The Joker stared at the map for a long time.
The District Nine Data Center on the screen had become blank, and new movements appeared on both Nite Owl and Luthor's communication channels.
The two conglomerates did not immediately engage in direct combat; instead, they first deployed their subordinate gangs.
Gunfire erupted in the Third Street District from afternoon until night as several previously unrelated armed groups simultaneously began vying for control of transportation lines, energy stations, and underground warehouses.
The Night City news channel kept broadcasting traffic control announcements.
The Joker watched for a while, then suddenly picked up an eraser and wiped away all the red dots on the map.
"Honey, you've erased over a decade's worth of investigation."
Harley Quinn jumped up and clapped her hands, as if she had finally waited for this day.
"Good job! Just looking at it gives me a headache!"
The Joker ignored her.
He flipped the map over, laid it back on the table, then picked up a red pen and drew a large circle on the west side of the city.
The group's name consists of only a few words.
All Foods Processing Plant.
"We're no longer targeting the monitoring nodes."
The Joker tapped the red circle with the tip of his pen.
"Start grabbing food now!"
The people around quieted down.
V frowned.
" All Foods Processing Plant? Wasn't that place taken over by the Maelstrom Gang?"
"That's right."
The Joker nodded.
"They control Night City's largest synthetic meat production line, and their warehouses are stockpiled enough to feed the outer districts for several months. Nite Owl and Luthor are now testing each other; one of them will definitely cut off the supply to the lower levels first."
He pointed to the map.
"Whoever controls the food controls the people."
" The Maelstrom Gang is the most suitable target."
In the corner, Chen Mo yawned.
He sat there ever since the celebration banquet ended, changing the wine bottle in his hand three times, but never moving his posture.
The Batman Who Laughs ran away.
The two so-called tycoons on this worthless earth aren't worth his time.
As for those gangs entrenched on the streets, they are at most a group of cyborgs with half their bodies replaced, not even worthy of his serious attention.
This place is getting more and more boring.
V walked over with two glasses of cheap liquor and sat down next to Chen Mo.
She handed one of the cups to Chen Mo, but her knees remained pressed against his, still in place.
"Want some drinks?"
Chen Mo took the wine glass and glanced down at it.
"What's this?"
"Liquor."
I was asking about the ingredients.
"Water, alcohol, and a little bit of a chemical additive from who-knows-where."
V leaned back in her chair, tilting her head to look at him.
Don't worry, it won't kill you.
"That's hard to say."
Chen Mo took a sip, his expression unchanged.
"Even poison feels insulted by the wine here."
V smiled, her gaze never leaving his face.
"If you could crush a city with one hand, why would you choose to stay in a place like this?"
There's food here.
Do you need to eat?
"I don't need it, but you do."
Chen Mo glanced at the remaining roasted meat on the table.
"And although the meat here may taste bad, at least we can still recognize what it originally was."
V was silent for a few seconds, then moved his knee forward a little more.
I've always been curious.
"What are you curious about?"
"Are you patient or impatient?"
V lowered his voice slightly.
"Why would someone who can trample everyone underfoot stay in the sewers with us, listening to the Joker spout his useless plans?"
Chen Mo turned his head and glanced at her.
Are you praising me or insulting me?
"Yes, they all are."
"You're quite the conversationalist, girl."
V picked up the wine glass and gently swirled the rim with his fingertips.
What if I said I just wanted to see when you'd lose your temper?
"Then you might be disappointed."
Chen Mo reached out and touched her glass, then took the wine from her hand and drank it in one gulp.
"If I lose my temper, none of you will live to see it."
V looked at the empty wine glass, his probing gaze intensifying, and leaned closer to Chen Mo's face.
Chen Mo was amused by this little rascal.
"Aren't you afraid of me?"
V looked at Chen Mo dismissively.
"I'm standing so close because I don't want you to be afraid, right?"
Chen Mo returned the cup to her and continued to lean back in his chair.
"Don't worry, I understand what you mean."
V stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly burst out laughing.
"You understand, so why aren't you moving?"
"I was planning to leave."
"And now?"
Chen Mo turned to look at the map.
The Joker was still discussing the route with the others, and there were several old guns and crumpled pieces of paper on the table.
He spoke very earnestly.
They were so serious that it seemed Night City would immediately gain freedom simply by seizing a food factory.
But when he mentioned the inventory levels, his voice clearly paused for a moment.
He knew what those synthetic meats meant.
They also knew the Maelstrom Gang wouldn't hand it over easily.
This guy has been hit hard by reality several times, but he's still willing to keep fighting for his ideals.
I'm a little envious.
Chen Mo stared at him for a while, then suddenly looked away.
"Never mind."
V asked, "What does that count as?"
I'll stay for two more days.
Upon hearing this, the Joker immediately turned his head.
What?! You're willing to participate in this operation?
"Hey, hey, hey, I never said I'd participate."
Chen Mo placed the wine glass on the table.
"I'm just staying to see if you can get the food back."
The Joker's expression immediately turned serious.
"This operation is very dangerous. The Maelstrom Gang's level of modification far exceeds that of ordinary gangs. They have replaced almost half of their bodies with cybernetic implants, and they possess heavy weapons and numerous defensive fortifications."
"Um."
"They also have a batch of combat cybernetic bodies obtained from military channels, with enough firepower to block the entire street."
"Continue."
"Their leader is called Morok, a complete madman who once turned all his men into test subjects in order to test a new cybernetic body."
The Joker's voice grew even lower as he spoke.
"If we fail, the Maelstrom Gang move all the food from the warehouse. At that point, at least hundreds of thousands of people in the outer district will be starving."
Chen Mo nodded.
"Then don't fail."
The Joker paused, taken aback.
"You'll make a move?"
"It depends."
Chen Mo stood up and stretched.
"If you can solve this yourselves, I'll just watch from the sidelines. If you can't, I'll take those parts-changing machines apart."
Harley Quinn raised her hand.
"Then I'll sew them back on?"
"Need not."
Chen Mo looked at her.
"Don't put it back after taking it apart, so they won't cause trouble next time."
The base fell silent for a moment.
V lowered his head to drink, his shoulders trembling slightly.
The Joker picked up the red pen again and wrote the operation time next to the All Foods Processing Plant.
Early the next morning.
This time, no one cheered.
Everyone began checking weapons and preparing vehicles and medical equipment.
Chen Mo walked to the base entrance and glanced back at the map.
Next to the red circle, a line of smaller text has been added.
Let them eat their fill first.
Chen Mo pursed his lips.
"The ideal is quite lofty."