What do you mean by that? I don't get it."
The thug, backed against the trash can by Lin Miao, watched as Lin Miao unlocked the safety right before his eyes. Despite his fear, his trembling legs dared not to spill the beans Kang Jie had ordered him to keep secret. He wasn't one of those tough guys loaded with combat implants. At this range, unless he had Sianweistan, he couldn't outrun a bullet.
"What do you mean? Well, if it doesn't mean anything, then it just doesn't mean anything."
Lin Miao's smile was calm as he rested his right index finger against the outside of the guard, and gently pulled the trigger.
Bang!
"Ah!!!"
The gunshot and scream echoed in the alley. The thug leaned against the trash can before sliding to the ground like a puddle of mush. His right arm had a gory hole blasted through it, muscles torn, and the humerus cleanly shattered, white jagged bone visible through the wound, blood gushing out.
The bullet went through his arm and lodged in the wall between two garbage cans, the pistol's barrel still smoking.
"Shit! You really fired, you son of a bitch!"
Bzz.....
Just then, a communication request appeared at the top left of Lin Miao's view. It was a familiar number, the avatar of an old woman. Lin Miao let it sit for over ten seconds before answering.
"Oh! Long time no see, Wagako-san, you're still as charming as ever."
Without a camera, Ogata Wagako could only hear a hint of amusement in the voice over the video call. It had to be said, having worked in the field for decades and seen countless people, Wagako recognized Lin Miao as no mere novice.
"Hehe, Mr. Lin, always a smooth talker. If I were fifty years younger, I'd fall head over heels for you."
"Why not get a rejuvenation surgery? The young Wagako-san would surely be the envy of all. Humans are visual creatures. Keep a youthful mindset, and your admirers would queue from Night City to Tokyo and Osaka."
The two chatted like old friends, while the thug lying on the ground shivered like a chicken waiting to be slaughtered, anxiously anticipating his fate once their negotiation concluded. Their lives never being in their own hands, Lin Miao absolutely wouldn't let himself end up like them.
After chuckling briefly, Wagako put on a guilty expression, "It's my fault for not managing my men well... they got ahead of themselves and caused you trouble. I'm sorry, Mr. Lin. His life is yours to deal with."
"Is that your intention?"
"Of course not. That is his deserved punishment, and this is my apology, Mr. Lin."