96: Chapter 95 V is still driving home

Just as Lin Yi was in his studio, staring at the flickering data streams on his terminal screen, his brow furrowed and his heart filled with worry over the potential "Blackwall" module in V—

Meanwhile, on the other side, V, having finished her business, was enjoying her own simple and brutal "retail therapy."

In the commercial district on the west side of the city center, inside a top-tier clothing brand store called "Jinguji," V stood in front of a smart fitting mirror in a high-end boutique.

This mirror in the single fitting room wasn't just simple glass; it was a holographic projection interface that perfectly outlined and rendered the 3D effect of her wearing the clothes.

"Woo-hoo!" V let out a flirtatious whistle, her fingers sliding rapidly across the holographic interface. A preview of a daring, skimpy, and wildly charming "Sexy Little Wildcat" outfit immediately overlaid onto her virtual avatar. She nodded with satisfaction, "I look hot even to myself! Give me a set!"

The interface switched, and another set appeared—a "Retro OL Attack Speed Set" with sharp tailoring, tough lines, and hidden secrets in the details, as if it could increase movement speed.

"Whoa!" V's eyes lit up. "This one looks good too! I can't even handle looking at myself, there's no way that repressed guy Lin Yi will be able to keep his cool when he sees it. Give me a set!"

She was enthusiastically immersed in the joy of "shopping for munitions" (to her, pretty and practical clothes were just as important as weapons), and she didn't hesitate to admire her own "gorgeous" face and proud figure in the projection through the mirror.

"Damn..." she marveled inwardly. "If I didn't lack the equipment, just looking at this preview would've gotten me hard. It's so damn hot!" This kind of brash narcissism appeared remarkably frank and cute on her.

Satisfied, she checked out and walked toward the parking lot, carrying several exquisite shopping bags printed with cool logos.

She skillfully opened the back door of the sleek, discreetly luxurious Herrera EC-D i360 and tossed her "spoils" inside.

What? You ask why this is V's ride? It's strange; whether it's some convergence of world lines or V's innate preference for vehicles that combine performance and aesthetics, this Herrera EC-D i360, which also belonged to her in another possible story, eventually ended up in her hands.

When he first saw her driving this car home, Lin Yi looked at the familiar vehicle, and his eyebrows couldn't help but twitch. He muttered to himself, "Is this car... really destined to be the first car V buys in her life? Like a signature weapon? Does fate work this logically in Night City?"

V sat in the driver's seat, feeling the comfort of the highly supportive seat. After setting the navigation for home, the engine let out a low, powerful roar as she merged into the never-ending traffic of Night City.

Departing from Corpo Plaza, the car drove smoothly along Capitol Street, with bizarre and kaleidoscopic neon billboards and skyscrapers constantly flying backward on both sides.

V habitually glanced at the rearview mirror, her keen eyes catching a hint of discordance—a shabby, dirty-looking commercial van had been following her at a distance for several blocks since Petrel Street.

But with just that one glance, V immediately had a judgment.

That vehicle model, that tailing method, that sleazy aura hidden beneath the dilapidated exterior... it was too typical, especially in Night City.

"Damn it," she cursed under her breath, a flash of impatient hostility appearing in her golden eyes. "These guys are either Scavengers or Maelstrom. Do they have to ruin my mood when I'm on my way home in a good mood?"

Complaining aside, V's hands did not hesitate at all.

She quickly switched the driving mode to smart-assist, confirmed the destination as the North Oak villa, and while freeing her hands, the other hand silently reached for the custom "Unity" pistol on the passenger seat.

The cold touch of the metal calmed her irritation slightly, replaced by the calmness of a hunter locking onto prey.

Hide, my ass. That's not V's style at all; it's time to go on the offensive.

Being followed home by these sewer rats, just thinking about it felt unlucky.

Meanwhile, inside the shabby van behind her, the atmosphere was completely different.

"B-boss," the Scavenger lackey driving the car swallowed nervously, looking through the dirty windshield at the stable and elegant Herrera in front. "Why does it feel... a bit off? How come I feel like... that dame seems to have spotted us?"

In the passenger seat, the small leader with a scar on his face and lecherous eyes spat in disdain, shaking the ash from the low-quality electronic cigarette hanging from his mouth.

"Bullshit! I've been in Night City for so many years, and I've never flipped a 'load' before!" The little leader cursed. "There are so many cars on this road heading toward Charter Hill and North Oak; it's just on the way! Why would she have spotted us? Stop scaring yourself!" He squinted, greedily staring at the blurry silhouette of the vehicle ahead, as if he had already seen the figure inside that made him drool.

"Don't overthink it. Once we find the right opportunity to get our hands on that dame, hehe... we'll have a good time first, then dispose of her. This job is definitely going to be lucrative!"

Upon hearing "have a good time," the lackey also revealed a sleazy smile, but still had some concerns: "Alright, Boss, I'll listen to you. Then we...?" He tentatively looked at the boss, his eyes hinting at the order of operations.

"I know, I know!" The little leader waved his hand impatiently, but the lecherous gleam in his eyes intensified. "I'm going first; you guys can wait in line outside! What's the rush?" He licked his dry lips, recalling the beautiful figure he had caught a glimpse of at the mall entrance, as well as the clearly expensive shopping bags she was carrying.

"Did you see what that dame bought? It doesn't look like cheap stuff at all; it'll definitely look hot on her! She looks refined on the surface, like a Corpo girl, but I bet she's sluttier than those professional sex dolls at Clouds behind closed doors! Hehehe..." He let out a nauseating, weird laugh, as if victory was already within his grasp, and began to indulge in dirty fantasies with his subordinate.

However, just as these Scavengers were daydreaming, V in the Herrera sports car ahead had already completed her preparations for the hunt.

The vehicle was driving steadily along the straight road in autopilot mode.

V nimbly and silently flipped from the driver's seat into the back seat.

Thanks to the Herrera's excellent suspension system and the one-way tinted rear windows, her movements didn't attract any attention.

She leaned halfway against the back seat, raised the "Unity" in her hand, and pointed the muzzle steadily toward the rear.

This stretch of road was smooth, making for an almost perfect aiming window.

V adjusted her breathing, minimizing the slight sway of her body, and her Kiroshi optics' auxiliary aiming system quickly locked onto the blurry figure in the driver's seat of the van a few dozen meters behind.

Hold breath, focus.

Pull the trigger!

"Pfft—"

A muffled gunshot processed by a silencer.

Inside the van ahead, the lackey who had been complimenting his boss and imagining a "bright" future had his voice cut off abruptly.

His head exploded violently like a smashed watermelon, and a red-and-white mixture sprayed out like a cheap sprinkler, drenching the little leader who was still laughing weirdly beside him.

The warm, viscous, and heavily metallic sensation caused the little leader's laughter to choke in his throat. He froze completely, his mind blank, completely unable to comprehend the sudden change of events.

Within those one or two seconds of him being stunned, death did not stop.

V did not hesitate at all. Relying on her battle instincts honed through thousands of trials and the extraordinary reaction speed granted by the Sandevistan, she slightly adjusted her wrist, and the crosshairs of her sight instantly locked onto the frozen, blood-stained little leader.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

Three consecutive slight gunshots that almost merged into one.

Three bullets, like invitations from the Grim Reaper, precisely drilled into the little leader's forehead, throat, and heart.

The lecherous smile on his face hadn't even had time to turn into terror before it completely froze, and then his body slumped softly, following in his lackey's footsteps.

The van lost control instantly, swerving and crashing into the guardrail on the side of the road, emitting a harsh sound of metal friction, and finally stopped, billowing black smoke.

V calmly put away her gun, nimbly flipped back to the driver's seat, and casually smoothed out her indigo short hair that had been ruffled during her movements.

"Damn it," she pursed her lips, her tone carrying a hint of disdain and annoyance. "It really is Scavengers. Are they this arrogant in broad daylight? No, wait, under the neon lights, they dare to tail someone near North Oak? Don't they even bother to check whose car this is?" She patted the steering wheel, as if comforting this "partner" that had just witnessed the bloodshed.

Immediately after, as if remembering something, she complained in a low voice: "It's all Lin Yi's fault for being a jinx! Last time we went out to talk business with Yorinobu, he was nagging there, saying that with my 'monster-attracting constitution,' I'd run into psychos and daring robbers every few days when driving out... How long has it been peaceful? How many times has this been? Five? Six? Even if Night City has 'simple folk customs,' it shouldn't be this exaggerated, right?"

She shook her head, attributing this annoyance to her man's "prophecy" coming true.

"Whatever, it's his fault anyway!" V found the perfect reason for herself and couldn't help but nod in approval.

After saying that, she turned off the smart-assist, gripped the steering wheel again, and the vehicle let out a smooth hum, accelerating away from the section of the road where the brief slaughter had just occurred, driving steadily toward North Oak, the direction known as "home."

Leaving behind the shabby van that had crashed into the roadside and was billowing smoke—this was just another daily routine in Night City.