Sis Weis is dead?!
David and Anthony looked at each other, eyes filled with a mix of surprise and anticipation.
Surprise—because Biotech's deputy head, a top-tier gene warrior enhanced with regenerative lizard-like DNA, was supposedly unkillable. Even if just his head remained, he could regrow. Yet now, he was gone?
And anticipation—because with Biotech's security division paralyzed, a massive opportunity had emerged: to loot their resources, expand territory, and maybe even drive them out of Night City entirely.
They couldn't believe such a small-scale missile strike could cause this much devastation. It felt like a trap. Usually, it was Militech who framed others. Now they were taking the fall?
Ding~
A soft chime broke their silence. A new encrypted message appeared on David Copperfield's screen. His eyes narrowed.
"Anthony!" he barked.
"Yes?"
"Be careful. Lori Olivia is in Night City."
Anthony's pupils dilated.
The Immortal Witch… Lori Olivia.
---
Meanwhile, in a blacked-out vehicle cruising through downtown, Leon Black leaned back in his seat, scrolling through encrypted alerts.
"She's here, huh?" he muttered. "Guess I overdid it."
He hadn't meant to kill Sis Weis. Maintaining a balance of power between megacorps was far more beneficial. Equal strength meant mutual restraint.
But during the fight, something had snapped.
Maybe he was rusty. Maybe it was old instincts. But when he had Weis pinned down, he'd ranted too long. He almost turned into one of those cliché villains who get killed while monologuing.
Luckily, Leon knew when to shut up—and when to strike.
So he finished the job. Brutally. Efficiently.
But now the consequence had arrived: Lori Olivia, the nightmare lurking behind Biotech's systems.
Her code name? Sometimes Ash, sometimes Hal. No one ever really knew.
Rumors swirled about her origins. Some claimed she was an advanced AI developed in secret. Others thought she was a failed Netwatch experiment. But the most widely believed theory?
She escaped the Blackwall.
Her reputation solidified after a cyberwar incident where Biotech, on the verge of collapse, suddenly retaliated with overwhelming force. Over a dozen elite Sueshihua hackers were incinerated within seconds.
The very next day, Biotech announced that their entire digital infrastructure would be managed by Lori Olivia.
And now, she was hunting.
---
"What's wrong, Captain?" asked Lily Cross, glancing at Leon while driving. He had been silent for too long.
"Nothing important," Leon replied casually, crossing his legs. "Just thinking how annoying missions are sometimes."
In the backseat, Arasaka Yuto chuckled. "Boss, you're already rich. Some of us are still broke."
Following the recent explosion in the industrial zone, tensions were rising. Even reckless gangs like the Vortex Crew were laying low. Everyone was waiting for the first shot in the next corporate war.
Which meant fewer merc jobs. Nobody wanted to stick their neck out before the storm hit.
So when Arasaka summoned Squad Seventeen, Leon knew it wouldn't be a simple contract.
For regular security staff, the baseline salary covered food and shelter. But real money came from fieldwork. Dangerous jobs meant combat bonuses and hazard pay.
And danger was always part of the deal.
---
Ethan Cross sat nearby, carefully polishing his newly acquired Nekomata sniper rifle.
A legendary-tier weapon capable of blowing holes through tanks, it was his prize for helping sell the black-gold safe. For a sniper, a weapon like that was more than just gear—it was a part of their soul.
"Credit where it's due," Ethan said, nodding toward Leon. "Wouldn't have gotten it without your connections."
That much was true. Without Leon's network, they wouldn't have even sniffed a Nekomata, let alone bought one.
"Got lucky," Arasaka Yuto muttered, enviously eyeing the rifle. "Sell one crate and score a Nekomata? I should've been on that job."
At the time, Yuto had been tied up with Arasaka Michiko on another mission. Otherwise, he might've pocketed enough to buy a legendary weapon too.
---
"Captain, I've got some savings," said Lily Cross from the driver's seat. "Should I upgrade my gear or add more cyberware slots?"
Leon didn't hesitate. "Slots. Your defense is too weak. I'll lend you equipment if needed."
He wasn't stingy with his team. He advanced funds when necessary—training, gear, tech—but always kept it fair. Everything was accounted for, and all debts were deducted from future earnings.
They weren't complaining. Having access to high-grade gear interest-free was a luxury few merc squads enjoyed.
"Got it. I'll go with more slots," Lily nodded. She knew her close-combat game was lacking. As the team's logistics operator and driver, she couldn't just hide behind the wheel forever.
Her recent abduction had made that painfully clear. She couldn't even trigger an alert before she was bundled up and taken. That shame still haunted her.
---
Leon turned to the others. "Ethan, sync with the Nekomata and install compatible plugins. Things are going to heat up. Assassination jobs will spike soon."
"You Dou, since Lena's still out, you're taking over intel gathering. This job won't be easy."
"Mike," he said, glancing at the massive man, "You won't be going all-out this time. Start prepping your body."
The group went quiet.
Lily's eyes widened. "Captain... you mean—?"
Leon smirked and nodded. "Once Lena returns, Mike Taylor can prepare for eight slots."
"Eight?!"
Even Ethan's eyebrows raised.
"Terrifying," Yuto muttered. "I'd be happy just to reach six."
Installing slots was no joke. Every one involved slicing into critical parts of the nervous system and embedding synthetic machinery. Even with top-tier med support, the risk was enormous—death, paralysis, meltdown.
Success stories were rare.
From Yuto's perspective, pushing Mike to eight was insane.
But everyone had their demons.
Mike had survived this long driven by one singular goal: to kill Adam Smasher. He wouldn't stop until he had the power to face that monster.
If not for Leon's steady hand, Mike would've already gambled everything with a back-alley doc.
"Live first," Leon had told him once. "Only then can you prove yourself. Die, and you're just fertilizer."
Mike took that advice to heart. Pain was familiar—but it was supposed to drive progress, not obsession.
---
Suddenly, the car jerked to a halt.
They had arrived.
Through the foggy windows, Arasaka Tower loomed high, cutting through the gloom like a steel blade.
War was coming.
And Squad Seventeen was about to step into the fire.
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