The cooperation between the human and the AI was seamless, requiring no verbal communication. Their exchanges were so efficient that a simple string of data code was enough for them to understand each other and collaborate effortlessly.
Outside, Sasha, who was tasked with monitoring for Mercer, couldn't help but frown and reveal a somewhat helpless expression, muttering, "What a monster..."
She had promised to keep an eye on things for Mercer and lend a hand, but now the data was running faster than she could react, leaving her wondering how she could even help.
After ten minutes had passed, just as Rebecca began to worry that something unexpected might have happened to Mercer, he finally opened his eyes.
"It's done."
Sasha curiously asked him, "Why did it take so long?"
"This group dug up quite a bit of interesting data from the old net, much of which was highly encrypted. Some of the data the Voodoo Gang themselves didn't even understand the purpose of..."
Mercer smiled slightly, "I followed her network path and took the opportunity to take a look at the old net..."
"You went to the old net?!" Sasha's eyes widened slightly, "Why did you go to the old net?"
"I wanted to see what this group was up to behind the scenes... They're quite crazy, searching everywhere in the old net for AI, drawing paths for rogue AIs. Apart from that, there's not much else."
Mercer chuckled, "No rogue AI even bothers with them. Maybe they're lucky in that sense, and this group doesn't dare to dig into the critical data of the old net, only daring to mess with low-risk stuff.
A heap of miscellaneous data piled up, and it took me several minutes to go through all of it."
But then, he shifted his tone and said, "However, the Voodoo Gang isn't entirely useless. At least, they've got a good grasp of Black Wall research and vulnerabilities, and being able to create a breach to the old net in Night City is no small feat.
The Voodoo Gang even has a record of hunting rogue AIs, having killed one in the past and possessing some interesting data..."
"Wait, wasn't their goal to make rogue AIs surrender? How could they hunt them?" V couldn't help but ask.
"Because not every rogue AI is capable of intelligent communication. After Bartmos corrupted the old net, some rogue AIs turned into "madmen," mere killing machines, especially those AIs originally created by companies to protect system security.
These AIs behaved like rabid Watchdogs, lurking in the company's data on the old net, and if you made accidental contact with the data, they would spring out and attack you without rest until you were dead."
After Mercer finished speaking, he glanced disdainfully at Brigitte, who was still unconscious: "What this group seeks is a powerful AI as intelligent as Otter Cunningham, capable of affecting the real world, and making them bow down.
However... they have indeed come into contact with powerful rogue AIs. I found some interesting data in their database, and it's exactly this data that delayed me."
Mercer's expression turned somewhat serious: "I suspect a highly intelligent rogue AI has already used the Voodoo Gang for something."
"What do you mean?" Sasha's expression also became serious: "Are you saying that a rogue AI used the Voodoo Gang's network to enter Night City?"
"No, my judgment is that a rogue AI used them as a springboard, briefly entered Night City's network, and then left but still retained the springboard on the Voodoo Gang's servers.
These data codes formed a program, and after Venus and I cracked it, we could basically confirm that the program's purpose was to serve as a springboard for a rogue AI and also as a window to observe the real world."
After Mercer finished speaking, Sasha frowned deeply, "But you can't be certain it really left, nor can you be sure if that rogue AI left anything weird in Night City?"
Mercer nodded, "Yes."
He sensed something unusual.
He didn't know if these were left by an old acquaintance but, in any case, a rogue AI leaving traces in Night City was worth Mercer's exploration and vigilance.
Sasha sighed, chewing bubble gum while muttering, "These fools dream of seeing a rogue AI every day, yet they were unaware that someone used their server as a springboard to enter Night City's network?"
Mercer's gaze turned to Brigitte lying on the ground, "We'll have to ask them... Wake her up."
V lifted Brigitte, shook her, and when she didn't respond, he glanced around, grabbed a cup of cold coffee, and poured it directly onto her face.
Only then did Brigitte open her eyes, somewhat dazed, but the splitting headache made her instinctively gag—she had a concussion.
"Damn..." Her first reaction was to swear, and once she came to her senses and noticed the people around her, she clutched her head and asked in panic, "Who are you!?"
"Spark Team, I guess you know who we are."
After Mercer finished speaking, Brigitte showed a somewhat fierce expression, glaring at him, "You're A? Bastard, whatever you spared me for, it's a dream!"
"Watch your mouth!" Rebecca punched her in the stomach without hesitation, and Brigitte doubled over, retching.
Mercer merely asked her calmly, "I found traces of a rogue AI in your server... Have you met that AI?"
"What?" Brigitte was startled, then coldly laughed, "I don't know."
"Wrong answer." Mercer shook his head and then slowly spoke, "The chip in your head has sensitivity adjustment functions, which means I can increase your pain sensitivity..."
"Kill me! Bastard!" Brigitte's words were interrupted as Rebecca mercilessly broke one of her fingers.
Even as tough as she was, she couldn't help but let out a shrill scream of agony.
"Damn! Damn! Damn!!" Brigitte was instantly drenched in sweat from the pain.
"The pain is at 130% now... the maximum is 200%." Mercer said in a relaxed tone, "Why make it harder for yourself? Answer honestly, and maybe I can spare your life."
"Spare my life?" Brigitte sneered through gritted teeth, "Do you think I'm a child? Fool, do what you want!"
"But for a person, the most painful thing isn't death, but wanting to die and not being able to, or living and not being able to truly live."
Mercer's cold words made Brigitte scoff, "Then bring it on!"
She looked at the scene scattered with corpses around her, and the pain in her heart was far beyond that in her body, "Bastard... you can start torturing me now!"
Rebecca cast an inquiring glance at Mercer.
But Mercer just stared into her eyes, and after a long pause, let out a cold laugh, "Alright, then I won't torture you anymore; I'll give you a quick death."
He stood up, gesturing for Rebecca to bring Brigitte over.
Mercer raised the data connection line from the hacker chair, speaking calmly, "You and I are both hackers, so I suppose I don't need to explain in advance what I'm going to do next... 'Soulkiller Program,' have you heard of it?"