"That's it. How much can you offer?"
Lucy's fingers trembled slightly around her cigarette.
Honestly, this was the first time someone had ever asked a hacker to handle programming.
Wasn't that a job for some old fossil with a hundred years of programming experience?!
But money was money.
Although Lucy specialized in network intrusion, she could handle simple programming tweaks.
Besides — in Night City, when a job landed right at your feet, you didn't look too closely at the details.
Arthur grinned:
"Actually, I don't even know the price. After I drop the kid off at school, you can take a look first.
Whatever it's worth, I'll pay you.
If I don't have enough…" Arthur casually blew a puff of smoke,
"I'll just ask our warm-hearted brothers on Sixth Street to lend me some."
Lucy: "..."
David: "..."
Both of them silently mourned for the Sixth Street Gang.
Was it some personal vendetta?
Why did it seem like Arthur had sworn to milk them dry until not a single Eurodollar was left?
At this rate, Sixth Street wouldn't just be bald — they'd be skinned and hung out to dry too.
Later, Lucy followed Arthur and David all the way to Arasaka Academy.
David walked behind them with complicated emotions.
Should I tell Mom about this?
Maybe snap a photo right now?
After all, his father had tricked him so many times.
Surely it was fair to trick his father back once.
He raised his wrist slightly, about to quietly snap a shot—
Shing—!
The flash hadn't even gone off before Arthur's mantis blade was already pressed coldly against David's neck.
Arthur smiled gently, as if discussing the weather.
"Sorry, sorry, David.
You know, your old man here has cyberpsychosis.
Sometimes... reflexes just happen.
For a moment, I thought someone was plotting against me."
Arthur sheathed the mantis blade with a flick and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.
"But good thing it was you, my good son.
I believe you wouldn't betray your own father, right?"
David's forehead broke out in cold sweat.
His back was drenched.
His legs nearly gave out.
He just wanted to take a photo...
And nearly got diced into sushi by his own dad!
This must be domestic violence! This absolutely qualifies as child abuse!
Next to them, Lucy trembled violently while pretending to smoke.
Her gaze flickered around nervously, half-ready to bolt.
David forced a stiff, awkward smile:
"Of course not! How could I ever deceive you, Dad?
I'm gonna be late for class, so... I'm heading in now!"
Swoosh—!
He vanished faster than a cockroach under bright lights, fleeing into Arasaka Academy at top speed.
Arthur casually snatched the cigarette from Lucy's lips and puffed it himself.
"Hmm, strawberry flavor."
Lucy: "..."
"You're a psycho, you know that?" she muttered, rubbing her temples.
"Since the kid's gone, let's get moving already. I don't like being here."
Arthur waved her off, looking completely relaxed.
"Why the rush? I still need to have a chat with the principal."
"About what?!"
Lucy was losing her patience.
Arthur clapped a hand dramatically over his chest:
"For the children, of course!"
"You see, Night City's crime rate is soaring.
If David goes home every day after school, what if he gets mugged, shot, or kidnapped?"
"I want to persuade the principal to offer student housing.
Let David stay safely inside the campus."
Lucy yanked Arthur's sleeve.
"Shut up! Shut up! Let's go!"
She dragged Arthur by force toward the street.
Arthur let himself be dragged, leisurely waving at the confused school guards.
Lucy's heart was pounding like a drum.
She wasn't worried about Arthur.
She was worried about herself.
Although Arasaka wouldn't actively chase Lucy down just for running away years ago,
if she showed her face here, someone might match her to the old wanted files.
Soon they found a car parked outside.
Lucy slipped into the passenger seat, opened her personal link, and within seconds —
Beep—!
Vehicle override successful.
Arthur scratched his chin, looking helpless.
"You've really lost your mind... stealing a Sword in the Stone?"
"You need a low profile, not a neon billboard on wheels!"
Lucy rolled her eyes as she buckled up.
"Rich people have insurance. They'll be fine."
"As long as you abandon it somewhere later, it's all good."
Arthur stared at her.
"Bullsh*t! That's still theft, woman!"
But he sighed and jumped into the driver's seat anyway, merging smoothly into the traffic.
While Arthur drove toward the dusty wastelands of Pacifica,
he opened a comms link and sent Lucy a data packet.
"This is the chip I'm working on."
"A new kind of suppressor chip.
Supposed to replace traditional inhibitors."
"I had some old programmers design the software... but it doesn't feel right."
"I want you to check it out.
And if possible... modify it a little."
Lucy raised her eyebrows, scrolling through the data mid-drive.
She whistled after reading a bit.
"You... a cyberpsycho... are inventing high-tech brain chips now?"
Arthur puffed his chest proudly:
"Of course. Who knows a cyberpsycho's brain better than a cyberpsycho himself?"
Lucy: "..."
Honestly, it kind of made sense.
Disturbingly so.
Still, Lucy finished reading the code seriously.
After a while, she frowned slightly and said:
"According to your framework, the program's already perfect."
"No bugs, no flaws, no vulnerabilities."
"If you want to optimize it further, you should find someone more professional."
She thought Arthur had called her to optimize the chip.
But the moment she spoke, Arthur shook his head like a rattle drum.
"Who said anything about optimizing?"
Arthur grinned evilly, showing his white teeth:
"I want you to add some backdoors."
"And also limit the chip's suppressing effect — just a little."
Lucy choked on her cigarette smoke.
Limit the suppressor? Add backdoors?
This psycho wasn't trying to cure cyberpsychosis—he wanted to control it!