"As long as you can hear me, let's start working!"
David didn't have time to address the shock on Lucy's face. He couldn't explain it, nor did he plan to.
At the moment, he was solely focused on one thing: making money. His mind was set on cashing out as quickly as possible. Most importantly, he needed to send that little frog toy on its next trip as soon as possible.
After speaking, David pulled a hood over his head to obscure his appearance. "Stay close to me. If you wander too far, I won't be able to communicate with you."
"Hmph. What's with the attitude? You're the one who asked me to cooperate," Lucy muttered, rolling her eyes. She quickly caught up, calling out, "Hey, David! Wait for me!"
Thus, the two moved together—though not side by side. David walked ahead, about seven or eight meters away, while Lucy followed behind, discreetly selecting targets.
This peculiar partnership played out like a live-action version of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners.
Unlike David Martinez, though, this David didn't rely on advanced military prosthetics to pull off flashy, high-speed moves.
Instead, he moved like a shadow.
With his hands stuffed in his pockets and his hood drawn low, he looked like an unassuming commuter. He passed dozing passengers and those absorbed in phone conversations without drawing the slightest attention.
But when he approached the targets Lucy discreetly identified, David acted with precision.
It wasn't just the breeze that brushed by. The chips in the card slots behind their ears disappeared as well.
Thanks to his magnetic manipulation abilities, stealing these smart chips was effortless.
Though his powers struggled with larger objects, these microchips—small and embedded with circuits—were no challenge.
David set his magnetic field to 'S' level while aligning the target chip's field to 'N.' The result? The chip practically leapt into his possession.
Step by step, carriage by carriage, David worked efficiently, always moving forward to the next "victim."
The train sped past the neon-drenched tunnels, their glow spilling into the carriages.
Light and shadow danced across the two figures. Each frame of their movement could've been a scene from a beautifully choreographed silent film.
Yet, in the unspoken rhythm of their actions, an understanding passed between them.
The haunting imagery of their tandem operation evoked lyrics from a melancholy song:
"I can follow you, like a shadow chasing the light, sleepwalking..."
But neither David nor Lucy was in a mood to admire the poetic beauty of their surroundings.
Night City was a ruthless, sin-riddled metropolis where survival took precedence over sentiment.
David's focus remained razor-sharp. His mastery of his magnetic abilities was growing with every stolen chip. Though the strain of using them was evident, he pressed on, determined.
Meanwhile, Lucy trailed behind, her thoughts racing.
The more she observed David's clean, efficient methods, the more impressed she became.
After passing through six carriages, Lucy smirked to herself. His technique is smooth—very smooth. Even I wouldn't be able to pull this off without pausing.
By the tenth carriage, her smirk faded into astonishment.
This kid... is definitely a professional!
By the time they'd swept through the entire train—a total of thirteen carriages—Lucy was staring at David in utter disbelief.
Is this guy a corporate thief?
Her thoughts swirled with questions. Could he be on some company's most-wanted list? Is there a bounty on him?
Her musings were interrupted by the train's automated announcement.
"Ding dong—Dear passengers, please note: Little Chinatown Station is approaching. Prepare to disembark."
"Oh, we're here already," David remarked casually, standing by the train door. He glanced back at Lucy. "Shall we get off?"
Lucy quickly snapped out of her daze, nodding. "Yeah, let's go."
As the doors opened, they blended into the crowd, stepping off the train like ordinary commuters.
The bustling streets of Little Chinatown greeted them outside the station.
This part of Night City was a fascinating blend of cyberpunk futurism and the Dragon Kingdom's architectural styles from the 1970s and 1980s. Bright graffiti adorned walls, while the streets bustled with endless streams of vehicles.
Despite its faded glory, Little Chinatown still bore traces of its past as the city's second-largest economic hub.
David was familiar with the area, having spent most of his time here since his arrival in Night City. The Afterlife Bar, where he worked, was also nearby.
Navigating the crowded streets with practiced ease, he led Lucy to a quiet underground parking lot.
Dividing stolen goods wasn't exactly a public affair.
Ensuring no one was around, David reached into his pocket and dumped its contents onto the ground.
A cascade of microchips with the word "Arasaka" printed on them spilled out.
Lucy's eyes widened at the sight.
There were at least forty or fifty chips in the pile.
Considering the average value of an Arasaka chip was around 1,000 euros, the haul was worth a staggering 40,000 to 50,000 euros.
And that was just the baseline estimate. Some of the chips were credit-loaded and could yield even more money once deciphered.
David's eyes sparkled as he stared at the pile. His mind raced with excitement.
This might just cover the cost of sending the frog cub on its second trip!
A wry smile tugged at his lips. In Night City, honest work was a joke. Dirty money was the fastest route to success.
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