Chapter 295: Mission Must Be Accomplished

Words : 1702 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

North Watson was shrouded in a dead silence. The cold fluorescent lights of the factory barely illuminated anything beyond its premises, while the streetlights that were supposed to brighten the roads flickered dimly. The most stable source of light came from abandoned vehicles engulfed in flames, overturned on the roadside in a way their designers never intended. The twisted metal, blackened by fire, stood as a grim testament to the chaos. Click. A soft sound echoed from behind the burnt-out car frame. A Maelstrom gang member pulled the pin on a grenade, his cybernetic arm twisting at an unnatural angle. The hydraulics embedded in his cyberware activated, driving his arm into a rapid spin. The grenade was flung outward, effortlessly surpassing the throwing range of any unaugmented human, hurtling toward the factory across the street— Only for it to be shot down mid-air! BOOM! The grenade exploded above the street. The shooter, another Maelstrom member hiding behind a crate on a balcony, barked out in a grating, metallic voice: "Quit wasting your damn time! Just get the hell outta here—I know you guys are outta ammo!" The grenade thrower flexed his slightly warped cybernetic hand and clenched his teeth. They really were out of bullets. VROOM! Suddenly, the roar of an engine cut through the silence, growing louder—it was a Mackinaw! The graffiti on the vehicle definitely wasn't Maelstrom's. Under the watchful eyes of both factions, the car screeched to a stop near the factory, right in front of the besieged Maelstrom gang members. Inside, Old Man Cassidy quickly scanned the factory using the vehicle's onboard sensors before glancing at the hunkered-down Maelstrom gangers. He shouted toward the cargo hold: "Toss 'em two crates of grenades! One crate of rifle ammo, one of handgun rounds!" The cargo door cracked open just enough for several crates to be thrown out. Before the bewildered Maelstrom members could react, the Mackinaw's loudspeaker blared: "Grenades and bullets! We're outta here—good luck, kid!" "Oh, and by the way—Aldecaldo Logistics, mission accomplished!" WHOOSH— The Mackinaw roared off into the night. Even the slowest among them could now understand—this was a supply drop. The attacking Maelstrom gang had no time to question how the hell Aldecaldo Logistics had managed to run the blockade in a Mackinaw, of all things, just to deliver weapons. Meanwhile, the defenders turned pale—they were already running dangerously low on ammo. BOOM! Gunfire erupted once more, followed by explosions and battle cries. Through the rear camera feed, Cassidy saw the Maelstrom attackers breach the factory. [Cassidy: First delivery received. Heading to the second drop now.] — The legendary Mackinaw—currently driven by Leo. The car was in autopilot mode, while Leo sat in the backseat, a deep-dive neural link plugged into the base of his neck. Inside the cargo hold, Jackie and V shared space with two motorcycles and two heavily cyber-augmented individuals wearing exoskeletons, making the once-spacious hold feel cramped. To accommodate the exoskeletons, the cargo hold had been modified with two automatic adjustment stations. [Advanced Cyberware Laboratory Development: Exoskeleton – Adaptive Frame Model 1] Type: Linear FrameDeveloper: Michael CollinsDescription: A basic exoskeleton that significantly enhances load-bearing capacity. Can be upgraded with additional functions and power modules as needed.Developer's Notes: "Boss, this linear frame design is pretty interesting. I took inspiration from your concept, streamlined it, and removed the built-in power and function modules." "Now it weighs only a quarter of your original version, but structurally, it's still rock-solid." The cargo hold smelled of electronics, ethanol fuel, and motor oil. V's exoskeleton fit snugly over her bodysuit. Neural impulses converted the exoskeleton's strong electrical signals into bioelectric ones, making it feel like an extension of her own body. She flexed her fingers—no discomfort. Her arms were equipped with web shooters and electro-adhesion gloves. Thin, blue-lit strips ran along her fingers and palms, indicating all systems were operational. She looked down at her legs. The exoskeleton extended to her calves, integrated into a pair of boots. These boots provided electro-adhesion functionality and housed a turbofan-gas injection system borrowed from hover-bike technology. [Exoskeleton Component – Landing Thrusters Model 1] Description: A high thrust-to-weight ratio landing stabilization device.Cannot enable flight but allows for multiple mid-air jumps and reduces fall impact.Developer: Leo V gave the thrusters a slight thought, and they whirred to life, generating subtle lift. For a heavily cyber-modified individual like her, the force was barely noticeable, but she didn't doubt Leo's claim—this thing would let her drop from seven or eight meters and land with ease. Excitement bubbled inside her. First a flying motorcycle, now she could practically fly herself? "Leo, I'm in a good mood today—here, take 100,000 eddies to play around with." "..." Leo didn't even ask why she wasn't actually transferring the money. He already knew exactly how much he still still owed. Jackie's exoskeleton was bulkier. His adaptive frame had been reinforced, and instead of V's compact gloves, he wielded a pair of massive, armor-like gauntlets. At the far end of the trap, near the elbow joint, jet thrusters and turbines were embedded within the armor, working together with the turbines in the legs to provide propulsion. For someone of his massive build, even two sets of turbines might not be enough. [Exoskeleton Component – Enhanced Knuckle Duster Type-1]Description: A reinforced gauntlet that transfers the force exerted on the arm to the exoskeleton's structure. Equipped with turbine-gas propulsion units.Thrust Applications: Assists with landing, impact absorption, and can also be used offensively.Developer: Leo Total Tech Points Awarded: +1500 Current Tech Points: 9000 The only downside was that this was the first deployment of the equipment. As a "handcrafted prototype," some visible imperfections and gaps could be seen in the design. The front of the gauntlet had a built-in shield, crafted from a sliced-off piece of a Centaur mech's armor plating—edges still slightly warped. Overall, it had a distinctly handmade look. Jackie had a complicated expression. Though excitement and anticipation dominated, there was also a hint of regret. "Leo, does this mean I have to stick with this setup from now on? Can't I get a gun I can actually use? This takes away my biggest advantage." Indeed, the arm's structure was too bulky. Weapons like La Chingona Dorada or Widowmaker, known for their refined precision, were now completely unusable. Come to think of it, Jackie had never used any of his newly acquired guns for long. But there was no way around it. The Lizard Berserker Module had already granted him enough raw power and endurance to rival firearms. As for plasma cannons? Without the large power supply from a Centaur mech, they wouldn't even fire. [Leo: We'll figure something out later.] Cyberwarfare and Tactical Maneuvers Inside cyberspace, Leo monitored the combat network. The Aldecaldo Express Team had already completed multiple arms deliveries across different combat zones. The Watson North District, which had briefly fallen into a lull, erupted once again with gunfire and explosions. But none of that was the real concern—the most critical situation was Brick's location. Leo had attempted to integrate a Sandevistan system into a Centaur Mech, but Brick was still being overwhelmed, firing wildly across the streets. The enemy was strong. [Leo: Close in on Brick—get ready.] BOOM! A massive explosion erupted from a distant chemical warehouse! This marked the fourth giant mushroom cloud to rise over Watson North! The shockwave swept across the streets. Storefront windows, already shattered, had nothing left to break. Meanwhile, the Mackinaw truck remained unmoved, rolling steadily over the debris and craters. Jackie and V received the order. They mounted their motorcycles, launching systems engaged! Behind them, Panam nodded in acknowledgment before steering her vehicle into a nearby alley. On Leo's combat network interface, the red markers representing Brick and Carter were being approached by the blue marker of the Mackinaw truck— Then a new alert came in from River! [River: The MaxTac team is moving in!] In the night sky, several Scorpius AVs (Militech airborne vehicles) emerged, weaving through the towering skyline, heading straight for the explosion site! At this speed, they might arrive even before Leo! MaxTac's involvement added an unpredictable element. But at this point, there was no turning back. BANG! The truck's cargo bay burst open with fire, launching two motorcycles into the air. Within a blink, they vanished into the alleyways! Scorpius AVs – MaxTac Deployment Melissa Rory watched the towering mushroom cloud, licking her lips. She knew her moment had arrived. As expected, the Scorpius AVs—already on standby—immediately activated! [Mission Directive Issued] [Intel Transmission in Progress] [MaxTac Command: Detective Rory, you will be leading a squad of 16 MaxTac officers into combat.][Mission Objective: Suppress the riot and reclaim control of the city.] [Melissa Rory: Same as always? Same as last time?] [Melissa Rory: If this is another 'last time,' I'm getting off the AV right now.] [MaxTac Command: Standard procedure applies. All collateral damage is acceptable.] [Intel Transmission Complete] [Armory Access: Riot Suppression – Maximum Clearance, Experimental Prototype Firearms Unlocked] A flood of information streamed through Rory's mind. She immediately recognized that every single Maelstrom Gang member had already been marked and confirmed as hostiles participating in the riots. And this time, she had full authorization to use the highest level of riot suppression weaponry. She couldn't even imagine how beautiful this slaughter was going to be. She could kill until sunrise! But then— A specific marker appeared in her intel feed. A Mackinaw truck. Rory's excitement froze the moment she saw it. Because its status read: [NCPD Contracted Personnel – Authorized Operative] So this time... they were on the same side. What the actual fuck? They just told her "all collateral damage is acceptable," but now they expected her to work with them? Rory silently adjusted her deployment path, ensuring she would operate as far from the Mackinaw as possible. Only an idiot would go over there. She wasn't about to screw herself over like last time and end up back in the hospital for repairs.

Chapter 295: Mission Must Be Accomplished

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