Chapter 68Could he be a monster like Melissa Rory?They couldn't help but make the connection in their hearts, but once they thought about the fact that this kid was brought by Captain Melissa, they became even more certain."OK, done." David Martinez let out a heavy sigh of relief.Being able to use firearms with such proficiency was largely thanks to the chips sold by the system.Back then, he also used this exact trick—holding the db-2 satara with one hand—to shock Rebecca into a daze.It was simply absurd to the extreme.You have to know that normal people couldn't casually handle a gun like the db-2 satara, let alone use it with one hand.But David Martinez managed to do all of this.Without this kind of confidence, would he dare go toe-to-toe with MAX-TAC? Stop joking around."Mm, very good. Your scores are not bad at all." Melissa held a PDA that recorded David Martinez's scores.But the smile on her face was completely unstoppable.This was practically hitting the jackpot.This score was easily in the upper-middle tier of MAX-TAC, and it also meant that this level of strength was enough to make a name for itself in Night City.You must know that here, even the bottom-tier conventional forces responsible for investigations with the lowest combat power were unadulterated elites within the NCPD.In Night City, every corporation or enterprise was a country unto itself, just like Tanaka had said before dying.No matter who someone was, no matter how hard they climbed, they could never fight against these corporations—even the smallest corporation was no exception.And MAX-TAC was an uncompromising, iron-blooded warlord that answered to no corporation and possessed absolute autonomy.Therefore, it was no wonder even people in the NCPD called MAX-TAC a "country within a country.""Starting today, you are an external member of MAX-TAC Team One."Melissa tossed a pre-prepared authentication token to David Martinez. "Keep it safe. This is proof of your identity, and it's also your life-saving talisman.""That's it?"David Martinez looked at the small chip in his hand in amazement.Just this little thing was equivalent to a get-out-of-death-free card, allowing him to basically walk sideways across Night City."What else did you want?""Uh... No, I mean, don't I need to sign a contract or something?""Mhm?" Melissa hummed a pleasant nasal sound, then teased, "We aren't some corporate enterprise, so we don't need to pull that fancy nonsense. But if you're willing to become an official member, I wouldn't mind granting that wish of yours.""Ah haha... Then I guess that won't be necessary."David Martinez scratched his head with an honest smile.Sign a contract of indenture? Only an idiot would do that!However, after this, he could be considered an official member of MAX-TAC.But right now, he still didn't realize what this so-called Team One actually represented...66. The Abandoned Pawn Forsaken by Militech(7.5K)Half a year passed quickly.During these past six months, life had been fairly stable. There was no tracking or revenge from Arasaka, no wanted posters from the NCPD. Every day consisted of taking commissions from fixers, or choosing one of the Scavengers, Animals, or Tyger Claws to clean up.Spending sweet nights with Lucy in the evening.He had also built up a loud reputation among mercenaries.There were even shameful nicknames circulating—things like Gang Grinder or Cyberpsycho Nutcase.To be fair, Gang Grinder was understandable.After all, he always liked to give these gangs "intimate greetings" when he had nothing to do, but what the hell was a "Cyberpsycho Nutcase," hey?"Even though I joined MAX-TAC as an external member, I'm perfectly normal, alright!"Yet, he was probably the only one who believed those words.Judging from the results of every mission, everywhere he passed or every time he went on a mission, the tragic aftermath looked just like a cyberpsycho had rampaged through.You couldn't find a single intact piece among those corpses.This caused the City Center EMT body-collection team to express strong dissatisfaction and condemnation, stating that collecting the corpses was a huge pain, but it was completely useless.Solely because he was a member of MAX-TAC.As for Pilar, she had already been discharged from the hospital and placed in a new residence, while Maine and Dorio were together with Pilar. They could be considered reconciled with each other.Because Maine had finally figured things out under Dorio's persuasion (physically)?Besides that, he had also learned a lot about MAX-TAC.First of all, this violent department had many squads, and each squad performed different work. There were actually three or four combat squads like the Team One he was in.But strangely enough, their squad rarely sortied, spending most of their time on standby.However, every single sortie was definitely a heinous incident—the kind that left no survivors—or involved cyberpsychos in the rich areas of Westbrook.This instantly made him understand why he hadn't noticed this crazy bitch when watching the anime back then.Mainly because Arasaka needed live captures over there.Not only that, that woman Melissa Rory also had the right to choose her missions. Whenever she encountered a mission she didn't like, she could explicitly refuse it and let other teams execute it.But those times were few and far between.However, during these months of contact, he found that the woman Melissa Rory was not bad; she cared especially for her subordinates and would even personally step up to guide them during training.As for the results...You know how it is, they were all sent to the medical department.In the entire Team One, the only one who could persist under this lunatic woman's hands was David Martinez alone.He was even crowned in the team with titles like Lunatic Number Two, and a freak who could fight evenly with Captain Melissa.Just like right now..."Clank—!!""Bang clang—!!""Clatter—!!"Countless sparks burst into the air, but one could only see the sparks and hear the sound of metal blades colliding, completely unable to catch sight of the two figures.The two of them were moving at high speeds within the Sandevistan."Did this kid install some more implants again? He can actually go toe-to-toe with the Captain now?!""Are you an idiot? Have you forgotten that a month ago, the kid David was already able to fight the Captain to a draw? Right now, the Captain is probably going to lose."Two "know-it-alls" from Team One were eating melon and watching the show from below, whispering to each other, but their tones were filled with envy and worship.To actually fight evenly with the Captain...That was the dream they craved for all their lives.However, what they said was indeed pretty much spot on.During these past few months, David had earned a lot of money, and his body modification completion rate had reached 80 percent.Now, on his body, apart from his lower parts, there were basically not many organic parts left to be found; even his simulated subcutaneous layer was made of bulletproof steel plates.But his body shape didn't turn into that little gorilla from the original timeline; instead, it was no different from his original appearance, still as slender as ever, except his height and weight had increased a bit.However, what he liked the most were the two pairs of implants on his legs and arms—they were a kind he had never seen before, and they were extremely practical.According to the system, these were the crystallized technology of another world.Made using a metal called hyper-bohrium.That was a next-generation alloy made in a zero-gravity state based on bohrium, mixed with rare metals and a dozen common metals, with hardness and melting points several times stronger than metal bohrium.Not only that, he had also unlocked a new function called the Smelting Function.To put it simply, it meant paying a certain amount of money to let the system devour the abilities of other implants and then fuse them onto his own implants.For example, his arms had now smelted many functions.Just like right now."Swish—"The monomolecular cutting wires that suddenly appeared all over the sky abruptly tightened, tightly wrapping around Melissa's two mantis blades.The figures of the two finally stopped, appearing on the ring.At this moment, Melissa was wearing only a sleeveless black crop top and tight athletic shorts over her entire body, but they were already soaked deep-colored by a fine layer of sweat.I have to say, this woman was indeed beautiful.Beautiful in a style different from Lucy, full of athletic aura, just like a gym female coach.Long-term high-intensity exercise caused her skin to undergo a large amount of metabolism every day, so she completely lacked symptoms of dark pigmentation and greasy dead skin accumulation.On the contrary, a body covered in fine sweat under the glaring stadium floodlights made her look moist, smooth, and radiant.Especially that pair of long legs, truly top-tier!"Is it pretty?"Melissa seemed to have noticed his gaze and asked in a voice devoid of joy or sorrow.Because this wasn't the first time either; every spar, she would notice David's gaze staring at her body all the time.That wasn't a glance to observe movements, but rather an aggressive gaze.But this was no harm to her."...Captain Melissa, it's over. You lost."David, who had been exposed multiple times, didn't feel any embarrassment at all, and said with a calm face as he pulled hard on the monofilament wires.To be fair, although that crazy woman Melissa Rorywas indeed pleasing to the eyes, he was already tired of sparring long ago.If it weren't for Melissa suddenly grabbing him on the street today and dragging him onto a car back to headquarters without explanation...Right now he should probably be cozying up with Lucy at home."..."Melissa did not respond, only quietly gazing at him.But beneath that calmness was a familiar desire—the desire for battle."What's going on? Something feels a bit off?"David muttered involuntarily in his heart.Could it be that she encountered something vexing?What could possibly vex Melissa? Aside from battle, there didn't seem to be anything else... Could it be that she encountered another cyberpsycho that she found tricky?That really is... hard to come by..."You dare let your mind wander during battle?"Just as his thoughts were drifting far away, Melissasuddenly let out a reprimand that jolted him awake.Immediately after, her tight and powerful long legs trailed afterimages as they struck out, carrying the sound of breaking wind.Just as it was about to hit, with a click! sound from her heel, a blade popped out, showing no intention of holding back whatsoever as it slashed straight toward his neck."Smack!"David freed one hand and steadily caught Melissa's tender little foot.The feel upon contact was not as hard and metallic-cold as an implant, but rather a soft and slippery sensation, seemingly due to the sweat.However, the blade at her ankle was less than three centimeters away from his neck."Hey hey hey, Big Sister, it's just training, no need to risk our lives, right?"
Chapter 69Melissa still didn't say anything, but her face was already full of displeasure.This displeasure even frightened the surrounding team members into fleeing like startled birds and scattered fish, terrified that they would become the next sparring target.They were still young and didn't want to spend their days lying on the hospital beds of the medical department."What on earth does this woman want to do?"David Martinez couldn't help but click his tongue.Just as he was about to pull Melissa's leg and have her perform a split for him, a call came from the entrance of the training gym."Melissa Rory, come over here, there's a mission."Hearing this, David Martinez retracted the Monowireand also let go of Melissa's thigh.And Melissa also put away all the equipment on her body and walked towards the edge of the ring.Just as she was about to leave, she gave him a deep look."How bizarre..."Watching Melissa's receding figure while wiping sweat, David Martinez's mind was filled with confusion.Clearly ever since joining MAX-TAC, he and that crazy woman Melissa had been getting along quite well, but what on earth was going on today?Could it be that time of the month?Those few days that every woman has every month?David Martinez couldn't help complaining inwardly.However, speaking of which, that man who just appeared at the door...Although he didn't know him or his name, what was certain was that this guy was the person in charge of MAX-TAC, the kind with a higher rank than Melissa.He was a solid local tyrant level, the kind who could directly talk with the upper management of major corporations.Fortunately, this guy's character seemed rather upright.According to Melissa, it was this man who caught her back then."Talk about the irony of fate..."The former legendary cyberpsycho was caught by a man and became the captain of MAX-TAC..."Ding—"Just as he was feeling emotional, a phone call came in.It was Regina Jones."Hey, Miss Regina, is there another commission?"Regina was considered his regular client. Aside from the cyberpsycho data provided by MAX-TAC, it was always this cyber female pirate who provided him with data on other cyberpsychos."Hmm, there's a commission that needs you to do it.""Not long ago, a cyberpsycho attack occurred, and the news is solid. That place has already been blockaded by Militech, presumably you've heard the news too?""A cyberpsycho blockaded by Militech?"David Martinez tilted his head slightly, thought back carefully, and decisively replied: "No, I was just sparring with the captain earlier.""Well, since you haven't heard the news now, you probably will soon."The voice on the other end of the phone seemed a bit helpless due to an intelligence error."I need you to resolve this matter before their team officially arrives.""I estimate that psycho should be someone from Militech, I bet it's Lieutenant Mower.""Anyway, the corporation will intervene in this matter, so you must absolutely ensure her safety." Regina said: "Still the old rules, less money if dead, more money if alive, it's just that simple. The address has been sent to you, check the attachment for details."Regina was still that vigorous and resolute Regina, unwilling to say even half a word more, and hung up the phone right after finishing.At the same time, the so-called attachment was also sent over.However, opening the attachment and taking a look..."Goodness, Creek Loop... wait, doesn't Kiwi live there?"If he remembered correctly, after Kiwi died, her residence there would become Regina's stronghold.But this Lieutenant Mower... if he remembered correctly, she shouldn't have become a cyberpsychountil the second half of 2077.How come now...David Martinez couldn't help but fall into deep thought, but upon second thought, this didn't seem to have much to do with him.Just take the money and do the job."Assemble!"Just at this moment, Melissa came back.But she didn't put on the MAX-TAC equipment, and was still dressed in that vest and athletic shorts outfit."Now a cyberpsycho attack has occurred at Creek Loop, is anyone of you planning to go?"Glancing around at the neatly lined-up team members in front of her, Melissa asked rather democratically.After all, hearing from above that this damn matter seemed to have some relation to Militech, she, who didn't like dealing with corporations, didn't plan to participate.To spare herself a bunch of annoying troubles afterward.However, those team members all looked at each other, and not a single one intended to step forward and participate.The reason was very simple; since their captain wasn't participating, it definitely wasn't a good gig."Nobody?""I'll do it."David Martinez, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.Jumping down from the edge of the ring, he walked in front of Melissa: "Coincidentally, a fixer sent me a message about this cyberpsycho, hoping I would handle it.""Hmm?"Melissa glanced at him slightly, then nodded: "Alright then, this mission is handed over to you, remember the old rules, just take a picture and send it to me when the mission is over.""OK, no problem."He was extremely familiar with this routine.Then he left the MAX-TAC headquarters and headed towards Creek Loop.But instead of taking the department's AV, he had Old Del drive him there.After all, he couldn't be bothered to deal with corporate people, especially people from the Big Three corporations.Soon, he arrived at the scene.Only here it was already surrounded by Militechvehicles, exactly as Regina's intelligence indicated. If he had come here using the manticore AV, he probably would have had to bicker with Militech's people."Cover me, eliminate the target!"Not far away, a squad leader wearing equipment far better than NCPD officers was commanding his team members, charging into the hallway in a disciplined manner, and then instantly letting out miserable screams.After several consecutive rough blows, the inside became quiet again.The total duration was less than thirty seconds.This scene simply dumbfounded him.What kind of instant-wipe unit was this?Although facing an equally well-trained cyberpsycho, they shouldn't have died this fast, right?It was the kind where even he didn't have time to follow behind and check out the situation.Militech really raised a bunch of good-for-nothings...Immediately after, he put on that familiar EMT yellow jacket, lightened his steps, activated Optical Camouflage, and walked in along the path taken by those Militech trash, but just halfway through, he found a dropped shard on the ground.Without thinking, it must have been dropped by that group of people earlier."Let me see..."So he picked it up, inserted it into his slot, and checked it.This could also be considered a habit he had developed over a long time, and even more so a form of entertainment.[Code: RedTarget: Lieutenant MowerThreat Level: DangerousThe target exhibits symptoms of cyberpsychosis. Result after telephone consultation with a physician: malignant, impossible to treat. The target is located at the coordinates in the attachment, waiting for medical personnel to arrive, and a raid can be conducted.Warning: The target is equipped with military-grade combat implants, and extreme caution is advised during the operation. Once the threat is eliminated, send a report through the encrypted channel.]The four big characters "kill without mercy" could be seen between the lines."Regina's intelligence is still as well-informed as ever..."But it was limited to cyberpsychos.At least the person he asked for help finding hadn't been found until now.Besides that, the perimeter of the scene only had two batches of vehicles. Presumably, the first wave went in and was completely wiped out, and the second wave went in and got instantly destroyed again.Militech hadn't had time to send out a third wave yet.Fumbling through the corridor passage, he slowly walked to the end, which was a courtyard filled with water.At the same time, the corpse of a newly dead Militech unlucky fellow was thrown over.His entire body was beaten to a crisp black, not to mention how miserable his state of death was."Tsk tsk tsk, what an unlucky guy." David Martinez couldn't help but shake his head.But the next second."I'm going to rip your spine out of your chest!!!"It was a woman's voice.Looking up, that female cyberpsycho standing in the stagnant water was staring right at him with a pair of glowing green eyes."Holy shit! She can see through this?!"He hurriedly looked down at the Optical Camouflage on his body, finding that it was still effective, yet he was still discovered by this crazy woman.However, right now he couldn't afford to think that much.Because this crazy woman had already dashed over with three lightning-fast illusions, without needing to think, one could tell it was the Sandevistan and the Kerenzikov.But what was different was that this guy actually wasn't equipped with the standard equipment of a cyberpsycho—mantis blades!Instead, she brandished a pair of scorching fists and attacked towards his face."All of you go die waaaaaagh!!!"Like a rabid dog, she continuously waved her fists using rabid dog style, completely showing no sign that this woman had previously come from the special forces.Her chaotic fists couldn't land a single blow on David Martinez, but she showed no intention of stopping at all, instead growing fiercer the more she fought."She's probably... completely lost her mind by now, right?"While dodging, he recalled the words of a certain perverted braindance director—"Powerful implants will pull the soul from the flesh, forcing the soul into the machinery, falling to the edge of the void..."And there were only two possibilities for this outcome: one was losing sanity, and the second was perishing before losing sanity."What a pathetic woman."David Martinez couldn't help but sigh, then his gaze turned sharp, and he fiercely kicked out at Mower's abdomen."Thud!""Splash—"Ripples spread across the water surface.Mower flew backward entirely, skimming across the water like a skipping stone, stirring up a few ripples on the surface before heavily crashing into the wall.
Chapter 70Yet the woman did not lose consciousness from this; instead, she slowly crawled up from the ground.Her mouth kept muttering words of unclear meaning."Pain, more pain!!!"Zzzt——A few dazzling electric arcs suddenly surged across the woman's body, as if she were leaking electricity, shocking her soaking wet self—who had just been immersed in the water—into an idiot.Not only that, the stray electric light spread into the water, instantly frying several surrounding searchlights."...What kind of operation is this?"Seeing this, David's lips couldn't help but twitch.This kind of bizarre operation... honestly, he had never seen it before; this was the first case.Could this be considered the legendary hurting the enemy a thousand while self-inflicting eight hundred?But the effect of hurting the enemy a thousand hadn't even been unleashed yet, had it?To go along with Lieutenant Mower's performance, he chose to step into the water radiating with electric arcs.He walked slowly through the water, stepping past those thoroughly dead corpses.These were all the handiwork of the berserk Lieutenant Mower—either torn to pieces or charred black by a "flaming meteor fist". Anyway, not a single one died even slightly decently.Meanwhile, the electric arcs in the water coiled around his body like silver snakes, yet David himself showed no reaction whatsoever.The reason was very simple; his skin had anti-electricity properties, and not only that, it was fire-resistant and even bulletproof, coupled with Optical Camouflage—it was a four-in-one subcutaneous tissue.Just like that, he waded through the electrified puddle, walked up to Lieutenant Mower, blinked, and stared at the woman.She was hunched over, trembling, her hands struggling to flail about. In the end, she still didn't fall down, instead aggressively tossing away the helmet on her face.That was an external cyberware helmet produced by Militech, used to enhance the wearer's optical and visual capabilities, much like MAX-TAC's juggernaut helmet.Now that the obstruction was removed, what David saw was no different from any other cyberpsycho: a pair of eyes glowing with a red light."Ugh aaahhhhhhhh—!!!!"The sharp roar she emitted gradually became inhuman, echoing through the courtyard and spreading outside.Vehicles on the road and pedestrians on the street hurriedly fled upon hearing this terrifying roar, not daring to approach this place by even half a step."So noisy..."David frowned and picked at his ear.This action seemed to enrage the female psycho, prompting her to launch an attack at him once more.Raising a fist roaring with flames that tore through the air, she lunged toward his face."Thud!"This punch was steadily caught by him; a faint sizzling sound rang out in his palm, and a burning smell even drifted over.But David remained unmoved. Anyway, it was just synthetic skin; if it burned, it burned, he didn't care.He immediately raised his foot and fiercely kicked straight into the woman's abdomen."Cough ah—"Amidst her hazy consciousness, Mower sobered up a bit from the pain, yet felt her body floating weightlessly as if drifting in mid-air.The next second.With a loud boom!, she heavily slammed back onto the ground.It was David who smashed her down. Grabbing her fist and arm, he gave a fierce, powerful yank, flipping Mower's body from mid-air and slamming it into the ground, the back of her head even cracking the concrete floor with fine fissures."Cough—"A pool of blood instantly coughed out of the woman's mouth, staining her dark military attire an even deeper color."Behaving now?"David stepped on her chest, looking down at Mowerfrom above, his eyes filled with coldness.Normally, this level of force would have long been enough to knock a normal person unconscious, but due to the stimulation of her military-grade implants, Mower remained completely conscious.Yet the pain radiating from her body rendered her unable to move, especially the heart-wrenching sensation along her spine, making her wish she were dead."Ki... kill me, I beg you..."This feeling was like being plunged into hell; she didn't want to endure this torment anymore.She had... completely given up."Sorry, if I could, I'd like to, but entrusted by others, I can't." He shook his head and rejected Mower's proposal.First, he took a photo of this Miss Mower and sent it to Melissa.Then, he turned around and dialed Regina's phone."Hey, it's David, the mission is complete.""Mhm, is the target still alive?""The target... wait a second, let me check!"He was just about to say she was alive, only to find that Mower beneath his feet had stopped moving.Just a moment ago, she was struggling nonstop like a mantis shrimp."Is she dead already?""No, not yet... but close enough."He connected his own data cable to Mower, discovering that the woman's vital signs were dropping; if she wasn't treated immediately, she would likely die in a little while.Her life had almost reached its end."..."The other end of the line fell silent for a moment before saying, "Since she's dead, then forget it. Take her shard out; I need the data on it."After all, cyberpsycho rescue operations were filled with uncertainty; situations like Lieutenant Mower's were not the first time they had happened."No problem."He hung up the phone, removed the shard from Mower's port, and inserted it into his own port."Let me see, what little secrets do you have..."Orange light instantly welled up in his eyes.[Lieutenant Mower: Red alert, red alert][Dr. Martin Cipra: Understood. Reading biometrics. Please describe your symptoms.][Lieutenant Mower: Spasms, abdominal cramps. Implants won't shut off. Getting worse.][Dr. Martin Cipra: Understood. Biometric data indicates you will inevitably lose control. Soon.][Lieutenant Mower: Oh dear god][Lieutenant Mower: Please, don't][Lieutenant Mower: Don't call MAX-TAC][Lieutenant Mower: I just need some sedatives][Dr. Martin Cipra: Of course, don't worry. Militechwon't abandon its own people.][Dr. Martin Cipra: Go to this address. It's very remote; you won't hurt anyone there.][Dr. Martin Cipra: Paramedics will rush over and take you to the clinic][Dr. Martin Cipra: You'll be back to normal in a few days][Lieutenant Mower: Thank you, thank you so much][Dr. Martin Cipra: It's nothing. You serve the Corporation, and the Corporation will take care of you.]"..."Seeing this chat log, looking back at the corpses in the water, and finally glancing at the woman beneath him, David fell silent.Between the lines of the dialogue, he saw Mower's despair, especially that line: "Please, don't".For a special forces lieutenant to be able to utter such pleading words, one could only imagine how desperate she must have been at that time.Yet, the ripperdoc responsible for her treatment sold her out, and Militech abandoned her just like a discarded pawn."No wonder she begged me to kill her just now..."David muttered subconsciously, and after a whole one second of deep deliberation, he made a shocking decision."Good thing you ran into me today; consider yourself lucky."Saying this, after transmitting the data to Regina, he hoisted the unconscious Mower onto his shoulder and walked toward the exit corridor of the courtyard.He intended to find Viktor to cure this woman.Although the cyberpsychos who had died at his hands already numbered over thirty, this time he made the exact opposite choice, intending to emulate MAX-TAC's routine.As for the reason for doing this, even he couldn't quite explain it.Why on earth did he want to save this woman?A whim?Or was it because CD Projekt Red seemed to have modeled Mower after Motoko Kusanagi as a tribute to Ghost in the Shell?Anyway, he didn't know either...Furthermore, right now their newly formed team lacked people; perhaps this woman could become an asset?Who knows.Mower looks like Kusanagi.jpg67. Commission from Wakako OkadaMelissa Rory: "Good job."David Martinez: "Thanks for the praise, Captain Melissa. ╰(*°▽°*)╯"David Martinez: "Oh right, I still have some business here, so I won't head back to headquarters just yet."Melissa Rory: "Mhm, your performance this month is good, approved. (*￣︿￣)"David Martinez: "Yay, thanks Captain Melissa! (Deadpan)"On the avenue of Bradbury Street, while replying to Melissa's message, David hoisted the deeply unconscious Mower onto his shoulder and stepped out of the taxi."What are you looking at? Never seen someone carrying a person?! Get lost, scatter!"Seeing quite a few surrounding pedestrians casting their gazes upon him, David couldn't help shouting a rebuke.The onlookers immediately scattered like birds and beasts.No wonder these guys were watching him; right now he looked just like a kidnapper, carrying someone else's woman on his shoulder.Besides, he wasn't wearing a MAX-TAC uniform either, but rather an EMT yellow jacket.But David didn't pay that much attention, walking straight into the alley, and with a thud! kicked open the iron door, arriving at the backyard of Misty's shop.The man and woman squatting in front of the vending machine were scared off on the spot when they saw his aggressive demeanor."Hey! Viktor, come out for a customer!"Greeting in that familiar way, he walked into the familiar, dim basement, rattling open the diamond-patterned iron gate."Hey, Viktor, you there?!"David's gaze swept slightly across the underground clinic, but he didn't find Viktor's figure out in the open.However, a paused boxing match was still playing on the monitor.Afterward, Viktor's voice drifted faintly from the depths."David, what are you here to do again today? Don't tell me you brought over more of those weird implants..."Viktor pushed up his glasses and emerged from the basement corner, though his gaze landed on the fellow carried over David's shoulder.
Chapter 71"What kind of a freak did you pick up and bring back?""Nothing much, just a lieutenant from Militech's special forces. She probably got some experimental Militech implant installed, went full cyberpsycho, and Militech even sent hitmen to silence her."As he spoke, David walked familiarly toward the operating chair, tossed the woman on his body onto it, and secured her with straps and chains."Good thing she recovered a bit of consciousness at the end. See? I knocked her out and brought her back."Viktor's gaze towards him was a bit strange, however. "David, this doesn't look like your style at all."He had heard rumors about David after David joined MAX-TAC from a group of street punks.Especially those titles like cyber-freak.If he weren't the one primarily in charge of David's implant modifications and constantly monitoring David's physical and mental state, he might really suspect that this little guy was a cyberpsycho, just like outsiders rumored."Well, I don't know why I did it either," David shrugged helplessly. "Maybe because my conscience acted up? Or maybe just on a whim? Anyway, I don't get it myself.""Anyway, Viktor, hurry up and check her out to see if she's still saveable.""Alright, let me take a look."Viktor's voice remained as steady and magnetic as ever. He spun around on his swivel chair with a whir and started operating the screen.As for the dazzling data on it, he couldn't understand a single thing."Right, kid, doesn't your MAX-TAC have better medical facilities and specialized ripperdocs? Why bring this guy to my place?""Of course it's to support an old pal's business." David smiled."Cut the crap. I'd thank the heavens if you little rascal didn't cause me any trouble." Hearing this, Viktor rolled his eyes at him."Come on, you can't put it that way. After all, I've brought you so much business, Viktor."Unmoved by Viktor's eye-roll, his tone suddenly shifted the next second: "Actually, there are other reasons of course.""You know, Viktor, if she gets brought into MAX-TAC, she's never coming out."This was the rule of MAX-TAC: any cyberpsychobrought to headquarters would either be modified into a squad member or carried out as a corpse.There was no third possibility.If Lieutenant Mower could be cured, she would still have other great uses for him."However, the most crucial part is that your skills are the best, Viktor, truly one of a kind in Night City.""Give me a break."Viktor merely smiled away his praise.Viktor never thought his ripperdoc medical skills were peerless; at least in Night City, there were people even more badass than him.But in reality, what David said was the truth.Even in MAX-TAC, which had the best benefits, the ripperdocs there couldn't compare to Viktor.It's just that Viktor's place was far too crude; any troublesome surgery couldn't be performed because the environment didn't allow it.Only a guy as daring and trusting of Viktor as him would dare to undergo full-body modifications here.Just like that, the old man and the youth chatted idly back and forth here.Soon, the numbers on the screen stopped jumping. It seemed the test results were out."How is it, Viktor, is this woman still saveable?" David asked, then thought of something else: "Also, check if she has any trackers, locators, or program backdoors on her."He still remembered what Jimmy Kurosaki had said. He had to admit, these corp folks were truly disgusting for installing backdoors on implants."Don't rush," Viktor said slowly. "I've thought of everything you could think of, and I've blocked them all. At least temporarily, no one will come bother us."But soon, Viktor's brow furrowed tightly again: "However... the military implants caused too much damage to her body, and her hormones are completely out of whack."Then he dug out a syringe from underneath."Come on, help me hold her down, don't let her struggle.""?"David slowly formed a question mark, looked at the motionless woman lying on the chair like a corpse, and then looked at Viktor.Does this need holding down?Though feeling very puzzled, he obediently listened to Viktor, reaching out to hold down Mower's body.He saw Viktor slowly inject that syringe into the woman's neck, and then the woman began to struggle violently."Hold her down!"Hearing this, David increased his strength a bit.But this woman's strength was freakishly and bizarrely immense, making him feel like he was pressing down on a mad bull."What the hell, Viktor, what kind of stuff did you inject her with?""It's haloperidol. That way, she'll be a bit calmer in a moment.""Huh? Haloperidol? Isn't that stuff for treating mental illness? Is it useful on her?""..."Hearing this, Viktor gave him a look, leaving him to figure it out himself.However, after a few seconds, he considerately explained: "Of course it's useful. What do you think a cyberpsycho is?"Hearing it put this way, he instantly understood.Even with the word 'cyber' attached, mental illness was still mental illness at the end of the day, and haloperidol could still play its part.It could effectively suppress the mania caused by cyberpsychosis."Ah—"Suddenly, Mower opened her eyes and let out a high-pitched scream as if bursting with fury.But this also seemed like the final struggle before death.After that single cry, she lost all response, falling deeply unconscious on the chair."Alright, the medicine has taken effect. Leave the rest to me.""Meaning I'm not needed anymore?""Correct. Just stay aside and don't disturb me." Viktor began picking up a knife while tuning the equipment.Seeing that gleaming scalpel, he silently retreated to the side.He was still quite scared of that thing.After all, he had experienced the pain of implant modification countless times.It really hurts!Time ticked away second by second. Viktor in front of the operating chair was disassembling the woman on the chair like a repair robot.From time to time, he would dismantle a small device or a clump of blood-stained wires and toss them onto a tray beside him.Those were all devices ruined by overload.His mouth kept muttering words he couldn't understand—"This is too reckless. Piling on implants so brutally is practically murder.""This nano-relay... no serial number, looks like an experimental product. But they dared to install something clearly unfinished into a human body..."Viktor shook his head continuously upon seeing this, a trace of pity welling up in his eyes.What an unlucky girl."Ding—"Right at this moment, David's comms rang.But looking at the caller ID made him feel a bit strange—It displayed a snake sticking out its tongue; it was a call from Wakako Okada.This was also what made him feel strange.He didn't cooperate much with Wakako Okada, mainly because he always caused trouble for the Tyger Claws over there.Although this old woman would always say things like, "Business is business, gangs are gangs, these are two different matters," he could still sense that Wakako was indeed somewhat dissatisfied with him.There was no other way around it. Who told these guys to always go looking for trouble with the Moxes for no reason, and even come after him before.They should thank the heavens he hadn't wiped them all out.However, since this old woman called, there was no reason to turn her away.So he walked over to the stairs and answered the call."Yo, Ms. Wakako, is there a gig?""Mhm, there's a gig that needs you to do it." A somewhat raspy, aged female voice came through the phone, yet full of vigor: "Isabella Morgan, a wealthy merchant's daughter, has been snatched by those people from Maelstrom. She needs to be rescued.""No problem.""Alright, check the attachment for details."The call hung up just like that.As concise and swift as ever, without any nonsense. Even Regina couldn't compare to this old woman.But this Maelstrom...His brow furrowed slightly.In the past few months, he had accidentally collected some intelligence about Maelstrom.And understood some things within it.On the surface, these guys looked like modification maniacs dancing back and forth on the edge of cyberpsychosis, but in reality, they also had their own beliefs, and even had some connections to rogue AIs.Much like whatever sea god the Voodoo Boysbelieved in.They had also conducted secret experiments before—the bloody ritual he had stumbled upon earlier, which was a ritual allowing a rogue AI to cross the Blackwall and descend into reality.Not only that, he also understood part of the meaning behind what Prophet Gary had once said.That Prophet Gary, who looked like a cyberpsycho, had referred to necromancers, which pointed to the people of Maelstrom.Only, when he wanted to ask for details again, Prophet Gary had already disappeared.As if vanishing into thin air.So the question was, what was Maelstrom going to do by grabbing this person named Isabella Morgan now?Simply short on cash?He used his rather barren brain to think about it for a bit, found he couldn't figure it out, and gave up.So he turned around and went back to the clinic."Viktor, I've got some business on my end. I'll leave this place to you for now; just call me if she wakes up.""No problem."Without turning his head, Viktor simply gave him an OK gesture.Seeing this, David wasn't surprised at all. He lightened his footsteps, walked out of the underground clinic, and dialed a few numbers."Hey, it's me David, got a gig."---Time came to nighttime."Getting a bit anxious, classmate Julio."The familiar off-road vehicle sped along the road, and Rebecca leaned back against the rear seat, teasing.After her brother Pilar recovered, Rebecca returned to the team.She also knew a bit about Maine's matter, but didn't say much. Since David needed her, she chose to come back.Still styling her familiar twin-tails, making her look like Hatsune Miku, she also wore an oversized jacket that at first glance looked just like the one David wore.However, in order to become stronger, she had replaced her once slender arms with two gigantic arms.Evolving from a psycho loli into a gorilla version of a psycho loli, all just to wield even heavier firepower
Chapter 72For instance, that shotgun with ridiculously strong recoil — — Ironclad.He had tried to persuade her, but it was no use.Rebecca insisted on it, saying that only this way could she protect his back and stand by his side.Facing this, David Martinez couldn't say much..."It's not like that!"Hearing Rebecca's words, Julio sitting across from him loudly retorted.But it wasn't convincing at all.Because just a second ago, that somewhat naive face was still streaming with nervous sweat, his head slightly lowered, his hands restlessly rubbing between his thighs.Seeing this, Rebecca just smiled."I heard you were crammed onto us by Wakako, is that right? Are you really a fan of David Martinez?""Yeah! But what do you mean by 'crammed onto us'?!""Hehe, a fan of David Martinez, right?"Ignoring Julio's words, Rebecca slowly shifted her gaze back to David Martinez."You're really famous now, David Martinez.""Stop messing around."David Martinez reached out and ruffled Rebecca's head.Then he began tinkering again with the RT-46 Storm revolver and the db-2 satara in his hands.Compared to other firearms, he preferred these two.As for the MK.31 heavy machine gun?That thing had been tossed to Rebecca by him, because Rebecca liked it a lot.But coming to think of it, he was now making a big name for himself in the mercenary world. Even if he hadn't reached legend status yet, he was very close to it, and he was a regular at the Afterlife Bar, even becoming a conversational topic over drinks for the patrons of the Afterlife Bar.Especially his identity as an external operative for MAX-TAC made his reputation even louder than in the original work.Therefore, fans and the like naturally existed.Though they couldn't compare to Johnny Silverhand, Weyland, or Morgan Blackhand.But he had confidence that in the remaining few months of this year 2076, he could definitely surpass these old guys.But speaking of fans...His gaze involuntarily turned towards Julio, looking him over carefully.Feeling his gaze, Julio also immediately straightened his posture, looking very stiff and nervous.Completely unqualified.Wearing a Lexington pistol on one side of his waist, a pistol that might not even be able to kill someone, and planning to use it against Maelstrom?Was he dreaming?And what was the deal with that old-school Bowie hunting knife hanging on the other side of his waist?Was he planning to go hunting?Seeing this, he was already too tired to make sarcastic remarks.This guy looked like an amateur rookie at a glance, yet Wakako still threw this guy over.Truly a pain in the neck...Thinking of this, David Martinez sighed inwardly, but on the surface, he still gave classmate Julio an encouraging look and a smile, then cast his gaze outside the car window, watching the neon-lit nightlife."Woohoo, Mr. David Martinez is so cool!"Classmate Julio also seemed to have been buffed, getting inspired and ready at any time to go up as cannon fodder to die."Hoo, so cool!""Really so cool!"Just like a crazed fanboy.It was precisely because of this that David Martinez believed this guy wasn't a plant intentionally inserted by Wakako.After all, there were still subtle grievances between them, so precautions had to be taken.However, classmate Julio's fanatical star-chasing made Rebecca feel increasingly annoyed."Shut up! You bastard!""Can't you keep your voice down?!"Bam! Bam!Kick after kick landed on classmate Julio opposite her."It hurts! Stop! Don't kick my knees!"Classmate Julio struggled desperately, but it was no use; even his tactical pants were almost kicked apart at the seams."So annoying! Shut up already! Are you a brat out on a sightseeing trip?!"Seeing this, Kiwi sitting in the passenger seat couldn't help but shake her head.At a glance, it was obvious that a rookie like this would sooner or later die on a gig...But thinking of this, she subconsciously looked toward David Martinez.I don't know when it started, but that once somewhat naive boy had now become the person leading them...Soon, they arrived at Maelstrom's other lair in Northside, Watson — — Totentanz.This place was originally a hotel, but due to the economic collapse indirectly caused by the Corporate War, it became one of the first to go bankrupt, and was later occupied by Maelstrommembers, turning it into their own club."Sure enough, there really are a lot of people... There are even turrets. There are too many people; if I hack them one by one, I'll be worked to death."Kiwi's listless voice came through the comms, lacking any motivation at all.This couldn't be blamed on her either. Judging from the surveillance cameras, there were at least nearly fifty Maelstrom members gathered inside Totentanz, and that was just on the surface.How many more were in the camera's blind spots remained an unknown variable."Then we'll skip that step." David Martinez said over the comms."Eh?""Eh?!""Eh?!!!"Subsequently, three cries of surprise came through respectively, among which Rebecca was the most astonished.She grabbed his clothes on the spot and asked, "Then how are you going to get in?!""Of course we'll break through from the front, and then wipe them out head-on."David Martinez's nonchalant posture made Rebeccaeven more anxious: "What did you say?! That's Maelstrom's lair!"It would be fine if there was a netrunner providing cover, but now they didn't even want cover and were just going in like this?Are you crazy?!"So what? Trash is trash after all; no matter how large the quantity, they're just a pile of trash."Casually and lightly, David Martinez described the theory learned in MAX-TAC.After all, hanging out with a bunch of madmen all the time would inevitably lead to some inexplicable influence.And especially hanging out with the maddest one, he naturally had some weird common sense instilled in him.This confident and carefree attitude instantly turned classmate Julio following behind him into Shokuhou Misaki, his eyes turning into star-shaped eyes.Truly worthy of being my idol!This also made David Martinez suddenly feel a chill."Tch, where did this sickening feeling come from?"He involuntarily shuddered, but quickly returned to normal."Alright, it's decided. Kiwi, you're responsible for finding the location where the hostages are being held; leave the rest to me.""Yeah, yeah, yeah...""Very well, let's move out."Saying this, he walked in on his own accord."Hey! David Martinez!"Seeing David Martinez's resolute figure, Rebeccawas filled with helplessness.Things having reached this point, she had no way to stop David Martinez's decision; all she could do was follow behind him and properly protect his back!Thinking of this, Rebecca solidified her conviction and hurried to follow."That kid David Martinez seems to be getting more and more outstanding."Falco, idling as the driver, chatted outside the comms."That's indeed the case."Kiwi in the passenger seat chimed in, "David Martinez has indeed gone further than Maine, but no one knows just how far he can go."She slowly cast her gaze toward the sky outside the window, wondering what she was pondering in her shifting gaze.---Totentanz Nightclub.Right as they entered, what they saw was a skull with three eyes drilled into it. This was Maelstrom's logo, a logo as disgusting as they were."Oh ho, I didn't expect everyone to be here."Directly beneath the logo, a large group of Maelstrom members had been waiting for a long time."Huh? What did you say?"Right at the front of this group, a woman holding a Copperhead stepped out."And who the hell do you think you are?!"Her tone was somewhat piercing and especially harsh, sounding just like glass being scratched.This made David Martinez involuntarily pick his ear, as if wanting to dig this sound out of his brain."This thing is Maelstrom's new leader? Doesn't look like much. Compared to Brian or Royce, she's far inferior.""Hehe, what you said is right, but who is Royce?"David Martinez and Rebecca were chatting casually back and forth like doing a crosstalk routine.Those Maelstrom members were still mocking them."I'm talking to you, didn't you hear? Are your ears plugged with shit?"But the attitude of the two of them made the woman suspected to be the leader very unhappy, and she walked over quickly.She picked up a pistol and pressed it against his temple."How about I punch a hole in your ear and see if you listen then...""Bang—"A gunshot, a life lost.Before this woman could finish speaking, her head exploded like a watermelon, red and white splattering all over the ground."Truly noisy."68. Julio-chan, you still have a lot to learn (6.5K)"Truly noisy."The muzzle was still smoking blue smoke, and his eyes gleamed with a chilling cold.
He had seen reckless people, but never anyone this reckless, pulling a gun and pressing it against someone's head right off the bat; that was a bit too impolite.However, this fellow also paid the price of her life for her impoliteness.Yet David Martinez's sudden move plunged the entire scene into an eerie silence, with the faint echo of the recent gunshot still lingering.Especially those from Maelstrom, who looked at their boss lying headless on the ground and froze in place.How could there be someone even more ruthless than them?!Blowing someone's head off at the slightest disagreement?!Although their external presentation was that of superhuman conversion pioneers, with extremely cruel methods lingering on the edge of madness, fundamentally their brains were still somewhat normal.Because the abnormal ones had long since been wiped out by MAX-TAC.Yet now, someone even crazier than them had appeared."Hey, hey, hey, could this guy be that person?!""Right, could it be that gang meat grinder dubbed as an external operative of MAX-TAC?!""Damn it, for real? I actually get to see the real person here?!"Several Maelstrom members seemed to recognize David Martinez and began whispering among themselves."This fucking..."Truly living up to the maniacs of Maelstrom, speaking so loudly while whispering—aren't they afraid others would hear?Wouldn't they feel awkward themselves?"Forget it, forget it, Rebecca, do it!""Hey—ha——"Rebecca immediately raised the heavy machine gun on her back with excitement."Hey hey, take them down!""Ha——"The maniacs of Maelstrom also raised their guns to aim at them one after another, not caring at all whether they were MAX-TAC personnel.For them, they didn't know the meaning of fear at all.Judging by numbers, there were about fifty people at the scene while there were only three of them; situation-wise, it could be said to be vastly unfavorable.However..."Huh? What's going on..."One of the members wanted to pull the trigger, but found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't budge it—it was bound tightly by a gleaming Monowire."Just when..."The others also noticed this point.Not only that, apart from the firearms in their hands, their wrists, arm joints, necks, waists, and even thigh joints were all wrapped by a trace-less Monowire, which threaded through the metal beams of the ceiling, the automated turrets placed below, and every corner of the surrounding counters, ultimately connecting at the tips of David Martinez's five fingers.Such an arrangement—even Rebecca present at the scene and Kiwi watching everything through the surveillance cameras—hadn't noticed when it was completed.They only knew that when that crazy woman was taken down just now, David Martinez's other hand seemed to have twitched slightly."Heh..."Seeing this, David Martinez smiled faintly, hooked his fingers hard, and pulled back.Squish—sizzle——Accompanied by the sounds of muscles, implants, and bones being torn apart, bright splashes of blood burst from every Maelstrom member's body, instantly sliced into chunks of meat by the Monowireand dropping to the ground.Even the sturdiest turrets were sliced into spare parts in the blink of an eye.Blood was pulled out the instant the wires retracted, spreading and diffusing in mid-air along with the threads, forming a crimson vortex like an exquisite painting."Tsk tsk tsk, I told you, trash is always trash; even if gathered together, they're just a pile of garbage."Looking at the scattered blood before him and the fishy sweetness lingering at the tip of his nose, David Martinez shook his head and let out a regretful sigh.Their only purpose was to display such a beautiful instant like an epiphyllum blossoming in the night."Whoa, so amazing! Is this the legend of Afterlife—Mr. David Martinez? It's truly amazing!"Seeing how easily the Maelstrom members in the main hall were cleared out, Julio also cried out in excitement.He finally understood why the assistance of a netrunner wasn't needed.Being this strong and having such a trick up one's sleeve, what was the use of netrunner deadweight?Little did he know, he was merely considerate of his members, not wanting them to do things they were too lazy to do.Even for Kiwi, that future traitor."The boss has been killed! Take them down!"Right at this moment, such a voice suddenly came from above.Immediately following that, a large number of Maelstrom members hiding on the second floor swarmed down, but their numbers were much smaller than those in the main hall, probably just a dozen or so people."Rebecca, I'll leave it to you.""Leave it to me, ya hahahahaha——"Rebecca abruptly pulled the trigger, and the roar of the heavy machine gun immediately sounded, the muzzle flash illuminating her small face.Look at how happily she was smiling.She was practically crazier than Jinx from a certain game."Ya hahahahaha——"The shrill laughter revealed traces of madness, and every single bullet accurately hit the guys rushing down from above, blooming delicate and vibrant flowers of blood on their bodies.Or they were cut in half at the waist by a single shot.The flying bullet casings and the intense gunfight like a hail of bullets scared classmate Julio into squatting there, holding his head and shivering.Although he had done quite a few gigs, when had he ever seen this kind of battle formation?Compared to his idol David Martinez's silent killing, this kid named Rebecca was even more terrifying.What kind of lunatic was this anyway!"Right, where is Mr. David Martinez?!"Classmate Julio, squatting and defending his head in the corner, raised his head slightly and found David Martinez's trace amidst that golden rain of bullet casings.However, his actions were very strange; he was holding a pistol and walking towards those corpses... as if corpse-whipping?Bang——The last intact skull near his feet was blown to smithereens by a single shot."Mhm, this is the last one, done."Putting away the revolver that still carried residual heat, he nodded with satisfaction, then strolled back and forth through the crossfire of both sides, walking aside to quietly eat melons and watch the show."This Rebecca... seems even crazier than before?"David Martinez muttered involuntarily.Clearly during the past few missions, Rebecca didn't look like this.Who on earth did she learn this from?"Come on! Come on! Come on!"Rebecca, holding the heavy machine gun, gripped the trigger tightly and kept strafing those guys daring to show their heads behind cover; even showing just an edge would be torn into pieces by the barrage.Clearly just a single person, yet she laid down the firepower of an entire squad."Truly terrifying."Although saying such words, a slight smile of excitement hung on his face, something even he himself hadn't noticed.His blood was boiling just a little...For him, being with Rebecca and the others was indeed much more relaxing than MAX-TAC."Mr. David Martinez, what were you... doing just now?"Right at this moment, Julio, who had run over from the crossfire at some point, suddenly asked."Hmm? Which one?""That one, you know."Seemingly to explain better, classmate Julio even purposely used his hand to gesture a headshot action."Oh, that, it's just very ordinary insurance shots, the kind everyone does.""Insurance shots?"Julio looked at the full ground of corpse fragments, not knowing how to respond.Did this even need insurance shots?But since his idol said so, it naturally had to be kept firmly in mind.Seeing this, David Martinez didn't say much more, just revealing a polite smile and leaving the other person with a sentence: "Classmate Julio, you still have a lot to learn."The reason he did this was because of a situation he encountered earlier while dealing with a cyberpsycho.Clearly the person had already been chopped into pieces, yet the head somehow wasn't dead, and a few tentacles stretched out from inside, flying towards someone else's head like a facehugger.Thanks to his fast enough movements, it was blasted to pieces with a shot from afar; otherwise, who knew what kind of massive mess it would have caused.Therefore, ever since then, he formed this habit, especially when facing this group of Maelstrommembers.No choice, ghost knows if this group of technicians would install that kind of disgusting black tech on their own heads; as the saying goes, better safe than sorry.If conditions permitted, burning these guys to ashes was the best choice.Soon, not a single Maelstrom member here was twitching anymore, their corpses all torn to pieces by bullets, dying in an extremely miserable state.The three of them walked up the blood-stained stairs, stepping over intestines and bellies left behind by goodness knows who, forging ahead amidst the sticky blood.Rebecca and David Martinez were fine, both of them long used to it, but classmate Julio was scared limp in his legs and feet.He even almost tumbled down the stairs."Tsk, truly useless."Seeing such a humiliating side of classmate Julio, David Martinez and Rebecca thought simultaneously in their hearts.Completely devoid of any sense of urgency, it was as if they were strolling in their own backyard.However, just as they walked upstairs, they spotted a bulky fellow who looked like a Cyclops."Haha, ready to play with a real big brother from Maelstrom?"That big oaf smashed the ground with the iron hammer in his hand, sending up a burst of dust and pebbles, seemingly demonstrating to intimidate them.But David Martinez stepped forward unconcerned, a hint of curiosity showing between his brows, tilting his head to ask: "Excuse me... are you a hybrid breed between the Animals and Maelstrom? That is, the kind abbreviated as a bastard.""...?"As soon as these words were spoken, the air fell into a brief silence, followed immediately by a burst of roaring laughter."...Pfft hahahahaha! David, where did you learn such a cold joke? It's seriously so funny, hahahahaha!"Rebecca immediately laughed with limbs sprawling in all directions; if not for still holding a gun in her hand, she would probably be squatting on the ground laughing by now.Simply... dying of laughter.Not just her, classmate Julio on the side couldn't help laughing out loud either.However, their laughter met with David Martinez's puzzlement, and he even considerately explained to them why he came to such a conclusion."Look at this guy, it's as if he grew up drinking protein powder made of melamine, with a head that big, a body that built, and holding an iron hammer used for pouring concrete on construction sites—isn't this the exact type of brainless muscle head from the Animals?""And look, he even has a large light bulb embedded in his face, which is the trademark of those psychoes in Maelstrom.""So, when I said he's a bastard crossbred between Maelstrom and the Animals, it doesn't seem to be any problem...""Could it be that he used to pour concrete for corporations at construction sites before?""Pfft hahahahaha!" Hearing his explanation, Rebeccalaughed heartily once more: "David, do you think there's a possibility that his bulky size is just piled up with implants, sort of like Maine?"
Chapter 74"Yeah, what you said makes sense too."David nodded earnestly, gently rubbing his chin in deep thought, and then used his system's analysis function to parse it once more.Just as Rebecca said, his body was full of various implants, but they were all trash, not a single one of them valuable.Presumably, the most valuable thing on him was that Sandevistan, but he didn't think much of it anymore."Since that's the case, let's temporarily classify him as a grunt—someone who used to grind for megacorps and now grinds for Maelstrom.""Hee hee hee, well said, I accept this explanation."The two of them chimed in like they were performing a cross-talk routine, making the big guy opposite them lose face, causing him to grip the handle of his hammer until it creaked.Rebecca: "Ara, he's angry."David: "Ara, he's blushing, did I hit the nail on the head?""...Damn organic bastards, see how I tear you to pieces and turn you into canned food!!!"Bang, bang, bang!Gripping the hammer with both hands, the big guy took heavy steps, like a charging mad bull, causing the floor to tremble slightly.This was originally a dilapidated building in disrepair, and at this moment it felt like it could collapse at any second."Eek!"Julio immediately let out a pathetic sound, drawing speechless glances from the two of them."How utterly embarrassing, classmate Julio the comedian."The two of them thought simultaneously."Forget it, forget it, I'll handle it."David took off his jacket and handed it to Rebecca, then slightly rolled up his sleeves and walked out.Seeing this, Julio on the side immediately raised his crappy little pistol, preparing to provide fire support.But he was stopped by Rebecca."Give up, classmate Julio, your crappy little gun won't be of any use at all, not that it would drag David down.""But...""Just watch."Rebecca's gaze was filled with trust, which also made Julio cast his gaze toward David."Bang, bang, bang!"In the long corridor, the mad-bull-like big guy got closer and closer to David, even raising the iron hammer in his hand high, preparing to smash David flat.Seeing this, David couldn't help speaking up: "My oh my, are you imitating the Savage King of the Animals? Or are you planning to play the Cyber Thor?"At the same time, after a burst of friction sounds, the skin on David's right arm began to crack, and the artificial skin made of plastic elastic material and silicone peeled off one after another, scattering at his feet as he walked."Oh my, is David going to use that move?" Rebeccasaid excitedly."Eh? That move is...""Just watch!" Rebecca said disdainfully.Finally, David's right hand revealed a pitch-black arm, as if covered by a substance with black crystal radiance, and the exhaust vents on its surface twitched, contracting and expanding on their own.But even upon seeing this eerie cyberware, the big guy still had no intention of stopping, swinging his large hammer and tearing through the air as it whistled down."Go to hell, you bastard!!!""Who's going to die, I wonder?"A strange smile appeared on David's face as he raised his fist to meet the falling heavy hammer.Clack! An explosion sounded, and a golden-yellow cartridge casing suddenly ejected from David's arm, spinning away.His fist accelerated through the propulsion force of the cartridge, gaining astonishing explosive power as it met the falling hammer head head-on.Boom——The violent sound of the explosion echoed throughout the Totentanz, and it could be heard clearly even outside.Even Falco, who was lying leisurely and comfortably in his seat, was startled, waking up instantly and casting his gaze toward the upper floor."What on earth happened?""I don't know, but David used that thing—that weird implant he installed."Through the surveillance cameras, Kiwi only saw a slightly shaking image and a burst of white light, having to guess the specific actual situation.Meanwhile, the explosion quietly echoed in the corridor.Rebecca and Julio hurriedly covered their ears.Clang——Such a sound suddenly came from ahead.An iron rod was seen falling down, rolling slightly on the ground.At the very front of the rod, one could clearly see the severe bending and deformation caused by the explosion, with traces of iron fragments still lingering on it.This was that hammer used for grinding.As for that big guy, his upper body had completely vanished, leaving only his lower body still stubbornly standing in place.Thick blood like ketchup slowly dripped from the ceiling above and the walls on both sides, mixed with a large amount of mechanical parts."Whoa~ So, so amazing..."Looking at the scene before him, Julio felt a chill run down his spine, deeply shocked in his heart.He didn't know what had happened, only that the moment David's fist collided with the iron hammer, it suddenly exploded like a flashbang.After coming back to his senses, everything before his eyes had already turned out like this.Yet David was sitting there completely unharmed, not even a single drop of blood staining his body."Is this a legendary figure of the Afterlife Bar..."Julio muttered involuntarily."Legend? Not really, I'm still far from it."David turned around, gave him a smile, and then picked up the jacket from Rebecca's arms and put it on.A legend or whatever—at least after taking down Adam Smasher could one be considered one.After all, Adam Smasher was the threshold of legends; if you hadn't fought him, you generally wouldn't be sung of as a legend of the Afterlife Bar.But similarly, those who were sung of usually ended up on the drink menu, and only Morgan Blackhandsurvived, his life or death still unknown to this day."No matter how many times I look at it, this implant feels so awesome." Rebecca suddenly praised."Well, thanks, if you want one, I can get you a set after a while.""That's a deal then, no going back on your word.""Of course."David smiled indifferently.In fact, he had this idea long ago: to fully arm his own team, but unfortunately, the funds on hand were temporarily insufficient, and he couldn't even piece together enough for one person, so it had to be temporarily shelved.Right now, they were just waiting for that cyberskeleton.At that time, they'd see how much it could actually sell for."That was the last one."Right at this moment, Kiwi's listless voice came through the comms: "There are still many people in the back room, and the rescue target is also there.""Got it." David responded casually, then suddenly changed the topic: "But speaking of which, Kiwi, what on earth is wrong with you? Did you do too much during the day and tire yourself out? Why are you so listless?""..."There was no response from the comms, only faint panting sounds could be heard.It seemed Kiwi was bottling up her anger."Hahahaha, David, you really dare to say anything." Rebecca immediately exposed Kiwi's bottom line: "As for Kiwi though, she's still an old virgin, yo, she's never done it before!""Oh? Is that so? That's really unexpected. She usually gives off such a mature older sister vibe, I thought she was an experienced veteran... Especially those two long legs, tsk tsk tsk, what a pity...""Shut up!"Before he could finish speaking, Kiwi's angry shout came through the comms.The two of them also chuckled twice and didn't continue talking.An old virgin getting angry is quite terrifying."Ahead, right? I got it, leave it to me!"However, just as they were trading dirty jokes with each other, classmate Julio suddenly blurted out a rapid-fire statement and rushed out excitedly.Boom——The hidden tripwire mine exploded, and the fierce shockwave blasted classmate Julio into Julio-chan.He blended harmoniously with that big guy from earlier, indistinguishable from one another.This series of maneuvers left Rebecca completely dumbfounded."What an idiot...""Sigh, like I said, you still have a lot to learn, classmate Julio... No, it's Julio-chan."Looking at the fresh ketchup, David also shrugged helplessly.It seemed to corroborate a saying circulating on the streets of Night City— "Live free, die randomly."But Julio-chan's death was primarily caused by his own lack of experience coupled with his own stupidity.That had nothing to do with him.Only Rebecca cast a suspicious glance at David.She remembered that when she first officially met David, David had addressed her the same way, calling her Rebecca-chan.Julio being blasted into sauce was understandable.But why did he call her Rebecca-chan back then?Her barren little brain couldn't figure out the answer.Shortly after, the two of them disarmed the surrounding traps while reaching the innermost room past the corner.With a loud boom!, the heavy door was forcibly torn open.Everyone inside involuntarily raised their heads, a glimmer of the desire to live inevitably welling up on their faces.The light shining through the crack seemed to bring hope of survival to the people kidnapped by Maelstrom inside.You have to know, many of them couldn't even afford a ransom."Which of you is Isabella Morgan, may I ask?"David's gaze swept roughly across the interior of the room; there were about a dozen people, a mix of both men and women."I... I am..."One of the yellow-haired girls stood up tremblingly, her face written full of fear."Mhm, very well, your father heard that you were kidnapped, so he sent us to rescue you. You're safe now."David spoke on his own accord, completely ignoring the girl's crying.He was only responsible for rescuing people, not for the hostages' psychological issues, let alone the fact that he wasn't a psychologist.Afterwards, he dialed Wakako's phone."How is it? Is the client still alive and kicking?""Alive and kicking. You can come pick her up now.""Great, her father is on his way right now, just hand her over in a bit. Your money... do you want it wired to you now? Or wait until you come over to my place to pick it up?""Wire it directly to me. Although Jig-Jig Streetinterests me too, you know how it is—your Tyger Claws guys don't welcome me."
Chapter 75"Hehe..." The cyber-widow who had outlived several husbands suddenly let out a laugh.This laughter carried a somewhat sarcastic tone."Alright then, I'll transfer the money to you right now."With that, Wakako hung up the phone, and David received the commission payment.However, he fell into deep thought."I always feel... like I forgot something?"PS: Recommending a bookQin Yuan traveled through to the Teyvat continent and turned into a Hilichurl. Fortunately, he had the Original Monster Wish System bound to him; as long as he worked hard, he could continuously grow stronger and finally purify the curse on his body to become human again.Today's Mission:A small step for the Traveler! Reward: 10 Primogems!Taking up the grand responsibility of monsters and avenging the cruel people of Teyvat is a duty we Hilichurls cannot shirk!Mondstadt: Steal Venti's white silk stockings, peek at Eula dancing.Liyue: Kidnapped Tianquan Ningguang, and shouted at Zhongli: "Morax, it's time to settle everything!"Inazuma: Pluck Yae Miko's fox hair, acknowledge the Raiden Shogun as the boss, and usurp Raiden Ei.Sumeru: Waiting for updates...The world is vast, where can we Hilichurls not go?The curse was actually lifted, sigh, then I'll live a more laid-back life from one day on.However, one day, Qin Yuan, who had just returned home, suddenly found that his house was already full!"Y-You guys, what are you doing? I'm just an ordinary Liyue citizen!""Thief, prepare to meet your maker!""Glacial Torrent", "Sword Draws the Shadow!", "Narukami Ogosho Eternal""Disappear with the wind!"69. Why does it feel like a defeated dog? (6K)In front of the Turbo restaurant in Japantown, they would still patronize it after completing commissions.Compared to the Afterlife Bar, this place was much more suitable for relaxing, while that side was only suitable for discussing business and outwardly displaying one's might.However, although the people gathering around were still the same bunch, things had changed and people had departed, leaving a bittersweet feeling.The original comedy duo Pilar and the onlooker Dorio had already retired, and now Rebecca had inherited that position.Truth be told, Rebecca and Pilar truly lived up to being siblings; their comedic talent seemed maxed out, and even just playing with a shotgun could crack everyone around them up with laughter.However, the former Maine had retired, and the team leader had also been changed to David.And in that former spot—on the front hood of the sports car—the beauty of the past was no longer to be seen."Tch, I still miss her quite a bit after just a day..." David sat on the flower bed, picked up the whiskey, and took a big gulp.Lucy's situation was still the same; she refused to return to the team for the time being."What do you mean you miss her quite a bit? Missing your little girlfriend again?"Right at this moment, Falco sat down beside him with a bottle of beer."Yeah, I really miss her after just a day..."It would be even better if she could come back...Thinking this, David couldn't help but look up at the neon-lit firmament and the tightly packed buildings resembling a fortress of steel.Without Lucy's company, it always felt like something was missing.However, all of David's reactions were taken in by Falco, who naturally also knew what David was thinking.He couldn't help sighing: "Being young is really great...""Young? Falco, you aren't that old either."Hearing this, David slightly glanced at Falco.Dressed like an English gentleman, honestly, he didn't look old at all; instead, he looked exceptionally energetic, solemn, and serious.Furthermore, this was Night City; age... was that really so important?Even if you casually ran into a doll in Jig-Jig Street or Kabukicho, they might be older than your grandmother.Not to mention those people from the Arasakafamily.Even Saburo Arasaka's little granddaughter—Michiko Arasaka—was already at the advanced age of 68, but on the surface, she looked like she was only in her twenties or thirties.However, upon hearing his words, Falco only smiled silently.Falco admitted that what David said was correct.But deep down, he had already accepted growing old..."Oh right, Falco, thank you." Suddenly, David said this."Thank you for what?""Of course it's thanking you for being able to help me, always bothering you to come and assist, Falco.""Hehe..." Falco chuckled, "Rather than that, I feel somewhat embarrassed that I earned this money so easily.""Hehe, a trustworthy and good driver is hard to come by, have some confidence, Falco."Hearing his words, Falco nodded as if in agreement, took a hearty gulp from his bottle, and then changed the subject: "However, there should be plenty of people wanting to cooperate with you right now; if anything, we should thank you for taking care of us old fellows..."Although Falco was the team's driver and didn't belong to the official members of the crew, he still knew quite a bit about David's affairs.After Maine and Pilar had their incident, this kid David joined MAX-TAC.But even so, David still took care of those old pals from before—Taking care of the lives of Pilar, Maine, and Dorio.Only, David didn't catch the subtext in Falco's words, and instead asked back: "You mean someone like Julio? That kind won't do."Then he waved his hand with a look of disgust: "That kind of newbie can't do anything, they'll only cause trouble."Only after saying this did he finally remember what he had forgotten to mention during his call with Wakako.It was that matter concerning Julio.However, looking at Wakako's attitude, she probably wouldn't care either...Regarding this, Falco also held the exact same view."Yeah, as for that guy, I knew he'd definitely mess things up the very first time I saw him...""So you see, an old hand like you wouldn't cooperate with a youngster like me unless you knew Maine, right?" David shrugged helplessly.Saying it like that wasn't wrong at all; that's just how the mercenary business was—the younger, the less reliable. Falco also admitted this point,"I must admit, when you first called me over, I didn't want to babysit some greenhorn."Although David was considered an outstanding existence among newcomers and was very qualified as an edgerunner.But most crucially, he had no reputation.In other words, he probably couldn't even maintain basic food and clothing, belonging to the type who lived meal to meal.However, he still chose right; David did not live up to his trust, completely making a name for himself within just a few months, even rivaling legends and receiving high praise in the industry."Ha... hahahaha..."The two looked at each other and involuntarily burst out laughing.Even David himself felt it was somewhat unbelievable.When he first came to Night City, his heart was filled with anxiety and a whole bunch of desires, living carefully within this Night City for fear that some sudden psycho would pop out and kill him.Ever since he first met Lucy and killed a cyberpsycho on the monorail for the first time, his life began to undergo massive changes.Everything became different, as if he had found his own path and his own light.Yet now, he had lost most of his desires, wanting only to properly protect the people around him and live well within this Night City.Perhaps in the future, he would choose to take some people and leave this city that was gold on the outside but rotten on the inside."But now, it's different..." Falco suddenly spoke up: "You've already walked further than Maine, but you still need to have your own bottom line, David...""Yeah, I know..." David picked up the bottle and took a gulping swig. The spicy liquor slid through his mouth and esophagus, burning his stomach with a fiery heat that caused a few tears to well up in his eyes."Sorry, I said some lecturing words relying on my seniority." Seeing his spirits seemed to drop, Falcoadded a sentence.But David shook his head: "No, thank you Falco, you're right, I do need some bottom line."Only, this bottom line had to be set by himself."Good." Falco looked somewhat gratified, slowly standing up and saying: "Then, contact me again when the next gig comes up.""Eh? Leaving already? Have another drink.""No, I'm already old and need to sleep early." Falcopointed at the time, "See you later, David... and Kiwi.""Goodbye..."A very familiar, listless, and lazy voice suddenly sounded, startling David so much that he instantly turned his head: "Holy shit, Kiwi, when did you show up?"This woman walked completely without any sound; at least he hadn't noticed at all.This woman was truly terrifying."Well, I was already there when you guys were talking about Julio-chan." Kiwi sat down beside him, crossed her little feet, and glanced at him slightly: "But hey, classmate David, what did you mean by what you said over the communicator earlier?""...!!!"Kiwi's nonchalant words made his body instantly stiffen. He reached out to scratch the back of his head and laughed foolishly: "Ah haha, nothing... It's just that thing, you know... a joke told to lighten the mood, hahaha."He hadn't expected this old woman to actually still remember those teasing remarks from back then."Is that so~"Kiwi didn't continue to press him further, just sitting there as if drinking soda, continuously sipping the liquor in the bottle through a straw.But come to think of it, this structure really is quite miraculous.He did know that Kiwi didn't have a mouth, but how on earth did she suck the liquor up through the straw?What kind of principle is this?"Honestly speaking, I didn't believe you could lead the team at first."Just as he was imagining the structural principle beneath the mask in his heart, Kiwi's voice came again: "Even though Dorio always praised you highly.""Then why did you choose to come help me?""Why..."That's a good question.It could be considered to have stumped Kiwi, who leaned back slightly, supporting her body with both hands while looking up at the night sky: "...Yeah, why on earth was it?"She herself didn't know why either.In the end, she only arrived at an answer that wasn't much of an answer."Perhaps, it was because of money...""Isn't that perfect?" David said with a smile, "I happen to need money too.""Yeah, we're all very short on money."Kiwi temporarily considered this explanation accepted, but her tone carried a profound meaning.However, deep down, she still looked quite favorably upon this youth, just didn't know how to express it.At least the fact that he was even more outstanding than Maine was beyond doubt.And he was much more stable than Maine...