"Everything seems as if it were just yesterday.
But in fact, a full month had passed since that night in Santo Domingo when Maine and the others bid farewell.
During that month, assignnts were completed continuously.
Leo had already accumulated 18 potential points.
He was just 2 points short of the 20 potential points requirent.
That day, Leo and the other two stood in front of an apartnt building in the Valley district.
"Jackie, is this the apartnt you ntioned?"
"Yeah, that's it. So, how about it? You said it needed to be tall with a great view. This place should et your requirents, right?"
Jackie laughed heartily.
The location was near the northern part of the Valley district, in a nice environnt.
Moreover, it wasn't far from the Wild El Coyote—just one intersection away.
"This buddy of mine spent a lot of ti picking this place out for you, finally choosing this one. Co on, Leo—I promise you'll love what's inside."
With that, Jackie led the way into the building.
The first floor featured a rectangular lobby.
To the left was the reception desk, and on the right were benches for visitors to sit, along with vending machines scattered about.
"Hello, miss—we're here to view the apartnt on the twelfth floor, as arranged earlier."
The woman behind the reception desk, who had been playing on her phone, looked up at the three of them.
"Viewing the apartnt costs ten euros per session, and you can't stay longer than half an hour."
Jackie glared and said, "Ten euros? Aren't viewings supposed to be free? Other apartnts in the Valley district don't charge for viewings."
The receptionist coolly retorted, "Then you can go view so other apartnt—why co here?"
"You—"
"Forget it, Jackie."
Leo intervened before Jackie could lose his temper.
There was no need to argue with soone so money-minded.
Besides, it was only ten euros.
After all, Leo's current gig with Padre earned him more than that in spare change every day.
He pulled out a banknote and tossed it over.
"Here, is this enough?"
"That'll do," the receptionist nodded, granting the three temporary access permissions. "Rember, if you're not renting, you can't stay in the apartnt for more than half an hour, or you'll have to pay extra."
Jackie snorted and no longer glanced at the receptionist.
The three stepped into the elevator.
On the elevator wall was a large emblem of the Valentino Gang.
This also indicated, from another angle, that the building still fell under gang control.
On the touchscreen panel controlling the floors, their temporary access ant that the twelfth-floor button was lit up, while the others remained dark.
"Leo, really, you didn't have to pay—I could have persuaded her with my silver tongue. Or do you not trust my oratory skills?"
"I certainly do."
"Your expression clearly says otherwise!"
They soon reached the twelfth floor while bickering.
Ding! The elevator doors opened.
Aside from Jackie, both Leo and V were montarily taken aback.
They'd expected to traverse a corridor before arriving at the apartnt.
To their surprise, right behind the elevator doors was the apartnt.
Imdiately, they were greeted by an industrial tallic decor.
An entire wall of the apartnt consisted of enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, offering an effortless view of the distant scenery.
V walked over to the massive window and looked around.
"All windows—no curtains? Isn't that a bit risky for privacy?"
"Don't worry, it's switchable," Jackie laughed and then announced loudly, "Switch the floor-to-ceiling window background."
The smart voice-controlled system received the command.
In the next second, the window seamlessly switched to a tallic background, completely opaque.
"Wow, this is really high-end."
V reached out and touched the window.
It had once been glass, but now it felt like frosted material.
"Alright, co on—I'll give you a full tour."
Jackie went on like a real estate agent, talking non-stop.
"On the right-hand side is the armory. Spacious enough, right, Leo? If you ever get any creative ideas, feel free to experint here."
"Creative ideas? You think I'm so kind of Breaking Bad mastermind?"
Even so, Leo was very pleased with the armory.
It was a highly professional setup.
"If you feel like watching TV, just lie down here."
Jackie moved to the center of the living room and sat down on the sofa.
The sofa was so soft that his body sank deeply into it.
"Such a huge TV, and so clear. Look— you can even see every pore of the female host's skin. And the sound—isn't it phenonal? They say it uses the latest audio equipnt or sothing—I forgot, but it's absolutely mind-blowing."
"Let show you this—the wine cabinet."
Jackie got up from the sofa and walked to the wall beside the floor-to-ceiling window.
An entire wall was taken up by a wine cabinet.
On the shelves and inside the fridge were bottles of wine.
These weren't the cheap kinds you'd find in a vending machine.
V casually picked up a bottle.
It nearly made her drop it in shock.
It was the kind of wine she couldn't afford.
"I've always wanted a wine cabinet like this. Just imagine—an entire wall filled with your prized wines. Even if you never drink them, when friends co over and see it, it's incredibly impressive."
"Over here, there's also an automatic coffee machine. It's truly automatic— you don't even need to supply any ingredients. Just place your cup underneath, and coffee will pour out, just like that."
Jackie retrieved a cup from the sterilizer and set it beneath the coffee machine.
Embarrassingly, no coffee ca out.
"Damn! Could it be broken? Damn it—I saw online that this brand is supposed to be reliable. Reliable, for fuck's sake."
Jackie, both embarrassed and enraged, pounded the display screen of the coffee machine.
Whether it had been jamd before or if it was due to Jackie's hard knocking, before long, dark coffee began pouring out, quickly filling the cup.
"Aha, I told you— you get what you pay for. A buck well spent."
Jackie poured three cups of coffee, handing two to Leo and V.
"Try it—it's all the taste of money."
Leo had only ever drunk bottled or canned Nestlé coffee from supermarkets.
It was his first ti drinking coffee from an automatic machine.
In one word, it was—
"h."
"The sleeping quarters are on the second floor, and the bathroom is also upstairs. Co, take a look."
Jackie led them up to the second floor.
Compared to most ordinary apartnts, the bathroom in this unit was much more spacious.
The walls of the bathroom were made of tal, and under the lighting, they gave off an almost regal glow.
After showing them around, Jackie had given them the full tour.
There was also a pool table and a small study, which needed no further introduction.
V leaned against the second-floor railing, looking down over the entire room with a wistful expression.
"This place must be expensive, right?"
"To , yes—a monthly rent of 40,000 euros."
"How much? 40,000?"
V was dumbfounded, her face draining of color.
Leo simply nodded, indicating that he understood.
His expression remained as stoic as an Eastern European map after division—completely devoid of any trace of Poland.
He didn't show much surprise.
After all, the kind of motels that most people live in—narrow, cramped, with dilapidated furniture, outdated appliances, surrounded by trash heaps or riffraff—would cost around 5,000 euros a month.
For those living conditions, which most could not afford and had to settle for even worse slums or shanties, 40,000 euros a month for a place like this wasn't excessive.
The apartnt was on the twelfth floor—not particularly high—but its floor-to-ceiling windows faced the southern part of the Valley district.
The view was excellent.
Moreover, the heavy-tal industrial cool tone of the apartnt perfectly suited Leo's taste.
In his heart, he had already decided—it was this place.
Jackie looked at Leo standing by the window, sunlight spilling over his shoulders.
Besides feeling happy for Leo, a mix of emotions welled up in him.
He rembered how, when Leo first arrived in Night City, he had promised to take him out to work.
And now, look how little ti had passed.
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