Chapter 3 — Expulsion
Black Sapphire — Colonel Hansen's nest of vipers.
"Hopefully I won't cause you trouble… hmm. I'll handle it, don't worry."
Hidden in the shadows of his office, Colonel Kurt Hansen ended a call with a Night City official. A businessman before a warlord, he knew everything could be negotiated— even a firefight in broad daylight. Collateral damage was just business risk.
But the fallout needed to be controlled.
And someone needed to pay for it.
Across the room, Rox, restrained and wounded, lowered his head as Hansen's heavy military boots echoed across the spotless floor.
"Let him go. The kid's bones are still broken."
Rox flexed his aching arm, keeping his expression firm, although sweat rolled down his forehead.
Please let that system panel be real.
Hansen, dressed in a black military T-shirt, radiated cold authority. His gaze swept over Rox and the two Ghost Hound soldiers dragged in with him— no longer soldiers, but stray dogs who ran from the fight.
"Talk. You should know what happened."
Rox inhaled slowly.
"Colonel. The convoy was ambushed by an Edgerunner team."
It wasn't a lie. Hansen was a terrifying interrogator, and Rox wasn't eager to share more than necessary.
"Of course I know that, kid."
Hansen tapped Rox's chest with a finger.
"You should've waited for reinforcements. Or were you planning to run?"
So he was going to pin this on desertion?
Rox swallowed, fists clenching.
A soldier behind him placed a hand on Rox's shoulder—hesitant, but forced.
"Sorry, brother…"
Rox's mind spun.
Edgerunners. Ghost Hounds. Corporate weapons convoy.
There was a piece missing.
"Wait—Colonel Hansen!"
Rox stepped forward—two rifle barrels instantly pressed into his cracked ribs, pain exploding through his body.
"The Edgerunners weren't trying to steal the cargo. They were trying to cripple us—catch us off guard."
"A merc squad doesn't need brand-new corporate weapons."
"You need to look deeper. Whoever planned this wanted chaos."
Hansen gestured for silence.
"Let him finish."
"This shipment was almost entirely Arasaka tech. It changed hands three times—no way the Edgerunners knew the route so easily."
"This wasn't a robbery—it was revenge."
Hansen downed his whiskey in one swallow. Alcohol and steel filled the air as he stepped closer, leveling a predator's stare at Rox.
"Bring him here."
The soldiers dragged a half-dead man forward and threw him to the floor. Rox froze—because the tattoos gave it away.
Seno.
"Deserter," Hansen spat, kicking the unconscious man.
"He tried to run from paradise. Guess who sold the intel?"
Rox felt ice crawl up his spine.
Seno… sold the information?
"I don't care whether you knew or not," Hansen said coldly. "You two were close. Eating, drinking, sleeping under the same roof. By all rights—you both deserve a bullet."
"But I'm willing to give you a chance."
He raised his pistol and fired.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
Rox flinched as Seno's body fell still.
When he opened his eyes, the smoking barrel was pointed between his eyebrows.
He didn't retreat.
If he did, Hansen would execute him without hesitation.
"Go find an old friend of mine," Hansen ordered.
"From this moment on, any trace of you belonging to the Ghost Hounds disappears."
"Help my kid. Someone needs to explain what happened to that shipment."
The pistol clicked back into its holster. A soldier slapped Rox's shoulder, signaling him to move.
Rox stumbled toward the elevator, barely upright.
The pain editor's side effects, bone fractures, and shock blurred his vision. His legs were jelly—he clung to the rail to stay standing.
"Hey, Rox. Maybe this isn't the worst outcome."
It was Otto—the soldier who had warned him earlier.
"No one in the Hounds wants to leave Dogtown. One day you're asleep at home, someone kicks the door down for revenge."
The Ghost Hounds had a reputation—cruel to civilians. Walking away meant payback.
And with pay suspended… most would rather die than be broke.
"But I believe in you, kid. Hansen put a gun to your head and you stared right back. You've got iron guts."
Rox exhaled shakily.
Had he been fired?
Or… reassigned?
Hansen's words hinted that Rox now had a mission to complete.
In Dogtown, a low-rank soldier never knew the full story—that was reality.
The system flickered again:
> [Character: Kurt Hansen — Affection Updated]
[Affection: 10 — 'Work hard. You've already risked your life once.']
[Reward: +1 to All Attributes | Permission to contact legendary figures]
[System Notice: From now on, no more missions or guidance. You're on your own.]
Rox's knees buckled.
Backstabbed by even his own system.
Otto quickly grabbed him, pulling out a canister labeled [All-Out Healing] and pressing it to Rox's mouth.
Numbness faded. Warmth spread. His nerves stopped screaming.
"Rox—hey—stay with me! Take it easy—"
Otto's voice faded into darkness.
And Rox collapsed.