The armored vehicle Placid was riding was a modified van from a Tingwei Mykino. Everything from the interior to the exterior had been revamped. If you took it to the Old Captain, it could easily sell for 200,000 Euros.
Meanwhile, Jack had his eyes on a motorcycle—at first, a few Voodoo Gang members on motorcycles were virtually blasted away by Rebecca, not even having a chance to stabilize their bikes. Yet, one particular motorcycle skid on the ground for about a dozen meters before stopping on the road.
This motorcycle was a Kusanagi CT-3X, originally priced at only 20,000 Euros, but it was clear from the modifications—engine, exhaust, brake disc—Jack truly loved motorcycles.
Everyone was busy grabbing vehicles, guns, and equipment. It's fortunate Pira wasn't around; otherwise, he would have been picky, collecting high-value or research-worthy cyber enhancements.
While they were tidying up the battlefield, Rebecca and V had already dragged Placid back to the church.
By this point, Placid was aware his life was on a countdown—so even though he was immobilized by Rebecca, his mouth remained defiant.
"Are you A? You sneaky little bastard..."
As he spoke, he sneakily sent a quick Synaptic Fusion cracking program to Mercer.
Mercer chuckled in exasperation, engaging in electronic warfare while counter-invading his Network Access Vault. He didn't even activate Brain-Machine Overclocking or Synaptic Acceleration; he just demonstrated the technical gap between them through sheer confrontation.
For this reason, he restrained his brain's computational output just so he wouldn't overwhelm him purely with power.
Placid's expression shifted dramatically, and barely three seconds later, he let out a pained scream and started convulsing.
Mercer snorted with laughter, "Even Brigitte wouldn't dare hack my brain, yet you idiot have such guts..."
"You son of a bitch..." Placid growled through gritted teeth, but Mercer just coldly smirked, "Let him go, and let's test our machine dog's capabilities with him... Toss him that shabby pistol."
"Don't you fucking think of humiliating me!" Placid roared, and as he was released, he tried to rush at Mercer. However, Mercer's lock on his cybernetic enhancements rendered him barely able to walk as his legs gave way.
Rebecca playfully sent Mercer a message.
[Rebecca: I'm telling you not to be too careless! What if he actually takes the gun and blasts you?]
[Mercer: Hmm, good point. In that case, let him come barehanded. Let's hope his muscles aren't just for show.]
Rebecca picked up Placid's shotgun, examined it for a bit, and then disdainfully twisted it into a knot, tossing it aside.
Such junk wasn't even worthy to be displayed on her room's gun rack.
Mercer remained lazily seated on the distant pulpit at the center of the church; his Octopus Arm supporting the ground allowed him to lean forward comfortably.
"Don't say I didn't give you a chance. If you can beat my mechanical dog, I might consider giving you a quick death, but if not... well, you're in for it."
As soon as he finished speaking, the machine dog at his side, in standby mode, had its eyes light up in a menacing red glow. It lowered its body like a real combat dog, ready to attack.
With the restrictions on his cybernetic enhancements released, Placid supported himself off the ground, panting heavily and staring at Mercer with bloodshot eyes.
This was unmistakably a humiliation.
He wouldn't question why—just as he never answered those who were beneath him. Now, faced with such circumstances, the only thing left for him to do was to at least die like a man.
He let out a beast-like roar and charged directly towards Mercer.
Rebecca instinctively shifted her footing, but V calmly restrained her—with the confidence that even if things went awry, she could intercept Placid before he ever reached Mercer.
In truth, they really didn't need assistance.
After only two steps forward, the mechanical dog by Mercer's foot darted out, its agile body and powerful burst forming a ghostly shadow in an instant.
V raised an eyebrow and said with interest, "This thing is pretty fast, the straight-line acceleration is almost half as fast as mine."
Mercer said nothing, just quietly watched as Placid was startled by the machine dog's leap, aiming for his throat. Instinctively, he threw a punch.
However, the machine dog curled up mid-air, completing a turn—its tail suddenly extended, revealing a sharp chain blade.
Placid instinctively sidestepped, but even so, the chain blade still sliced off half his ear and a bit of scalp.
Leaning on his Octopus Arm, Mercer pondered aloud, "The aerial dynamic control needs improvement, maybe it's the AI's intelligence... it should've sliced across his neck."
Right now, Placid had no mind for his words. The machine dog, having landed with its chain blade outstretched, once again lunged to bite him.
He instinctively kicked out, but the machine dog's jaws snapped onto his foot, leaving him with half a foot missing.
No time for pain, Placid used the momentum to pull out a pistol hidden in his coat, aiming it at Mercer and squeezed the trigger.