Chapter 239: The Honeypot

Words : 1390 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

A honeypot, in the realm of cybersecurity, is a deliberately set trap. Generally, a honeypot system looks like a legitimate target and intentionally leaves certain vulnerabilities exposed, waiting for an intrusion. However, these vulnerabilities and the target itself are controlled. Once breached, a chain reaction might be triggered. Why is it called a honeypot? Because it's sweet and enticing, luring people in. But once an intruder tastes the honey, they end up covered in it. [Bryce: Boss, do you suspect this is a honeypot system? But you've already completed the physical infiltration.] [Leo: No. I suspect the entire event is orchestrated, and the real honeypot is Cloud Top.] [Bryce: That makes no sense, boss. The ambushes you encountered on the way—no normal person could get through them.] [Leo: But what if the planner knows us well, or, put differently, wants to catch someone capable of these feats? Someone not "normal"?] [Bryce: Boss, that's incredibly cunning. There's no such person.] Leo stared at the database in silence for a moment. [Leo: To be honest, my goal is already complete. I just want to take down that maniac, Jotaro. What about you?] [Leo: Or do you think I'd ignore the threat from Arasaka?] Time in cyberspace feels different from the real world. Bryce's side went silent, and after about 10 seconds in the real world, he finally replied. [Bryce: You're smart. So let's be honest. This likely is a honeypot, and I hope you step into it.] [Bryce: It's dangerous work. I have a 60% chance of pulling you out if things go south. Any other Netunner would have less than 10%. You're the best choice I have.] [Bryce: Double the pay. And I can tell you're not just after Jotaro. I've conducted an external scan. The Cloud Top data is intact. You can do whatever you want with it.] [Leo: Double?] [Bryce: How much do you want?] [Leo: Overtime pay is usually triple. So at least thirtyfold, right?] [Bryce: ...Tenfold max. Take it or leave it.] Leo looked at the vast, empty cyberspace. The fall of the Tyger Claws gang left a power vacuum that Leo could partially fill—he had plenty of assets at hand. But one fact couldn't be avoided: how many people involved in this illicit business would continue to thrive after Jotaro was taken down? Systemic corruption is indeed a hard problem to solve, but directly, systematically taking out these individuals could temporarily resolve it. He knew, or rather, he had known from the start that he would be targeted. Now, he had the details— So, should he take the step? [Leo: Twentyfold.] [Bryce: No. I can offer rare items not found on the market, and the money is ready to be transferred now.] [Bryce: I promise not to sabotage you. I'm serious, I guarantee it.] [Leo: Honestly, a corporate dog's guarantee is cheap.] [Bryce: Ouch, that hurts a bit.] Leo maintained the connection and suddenly opened his eyes—Jackie and V were both taken aback. "Jotaro has backers, and Arasaka's involved too. If we stay here or go deeper, it's going to be risky, but the reward will increase. What do you think?" The two exchanged a glance and shrugged. Jackie said, "If you ask me, ever since we started working together, this job has felt more meaningful. Taking down scum and making a load of money—I'm in." V nodded. "Exactly—mercenaries, paid to get the job done. If we can do it without dirtying our conscience, even cleaning it up a bit, then it's worth it." Leo smiled. "Good. That's what I thought too—do you realize what people would say if this story got out?" V rubbed her chin. "Legendary Night City solos storm into a den of sin, wiping out the Tyger Claws' criminal empire?" Jackie: "Uh, 'those guys are insane'?" Leo: "If the details got out, they'd say three idiots knew they were being played and still walked right into the trap!" But what legend isn't built on foolish deeds? Leo reentered cyberspace and patted the small octopus. [Leo: This job's risky. You'll have a treat soon.] The little octopus scratched its head with its tentacles, not quite understanding what "risky" meant. In cyberspace, it couldn't fathom any real danger. Leo's cooling fins fully deployed, and he lay in the icy water, connecting the interface cable directly to the special Sianweistan line, bypassing the magnetic electrodes. [Leo: Let's grab the data.] The small octopus swelled and solidified, crawling toward Cloud Top's data vault. At the moment its tentacle touched the database... A shield-like ICE split apart, taking on a more defined form, and the entire cyberspace began to tremble! The computational power shifted, forming something far beyond Leo's imagination—a superweapon. Even during its assembly, it made his nerves sting! The giant octopus suddenly raised its head, sensing something threatening within the flickering data... The broadcast across the entire building abruptly halted, wires burst for unknown reasons, and every device connected to the circuit—bulbs, indicators—went haywire! Arasaka Tower, Command Deck. [Runner A: "The target has entered the honeypot. Soul Killer is active, but a bit slow?"] [TN:Why would they want to use soul killer for huh] [Runner B: "Executing electric overload at H8 Megabuilding. Wait, we're being attacked!"] [Runner C: "It's a honeypot! The target is the honeypot!"] Taihei State, Bryce's data barrier. [Bryce: Code-name: Emperor possibly using restricted AI weaponry, consistent with remnants from the previous capture.] [TN: This is why it's dumb they were using Soul Killer ] [Bryce: Executing network attack through H8 Megabuilding as a relay. Signal stable.] [Bryce: Requesting support.] [Bryce: Situation critical. Requesting support!] In truth, the situation wasn't that dire. In cyberspace, the first mover holds a significant advantage. But Bryce was playing up the danger—while he was relatively safe, Leo at H8 Megabuilding was not. If his attention shifted, an attack from the Voodoo Boys would be a problem. He had made a promise, after all. [Network Surveillance Center Coordination: Your ticket has been processed.] [Ticket ID: CP-2076-XX09b] [Date: 2076-02] [Time: 03:42:17 GMT] [Resolution: Ticket data verified as Raven Protocol.] [New Ticket: CP-AIC-XX562c assigned to Dragon Hunter.] [Task Level: Ω] [Task Description] [Target Address: 23.45.67.89:8080] [Target Identification: Class AI Weapon] [Operation Type: Data Reconnaissance and Interception] [Risk Level: ████ (4/10)] [Cable permissions granted. Long-distance data migration ready.] In Night City, a few Voodoo Boys were standing guard under a rundown building where their boss had sent Netunners to investigate that Network Surveillance helper. The Netunners were probing for traces of H8 Megabuildling in cyberspace. Buzz— As they sifted through the intricate data map of the city, a colossal battleship appeared in the sky above the cyberspace city! The battleship's crew reached into what seemed like an ordinary sky and pulled out a hidden data stream from the dark noise of cyberspace! The cyberspace became extremely unstable in an instant! Those who reacted quickly disconnected and bailed, while the unlucky ones near the battleground found their surroundings in reality unstable—less robust equipment made their neural connections falter! The battle was soon obscured. The data stream faded into the cyberspace clouds, leaving ground-level Netunners only able to glimpse sporadic glitches. These glitches were a sign of unstable electric currents damaging their visual nerves! Two Voodoo Boys Netunners watched this, maneuvering through crumbling data showers, trying to pinpoint the actual battleground— H8 Megabulidng Bang! A piece of fragmented data spore seemed to be drawn by an unseen force, smashing into one Netunner's cyberspace avatar! "Ughh ahh asdasdw—gioxbnfg" Thud! The other Netunner quickly disconnected, pulling his dazed companion out of cyberspace. The man wasn't dead but was left with rolling eyes and a drooling mouth. The Netunner gulped. They were sent to find the guy the Network Surveillance recruited. Now, they knew exactly who it was— He turned to a glitchy TV screen beside him, its sound distorted but barely comprehensible. "According to the latest reports, the group attacking H8 Megabuilding has massacred all its residents—an act of terror." Their boss had them trace a potential rookie in cyberspace. But in the real world? Not so much.

Chapter 239: The Honeypot

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