Chapter 141Meredith suddenly laughed, laughing happily like a child weighing hundreds of pounds, and said leisurely:"You can certainly do that, but..."Suddenly her tone changed: "Do you fucking think you can easily walk out of here after killing me?!"Swish, swish, swish, swish—Like a command, a large group of soldiers immediately filed in, aiming their guns at his head in unison.David glanced around roughly; there were about twenty heavily armed elite soldiers gathered here.Only, this number wasn't quite enough...However, the next second, Meredith suddenly pulled out a strange button that looked like a detonator device."David Martinez, I know your abilities. Even a guy like Adam Smasher couldn't stop you, and the soldiers here naturally can't do anything to you. But a tactical nuclear bomb is loaded here, several times more powerful than the one that blew up Arasaka Tower during the Fourth Corporate War, enough to flatten all of Watson. Do you think you can escape?""..."Following the other party's words, his eyes gradually narrowed into a dangerous arc, and his peripheral vision glanced under the seat, indeed seeing a black package.The result displayed by the system was indeed a nuclear bomb.This woman actually brought a nuclear bomb to negotiate, which really exceeded his imagination.For a corpo rat who has to calculate several rounds whether to step with the left or right foot first when walking... He admitted that he had indeed underestimated her.At the same time, he was also weighing the pros and cons in his mind.Whether it was a nuclear bomb or soldiers, nothing could stop his steps; this point was unquestionable.He could even kill this cheap bitch on the spot, and then casually wipe out this group of soldiers.But what about after that?Killing a Special Operations Director is no small charge, and he would definitely be hunted down by the corporation.Otherwise, when V intended to assassinate Abernathy back then, he wouldn't have said those words to V.The most crucial thing is, if it were only him being hunted down, it wouldn't be a problem; the main issue was that there were too many people around him.Lucy, Rebecca, Mower, Sasha, Jackie, as well as V, Viktor, Misty, and so on, couldn't block Militech's attacks, and it was impossible for him to protect these people by his side every minute and every second.So the question arose.Which is more terrifying, a cyberpsycho with attachments or a high-ranking female madwoman?The answer was already obvious.The sharp claws in his hands had slowly lowered."It looks like you want to talk it out properly." Stout's voice revealed a bit of smugness, acting very much like a villain who had gained power, "Then let's sit down and talk."David didn't respond, just sat back down in his seat with Stout.And Stout also waved her hand to let all her subordinates withdraw."Since it's cooperation, what price can you pay?"After the soldiers left, David suddenly spoke up."The price I can offer will naturally satisfy you." Stout lit another cigarette and smoked it, the exhaled blue smoke acting like a hazy barrier blocking between them."First of all, regarding your past conflicts with the corporation, we can let bygones be bygones.""Then, I will pay you another 100,000 as a reward, how about that?"The reason she proposed such a reward was very simple.Don't look at how big of a fuss David made about what he did to Militech before; in reality, to Militech, it was completely trivial.It was just losing a few soldiers, a few basilisk, and a few missile vehicles.That little bit of stuff was totally a drop in the bucket for Militech; junk like basilisk and missile vehicles were long-obsolete items, not to mention soldiers.New ones could be cultivated at any time.Even if Militech's building was pierced by an unknown attack, so what?Wasn't it all repaired in less than a month?"Alright, but I have another condition. I want the prototype robot from your Militech cargo truck—flathead. As long as you agree to this condition, I will help you.""Hmm... Fine, no problem."Meredith agreed very readily.Prototype robots and the like—how could they be more important than her own future? She was a woman destined to climb to the top of Militech's pyramid.Become CEO, join the board of directors, usher in a glorious life...The most crucial thing was that she could skim more profits.At the same time, she raised a new question: "What are you going to do?""Then you don't have to worry about that; just wait for my news next."Saying that, David stood up and left his seat.This time, no one blocked his path anymore.While leaving Toms Diner, he couldn't help cursing inwardly: "Damn stinky bitch..."Along the way, it could be said to have been plain sailing; how could he have never expected to capsize right here with Meredith.Perhaps it was because he truly underestimated the existence of corporations in his heart, and also underestimated this group of corpo rats..."It seems I really need to be more careful in the future..."His gaze involuntarily cast towards the distant sky, sighing with emotion.At the same time, a Militech vehicle was parked not far away, and a man's voice came from it."Ahhhhh, you must not be fooled! That bitch is at her wits' end!!!""She is going to drag you down as a scapegoat with her!!!"Without needing to think, the guy in the car was Anthony Gilchrist without a doubt.It's just that he also knew that if Meredith hadn't been promoted, it would have been a life-or-death game for both of them; now that Meredith had become the Special Operations Director, it had turned into a solo life-or-death game for Anthony.Therefore, if he wanted to use Anthony to get rid of this prickly cheap woman, it was completely impossible."Since that's the case, I can only say sorry, Mr. Little Anthony."He muttered in a voice only he could hear, and his figure gradually disappeared into the distance...However, a gradually fading whisper drifted in the air—"I hold grudges very well, Meredith Stout..."---In the afternoon, the afterglow of the setting sun dyed the streets red.David came alone to the familiar Northside industrial area in Watson.It was still the same old story here; the streets were empty, with very few vehicles passing by, and only an occasional truck driving past.Just because this was the territory of Maelstrom, a group known as cyberpsychos.Completely different from the rather prosperous places governed by other gangs, there weren't even a few residents living here, with heaps of empty houses, and even homeless vagrants from other areas were unwilling to come here.Fearing being caught by Maelstrom members, dragged off for some bizarre modifications, or thrown into the All Foods Plant to be canned.It really reached the point where both people and dogs despised it.However, David couldn't be bothered with such matters right now; he was on the phone with someone."Lucy, do you still keep the backdoor you used to hack into Maelstrom's network last time?""Yeah, still in hand, what's up?""It's nothing. Militech gave me a commission, so I want you to help me check if there are records in Maelstrom's database of contacts with Militechpersonnel. Especially regarding a person named Anthony Gilchrist.""No problem, do you need me to come over and help?""Not for now, just operate remotely from headquarters. I have some other things on my side; after I'm done with everything, I'll tell you the details when I go back tonight.""Mm, then stay safe and keep in touch at all times.""Alright, thanks, great wife Lucy~"After hanging up the phone, David finally breathed a sigh of relief.Good thing Lucy didn't press on about Arasaka's side, otherwise he really wouldn't have known what to say for a moment.But no matter how long he dragged it out, he couldn't stall for long, so he chose to tell her at night...However, when he walked near the All Foods Plant, he happened to run into V and Jackie crossing the street, preparing to walk into the front entrance of the plant.102. Maelstrom: Militech is a piece of trash (6K)The big strapping man Jackie and street-dressed V were hanging around in front of Maelstrom's gathering place—the All Foods Plant."Yo, Jackie, V."The two of them suddenly stopped, turned their heads, and looked towards where the voice came from."David?!"The two of them let out an exclamation almost in unison, their voices filled with astonishment, seemingly surprised by David's appearance.No wonder, after all, he had just said he didn't have time and was busy, yet now he ran over here."Why did you come, and so suddenly..."The one asking was V. She was also very curious about David's appearance, since the gig was clearly handed over completely to them to do."Well, various reasons, just happened to take a commission from Militech's side, so I came over."David narrowed one eye, slowly spread his hands, and said helplessly.But what he didn't expect was that he could run into these two people here; he thought the two of them wouldn't come here until tomorrow.He originally planned to give them a surprise..."Militech?"Hearing this name, the two of them instinctively exchanged glances, and Jackie said awkwardly: "You wouldn't happen to be here for the flathead, would you?"Other than that, they couldn't think of any other possibility.After all, the fat guy told them that the flathead they needed came from Militech, and then was halfway intercepted by Maelstrom."Well, rest assured, it's not for the flathead, it's for other matters.""What matter?" V asked instinctively."Nothing, just a bunch of trivial little things anyway. V, you know how it is, corporations..."Speaking up to here, he didn't continue, but that look had already made V understand tacitly, leaving only Jackie completely clueless the whole time, awkwardly scratching his head:"David, stop talking in riddles, tell us quickly and let me have some fun too."Although Jackie didn't understand what kind of shenanigans these two were up to, judging from their eye contact, it was definitely an interesting matter.But David gave Jackie a helpless look: "Give up, don't dig into the root of it. Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand. In short, my coming here this time is to cause trouble for Maelstrom.""Whoa, chingón (awesome)." Jackie slapped his thigh, "Going to have a brawl? I love that."Especially beating up that bunch of scumbags from Maelstrom who act like Frankenstein's monsters."Mm, pretty much..." David nodded, pinching his chin and making a thoughtful expression: "Go in, find the person in charge, negotiate with them first, stall for a bit of time. If that really doesn't work...""If that really doesn't work, pull out our guns and blow their dog heads off, mano (brother)." Jackiepatted the pistol tucked into his belt, passing David an "I get it" look along the way."Uh..."He always felt like Jackie had misunderstood his meaning, but he didn't know how to explain it.So he simply gave up the plan to explain: "Let's just consider it that way, but after going in, listen to my command before acting.""Rest assured, can't you trust me? I'll definitely listen to orders completely."Jackie patted his own chest.
Chapter 142Originally, he had felt a bit uneasy about the two of them venturing deep into the Maelstrom's den, but David's appearance completely put his mind at ease."Is it really going to be okay? Shouldn't we be a bit more cautious?" V pondered, stroking her chin.After being in contact with him for so long, she had a decent understanding of David, especially his pattern of operation.Normally, David's strategy was just to charge straight in, rarely wasting words on the opponent.This approach was indeed the Night City style and the most effective way, but it also came with risks and was prone to unexpected complications."Don't worry, it's fine. If things really go south, we can just call that high-strung woman, Meredith. She definitely won't hesitate to help us. You know, she's more anxious about this matter than anyone.""How do you know?" V asked curiously. "Did that high-strung woman tell you?""Let's just say that's the case."Even though David gave that answer, V still felt something was off, as if David was hiding something from them.However, just as she was about to ask further, David had already started walking toward the entrance of the All Foods Plant.Helplessly, she could only swallow her doubts and follow him.The three of them walked down the ramp to the main entrance of the All Foods Plant, and David buzzed the intercom.Frankly, this scene felt somewhat familiar.Back when they rescued Rebecca, he had politely rung the buzzer just like this, with Jackie by his side.Only this time, they had Miss V with them.But then again, he had a hunch that this trip to Maelstrom wouldn't be very pleasant. Hopefully, Simon Randall... that is, Royce, would have a bit of sense.Otherwise, he wouldn't mind contributing a negligible effort to Night City's greening.Soon, someone answered the intercom, but what came through was heavy, raspy breathing, as if their nose was stuffed up.Without a doubt, this was definitely Dum Dum."Huh? Who are you?" Dum Dum's impatient inquiry came through the intercom, sounding as if he had been interrupted in the middle of something good."Open the fucking door." Facing these Maelstrompsychos, V didn't have any patience either."Who the fuck are you? How come I've never heard of you?""Alright, alright, calm down, V. Don't forget we're here to do business."David calmed V down a bit, then turned to the intercom and said, "We're looking for Royce. Dexter Deshawn sent us."There was a few seconds of silence on the other end, as if he was thinking or operating something, before he said, "Go to the server room. We're waiting for you."As soon as he finished speaking, the rolling shutter at the entrance rolled up with a clatter.What hit them in the face was that same sickeningly familiar smell.He really wondered if anyone actually ate the things produced in a place like this."Heh, the server room again. Don't these cyber-freaks have any other place to talk business?"Jackie grumbled as he swaggered inside, commenting as if he were on a picnic, "Nice atmosphere. It'd be even better with a couple of potted flowers."Then he saw those two familiar turrets, still positioned in their familiar spots."Oh, they're quite well-prepared.""Jackie, you said the exact same thing last time..."Hearing this identical line, David couldn't help but tease him."Uh... really? How come I don't remember?" Jackiescratched his head and looked around. "But I gotta say, this place really hasn't changed a bit."Just as Jackie said, neither the layout nor the furnishings inside the All Foods Plant had changed in the slightest.They could even see traces of their previous visit, though they were very faint now."You guys... have been here before?"V followed behind Jackie, warily scanning her surroundings, but she still couldn't help but ask."Mm-hmm," David grunted in response. "One of my crew got nabbed before. That's when I came here with Jackie.""Yeah, sis, you have no idea how badass I was back then..."Jackie began to brag about his past. David just listened, having no intention of interrupting or calling him out.Although Jackie's performance in the dry run was indeed decent, it was a far cry from how he was describing it now.Anyone who didn't know better would think he had wiped out the Maelstrom gang all by himself.As they walked deeper, the space opened up, and Jackie suddenly stopped in his tracks."Holy crap, look! It's a Militech transport."They saw a vehicle parked in the open space, marked with 'Militech'. It was indeed a Militechtruck."¡Dios mío!" Jackie slapped his forehead in amazement. "I thought these bastards only hijacked a few crates, but they actually brought the whole damn truck!"Not just Jackie, even V was surprised. She hadn't expected the Maelstrom gang to be so bold.Hijacking the cargo was one thing, but keeping the truck as well was another.She finally understood why Militech was so intent on wiping out Maelstrom.The cargo wasn't worth that much, and hijacking it could be overlooked, but driving off with the truck was a massive slap in the face to Militech. No corporation would tolerate that."Alright, stop staring. Let's go."David waved his hand, gesturing for the two of them to keep moving deeper into the plant.However, they stopped at the stairs because the path ahead was covered in a dense web of red laser lines."Holy shit, they set up so many mines? We're right in the middle of the city. Are they planning to wage war against Militech's forces?"Jackie was completely stunned.Each red line was an infrared sensor beam projected by a mine. Some were stuck to the walls, some to the ceiling, and others to the floor.A quick glance showed more than ten mines placed here alone, and looking up, there were even more.If mines of this scale were detonated, setting aside whether the plant would collapse, any number of incoming soldiers would be blown to pieces.However, V offered a rather unique assessment."Anti-personnel mines, directional fragmentation. I like it."V stroked her chin and nodded, her eyes full of appreciation.She hadn't expected these guys to actually have some taste."Are you sure you like them?" David looked at V with a strange expression."Yeah, these babies are really neat.""Then I'll give you a crate of them once this job is over."Mines like these were sitting in crates in MAX-TAC's armory, all confiscated from various strange places.But unfortunately, nobody used them.Mostly because they had no use for them."Great, I'll hold you to that."While they were chatting, the anti-personnel mines ahead let out a series of beeps, and the floating red lines vanished without a trace.Needless to say, someone from Maelstrom had remotely controlled them to shut off the sensors.The three of them continued walking deeper. However, as they passed the mines, David's ruby-like pupils flashed with an orange light.At the same time, a crisp mechanical voice echoed in his mind."Analysis complete."Accompanied by green lights all the way, they finally arrived at the deepest part of the All Foods Plant.The place was crawling with Maelstromers. Every single one of them had the standard modification where everything from the frontal bone down—eyebrows, nasal bone, and eye sockets—was hollowed out and replaced with a spider-like optical cyberware. Six or seven large lightbulbs were embedded there, looking like the compound eyes of an insect.Just looking at them was a severe challenge to a normal person's visual tolerance.And these guys were just as arrogant as their bizarre looks, exactly like the first time they had come here.Taunts like "cowards" and "pussies" echoed continuously.Fortunately, David couldn't be bothered to pay attention to them and walked straight into the elevator with Jackie and V.Would you really lower yourself to argue with a bunch of small fry?Ding! The elevator reached the server room on the top floor.However, just as V was about to step out of the elevator, a hand reached out, pressed against her shoulder, and shoved her back. Fortunately, David was behind her to cushion her fall, preventing her from toppling over."Who are you looking for?"The guy blocking the door was just like the ones below, another freak with seven or eight lightbulbs embedded in his face.But seeing that iconic tactical vest and hearing that familiar voice, it was definitely Dum Dum.Except..."What the hell is this guy playing dumb for? Who else would we be looking for? Your mother?"David silently grumbled in his head. For the sake of this "friendly" transaction and to avoid starting a conflict prematurely to buy time, he didn't say it out loud.Instead, he said, "You should have a prototype robot, the MT0D12 model, called the flathead.""So what? None of your fucking business."Dum Dum retorted casually, but as he looked at David, he suddenly froze, quickly drawing his pistol and pointing it at him."I know you, David Martinez! You're the one who flatlined our boss from two terms ago!"As soon as those words were uttered, the eyes of every Maelstromer in the server room locked onto David.For a moment, the air grew thick with tension."Not just him, but the one at the Totentanz club was my doing as well," David thought.Although David was thinking this, he outwardly raised his hands cooperatively and coaxed, "Hey, man, calm down. I know you recognize me, and I know your flathead is none of my business. But I didn't come here to cause trouble today. I'm here to do business."He knew that even if Maelstrom seemed to value loyalty on the surface, they were actually the most devious, ruthless bastards around.Whether dealing with outsiders or their own crew, he didn't believe Dum Dum actually gave a damn about a boss from two terms ago.Just as he expected, the moment Dum Dum heard "business," he lowered his pistol."What business?""A while back, Deshawn paid your former boss, Brick, fifty thousand eddies to buy the flathead. I'm here to pick up the merchandise. If necessary, I'd like to speak with your boss, Royce, in person.""No, you talk to me. The name's Dum Dum."Dum Dum flatly rejected his proposal.Because Dum Dum knew that if he handled the deal, they might still make a profit, but if Royce got involved, they wouldn't get a single cent, and the only outcome would be three corpses.This was also what he and Royce had agreed upon before David and the others came up."Couch. Sit, let's talk."Dum Dum led the way, and David and the others followed him inside."Hey, that was a close one just now."Sitting on the couch, Jackie suddenly nudged him gently with his elbow.Although Jackie's naturally booming voice was still audible to many even when lowered, David kept his voice down to a whisper only the three of them could hear."Well, we'll just play it by ear from here. Try not to start any conflicts. I still need a bit of time."At least until Lucy sent her message.His purpose in coming here, besides getting the flathead, was mainly to provide cover for Lucy and draw these bastards' attention.Despite looking like a bunch of cyber-freaks, Maelstrom still had some highly skilled netrunners.As long as he was present at the All Foods Plant, he was sure those netrunners would keep their main focus on him at all times."Take a hit, wake yourself up."Dum Dum suddenly handed over two red inhalers he pulled out of nowhere, and there were no medical labels on the canisters.
Chapter 143Anyone could tell with half a brain where this contraband came from.Most likely S-Dust, considering those Maelstromguys loved the stuff."Take a puff."Seeing that neither of them intended to take it, Dum Dum offered it again.Tsk, disgusting—there were even bite marks on it...Looking at the clear teeth marks on the mouthpiece, it was obvious this thing had been used.Although he didn't refuse S-Dust, he was quite resistant to swapping spit with a stranger.Both physically and mentally.Thus, he declined Dum Dum's inhaler."I'll pass."And V had no intention of accepting either."Heh, pussies."The optical eye on Dum Dum's face flashed, seemingly expressing contempt, as he took a hit himself and let out a satisfied groan."Fuck! Damn, that hits the spot!"His whole body shuddered like a malfunctioning machine."Shouldn't we talk business now?"Just as Dum Dum was riding the high, David suddenly spoke up.This annoyed Dum Dum, but he didn't say anything, merely waving over one of his men.Another guy carried out a massive crate from another door in the server room and slammed it down onto the coffee table right next to Dum Dumwith a loud thud!"This is what you're after, right? The flathead, MTOD12 model."Dum Dum patted the large crate beside him and casually popped it open.Inside lay a robot resembling a mechanical dog, which began scurrying around the room at Dum Dum's command."This thing's got plenty of tricks: active electro-thermal optical camouflage, immersive cognitive system with a Raven controller.""And that's not all—a prototype drive system built with titanium alloy fibers."Dum Dum's demeanor strongly resembled the street peddlers David used to see selling smut, passionately hyping up every video in their collection.Group stuff, girl next door, Asian, Western... Ahem, getting off track."Ho ho, you guys are pretty brave. Aren't you afraid Militech will come looking for trouble?"Watching the prototype robot scurry across the ceiling, an orange light gleamed in David's eyes."Fuck Militech, let 'em try," Dum Dum sneered, spreading his arms with total indifference and contempt. "We wiped the serial number and cracked the access blocks. Say it's yours, and it's yours."Indeed, Militech wouldn't be able to trace it this way.Organ harvesters and black-market ripperdocs always did the same, as did anyone peddling military-grade cyberware.Only David had been foolish enough to install military-grade cyberware straight onto himself without even wiping the serial number.In the end, Viktor had to step in and handle it for him.Meanwhile, the flathead completed its loop and darted back into its slot inside the crate. Once the control chip was removed and put away, the crate was closed again.Behind Dum Dum, a shutter door in the distance slowly rolled up, revealing a strange, bald brute sitting in a swivel chair watching everything unfold.The massive optic on his face looked like an indicator light."So, what do you think? Good enough?""Yeah, not bad. We'll take it."With that, David reached out, but just as he was about to touch the handle, the crate was yanked away."What are you doing?""Taking the gear and leaving.""You fucking haven't paid yet!""Money?" David put on an innocent look. "The money's already been paid—to your previous boss, Brick..."Clang—Before he could finish, the brute in the swivel chair suddenly stood up, slammed his hand against the shutter door, strode out, and walked straight up to David."Paid Brick?... Heh."The aggressive display spooked Dum Dum, who hurriedly stood up to make way for the man.At the same time, Dum Dum drew his pistol and aimed it at them, just like the surrounding Maelstrom members. The brute had already pressed his gun barrel directly against David's forehead."Where the fuck is Brick? I don't see him?!"However, the gun posed zero threat to David, who merely let out a helpless sigh."Sigh, what a bunch of assholes. So you're backing out on the deal?""Backing out? Haha! He says backing out..."Royce laughed hysterically, looking like a three-hundred-pound child."I fucking back out, so what? Today you either fucking pay up, or I throw you onto the assembly line and turn you into canned meat!"His attitude was arrogant to the extreme, blurting out threats about turning MAX-TAC members into canned food on a production line. One had to wonder what Melissa would think if she heard this.Probably... she'd respect him for having balls, right?However, just as David was about to speak, he suddenly received a message.It was from Lucy, saying that the goods were secured.Relieved, he knew he finally didn't have to sit around shooting the breeze with these scumbags anymore.A playful smirk gradually formed on his face. "Are you sure... you want me to pay you again?""Cut the bullshit! This is my turf, stop fucking bargaining here!"Royce still hadn't realized the severity of the situation.Meanwhile, Jackie, who knew David inside out, discreetly reached for his hip.103. Art is Patrick Star (6K)"Alright then. You better catch this."David pulled a chip from the neural socket on his neck and held it out."I can't believe that fat old fuck who kicks the Animals around and stomps all over Pacifica sent such a pathetic coward! Hahaha!"Royce's voice and the grating laughter of the Maelstrom goons were deafening, at the very least infuriating V, who had been keeping quiet.But given the current situation, there was nothing she could do.They were outnumbered."Gimme that!"Royce reached out to snatch the chip from David's hand, but the instant his hand extended...Crack! Royce's arm bent in an utterly impossible direction, and he immediately let out a pig-like shriek.He hadn't even processed what happened—in a split second, his arm was snapped in half.He tried to pull the trigger to blow David's head off, but felt a sharp pain in his chest and flew backward, slamming hard into the shutter door and denting it."K-Kill these sons of bitches!"Incapacitated, Royce barked orders at his subordinates. The goons snapped out of it and slammed their fingers onto the triggers.Dada-dada-dada-dada—A hail of bullets erupted inside the server room. The goons downstairs heard the noise and tried to rush up, but the elevator inexplicably malfunctioned and stopped working.In less than thirty seconds, Jackie wiped out all the men upstairs.Even Dum Dum, who had been relatively easy to talk to, was now lying on the ground with both arms missing.In the entire server room, aside from the goons who had been shot in the head, the only survivors were Royce, embedded in the shutter door, and Dum Dum, lying on the floor."Let's go."Grabbing the crate, David didn't even cast a glance at the two of them, walking straight toward the exit past the shutter door."Hey, David, aren't we going to finish them off?"It was V who spoke.Whether out of inner anger or the philosophy of pulling weeds by the roots, she believed both of them should be killed."Forget it. Not worth wasting bullets on them."David gave the pair a cold glance as if looking at dead men walking, then turned and forcibly tore open the sealed shutter door."Let's move."Hearing this, Jackie and V exchanged a glance.Since David had spoken, they chose to follow without bothering with the two.However, Royce, still embedded in the shutter door below, screamed out, "Fuck your mother! If you don't kill me today, I'm fucking gonna kill you, you little bastard!!!"Barking like a rabid dog."Heh. Then get ready to repent in hell, dumbass."David, standing at the entrance of the passage as the last to leave, sneered and slowly raised a hand."[Mimicry] — Anti-Personnel Mine"As his words fell, pure white data surged in his palm. Within a few seconds, he materialized an anti-personnel mine identical to the ones seen before and slapped it onto the wall.Only this time, it was at least five times the size of the previous ones—nearly as big as a torso.Having done all this, David took one last look at the server room before stepping into the darkness of the passage and disappearing.To him, Maelstrom and this food processing plant had served their purpose.Outside the All Foods Plant.The sun had set, and darkness spreading from the Badlands gradually swallowed the city, as if the neon lights of the streets were its last defiant stand.Jackie, David, and V strutted out through the plant's side door, stepping in sync like a trio from some criminal syndicate."!Madre mía!, David, fucking hell, you're something else."Stepping out of the plant and breathing in the fresh air once more, Jackie clapped David hard on the shoulder.Yet he couldn't help but look back through the closing gap of the door at the dark object catching his eye."Didn't expect these chrome-heads to even get their hands on a Militech mech."Jackie still had lingering fear.If they had clashed with Maelstrom right at the start or if Royce had escaped, the three of them would have had to face a particularly brutal mech.Although it wasn't fully armored, that seemingly indestructible red shield and rock-hard alloy frame definitely weren't something ordinary handguns or blades could handle.If anyone took a hit from that, they'd probably be planning where to put their funeral photo, wreaths, and memorial service."It's probably a new prototype under development by Militech."Searching her memory, V couldn't find any matching intel, and it also looked different from the bipedal utility mechs used by the NCPD.It had likely been hijacked by Maelstrom along with the flathead during transport."Can't believe Militech built such a terrifying thing. Are they planning to go to war with Arasaka?" Jackie mused aloud, then added as if remembering something, "By the way, what about Royce? Are we really just gonna let that prick off the hook?"Both he and V felt pissed off whenever they recalled how insufferably arrogant Royce had been earlier."Letting an enemy off... that doesn't sound like you, choom.""Damn right," V nodded in agreement.
Chapter 144"Not like me?"David suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned around, and tilted his head at the two of them. "In your eyes, what kind of guy am I really?""Emm, let me think..."Jackie placed his hand on his chin, adopting a look of serious thought as he slowly said, "A good bro who repays every favor and settles every grudge."Jackie's answer was fairly reasonable."Night City's living King of Hell."V gave her answer without even thinking, bringing a dark line across David's forehead as he helplessly spread his hands. "I say, Miss V, is that really how you view your good bro?""Yup," V nodded seriously. "When you make a move, you basically never leave survivors.""...Man, am I really that ruthless?"The two exchanged a glance and nodded.Their answers left David completely speechless.In truth, rumors on the street were indeed just as V said. There was even a popular saying floating around: "Better to provoke a megacorp than to mess with David."In the minds of the underworld, David was a ruthless, cold-blooded killer of few words, tall and imposing, comparable to the 'cyber-demon' Adam Smasher. If anyone truly angered him, he could destroy a megacorp with ease.He had no idea when such absurdly exaggerated rumors started spreading, nearly demonizing him completely.David himself was completely oblivious to this, as no one around him had ever brought it up.Ultimately, it was because many people didn't actually know David. Those spreading such rumors had never seen his true face, though the rumors weren't entirely baseless."Whatever, let's just leave it at that."David gave up thinking about it, then shifted the topic: "However, you were right about one thing—I really didn't plan on letting Royce and Maelstrom off so easily."Meanwhile, a strange orange light gleamed in his eyes.Jackie: "?"V: "?"Hearing this, both of them were utterly bewildered, having no idea what David was going to do. Was he really going to turn back and massacre them again?Just as the two were still feeling confused, a violent vibration suddenly trembled beneath their feet.BOOM—Under remote control, the anti-personnel bombs stuck to the walls detonated.The expanding shockwave shattered everything in an instant, and the ensuing flames devoured the wreckage, bursting through fortress-like walls and ceiling, spilling out from the factory roof and surrounding sides.A searing heatwave roared past, forcing Jackie and V to squeeze their eyes shut. Only David stood his ground, letting the air currents rip at his jacket as he quietly admired the magnificent explosion—like a brilliant yet fleeting night-blooming cereus.Indeed, art is an explosion.At this moment, he seemed to understand Deidara's philosophy.Although an explosion is but a brief instant, it is the most beautiful thing in the world, far more beautiful than things that remain eternal until they decay.In just a split second, the All Foods Plant that had existed in Northside was now consumed by roaring flames, likely to be reduced to ash before long.But David felt this was still too slow, so he slowly raised his hands and spread his arms, as if embracing the sky and praising the stars."[Deploy]—Strong Gravity."The moment his words fell, strange ripples emanated from his palms, and a red neon halo surfaced around the factory, inscribed with warning text.The radius of this halo stopped right near V and Jackie.Immediately following was another loud bang, and in the blink of an eye, the roaring fire vanished, giving way to a cloud of rising dust, as though crushed flat by something massive."¡Dios mío! (My god!), this is fucking insane..."Jackie and V were stunned by the sight before them, their jaws nearly dropping to the floor."Hey~ snap out of it, let's go."Shaken out of their daze by David's call, their drifting thoughts finally snapped back, though their expressions were completely different.Jackie felt excited, alongside a sense of awe.He could be considered a witness to David's growth all along the way.From the initial Sandevistan to his current world-shattering, bad-ass existence, he was practically a walking nuclear bomb."Hey, mano, what kind of cyberware did you install to become this badass?""Nothing much. Remember Arasaka's convoy six months ago—the one I hijacked? I installed the cyberskeleton it was carrying.""Holy crap, no wonder Militech went crazy making so many prototype units..."Looking at the two chatting and laughing, V's expression was somewhat complex, but also filled with doubt.Although the cyberskeleton project had been abandoned by Arasaka, she had seen relevant files. Neither its size nor power matched what David was currently exhibiting.If that experimental implant were truly this strong, Arasaka wouldn't be stalling to this day preparing for a new corporate war—they would have launched the Fifth Corporate War long ago to wipe out Militech in one blow..."V, what are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and follow!"V's train of thought was interrupted, and she quickly caught up with the two who had already walked out past the factory fence."What's wrong? You look distracted. Did something happen?"Hearing David's question, V shook her head. "No, it's nothing... By the way, you and Jackie head over to Afterlife first. Dexter Deshawn seems to want to go over the detailed plan again there."V passed the case over, though it was Jackie who took it. "No problem, leave it to me, chica. We'll wait for you at Afterlife.""What about you? Where are you going?" David asked curiously."Going to see the client. It seems she wants to meet us before the op, at Lizzies Bar." V had no intention of hiding it and laid it all out."You mean Evelyn Parker?""Yeah, that's her.""Alright, then I'm coming with you."Before V could react, he wrapped an arm around her shoulder without taking no for an answer, turning his head to Jackie: "Jackie, you handle things on that end?""No problem! As long as I'm around, no one's taking our precious haul.""Huh? But...""No 'buts', let me tag along. Works out nicely since I want to see if my old pal has any new BDs."Snapping back to reality, V didn't even get to finish her sentence before David forcefully dragged her away.A moment later, after they had all left, officers from the NCPD arrived.A few Villefort Cortes V6000 edition NCPD Overlords pulled over smoothly to the curb, only for the patrolling officers who stepped out to freeze dead in their tracks at the sight before them."Hey, what happened? Hey!"It took several shouts through the comms to snap the squad back to reality, but their voices still couldn't stop trembling."S-Sir... the All Foods Plant... it's gone...""What did you say?! What the hell do you mean?!"Literally that: the massive All Foods Plant had vanished from the map.All that remained was a deep crater filled with scrap metal and gravel flattened like thin pancakes.Yet no matter what, the patrol officers couldn't bring themselves to say those words aloud. Someone even pinched himself hard, the resulting pain confirming that this was no dream, but cold, hard reality.As for the culprit who caused all this, he was currently blocked in his tracks.A few Pterodactyl drones hovered overhead, while several Militech armored vehicles and a manticoreblocked their way ahead.Originally, he and V had planned to walk out of this no-man's-land and hail a cab, only to be intercepted midway by Militech forces.And stepping down from that armored SUV was a woman with spiky hair."Didn't expect to see me here, did you?"Still maintaining that haughty, arrogant stance."What's the meaning of this, Meredith Stout?"David frowned slightly, shielding V behind him.Judging by her posture, she looked ready for a fight. Could she be planning to use him like a disposable pawn and silence him on the spot?If so, all he could say was that these Militech folks were way overestimating themselves."Relax, I'm not here to silence you."Reading the hostility in his eyes, Meredith guessed his thoughts and said plainly, "I'm just here to pick up what's mine. Where's the stuff I asked you to find?""Right here. Catch."David pulled a datashard from the socket at his neck and tossed it over.That shard was one he had prepared in advance to copy the data onto when Lucy sent it over.Inside was all the transaction info between Royceand Anthony Gilchrist."Check it."Meredith caught the shard and handed it to her subordinate to inspect.He hadn't expected this woman to be so cautious.David thought to himself, a disdainful sneer appearing on his face.If he really wanted to pull something, would he even need to upload a Daemon? The soldiers present wouldn't stand a chance against him alone.Uploading a virus was a cheap trick that only dumbass corps would use.A moment later, the soldier checking the shard returned."Well?"The soldier whispered a few words in Meredith's ear, and the old woman's furrowed brow finally relaxed."Heh, nicely done." She clapped her hands, offering David praise, "You know what? I appreciate your methods. Interested in continuing to work for us?"Stout casually took a drag from her cigarette and waved her hand, signaling her soldiers to return to the AVs."Heh, forget it. I have no interest in doing business with someone who threatens me. This is the last time."David maintained his disdainful and disgusted attitude.Judging by that posture just now, if she hadn't gotten what she wanted, the old woman clearly would have made a move.And now she was talking about joining Militech?That's not how you extend an olive branch.Stout didn't mind his attitude, though. She casually tossed her half-smoked high-end cigarette onto the ground, crushed it under her high heels, and gave him a meaningful look."Give it some thought then. The corp is very pleased with you."With that, she turned around and took domineering strides, preparing to get into her vehicle and leave."Hey, hold on. Where's my pay?"The agreed hundred thousand EDs couldn't just be let go like that.He still had several mouths to feed at home."Don't worry, you'll get it."Before getting into the car, a blue light flashed in Stout's eyes, and immediately David received a transfer from the spiky-haired woman—exactly one hundred thousand, not a cent less.As the armored SUV drove away, the rest of the Militech forces departed as well.Honestly, whether or not the spiky-haired woman had threatened him before, he had no intention of joining anyway.The reason was simple: Meredith couldn't give him what he wanted.Meredith's position and power were indeed immense, that was true, but she was nowhere near capable of covering the sky with one hand.Against ordinary citizens, they were high and mighty, sacred and inviolable, but to all of Militechand the NUSA, a mere senior executive meant nothing at all.Just look at Arasaka.Only the board of directors holding actual shares were the true shot-callers whose words carried real weight.
Minor characters like Meredith, if anything really happens to them, would be instantly crushed by the people up top, just like V's former boss, Arthur Jenkins.Ever since his attempted assassination of Abernathyfailed—before the plan could even unfold—Arthur Jenkins completely vanished without a trace, as if he had evaporated into thin air.The corporation didn't offer any explanation either.He's probably resting at the bottom of some bay by now, right?"Meredith is still the same as ever."V suddenly sighed with emotion, causing David Martinez, who was still counting money, to pause with a startled look and ask doubtfully, "You... know that frizzy-haired woman?""Yeah, she's one of Arasaka Corporation's rivals in Night City, so I did a bit of investigation."Good grief, reality really is different from the game.Clearly, in the game, V doesn't know any Militechexecutives at all, but in reality, she knows that woman very well.To be fair, this is the posture a senior counterintelligence agent should have.CDPR, your blade-craft is already comparable to Old Huang...Half an hour later, in front of Lizzies Bar."Hi~ David, long time no see~"The Moxes bouncer still had that same look, letting out a coquettish voice the moment she saw him.Yet her next words made David Martinez raise an eyebrow."Did you change to a new girlfriend again?" the Moxes bouncer glanced slightly at V and said."Don't talk nonsense, when have I ever changed girlfriends? There's only Lucy, okay?""What about Sasha and little Rebecca? Don't tell me you don't have feelings for them, otherwise they'll be sad, oh~""...Alright, stop joking around, this is V, my friend."Sensing that the conversation was turning increasingly ominous, David Martinez hurriedly changed the subject and introduced his companion.He wasn't sure about Sasha, but he certainly understood Rebecca's feelings; up until now, he was just playing dumb while knowing the truth, without giving a direct response.After all, Lucy hadn't made a formal statement, and he didn't dare stir up trouble casually.The most crucial part was that it's hard to make a move on acquaintances...Naturally, the gate-guarding girl knew what David Martinez was thinking, so she didn't continue on that topic and turned to greet V instead."Hi~ Ms. V, welcome to Lizzies Bar. Since you're David Martinez's friend, you're a friend of our Moxes.""Hello."V gave a symbolic greeting."Alright, I'm here today to find Evelyn Parker and Judy, are they in?""They're here. They've been hanging out inside all day saying they're waiting for clients—could they be waiting for you guys?""Then that must be it."David Martinez nodded and said, "Let's go in, V.""Have a good time, oh~"The gate-guarding girl cleared a path and welcomed their arrival.Yet as she walked into this familiar bar and traversed that familiar corridor, V couldn't help asking, "Just now... was what she said true? Rebeccaand Sasha...""Fake, fake, she was just joking, let's hurry up and move."He pushed at V's back while casually brushing it off.Regarding this matter, he really didn't want to talk about it anymore.Especially towards V.Because this Ms. V was very familiar with Rebeccaand Sasha; if she happened to compare notes or chat about it during casual conversation, things would get tough.The most crucial part was, what on earth did the kitty-head have to do with any of this?David Martinez considered himself free from life's three major illusions; even though he had saved the kitty-head, she wouldn't go as far as liking him, would she?When did he become such a hot commodity?How strange."As expected of the Moxes' money sink, it really is lively."Under the illumination of the familiar, ambiguous pink lights, men and women on the dance floor abandoned all restraint. Innumerable data cables extended from server-like equipment hanging from the ceiling in the center of the hall, providing braindance services to the customers below.No matter when, Lizzies Bar is always this lively.Throughout Night City, Lizzies Bar's ability to suck in money could definitely rank in the top five, and even compared to affluent areas like Westbrook, it probably wouldn't fall short.David Martinez and V brushed past the men and women immersed in joy, finding the people they were looking for at the bar counter."Hey, Judy~"The girl leaning against the bar holding a drink froze upon hearing the familiar greeting, turning her head to see David Martinez's familiar figure."David?! Why are you here, so suddenly..."Clearly surprised by David Martinez's sudden visit, she seemed somewhat at a loss.Judy Alvarez, a girl with a dazzling gradient side-swept fringe and extremely badass tattoos, was also one of Night City's twin widows.Like Lucy, she had lost her beloved.Perhaps Panam Palmer could also be called a widow, but Panam Palmer had the Aldecaldos and so many friends.Yet Lucy and Judy, besides their partners, had nothing left.However, unlike Lucy, Judy wasn't a netrunner, but a highly talented braindance editor and technical expert—if she wanted, she could join any corporation's entertainment department with a hefty income.Yet she deeply valued her independence and was unwilling to be controlled by others, hence refusing all job offers.Her biggest weakness was overflowing sense of justice, not knowing when to shut up, which always got her into trouble.Yet to some people, this was her greatest advantage.All in all, she was an independent and unconventional cool girl utterly out of place in Night City.Because the last thing Night City needed was justice, and no one could prove they were on the righteous side.At this moment, this cool girl cast her gaze towards someone beside her—another female.She was also a beauty, but dressed herself in a gaudy, showy fashion, like a wealthy young lady from high society or a peacock spreading its tail to reveal its dazzling side, guiding every man passing by to involuntarily take a few more glances.This woman was Evelyn Parker, a stupid woman whose ambitions soared to the heavens while her fate was as thin as paper.Talented in certain aspects and possessing immense ambition, her ambition failed to match her background, making her act like a clown jumping around on a stage that didn't belong to her.Because of Judy, David Martinez could be considered acquainted with Evelyn Parker, but he had no intention of paying attention to Evelyn Parker."What's wrong Judy, looking at you... are you not welcoming me?""Uh... no..."She looked somewhat flustered, constantly exchanging glances with Evelyn Parker beside her, as if his appearance had disrupted some fixed plan."Long time no see, David."Before Judy could finish speaking, Evelyn Parker on the side suddenly chimed in, greeting him openly and generously while extending a hand toward him."Long time no see, Evelyn Parker."David Martinez shook it symbolically and let go.To be honest, he didn't want to have too many entanglements with this woman.It wasn't that this woman possessed ambition expanded to the absolute extreme, but that she would stop at nothing, deliberately choosing to approach anyone she could utilize.Although such things were very common in Night City, regrettably, he deeply loathed this style."How do you have time to come play at Lizzies today?"Evelyn Parker naturally chatted with him about everyday matters. Operating on the principle that one doesn't hit a smiling person, David Martinez merely shrugged, wearing an indifferent expression as he said, "I'm just here to find Judy, and brought a friend along by the way.""She is V, here specifically to find you, Evelyn Parker."He introduced V to the two of them."Hello, I'm V." V greeted the two politely.However, Evelyn Parker's expression also appeared somewhat surprised.Seemingly due to David Martinez, she hadn't noticed the woman following by David Martinez's side.Yet after taking a careful look now, she found that this woman was also quite extraordinary, at least a mercenary with a promising future.Thinking of this, a trace of an inexplicable smile surfaced on Evelyn Parker's face: "Evelyn Parker, nice to meet you, V."Subsequently, she cast her gaze back onto David Martinez, looking somewhat meaningful."Then let's go chat in the lounge, it's too crowded and conspicuous here."Before leaving, she didn't forget to instruct the bartender behind the counter: "Mateo, if anyone asks, just say you haven't seen us."She really was careful and cautious in her actions.Yet David Martinez waved his hand to reject her proposal: "V can go with you, just as I said before, I'm here to find Judy today.""Very well, hope you two have a pleasant chat."With that, she swayed her seductive curves and led V away from the hall, heading toward the passage in the back.That side was the lounge.It was a place generally visited by those who had needs for dolls.Watching Evelyn Parker and V depart, he turned his head back to look at Judy and smiled: "What about us?""Follow me."Dropping just that single sentence, she turned and left the place.Speaking of which, his encounter with Judy was quite ordinary; there were no gigs or soul-stirring encounters, just meeting through an acquaintance's introduction.However, that acquaintance wasn't Lucy, but Rebecca.That's right, Rebecca and Judy knew each other as well.Before joining Maine's crew, Rebecca was also one of the Moxes, serving the role of a bouncer.Back then, she was also the little mascot of the Moxes; rumor has it she wasn't as crazy back then as she is now.Though her combat effectiveness was not lacking in the slightest either.Meanwhile, under Judy's lead, he arrived at the basement on the lower level of Lizzies Bar.This was Judy's workspace and her braindance studio; usually, editing braindances for the little sisters upstairs was done here, and right outside the door was the exclusive server room for the Lizzies, where edited braindances were uploaded to the servers."What do you want with me today?"Judy sat on the swivel chair in front of the large screen, lighting a cigarette by the glow of the screen and taking a delightful drag."What else could it be, of course it's to see what good reels you've got here."David Martinez wandered around, fiddling with the trinkets placed on the desk, and replied casually.Not gonna lie, although Judy's studio looked comparable to Viktor's clinic, the gear she used was top-tier equipment, complete with the latest braindance simulation devices; calling her a braindance expert was no exaggeration at all."Fuck, what do you take me for, a street vendor selling porno reels?""Emmm... aren't you?"Under Judy's disdainful gaze, a smiling expression still hung on his face, and he said completely unconcerned, "Besides, the work in your hands is way better than the junk on Jig-Jig Street.""Heh, screw you."Hearing this, Judy rolled her eyes at him.Though her words expressed disgust, she still rummaged through a drawer, fished out an unmarked packaging bag from inside, and tossed it over.
Chapter 146"Here, don't tell Lucy that I sold this to you. And this is the last time!""Yes, yes, yes, I know, I get it."David took the familiar tin packaging and replied offhandedly.A flash of blue light flickered in his eyes as he transferred the money to Judy.However, there was one thing he didn't say out loud—did he even need to state where this braindance came from?Throughout Night City, finding a braindance specialist of Judy's caliber was as difficult as winning the lottery; almost no one could reach her height, and she was even highly favored by major corporations.If Kurosaki was the beloved black braindance master of high society in 207, then Judy was the most popular braindance specialist among commoners.The products she edited were without exception top-notch, and Lizzies Bar had become Night City's undisputed number one braindance experience nightclub precisely because of Judy's reels.Whether they were corporate employees, gang members, pop stars, or locals, everyone liked to come here to relax, have a drink, and experience the most wonderful braindance.Otherwise, why would the Tyger Claws keep thinking about this place and coming to cause trouble again and again?The value packed within this was self-evident.Furthermore, Judy was the only braindance editor he knew.He didn't even need to tell Lucy to know where this thing came from."By the way, how are Lucy, Sasha, and the others... doing lately? Haven't seen them in a long time.""They're doing great, no need to worry."He tucked the braindance into his pocket, turned his head to glance at Judy, who had a slightly coy expression, and continued, "And please don't put ideas into my girlfriend's head, would you, Ms. Judy?""You clearly already have that doll lady, your dearest little Ai~"Her voice carried a hint of teasing.It was true that Judy was a great beauty, and one could even say she was a fantastic partner within Night City, but unfortunately, Judy was a lesbian.And she was the kind who constantly harbored improper designs on the people around him.Moreover, she showed not a shred of remorse for this behavior of hers, and even justified it eloquently."Mmhmm~ I'm just protecting them from you stinky men. Besides, wildflowers always smell sweeter than garden flowers—isn't that something you men say all the time?"Judy chimed in with a joke."Stinky men? Hey, hey, hey, Ms. Judy, I have to object to that phrasing. I don't know about others, but I'm not stinky, I shower every day!" David said with a deadpan expression, "Most importantly, I've never thought wildflowers smelled better than garden flowers. The flowers at my home are the absolute best!""Hehe, you really are interesting."Hearing this, Judy couldn't help but chuckle.There weren't many males who could interact with Judy, and males like David who could joke around with dirty jokes were even fewer.Perhaps David was the only one.Just as the two of them were chatting idly, bursts of footsteps came from the stairwell outside, but they quickly stopped, followed by Evelyn's voice."V, this matter is very important. And you must keep one thing in mind: Judy is my person, she always helps me, and I trust her very much.""But she belongs to the Mox, not your new teammate, you'd better remember that.""So... be a good girl and don't stir up trouble, watch your mouth."The warning intent in her words couldn't be more obvious.Inadvertently overhearing the two people's conversation, David whistled."I didn't expect your little Ai to value you this much." The words were filled with amusement."Mmhmm~ Of course, that's my dearest little Ai." Judy puffed out her chest proudly.But how long could this dearest relationship last?After stealing the Relic, would Judy still maintain this attitude toward Evelyn Parker?Unconsciously, he had grown interested in everything.Hiss——The studio's automatic door opened."Hi, you're back."Judy greeted Evelyn, who brought V back, warmly. Her voice was as seductive as it could possibly get, enough to melt someone's bones down to dust."Judy, this is V, you should have met her just now. She's here to try out a braindance.""V, this is Judy, the most amazing braindance editor."Evelyn cut straight to the chase and introduced them to each other."Ha, alright, alright, stop bragging."Being hyped up like that by Evelyn, Judy felt a bit embarrassed."Right, Evelyn is right, Judy is the best, I can vouch for that."Just at this moment, David, who was sitting to the side, chimed in, but he was met with a fierce glare from Judy. Yet in his view, even that action was filled with flirtatious charm.In the time that followed, aside from the two getting to know each other, there was only the process of V experiencing the braindance.Regarding the matter of braindance experiences, he had previously asked V if she had experienced them back at the corporation.However, V's answer was negative, saying she had never touched one before.But this made David feel somewhat surprised.Clearly, when he was studying at Arasaka Academy, they used braindances for classes...Soon, the initial braindance tutorial ended.Emerging from the braindance, V was covered in sweat."Take deep breaths slowly. Your cortisol and adrenaline were through the roof just now, but the hormone blocker I set took effect. Nothing happened, you're alive and well."Following Judy's instructions, V's breathing, which had been panting heavily as if out of breath, gradually stabilized.There was no other reason for her to become like this, except that the experience was simply too thrilling.That feeling of being headshot by a bullet was truly received by her brain, along with that pre-mortem fear; it couldn't possibly be clearer.It was as if she had really been shot dead by someone, and there even lingered a residual pain on her body, as if her flesh had been torn apart.Even now, lingering fear remained.Is this what a braindance experience is?How could anyone like this thing?She couldn't quite figure it out.Next, V experienced the editing mode once more, the kind that blocked all pain, collecting necessary information within the narrow world of the braindance.Needless to say, V was a genius, getting the hang of it just after one try.David was particularly envious of this.You have to know that he had gone through it several times back then before figuring this thing out.However, just as they were about to officially enter the braindance recorded by Evelyn in the Konpeki Plaza penthouse suite, David suddenly chimed in:"Um... Ms. Evelyn, was this braindance recorded in the suite with you and Yorinobu?""That's right, is there a problem?""No, I just..."Before he could finish speaking, Judy had already seen through his intention and interrupted, "David, can you go outside and wait for a moment?""Eh? Wait no...""Please go outside and wait."In the end, before he could even voice his opinion, he was kicked out, left to keep company with the humming server racks.He got shut out."Sigh..."David couldn't help but sigh, tapping the wall intermittently with the tip of his shoe.He just wanted to see the subsequent paid content with Yorinobu at Konpeki Plaza, what was wrong with that?It wasn't like he wouldn't pay.Even this tiny request of a pervert couldn't be satisfied...It was said that Evelyn was a woman naturally gifted in that aspect, and after installing doll implants, she had practically become Clouds' top star, so he was quite curious to witness it.But he didn't like paying to order dolls, and there was still conflict with the Tyger Claws, so he thought of this method.It's just a pity that before he could even say it, Judysaw right through it.Life truly is as lonely as snow...I don't know how much time passed, but faint sounds of argument came from inside—an argument between Judy and V, seemingly discussing this braindance and the warning about Evelyn.It seemed they had finished their exploration of the braindance.Hiss——The studio door opened again, and Evelyn and V walked out together.With that unhappy parting look, the two of them hadn't reached an agreement with Judy.Evelyn signaled him with her eyes, so he followed along, and they stopped at the location of the neighboring warehouse."So, what are your thoughts? How does it feel?"This was asked to V."To be honest, everything is going too smoothly. Yorinobu's intel, the chip, the braindance of Konpeki... everything is sailing smoothly, the plan is completely perfect. A gig like this is really rare."Most importantly, this was also a major deal; leaking any single piece of intel from it could cost them their lives."Yeah, thanks for the compliment. Get straight to the point, alright?""What I want to say is that it's suspiciously smooth, I always feel like there's a trap somewhere."But where was the trap?V didn't know, nor could she see it, but she always felt something was off."What, are you scared? Or are you all scared? Don't you want to do this anymore?""Don't, don't drag me into this, I don't even know what you guys looked at inside." David shrugged, looking indifferent.But inadvertently, he shot a glance toward V, and V instantly caught on, swallowing back the words she was about to say."Then let's do it.""Yeah, that's right, rest assured I won't harm you, we're all in the same boat now, I know what I'm doing."You know my ass.David couldn't help cursing inwardly.If she really knew what she was doing, if she had really made the plan comprehensive, would Jackiehave died?Would so much bullshit have happened afterward?Without even knowing what kind of underwear Saburo Arasaka wore, she dared to shout here that she knew what she was doing.Hearing "I know what I'm doing" made his blood boil; this job of stealing the Relic could be said to be the worst executed one, practically a textbook example of recklessness.But he didn't say these words out loud.For him, as long as he could protect V and Jackie, that was enough; as for Evelyn Parker?Whether she lived or died had nothing to do with him.Besides, this woman truly underestimated Yorinobu Arasaka too much.Although he frequently ordered Evelyn and liked playing with dolls, that was true, he was not an animal that thought with his lower body.At least if V hadn't meddled in the game, perhaps Arasaka would have fallen even harder."Then what should we do next?" V suddenly asked.
Chapter 147However, Evelyn's expression suddenly shifted, turning heavy and sorrowful as she said in a low voice:"V… and David, I'm begging you to help me, only me. Do not reveal everything you know to anyone, and there must not be any fixer involved in this matter.""Oh? You mean you want to dump the big black fatty and we do it ourselves?"David's expression gradually turned playful, though Evelyn didn't notice it."That's right. David, you've been in this line of work for a long time, you should know that some fixers have their own permanent crews and very strict rules… But you guys aren't like that, and besides, another thing…""You mean headhunters?""Yes, so Dexter is just a fixer, completely worthless right now. And the risks involved in this matter are much higher than imagined; absolutely no fixer can know the details of it…""You're very right, Evelyn."David nodded approvingly.This woman was truly still acting the same as always."Then you agree?" Evelyn was instantly overjoyed upon hearing this.After all, she wasn't cutting Dexter out because the risk was high, but because Dexter participating in this job would take a cut of the money.Rather than letting that big black fatty Dexter get involved without doing anything, she would rather split the money with the mercenaries she hired."I haven't finished speaking yet, what's the rush?"David gave her a speechless glance and continued, "I understand what you're saying, but we mercenaries care more about our reputation. If we casually cut out fixers and work directly with clients, how are we supposed to take jobs in the future? How can we survive in the underworld?"Hearing this, Evelyn grew somewhat anxious and hurriedly said, "David, trust me. After finishing this job, you'll have endless money to spend, and you won't ever need to be a mercenary again.""As far as I know, you became a mercenary, and even joined MAX-TAC, all for money, am I right?"Finished speaking, he turned his head to look at V, "And you, V. Besides money, it's also to become a legend of Night City, right? After finishing this job, you can definitely become a legend just like David.""Heh, you know quite a bit…" David let out a soft chuckle: "Since you've put it that way, I'll also give Judy some face and consider it.""Fine, then I'll also put out my bottom line. Once it's done, I can give you fifty percent. Surely Dexterdidn't offer you that much, right? Give me a call once you've made up your mind."After throwing out her bottom line, Evelyn stepped aside to make way for the two of them.However, neither of them spoke. David simply waved his hand to say goodbye to Evelyn Parkerand left Lizzies Bar."David, do you really plan to kick Dexter aside and do it ourselves?"As soon as they stepped out the door of Lizzies Bar, V couldn't help pulling him aside to ask.But what met V was David's helpless little look: "I say, big sis, you actually believe polite pleasantries? How did you even survive in the corporation for so many years?""...Don't change the subject!"V was stung with a mix of shame and anger, then steered the conversation back: "Then tell me, what are you actually thinking?""Before that, answer me a question first." David asked: "What intelligence did you gather just now?""Why are you suddenly asking about this?" V expressed confusion."Never mind that, you speak first!""Uh… fine." V flipped through her previous memories: "When you were staying with Judy, I learned from Evelyn about the intelligence regarding this Relic. It's a secret research project that Arasaka Corporation spent billions on, and Yorinobu Arasakastole it from the laboratory, planning to sell it to those Netwatch folks.""Afterwards, in the braindance, I saw the layout of the top floor of Konpeki Plaza, the defense system, and the exact location of the Relic.""Oh right, at the very beginning of the footage, a strange guy appeared wearing a bizarre suit of armor. That should be Yorinobu Arasaka's bodyguard.""A bizarre suit of armor?"Hearing this, David suddenly spoke up to interrupt."Is there a problem?""Uh… no, go on."The moment he heard about a strange suit of armor, his first reaction was that dog bastard Adam Smasher.But that was impossible, because Adam Smasherwas already dead; he was very certain of that point.And if it really were Adam Smasher, it would be impossible for V not to recognize him."Mm, so, I think the people involved in this matter, besides Yorinobu Arasaka, are only Netwatch. Strictly speaking, the risk isn't as high as imagined."When V reached the end, she was still quite confident.But David felt a wave of speechlessness."...Just this?""Just this.""...My goodness..." David heavily slapped his own forehead: "V, it's not that I want to lecture you, but you really wasted all those years in the corporation…"He was speechless to the point of no further speechlessness."Can you stop always bringing that up? If there's a problem, just say it directly!" V was also extremely furious by his words.Clearly she had summarized things so hard, yet she was looked down upon like this.Not to mention, David really did look down on her."I really yield to you, is this even a question? First of all, the Relic is a major secret research project by Arasaka, right? Do you think that after Yorinobu Arasaka stole it, Saburo Arasaka wouldn't notice and would just let his rebellious son sell this thing to Netwatch?""And besides, there's also Evelyn Parker. She's just a doll; how much capability do you think she has to dare target the Relic?""You mean…"Prompted like this, V suddenly widened her eyes in sudden realization, unable to help murmuring: "That's right, Dexter also said that Evelyn's background is somewhat special, and Dexter was even warned by people from Pacifica…""Then, who do you think could be behind Evelyn?""Who is it?""You really are driving me up the wall, V…"David was speechless to the absolute extreme.He had been slowly guiding V all along, but V's brain was unexpectedly slow, as if the corpo ratwho used to work at Arasaka Corporation wasn't the V right in front of him.It was as if she had swapped her brain out over the past half year."Speaking of Pacifica, besides those dog bastards of the Voodoo Boys, who else could it be? Do you think the people of the Voodoo Boys could afford this exorbitant commission?""You mean the Voodoo Boys are planning a double-cross?!""Correct, but there's no prize.""Then what do we do… should we continue doing this job?"V was somewhat at a loss as to what to do.Honestly, this was the first time she had encountered something like a double-cross.But the answer David gave exceeded her expectations."Of course we keep doing it. At worst, once we get the Relic, we go trade with the Voodoo Boys in person. If they can't cough up the money, we'll just wipe them out along the way. I believe Kang Taowill definitely be very grateful to us."He said the most terrifying words with a calm expression.The Voodoo Boys entrenched in Pacifica had always been a malignant tumor that gave Kang Tao a headache, and because of them, Kang Tao had delayed developing Pacifica.If they used this matter to get some compensation or the like from Kang Tao, Kang Tao probably wouldn't be stingy at all.At that time, they could also drop by to visit that bunch of dog bastards from the Animals. If they hadn't failed to catch the Animals' movements earlier, it wouldn't have dragged on until now.Besides that, his reason for continuing to steal the Relic was very simple: first, for Johnny Silverhand, and second, to keep the trajectory of the situation firmly in his own hands.If they didn't steal the Relic, heaven knows what kind of hiccups would pop up again.For instance, Yorinobu Arasaka selling the Relic to Netwatch ahead of schedule, and then failing to personally slay his own father, or something.When that time comes, if Saburo Arasaka directly drops a nuclear bomb to wipe out Night City, that would truly be irreversible.Don't doubt this speculation; Saburo Arasaka would really do it.Because this fellow actually brought a nuclear bomb to negotiate with his own biological son, and had planned on it long ago.Chapter 105: Frequent Accidents, Melissa Rory's Joining (7.5K)After discussing the details of the Relic job, he didn't return to the Afterlife with V, but instead chose to return to headquarters alone.After all, if he went, it would just be meeting that big black fatty Dexter, which didn't feel necessary at all.Most importantly, he hadn't properly patrolled at all today and had been running around everywhere. If he didn't go back tonight, Melissa would definitely strip a layer of skin off him.What's more, regarding tomorrow's schedule, he still needed to ask Melissa for leave in person.However, as soon as he returned to headquarters, he saw Anna's figure standing alone in the center of the lobby.The bright lights spilled over her, and a purely black clerical outfit perfectly set off her slender and graceful figure.Judging by her appearance, it seemed like she was waiting for him?"Yo, Anna, still haven't gotten off work yet? Are you waiting for someone?"Based on the principle of being colleagues, he went up and greeted her for now.Although he still didn't get along with this woman while working, he could still treat her normally in daily life.After all, work is work, and life is life; they shouldn't be mixed together.Yet when Miss Anna caught sight of his figure, she lowered her head to scribble and sketch on her PDA, and said in that somewhat rigid-sounding voice:"Team Leader David Martinez, you were absent from work without cause for one day today; it has now been recorded.""Furthermore, recently, apart from you irregular combatants, everyone else has been working overtime. There's nothing strange about me not being off work."This woman was still the same old way, completely devoid of human warmth.Anna's set after set of rhetorical tactics made his scalp go a bit numb.Sometimes he really suspected whether this woman was a robot. He had even scanned her with his system, but the result was a living person, and except for her limbs, most of her body was organic, with only her brain suspected of having been modified."Lastly, Captain Melissa is waiting for you in her office.""What's she waiting for me for?" David asked, puzzled."Please ask Captain Melissa for the specifics; my mission is complete."Having said that, Anna turned around and left with slender, graceful steps, without even the slightest intention of explaining.However, he was already used to it.Because every time was like this…Thus, following Anna's instructions, he came to the administrative area, passed office after office, finally found Melissa's, and softly knocked on the door.Knock, knock, knock."Come in."The moment the words fell, the door slid open with a swoosh.What met the eye was a spacious room filled with early 21st-century light-luxury vibes. Unlike the coldness of the lobby and training grounds, the color scheme here looked very warm, and it didn't look colorful like the outside world.Even the floor didn't emit that dull metallic sound when stepped on, but rather a crisp wooden sound.It felt as if one had instantly stepped out of that armed violence organization and into the office location of some corporate executive.And right here, the only two elements out of place were the huge, tech-filled metal desk and Melissasitting behind it, furiously scribbling with an electronic pen."Wait for me a moment, go sit over there first."Melissa didn't even raise her head, merely calling out in a calm tone."Oh."David gave a symbolic response, then plops down onto the sofa placed by the window.Not to mention, this sofa was quite soft.Much better than the sofa in the rundown apartment he lived in a year ago.Although this wasn't his first time in Melissa's office, being invited to sit on the sofa was an absolute first.Usually when he was called here, it was either getting scolded or getting scolded.Either because he had done something out of line again, or for some other reason.