Riku stepped down to the first floor, heading to the rental service department. Even at this hour, the place was still open, with someone on duty.
"I need a big freezer. That one—the biggest model you've got."
Riku rattled off his room number and picked the rental package, naturally going for the monthly option.
"300."
The guy on duty was a middle-aged man, scruffy beard, looking like he hadn't groomed in weeks, with a cigarette dangling from his lips.
"You think I'm blind? The sign says 200."
Riku's face was pure disbelief as he pointed at the price chart. Was this guy seriously trying to scam him with a clearly marked price?
"300. Take it or leave it."
The man flicked his cigarette ash, a smirk creeping across his face.
He didn't care what Riku needed it for, but coming out of a room covered in bloodstains? That screamed urgent. And in Night City, you don't let a chance to gouge someone pass by.
"You sure you wanna play it like this?"
Riku grinned, pulling the katana from his back and tapping the blade on the counter.
Trying to rip off someone like him? A guy covered in blood in the middle of the night didn't exactly scream "easy mark."
"No need to get all samurai on me. Pay up or get out."
But the middle-aged guy didn't flinch. As Riku drew his blade, the man whipped out a handgun, aiming it right at him.
He'd been in this game for years. Threats? Old news. Who hasn't geeked a few people in their youth?
He'd seen it all—deadbeats trying to mooch for free, thinking they could intimidate him. Jacking up the price meant a nice cut for him, but lowering it? That'd come out of his own pocket. No way he'd be that baka.
In the end, it came down to who was tougher, who could make the other back off. Night City wasn't kind to the weak.
"Tch, what a pain."
Riku rolled his eyes. This was Night City, after all—a city full of yabai types, not some world where people got nervous over a guy with a katana.
And with guys like this, it was all about who was crazier, who wasn't afraid to die.
"Go ahead and shoot. Let's see which one of us ends up flatlined."
Riku leaned forward, pressing his forehead right against the barrel of the gun, his grin practically daring the guy to pull the trigger.
"..."
The man's expression froze, his face flickering through emotions. But in the end, he wisely lowered the gun.
"Damn, you cyberpsycho types are something else."
Muttering under his breath, the man holstered his piece and quickly processed the order, submitting the contract.
"180. The 20's my apology. Let's be nakama, yeah? Name's Maiban. You're new around here, right?"
Maiban looked like he'd swallowed something sour. He thought he'd make a quick buck, but he'd run into a real kuso katai hardcase. Nothing to do but eat the loss.
"You can call me Devil. Devo Collin. Remember the name—don't mix me up next time."
Riku didn't hold back, slapping down the 180. This guy was a sly old kitsune, knowing when to back down.
If Maiban had pulled that trigger, Riku wouldn't have hesitated to slice him up. The guy was the one picking a fight, after all.
"Got it, Devil the yabai badass."
Maiban gave a thumbs-up, clearly impressed, and sent over another contract.
"Transport service is 50. Don't glare at me—this ain't my fee, and I'm not the one hauling it."
Worried Riku might misunderstand, Maiban quickly explained. Everything in Night City came with a price, and it wasn't his fault.
"I'll move it myself."
Riku didn't hesitate. It was just a freezer, right? He could handle it, no sweat.
Not about saving en, though. He just didn't want anyone poking around his room full of niku. Less trouble that way.
"Uh… sorry, no can do. Even if you move it yourself, you still gotta pay."
Maiban's face twisted awkwardly. The contract was clear: mandatory transport fee, non-negotiable.
"What the kuso is this?!"
Riku's jaw dropped. A mandatory transport fee? No way to cancel it? He had to pay even if he did the heavy lifting?!
"That's the rules. The kaisha's rules. In Night City, they call the shots. They decide where to bleed you dry, and they do it.
You can play the system like me, but if you can't fight the corps' grip, you'd better pony up when they say so."
Maiban was dead serious. Follow the rules or get out of Night City. Simple as that.
"..."
Riku was speechless. He paid up, then dragged the freezer out of the warehouse. No need to stir up more trouble.
No wonder everyone was clawing their way to the top. Night City was a place where the little things showed you the big picture. Who wouldn't want to break free and become one of the ones making the rules?
Playing geemu might not give you the full weight of a corp-ruled world, but living in Night City? That suffocating vibe hit you from every angle, in every little detail.
Riku hauled the freezer back to his room. V had calmed down by now, but her expression was heavy, like she'd been deep in thought.
"Korinsu, we've got a problem to think about."
The moment he stepped in, V spoke up, clearly having mulled things over.
"What's that?"
Riku asked, setting the freezer against the wall and plugging it in. He started sorting the niku into batches—different types couldn't mix.
"All Foods Factory. Or rather, the biotech kaisha."
V's face was serious. She'd already figured out the kind of heat selling real meat would bring down on them.
"Hah, what's there to worry about? We gonna pass up this okane? If they come for us, we'll deal with it—soldier meets soldier, water meets earth."
Riku chuckled. He'd thought about it, of course. Selling real meat in Night City was like yanking the tail of All Foods Factory.
But so what? Night City's black market was full of people peddling organic niku. It was a hot business.
Real meat wasn't nashi. It was just rare in the city. Forget chickens, cows, or sheep—most folks wouldn't even see a cat or dog, except maybe rats or roaches.
But in the lawless Pacifica district, outside the city's control, some people got to eat real chicken. The corps couldn't touch that place.
Nomads outside the city even ran small farms. Sure, it was artificially inseminated or cloned chickens, but it was still better than synthetic niku.
Cows or sheep? Those were rarer on the black market. Unlike chickens, you couldn't just buy a few eggs and hope to hatch something.
"Guess you're right. Why pass up the okane?"
V nodded, warming to the idea. What was there to fear?
They'd already pulled off a big job infiltrating a biotech kaisha. Were they really gonna sweat selling some meat on the black market?
Time to shift their mindset! If you wanted to make big okane, you had to take it from the corps. Every profitable path was already locked down by them.
Here we go!
(End of Chapter)