Yes, I was able to upload the chapter a day early today. Enjoy!
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Faelan didn't take long to learn about Adam Smasher's imminent arrival from Kiwi while he was helping Galina get used to her body with bio-implants. So far, the results were within his expectations.
"Wow, Saburo did me a huge favor," he thought happily.
He still didn't know how to lure Adam Smasher to fulfill SAV's conditions, so if the machine in the shape of a man took the initiative to come looking for him, there couldn't be a better scenario.
A destined encounter, a quick death—and he could go have breakfast.
"Even with Arasaka prioritizing Smasher's transport, it'll take him two days to arrive. Whatever plan you make, you've got that time," Galina said, standing on a thin, taut rope, regulating her balance with focus, unwilling to fall for the seventh time. "If you want to avoid collateral damage, I also think the Badlands plan would be ideal."
Faelan didn't respond immediately.
"Are you thinking about taking out Saburo?" Kiwi suddenly asked, suspicion growing in her voice.
"Hmm?" Faelan snapped out of his thoughts and looked at his girlfriend. "Actually, I was thinking about making a deal with him."
"A deal?" Kiwi asked, making sure she hadn't misheard.
"That's right."
Who knew how many engrams that guy had lying around? What if killing one just caused another to appear?
A different body, the same face after a bit of plastic surgery.
Not to mention that killing him would only cause problems—too many people had been brainwashed into swearing loyalty to that fossil.
Did Saburo want to live longer?
He had ways to grant that—as long as he paid the price.
Of course, this would only extend his life in a finite way. He wasn't going to get some straw puppet or anything like that to grant him a second life.
Even so, Smasher was going to die. That would be his slap to the hand being extended toward him—the one that thought it could simply take what it wanted.
"By the way, hasn't Hanako-sama said anything?" Galina asked as she jumped down from the rope. "It's strange that she only warned you."
With her father involved, Hanako Arasaka had little room to truly intervene.
She likely couldn't even suggest delaying things—her father was ruthless enough to make a drastic decision.
"Nothing," Kiwi shook her head. "Not just her—Cynta has gone silent too after the warning."
Kiwi and Sasha had tried to get more information—any detail—but there was simply no response on the other end, as if their messages were falling into a bottomless pit.
Galina tried as well for a few minutes.
Nothing.
…
Two days later.
[We've got news! —Sasha started a video call showing only her face while the sound of splashing water echoed in the background— A fixer named Sunshine just sent photos and info—Adam Smasher arrived in the city just two minutes ago! —she said while seemingly struggling with something— An Arasaka vehicle just left—, Lucy! Stay still, I can't wash you like this!]
Lucy's indignant voice took over.
[I told you I could shower by myself! —she protested— I'm not a baby, I'm ten years old!]
[Nonsense! —Sasha shot back while holding her in what looked like an inverted suplex— Your legs were still shaking this morning from getting your real muscles back—what if you slip in the shower?]
[Wait, are you on a video call? —Lucy's eyes widened in sheer horror— Aahhh!]
[Relax, you're not—]
[Turn it off now! Right now! Immediately!]
Sasha switched to audio-only mode.
[I don't know why you're getting so worked up —Sasha muttered helplessly— You weren't even on camera, and Faelan isn't interested in—]
[AAAH! SASHA, I HATE YOU!]
SLAP!
[This user has disconnected from the call.]
Kiwi, Galina, Dorio, and Faelan—still on the call—exchanged silent glances.
None of them felt sorry for Sasha. Couldn't she have a little common sense?
Even if Lucy hadn't appeared on camera… even if Sasha had been covered by a bath towel…
The silence was broken by Galina, who felt her daughter still had a lot to learn before she ever truly became a grandmother.
[I'll go calm those two down. So what's the plan in the end?]
[Fae will head to the Badlands in a very noticeable way. I'll stay behind to guard the company's ice in case anyone tries to take advantage of the commotion. Dorio and Maine will remain as armed support to keep watch.]
[Sounds good. Maine has improved a lot since he joined.]
[Dorio, I know you mean well, but you should be careful how you phrase things.]
[???]
If Maine had been in the call, his eyelid would have been twitching uncontrollably.
After Faelan's "initiation" to see if he was qualified, if he hadn't stepped up and trained like crazy, how could he even begin to rebuild his pride as a man?
No, he didn't expect to defeat that monster—but lasting one minute, that was his goal!
Dorio could last forty seconds, so he couldn't be any worse than her!
He would be a one-minute man!
[Alright, everyone to your positions then.]
[Wait, where are Misty and Jackie?]
[Jackie is delivering a package of X-27 to Padre, then he had to deliver some boxes to Gordon. Judging by how long he's been gone, he should be in Heywood by now—I'll ping him to wait before coming back.]
[Good. Ever since I met Mama Welles, I liked her—I don't want her son getting caught up in this. Though he'll probably complain later about missing it! Oh, and Misty?]
[She's here with us. Fae punished her.]
Silence settled over the call.
[Faelan, what did that cotton candy even do for you to punish her?]
Galina was surprised—what could have happened that made Faelan angry enough to punish her?
[She tried to bake a cake—and what she made was an absolute crime!]
[???]
Explain properly!
[Galina, here's the deal: Misty got mixed up in the rush and, instead of wheat flour, she used the very expensive moon rock powder Fae had stored.]
[She used all of it—half a kilo!]
Dorio swallowed, remembering just how expensive that lunar powder was. No wonder Faelan had punished Misty.
[Don't you think you're being a bit harsh? The poor thing already ended up with an inedible cake…]
Actually, why had she even been in the kitchen?
[Galina, I have an apprentice who can't tell wheat flour from rock powder. I think my concern and anger are perfectly justified!]
[Wait—you're not mad about her using the moon rock powder, but because she didn't notice the difference?]
[Of course. What other reason would there be? I can buy more moon powder. There's a whole moon up there! What I want is for Misty to pay more attention and be careful with these things. This time nothing happened, but mistakes like that could be very dangerous with what I'm teaching her.]
Another silence. No one could really argue with Faelan's reasoning.
[I have to go. Looks like that guy already found me.]
[Are you sure he saw you?]
Faelan glanced away from the Pip-Boy, looked at the thirty-meter-tall birch tree whose branches and leaves formed a gigantic middle finger aimed at Adam Smasher, then lowered his gaze.
The Arasaka transport was accelerating straight toward him.
[Yeah… I'm pretty sure.]
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If you could get ONE Cyberpunk implant (Kiroshi optics, subcutaneous armor, etc.), which would you choose? Keep in mind that you only have that one piece and the rest of your body is organic, so if you choose something like Sandevistan, you're dead.
I would choose between a second heart or perhaps something to enhance memory...