Chapter 43: Money's fine, but call me daddy first.
George tugged at Mason's sleeve, signaling him not to do anything rash. Then, lowering his voice, he whispered, "Johnny's been mentally unstable lately, and he just had a blowout with the boss. Don't say a word."
He then grinned broadly. "Johnny, this money is what this guy lost to me in a bet. Don't let his clean-cut appearance fool you—he's a degenerate gambler."
He stepped forward, blocking Mason's path, and with his hand behind his back, he quickly gestured for Mason to leave.
"He took the money—needs to pay back Rotten Tooth Jack right away, otherwise within three days, he'll be torn to shreds by Rotten Tooth Jack's attack dogs."
Mason didn't want trouble, especially since Johnny was clearly looking for a fight. He'd probably had a bad time with Donnie and couldn't find anyone else to take it out on, so he decided to target Mason.
Taking advantage of George's intervention, Mason turned to the side, intending to go around the building behind him to the warehouse to load up.
"Did I say you could leave?"
Johnny sneered, and a burly guy beside him stepped forward, blocking Mason's path.
George looked at Johnny awkwardly, unsure what to say.
"Standing up for someone, George? You've got balls!" Johnny stepped forward, looking down at George, his tall figure casting George in shadow.
"No, you've got it wrong!"
"Boss Johnny, I didn't mean anything by it," George stammered.
"Come on, let me test if your head is as hard as it looks." Johnny grinned sadistically, extending his hand. This guy truly lived up to his nickname Mad Dog—actually planning to make a move right outside Donnie's office.
"Don't touch him. I'll give you the money you want,"
Mason suddenly said.
"Wow, so loyal!"
Johnny laughed mockingly, slapping George's face and shoving him aside. George's face flushed red, but remembering Johnny's past actions, he just lowered his head, unable to utter a single word in protest.
There are no wrong nicknames, only wrong names. Johnny is reckless and insane. Years ago, while on a delivery run, he was ambushed and shot in the jaw.
Everyone thought he was dead and dumped his body in the trash. But he quietly crawled five blocks and got a metal jaw replacement from Dr. Dodd.
The first thing he did after recovering was hunt down his attackers, catch them while they were drunk, and use his new metal jaw to literally tear them apart. He
even bit through his opponent's neck and swallowed the flesh!
That's how he earned the nickname "Mad Dog Johnny." Later, he joined the Gear Gang. If it weren't for his erratic behavior and volatile temper, he'd probably be a mid-level boss like Donnie by now.
Because of his track record and past experiences, he was insubordinate under Donnie's command, often openly defying him. But given his capabilities, Donnie sometimes had to look the other way.
"Hand over the money, then get lost." Johnny spat a thick wad of phlegm onto Mason's shoe, speaking with a mocking expression.
Mason pulled out the smallest denomination bill from his pocket. "According to where I'm from, money isn't given away casually." He bent down, wiped the phlegm off his shoe with the bill, folded it in half, and tucked it between his fingers.
"You want money? Call me daddy!"
"If you say it real nice, I'll give you this dollar." Mason said seriously.
Johnny's expression froze. He was stunned for a moment, then understood what Mason meant, and veins bulged on his forehead.
"You dare screw with me? I'll rip you apart!"
Johnny raised his right hand, the mechanical arm gleaming coldly in the sunlight. As if receiving some command, the arm below the elbow spun rapidly, the five fingers coming together like a sharp drill bit, aiming to stab Mason!
Judging from his target, he actually intended to punch a hole through Mason's chest.
Ordinary civilian-grade cybernetics, while far stronger than the average person's body, are still limited in power. Constrained by materials and technology, their offensive capabilities are fairly restricted.
But military-grade cybernetics are completely different.
The damage inflicted by such cybernetics can easily match or even exceed that of a regular handgun.
However, Johnny's cybernetic arm has clearly undergone illegal modifications, likely utilizing several restricted technologies to transform it into a terrifying weapon with immense destructive power.
This guy truly lives up to his nickname "Mad Dog"—he's ready to kill at the slightest provocation!
In fact, the cybernetic technology of this world has undergone a complex evolution.
Initially, implanted cybernetics didn't require a neural connection—under computer control, they could even be equipped with terrifying weapons capable of leveling half a city block.
However, with the advancement of sophisticated AI and hacking technology, these fully electronic products were easily compromised by hostile forces and even turned against their owners. Gradually, this technology was phased out.
It was replaced by new technologies requiring neural connections. Thanks to powerful biotechnology, all systems are controlled by the human brain, which largely prevents hacking.
However, this also led to a sharp decrease in the raw destructive power of augmented humans.
Johnny's cybernetic arm was already considered a highly lethal and prohibited item in the civilian sector.
"Boss, waste him!"
The burly man standing next to Mason suddenly grabbed Mason's arm and kicked hard at his knee, actually trying to help Johnny subdue Mason.
Whoosh!
Johnny's arm emitted a piercing shriek cutting through the air. Mason noticed that, in addition to the blade-like spikes that extended from his five fingertips, six sharp cutting edges also
deployed from his forearm. If this were to hit someone, it wouldn't just puncture—the flesh around the wound would be completely shredded!
A terrifying gleam flashed in Johnny's eyes. He opened his mouth wide, anticipating the scene of Mason being torn apart.
"Stop, you damn mad dog!"
Donnie's fierce shout suddenly came from the doorway, but Johnny seemed not to hear it, instead accelerating.
A cold glint flashed in Mason's eyes, his killer instinct surging. He yanked back hard, explosive force erupting from his arm, not only breaking free from the burly man's grasp but also seizing his wrist and shoving him toward Johnny's spinning arm!
"No! It's me, boss!"
Johnny's arm burrowed into the burly man's spine, the rapidly spinning blades instantly shredding through his body.
Scattered blood, flesh, and internal organs sprayed onto Johnny's face, forcing him to squint. All of this happened in the blink of an eye—only then did Johnny realize he'd killed the wrong person.
The arm piercing the burly man's body continued to spin rapidly, but the man's eyes were already wide and lifeless—dead on the spot.
"What the..."
Johnny muttered, but suddenly felt a shadow flash before his eyes, and something sharp pierced toward his head!
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