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46.55% Interdimensional Scientist, Starting from Cyberpunk / Chapter 115: Unfortunate Turn

Chương 115: Unfortunate Turn

"Then, Biotechnica put a bounty on me. The next day, they burned down our house and seized my farm according to local laws. But it didn't matter—I figured that land couldn't grow crops anyway."

Ziggy-Q: "So you want us to feel sorry for your misfortune? But with all due respect, paying off debts is a basic principle. Why didn't you just sell the house to cover the debt in the first place?"

Hector glanced at Ziggy-Q, "It didn't matter; the result would've been the same. I lost the land and joined the nomads. I followed the tribe all the way to Night City. Later, when the rebuilding of Pacifica began, we secured a contract and started building houses there."

Ziggy-Q: "I'm glad you got back on track, and I'm sure our audience feels the same way. So, what happened next?"

Hector: "Pacifica was chaotic. The tribe worked as both guards and laborers, doing odd jobs for years until the Unification War broke out. The New United States military swept through Pacifica. We couldn't compete with Militech's war machines, so we started to retreat. But the developers ran off, owing us 1.24 million eddies in construction fees. We didn't get a single eddie."

Ziggy-Q: "That's truly unfortunate, but that's war. The developers in Pacifica were victims too—"

Hector: "Victims, my ass! You flashy freak, I've had enough of your nonsense. I talk, you listen!"

He grabbed the old revolver as if it were loaded.

Nearby, Inspector Krasko tensed up and drew her gun—

Even though Hector looked like he was on the verge of collapse, the sudden movement still startled her.

Ziggy-Q froze for a moment, then said, "Wow, you really scared me. But I still stand by my opinion. Of course, you can continue. Our audience has sharp eyes."

"Sharp eyes? That's a joke. Night City is a cesspool. You might have sharp eyes, but your bodies are numb, crammed into the prisons your developers built for you, comforting yourselves as you work and commute until you get killed by a stray bullet in a street shootout. Or maybe you'll end up on the streets, looting corpses and getting high on drugs, only to get shot by some unlucky wage slave. Honestly, I don't get how this place is called the City of Dreams."

...

"Speaking of which, Biotechnica poisoned the land, didn't they? Any crops that haven't been genetically modified by them can hardly grow on it."

"I don't know about that, but I've already sent a request to headquarters to have the equipment delivered."

"You don't know? Interesting." Leo chuckled.

V sighed, "That old man's life was rough, but with his skills, why was he still farming and building houses? Honestly, I don't get it."

"That's why Night City is, in some ways, far crazier than the nomads."

On the surface, Leo was chatting while waiting for the equipment to arrive, but in reality, he was multitasking—copying useful data from Biotechnica's complex database.

But this time, it wasn't just multitasking; it was triple-tasking—in the Marvel world, he had already awakened Professor Connors Scott from his slumber, ready to get firsthand data.

Koch cautiously asked, "So... you're interested in the company's core technological equipment?"

"That's not your concern. But as I said, you get me the equipment, and I'll help you deal with your future problems."

"Whose side are you on? MoorE Technologies? Petrochem? SovOil? Can you reveal that now?"

Leo shook his head slightly.

Not a chance—he didn't have anyone backing him.

In situations like this, the best strategy was to keep his mouth shut and shake his head. Even if he did have someone behind him, now was not the time to reveal it.

Leo was familiar with DNA splicing technology, but in his original world, it had limited effects and was constrained by numerous ethical guidelines. When it came to using it to create monstrous human modifications, it was still far from reality.

In the Cyberpunk world, they had hit the gas pedal since World War II. Massive wars, deaths, and unethical experiments had driven technological leaps. This technology might not be far more advanced than what Leo was familiar with, but they were certainly well-versed in it, with plenty of experience.

This was evident from the fact that they had discovered a similar decay algorithm as Professor Connors Scott.

When the technology wasn't perfect, they simply gathered more test subjects. As long as there were enough, they could always deduce a standard model.

Leo looked out the glass window—clouds obscured the moon; it was a cloudy night.

Koch had also prepared a reason to mobilize the equipment: Project Nightingale had a significant risk of information leakage, but at the same time, it had made a huge breakthrough.

Impala Automatics had been attacked, resulting in the deaths of many wanderers. During the autopsies, they gained inspiration for a technological breakthrough, necessitating urgent experimental adjustments.

A successful experiment at this critical juncture could reassure clients, suppress the bad news about the wanderers' deaths, and boost investor confidence.

Of course, whether they could actually get the equipment depended on Koch's cooperation.

A few minutes later, Koch looked up, "It's approved. The equipment will arrive tomorrow from the orbital city."

Leo curiously stroked his chin, "You don't need to submit a technical feasibility report, expert recommendations, autopsy data, or evaluation documents?"

Hearing that long list of document names, Koch was momentarily stunned.

Wasn't this guy supposed to be a mercenary? How did he know so much?

"Actually, we already have a plan for adjustments; we just hadn't implemented it yet. I'll send the documents over now."

"Good—"

Leo still felt something was off, but he couldn't put his finger on it—Koch's information had passed his scrutiny, and everything seemed just as he had seen.

He glanced at V and Jackie; they seemed normal, not noticing anything unusual, occasionally sneaking glances at the patrol units outside the glass.

Was he just being paranoid?

Koch was getting more and more natural—this didn't seem like a good sign.

Of course, given that she was the Director of Technical and Developmental Operations, it wasn't surprising that she had regained her composure.

The group sat in the office, and Koch said, "We're all in this together now. You can go back and wait for my signal."

Leo didn't respond.

The uneasy feeling made him uncomfortable. He had quietly increased the power of his Sandevistan and sped up his data mining.

It felt like half of his consciousness had entered a deep dive state. For an ordinary person, it would be hard to distinguish reality from cyberspace.

[File: Painkiller Neural Analgesic]

[File: Project Nightingale]

[File: Project Nightingale—Attachment]

File decrypted.

Leo believed if there was a problem, it would be in these files—no hacker could deep dive without a deep dive interface, except him.

This unexpected operation was the only way to find something he hadn't noticed.

[Project Nightingale:]

[Summary: Painkiller Neural Analgesic has been proven to cause progressive neural degeneration with long-term use.]

[However, this drug consistently ranks high on best-seller lists, with major military contractors among the top buyers. Militech has noticed this side effect and secretly reached an agreement with the company to develop human enhancement technology that avoids side effects and strengthens the nervous system.]

[The project will analyze the role of protein hormones and electrical signals in the mechanism of "pain" based on the mechanism of Painkiller Neural Analgesic.]

[The project aims to genetically modify humans at the DNA level, transforming pain sensitivity into electromagnetic sensitivity, which will greatly enhance man-machine interaction sensitivity, giving an edge in warfare.]

[Expected favorable traits observed: Increased cell activity under electromagnetic stimulation, accelerated ATP synthesis.]

[Expected unfavorable traits observed: [Deleted]]

[More Information:...]

Leo's thought process suddenly halted as he linked a few key terms together.

Project Nightingale was a DNA modification project, so wouldn't that mean the project inherently required suitable equipment?

[Approved Top-Secret Experimental Asset: DNA Drug Synthesis Device Model HR-XX1.]

[Top-Secret Recent Emails:]

[Deleted: You should go home and reflect for a few days—stay away from the corporation.]

[Deleted: That's it.]

The equipment he needed was right here—and Koch wasn't even supposed to be in the corporation!

She had already been abandoned by the corporation!

So, what was this woman applying for?

Jackie suddenly said from beside the window, "Wow, Militech Manticore, that thing looks awesome. Are they just showing off now?"

"Damn it—Jackie, get down!"

Bang!


Chương 116: Loyal to the End

"Look around you! The corporation decides everything! Your clothes, your food, your home, even your transportation—it's all controlled by the corporation, even your birth and death!"

"I don't understand, why do you turn a blind eye to it?"

"Before I ever dealt with the corporation, yes, I was just a simple farmer. The worst, and the thing I hated most, was farming—

But ever since I got involved with the corporation, I lost my land, lost my water, and I spent a long time thinking about that soldier I killed—

Then I started building houses, but after years of work, I didn't get a single cent!

And now you're telling me that it's not those damned bastards' fault that they owe me money?

Why don't you suggest I go after Militech instead?"

Yeah, you could go after Militech—if you dare."

The audience jeered, and Ziggy-Q chuckled, "But you're a coward! You only pick on the easy targets!"

Hector's veins bulged, "Have you ever left the studio, Ziggy-Q? Have you ever stepped outside this fake, artificially lit studio and seen the sun?

When the sun shines on the land, and a family starts their day's work, hoping for a good harvest—

Since I got involved with those corporate bastards, I've spent every day longing for the days when I hated farming the most—

Yes, I'm an outlaw, I killed a corp dog when I was 24, I've robbed oil fields, hijacked cars, smuggled goods, I've done it all.

But every time I tried to be a good man—

I worked as a transporter for the corporation, but the pay wasn't even enough to cover fuel costs; I built houses in Pacifica, but the contractors never paid me; I tried to farm, but the corporation took my land away!"

He shakily stood up, "This world is messed up! Every time I get screwed, it's because of the corporation, and yet you all still demand evidence from me?

And what's this about preying on the weak?

Do you think I'm a child who'll be fooled by your rhetoric?!"

"This sounds like you're just making excuses for your illegal actions."

"Illegal actions, my ass! Did you ask for my vote when your council elections were held? Did you involve me when you made your laws?!"

"But it's the law that allows you to be here, and it's Night City's market that gives you a platform to speak. You should be thankful for these things!"

"Thankful?" Hector sneered, "You're good at pretending to care. You know what? I never make excuses—."

The gun pointed at Ziggy-Q, and for a moment, the host panicked.

But the gun was empty.

"So, if you had bullets, you'd even kill me? But what did I do? I invited you onto the show!

Inspector, please escort this lunatic out."

"Now, let me show you what happens when you insult a desperate nomad—"

Just as Inspector Krasko moved, Hector suddenly swung the gun, slamming the butt into her jaw!

The blow hit a nerve-dense area, sending Krasko's head reeling.

Hector followed up with a kick to Krasko's stomach, his strikes precise and fast, displaying the true nature of an old-school outlaw.

Maybe they didn't have the top-tier implants that the best mercenaries in Night City had, but their combat experience made them as formidable as the best warriors.

He had only been pretending to be in pain; in reality, he had used up all his neural suppressants before coming here.

Besides, how could physical pain compare to the guilt and struggle in his heart?

This scene startled Ziggy-Q, and Hector's next move terrified him even more—

Hector tore off all his ragged clothes, revealing his burnt and charred skin!

He reached into his own arm—yes, inside his arm!—and pulled out a bullet!

"Remember, this is my doing!"

Bang!

...

Bang!

V reacted instantly, activating her Sandevistan and yanking Jackie down!

Almost simultaneously, bullets pierced the reinforced glass of Biotechnica Tower, leaving deep black holes in the glass and walls—

They recognized these bullet holes—they were made by a Nekomata!

Leo shouted urgently, "Jackie—report!"

"Mierda! I'm fine! What the hell happened?!"

"That bitch tricked us!"

Koch was scared out of her mind. She had no idea how Leo suddenly caught on or that the people outside would start shooting—

But she knew she should run in the chaos!

Leo, watching Koch trying to escape, shouted angrily, "You tricked me and now you want to run—V!"

Koch shouted as she ran, "Don't kill me, I can be a hostage!"

V coldly raised her gun, "Gladly—"

Bang!

Achilles took a shot, blowing Koch's head clean off.

A hostage? Yeah, right.

Koch's presence in Biotechnica Tower had led Leo to misjudge—he thought she hadn't been abandoned yet!

Moreover, the previous company dogs Leo had dealt with had all been ready to screw the corporation over from the start, which made Leo lower his guard—

If Murphy, Kuno, and Morton were all disloyal to the company, why would Koch remain loyal after everything?

But Koch was indeed loyal to the end!

The equipment had been in Biotechnica Tower all along, and she had requested to deploy it without reporting any malfunctions, which naturally raised suspicions!

The corporation had already decided to throw Koch under the bus, but she thought she could still salvage the situation, so she didn't buy into the big promises Leo had made!

She gambled everything on pulling off a major success this time!

However, in the end, she was left with no value at all—no value to the corporation and no value to Leo!

"What now?!"

"Run! Get inside the building!"

Leo hurriedly ran to Koch's corpse and pulled out an access badge from her clothes—her privileges had been heavily restricted, so she had to rely on an access badge to stay in the building.

Whoosh—

Blinding white light flooded the office, illuminating the entire room—

The roaring wind and the deafening sound of floating engines filled the air as the Manticore rapidly ascended!

"Shit."

"Stop gawking and run!!"

Leo screamed over the comms as V and Jackie stood frozen, staring in shock.

"You two idiots—waiting to be shredded by the Manticore's autocannons?!"

At Leo's urging, the two turned and bolted through the office door—just as the Manticore rose to their level!

Koch's office was spacious, but less than 30 meters deep.

For a hovering armored vehicle, that distance was close enough to see every detail on its body—

A Militech soldier crouched on the side of the VTOL, pulling the trigger and opening fire!

The thick reinforced glass was punctured with several bullet holes and then shattered under the impact of large-caliber rounds!

The bullets tore through the glass, slamming into the walls with the sound of a heavy hammer striking the surface!

Leo and his team could even feel bullets whizzing past behind them!

The trio sprinted at full speed, with bullets chasing them—thankfully, it took some effort to punch through Biotechnica's reinforced glass.

And since they were already inside the building, continuous firing wasn't feasible—the efficiency was too low—

After all, this was Biotechnica's corporate tower.

The Manticore approached the shattered glass, and a heavily-built Militech soldier mustered all his strength and jumped out, crashing through the already fractured glass!

"We've entered Biotechnica Tower, deploying soldiers now."

"Roger that—Biotechnica Tower's internal defense system is activated. Be sure to identify allied combat drones. The MaxTac hackers have integrated into the coordinated combat network."

Several well-equipped soldiers jumped out of the VTOL, guns at the ready, advancing quickly into the building, while others began setting up rappel gear on the walls.

"Copy that, tracking the target."

Outside the building, another Manticore hovered at the same height as the Militech one.

But this VTOL had the words "MAX-TAC" painted on its side.

Inside the vehicle were four heavily armed super-soldiers—

But they didn't seem eager to engage directly in the battle. One sniper, after setting up his rifle, let out a disappointed "Tsk."

"Haha, you missed!"

A giant soldier laughed, patting the sniper on the shoulder.

Then he turned to the woman sitting with her arms crossed in the chair and asked, "Lieutenant Rory, why don't we go in and take care of those guys? Give us something to have fun with."

"There's no evidence of a cyberpsycho incident. The enemy might just be small-time crooks. HQ wants us to wait and see, only providing limited support.

It looks like a case of corp-on-corp action—honestly, I'm more curious how those small-timers got in. Keep an eye on the walls."

A few seconds later, the hacker in charge of network security for the unit spoke up with a puzzled tone.

"Rather...interesting..."


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