Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Leisure

It is inevitable that there will be times when things go wrong in life, so everyone needs a safe haven.My safe haven is usually the Strangers Tavern, which claims to be the oldest bar in the world.Although this tavern is hidden in an alley that comes and goes, it looks inconspicuous from the outside, but it is indeed a good place to drink and have fun while escaping from the pursuit.The owner of the tavern is named Alex Molesi, and he is a guy who is full of hostility to anyone.He doesn't allow anyone to cause trouble in the tavern, especially me. In case someone sneaks up from behind, I sit down at a corner table and order a bottle of absinthe brandy to enjoy.The drink tasted like a supermodel's tears and was so strong that it would explode if someone at the next table lit a match.I lowered my head and looked around secretly, making sure that no one noticed my appearance, and no one left the tavern to inform me.Apparently, word of my screw-up hasn't spread yet.Destroying 12% of the electricity supply in Night City would definitely piss off a lot of people, plus Walker who asked me to solve the matter at first... I couldn't help shrugging.But if they couldn't even joke about that, they shouldn't have hired me in the first place.

The Stranger's Tavern was rarely so quiet.All the lights were turned off, and the whole tavern was illuminated by candles, windproof oil lamps, and magic. The overall appearance was a golden hazy beauty, like an old yellowed photo.While I was ordering drinks, Alex told me that many parts of Night City were without power.I just nodded and didn't say anything.Alex was very angry about the inconvenience and loss caused by the power outage, but his anger is not news.The owner and bartender of the Stranger's Tavern is a tall, thin, whiny man who wears nothing but black all his life because no one has invented a more somber color so far.He wore a black beret to cover his baldness and dark glasses to hide his cynical stare.

He's my friend, at least sometimes. The music played on the CD player easily overwhelmed the chatter of customers in the tavern. Obviously, there were a lot fewer drinkers today than usual, and most of them wanted to take advantage of the rare power outage to make some money.Night City will have to navigate a period of chaos before the power is restored.Alex's pet vulture is perched on top of the cash register, hooting to himself and glaring at anyone who dares to approach.The bouncers of the tavern, Betty and Lucy Coltrane, were playing with exercise equipment in the corner of the bar.Just look at their strong muscles and protruding veins all over their bodies, and their appearance is very frightening.Pale Michael made a bet on the side, betting which of the two of them would pass out first.

My young secretary, Kathy Barrett, is standing on the table and dancing wildly to the music.The music played at this time was "Honey Don't Go" by the "Hive Sounds" band.Cathy is a beautiful blonde girl with endless energy who helps me with all the trivial things in the office.Since saving her from a house that wanted to eat her, I've been adopted by her and never had a chance to raise any objections.Dancing with her on the table is "Miss Destiny" wearing a leather jacket, cape, mask, and a pair of six-inch high heels.Miss Fate is the only transvestite superhero in Night City, a man who likes to dress up as a superwoman to uphold justice and fight crime.Although a bit of a maverick, he is still a very powerful superhero.Cathy and Miss Fate danced on the table to the beat of "Monsters and Angels". I couldn't help but smile watching them, because they were the most attractive focus in the whole tavern.

I filled the glass with dark purple liquid and drank it in memory of Melinda Dusk and Quinn.It's good to know they've had their revenge, are reunited, and can finally enjoy eternal rest.Few of my friends remained, and most were either slain by my enemies, or died by my hands.In a place like Night City, the so-called morality has no certain standards, and love and loyalty are things that can be sacrificed.The few old friends I have left are all super dangerous characters, and none of them are just plain crazy.Razor Eddie, Shotgun Suzy... Both old friends tried to take my life.I don't blame them for this, at least not very much.Living in Nightside isn't easy, and dying in Nightside is usually more miserable than in the normal world.I sip the fine wine in my glass and enjoy the music in my ears.Anyway, there is nothing to be busy for the time being, I can sit here and drink a whole bottle of wine.

I don't like to mourn the dead, but I often have to. I looked around for something to distract me.A drunken sailor with a tattoo on his back is arguing about some philosophical issues through his snoring.The mummy sitting at the other end of the bar was mending the bandages on his body while drinking gin and tonic.Between them sat an alcoholic in a blood-stained lab coat, trying to explain the basics of reverse phrenology to an apparently uninterested Alex Mlessi. "You see, the so-called phrenology is an ancient Victorian theory. The main principle is to judge a person's personality by the shape of the head and the protrusions on it. The protrusions of different shapes and positions represent different Personality traits, do you understand? Well, the so-called reverse phrenology means that as long as we take a hammer and knock out the correct big bag at the correct position on a person’s head, we can theoretically change a person’s personality.”

"One of you and me needs a little more," Alex said. "Because what you said actually started to make sense." Cathy suddenly sat down on the chair opposite me, sweating happily and panting with joy.She smiled happily at me, and then took out a bottle of champagne from somewhere and drank it.Cathy always ordered expensive champagne and always had a way of slipping the bill into my hands. "I love dancing!" she laughed. "Sometimes I think the whole world should have custom-made background music." "This is Nightside, I'm sure someone is already doing it," I said. "Where's your friend? Where did you go after the dance?"

"Oh, he went to the toilet to touch up his makeup. You know, John. I can see your bitter face from afar. Who's dead this time?" "Why do you think someone is dead?" "You only drink that absinthe when you've lost a close friend. It's too dirty for me to wash my comb. I thought the Prometheus case would be easy." "I really don't want to talk about it, Cathy." "Of course not. You just want to feel sorry for yourself and affect everyone's mood. Be careful, or you will become like Alex." Cathy always has a way of making me laugh. "It's not scary. I'm not on the same level as Alex. That guy is so self-pitying that he can go to the Olympics and at least win a bronze medal. The reason why the Stranger's Tavern never has a happy hour is because of him."

Cathy sighed, moved closer to me, and said feigned annoyance, "Get on to the next case, John. You're only really happy when you're working. It's a pity that due to your limited expertise, you can't have a job." It's not necessarily a good thing either. You should get out more and interact with people, I mean people who won't try to kill you. You know, I found a dating site for professional bachelors on the Internet yesterday..." I shrugged and said, "I've been to sites like this. 'Hi! I'm Trish, and I've got a serious disease. Just talk to me on the phone and I'll catch it! Just give me your credit card number, and I'll Guaranteed to make you want to cry in thirty seconds!' No need, Cathy. I enjoy the feeling of self-pity, and it helps to build my style."

Cathy pursed her lips, then shrugged resignedly.She's someone who can't be unhappy for too long.She drank the rest of the champagne, hiccupped happily, and looked around for her next partner.Although I never admitted it to her, she was right.For me, only work can give life meaning.But since the last successful case helped me earn 250,000 pounds plus bonuses, I am now of course qualified to pick the case (I helped the Vatican recover the fallen Holy Grail under the attack of heaven and hell, and the money should be taken Really hard-earned money).Maybe it's time to bring in another case, just to put the Prometheus Power business behind us.

"I'm so bored." Cathy said, clapping her hands on the table. "Sitting in your expensive office with nothing to do is really boring. I know it's comfortable in the office and I love the new equipment, but a developing girl like me just can't I spend my whole day surfing porn sites on the Internet. I need to find something to do just like you. I also want to go out and fight crime. I help you filter so many cases, there must be one or two that interest you, right? How about the one that lost the shadow? Or the guy who cheated at poker and lost his own puberty." "You wait." I said loudly. "It just occurred to me that you also came to the tavern to fool around, so who is looking after my expensive new office now?" "Ah," Cathy laughed. "I bought a few computers from the future for a good price. These days they handle most of our business. They even answer the phone automatically and know how to talk to our creditors." "How far into the future did you buy it?" I asked skeptically. "I mean, do they have real 'artificial intelligence'? Do they demand a salary?" "Relax! They have a data-hunting frenzy, and Nightside is the place to be. We can ask them to help you find interesting jobs." "Cathy, I will take the Prometheus case just to deal with you..." "No wonder, you are not!" Cathy said loudly. "You took that case to make Walker owe you a favor." I frowned and took a sip of my wine. "That's right, it's a pity that the sky doesn't obey people's wishes." "Oh, my God," Cathy said. "The next time he comes, am I going to lock the doors and windows and hide under the table again?" "I think it's best for neither of us to come into the office these days." "so serious?" "Almost. Let Walker talk to the computers, just to test their abilities." A white light suddenly flashed in the tavern, and then a man appeared out of thin air and fell down in front of the bar.The brand-name clothing on his body was in dilapidated condition, and all the metal objects around him exploded with lightning at the same time, and the air was filled with the smell of ozone.These are all normal phenomena of time travel.The man groaned a few times, got up from the ground, and wiped his nosebleed with his hand. He had obviously had a fight with someone recently.I know this man.But if I meet him on the street, I will pretend not to know him.His name was Tommy Abrian, and he was also a private eye, but he dealt with more ordinary cases.He stood up staggeringly, leaning his back against the bar to support his body, and picked up the rotten cloth beside him.At this time, he suddenly found that I was watching from the sidelines, and his whole face suddenly became angry, and he raised his trembling fingers and yelled at me. "You! Taylor! It's all your fault! I'm going to castrate you!" "I haven't seen you in months, Tommy," I said calmly. "Yeah, but you're going to meet me. It's all about you from the future! But next time I'll be ready! I'll have a gun! A big gun!" He can't stop cursing, but I wasn't in the mood to argue with him, so I glanced at Alex, who immediately gestured to the two bodyguards.Betty and Lucy were delighted with the opportunity to exercise, and rushed forward without saying a word.Tommy was so stupid that he yelled at them together, was thrown to the ground on the spot, kicked in the groin, and dragged out of the stranger's tavern.Cathy looked at me unhappily. "what happened?" "How would I know?" I said. "But it shouldn't be long before we know." "Excuse me," said a man with a French accent. "Would it be my honor to speak a few words with Mr. John Taylor?" Cathy turned her head away with me.Behind us is a short, slightly fat, middle-aged man in a tailored suit.He looked very elegant, with no tangled hair on his body, and a smile on his face that was even more lovable.Logically speaking, it should be impossible for him to walk through the entire tavern and come behind me without being noticed by me, but he is still standing here after all.He nodded to me politely, then smiled at Cathy and kissed the back of her hand.She returned him a broad smile.I hate this guy.I don't like people sneaking up behind me, it's bad for my health.I gestured for the Frenchman to grab a chair and sit down.He looked at the chair seriously, took out a white handkerchief from his pocket and wiped it a few times before finally sitting down.I gave him a bad look, reminding him that he shouldn't be so arrogant in this kind of place. "I'm John Taylor," I said aloud. "This gentleman has come from afar, is there anything I can do for you?" He simply nodded, unmoved. "My name is Charles Cabron, and I am a well-known banker in Paris. I have come all this way just to see you, Mr. Taylor. I was wondering if I could use your expertise to do something for me." "Who recommended you?" I asked cautiously. He showed a charming smile again: "It's an old friend of yours, but he doesn't want to reveal his identity." I am very satisfied with this answer. "I hear that answer a lot," I admit. "What do you want me to do, Monsieur Cabron?" "Just call me Charles. I'm here for my daughter. You may have heard of her. She is a popular singer in Night City recently. Her name is 'Lochinger'. Of course, this is just a stage name. Losinger Yele means nightingale in French. She originally wanted to develop in London, but she ran to Night City about five years ago, determined to become a professional singer. This year, she became popular in all the nightclubs in Night City, and her singing career was in full swing. I've heard that there's another major label that's going to put out an album for her, which is certainly a good thing." "However, since she got new owners, the Cavendishes, she only sang at a nightclub called 'Caliban's Cave', and her whole being... changed. All promises from friends and family, no phone calls or letters. Her new company doesn't let anyone near her at all. They claim it's at her own request and to protect her from crazy fans But I don't think that's the case. Her mother was very worried, and decided that the Cavendishes were instigating her to oppose her family, and even to use her for some purpose. So I came to Night City to find you, Mr. Taylor, I hope you Can help us find out the truth of this matter." I look at Cathy.Things to do with music were her specialty, as she visited all the clubs in Night City.She nodded to me. "Yes, I know Losingall, Caliban's Cave, and the Cavendish couple. They are the owners of the Cavendish Real Estate Company. Almost all the famous construction projects in Night City are related to them. They used to be It is the largest company in the real estate industry. Unfortunately, because of the Angel War a while ago, the real estate in Night City collapsed completely, and many people lost their homes and property. After that, the Cavendishes began to enter the entertainment industry and signed A lot of bars, bands, singers... they haven't done anything spectacular yet, but they've built a lot of influence in the industry. Other agencies know not to compete with the Cavendishes." "What kind of people are they?" I asked. Cathy frowned. "No one knows the names of the Cavendish couple. They seldom go out and like to use middlemen to handle affairs. They are not opposed to using drastic means when negotiating, but of course, the people who can get along in the entertainment industry will never be someone. Good man and faithful woman. It is said that they are not only a husband and wife, but also brothers and sisters... Cavendish Real Estate Company is an ancestral business that has gone through centuries. Recently, many people say that the current operator of the company is greedy for money and will do anything to make money. They were going to praise a singer named Sylvia Xinn before, but it ended in a scandal. Although the whole thing was covered up with money, Night City is a place that cannot be covered with paper. They Likely to do the same with Losinger, just hope her agent reads the contract carefully." "She doesn't have an agent," Cabron said. "The Cavendish Real Estate Company helps Losingall handle all matters related to the acting career. You should be able to understand what I am worried about." I looked at him suspiciously.He's keeping something from me, I can see it. "Why did your daughter come to London and Nightside to develop?" I asked. "Paris itself has a big music market, doesn't it?" "Of course, but everyone knows that if you really want to become a superstar, you still have to go to London." Cabron sighed. "Her mother and I never took her love of singing seriously. We wanted her to have a more respectable job, a job with a future and a pension. Too bad all she really cared about was singing. Maybe we Too urgent. I helped her arrange an interview for a junior clerk in my bank. Although the position is not high, it has a promising future. Unexpectedly, she ran away from home and came to London on the spot in a fit of anger. I sent someone to find her, It ended up driving her into hiding in the Nightside. Now... she's in trouble, and I'm sure I can't escape that sort of thing... I hope you'll go to my daughter, Mr. Taylor, and make sure she's happy Live and not be taken advantage of by anyone. I don't want you to force her to go home. I just want to see her live a carefree life, let her know that friends and family care, let her know... We dare not ask for her understanding, I just hope that she can report to her family that she is safe. She is my only child, Mr. Taylor, and I must ensure that she has a happy and safe life. Do you understand?" "Of course I understand." I said. "But I really don't understand why you're looking for me. There are plenty of other people better suited to this kind of thing. I can arrange for you to meet a man named Walker, who's in power in Nightside..." "No," Cabron said immediately. "I want you." "I'm not very good at this kind of thing." "Someone's dead, Mr. Taylor! Someone's died because of my daughter!" After he calmed down for a while, he said again: "I heard that my Rosinger has been singing some sad songs recently, and these The song is so sad that many of her fans commit suicide when they go home after listening to the song. So far, the death toll has reached the point where the brokerage company can't whitewash the peace. I want to know what happened to my daughter. This kind of thing happens in your night City is not impossible." "Okay." I said. "Maybe this is still a case in my professional field after all. But first let me say that my fee is not low." Cabron smiled and finally returned to the familiar topic. "Money is no problem for me, Mr. Taylor." I smiled back at him. "That's what I love to hear. It makes my day better." I turned to Cathy. "Go back to the office and ask your new computer to conduct a financial investigation. I want to know everything about the Cavendish couple, their company, their financial status, who they have, and who they owe money. Then check The situation before Chalochinger joined Cavendish. Where did she sing, what kind of friends did she have. Mr. Cabron..." I looked around, only to find that he had left.There was no sign of him anywhere, though it was impossible for him to get to any exit in such a short time. "Damn, that's weird," Cathy said. "How did he do it?" "Mr. Cabron's identity is definitely more than that simple." I said. "But having said that, who in Night City is not like this. When checking the data, I will check with him by the way, Cathy." She nodded quickly, blew me a kiss, and left immediately.I leave my seat, sway to the front of the bar, put the cork back in the bottle of absinthe brandy, and hand the bottle to Alex.I don't need to drink for a while.Alex put the bottle away and gave me a smug smile. "I know Losinger. She is too thin for my taste, but there are many people who like her. I hired her to sing here in the past, trying to improve the style of the tavern, but it was useless. But that's because the tone here is already hopeless, and it doesn't matter how well she sings." "You're eavesdropping again, Alex." "Of course, this is my tavern, and nothing can be hidden from my eyes and ears. In short, Loschinger is a very beautiful woman with a sweet voice, and more importantly, she is very cheap. Back then she was willing to be anywhere Singing in residence is not only to make a living, but also to absorb experience. She has needs and desires to sing, and you can see it from her face and hear it from her voice. It is not just the self-esteem of ordinary singers, but also It's like her innate mission. She wasn't very outstanding at the time, but I know her future achievements will be limitless. Without the determination to work hard, talent is no different from shit, and she is willing to work hard woman." "What kind of songs did she sing at that time?" I asked. Alex frowned: "She only sings her own songs. Very positive, very self-styled songs. You know, the kind of things that are very nice but not easy to impress. I'm sure she is here. There are absolutely no suicides when singing, but the regulars here are definitely stronger than the audience in ordinary nightclubs.” "So she doesn't look like the deadly female singer her father said?" "Not at all. But to be honest, Night City can change anyone, and usually only for the worse, rarely for the better." Alex paused, wiped the bar counter casually, avoiding my gaze . "I hear Walker is looking for you, John. And he's not happy." "When has Walker been happier?" I said pretending to be calm. "But just in case, if he comes looking for me, just say you haven't seen me, okay?" "Some things never change," Alex said. "Come on, get out of my bar, it will lower the style here with you." I left the Stranger's Tavern and walked into the night.In front of me, the neon lights re-ignited one by one, like landmarks in hell.I decided to take this sight as a good omen, keep my feet on the ground, and keep going.