Chapter 243: Exiting Through the Front Door

Words : 1536 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

[TN:Here today chapter will do a extra chapter tomorrow to make up for Monday] Ten minutes later, Leo, still a bit stiff in his movements, handed the modified companion chip to V. Of course, it was no longer just a companion chip. [Symbiotic AI Development Complete: Octopus Neural Component Driver Chip] [Description: Based on the companion chip, roughly modified to serve as a foundation for AI read/write functionality. The AI adjusts neural component operations in real time based on feedback, adapting to cybernetic bodies and enhanced physiology.] [Note: Only functions properly within artificial neural network systems compatible with AI plugins.] [Reward: 500 Tech Points] [Current Tech Points: 3500] V looked at it with visible disdain. "You're seriously asking me to stick a doll chip into my neck?" "To be precise, it's now a neural component driver pack. Without it, a brief neural component operation would overload and fry your nerves." While explaining, Leo worked on reconstructing the elevator's drive mechanism with a mechanical arm. Once the reconstruction was complete, the elevator doors opened, and the three of them stepped inside. Reluctantly, V inserted the chip into the port on her neck. [Cyberware Unlocked: Cyber Spine] [Welcome to the Chienti Cyber Spine. Error detected in user signature.] [Neural feedback loop initializing. Current loop status: Damaged. If you are not a developer...] [Driver overwritten.] [Information Processing Core IPC-8G2D activated.] [Nanolink fibers missing. System recalibrating.] [Sanvistin startup failed. Entering error-handling mode. Gathering neural component signals.] [Cyberware Unlocked: Kerenzikov] [Unlock Points: Neural Interface Node A1-7 Segment, Biocircuit Junction BCJ-7R, BCJ3T, Power Transmission Terminal KTT-6Y4Q.] [Welcome to Kerenzikov.] In an instant, V felt the world slow to a crawl—Kerenzikov had activated. Roughly half a second later, the flow of time returned to normal in her perception. "How is it working now? Weren't we supposed to do hardware repairs and adjustments first?" "New tech. Get used to it. If everything's fine, then we can proceed with hardware repairs. Arasaka agents are on the lower levels. I can't breach their ICE right now, so we'll have to handle this manually." Jackie, hefting the Achilles, asked, "We're just gonna walk right out? Heard there's a ton of badges outside." "Yeah, there are. But we've got friends—friends who are helpful in this case." As the elevator descended, Jackie stepped to the front, and silence filled the space as the three focused on the steadily decreasing floor numbers. The building was pitch black, save for the grinding of the elevator descending. Ding— The doors slid open, and blue projectiles immediately whizzed through the air! Zzz— The distinct sound of Arasaka's HKE-X2 Kenshin pistol rang out in the darkness. Tungsten bullets struck Jackie's subdermal armor, throwing up sparks and leaving exaggerated dents. Four blades glowing red-hot emerged from the dark at impossible speeds, slashing toward Jackie— Only to witness V, nearly matching their speed, swing her own Mantis Blades in a counterattack! The agents hesitated internally: Didn't intel say these three no longer had accelerated neural components? But their blades were genuine Arasaka tech. Clang! The blades shattered, and the agents fell. Jackie grabbed two critically injured agents, crushing their skulls with a growl and hurling their bodies outward. These agents thought they were stealthy, but the netwatch had already exposed their frequency profiles! While breaching their systems was tough, tracking them wasn't an issue! V's Kerenzikov pushed her to peak performance the moment combat began, delivering unparalleled speed. This unprecedented experience made the tiny AI managing her neural links exclaim excitedly: [This is insane, ma'am!] Distracted for a moment, V's face flickered with confusion before she dove into the next skirmish. As the battlefront shifted and advanced, Leo stepped out of the elevator, making a call as he walked. [Caller: Regina] [Leo: Both the Cloudtop and Jotaro's databases have been decrypted. Unexpectedly, that guy named Forte, the assistant director, seems to be a regular.] [Leo: Can you arrange an evac? I heard the MaxTac unit's waiting at the entrance.] [Regina: I'll make some calls!] [Leo: Money isn't the issue, but I'm leaving through the front door.] H8 Megabuidling – The breach in the barricade had already been blown open, waiting for the arrival of the Max-Tac unit. And now, they had arrived. A Scorpius transport quietly descended at the entrance, with the same officer, Rory, leading the team. A sergeant hurriedly approached to report to Rory, but she waved him off— She knew these three well. Had it not been for orders from higher up, they would've already gone in. This delay was absurd. BANG! Another explosion echoed from inside. Even though the Max-Tac unit was now in charge, nearby officers flinched. Weren't the people inside supposed to be dead? Why were there still explosions? Were they really going to breach through the gap? Some kind of superhuman killers—are they out of their minds? Max-Tac's four-man team stationed themselves at the doorway. Rory's face was calm, almost too calm; she wasn't sure how to handle these three anymore. The incident report suggested the trio might be affiliated with the so-called "Lizard Man," but recent intel contradicted earlier assumptions. And what about the burned-out husk of that young "meat puppet"? The trio was still the same trio—so what the hell had they seen that day? Because of this fiasco, Max-Tac's professionalism had come under scrutiny. The results spoke for themselves: they'd lost two operatives—a hacker and an assault specialist—while the trio walked away unscathed. It didn't make sense. But if another full-throttle battle was in the cards, Rory wouldn't shy away—nor would her squad. Maybe this time, they'd get some answers. Clack. The barricade door began to rise, though the damage to it caused the mechanism to fail midway. Through the slightly raised gap, NCPD officers caught a glimpse of what was happening inside: Someone was pummeling... something. Then, a pair of massive hands gripped the edges of the barricade and started lifting it. As the door rose, weapons were drawn. NCPD officers aimed, and the Max-Tac team began overclocking their cybernetics. Clunk. The barricade fully opened, revealing the scene inside. V's mantis blade had just impaled a man clad in black leather. Her eyes, modified into specialized combat optics, glowed a sinister red in the dark, as did his arm-mounted blade. These mantis blades, capable of maintaining temperatures in the hundreds of degrees Celsius, were a signature product of Arasaka. But of course, any investigation into their source would conveniently hit a dead end. So, these three maniacs had carved through yet another squad of Arasaka operatives. One observer, quick on their feet, mused: How are they still standing? [Comm: Bryce] [Leo: Blur our digital footprint—surely that's not too much for a badass netrunner like you?] [Bryce: You're insane! Recorders may be disabled, but that doesn't stop them from pulling the trigger!] [Leo: They won't shoot.] Leo and V walked out through the gap, with Jackie trailing behind, lowering the heavy barricade back in place. CRASH. The barricade fell shut. The Max-Tac team prepared to engage, but a new message flashed across their comms. [NCPD Broadcast: Directive from Director Coleridge.] [Coleridge: All NCPD units, stand down.] The standoff froze. Despite the overwhelming show of force, Jackie and V felt a bit tense. There were only three of them, while the opposition was not only numerous but highly trained and heavily armed. Truthfully, after a day of tangling with the Tyger Claws and clashing with Arasaka operatives, they were running on fumes. Their clothes were tattered, revealing wounds deep enough to expose bone, with strange fluids dripping from them. But their expressions remained stone-cold. Whatever Leo said next would dictate their next move. Leo, dragging a crate behind him with his mechanical arm scraping the floor, limped toward the exit. The other two followed, their exhaustion becoming increasingly apparent to the NCPD officers as they drew closer. Clink. Clink. Clink. It was obvious: the trio was at their limit. This was the perfect opportunity to take them down— Three mercenaries at the end of their rope. But no one dared to act. As they passed the Max-Tac team, Leo didn't even glance at them. Jackie and V, however, cast brief looks their way, though the tactical visors of the operatives obscured their expressions. Leo's path was straightforward: head directly to the roadside pickup point, without avoiding the NCPD. Then, a peculiar scene unfolded. The notorious NCPD officers, renowned for their toughness, parted to create a path for the trio. A beat-up Mackinaw vehicle ambled into view from afar, billowing black smoke. "V," Leo suddenly remarked, "starting to regret not listening to me about bringing the car closer?" V's already expressionless face turned colder. "Say that again, and I'll stab you right here." The trio climbed into the car and drove off. Some mysterious force masked their presence in the network, and they disappeared into the blacked-out streets of the city. No one knew where they went. "This job's done," Leo muttered.

Chapter 243: Exiting Through the Front Door

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