With a mechanical clunk, the elevator gate opened. A woman and a child stepped inside. After pressing the button, gears spun and cables tightened as the lift slowly brought them up to the second floor.
Poplar Street, one level above Twisty Street.
Reaching this point meant they had just barely escaped the Tiger Claws' pursuit.
"Where's your car?"
Lin Mo asked while checking his body, patting away bits of blood and flesh that had stuck to him.
On his back was that fantasy-style katana, strapped diagonally across his spine — its length nearly matching half his body.
There was nothing he could do about it.
Once an item was taken from the simulator's database, there was no way to put it back in. All he could do was awkwardly carry it around like this.
On a seasoned warrior, the sword might've added flair. On a kid? It just looked out of place — almost comical.
Xu Wanxue couldn't help but find it a bit amusing.
"Outdoor parking lot. Just a short walk," she said with a soft smile, reaching to take Lin Mo's hand as they walked.
He didn't pull away. Letting her lead, the pair — one tall, one small — headed off toward the parking lot.
It was late. The street wasn't busy. But the towering buildings around them still glowed bright, neon lights blinking endlessly, giving the city its distinct Cyberpunk aesthetic.
Maybe it was the sense of safety after narrowly escaping danger, but Xu Wanxue looked visibly relaxed. She glanced sideways at Lin Mo from time to time, curiosity in her eyes.
If she hadn't gone through it herself, she would've never believed what happened tonight.
Just for winning at a pachinko machine, someone had sent a Tiger Claw hit squad after her.
And the one who saved her — was this kid, still a long way from adulthood.
His speed, his reaction time... that katana that appeared out of nowhere… all of it told her there was something very different about him.
"By the way, thank you for saving me tonight," she said gently, turning to meet his eyes. "If it wasn't for you, I'd be dead."
Lin Mo turned his head to look at her — and the next words out of his mouth nearly broke her:
"Auntie, no need to thank me. If you hadn't pushed that guy away, I probably would've died too."
Seriously? Auntie? You're going to be my adoptive mom — can't have you getting the generation wrong…
Lin Mo muttered internally.
Xu Wanxue's smile froze for a second. Just a second.
She suddenly didn't find the kid that cute anymore.
"Well, no matter what, you saved my life," she said with a deep breath and a smile. "If there's anything you want, just tell me. Also... where do you live? Want me to take you home?"
Lin Mo lowered his head. The wind tousled his unkempt hair, and she couldn't see his face clearly.
But what he said next — and the emotionless tone — struck her harder than any dramatic sob.
"I haven't had a home in a long time," he said, like it was no big deal.
That calmness… made it hit even harder.
"I grew up on Twisty Street. And now that I've killed a Tiger Claw, I can't go back."
Maybe it was because he'd seemed too mature earlier, but it was only now that Xu Wanxue truly saw it — the loneliness, the fragility, the vulnerability that belonged to a child his age.
She suddenly wanted to hug him.
But they were walking, and the moment passed.
She regretted bringing it up.
Anyone who knew Twisty Street like he did — even familiar with Tiger Claw faces — must've lived there their whole life.
She just hadn't expected him to be an orphan.
They walked in silence until they reached the parking lot.
At the car, Xu Wanxue used the implanted "seed" chip in her finger to unlock the security system. Then she moved to the passenger side and opened the door for Lin Mo.
He took a moment to examine the vehicle.
Gudra V-Tech coupe.
Angular and stylish, with a streamlined body and a deep blue coat. A two-seater with ample cabin space. Rear-wheel drive.
Pricey — but not out of reach for a mid-tier corpo.
Seeing her open the door for him, Lin Mo didn't act shy. He climbed in naturally and set his katana beside him.
Xu Wanxue got in next, started the engine, and the roar echoed behind them as the car rolled out.
Lin Mo leaned against the window, watching the neon blur past.
This was the first time since arriving in Night City that he had ever left Twisty Street.
This... was the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
"Oh right — I didn't get your name," Xu Wanxue said suddenly. "I'm Xu Wanxue, by the way. Kang Tao employee."
"Lin Mo."
"You're from Huaguo?" she asked, a bit surprised.
Japantown was one of Westbrook's three main districts, and neighborhoods like Twisty and Poplar Street were part of it.
As the name implied, most residents were of Japanese descent. A Chinese kid like Lin Mo was rare here.
"Probably," Lin Mo said. "I'm an orphan, but that's the name on my ID."
She glanced over at his side profile… and a bold thought entered her mind.
"If you don't mind... would you like me to adopt you?"
Lin Mo acted the part — surprise, hesitation, doubt.
"You're serious… Auntie?"
Smack.
With one hand on the steering wheel, she lightly bopped him on the forehead with the other.
"Stop calling me Auntie! I'm only 21!" she huffed.
"Then… should I call you Mom?" Lin Mo asked, rubbing his head with a blink.
Something fluttered in her chest, but she forced herself to stay composed.
"Call me Big Sis," she said sternly.
"Well hey, they say 'a big sister is like a second mother,' right?" Lin Mo shot back with mock innocence.
"What kind of nonsense proverb is that?" she said, snorting a laugh despite herself.
"The old Japanese guys around here love quoting Huaguo idioms. I just picked it up," Lin Mo replied.
"Alright, let's change the subject. Be honest — where did that katana come from?" she asked, glancing over.
She still hadn't gotten over how he just pulled a sword out of thin air.
Lin Mo's face turned dead serious. "You really wanna know?"
"Oh? Is it some dark secret?" she teased.
"If you really want to hear it… Fine. When I was six, I met a beggar on Twisty Street."
"A beggar?"
"Yeah. He looked pitiful, so I bought him some food. He said I had the bones of a martial prodigy and offered to sell me a sword. Just 10 eurodollars."
"I thought he was just begging in a weird way, but I gave him the money. He told me the sword was already mine — and that one day, if I was ever in danger, it would appear in my hand."
Xu Wanxue's expression was pure disbelief. But then again… the sword really had appeared just like that…
"…You're serious?"
Lin Mo let out a sigh and gave her a look like she was the biggest sucker alive.
"Auntie, I even made up a whole story to lie to you — just pretend it's true."
"You little brat…" she muttered — then burst out laughing.
"Forget it. If you don't want to tell me, I won't pry. By the way — is the AC too cold?"
"I'm fine."
"Alright then, let's make a deal. I'll give you 500 eddies a month as allowance. But you gotta stop calling me Auntie. Call me Big Sis. Deal?"
"Okay, Big Sis."
"Pfft! You little gold-digger!"
.
.
.
📢 System Booting… Welcome, Chooms! 📢
My Cyberpunk 2077 Simulator is now live with 20+ chapters ahead on Patreon! 💻🔥Dive deeper into Night City, level up faster, and stay ahead of the game with exclusive early access! 🧠⚙️
🔗 Join here: www.patreon.com/c/MrMagnus👤 Patreon name: SrMagnus
Thank you for your support, and remember—chrome up, never back down. 🌆💥