Chapter 229

224

Chapter 224 They all died violently! (Part 2)

Even with lax controls and rampant contraband like in Night City, the [Sandevistan], a prosthetic body serving as the central nervous system operating system, is still a high-end, controlled item.

On the market, there are many and varied civilian-grade, downgraded versions of Black Market products, but it is very difficult to find good-quality military-grade stock.

Obtaining a truly high-quality product with its serial number and related backdoors removed is extremely difficult.

Behind every instance of military-grade Sandevistan in circulation, rather than relying on sheer luck, lies more of the company's consideration and evaluation in finding a "destined" Little White.

For most mercenaries, equipping that thing was almost equivalent to drinking poison.

It is powerful, but the price is that it falls into the abyss of cyber nightmares and walks on the edge of losing control every day.

Maine was lucky enough to find an authentic, top-quality item, even though it was secondhand.

Because of its use, Maine even pushed himself to the brink of becoming Cyberpsychosis multiple times.

If it weren't for his lover and reliable partners keeping him in check, the opportune release of Arasaka's new immunosuppressant and hormone-blocking drug, and the fact that he had money and connections to have his entire Combat Cybernetics, including [Sandevistan], cleaned, replaced, and adjusted to reduce the burden, he might have retired from the criminal life, or perhaps fallen ill and been killed by the MaxTac, rotting away in some stinking ditch.

Now, Maine knows it's time to give it his all and fight tooth and nail again.

"Damn it! Solomon Reed, I'll fuck your eight generations of sons of a bastard—!!"

Maine roared.

His tall and imposing figure moved with extraordinary speed, so fast that he was just a blur in the eyes of ordinary people. Like a flash, frame by frame on a film, he crashed directly into the defenses of the Arasaka Special Operations Department's security team from the flank.

Who is Solomon Reed? Are there any of us named Solomon Reed?

Behind the cover, the security officer's wide-open prosthetic eye reflected the large, brown-skinned man who had suddenly lunged at him. He tried to turn his gun around but it was too late. With a muffled groan, he fell backward, still wondering what had happened.

Nine left!

Ignoring the activated self-defense robots, Maine's eyes were now only on Abernathy's remaining security team and bodyguards.

The gun barrel fired amidst noise and flashes of light. With the greatly enhanced human senses, physical functions, and motor coordination provided by the [Sandevistan], the [Crusher] and [L-69 Zoe] in his hands sprayed armor-piercing ammunition with extremely high accuracy.

The [Crusher] flashed its gunfire.

At extremely close range, the full-power slug pierced through the bulletproof armor with a resounding thud, as if struck by a heavy hammer. The figure was carried away by the passive force and fell heavily to the ground, knocking over the robot.

Sparks flew from the eight barrels of the L-69 Zoro.

Without even aiming, eight smart explosive bullets carrying electric current streaked through the air, distorting the heavy-shield-bearing Security Officer EX0-1 exoskeleton, shattering parts of its structure, and causing blood to seep from under its skin.

Maine didn't even blink, charging forward fearlessly.

He used his shoulder to brace against an enemy and then rammed headfirst into the wind-eroded sandstone.

Then, with practiced ease, he pulled out the safety pin and stuck the grenade to the enemy embedded in the rock wall, who was making suffocating gurgling sounds. The instant he was out of the blast radius, he swung his fist and smashed it into the not-so-rounded head of the self-defense robot blocking his way.

"Snap!" The crisp sound was just like cracking an eggshell.

Maine continued his relentless advance.

He moved through the storm of metal, letting the bullets graze his scalp and fly past his clothes. A few hit, some were stopped by his heavy body armor, some were deflected by his subcutaneous armor and Combat Cybernetics, and some drew blood, but he still did not slow down.

Unbeknownst to him, his teeth began to rub against each other, and his eyes became increasingly lifeless, like a bionic doll, cold and inorganic.

"Holy crap! It's Cyberpsychosis! He's about to have an attack!"

Upon seeing this, someone opened their mouth wide and screamed in surprise.

Bang! She was shot, and Fang Ning's still-wet blood bloomed on her chest, her head even being blasted off her shoulder.

Maine's gaze only flickered when the 'explorer' that had made an emergency landing was right in front of him.

Without the slightest pause, click! The barrel of the [Projectile Launch System] in his right hand extended, aiming at the Man in Black stood out conspicuously against the desert sands.

The difference between the suits and uniforms of the Arasaka bodyguard system and the combat uniforms of the security team is immediately apparent.

"Don't even think about it!!"

The moment the cannon fired, a figure wearing an EX0-1 exoskeleton arrived in an instant, keeping up with Maine's speed. The next moment, the sound of metal friction and the muffled thud of collision, whether it was metal encasing flesh or flesh encasing metal, caused the [Projectile Launch System] to go astray. The shell exploded on the sandstone, and shrapnel flew everywhere, hitting the steel plates of the vehicle body and making a screeching sound.

Then, the security officer raised his exoskeleton-equipped arm and swung it out, delivering a powerful straight punch to Maine's crossed arm.

'Bang!'

The punch sent Maine staggering backward, losing his balance and taking large steps back, his thick-soled combat boots slamming heavily on the sand.

Just as the security officer drew his chainsaw dagger, intending to press his advantage, bang! Always paying close attention to his surroundings, he disregarded his image and, almost leaving afterimages, rolled away to dodge the sniper's shot.

The commotion also woke Maine.

He glanced at Panam out of the corner of his eye, towards Jackie's direction. Undoubtedly, Panam was providing long-range sniper cover for him...

"Pilar, you and Dorio, Falco provide long-range cover, don't get close! Damn it, the exoskeleton is too hard, I'll create an opportunity for you."

Spitting out a mouthful of saliva, enduring the discomfort from continuous use of [Sandevistan], he dodged bullets left and right while grabbing a handful of syringes from his tactical pocket. Three injections of immunosuppressants and two injections of combat stimulants, and then...

The security officer, panting heavily, couldn't see what Maine was doing behind the rock bunker, but he saw the same thing: Mann was also taking drugs to replenish his energy.

Then, the two sides roared like madmen and collided in what appeared to be a flash of light from another's perspective.

The grenade stuck to the unfortunate guy exploded at that moment, bursting out in a bloody mist and sending dust flying.

Splash!

Covered in another layer of charred yellow sand, Abernathy looked up from behind his bunker, his face grim.

She had just heard someone shout "Sandevistan," and then the signals of several security personnel and self-defense robots went offline one after another. She was well aware of the seriousness of the situation; if she was not careful, she would be done for!

"Solomon Reed... Fuck Militech! Fuck the Federal Intelligence Agency! Fuck Washington!"

As the head of Arasaka's intelligence network in Night City, Abernathy had naturally heard of the NUSA Joint Intelligence Bureau's reputation as the best intelligence officer in history, a name that was on Arasaka's kill list.

Judging from the brown-skinned giant's furious roar, his emotions didn't seem feigned; he genuinely hated Solomon Reed. But why did you attack Arasaka? Why did you ambush me? Were you coerced?

Abernathy didn't know if this was a frame-up or a misunderstanding, and before he could think about it, his bodyguards pressed him down.

Boom! Boom! Boom...

It was the vehicle-mounted rockets and barrage of bullets from the Nomads' side.

"Cough cough..."

Lying prostrate on the ground, Abernathy gripped the Nine Tails tightly in his hand.

Although the Nomads suffered heavy losses due to the firepower before the Octagon crashed, they still had several vehicles full of people who could shoot and throw bombs, which made Abernathy abandon his plan to order the exoskeleton heavy armor security officer on the defensive side to return to the rescue.

It's both a pity and a relief.

Unfortunately, only three members of her security team were equipped with the EX0-1 exoskeleton, and only the team's Chief security officer in [Sandevistan] had it implanted.

Fortunately, the Night City Arasaka headquarters has been developing rapidly recently under the leadership of Director Vera. Even her Special Operations Department has benefited from this and has begun to equip itself with exoskeletons, which in principle violate the "Urban Over-Limit Firepower Convention".

In terms of prosthetics, advancements in new drugs and accompanying implantation procedures are lowering the barriers to implantation of high-load, high-requirement prosthetics such as [Sandevistan].

Instead of waiting idly, Abernathy acted decisively after the Chief Security Officer, who had higher emergency combat command authority than him, was tied down.

"You, go and support the security officer!"

She looked at her four bodyguards and said, "If I make it back alive, I guarantee that the highest level of compensation will be given to your families."

Abernathy made what she believed to be the right decision.

But what she didn't know was that someone was waiting for her to make a foolish move.

After the bodyguard who had been guarding him left, a thousand meters away, in the exact opposite direction from the sniper position in Panam, a beeping sound came from an encrypted communication, "Reed, this is what you owe me. I saw Abernathy."

225

Chapter 225 They All Died Violently! (Part 2)

A gunshot rang out.

As Abernathy ordered her bodyguards to provide backup, she demonstrated her professionalism and dedication.

Moving along, he pulled the trigger of the [Nine Tails] precision rifle, accurately taking down two Nomads at mid-to-long range and suppressing the brown-skinned cyber madman's partner. Taking advantage of the moment when he crouched down to change cover and reload his empty magazine, thud! thud!

Abernathy felt a sharp pain, her vision rolled backward, and blood gushed from her side chest onto the sandstone.

The Director of Special Operations has fallen.

"Director!!"

"Um?"

V frowned slightly and lowered the muzzle of her SPT32-Icestorm. Wisps of smoke still rose from the gun barrel.

Through the scope, she naturally saw that a large portion of Abernathy's torso had exploded, but...

It appears that Abernathy was shot more than once.

There's one more person, Panam? No, the wrong direction.

"The Federal Intelligence Agency..."

V felt a sense of unease at the thought of the name Solomon Reed that Jackie had mentioned.

A top-ranking Shinmei ace agent on the Arasaka Intelligence System's kill list.

Although she desperately wanted to kill the other person, time was of the essence, and there was no time for careful consideration. Her act of assassinating her superior's superior was something that absolutely could not be made public. Even if everyone secretly suspected that she was the one who did it, having a cover-up and uncovering it are two different things.

With a determined look, V dialed the number. "Jackie, target hit! Have your men charge one last time to make sure it's a kill... Forget it, hurry. I don't believe the Federal Intelligence Agency will rescue Abernathy. Don't forget to clean up the mess. You retreat now!"

"Oh? You've got something special."

*Ding! Alex, lying prone on the slope, pulls the bolt to change ammunition.

She specifically chose the [Nekomata] Electromagnetic Sniper Rifle, designed for Tsunami Defense.

As a new American agent, she doesn't need to avoid suspicion or feign using a gun from the Russian Federation's high-tech military industry.

Through the high-powered optical anchor, Alex could see the black-clad bodyguards rushing to Abernathy's side after she fell. Undoubtedly, they hit her, but it was interesting that someone else had timed their shot perfectly at the same moment. They were all aiming for a safer hit on the torso.

Is it the side of the Nomads, or the other side of the Arasaka infighting?

Alex didn't have time to think, because she had already seen Reed's car.

After Abernathy was shot, Arasaka's defenses faltered for a moment, suppressing firepower faltered, and several bodyguards rushed back like madmen. Even the security officer wearing an exoskeleton was momentarily distracted and fell into a disadvantageous position.

Reed timed his entry perfectly; he's a seasoned veteran.

Unfortunately, he's a brainwashed blockhead and a complete bastard.

After confirming with the backup gunner that the surroundings were still safe, Alex charged up again, aimed, and pulled the trigger—buzz-bang!

Without batting an eye, he blew the head off one of the black-clad bodyguards.

His body fell five or six steps away from Abernathy's location, splattering with blood and the slime that lubricated his prosthetic body, and convulsed before ceasing to move.

Faced with the Tungsten Dart Rounds fired after being accelerated by the six electromagnetic arrays of the [Nekomata], conventional subcutaneous armor and titanium skeletons would be extremely difficult to defend against with current technology.

[Alex: Report on the surrounding situation. How far away are Arasaka's reinforcements?]

Sam: Estimated distance, at least two and a half minutes. No flying object detected. I've set a countdown.

While continuing to snipe remotely and support Reed's treasure hunt, Alex also maintained contact with the Federal Intelligence Agency's hacking team, providing real-time updates on the progress of Arasaka's reinforcements.

Everything seemed perfect.

Alex was unaware that she had overlooked a very important point—the ground.

What if Arasaka's reinforcements weren't all in hovercars? What if ground vehicles were faster than regular wheeled vehicles and offered better concealment than hover armored vehicles like the Demon Lizard?

A minute passes in the blink of an eye.