The Tiger Claw massacre.
David didn't say a word about it.
But he didn't need to.
His sheer presence—his aura alone—was enough to make Mann and his crew realize the truth.
The terrifying force he displayed just moments ago had already told them everything.
There was a high probability that the young man sitting before them—the one from the Dragon Kingdom—was the very person who wiped out the entire Tiger Claw headquarters.
Mann took a deep breath, his voice steady but still carrying traces of disbelief.
"You… why do you want to work with us?"
Despite his attempt to sound composed, a slight tremor betrayed his emotions.
David's expression remained unchanged. He met Mann's gaze and spoke in a calm, unwavering tone.
"Like I said earlier—your team is complete enough. You have experience. You get things done."
His sharp gaze swept across the members of Mann's crew.
"But most importantly, you stick together."
In Night City, too many mercenary groups were held together by nothing but money and personal interests. Finding a reliable team—one that genuinely had each other's backs—was rare.
But Mann's crew?
Even though they argued and bickered constantly, when push came to shove, they were willing to risk their lives for each other.
That was why David had chosen them.
That, and the fact that there were already two people in the group he trusted—Rebecca and Sasha.
For David, expanding his growing team—codenamed "Qin"—required making the right alliances.
And right now, the best potential partners were sitting right in front of him.
And he was confident he could make them see it too.
Mann fell silent.
He studied David carefully.
Despite being young, the weight of his presence felt crushing—like a mountain pressing down on them. His strength was unfathomable, his confidence absolute.
This was no ordinary merc.
Even among the elites, even compared to corporate high-rankers, David stood apart.
After a long moment, Mann exhaled deeply and spoke.
"I need to discuss this with my team."
David nodded. "Go ahead."
Mann pushed himself up from his seat, his heavy frame making the wooden floor creak slightly.
"Alright, everyone—outside. Now."
Without another word, he walked toward the exit.
Dorio, Arthur, Sasha, and Rebecca followed close behind.
As they left, Jack leaned toward David and whispered.
"Hey, you really think these guys will agree to join us?"
David smirked.
"We'll know soon enough."
He leaned back casually, completely at ease.
"Lucy, make some coffee. I have a feeling they'll be back before it's ready."
Lucy rolled her eyes but got up anyway.
"Hah, bossing me around already, huh?"
Despite her words, she didn't argue further and disappeared into the kitchen. The sound of running water and clinking cups soon followed.
Meanwhile, outside in the hallway—
Mann and his crew stood in a circle.
His gaze swept across his team.
"Alright, speak your minds."
Dorio, always the first to cut through the noise, placed her hands on her hips and nodded.
"That guy, David… his strength is insane. We all saw it."
Arthur crossed his arms, his tone thoughtful.
"If we team up with him, the benefits outweigh the risks."
Rebecca threw her hands up enthusiastically. "I say we do it! The guy's a beast! Plus, he's cool."
Sasha, her face full of determination, added, "David helped our crew before. If he says he wants to work together, I believe it's genuine."
Mann listened carefully. Then his eyes landed on Pila, who was still rubbing the back of his head from his earlier fall.
"And you?"
Pila groaned. "Man, do my opinions even matter at this point?"
Mann shot him a look. "What do you think?"
Pila sighed, thinking for a moment before answering.
"Look, the kid's power is unreal. If he really was the one who wiped out the Tiger Claw Gang's HQ… that's some serious heat."
He hesitated.
"But that's also the problem. If we partner up, we're gonna be under the radar of every major player in Night City."
Mann's expression darkened slightly.
Pila wasn't wrong.
Teaming up with David meant they would gain a powerful ally—but it also meant drawing attention from all the major forces in the city.
Noticing Mann's hesitation, Dorio stepped forward.
"Mann, you're the boss. We're just giving our opinions. The final call is yours."
Mann took a deep breath.
Then, he exhaled and nodded.
"Alright. Let's go."
Without another word, he turned and strode back into David's apartment.
The others followed.
Inside, the room had changed slightly.
Lucy had just finished pouring coffee into several cups.
As soon as Mann's team settled in, her voice rang out.
"Jack, help me carry these, will you?"
Jack quickly moved to assist.
Rebecca and Sasha, already comfortable, dashed over as well.
"We'll help too!"
Mann watched the two of them eagerly assisting, his eyebrow twitching slightly.
"Tch. These two brats… They haven't even agreed to work with him yet, but they're already acting like they belong here."
Dorio and Arthur chuckled.
Soon, steaming cups of coffee were placed in front of everyone.
David took a sip before setting his cup down.
"So?" He finally broke the silence, his golden eyes locked onto Mann. "What's the verdict?"
Mann exhaled, then met David's gaze.
Instead of answering directly, he asked a question of his own.
"The Tiger Claw Gang situation… Will working with you put us in the crosshairs of Night City's biggest players?"
David chuckled, swirling his coffee.
"Maybe."
Then, he leaned forward slightly.
"But our team—Qin—isn't just some random merc group. We fight together, we move together. If someone comes after you, they come after all of us."
His voice turned serious.
"Mann, the real question is—do you want to live your life as just another merc? An unknown face in Night City, making just enough to scrape by?"
He paused.
"Or do you want your name to be remembered?"
His golden eyes gleamed slightly.
"Do you want to be a nobody who dies in bed with a urinary catheter, or do you want to be a legend?"
Then, with a slight smirk, he added:
"Like Johnny Silverhand back in the day?"
The room fell silent.
Mann stared at David for a long moment.
Then—
He grabbed his coffee cup, took a deep sip, and set it down with a thud.
A slow, sharp grin spread across his face.
"Shit… Since we're already in Night City, might as well go big or go home, huh?"
He turned to David.
"Fine. We're in."
Then, with a warning tone, he added:
"But don't try to screw us over, David. I don't care how powerful you are—if you betray us, I'll make sure you regret it."
David burst into laughter, raising his coffee cup.
"Then we have a deal. Welcome to the crew, Mann."
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