Starting From Night City

Chapter 3: They're Here, They're Here

That day, inside the Chieftain's Longhouse, a fierce argument erupted among the people.

"I don't agree, do you even know what you're doing, Charui?!" McCoy paced back and forth, his face filled with agitation.

"Not only do I know, I know very well. The one who hasn't figured things out yet, I think, is you, McCoy."

Compared to the furious McCoy, Charui stood with his hands on his hips, exceptionally calm.

"We're discussing the Serpent Nation, not the Random Blade Society."

"So what?"

"So what?" McCoy laughed in anger.

The way he looked at Charui was as if he were meeting the family leader for the first time.

McCoy took a deep breath and raised his hands.

"I mean no offense, let me state this beforehand. If anything I'm about to say makes you uncomfortable, I apologize."

Then, he pointed fiercely at Charui.

"But damn it, Charui, has the scorching sun fried your brain?"

"The Serpent Nation, that's one of the seven major Nomad nations, the Serpent Nation."

"No matter how big the conflict between Nomads, it would at most remain verbal, never escalating to actual violence. Yet now you're planning to rob the Serpent Nation's transport team?"

"If we do this, what's the difference between us and the Random Blade Society?!"

Charui stood his ground. After McCoy finished venting his anger, he slowly spoke.

"The difference is that the family can survive. You know the situation in the camp, don't you? If we don't do something, the Buckle Family will be finished."

Another senior Nomad beside them chimed in.

"McCoy, calm down. Charui isn't wrong. As long as we're careful enough and eliminate everyone, the Serpent Nation won't know it was us."

"But I'll know!"

With that, McCoy stormed out.

Leaving the people in the room looking at each other in bewilderment.

After a long pause, someone couldn't help but ask, "He's not going to say anything, is he?"

Charui shook his head.

"He'll figure it out. Don't worry about him. Let's go over the plan first."

In a tent, Su Xiao was repairing a firearm for a Nomad.

McCoy walked in from outside.

"McCoy, why do you look so terrible?"

McCoy didn't answer. Instead, he said to the Nomad sitting in front of Su Xiao, "You should go out first. I need to talk to him about something."

"I'll come back later then."

He stood up from his chair and left.

When only Su Xiao and McCoy were left in the tent, McCoy's expression turned serious.

"Su, during this period, absolutely do not leave the camp."

Su Xiao smiled, his tone relaxed. "What are you saying? I don't have a car, so I can't leave even if I wanted to."

However, McCoy didn't smile back.

"I'm not kidding."

Seeing McCoy's demeanor, Su Xiao's expression slowly turned grave.

"What happened?"

McCoy waved his hand irritably. "Damn it! Don't ask. Just promise me!"

"Okay, I promise."

"Good." McCoy seemed relieved and finally relaxed.

He patted Su Xiao's shoulder and prepared to leave.

As he was already outside the tent, he suddenly turned back.

"One more thing, Su." McCoy paused, appearing hesitant.

He seemed to be contemplating whether or not to tell Su Xiao about this matter.

In the end, McCoy decided to give Su Xiao a heads-up.

"If, I mean, if..."

"If something really happens, you go to the Chieftain's Longhouse—that's Charui's house. There's a tunnel that leads directly outside. Near where I often take you to practice, there's a cave where a vehicle is hidden."

"That cave is easy to find. As long as you search carefully, you definitely won't miss it."

"The car is full of gas, and there's emergency food, water, and essential supplies for surviving in the wild... as well as a small gift I personally prepared for you."

"If something truly happens, just floor it. Drive as fast as you can, the farther the better."

Su Xiao was stunned for a moment.

"What's going on, McCoy? Can you just say what you need to say? I hate riddles."

"Don't ask anything, and don't go digging around, just run when the time comes. Understand?"

This time, before Su Xiao could answer, a voice rang out.

A Nomad leaned against a crate by the tent entrance.

"McCoy, so you're here. Charui wants you. It's about that thing, you know."

McCoy nodded.

He followed the Nomad out.

"Su, remember what I said. Don't forget."

Watching McCoy leave, Su Xiao's expression was complicated.

Although he had originally only intended to use the Buckle Family as a stepping stone.

He hadn't planned to stay long.

But...

He looked up at the gloomy sky outside the tent.

The clouds were dense.

A storm seemed to be brewing.

"Something big is about to happen."

He opened his status panel, and a string of data appeared before his eyes.

Name: Su Xiao

Potential Points: 0

Skills:

Firearm Maintenance LV5

Blade Mastery LV3

Marksmanship Mastery LV2

Strength LV3

Evasion LV3

Block LV3

Throwing LV2

Vehicle Driving LV2

I Guess LV???

He closed the status panel.

He took out a box from under the bed.

Inside were all sorts of different types of grenades and anti-personnel mines.

There were over a dozen in total.

At the bottom of the box lay a katana and a decrypter.

These items were all things he had traded for with other Nomads.

While working for the camp yielded no pay, he could privately accept some benefits and help those further down the waiting list move up slightly.

It was unavoidable.

After all, if he was going to leave the Buckle Family, he needed something to defend himself with, right?

Charui neither gave him a gun nor paid him a salary.

He had worked for free for nearly half a year.

Wasn't he allowed to get a little something for himself?

Outside the tent, the sound of engines suddenly roared.

Su Xiao put the box back under the bed.

He walked out of the tent and saw a large number of vehicles leaving the camp.

In the social structure of the Nomads, the family is the smallest unit, ranging in size from two to a hundred people.

The Buckle Family is considered average, with a total of fifty people and eleven vehicles.

Now, eight vehicles drove out of the camp, kicking up dust as they sped toward the distance.

Leading the way was Charui.

After they left, Su Xiao put on a normal reaction befitting an ordinary person and approached a Nomad who had stayed behind, asking in a casual tone.

"Where are they going?"

"Don't know, Charui didn't say, but with all this commotion, they're probably off to do some big business."

The Nomad's tone and facial expression revealed endless regret.

It was clear he also wanted to go.

As soon as Su Xiao heard the words "big business," coupled with McCoy's sudden and repeated instructions...

He felt uneasy.

Nothing happened that day, and time quickly passed to the next.

The Nomads who stayed behind lit a bonfire in the center of the camp.

Su Xiao went to get his share of food, then found a spot with a good view to sit down, eating while enjoying the distant scenery.

In the Wasteland, there was no need to worry about being attacked by wolves or wild beasts.

This was because most animals had gone extinct.