Cyberpunk:Gained a body of steel

"Would you like a drink, beauty?"

After failing to strike up a conversation with Lucy, Pilar turned his attention to V. Surely, not everyone on Peter's team had such a bad temper, right?

"Roll," V replied flatly, her tone firm and unquestionable. Of course, her eyes never once strayed toward Pilar.

"No, beauty, we just want to have a drink with you. It's not..." Pilar started, but before he could finish, V pulled out the M-76E Omaha that Peter had bought for her. Although this gun wasn't the legendary epic pistol from the game, it was still a high-end weapon Peter had paid a steep price for, purchasing it from a member of the Sixth Street Gang.

"If you don't want your head to explode, I suggest you go drink with those dancing girls," V said with a cold smile, her eyes as icy as her words.

Pilar, not willing to test whether V would actually pull the trigger, immediately nodded in agreement.

"Hahaha! Pilar, your habit of casually flirting with beautiful women is still the same," Mann laughed from the side, watching the scene unfold. Pilar, the old pervert, was always trying to strike up conversations with prettier girls, usually making some inappropriate comments. Seeing him deflated like this brought Mann a sense of joy.

"Tch, it's because those beauties didn't notice my bright spot," Pilar muttered, flipping Mann the bird in a deadpan tone.

Two Hours Later

"Alright, that's enough for today. Time to go home and get some sleep," Peter stretched and announced.

"Oh? Why? Let's have another drink," Rebecca, who had been chatting happily with Peter, became a bit upset when she heard he was leaving. During their conversation, Peter had been very attentive, picking up on every word she said. This made Rebecca like him even more, and she almost wanted to go home with him that night.

"Next time, I'm a little sleepy after taking on two commissions today," Peter patted Rebecca on the shoulder, speaking gently.

"Okay, but remember to call me! Make sure you call me!" Rebecca insisted, still reluctant to let him go.

"Ah! Pilar, let's go to the next place for a refill!" Jack, for some reason, had gotten along well with Pilar and was now hooking arms with him like old friends reunited after many years.

"Alright! Jack! Hey! Rebecca, you go back by yourself! Jack and I are heading to the next spot for a drink!" Pilar waved, then walked out of the Ritz Bar with Jack.

"David, I'll go see Gloria tomorrow. I haven't seen her for a while, but you're lucky enough to meet Peter," Mann said, smoking a cigarette.

"Ahem, yes, meeting Brother Peter is indeed the luckiest thing that's happened to me," David responded, explaining to Mann why Gloria hadn't contacted him and how she had ended up with Peter.

"Okay, see you tomorrow. Just send me the address when the time comes," Mann waved his hand as he and Dorio exited the bar.

---

On the Way Home

Peter sat in the back seat, feeling something was off from the moment he got in the car.

At first, Peter had planned to sit in the passenger seat, but as soon as he opened the door, Lucy murmured a faint "thank you" and climbed into the car. V, even more extreme, started the engine without waiting for Peter. If Peter hadn't run to catch up and opened the door to get in, he might have had to walk home.

Once in the car, Peter had wanted to say something to break the silence, but Lucy and V were chatting away in the front seat as if Peter weren't even there.

Peter: "Uh..."

V: "Peter, we're chatting. Please don't disturb us."

Lucy: "I'm sure you're not interested in the topics between girls, right?"

Peter: ...

The strange atmosphere lasted the entire ride home. When they arrived, V went straight to the bathroom to shower, leaving Lucy and Peter in the living room.

"Good evening, Night City residents! Tonight's dead man's lottery..."

The TV host was speaking with passion, but Peter wasn't paying attention to the broadcast. He was more focused on Lucy, who was sitting at the other end of the sofa with her computer in her arms, typing away at the keyboard in silence.

"Lucy?" Peter called out tentatively.

Lucy ignored him and continued typing, her eyes fixed on the screen.

Peter sat beside her and gently took her hand in his.

"What's going on with you and V? I feel like something's off since we left the bar."

Peter had a hunch about what was bothering them, but he still needed to ask, even though he had a good idea. After all, if he said he understood already, things might get worse.

When Peter took her hand, Lucy's entire body tensed. There was a long silence before she finally spoke.

"I... I don't know either," Lucy said, her voice soft.

She hadn't been able to pinpoint why she felt uneasy, but seeing Peter talk and laugh with Rebecca for almost two hours at the bar had made her uncomfortable. The way they chatted and laughed together, so naturally, stirred up something inside her that she hadn't felt before.

She couldn't describe the strange feeling, only that it felt like something was tugging at her heart, but she didn't know what it was or how to express it. Her thoughts were in turmoil.

Peter's gentle voice and soothing tone only made her feel more confused. He wasn't pushing her to explain; he was just there, offering her comfort without saying much.

"I... I don't know either," Lucy repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Peter's calm presence was like a balm to her chaotic thoughts, but it also made her more uncertain about the emotions she couldn't understand. She didn't know what to say or how to act, and the more she tried to figure it out, the more tangled her mind became.

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