In the dim light, Kikyo finally saw the sex dolls that Judy had been thinking about. It was them. When she saw those figures in the cramped room, Judy's eyes widened.
However, the people inside, when they saw Judy, looked as if they had seen a ghost. Looking at their dazed expressions, it really wasn't an exaggeration. The way they looked at Judy was like they had seen something that couldn't possibly exist.
The room was very cramped. There were three rusty bunk beds on each side, and a few crates under the beds. There was a stained toilet in the back of the room.
The room was very dim. The only light was the light bulb on the ceiling that emitted yellow light.
In this dark place, that should be the only light source.
Just seeing this scene made it clear how inhumane their lives were.
Judy covered her mouth, and tears of distress immediately welled up in her eyes.
No one could witness this absurd and tragic sight without being moved.
Matching the room were the dazed expressions on the sex dolls' faces; their eyes were open, their expressions somewhat dull and slow, as if they were trapped in some illusory realm, unable to distinguish reality from fantasy.
One girl even reached out, wanting to touch Judy in front of her to see if she was just another one of their illusions, just like on other days in this basement.
Kikyo looked at these sex dolls and shook her head with a pained expression.
Their clothes and exposed skin were relatively clean, but the dense needle marks on their hands and their extremely haggard faces showed how long they had endured this inhuman torment.
"Judy, it's a real person, it's real!"
At this moment, the sex dolls also confirmed that Judy in front of them was not an illusion but a real person. Immediately, everyone uncontrollably let out sobs, almost gasping for breath.
Their tears had long since dried; now they could only make silent, choked sobs.
"It's alright, it's alright, girls."
Judy comforted these girls, suppressing her grief.
If she hadn't been delayed for a while, these girls wouldn't have fallen into this predicament.
Kikyo didn't watch this touching scene for long, because she noticed something even more unusual.
On the way, listening to Brother Finger talk about the suspected human experiments, she paid close attention.
Looking at these sex dolls who could barely stand steadily, and the dense needle marks on their hands, Kikyo frowned even more.
This was not like ordinary drug testing.
Suddenly, she felt as if she had stumbled into some unknown conspiracy.
She then noticed the already opened crates under the bed. She squatted down and pulled one out.
And when she opened the lid and saw what was inside, Berry, who was behind her, suddenly felt her scalp tingle and a chill run down her spine.
It wasn't something she had never seen before; on the contrary, she had seen this thing.
Inside the crate, rows of transparent glass jars, the size of cola cans, lay quietly. Some were already empty, but most were still intact.
There was no mistake.
Berry had seen the exact same thing.
Looking at the fluorescent solution in the glass jars, Berry instantly remembered that she had also found similar things in the Motorcycle Gang's basement.
Aside from the green solution in front of her being slightly dimmer, as if it had been diluted, everything else was identical; it was the same substance.
Kikyo picked up a jar and put it into her waist pouch.
They were in trouble.
Seeing these solutions, Kikyo felt a sudden unease.
Night City doesn't fear the ordinary, only the abnormal.
Finding the same thing in two unrelated gangs was definitely big trouble. Berry didn't even dare to think too much; she just wanted to quickly get Judy and the others out of there.
"Yes, those are the things! The Tyger Claws made me inject these poor people every day! It's this stuff!"
Brother Finger, who was beside them, pointed at the item in Kikyo's hand and cried out in alarm.
"The Tyger Claws said that if they lasted a week, they would let these girls go, but they were lying! I accidentally overheard them saying that in another week, they would send these girls to another place!"
Kikyo was about to ask why these girls didn't destroy these things, but she instantly understood after hearing Brother Finger's words.
These girls were also deceived.
Kikyo couldn't understand the specifics now; the current situation didn't allow her to question these girls.
"Judy, quickly take them and go! We can't stay here any longer!"
"Okay, okay!"
Judy also knew the seriousness of the situation and, without further ado, urged the girls to leave with her.
"Brother Finger, do you have a car? Quick, tell me!"
Kikyo aimed her gun at Brother Finger again.
Perhaps due to the effects of the drugs, the girls were so weak that they stumbled, not at all looking like they could escape, which made Kikyo anxious.
"Here are the car keys, take them. It's in the parking lot by the road, it's my cargo truck, it can fit this many people!"
Brother Finger deftly threw the car keys to Kikyo, only to be met with her suspicious gaze.
"Don't say anything, my lady. Thanks to you all, I can't stay in Kabuki anymore. The Tyger Claws definitely won't let me go, so I have to run too. I beg you, give me a ride!"
Without saying much, Kikyo simply lowered the gun pointed at Brother Finger and led the way out.
Brother Finger, as if granted a great pardon, quickly helped Judy assist the girls in the room outside.
They had to be fast.
---------------------------------
If you'd like to read the next 40 chapters in advance, you can support me on Patreon.
I regularly post chapter previews there, so you'll always be up-to-date and won't have to wait too long.
patreon.com/SolyuraMT
And if you enjoy the story, don't forget to give me a Power Stone. Your support really motivates me to continue translating!