The conversation at the bar stretched on for quite some time. It wasn't until Lin Mo's pre-set alarm went off that he realized it was already ten o'clock.
Their long and pleasant chat had covered quite a bit. Lin Mo had explained some matters concerning the team and laid out his vision for its future.
Jackie offered plenty of advice based on his experience—but the man clearly wasn't one to dwell too long on serious talk.
Every time the conversation got too dry, he'd cleverly steer it in another direction.
But that only allowed Lin Mo to understand the Haywood tough guy more deeply.
Even though he'd experienced Jackie's charm back in the game, it had all been filtered through a screen.
And to make matters worse, that damn dumbass Rock Star had cut most of the prologue, killing off such a well-written brother-in-arms character far too early. There just hadn't been a way to get to know Jackie better.
But now... that wasn't a problem.
The man was here, in the flesh—visible, tangible, with the same deep, booming voice.
Out of the four meetings Lin Mo had arranged today, this was by far the most enjoyable one.
At one point during the discussion, Lin Mo, tired of just drinking, casually asked Jackie if he wanted to watch a braindance flick—just to wind down a little.
But the Haywood hardass didn't seem the least bit interested. He scoffed, calling those BDs "triple-void products"—emptying your wallet, body, and will. He said he'd rather go home and pump some iron.
That kind of clarity and self-control made Lin Mo feel a little ashamed.
He'd been the one to suggest it, after all.
Eventually, after draining glass after glass of soda, Lin Mo finally got up to say goodbye, a hint of regret in his voice.
"That's it for tonight, Jackie. I gotta get home soon."
"You sure you don't wanna stay a little longer? You know real Night City living only begins at this hour, right? This is prime drinking time," Jackie asked in surprise.
Lin Mo rubbed his stomach. Any more, and he might've popped from all the soda. He had no choice but to decline politely.
"My folks are strict. If I get home too late, they'll worry."
Jackie couldn't help but laugh at that.
Here was this kid, already deep in the edgerunner game—living the kind of life where your knife's edge might slip into your own ribs at any moment. He had access to Afterlife gigs, for fuck's sake. There's no way he hadn't killed before.
And yet he still cared about "not staying out too late or the family will worry"?
It was kind of ridiculous… but also kinda sweet.
Jackie smiled knowingly and nodded.
"I get it. Family's supposed to worry. My mom's the same way. She always blows up, yelling at me to give it all up and just inherit the bar. Live a nice, peaceful life."
His tone grew softer.
"But let's be honest—people like us, we've all got our reasons. Dreams, problems… If we didn't, none of us would've picked up this shitty line of work. You get what I mean, right?"
Lin Mo nodded calmly. "I do."
From both the conversation and his knowledge of the game, he already understood Jackie's story.
He'd become a street merc to make a name for himself, score big eddies, and give his loved ones a better life.
Making bank was the dream. Letting his family live in comfort was the goal.
"Knew you'd get it." Jackie grinned and threw an arm around Lin Mo's shoulder, friendly and warm.
"Had a weird feeling from the moment we met."
"What kind of feeling?" Lin Mo asked as he organized his gear and walked out of the booth with Jackie.
"That we've got—what's it called—chemistry? Whatever it is, we'll get along just fine. You might be young, but you've already thought through so much. Solid head on your shoulders."
He was genuinely impressed by the plans Lin Mo had shared earlier.
"Plans are just that—plans," Lin Mo replied evenly. "Until they're actually implemented, they don't mean much."
He wasn't about to let a little praise go to his head.
Until a strategy was put into action, it was just empty talk.
"Man, you don't give yourself enough credit. You've got way more talent than I ever did. Back when I was running with the Valentinos, I had a moment of clarity—realized I had more in me than playing gang thug. So I walked away and became a merc. And look at me now—I'm doing just fine. Give me one shot, and I'd make it into Afterlife same as you. I ain't worse than you, that's for sure."
Jackie puffed up a little as he spoke.
Lin Mo simply nodded, calm as ever.
In Night City—hell, in the world—sometimes it wasn't about talent or effort. Sometimes, all you needed was an opportunity.
If you judged Jackie by the jobs he'd pulled off with V, he was easily among the top-tier mercs in the game. He just hadn't gotten the call-up to the "big leagues" yet.
A maxed-out stat sheet with low rep—that's an SSR character waiting to pop. Lin Mo would have to be an idiot not to bring him in.
His thoughts were running wild again, but Jackie kept rambling, full of optimism and ambition about their future as a duo.
As they walked through the dance floor, the Mox staff spotted them leaving and practically rolled out the red carpet, offering warm smiles and soft words. The hospitality left Jackie stunned.
"Yo, kid... are you the boss lady's ex or something? Why the hell are they treating you like royalty?" he asked in a hushed, bewildered tone.
Lin Mo answered just as quietly, with a straight face:
"If you dropped a boatload of cash to invest in this bar, I'm sure they'd treat you like their goddamn father too."
"Wait—you bought shares in Lizzie's? The best BD lounge in the whole city?!" Jackie's voice rose a few decibels.
"I just expressed interest," Lin Mo said coolly. "The contract's not signed yet. As far as the Mox know, I'm just a one-of-a-kind VIP client. The boss lady didn't tell them the full story."
Jackie: "..."
He knew the kid was loaded, but he hadn't realized how loaded.
The Mox might not be the biggest gang in Night City, but they'd been around for a while and weathered some serious storms. They were a solid, respected crew.
To invest in a place like this?
How much eddies did this kid have, anyway...?
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