"This is it, the Stone Ridge Mountain town."
Looking at the scenery outside the window, Mitsuhide couldn't help but speak.
He finally understood why these places were called ghost towns.
All the buildings were intact: there were bars, residential buildings, and even a small school.
But everything looked abandoned. The street signs were completely rusted, the houses were covered in dust, and the windows were inevitably smashed everywhere. You could see shards of glass scattered across the cracked asphalt road, all buried in the dust, just like everything else.
If it were just like this, Berry could have said it was merely everything left behind by an owner who forgot to return home, like childhood toys locked in a box, or a rural home locked up as the family moved far away.
Although old and weathered, it made people wonder if the owner might return one day, and then everything would seem to go back to normal.
What truly pronounced the death sentence on this small town, however, was the sound.
The dry wind of the Badlands whistled through, bringing dust, causing creaking fences and overturned corrugated iron sheets to moan and wail, sounding like weeping or lamentation.
Upon hearing this sound, one suddenly understood that everything was over, and the idea that a single opportunity could restore everything was ultimately just a delusion.
This town was dead, completely.
"...The Wraiths will arrive after dark. We just need to get some electricity, and we can give them a surprise."
"Let's check the substation. Maybe we can get these old machines running again."
Outlying towns of Night City generally use solar power, and even a significant portion within Night City itself is powered by solar and wind energy. This isn't because Night City prioritizes environmental protection.
Rather, the fossil fuels on this land were depleted during the war and through over-extraction. However, thanks to this, the wasteland is littered with half-broken wind turbine wrecks that occasionally still function.
Panam Palmer hoped the substation could still squeeze out some electricity.
Maybe it wasn't necessary; he alone could take care of all the Wraiths who came.
Mitsuhide originally wanted to say this, but seeing Panam Palmer's serious demeanor, he decided to follow her lead.
After all, if he took complete charge and finished the job himself, a strong-willed person like Panam Palmer might not appreciate it.
Therefore, Mitsuhide allowed Panam Palmer to inspect the substation.
"The transformers at the substation power the streetlights and billboards at the intersection. Once we connect the circuit, this place will light up like Christmas, you understand?"
Panam Palmer squatted down, examined the open electrical box for a moment, and presented her plan.
"When they see the lights, they'll be startled like a bunch of rats. That's when we make our move."
Mitsuhide nodded.
"Yes, that's the plan..." Now that they had a method, the problem was how to restore power to the substation.
Finally, Panam Palmer decided to use the car's battery to initiate the power.
Connecting two cables to the car battery, a burst of electric sparks meant success. Mitsuhide just needed to guard the switch terminal to give the Wraiths arriving tonight a surprise.
"I'll go ambush on the tower top. That way, I can cover the entire intersection of the town. Wait for my signal, then immediately flip the switch."
"Understood, Madam."
Just like that, one was hidden on the tower top, and the other next to the electric box on the corrugated iron shed, waiting for nightfall and the arrival of the Wraiths.
"...It's almost dark."
Mitsuhide noted the sunset horizon.
"Yes, I see it," came Panam Palmer's voice, accompanied by static.
Panam Palmer was a complete Meatbag—she had no modifications whatsoever. Even her method of making calls was the same as Mrs. Welles, who was also a Meatbag.
The Nomad tribes certainly had some anti-cyberware traditions, but they weren't this extreme; most would install at least basic cyberware. After all, they lived dangerous lives, and the enhancements cyberware provided to the human body were obvious.
Therefore, someone like Panam Palmer, who had no cyberware at all, was a rarity even among the Nomad tribes.
Driven by curiosity, Mitsuhide asked directly.
"cyberware? Hmm... you're really curious."
Panam Palmer, who was aiming her sniper rifle scope toward the end of the road from the top of the water tower, felt a bit speechless.
"The answer might bore you. I'm not some anti-cyberware activist; I just didn't install any before because I was broke. Later, I decided that being without cyberware was fine, so I just never bothered."
Not all questions have answers, and not all answers are satisfying.
At least Panam Palmer's reason for not installing cyberware was simple: she didn't have money before, and now she wasn't interested.
"Uh... alright."
Mitsuhide felt he had asked a pointless question. But Meatbags were good, especially young flesh; Berry liked it the most.
As for cyberware, it should be saved for when one is too old to walk.
"Wait, don't make a sound, someone's coming!"
Panam Palmer's urgent voice suddenly came through the earpiece.
Before Panam Palmer finished speaking, they faintly heard the roar of engines, getting closer and clearly heading their way.
"I see them! Damn it, it's the Wraiths! That's my car! I'm going to slaughter those bastards!"
Panam Palmer spoke with excitement and rage. Seeing her beloved vehicle, the "thunderclap" SUV, being driven by others, she was furious, gritting her teeth and wishing she could instantly kill the scumbags who had defiled her car.
Hearing that familiar engine sound now brought Panam Palmer only pain and humiliation; she couldn't believe how those wicked bastards had treated her beloved car.
Mitsuhide, hearing Panam Palmer's impotent rage, sounding like a victim of NTR, quickly tried to persuade her.
"Hey, Panam Palmer, calm down. Stick to the plan. We can get your car back."
"Uh... right! It's fine. We'll move quietly and reclaim my car."
Although the audio quality was poor, Mitsuhide could still tell that Panam Palmer was forcefully suppressing her anger.
"Alright, don't shoot yet. Let me handle this. I guarantee your car won't suffer a scratch."
Mitsuhide saw the three or four cars approaching with their headlights on at the end of the road and reassured Panam Palmer.
Next, they just needed to get those guys out of the cars.
After all, they had to consider Panam Palmer's car; if he chopped the people and the car into pieces, the connection with Panam Palmer might be ruined.
"...F*ck, why is it so dark? Where are the people?"
Three or four Wraiths vehicles stopped at the intersection. Night had completely fallen, and the surrounding buildings were swallowed by the deep black sky, only faintly visible in outline.
On the road, the Wraiths got out of their cars but couldn't help cursing aloud.
One reason was that the Badlands night was too cold—so cold that the air they exhaled turned into white frost. Several Wraiths got out, rubbed their hands, and looked displeased.
The second reason was that the 6th Street Gang, with whom they were supposed to trade, hadn't arrived yet, which further fueled their anger.
However, since they had arrived a bit early and it wasn't the agreed-upon time yet, they could only wait for the time being.
"You, and you, watch that direction. And you two, don't hide in the car, go up to that building and watch the main road."
A female Wraith with a Mohawk haircut stepped out of Panam Palmer's car. As soon as she got out, she started issuing orders to the surrounding Wraiths, telling them to move, clearly acting as the group's leader.
However, while everyone else was busy, she was enjoying her leisure, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it, also complaining about the excessively cold night air and the wind that felt strong enough to kill a person.
"Alright, hurry up and move! Take advantage of their confusion and steal my car back!"
"Try to do it quietly. If you're discovered, I'll open fire to help you!"
"Just watch."
Listening to Panam Palmer's urgent instructions, Mitsuhide calmly pulled down the manual valve on the electrical box.
With a crackle, electric sparks burst forth, and the wires on the streetlight poles around the intersection immediately exploded with sparks, producing a grating electrical sound.
As the current surged in, the surrounding streetlights and neon signs immediately burst into light, illuminating the entire road brightly.
"What the hell is going on!?"
"F*ck! We've been ambushed!"
This sudden turn of events greatly alarmed the Wraiths, who were momentarily thrown into confusion. Their first thought was that the 6th Street Gang was double-crossing them and trying to kill them.
"Quick, quick, take cover!"
The Mohawk Wraith was blinded by the sudden light and closed her eyes, dropping the cigarette from her mouth.
Relying on her extensive gunfight experience, she immediately shouted and quickly darted behind a roadside dumpster, crouching down.
"Good! Now, take out that bitch! I saw it, the car key is on her waist!"
Seeing the action start, Panam Palmer quickly pointed out the target for Mitsuhide.
"It's fine, I can handle it."
Seeing the Wraiths descend into chaos, Mitsuhide knew the opportunity had arrived, and he didn't forget to reassure Panam Palmer.
"Watch this. I'll show you a Stone Ridge Mountain speedrun."
"What?"
Before Panam Palmer could clearly hear Mitsuhide's words, Mitsuhide had already turned into a black shadow and dashed out.
During the charge, two blades instantly left their sheaths at his waist, emitting a crisp ringing sound.
One was "Satori," the other was the "scalpel." Both were masterpieces among swords, and using them to take the lives of enemies was a pleasure.
The "scalpel" was Kikyo's trophy, but clearly, she didn't need it. Thus, under Berry's fair distribution, the blade ended up in Mitsuhide's hands.
And now, it was about to drink the blood of its first battle.
"F*ck, what is that thing?"
"Enemies, they are enemies!"
Mitsuhide leapt high, like a nimble leopard in the shadows, landing lightly. His tiger-like eyes shone with a sharp light as he looked at the enemy opposite him.
Just then, the ambushed Wraiths frantically took cover everywhere. As they looked up, they saw Akechi Mitsuhide rushing toward them like a phantom, holding two sharp, gleaming blades.
A slaughter was about to begin.
"Shit, what is that guy trying to do?"
Panam Palmer, who had originally only planned for Mitsuhide to seize the key and break out by car during the chaos, stared wide-eyed as she saw Mitsuhide charge straight into the enemy group, unable to understand what he wanted to do.
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