Why the Cyberpunk 2077 Olive Branch Mission is the Ultimate Test of Your Morality

Why the Cyberpunk 2077 Olive Branch Mission is the Ultimate Test of Your Morality

Walk into Wakako Okada’s parlor on Jig-Jig Street and you know you’re getting something messy. That’s just the vibe in Westbrook. She calls you up about a job—a simple delivery, she says—and calls it an Olive Branch. But if you’ve spent more than five minutes in Night City, you know "simple" usually ends with a thermal katana through someone's chest or a botched hack that fries your nervous system.

This isn’t just some random side gig. It’s a snapshot of everything CD Projekt Red tried to do with player agency.

The setup is basic. You meet a guy named Sergei Karasinsky under a bridge. He’s shaking. He’s terrified. He’s got a gift for the Tyger Claws, specifically for a high-ranking officer named Hiroshi. He wants you to drive a car—a Class 4 Chevillon Thrax—to a specific garage. Seems easy. Then you hear the thumping from the trunk.

What’s Actually Inside the Cyberpunk 2077 Olive Branch Trunk?

Most players just drive. They want the eddies. They want the street cred. But if you stop the car—and you really should stop the car—you find out that the "gift" isn't a crate of high-end cyberware or a stash of contraband.

It’s a person.

Specifically, it’s Alex Pushkin. He’s a senior quality assistant at Night City’s Biotechiva. He’s also the guy Sergei is using as a literal peace offering to keep the Tyger Claws from killing him. This is where the Cyberpunk 2077 Olive Branch mission flips from a fetch quest into a moral headache. Alex starts talking, and suddenly, you’re the judge, jury, and potentially the executioner.

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Sergei is a low-level goon who screwed up. He thinks delivering Alex will save his skin. Alex, on the other hand, claims he’s being kidnapped because he didn't play ball with the gangs. He’s terrified. He begs you to let him go.

It’s a classic Night City dilemma. Do you honor the contract you made with Wakako—one of the most powerful and dangerous fixers in the city—or do you listen to the guy screaming for his life in your rearview mirror? Honestly, there is no "good" ending here. There is only the ending you can live with.

The Consequences of Letting Alex Pushkin Go

If you decide to be the hero, you let Alex out. He’s grateful, sure, but he’s also a corpo. He promises you that Biotechiva will remember this. He runs off into the neon haze, and you’re left with a choice: do you still go to the Tyger Claws?

Actually, you can’t. If you let him out, the delivery is blown. You can still drive the car to the destination, but the Tyger Claws aren't going to be happy when they open an empty trunk.

Interestingly, Wakako doesn't immediately put a hit out on you. She’s a professional. But you lose out on the maximum payout. You get some XP, sure, but the eddies are light. The real cost is the narrative weight. You’ve saved a life, but you’ve also screwed over Sergei, who is almost certainly going to be murdered by the Claws because his peace offering vanished.

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Delivering the Package: The Professional Route

Then there’s the other path. You ignore the screams. You drive the Thrax through the rainy streets, park it in the designated garage, and have a very brief, very tense conversation with the Tyger Claws. They take the keys. You get paid.

Wakako is happy.
The Tyger Claws are satisfied.
Sergei probably lives another day.

But Alex Pushkin? He’s gone. You don't see what they do to him, but in a world where the Tyger Claws are known for human trafficking and "braindance" scrolling that involves actual torture, his fate is likely worse than a quick death.

It’s worth noting that if you choose this route, the rewards are technically better for your wallet. In the early game, those extra Eurodollars matter. But as you level up your V, you start to realize that money is the easiest thing to find in Night City. Integrity? That’s a bit harder to come by.

Why This Mission Matters for Your Build

While Cyberpunk 2077 Olive Branch feels like a narrative beat, it actually slots into the larger ecosystem of how you play V. If you’re roleplaying a "Professional Merc" who never breaks a contract, you deliver the car. If you’re a "Street Kid" who hates the gangs but sees the tragedy of the little guy, you might feel for Sergei. If you’re a "Nomad" with a moral compass, you probably let Alex go.

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There is a weird glitch some players reported in earlier versions (pre-Patch 1.6 and 2.0) where the mission wouldn't trigger correctly if you approached the area too fast or during a combat state. If you find Sergei and he won't talk to you, just drive around the block. Night City's AI can be finicky like that.

The Hidden Lore Behind Biotechiva

Alex Pushkin isn't just a random name generated by a script. Biotechiva is one of the "mid-tier" corporations in the Cyberpunk lore that often gets overshadowed by giants like Arasaka or Militech. They specialize in genetic engineering and biochemicals.

When Alex tells you he’s being targeted, it hints at the corporate espionage that runs rampant in the background of the game. He likely knew something he shouldn't, or he refused to authorize a shipment that the Tyger Claws wanted. By letting him go, you aren't just saving a guy; you're potentially keeping a corporate whistleblower alive—or keeping a corrupt scientist on the payroll.

That’s the beauty of the writing here. Even your "good" deed is tainted.

Actionable Strategy for the Olive Branch Mission

If you want the best outcome for your specific playthrough, follow these steps:

  1. Meet Sergei: Listen to his frantic rambling. It sets the stakes.
  2. Get in the Car: Drive slowly. If you drive too fast or crash, you can actually damage the "cargo," though the mission usually accounts for the car's durability.
  3. The Decision Point: Pull over before you reach the Tyger Claw garage. Get out of the car. Walk to the back.
  4. Talk to Alex: This is the only way to get the full context. If you just drive to the end, you miss half the story.
  5. Choose Your Payout: * For Money/Fixer Rep: Deliver the car. Keep your mouth shut. Take the credits.
    • For Morality/Chaos: Let Alex out. Watch him run. Expect a less-than-enthusiastic call from the boss.
  6. Check Your Messages: Later in the game, check your news feeds and messages. The world of Cyberpunk reacts to these small shifts, even if it's just a headline or a change in how a certain NPC views you.

Ultimately, the Cyberpunk 2077 Olive Branch mission is a test of what kind of V you are. Are you a tool for the fixers, or are you a person with a line you won't cross? In a city that wants to turn everyone into a product, making a choice that costs you money is the most rebellious thing you can do.

To maximize your experience with these types of side jobs, always invest at least a few points into Technical Ability or Intelligence. These often open up dialogue trees that give you more leverage during the "confrontation" phase of the mission, allowing you to see through the lies of NPCs like Sergei or Alex before you make a final call. Next time you're in Westbrook, don't just rush the map icons. Stop. Listen to the trunk. You might find more than you bargained for.