Chapter 293: Full Mobilization

Words : 2005 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

[TN:The Chapters i own for yesterday and today] [Militech Intelligence Department: Suspected sighting of our combat mechs in the Watson North District.] [Militech Counterintelligence Department: Multiple corporations have received confirmation of combat mech deployment and are pressuring Night City authorities.] [Militech Public Relations Department: Per custodial agreement, please issue directives on behalf of Ms. Stout.] [Militech] The video was so shocking that Anthony's legs nearly gave out. Luckily, he was sitting in a car, so he didn't have to worry about collapsing. The Centaur mechs were not only deployed but also used in a way that completely disregarded design specifications. At this point, there was no sign that Brick was being taken down. On the contrary, the situation was spiraling out of control. The Centaur mechs met all the criteria for regulated military equipment. Originally, only a few were sent to City Hall for inspection. The loss of hardware was minor—the real issue was the mole. But now, the mole hadn't been caught, and the crisis was escalating beyond control. Bang! A sudden noise came from the trunk, making Anthony's face turn pale. He shuddered in shock, his heart rate spiking from 170 to 210. What now? What else could go wrong? "I told you, I'm not the mole! Let me out!" Anthony quickly got out of the car, nearly stumbling as he made his way to the trunk. He opened it to reveal Meredith, bruised and battered, crammed inside. The duct tape on her mouth had already been bitten off—how, he had no idea. But that wasn't the point. "It doesn't even matter if you're the mole anymore," Anthony muttered, his face void of expression, as lifeless as a corpse. A dead man walking. Meredith had only been pretending to panic, but now she was genuinely terrified—this guy looked like he was certain he was doomed. Who knew what he'd do to her?! She quickly blurted out, "The priority is fixing this mess! I know some reliable mercenaries—if you have any leads—" "If I had leads, you think I'd let you live while I get killed instead?!" Anthony's face twisted with rage, his features contorting. He was about to kill Meredith when, suddenly, the nearby Militech enforcer received a notification and seized his arm first! Anthony's head snapped up as he roared, "Let go! I'm your superior! That mole needs to die—" "Detain him." Meredith's expression shifted in an instant—from fear to absolute confidence. She was still curled up in the trunk, but her entire demeanor had changed! The enforcer obeyed without hesitation, kicking Anthony's knee with brutal force, then pinning both his arms down. "Aghhh!!!" As Anthony screamed in agony, his cybernetic HUD suddenly flickered. [Militech Network Disconnected // Contract Terminated // Account Access Revoked // System Shutdown in Progress] The combined nausea from cyberware shutdown and the sheer physical pain overwhelmed him. Collapsing to his knees, he violently vomited. The enforcer's mechanical voice stated: "Anthony Gilchrist, your access to the company network has been officially revoked. The termination order was issued directly from Militech International Armaments, Washington Headquarters. Effective immediately, your dismissal has been forcibly completed." Then, the enforcer turned to Meredith. "Director Stout, as of now, you have full authority over this PR crisis. Headquarters will be monitoring all developments—please keep your recording permissions open." Meredith, assisted by the enforcer, climbed out of the trunk, hiding her inner shock. She hadn't expected this termination order to come directly from headquarters. She just wanted to get rid of that idiot Anthony. But now, things had escalated far beyond her expectations. Reconnecting to the network, she checked the news feed—and her jaw dropped. Her shock was entirely real. Because Watson District was now in total chaos—on par with an active war zone! The Maelstrom gang, armed to the teeth with cyberware and weapons, was locked in an all-out internal conflict. Over a dozen factories had already been attacked. And, to make matters worse—activated Centaur mechs had been sighted on the battlefield. Meredith's face turned deathly pale—this was never what she wanted! She just needed the stolen mechs to disappear—not for them to be unleashed in a citywide bloodbath! Anthony was as good as dead. The mole was nowhere to be found. And now the pressure was on her. In her original plan, once Anthony was eliminated and no mole was found, the problem would be solved. But now, Anthony was gone, the mole was missing, and the problem had only gotten worse! Lying on the ground, Anthony weakly chuckled at Meredith, a mix of schadenfreude and bitter amusement in his expression. But Meredith ignored the still-breathing corpse in front of her. "We can't intervene directly—if we do, we're admitting failure!" "I know a few mercs. Let's have them handle it." The enforcer recorded her reaction and nodded. Watson District – Little China The Tiger Claws had pulled back. The Maelstrom gang was tearing itself apart. And as for the NCPD? They were too busy dealing with corruption scandals and locking down Watson North, leaving them severely understaffed. A lawless zone had become even more lawless— Neon lights flickered from the towering skyscrapers, shining like distant stars. But these lights only illuminated the city's heights. They blocked out the real stars and cast long, dark shadows over the streets below. The shadows were fragmented under the multicolored neon lights, breaking apart into scattered pieces. The synthetic aromas of various seasonings overpowered the natural stench of the slums, mixing with the rising steam and dispersing into the air, blending into the chatter and commotion of the streets. If one listened carefully, the alleys held a symphony of the indescribable—muggings, shouts of surprise from pickpocket victims, and even the sharp crack of gunfire. At a food stall, Jackie was wolfing down a bowl of synthetic beef noodles. The news played on a screen at the stall: "The gang riot in North Watson is still ongoing. Gunfire continues, and residents live in fear." V pointed her chopsticks at Leo and said, "Let me get this straight. We've got multiple shootouts happening: the warehouse at Kijing Logistics, the oil depot; the chemical warehouse and cyberware shop of Kenli Group and BioDyne—what the hell? Is the Maelstrom threatening all these corporations?" So far, that seemed to be the case. As one of the oldest gangs in Night City, Maelstrom's influence ran even deeper than Leo had imagined. V quickly added, "But to be fair, Maelstrom is no joke, even if they're not quite at our level. I used to avoid getting cyberware because I knew this guy who was obsessed with it. Made his first big payday, then lost his hand. Couldn't afford legit implants or software, so he went with Maelstrom's black-market knockoffs." Jackie downed the rest of his soup, stacking his empty bowl atop a growing pile, wiped his mouth, and chimed in, "Lemme guess. His hand crapped out at a critical moment, and he dropped dead?" "Exactly. But what choice did he have? Who can afford the real stuff?" V and Jackie clearly had similar experiences. But Jackie's memories ran even deeper. Blowing on his noodles, he added, "I knew someone who had it worse. Back when I was with the Valentinos, a buddy of mine got taken by Maelstrom for some... experimental shit. Those heartless bastards. When we found him, even his own mother couldn't recognize him. It's been years, and he still ain't normal." "If I remember right, you've told this story before," V said. "Different guy. This one's still alive." Their conversation sparked an epiphany in Leo. Technology was never a problem for him—he understood every implant in his body, every vehicle and weapon he used. Hell, he could build them from scratch. But what about everyone else? Corporate services weren't cheap. Street kids didn't even qualify for loans. In this city, even sex workers had to get cosmetic surgery. Cyberware and gear determined how far you could go. Most people believed it, and to some extent, it was true. That broadened his perspective a little. As Leo processed feedback from Brick while adjusting his software drivers, the TV at the food stall blared breaking news: "The situation continues to escalate!" "A massive explosion has been observed in North Watson. Eyewitnesses claim to have seen military-grade equipment on-site!" "Given the escalating violence, the counterterrorism rapid response team may intervene." [Beep.] [Sender: Brick] [Brick: Hit 'em harder! Can we mount a Sandevistan on the mech?!] [Brick: Also, I need more firepower. Whatever you can get—either for me or for my people—I'll take it!] [Mysterious Hero: Done. Open the remote access port for me.] More supplies? Leo raised an eyebrow. He had thought outfitting Brick with a Centaur-class mech would be enough to secure a decisive victory. But clearly, the situation had changed. Almost immediately, a second contact reached out. [Sender: Jefferson Peralez] [Jefferson: Burger King! Watson is descending into total chaos! Did you forget our deal?!] [Jefferson: Someone reported that a stolen Militech combat mech has been activated—now the megacorps are freaking out!] [Jefferson: This is urgent! Do something!] [Jefferson: We need to control Watson at all costs!] [Burger King: A Centaur-class mech? You mean the one Militech flaunts on their official site? That thing's dangerous.] [Burger King: Pay up.] [Jefferson: Name your price.] [Burger King: Five times the bounty.] [Jefferson: Deal—just hurry up.] Then came a third message. [Sender: Meredith Stout] [Meredith: Militech had a shipment stolen by Maelstrom. Get it back for us.] [Meredith: And keep NCPD and the counterterrorism unit from finding solid evidence.] Then the fourth. [Sender: Chesson] [Chesson: Boss, the weapons are all set, but I heard NCPD locked down North Watson.] [Burger King: Just deliver them. And check in with the Six Street Gang—if they hike the price, forget it.] [Chesson: More? We're already in the hundreds of thousands. Can Maelstrom even handle that much?] [Burger King: Don't worry. If they can't, I will.] Then the fifth. [Sender: Panam Palmer] [Panam: Leo, NCPD sealed off the roads. The fighting hasn't stopped. How the hell are we getting out?] [Leo: No need to run. Wait for me. I'm coming in.] [Leo: Get more clan members. Have them bring new rides.] Clack. Jackie finished his last bowl of noodles. The stall was littered with his empty dishes. "Man, that hit the spot. Feels kinda nuts eating with my cyberware's combat enhancers on." Leo stood up. "Yeah, it's nuts. But we won't have time to eat later." V stretched, then lazily draped an arm over Leo's shoulder. "Finally, some action. Judging by the news, this is gonna be just as crazy as the Arasaka Tower job, huh?" "Yeah. Pretty damn close." Leo thought for a moment. More hands on deck wouldn't hurt. Just then, the sixth contact sent a message. [Sender: David Martinez] [David: Boss! I finished Regina's gig!] [David: Got anything else? Please consider me!] [David: I'm a whole new man now!] [Burger King: Perfect. Get over here. We're heading to Watson.] [David: Huh? Isn't that area under lockdown? I heard Maelstrom is wrecking shit with military-grade mechs.] [Burger King: Yep. That Watson.] [Burger King: You in or not?] Silence from David's end. Jackie, picking up where V left off, said, "The Arasaka Tower job was solid, but I liked the Six Street gig better. The convoy behind us? That was badass." "Funny you mention that." Leo got into his car and started calibrating a special mechanical exoskeleton in the back seat, along with all the other gear they'd need. The data was so extensive that he grabbed the car's neural dive interface and prepared to plug it into his skull. "This time, we've got even more vehicles." This time, they were going all in.

Chapter 293: Full Mobilization

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