"Money~ money~~, money, my money~"
On this day, Berry was working in the basement, humming a tune as usual.
The matter of Jiaoni Silverarm had come to a temporary close.
Berry had to admit she admired Jiaoni a little; her reaction after being forcibly changed into a woman was much calmer than Berry had anticipated. She was merely slightly displeased.
The Ahegao expression Berry had imagined never materialized.
A legendary figure is indeed a legendary figure; her mental fortitude is not to be underestimated.
However, the only thing Berry couldn't understand was that Jiaoni ultimately refused to return to Afterlife with Rogue, saying instead that she wanted to stay with Berry temporarily.
Berry didn't know why Jiaoni planned this.
But who cares? Berry didn't need anything from Jiaoni anyway.
There was no need to overthink it. A punk like Jiaoni would never participate in a plan like Berry's, and Berry wouldn't bother trying to recruit Jiaoni.
Although in the game she and V were like grasshoppers tied to the same string, in reality, the two had no relationship to speak of. No matter how she looked at it, Johnny wouldn't join them, so Berry didn't worry about it.
In any case, given Jiaoni's personality, the Arasaka Corporation was who she wanted to deal with, and she had no conflict with Berry's charitable organization, so Berry let her be.
Therefore, Jiaoni was temporarily staying at the Hive, and Berry was simply fulfilling her duties as a host, ensuring enough batteries and the like.
What Berry was more concerned about now was how to make more money.
She was undeniably busy. On one hand, she had to manage the Counterfeit Cyberware Assembly Line, and on the other, she had to provide Afterlife with a batch of custom weapons based on their orders.
Since Berry didn't yet have anyone under her who could share this burden, she had to take charge alone, handling everything herself.
She was certainly tired, but Berry enjoyed every moment of it.
Are you kidding? All this effort would eventually turn into piles of cold, hard cash.
Since she wasn't working for someone else, her enthusiasm was naturally boundless.
Therefore, relying on the excessive caffeine in little coca-cola, she worked non-stop from morning until night, essentially working all the time except for bathroom breaks.
Capitalists would weep upon seeing this, and feudal lords would give a thumbs-up.
Keep up the good work, young person, the good days are still ahead... In the silent basement, only the screeching sounds of the welding torch and hydraulic clamps could be heard, sparks flying and illuminating the metal workbench.
"Phew, today's quota is complete!"
Berry lowered her welding mask and exhaled, drenched in sweat.
Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Berry was extremely satisfied looking at the full day's worth of results.
"Mhm, that was fantastic, Berry! Praise!"
Berry gave herself a thumbs-up, feeling very proud.
Of course, she was proud; she wasn't just making money for herself.
Every effort she made was laying bricks and tiles for humanity's great journey toward becoming a truly eusocial species.
If she didn't work, how could humanity improve? If she didn't work, how could humanity have a tomorrow?
Berry was almost moved to tears by her own grand narrative.
Salute~!!!
Full of earnest dedication, Berry pulled out her phone, but upon seeing the screen, she jumped in fright, her passion cooling slightly.
"Holy crap, it's 9:30. Have I been working this long?"
Seeing the time displayed on her phone, Berry felt somewhat dazed.
She thought it was only mid-afternoon at most, but unexpectedly, she had worked longer than planned, going straight from morning until night.
Since there were only bright fluorescent lights in the basement, she truly hadn't realized it was already evening.
As if someone had pointed out that Bi Gan had no heart and he immediately died, the moment Berry saw how late it was, her stomach rumbled consciously, issuing a solemn protest.
Rubbing her flat stomach, Berry remembered that she had been so busy working all day that she had forgotten to eat. Instantly, alarm bells went off in her mind.
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