Solved in 15

## Chapter 37 15. Resolution

"Another bloodbath."

Wiping the blood splattered on his face with the back of his hand, Karl sighed, "When will humanity evolve to the point where headshots don't splatter blood?"

"This..."

The middle-aged officer, who had stepped out from behind cover as Karl approached Patrick, intending to prevent the young man from throwing his life away, now stood dumbfounded seven or eight meters away from Karl, somewhat incredulous at what he had just witnessed.

Everything had happened too fast, leaving his mind struggling to catch up.

A Cyberpsycho that the NCPD was completely helpless against, taken care of by this young man?

In a single exchange?!

Under the immense shock of this undeniable fact, the middle-aged NCPD officer instinctively blurted out as Karl finished wiping the blood and looked over, "Are... are you alright?"

"Of course, I'm alright."

The Monomolecular Wire retracted, and the Kenshin was already back at his waist. Karl glanced at the middle-aged officer before squatting down, starting to search the Cyberpsycho's pockets.

"What are you doing?"

Noticing Karl doing something, the middle-aged officer approached a little, asking curiously.

"Looking for money, what else?"

Had these NCPD officers never searched a corpse before?

After a skilled search, Karl found that this Cyberpsycho was surprisingly poor, without even a single Eurodollar to his name.

"This is..."

Feeling his fingertip touch something flat, Karl pulled the object out of the Cyberpsycho's chest pocket, discovering it was a chip.

A chip?

Unobtrusively slipping the chip into his sleeve, Karl stood up, looking at the officers who had approached during his search, and asked, pointing at the body on the ground:

"What's the bounty on him? I remember the NCPD put out a bounty on him yesterday, right? I've taken him out now, so this deal can be settled."

"Uh..."

The middle-aged officer had actually noticed Karl's hand movements a little, but he didn't pay too much attention to it. He gave the other NCPD officers, who were still on guard, a gesture of reassurance, confirming that Karl wasn't a threat, and then started checking the NCPD's bounty list.

"Patrick Bell, bounty of ten thousand Eurodollars, dead or alive."

"Only ten thousand Eurodollars?"

Listening to Karl's somewhat dissatisfied words, the middle-aged officer now realized that this young man was most likely a mercenary.

Only mercenaries were so money-hungry and fearless, caring only about the bounty amount.

Perhaps because it was rare to see such a kind-looking young mercenary, and also because he had saved his life in a way, the middle-aged officer actually offered an explanation:

"Because he was only recently put on the bounty list, and this is just the initial bounty issued after he went on the run. If you had waited a few more days, the bounty should have increased a bit."

"How much is 'a bit'?"

"Based on my past experience..."

The middle-aged officer thought for a moment. A Cyberpsycho with a Dynalar Sandevistan Mk.1 and Mantis Blades, who also possessed a considerable amount of Subdermal Cybernetics, if he had completed his killing spree this time and escaped before the Psycho Squad arrived...

"It could have reached over one hundred thousand Eurodollars, perhaps."

"That much?"

Karl glanced at the body on the ground with a hint of regret. "Sounds like the appreciation potential is much greater than the Eurodollar itself."

"The price of the Dynalar Sandevistan Mk.1 on his body alone would be seventy-five thousand Eurodollars in new condition, not to mention the price of the Mantis Blades and Subdermal Cybernetics and other recoverable cyberware."

Hearing the middle-aged officer say this, Karl's gaze refocused on the body on the ground. "So, can I..."

"The NCPD has to take this body back. This wanted criminal is an Arasaka Corporation security personnel. According to the agreement he signed before his death, all the cyberware on his body, including his personal savings, must belong to Arasaka Corporation."

Knowing what Karl was thinking, the middle-aged officer said with some helplessness the reason why it couldn't be done.

"Signing away the terms after death, that's really the corporate way."

Karl wasn't surprised that an Arasaka Corporation security personnel was using another company's Sandevistan, because the reason for this was simple: Arasaka Corporation didn't have their own Sandevistan model. Although they might be developing it in secret, at least it wasn't yet available on the market.

It could only be said that Sandevistans were indeed not something ordinary people could afford to use. Most of those who could use them probably signed away the rights to their possessions after death, just like this Cyberpsycho.

"Then it seems like there's nothing else for me here."

Karl looked at the NCPD officers who were gradually surrounding the area again, using equipment to set up a light cordon, and asked the middle-aged officer, "What's your name? Let's exchange comms."

"It's for the bounty transfer later, right? Don't worry, it'll arrive by this afternoon at the latest."

The middle-aged officer promptly sent Karl his account and related notes, and Karl, upon receiving the information, also learned his name.

'Johnson, a standard American name.'

"Then I'll take my leave first, Mr. Johnson. If there are any related matters in the future, please contact me again. I'm happy to help the NCPD handle some things... as long as the reward is sufficient."

Karl had noticed Johnson out of the corner of his eye during the battle, so he had seen Johnson's attempt to rush over and help him. He silently remembered this attempt to assist, whether it was out of duty or conscience, so he was quite respectful in his address, using the word "Mr."

"It's been a long time since I've heard someone address me so respectfully."

That's not a term you just hear every day on the streets.

Watching Karl wave goodbye and leave, Johnson stared at his departing figure, a smile creeping onto his face: "Looks like this city still has something to offer."

"Detective Johnson, the incident reports need your signature."

"Oh, I'll be right there."

"So, Patrick got taken care of, huh?"

Ten minutes later, within Arasaka Corporation's special strike team, one of its members received news about Patrick.

However, he only glanced at the message before tossing it aside.

"I thought that since you and I both came from the Tiger Claws, you could have become a decent subordinate. Seems like that's all you amounted to."

The person who received the news about Patrick quickly turned his attention to another file in his mind.

'Volunteer candidates for the self-developed Sandevistan experiment, huh?'