The scene that amazed Old Wei appeared—Mercer lifted himself calmly from the chair, supported solely by an octopus arm touching the ground, standing suspended with only minor body sway.
This was not just a testament to the strength and stability of the octopus arm, but more importantly, it represented an extremely precise calculation of exertion.
Like an ordinary person trying to do a handstand, supporting the entire body with one hand requires not just arm strength, but mastering balance.
Mercer's feet softly touched down, the octopus arm started retracting, wrapping around him like a cold python, finally resting the metal claw on his shoulder.
"...Don't you find it uncomfortable?" Victor shuddered uncontrollably; for someone so committed to physical integrity, he couldn't bear the thought of replacing his arms with something metal, let alone getting a bizarre extra hand.
Mercer simply shrugged his shoulders: "A bit; having an extra octopus hand suddenly feels strange, but as long as you know it's merely a specialized device controlled through neural connection, it's okay."
"Hmm... I can only say, perhaps you can still distinguish it now, but if one day you try to raise your left hand and instead raise the octopus arm, you must shut it down immediately and check yourself, understand?" Victor warned.
Mercer nodded with a smile: "I understand."
After familiarizing himself briefly with the operation, Mercer contentedly reached out to grasp the octopus arm at his left shoulder, moved it around, and with the brain-computer interface, unlocked and detached the arm.
Remarkably, it twitched twice before finally stopping, a rather eerie sight.
"Hmm..." Mercer mused, "Seems it needs improvement; the AI's adaptability still needs enhancement."
"Quickly put it away, I can't stand to see it," Victor said dismissively, picking up the cover, fastening it onto Mercer's shoulder with a metallic clang.
"Uh, suddenly feels like my left shoulder is somewhat lighter, the emptiness inside is quite noticeable," Mercer commented.
"Normal, you'll get used to it," Victor replied.
Mercer packed the octopus arm back into the insulated box—wanting to wear it long-term, Mercer needed modifications to his black customer service and clothes.
Then he laughed, pointing at his chest: "Let's continue."
"...Ah," Victor sighed but soon headed to the storeroom: "I'll see if I have a suitable auxiliary heart in stock here; usually, we only have cheap ordinary ones. What brand do you want?"
"Anything, something using biotechnology," Mercer replied.
Victor checked his refrigerated inventory and said: "I'll place an order for some new ones now."
"Okay." Mercer's back still ached slightly, yet he eagerly opened Old Wei's tablet, engrossed in the supplier's inventory list.
"Hmm, besides using biotechnology for the heart and lungs, add a purification filter from the trauma team for my kidneys."
Mercer swung his legs, surprisingly restrained from buying excessively but, instead, set down the tablet, adopting a nouveau riche stance: "Just these, not too interested in the others."
Victor smiled speechlessly, took the tablet, and joined Mercer for a chat on the sofa.
Mostly chit-chat about family affairs, but not long into their idle talk, Old Wei brought up a topic that slightly bothered Mercer.
"Are you dating?" Victor revealed a rare gossipy side: "Or rather, who are you almost close with?"
"Uh, no formal partner." Mercer admitted, somewhat abashed: "As for close acquaintances... there seem to be quite a few."
Victor shrugged, showing an amused expression and replied meaningfully: "You know, last week, a customer came to me, his lower parts got wrecked, jaw punched crooked, plus bullet holes all over...
Guess what happened to him?"
Mercer, sensing where this was going, played along: "What happened?"
"That guy found a Haywood girl from the Valentino Gang, got her pregnant, and then cheated, caught red-handed.
He was wrecked down there, jaw punched off, tried to protect his head but got his arm kicked broken instead.
The girl wasn't satisfied, grabbed a pistol, filled him with holes, but didn't hit a vital spot.
In her words, for the baby's sake, she had to spare the scoundrel's life to earn child support..."
Victor laughed heartily, looking at Mercer: "Also, I know a hacker girl, similarly faced with a cheating scoundrel, but she's more ruthless, used a program to ruin his brain, irreparable damage."
"And then there's a street girl..."
"Stop stop stop!" Mercer instinctively crossed his legs: "Man, I don't play that cheating game, I live righteously, alright!"
Victor chuckled: "Well, good luck."
"Come on, don't talk about me; what about you? Haven't found a reliable partner after all these years? Really planning to stay single forever?"