Chapter 128However, the only unclear thing was this so-called artificial intelligence.Such things were very common in Night City, yet one could also say they were not common at all.Because the only common one was that Delamainwho ran a taxi company, considered the only artificial intelligence in Night City with independent consciousness.Aside from that, there was only Alt Cunningham, who was human before her death but forced to transfer into Cyberspace, as well as Johnny Silverhand's former teammate—Spider Murphy—and that legendary netrunner—Rache Bartmoss.The former came to the human world from beyond the Blackwall, while the latter three were humans during their lifetimes before becoming isolated beyond the Blackwall and transforming into AIs.As for why he thought of these things, it was because what Prophet Gary said during the day was truly concerning."Targeted by the lizardmen... If the lizardmen are Night Corp, then what is their purpose in targeting me?"Sitting on the sofa, gazing at the neon lights piercing the sky like pillars of light outside the window, his gaze gradually grew hazy.He couldn't figure it out, couldn't grasp it, and couldn't understand anything.It was simply because the intelligence on hand was too scarce, especially regarding Night Corp.Besides that, CD Projekt Red was also to blame for releasing Cyberpunk as a half-finished game, and the quests were so scattered that he had missed many, many missions.Most crucially, this was reality, not a game, and the trajectory of many things was not fixed.Just like him right now, his life had twisted into goodness knows what shape, and his future could be described as shrouded in thick fog, with no future in sight at all.This passive feeling was truly detestable, but it was equally full of challenges."David?"At that moment, a call from upstairs caught his attention. He turned his head to see a neatly dressed Lucy slowly walking down the stairs."Why didn't you call me when you got back, making me wait for you so long?"There was a hint of petty grievance in Lucy's voice, but her tone instantly shifted, teasing, "Why are you wearing such a frowning face? Your first day back to work... were you confessed to by your boss, that woman named Melissa?""...Stop joking with me, Lucy." David gave a bitter smile."Then what happened? Hurry up and tell me."As she spoke, the corners of Lucy's mouth curled into an attractive smile, revealing an expression that said "I'm very interested."Just like before, she was always interested in David getting the short end of the stick, even taking pleasure in it.Therefore, he sighed and told Lucy everything that had happened today."Ooh~"Lucy's expression gradually shifted from initial teasing to silence, and then she looked at him with a subtle gaze: "So, you think that Ms. Anna is a person from Night Corp?""Mn."David nodded: "Melissa has already admitted to this, but why Night Corp sent this person down, she isn't clear either."Not only that, according to what Prophet Gary said, it was as if all of this had been premeditated long ago.It felt as though he was enveloped in a massive conspiracy.Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that Anna was assigned to MAX-TAC as the clerical worker distributing tasks for his squad, and it just happened to be assigned this task by such coincidence, while Prophet Gary also happened to tell him so many hard-to-understand words?However, to say that Melissa and Night Corpconspired to frame him... he simply didn't believe this matter.Given Melissa's personality, it was completely impossible for her to cooperate with a corpo rat to frame her own subordinates; of this he was certain.However, that being said, he hadn't mentioned Prophet Gary's matter to Melissa, nor had he brought it up when meeting with Anna.Lucy could be considered the only one who knew, aside from Mower and Sasha.Yet with a corporation's efficiency, Anna probably already knew about it before he even returned to headquarters, right?"Speaking of which, Lucy, there is something I want to ask you.""Nani~?"Hearing this, Lucy gently tilted her head, her silver-white short hair cascading slightly with her movement."...It's just... how much do you know about rogue AIs?""Why are you suddenly asking about this?"Lucy was somewhat curious, "Could it be related to that Prophet Gary you mentioned?""Kind of... but there are also some of my own deductions in it, though these deductions can't be spoken of until they're verified.""You're still the same as before, David. Always liking to keep things so mysterious."Lucy smiled slightly, cast her gaze toward the night view outside the window, and slowly said, "Actually, regarding the existence of rogue AIs, I don't really know how to put it... However, you remember that legendary netrunner Rache Bartmoss, right?""Mn." David slowly nodded."Then everything from here on is easy to explain. This goes back to before Bartmoss used Daemons to destroy Cyberspace..."A look of reminiscence flickered in Lucy's eyes as she recalled being attacked by rogue AIs beyond the Blackwall, slowly recounting that dust-covered history from the past.Before Bartmoss destroyed the Net, there already existed some AIs with independent consciousness.For example, when Arasaka blew up the warships, they released a large number of self-aware AIs, causing the oceans to be filled with self-regenerating torpedoes, which practically severed sea routes.During the Fourth Corporate War, Militech and Arasaka hurled massive amounts of viruses into each other's networks. Bartmoss's ultimate virus was merely the catalyst that caused the Net Crash, forcing Netwatch to build the Blackwall and discard a global network containing massive amounts of knowledge.While discarding the global network that contained massive viruses, they established local networks instead.This was also the main reason why, even now in 2076, things like computers, TVs, and radios had not yet been phased out.Even large numbers of billboards could still be seen on the streets.And why Arasaka trained netrunners like Lucy to dive into Cyberspace and reach beyond the Blackwall to salvage that lost knowledge.That knowledge might look like mere abandoned relics of the old era, but it was likewise the foundation upon which this era's technology was built.It was as unremarkable as 1+1, yet a cornerstone that still could not be completely discarded.However, David still couldn't quite figure it out or understand it. Or rather, he understood too little about this world, causing many things to be impossible to connect.Perhaps finding Alt Cunningham through Johnny Silverhand might be able to answer some of his questions...Thinking of this, a plan formed in his mind once again, concerning these two dead people who had been dead for over fifty years.However, against Night Corp's subsequent actions, he had to be on guard. He would just let things take their course for now and see what tricks these fellows were really trying to pull."What's wrong? You look like you've figured something out, aren't you going to tell me about it?"Seeing David's look of quiet understanding, Lucy's interest was also considerably piqued.Ever since officially getting together with David, she gradually stopped resisting Cyberspace; even when she had nothing to do, she would choose to dive into it to look for some interesting things."Well... it's not really figuring it out, I still have a whole bunch of questions for the time being, but I have one last question I want to ask you."David suddenly turned his head to lock eyes with Lucy, his eyes filled with a serious expression."Nani~? What question?""It's just... do you want to join MAX-TAC?"Hearing this, the smile on Lucy's face gradually froze, but she still maintained a minimal smile: "Why?""Actually, it's not really a big deal of a reason. As you know, today I officially became the leader of the ad-hoc squad, and I've also discussed it with Melissa, allowing me to recruit some members to join on my own," David explained."No, you know that's not what I wanted to ask." Lucy shook her head. "What I mean is, compared to me, there should be people more suitable to join, right?""Like Rebecca; if you extend an invitation to her, she'd probably be very happy, right? Besides, your squad already has one netrunner now; normally speaking, you shouldn't need a second netrunner, right?""...I'll go invite Rebecca, but letting you join the squad isn't the primary purpose.""Then what is it for?""It's very simple. Having you join is nothing more than finding you a backing. With MAX-TAC's signboard shining right here, even if there's any trouble, it'll be easier to handle..."Speaking up to this point, David suddenly stopped his words, looked at Lucy, and continued, "Especially you, Lucy. Regarding the matter between you and Arasaka, even though Arasaka is currently undergoing a massive reshuffle, there's no guarantee they won't remember this matter, especially that bunch in the counter-intelligence department.""So, if possible, I still hope you can join MAX-TAC. That way, no matter what happens, Arasakawouldn't dare to make a blatant move."And the reason Arasaka had never made a move against David, aside from being targeted by various major corporations, also had this layer of factor in it.In Night City, no matter how large a corporation was, they were unwilling to provoke MAX-TAC."David..."Lucy softly called out David's name, her heart filled with emotion.She hadn't expected David to think of so much for her sake.These words flowed through her heart like a warm current, making her entire inner self feel warm.She involuntarily reached out and rested her hand on David's shoulder."What's wrong...?"When David came back to his senses and looked at Lucy, he found that her eyes were shimmering with a soon-to-overflow affection."Don't speak, kiss me."Lucy's action instantly stirred up the most primitive desires within his heart, and without a word, he pressed down upon her.He didn't know whether tonight's overly active thoughts stimulated hormone secretion or tugged at his nerves, making him feel so exhilarated after a long time, as if their souls were blending and their brains were trembling.Tonight was yet another sleepless, restless night.Just like that, dismissed? (10k words)Several more months passed, and Night City also ushered in the pivotal year of 2077, as if Arasaka Corporation's life had entered a countdown.However, regarding Night Corp, it was like a clay ox entering the sea—there was not the slightest news, nor any action, as if what Gary had said before was a scam.Anna also continued to stick to her clerical work, naggingly assigning him tasks through the communicator every day.Perhaps this really was a scam, but he still didn't dare to let down his guard.Night Corp was like a venomous snake hidden in a dark corner, not necessarily biting you at any given moment, perhaps just when you lowered your guard.As for why he thought this way, it was because he had considered conducting a relatively detailed investigation into Night Corp.Although nothing useful was uncovered, and even the internal structure wasn't clear, all the intelligence pointed to one point, recounting this company's mystery and unfathomable behavioral patterns.Aside from that, his ad-hoc squad members could be considered officially gathered.In addition to Lucy who had already agreed, Rebecca and Kiwi also joined in.Needless to say about Rebecca, upon hearing they could continue working together, she expressed great interest; as for Kiwi, he didn't know what she was thinking.Back then he had only asked casually, but he hadn't expected this woman to agree on the spot."Could this old woman have been subdued by my charm?"Inside the training ground, David gently stroked his chin, his gaze occasionally casting toward the other side of the training ground where Kiwi and Lucywere giving this group of members a crash course in netrunning knowledge.Although the two of them joined his squad, MAX-TAC also hired them as honorary instructors specifically to teach these guys netrunning techniques.Although there were a few netrunners in MAX-TACas well, their numbers were truly too scarce, failing to even reach one per team.Meanwhile, his ad-hoc squad was ridiculously rich in them, boasting a full three netrunners, and all of them were exceptionally competent ones.To enhance MAX-TAC's strength, the fellows in charge of management here made such a decision.Initially, they planned to hire Sasha as well, but Sasha refused on the grounds that her skills weren't quite up to par.After all, Sasha's ambitions didn't lie there; she had only come to help David.As for Mower? She was currently studying under Melissa.Melissa also liked this student very much, was very willing to mentor her, and even taught her everything she knew.Hopefully Mower wouldn't be groomed into a second Melissa.As for Rebecca, aside from going on missions usually or hanging around him, she immersed herself in the armory and the shooting range.To her, this place was simply paradise.No matter what exaggerated model it was, it could be found here; they were all her absolute favorites.Subsequently, David withdrew his gaze and raised his head to look at the ring in front of him.At that moment, two reserve members on the ring were practicing combat techniques, which mixed in some joint locks and grappling arts, along with hardcore philosophical combat—wrestling.Only, these two people's combat skills were truly a bit too horrific to watch, and calling it a street fight wouldn't be an exaggeration at all.It made him unable to help covering his eyes, reluctant to look, but in the end, he still chose to step in and correct them.
Hey, your punches are so limp, where did all your strength go?! Are the implants in your bodies picked up from a garbage dump?! Did you feed everything I just taught you to the dogs?!"David reached out and slapped the ring, making loud thumping noises, and his noisy shouting immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the training ground.But after seeing that the person was David, they went back to doing their own things.Now David could also be considered a team leader, a qualified and excellent MAX-TAC officer, and naturally had the responsibility of teaching newcomers.If he couldn't teach these people well, then the sole designated instructor of MAX-TAC, Melissa, would teach them, and she would drag him, the team leader, along with them.Therefore, for the sake of his slacking-off lifestyle, he still had to properly teach these two newcomers.But... aren't these guys a bit too slow?"How many times have I said it, kill with one strike! Kill with one strike! Go for your opponent's life, don't give them a single second of breathing room! Snap their necks, smash their heads!!""Don't be afraid of hurting your own people, the medical department here is on standby at all times, even if you die they can revive you! So hit like your life depends on it, dammit!""And you! Are your legs just there to look good?! You don't need them for long distances, and you don't need them for short distances! Look at how much thicker your thighs are than your arms! Stick them out and kick his balls to pieces, dammit!!"David's Spartan-style education made some of the newly arrived team members shrink their necks, thankful that they didn't get stuck with this devilish instructor, otherwise they would surely be played to death.At the same time, they offered three seconds of silent prayer for the guys in the ring.But little did they know, Melissa's teaching was dozens of times more terrifying than his; she would actually climb up onto the ring and throw hands, not just shout from below.And his whole repertoire of rhetoric was entirely learned from Melissa.Usually, Melissa taught them this way, so over time, he learned it too.Not gonna lie, it feels damn good.Compared to being chewed out, he still preferred chewing others out.Just at this moment, a phone call suddenly came in, displaying a skull icon."Jackie? Why is he calling me at this time?"He glanced at the sky outside the window, which had already darkened, looked at the communication interface, and slowly walked to the side of the training ground to answer it."Hey, Jackie, what's up contacting me at this time? Is it because we haven't seen each other much lately that you missed me?""Haha, true, I actually do miss you a bit." Jackie's rough, loud laughter came through the phone, "But I'm not calling you to drink today, there's some serious business.""What business? A gig?""Yeah, it's a big job.""Oh? Let's hear it."Upon hearing that it was a big job, a smile appeared on David's face.Could it be about the Relic?If it were about stealing the Relic, he would be very willing to help. Aside from wanting to save Jackie, the Relic was also a bit useful to him.He needed to use this thing to talk with the Voodoo Boys."One of my good buddies got into some trouble. It's hard to explain the details over the phone, we need to meet and talk.""OK, where?""Then let's meet up at Lizzies Bar, see you in a bit."The call was hung up just like that, yet a trace of doubt appeared on his face."Lizzies Bar? Looks like it's not the Relic... probably. But what else could it be?"David leaned against the wall and muttered to himself."What are you talking about, David? What Relic?"Suddenly, Lucy's voice reached his ears.He saw that Lucy and Kiwi had already come up to him, and the classes they were responsible for teaching had ended who-knows-when."You guys done over there?""Yeah, it's over, we should be leaving in a bit," Kiwinodded and replied.However, Lucy wouldn't let go of the Relic he mentioned, "Don't try to change the subject, hurry up and tell me, what Relic? And you're going to Lizzies Bar?""Yeah, Jackie just called me, saying he found a gig for me, I'll go check it out later.""Oh~ Jackie..." Lucy's voice was somewhat meaningful."What? Is there a problem?""Nothing~" Lucy waved her hand, and casually added, "Remember to stay away from those young girls of the Moxes~""Uh... am I that untrustworthy?"Hearing this, David felt a bit awkward.The Moxes indeed had a very good relationship with him, but he wouldn't be so desperate, right?"What do you think?"Lucy gave him a subtle look, and then pointedly cast her gaze toward Rebecca coming out of the shooting range, Mower coming out of the office, and Sashapacking up her things.She wasn't sure about others, but these three definitely had favorable feelings toward David.Especially Rebecca, who didn't bother to hide it at all and had even expressed affection for David multiple times right in front of her.As for Captain Melissa, they hadn't interacted for very long and weren't too sure yet, but she was also a suspect.Never question a woman's intuition; when it comes to catching cheaters, they are like Sherlock Holmes.But then again, in this day and age, things in this aspect had also become very subtle, and David's excellence was obvious to all.She could accept these few people, but those young girls from the Moxes were absolutely out of the question!But David didn't know mind-reading, nor did he know what Lucy was thinking, which only made him more awkward and helpless.To be fair, he didn't mean to...Otherwise he wouldn't still be playing dumb until now.So he responded weakly, "...Yes, yes, yes, I understand, then I'll get going first...""Mmhmm~ Have a safe trip~"Watching David's figure gradually receding, Lucysmiled and waved goodbye.However, when he walked to the door, a figure unsurprisingly blocked his path."David Martinez, it is not off-duty time yet, you cannot leave your post."Anna, who suddenly appeared, reached out to block his way."..."David stared at the woman in front of him with deadpan eyes for a few seconds, and said indifferently, "Step aside.""Hey hey hey, look, David's clashing with that chick Anna again.""Ho ho, grab your stools quick, dinner and a show.""I wonder how David's going to deal with that chick today..."The training team members all stopped what they were doing, putting on expressions of spectators watching a good show.Rebecca and Sasha naturally also saw Annacausing trouble for David.Although they were already used to it, they still intended to step forward and reason with her, but they were pulled back by Lucy and Mowerrespectively.Their matters were best resolved by themselves; if they went over too, it would obviously be bullying."David Martinez, you are violating regulations.""Ha, violating regulations?"Anna's righteous words amused him. He shook his head with a smile, "Miss Anna, the regulations you speak of are meant to bind official members, but I am merely a humble external member, and I don't need to abide by those goddamn regulations.""You can go confirm this with Melissa.""So, now get out of my way!"He no longer wanted to chatter with this woman, roughly pulled her aside, and walked out.The conflict between him and Anna wasn't just a day or two old.Ever since that day's mission, the relationship between him and Anna had become very subtle. Although there was no deep enmity between the two of them, they were practically enemies.This woman Anna always liked to use rules to bind people when she had nothing better to do.But, was he someone who could be bound by rules?Mere rules were meant to be broken.What's more, as an external member, where did all this endless bullshit come from?When he joined MAX-TAC, Melissa had also agreed to this: because he was a mercenary, he could leave to work at any time, and could even go without showing up at headquarters for a period of time.Showing up every day now was already generous enough, and she still wanted to bind people with so-called rules?All I can say is, there's way too much bullshit.Soon, he took a roadside taxi and arrived in front of Lizzies Bar in Watson.This was the money sink of the Moxes. It could be said that this was the most profitable place for the entire Mox gang, which was also the main reason why the Tyger Claws came looking for trouble time and again.Because the Tyger Claws had Clouds in their hands, which was one of the most cutting-edge entertainment venues for the rich.Therefore, they still wanted to expand their business among the poor, thus setting their sights on the booming Lizzies Bar.But now, hampered by David covering this place, the number of times the Tyger Claws came to make trouble had decreased a lot, basically once or twice a month.Unlike before, when they came to cause trouble almost every few days.This also gave the girls of the Moxes a great deal of affection for him as a "hero", just like right now."Hey, David, how come you have time to come over today? Do you want to experience our newly arrived braindance~"Before he even stepped inside, the security guard standing at the door—a girl holding a baseball bat—started pitching the services inside Lizzies Bar to him.However, the experience they spoke of didn't cost money—to be precise, they didn't charge him money."No thanks, I came here on serious business today, a friend of mine is waiting for me inside."David smiled and declined the other's proposal, but upon hearing that he was looking for a friend, the girl fell into a few seconds of contemplation, as if recalling something."Oh, I know, you're looking for that big guy, right? He's in the booth on the first floor, you can see it as soon as you go in.""Thanks.""You're welcome, remember to come play often~"The Mox girl smiled and cleared the path for him to enter.He had been here with Jackie before, so the people here remembered Jackie's appearance.However, as soon as he walked through the door, he saw the receptionist pointing out the direction for him.The moment he stepped into the first floor of Lizzies Bar, the loud DJ beat hammered against his eardrums. Under the colorful, debauched neon lights, customers in groups of twos and threes twisted their bodies on the dance floor, and the central seating area was packed with people wearing braindance equipment on their heads, experiencing the braindances provided by Lizzies Bar.The business model of Lizzies Bar was completely different from the Afterlife.Although both were places frequently patronized by their group of cyberpunks, the Afterlife was a place to talk business, while Lizzies was for relaxing.If you were willing, doll services were also provided here.Right in the hidden private rooms on the first floor.However, in the corner of the first-floor bar, he saw a familiar big bulk waving at him."Hey, David, over here!"He walked through the swaying crowd on the dance floor and walked into the corner booth."Long time no see, Jackie. How have you been lately?""Don't mention it."As soon as this was asked, Jackie's face was full of sorrow, "The kids from the Valentinos and Maelstrom have been clashing fiercely lately. As long as you don't get beaten to death, there's loads of cash to be made.""Sigh, you know how it is, it's all just bullshit."Although Jackie had quit the Valentinos long ago, he still cared a lot about gang matters.
Chapter 130After all, no matter what, the blood flowing in his body was Heywood's, and even if you left the gang, the friendship of the Valentinos would follow you all the way to the grave.To some extent, the Valentinos were also the most loyal in Night City."Anyway, thanks, David. If it weren't for you a few months ago, those kids from the Valentinos would probably have been beaten up really badly by the 6th Street Gang sonsofbitches.""Eh, it's nothing, I just happened to get a mission from headquarters."David smiled, picked up the drink on the counter, and downed it in one gulp."Tch, tequila with grenadine and lime again..."The sourness sliding down his throat made his face twist slightly."Haha, still not used to it?""Of course, only you like this kind of taste."David put the glass back on the counter, then waved at the waitress, signaling her to bring a bottle of whiskey.Among all the drinks, whiskey was the one that satisfied him the most.Although the taste was equally strong, he really liked the mixed flavors of caramel, vanilla, or toffee in it."Talk about yourself. You look pretty exhausted. You've been busy these past few months, right?""Yeah, very busy."David rubbed the bridge of his nose and slowly relaxed his body against the sofa."It's probably because some corporation is about to make a big move, so security is being stepped up.""Hmm... Regarding this, I did hear some gossip."After hesitating for a moment, Jackie chose to share the news he heard with him: "I heard that recently, Saburo's son, Yorinobu Arasaka, is coming to take over the business in Night City.""Really? Is it really Yorinobu Arasaka?"As soon as he heard the name Yorinobu Arasaka, he wasn't sleepy anymore.With this guy coming, it meant that the Relic wasn't far away."No doubt about it, I have first-hand insider information.""Your insider information is your good buddy V, right?"David glanced sideways at the big guy beside him, but Jackie wasn't embarrassed at all; instead, he generously admitted it."That's right, it's V.""Heh..."David couldn't help laughing, then seemed to think of something, and quickly said, "Wait, you didn't look for me today because of V's business, right?""Don't blame me for not telling you, you know the mess between me and Arasaka isn't settled yet. I don't want to bring any more trouble upon myself, otherwise the Captain won't let me off.""Haha, I really can't hide anything from you..."Jackie gave a foolish, silly chuckle and scratched his head: "But don't worry, V's gig definitely isn't troublesome, and the pay is generous!""Really?""Really! It's not like we're asking you to kill Saburoor Yorinobu, don't worry.""...It would be great if we really killed these two, and wiped out Hanako Arasaka and Michiko Arasakaalong the way."That way all the trouble would directly vanish, and the rest could be left to other corporations.However, he didn't say these words to Jackie, just thinking about it in his heart.Right at this moment, the waitress had already brought over the drinks, and at the same time, a stunning beauty walked down the stairway of Lizzies Bar.Her attire was completely out of place with the people here, and even the people brushing past her showed disgusted looks, but the woman didn't seem to care about other people's gazes, walking straight toward them."Hey, V, you're finally here, we've been waiting for you!"Jackie opened his arms to welcome the approaching woman.However, V's expression wasn't looking too good."What's with the heavy frown on your mind, come tell us about it.""..."V didn't answer, instead casting her gaze onto David beside them, furrowing her brows slightly: "Why is he here?""What, not welcome?"David poured himself a glass of wine, returning a polite smile."V, don't be like that, we're all brothers here, and I called David over to help you out together."Jackie acted as a peacemaker in the middle. Speaking of which, the conflict between V and David mainly stemmed from Arasaka.If Arasaka weren't sandwiched in the middle, he estimated that these two would definitely become good friends.V also gave Jackie a lot of face. After staring at David for a moment, she stepped out with her slender legs again, her sharp high heels clicking on the floor as she walked over to the booth and sat down."Long time no see, Jackie.""Indeed long time no see, ever since we had a drink here a few months ago, we haven't seen each other since."The two of them started making small talk.David had no intention of joining in, just sitting there quietly drinking.From time to time, he looked toward the door on the first floor of the bar leading to the private rooms, thinking.Should he go say hi to Judy?But after thinking about it, he gave up.If he looked for Judy now, he definitely wouldn't be able to get out for a while, and there was still V's matter here."Alright, today isn't for idle chat, let's talk about your business."The two finished their small talk.But V delivered a warning: "Let me make this clear... Only the three of us can know about this, and no one else can find out."While speaking, V didn't forget to glance at David a few times, and her words were very clear—meant precisely for David to hear."Por supuesto. (Of course.)""I'm serious... This matter could ruin me."Seeing Jackie's relaxed expression, V's voice grew a bit heavier."Are you still doubting me? It's not like you don't know me, buddy has kept secrets for you before.""Remember that thing at the Mexican border? If I leaked a single word...""I know, you saved my life..."V picked up the thread and cast her gaze onto David again, "But you also know I'm not talking about you."She could definitely trust Jackie, but David...Honestly speaking, she had too few interactions with David, and the last incident had also caused her to be delayed in Night City for a long time. Failing to resolve the Frankfurt matter in time resulted in her boss not getting the position of Special Operations Director, but instead that bitch Abernathysuccessfully taking over.It was also because of this matter that she appeared here.It could be considered that David indirectly affected her."Oh, you mean David..."Jackie showed a sudden realization, "But don't worry, it's not like you don't know him. There's still a huge conflict between him and Arasaka, and David's character is beyond reproach; he will definitely keep the secret for you.""Can't you trust my guarantee as your dear Jackie?"Although Jackie looked silly on the surface, he saw things very clearly.Especially V's guard and worry toward David, he understood all of it, which was why he never explicitly pointed it out.The most crucial point was that Jackie letting David participate in this matter was actually hoping to reconcile the conflict between David and V.He didn't want his best friends to act like mortal enemies.For Arasaka, it wasn't worth it."Fine..."V chose to compromise, took a shard out from her bosom and handed it over, "Data shard—take a look."Jackie took the shard, but didn't plug it in right away; instead, he turned around and asked, "Otherwise... you look first?""Forget it, you look first."David waved his hand, rejecting the proposal."All right then, let your dear Jackie see what is actually inside..."Jackie inserted the shard into the slot, and a blue light flickered in his eyes as he browsed the data."Mm... mm... holy shit..."After taking a rough look at the contents inside, Jackie pulled out the shard and handed it to David: "You take a look too."Then he turned back around and said, "The pay for this gig can't be small, and it has to be traded covertly—no transfers accepted, cash only."Seeing Jackie turn somewhat serious, he became a bit curious about the contents inside.However, this shard seemed to carry a faint, inexplicable fragrance and body temperature. Could it be from V's body?He glanced slightly at the stunning beauty wearing work clothes, and then plugged in the shard.As for the contents inside... how should he put it? He could only say V was truly daring.The data inside was all about Arasaka's upper management, specifically Special Operations Director Susan Abernathy.This included biometrics, Trauma Team cards, and even accounts opened by Abernathy at the Night City Credit Union, Mamer Bank, and Matterhorn Swiss Bank.In addition to that, there were security arrangements around her, as well as information on her lover and husband.One was named Claudette Daliso, 25 years old, a department director of Kang Tao's North American branch, who had a two-year affair with Susan.The other was named Raphael Daliso, 35 years old, a department director of Zetatech's Special Operations Department. He had been married to Susan for four years and discovered she was having an affair.These two guys looked like they might even be relatives or brothers.I have to say, this bitch was really formidable, no matter from what perspective.One was Kang Tao, the other was Zetatech, and somehow she had people in both..."What do you think, David."When he removed the shard, Jackie and V had already finished chatting over there, both casting their gazes toward him."Emmm... Are we taking her out? If we're taking her out, it's indeed a bit tricky.""Right? That's why it's a good thing we brought in a professional like you, but I guess we'll also need... a netrunner with a super-brain, and a driver who dares to street race in hell..."Jackie's words were already very obvious.This gig fucking wasn't something a human would do; no matter who you replaced it with, nobody would dare take it.If this actually succeeded, the ones provoked wouldn't just be Arasaka, but also Kang Tao and Zetatech."Sorry, Jackie, the situation is delicate, and this matter is indeed tricky, I know. That's why I need to find people I can trust." V also wore a troubled expression."So, how much are you planning to pay?" David suddenly chimed in, catching V off guard: "What did you say?""I said, how much are you planning to pay to take out this Susan Abernathy? A conservative estimate wouldn't go below a few million, because a Special Operations Director is worth that price."David picked up his glass, took a sip to moisten his throat, and continued, "And this is just an assassination operation, no need to think so much about it, just charge right through.""Yeah, Así es (That's right), there's fucking nothing delicate about this relationship, sister." Jackie also chimed in to agree.But even so, the melancholy on V's face never dissipated: "Jackie, you know Arasaka's rules... Oh, OK, maybe you don't.""When a contract like this gets dropped on me, I can't refuse.""But I can, and David can too. And since I'm refusing now, you should refuse too."Jackie didn't leave V any face at all.Anyone with eyes knew that this fucking gig was a suicide mission.Assassinating Arasaka's Special Operations Director?
Chapter 131"Is that a death wish?""Come on, let's grab a few drinks and talk about life, alright?"Jackie Welles picked up a glass that had already been set on the counter and handed one to V, "Double tequila with grenadine and lime. Drink this, and all your troubles will be forgotten.""But…"V did not take the glass, hesitation still lingering on her face; she wanted to try again.But right at that moment, David Martinez spoke up again, "No more buts. Nobody in Night City is going to take this job, not even me. The difficulty is too high and it's too messy; you'll end up getting yourself killed."He wasn't afraid of fighting Arasaka, but he didn't want to get dragged into Arasaka over something like this.What's more, this woman had a Zetatech husband and a Kang Tao lover.This truly affects the whole body."And… do you really think something like internal Arasaka personnel wanting to assassinate an Arasaka Special Operations Director can be completely airtight? You should know that there are no airtight walls in this world; who knows, tomorrow you might end up dumped in the Watsondocks.""What do you mean?" V expressed confusion."It's very simple… Look over there, someone's already here looking for you."David Martinez gestured to the side.Both of their gazes turned over there, only to see a few men in suits walk in and head toward their booth."¡Dios mío! (Oh God!), sis, looks like they really came for you.""You, is your name V?"The agent sent by Arasaka walked straight up to V and asked.But V didn't answer, looked at the agent in front of her for a moment, and instead asked, "You're sent by Arasaka headquarters. Any problems? Is it about Frankfurt?"Even now, she still didn't believe what David Martinez said about it being impossible to keep airtight.After all, she had only accepted this job for less than two hours, how could it be so fast…"We're here for you.""Jenkins assigned you a task today, and we need to know all the relevant details."The Arasaka agent said in an unrefusable tone."Name and department, say it again? Didn't catch that clearly just now."However, the moment those words fell, V's vision began to blur, just like an old television malfunctioning, the image in front of her tearing apart."... Ugh… Damn…""How does it feel? Dizzy or not? Hm?"Orange light was glowing in the Arasaka agent's eyes.It was just that this wasn't uploading a Daemon, it was purely a privilege operation."Your access privileges to the corporate network have now been officially revoked.""Two minutes later, any of your corporate-related network devices will also be forcibly shut down. Finally, hand over the data Jenkins gave you, and the dismissal process will be officially completed."The man's voice carried not a trace of emotion, falling like a heavy hammer to deliver the final judgment for the woman in front of him.Yet V's head was still dizzy, feeling like none of this was real.But when she tried to access the Arasaka network, what was displayed was Access Denied.All of this was real.In just a single instant, she had lost everything.Including her former position at Arasaka, her Trauma Team platinum membership, and all her bank accounts being completely cancelled.Although V was also an Arasaka agent, and a senior one at that, it was obvious that the guy in front of her had a much higher privilege level."How the fuck… did you guys find out?""You don't need to know that."The man slowly bent down, "Hand over the data, hurry up!""…"V hesitated for a moment, but still chose to obediently hand over the data shard: "The information is all in here.""Hmph, smart choice."The Arasaka agent snatched the shard away and handed it to his subordinate for confirmation.After looking at it, the subordinate nodded, indicating that the contents were the same as in the intel."… Are we good?""Procedurally speaking, yes."The man said perfunctorily, an inexplicable smile appearing on his face: "If we were to also help Abernathy get rid of scum like you, she'd probably give us a bit more pay…""Hey, that's about enough."David Martinez suddenly spoke up to interrupt the man and grabbed the hand the man had extended toward V: "Spare others where you can, you've already gotten what you wanted. Cut her some slack, how about it?""Who the fuck are you?"The man broke free from David Martinez's restraint, and his two subordinate guards each pulled out their pistols and aimed them at David Martinez."Whoa, whoa, did you guys forget whose turf this is?"Jackie Welles also pulled out his pistol, pressing it against the forehead of one of the guards, "The food here doesn't suit your tastes, eating it might be bad for your health, ¿Queda claro? (Understood?)"Meanwhile, the people who had just been twisting in the dance floor saw the hair-trigger situation about to break out into a firefight and instantly scattered.And the people from the Moxes also ran in one after another, pulling out their weapons and aiming at the three guys from Arasaka."How about it? Still planning to make a move?"David Martinez was still sitting in the booth, looking playfully at the armed man in front of him."Of course, you can also choose to fire, but the moment you shoot, you'll also be riddled with bullets by everyone else. What's your choice?"In his eyes, things like pistols had already become toys.Unless it was some weird large-caliber pistol, there was simply no need to be afraid.Moreover, even if this man chose to fire, whether he could kill him was another story entirely."You dare threaten me?""So what if I threaten you?""…"This time the man didn't respond, instead falling into silence, thinking and weighing the pros and cons.However, the youth's composure in front of him made him somewhat uncertain; a guy this calm surely had some kind of backing that wasn't something they could casually provoke.After a brief thought, the man withdrew his pistol."Hmph, I'll let you off the hook today, let's go."So after dropping a harsh remark, he left without looking back.Seeing them leave, everyone put down their weapons."Sorry, caused you guys trouble."David Martinez expressed his thanks to the people of the Moxes, but those girls waved their hands: "Don't mention it, David, you've helped us even more."The girls offered their smiles one after another, then turned and left, leaving the place to them."Holy shit, you're actually this close with the girls from the Moxes?"Seeing their graceful postures and soul-capturing tones, Jackie Welles's voice carried a hint of envy."Alright, stop envying, careful I tell Misty.""Don't! Please don't!"Jackie Welles was so scared he quickly waved his hands, and his tone suddenly shifted: "Since you're so close with the Moxes, why didn't you keep that bunch of son-of-a-bitches behind just now?""…"Hearing this, David Martinez rolled his eyes at the big guy and sighed helplessly: "Sigh… Are you an idiot? Among those few people, there were some with an even higher status than your good buddy V, and they were sent by Abernathy. If you really kept them here, do you think Lizzie's would still be able to stay open?""Haha, true…"Once it was put that way, he reacted and realized that was indeed how it was.However, right at that moment, V, who hadn't seemed to have any major issues just a second ago, suddenly let out a cry of pain and fell to the ground with a thump!"Hey, V, you alright? How do you feel?""I… I can't catch my breath…"Fair hands clutched her own throat, as if doing so could make her feel a bit better."Relax, she's fine, her hormone circulator, biometric monitor, and data analysis system were just cut off. Her body still needs some time to adapt, right now it's just a similar withdrawal reaction, she'll be fine after resting a bit."David Martinez, squatting beside V, checked the woman's condition and said.But the next second, as if thinking of something, the corners of his mouth curved into a playful arc as he said: "See, Valerie, I told you long ago that we'd meet as fellow cyberpunks. Wasn't I right?""… Don't… don't call me by that name… we're not that close… Call, call me V…"Having become like this, V was still persistent about this point.Hearing this, David Martinez helplessly shrugged, reached out to grab V's palm, and pulled her up."Alright, V, then welcome to the big family of cyberpunks.""What are you guys talking about?"The clueless Jackie Welles expressed utter bewilderment.Chapter 96: A vacation earned by ability, why not take it! (6K)In the following half year, led by Jackie Welles and David Martinez, V experienced life in Night City.Sometimes street firefights, shuttling through a hail of bullets; sometimes immersed in the neon lights and decadent luxuries.That being said, most of the time, the moment David Martinez showed his face, the other party was already scared pissing their pants.After all, right now the name David Martinez and the weight of being a Night City legend were things anyone who wasn't a fresh greenhorn could understand.This also indirectly led to V and Jackie Welles's smooth rise along the way, making quite a name for themselves in this city of desire within just half a year.The streets were whispering that Jackie Welles and V were newcomers David Martinez was preparing to groom, but in reality they were just friends.The speed at which their reputation blew up made Jackie Welles find all of this incredible.Clearly half a year ago, he was still a nobody whose name wasn't even known, not even qualified to step through the doors of the Afterlife.Besides this, a heaven-shaking piece of news came regarding Arasaka.The local emperor Saburo Arasaka's son—Yorinobu Arasaka—had now arrived in Night City to take over headquarters and assume office.As for the timing… just one month after V was almost dumped into the docks.However, that being said, the number of times he accompanied V and Jackie Welles on gigs wasn't that many either.In these six months, it was only a dozen-odd times.Most of the time he still had his own life.Just like what Stanley, the host on the radio who was always so excited, said—"Hello, Night City.""I am your dear old friend Stanley, our city of dreams is starting another long day.""I love this city like you love your mom. But today we're not going to talk about the crappy little things in Night City, instead we're switching to chat about another topic.""Let's chat about a figure who has been famous in Night City for a long time.""There are legends as numerous as ox hairs in Night City, so do you know where they all flock together?""In the graveyard."
Chapter 132"Anyway, the guy we're talking about today is also a legend. He goes by many titles—the Arasaka Bane, Gang Meat Grinder, Off-duty MAX-TAC Member, Cyber-psycho, and so on.""Hearing this, I bet his name is already on the tip of your tongue.""That's right, it's the poster boy of Night Citymercenaries, MAX-TAC's new ace, and Night City's only living legend—David Martinez!""His life has been so extraordinary, with tales of his deeds echoing everywhere, striking terror into every gang in Night City, and even making the well-trained Trauma Team tremble in fear.""If you possess any expensive cyberware implants, make sure this legend never spots you.""Otherwise, your corpse will definitely be dug out of some trash heap the next day.""So, how does such a dazzling legend spend his week?""Day One: Accompanying his young girlfriend.""Day Two: Accompanying his other young girlfriend.""Day Three: Staying at home watching braindances.""Day Four: Staying at home watching braindances.""Day Five: A day of self-reflection.""Day Six: Back to staying at home watching braindances.""Day Seven: He finally steps outside—because he ran out of braindances and needs to buy new ones.""That's right, his week is just that unproductive, but everyone has their own way of living.""After all, becoming a legend like this isn't built on hard work, but on brains. Only a sharp mind keeps you alive in the long run!""Fame brings peril. The harder you play, the shorter you live. Who knows, someone might blow off the top of your skull tomorrow.""In our neck of the woods, heroes aren't judged by their origins.""It all depends on whether you can carve out your own path.""This is Night City.""This is the City of Dreams.""...Fuck, I'm not that fucking terrible."David tossed aside the remote control in his hand.Staring with dead-fish eyes, he leaned against the sofa completely naked. The afternoon sunlight shone through the floor-to-ceiling window onto his body, causing his sensors to transmit waves of comfortable signals to his brain.It was obvious he had just crawled out of bed."Hehe, you only have yourself to blame for insisting on taking that interview. Besides, you acted just like that during it. At least the radio station reported the truth without badmouthing you."Lucy teased with a smile."Tch, you can't blame me for that! Who knew they'd pick my break time for the interview? After finally getting a hard-earned day off, shouldn't I rest up properly? Am I supposed to run around taking gigs and patrolling like usual? Where's the justice in that? Where's the humanity?!""Hehe, a hard-earned day off, huh..."Lucy's voice sounded subtle, her eyes gleaming with amusement as she looked at him.David had changed. He had become lazy, no longer the hotheaded kid who risked his life taking gigs every single day.However, the "hard-earned" break he spoke of was enough to drop the jaws of Night City's citizens.Who had ever seen someone work for half a month and take half a month off?In this dog-eat-dog era, working 8 to 9 six days a week was a blessing, 24/7 was routine, and getting one day off a month was something to be eternally grateful for. And he wanted half a month off?Keep dreaming.Aside from David, in the entire MAX-TAC... no, in all of Night City, you couldn't find a second person who dared to take time off like this.If you asked why, it was the perk of being an auxiliary member.That's right, their entire squad had this privilege, but he was the only one who actually did it."Tch, I earned this vacation through my own capability, why shouldn't I take it? It's your problem if you don't take yours."David twitched his lips, leaning back against the sofa with his arms behind his head in an indifferent posture, before starting his grumbling mode: "And what's with that 'don't let me spot your expensive cyberware' nonsense? Frankly speaking, when have I ever done such a thing?"Frankly speaking, he really hadn't done that in a long time—because those things were way too cheap to be worth his time."Even during that business trip to Charter Hill, it was only because those dumbasses had a death wish, daring to talk back and boss around MAX-TAC.""What, MAX-TAC doesn't care about its pride? Melissa should've kicked them right in the nuts!"The incident in Charter Hill he mentioned was actually quite simple: a few rich guys were dissatisfied that he had damaged their AVs, tossed a few harsh insults, and "politely greeted" the late Gloria along the way.Unable to stomach it, David raised his hand and blew them away.Before leaving, under the dumbfounded gazes of the rookie team members, he didn't forget to dig out their shard chips, cash, and cyberware to destroy the evidence, claiming to HQ that it was just collateral damage.A thoroughly practiced routine.This kind of thing was normal for MAX-TAC, and normally in a place like Night City, no one dared to boss MAX-TAC around.But people with brains were scarce, and these guys were classic brainless fools.However, it had to be said that the folks living in the upper echelon of Night City were indeed filthy rich.It was precisely because of this incident that the sudden windfall allowed David to finally scrape together enough money to purchase the Ex-Machinacyberware implant, successfully buying an Analytical Unit plugin just like Schwi's.Although its performance was less than 32% of a combat unit's, the unique analysis system was extremely useful—and even so, it was practically dimensional suppression for this world.But unlike Schwi, after the installation was complete, he didn't have exposed mechanical parts or a little tail; he looked virtually no different from before.If forced to point out a difference, his synthetic skin seemed a tad bit tougher, and a few new armaments had been integrated into his mind.However, it was missing the most important one: the spatial transfer ability known as Vector Change.According to the system's description, it wasn't unlocked because this world couldn't withstand him messing around like that.Even though that was the ability he looked forward to the most, thinking he wouldn't even need a car to travel in the future...Clearly, he had overthought it.Besides that, the biggest change in him was his eyes.His originally black eyes had now turned red, like magnificent, flawless rubies."Alright, alright, I know it wasn't your fault."Lucy gently placed her slender finger on his lips, stopping his rambling.Her man was amazing, and knowing that was enough.As for his reputation outside or whatever rumors were flying around, none of it mattered to her.At most, she treated them as little spiced-up entertainment for daily life, never taking them to heart.Thinking of this, she slowly slithered up from the couch, coiling around him like a seductive serpent.The extensive skin-to-skin contact gave David a sudden shiver. A familiar flutter arose in his chest, making him restless and stirred up.Looking closely into his eyes, hers were filled with affection.Just as their heartbeats sped up and their breathing drew closer, a phone call suddenly rang in, interrupting the fierce battle they were about to engage in.And both of them received a call at the exact same time."Ignore it."David glanced casually at the caller ID; it was Wakako Okada calling, but he had no intention of answering.Lucy, however, shook her head: "Can't. It's Mainecalling."Saying that, Lucy released David, sat back on the couch, and answered the call, not forgetting to light a cigarette for herself."Hello, Maine, it's me...""Tsk, why is Maine suddenly calling at a time like this..."Watching Lucy talk with Maine, he checked his phone and saw that Wakako Okada's call was still ringing.So he got up, pushed open the glass door, walked outside, leaned on the railing, and answered the call."Hello, Mrs. Wakako, is there something going on, calling me at this hour?""David, I have a gig here. I wonder if you're interested."The familiar raspy, slow-paced voice came through the phone, sounding half-dead, like a candle flickering in the wind about to go out any second."What kind of gig?""It's about corporate employee Sandra Dorsett. She was kidnapped by Scavengers. I need your help to rescue her, and the pay naturally won't be lacking.""Oh?"David raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, instantly piqued with interest. "No problem, leave it to me.""Good. Besides that, there's one more thing to tell you. For this gig, I also brought in your friends V and Jackie Welles to help out. As for the reason... you know why.""Alright, alright, fine. I'm hanging up."He brushed her off casually with a few words and hung up.He naturally understood the reason Wakakomentioned.Because this job would definitely involve Trauma Team, and he had never gotten along with them. Wakako was afraid that an unexpected clash might delay Miss Sandra Dorsett's medical intervention, not to mention stir up unnecessary trouble.But then again, he always had a doubt about this whole Sandra Dorsett business.How were those Scavengers able to nab a rich corp girl with tier-two corporate medical coverage? Scavenger forces alone couldn't possibly pull that off.Moreover, a crappy place like Night City was full of strife and conspiracies. He certainly didn't believe there wasn't something fishy behind it."Maybe I'll stumble upon some unexpected harvest this time?"A subtle, pleased smile gradually spread across David's face.Uncovering the secrets of Night City had become one of his few hobbies."What unexpected harvest?"Just then, a familiar, warm embrace came from behind, accompanied by Lucy's soft voice whispering in his ear."Nothing... What about your side? Why did Mainecall you?"He turned around intending to hug Lucy, but she nimbly dodged him, leaning against the railing just as he had been doing."Same as you, nothing.""...Hey, Lucy, don't be like that, alright?" David said helplessly. "It's just a gig from Wakako Okada about a rich corp girl named Sandra Dorsett. She was kidnapped by Scavengers and needs me to rescue her. It's as simple as that."But even hearing that, Lucy's eyes still held a hint of confusion: "Then what does that have to do with your 'unexpected harvest'?""Of course it does. Look, a woman like Sandra Dorsett has tier-two corporate coverage. How could she be so easily snatched by Scavengers?""Are you saying..."Hearing this, Lucy realized it too and widened her eyes."Yeah, exactly. I bet there's something fishy going on.""Could it be dangerous?"Lucy didn't care about what dirty secrets were behind it; she was far more worried about David's safety."It's fine." David smiled and stroked Lucy's hair, saying softly, "You know I've been investigating Night Corp. As it happens, Sandra Dorsett works for Night Corp. She might turn out to be an unexpected breakthrough."At this point, he paused and shifted the topic: "By the way, you still haven't told me why Maine called you."Questioned by David, Lucy's gaze gradually flattened as she leaned on the railing again, quietly gazing out at the scenery of Watson."Nothing much. Maine said there's a party tonight and asked if we wanted to go over.""You know Maine came out of retirement again. Today was his first completed gig, so he wants to celebrate.""Ehhhh... let's go then. My job here should be finished pretty quickly."After thinking for a moment, he made up his mind."Then make sure you stay safe.""Don't worry, don't you know me? A bunch of mere Scavengers are nothing!"David even raised his arms to flex his muscles, only to get a roll of the eyes from Lucy in response.---
Chapter 133One hour later, in the parking lot of an apartment building in Japantown."You guys..."With helplessness written all over his face, David sat in the back seat with deadpan eyes, looking at his two guardians on either side of him.On his left was Rebecca holding Guts, and on his right was Mower holding a katana."I say... David, why did you bring them along too?"Jackie scratched his head, looking at the two ladies beside David through the rearview mirror and asking out of curiosity. V, sitting in the driver's seat, nodded in agreement.Then the two of them were met with cold, sharp glares from the rearview mirror."Don't ask me. I don't know either. They insisted on coming, so here they are."David was utterly speechless about this.It was supposed to be just an ordinary rescue gig, but so many people showed up out of nowhere.Anyone who didn't know better would think they were going to wipe out the Scavengers' nest again—though that was indeed his plan as well."David, does me joining your gig once in a while make you that uncomfortable? Give me some screen time occasionally, you bastard!"Rebecca complained with an annoyed face; she couldn't even remember how long it had been since she last did a gig with David.Especially after that person named V arrived.Mower was the same. Though she didn't speak, her intent was clear in her gaze—"You're not allowed to leave me out.""Alright, alright, ladies. Whatever you say, okay?"What else could he say? He could only agree."Hmph, that's more like it." Rebecca hugged her beloved shotgun, turned her little head away, and pouted, puffing up her cheeks like a pufferfish.Was it just an illusion, or was this girl becoming more and more tsundere?"Alright, let me get down to business."Jackie interrupted the group's family sitcom. He was already getting stuffed from all this affection.Fortunately, he had Misty, a sweet and thoughtful girlfriend. V, on the other hand, wasn't having such a good time.She was already looking out the window, pretending nothing was happening."The chick we're looking for is probably in this building," Jackie shared the intel obtained from Wakako. "The bastards who kidnapped her are likely all here, so keep your ears open and eyes peeled.""Did Wakako give you any hints for this job?" V asked instinctively."'I'm not your mother. You take their money, you solve their problem. It's not hard,'" Jackie mimicked the old woman.But hearing it, David felt something was missing: "That lacks flavor. You should slow down your tone, make it raspier, and preferably pinch your throat when saying it.""Like this?" Jackie cleared his throat, pinched his larynx, and repeated: "I'm not your mother... You take their money... You solve their problem... It's not hard...""Yes, yes, yes, that's the damn flavor! Spot on!"Looking like he was about to pass out from lack of air, it was a spot-on imitation.A burst of laughter echoed inside the car."Alright, stop messing around. Let's get down to business." V pushed open the car door and stepped out.While she didn't mind them cracking jokes about the fixer, now really wasn't the time.After all, they weren't here for a picnic; there was a rich girl upstairs waiting for their rescue.Who knows, she might already be pushed onto an operating table by those kidney-harvesters."Alright, alright, let's go then."The five of them got out of the car and strode grandly into the elevator, looking genuinely like they were going to the Scavengers' nest for a team-building exercise.However, right as they entered the elevator, a netrunner hack icon appeared on the elevator display panel—a letter 'T'.And a call came through as well.It was T-Bug, who had given V netrunner training back when they met, and who also happened to sport a hairstyle fit for a master warrior.Combined with her Black heritage and her unchanging netrunner suit outfit, she was hard to forget after a single glance.However, remember one thing: this netrunner is a woman."The target this time is Sandra Dorsett. A few hours ago, her biomonitor signal was lost, suspected kidnapping," T-Bug said over the video call. "The target might already be dead; I can't guarantee you aren't too late.""We won't be late, Bug—yeah, it's 'us'. Even if you're joining remotely, you're one of us, part of the crew." Jackie crossed his arms with an open and candid expression."Part of the crew? Interesting," T-Bug said dryly."Jackie's right. Besides, Wakako Okada already gave us this intel," David suddenly chimed in."Yeah, Bug, try to be a bit... nicer," V added.Unintentionally, Ms. T-Bug was ganged up on and became the target of ribbing.But T-Bug maintained her calm and collected posture. "You want nice and inspiring? Call a hotline. I'm here to summarize intel and provide support."This woman had always been this straightforward and resolute.Sometimes he even wanted to recruit her into MAX-TAC, but unfortunately, T-Bug had no interest in it.But coming to think of it, this lineup was damn luxurious.Three active MAX-TAC officers and two mercenaries who had made a name for themselves on the streets. Never mind saving a person, this was enough to wipe out a gang.And that wasn't even counting David's current implants; factoring those in, taking on a megacorp wouldn't be much of a problem.*Ding—*Just then, the elevator arrived. The doors opened to reveal a dilapidated hallway outside."...A familiar environment, a familiar smell... it's bloody disgusting." David curled his lips, expressing profound disgust.The breeze blowing from the hallway brought not only noisy music but also a nauseating stench.He couldn't remember how many times he had visited the Scavengers' nest.This was practically more times than he had visited Lizzies Bar.Counting carefully, it was probably no fewer than ten times. Every time, he wiped out these kidney-harvesters, yet every time, they regrouped again.Their tenacity was comparable to cockroaches."Disliking it won't help," T-Bug remarked dryly.While hacking into the building's network, she also located their target: "Look for Room 1237.""1237 on the 15th floor? Heh, that's truly an ill-omened room number..."Under everyone's puzzled gazes, he strolled down the hallway; even Rebecca didn't understand the significance.But this room number brought back plenty of memories...97. Watch closely, this is what stealth looks like! (6K)Room 1237 seemed to have an indissoluble bond with him.He remembered back when he was on a mission with Kiwi and Rebecca, it was in this very room that they stole the stored data from these Scavengers.Later, during Tanaka's incident, the data was also stolen here, and Maine had his mental breakdown next door in Room 1238.And his first battle with Melissa was in this place as well.Look, there were even patched-up marks on the hallway wall left behind by those Scavengers.If nothing went wrong, they'd have to make another huge scene in Room 1237 today...Oh wait, no, that part was a certainty."The target should be inside, but I can't detect her biosignal.""Let's hope we aren't too late. Sigh... I hate these life-or-death jobs the most. Hurry up," T-Bug complained, which was rare for her.But indeed, David didn't like rescue gigs like this either.Too troublesome; wiping everyone out clean was much more satisfying."Han, is—is that you?"As they walked down the gloomy hallway, a nearby door suddenly opened. Standing at the doorway was a woman who didn't look young, but seeing them holding weapons, she instinctively shrank back a step.The kind-hearted V was just about to raise her hand to tell the old woman to go back into her room, but David moved faster than her.*Thump, thump—*Two sharp bullets fired from a suppressed pistol struck the person's head and chest respectively. She collapsed like a lump of mud on the spot, without even uttering a scream.David pulled back his pistol, slowly stepped into the room, and instructed Rebecca and Mower: "Keep an eye on the surroundings for me.""No problem."*Clack!* Rebecca racked her Guts.Mower also unsheathed her katana, watching the far end of the hallway."What happened?"Due to the nature of the comms, T-Bug had no idea what happened on scene and only vaguely heard two gunshots.Unfortunately, no one answered her question.It wasn't until David stepped over the dead woman's body that V fully reacted."What are you doing? Why did you kill an innocent person?!"Hearing the questioning voice, Jackie turned around too, dumbfounded when he saw the body lying at the doorway: "Holy shit, man, what are you doing?"However, David had no intention of answering their questions.He walked around searching the room, finding only 8 Eurodollars on the table and a Bounce Back Mk.1in a corner under the bed."Tsk, damn poor."David curled his lips and picked up a white LED mask from the bookshelf while he was at it.Meanwhile, an argument had broken out outside.To be exact, it wasn't an argument, but Rebecca's one-sided barrage."Are you stupid? Which eye saw an innocent person?" Rebecca glared disgustedly at V. "Do you think innocent people could exist in a place like this? This is the Scavengers' nest!"The theory of killing an innocent person was indeed absurd, but V's brain still hadn't processed it."You're saying she's a kidney-harvester? Where's the evidence! You can't just frame an ordinary person out of nowhere!""..."As soon as those words came out, not only was Rebecca speechless, but even Jackie went silent. Even Mower looked at V as if she were looking at an idiot.Was this person actually stupid?Demanding evidence that someone in a Scavenger nest is a kidney-harvester is like running into Arasaka HQ, standing in front of Saburo Arasaka, and asking him to prove he's Saburo Arasaka.How absurd could you get?*Clatter!*Just then, a mask was tossed out from inside the room, landing right at the doorway."Here, the evidence you wanted."Stepping out of the room, David gestured with his chin toward the mask: "This is standard issue for Scavengers. Basically everyone wears one."V looked at the mask lying on the ground and remained silent.But David wasn't done speaking."I say, Miss Valerie, after getting fired by Arasakaand becoming a cyberpunk, did your brain degenerate as well?""Who do you think would live in a Scavenger nest as neighbors with kidney-harvesters who specialize in selling organs and filming black bds? Are they planning never to see tomorrow's sunrise? Or do they not even want to see tonight's moon?"Though when playing this crappy game, he had indeed shared V's thought when reaching this part initially.But after getting to know these kidney-harvesters, thinking about it again, how the hell could ordinary people live here?Nothing could be more absurd than that.