As a megacorporation in New America, Military Technology had deep-rooted conflicts with Russian forces—not just due to national hostilities, but also due to overlapping corporate interests. It was no surprise that Chaifeierde, a High-Tech engineer, held nothing but contempt for Military Technology.
"If I give you the location of the technical chip, can you guarantee a way out?" Chaifeierde asked, his voice edged with urgency. "I'll pay you once I make it out alive."
As he spoke, his eyes drifted to You Dou's headset, clearly aware that he wasn't working alone.
"Three hundred thousand upfront—and the chip's location," You Dou replied, echoing Leon Black's exact terms. Chaifeierde's eyes lit up. The price was steep, but as a High-Tech engineer, he could scrape it together with some sacrifice.
After providing the coordinates, Chaifeierde handed over a sleek ID card from around his neck. "This is the access card for the storage room. Without it, you won't get inside."
You Dou nodded, pocketed the card, and prepared to move.
"Lily, provide support," Leon said, turning to the woman beside him.
The institute was now under complete lockdown—entry allowed, but no exit. Without their help, Chaifeierde wouldn't have a prayer of escaping.
"Captain, Military Technology convoys are converging from the northwest, southwest, and northeast. A Titan Giant Beast is leading them," Ethan Cross reported from the observation post.
The Titan Giant Beast was a monstrous tracked armored carrier. Armed with a large-caliber autocannon, an anti-tank gun, dual heavy machine guns, and a hull resistant to 20-kilogram landmines, it was practically a fortress on treads.
"Find a way to knock out their signal transmitters," Leon ordered.
"Yes, sir!" Ethan responded and quickly moved out.
"Mike, get ready to support," Leon continued.
"Yes!" Mike Taylor's eyes gleamed with intensity.
With the access card in hand and the coordinates memorized, You Dou sprinted to the storage room. He swiped the card across the scanner.
Beep.
The biometric system verified his clearance, and the thick metal door creaked open.
Inside, rows of humming servers cast flickering blue light across the room. A faint smell of ozone lingered in the air. On the central console, a small silver chip sat under a glass dome—silent, unassuming, but priceless.
"Target found," You Dou whispered.
"Good. Grab the chip and head back. But be warned: once you take it, the defense system will trigger. You have two seconds before the room locks down."
"Understood."
He took a deep breath, mapping the escape route in his mind. Then, with a decisive strike, he smashed the glass and snatched the chip.
In an instant, the white lighting turned a furious red. Sirens wailed. The door began closing.
But You Dou was faster. Activating his leg cyberware, he blasted forward like a missile, just slipping through the narrowing gap.
He didn't pause to assess his wounds. Instead, he secured the chip in a shielded box and dashed toward the exit.
"Front entrance is sealed!" Leon's voice barked in his ear. "Turn left, scale the wall, and crawl into the ventilation shaft!"
You Dou didn't hesitate. He turned sharply, reached the wall, and squeezed into the narrow duct.
Darkness swallowed him. Activating his optical cyberware, a ghostly green overlay lit up his path. He crawled quickly, gliding through the duct like a serpent. Somewhere in the distance, a massive explosion shook the walls.
Mike Taylor was already covering the retreat, lobbing explosives while unloading rounds at incoming drone swarms.
"Keep pushing—you're almost out!"
Leon's voice was firm in You Dou's ear as he revved the engine of the getaway car, waiting.
Gritting his teeth, You Dou emerged from the ventilation shaft, scrambled up the outer wall using his cyber-enhanced limbs, and vanished into the night.
"Captain, our asset just escaped," Lily Cross said softly, eyeing the broken camera and the open duct.
"Then pull out. Now."
The chaos stirred by Leon and his crew had clearly drawn attention. The enemy convoy was accelerating, less than a minute from arrival.
"Working with these people is a damn nightmare!" Aiji, another mercenary, yelled as he ripped off his headset. "Retreat! Everyone, fall back!"
Without a hacker in place, they were vulnerable—easy targets. The mission was in shambles, and even survival was now in question.
Chuck's team? They hadn't even shown up.
Leon quickly picked up Mike Taylor and the sniping Ethan Cross. Lily Cross collected Arasaka Yuto from the rendezvous point. Together, the team withdrew, leaving behind a burning lab and a few scattered fighters who'd chosen to cover their retreat.
They regrouped at a temporary hideout.
"So, how did it feel handling the op on your own?" Lily asked with a smirk as she helped You Dou change out of his gear.
"Pretty exciting," Arasaka Yuto said with a grin, removing his headset.
"Glad to hear it," Lily teased. "You'll lead the next one."
"I'm in," You Dou snorted proudly.
"Hand me the chip," Leon said, pulling a small data terminal from their gear truck.
Without hesitation, You Dou retrieved the chip and handed it over. Leon slotted it into the scanner. Lines of blue code flickered across the screen.
"There's an encryption system," Arasaka Yuto said, narrowing his eyes at the console.
Leon frowned. Encryption was expected on confidential data, but something felt off. A password prompt popped up before they'd even begun cracking the code.
This wasn't standard.
"Let's just turn it in," You Dou suggested, noting Leon's hesitation.
Leon nodded. He wasn't a dedicated hacker. He knew how to kill and infiltrate, not how to dissect high-level encryption.
---
Pacifica
Once ruled by the Voodoo Boys, Pacifica now belonged to the Animals. With the old gang gone, a brutal new order had taken root.
"What a lovely neighborhood," David muttered sarcastically as he walked the broken streets with Lucy, Rebecca, and Pilar.
Walls were plastered with violent graffiti and obscenities. The twisted letters mirrored the twisted people lurking in alleys and open doorways. In Pacifica, eye contact was an act of war.
Every few blocks, a faded blue skull totem—once the Voodoo Boys' emblem—loomed over the streets.
Ahead stood a half-collapsed building, overtaken by green vines and shattered windows. Deep cracks marred its walls, remnants of the Unification War. It was crumbling, dangerous—and it was their destination.
"Criminals and bounty targets everywhere," Rebecca muttered, scanning the area. "I've already counted three from NCPD posters."
Animals, Cleaners, Vortex Gang.
Every group they passed eyed them with open greed. In Pacifica, fresh faces meant fresh loot.
"Watch yourselves. This ain't friendly turf," Pilar warned, puffing a cigar. "NCPD doesn't patrol here. Night City folks stay out too, even if the place looks decent from a distance."
"Philip! Long time no see!" Pilar called out to a tall, broad-shouldered black man loitering by a broken signpost.
"Oh? Pilar? Didn't expect to see you here," Philip said, eyeing David and the others carefully. "What do you need?"
"A deal," Pilar said, dropping his voice. "Got an epic-level network scrambler in stock?"
"That kind of gear ain't cheap," Philip replied, raising an eyebrow.
"So you do have it?" Pilar grinned. "Mind showing us?"
Philip turned. "Follow me."
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