Chapter 89 – Shocked V, Quaking for a Hundred Years

V pulled a commemorative coin from her pocket and placed it in Leo's hand.

Leo hadn't expected her to carry it around. Curious, he asked,

"Is this your lucky coin?"

V paused for a moment.

"Sort of. A toy from when I was a kid. Doesn't have much value—just sentimental."

"Hmm… Nice. Now, watch me work some magic."

He placed the coin in his right palm and gestured for V to watch closely.

"No blindfolds, no counting to three?"

"No need. I'm a master. One instant is all it takes. Watch—"

No sound.
No flash of light.
Not even a breeze.

The coin in his palm vanished, and in its place… appeared a bottle of very premium-looking tequila.

V's pupils contracted. Her face lit up with stunned disbelief.

"That's impossible!"

She snatched the bottle, checked the bottom, then his palm again.
No coin in sight.

That bottle had appeared as if—from nowhere.

"How'd you do that!?"

Leo smiled mysteriously.

"Subspace storage technology. Pretty magical, huh?"

Magical?
Try freakin' supernatural.

V even inspected his palm, searching for hidden compartments—nothing.

The bottle was far too large to hide in a sleeve.
And she had watched him place the coin clearly—there had been no sleight of hand.

So this "subspace tech"... what the hell was it?

Leo didn't waste time. He laid out his luggage, and a whole spread of fruit pastries and snacks quickly covered the table.

V's expression shifted from stunned to vacant, standing stiff like a finely carved statue.

After a moment, she finally asked with difficulty,

"So… people on your side all have this tech now? Is it too late for me to start learning Chinese?"

Leo blinked.

"Come again?"

"Think about it. With that kind of tech, it won't take ten years before your world becomes the most powerful on Earth.
Airport security would be a joke.
You could stroll into a CEO's office with a gun in your pocket and pop!—it's over."

"No, it's not 'us'." Leo handed her a neatly cut slice of watermelon.
"It's me. Or rather… my family's tech."

V held the watermelon, breathing in the fresh sweetness from the freshly-cut fruit.
Her brain was already overheating.

"Then… you shouldn't be telling me this. In Night City, the corps would do anything to capture someone like you for study."

Suddenly grasping the level of danger, V's mouth went dry and she instinctively started eating the fruit.

So crisp. So sweet. No chemical aftertaste.

It had to be grown with clean water.
Fruit she couldn't afford.

While she was distracted, Leo pulled out a few crates of wine Shironeko had scanned and cleared. He opened one and lined the bottles up on the floor.

"Take a look. These are the goods I brought back."

V bent down to pick up one bottle.
It was minimalist in design—no labels, no markings—like a private batch.

But the size, color, and clarity of the wine made it obvious—this was quality stuff.

"Wine… it looks high-grade."

"Of course. Real wine, made from real grapes. Not that artificial crap. That bottle? That's a low-tier one. Try this next."

Leo selected a nearly colorless bottle with a hint of lemon-yellow.

He awkwardly pulled the cork and poured two glasses.

A light, fruity aroma filled the air.

V took one whiff and was immediately enchanted by the clean, natural fragrance.

This… wasn't flavored junk.
This was the real deal.

"This looks expensive…"

"Not really. At least not for me. Go ahead, try it."

He handed her a glass and held up his own.

"Cheers!"

They clinked glasses and took a sip.

And immediately…

…blegh.

Leo kept a straight face, but internally screamed.

This stuff wasn't even good enough to be mouthwash on a rich person's table.

V, on the other hand, took a sip—
And her eyes widened.

As a merc, she was no stranger to alcohol.
Whether for socializing, relaxing, or sterilizing wounds—she'd tried all kinds.

But this… this wasn't brewed in Night City.

The bright acidity of tropical fruits, the crispness of citrus—every sip was like a flavor explosion.

"Holy… so this is what euros taste like…"

Drinking this felt like drinking money.

Leo smiled, then had her sample all six types of wine.

Her verdict:
Every one of them was great.

He casually told her his projected price ranges and asked what she thought.

When she realized she had just drunk €300–400 worth of wine, V felt guilty.

"Y'know, soda's fine too.
If this stuff is that expensive, better not waste it."

Leo was touched by her frugality.

But truthfully, these wines were dirt cheap for him.

After hearing she'd waited for him and hadn't eaten yet, he pulled more prepared food—roast chicken, sausages, etc.—from his space and joined her for a simple meal.

V's brain stayed in "overload" mode.

She was starting to think she might still be dreaming.
Real meat, real fruit, a salad that might even be organic…

That wine—real grape wine?

Leo eventually leaned back on the couch, loosened his collar, and relaxed.

**"Hey V, let's talk serious for a sec.
I want to invite the squad, plus Viktor, Misty, and Mrs. Wells to dinner tomorrow.

Besides reconnecting, I'd like to ask Mrs. Wells to help set up a meeting with the priest—maybe pitch our deal.

What do you think of the idea and the guest list?"**

V quickly sobered up.

Her cheeks were a bit flushed—probably from the wine. Her expression softened.

After a moment, she replied:

"I've been keeping an eye out. Sasha seems solid.
I know Mrs. Wells, though not well. With Jackie around, she should be fine.
As for Vik and Misty—they're two of the few genuinely good people in Night City.
As long as you don't do any 'magic tricks'… I think it'll be okay."

Leo heard the unspoken warning and immediately reassured her:

"I'm not stupid. I'd never show this kind of tech to outsiders."

"Then why the hell did you just show me?
In Night City, lies and betrayal are standard.
Don't trust anyone completely."

**"Funny, that sounds like what the guy I met over there said.
He doesn't trust anyone—not even himself.
But that kind of mindset is exhausting.

Me? I'd rather share the benefits.
And more importantly…
This is a secret only you and I know.
As long as you don't sell me out—no one will know."**

V's breath caught for a moment.

She turned away.

"I don't get it. Are we really that close? We've only known each other for a few days.
You're… weird. Whatever.
You're lucky I'm the type who values honor.
Unless someone brainwashes me, I won't tell a soul."

She rattled off her answer all in one go, never once meeting his eyes.

Whether she was overthinking things… or avoiding something else—Leo wasn't quite sure.