Cyberpunk: Starting in 2071

Chapter 91 Dogtown Anomaly
After deducting 40% of the team's funds, which is 2 million euros, the remaining 3 million euros will be the team's share of the profits.

Everyone in the Fire Seed team participated in this mission. In terms of contribution, apart from Mercer and V still firmly occupying the top spots on the contribution list, the one who ranked third in contribution was surprisingly the seemingly unreliable Pila.

Pila not only participated in the production and improvement of the drone, but also built a set of continuous rockets using individual rocket launchers. The sniper rifle also played a role several times. It can be said that his contribution was almost no less than V's.

While the remaining people did not make any outstanding contributions, they all basically did what they were supposed to do.

Therefore, after careful consideration, Mercer decided that Pila, V, and Mercer would each receive 50%, which would be approximately 17 points per person.

Qiwei, Lucy, the Mann couple, Sasha, and Rebecca each took the rest of the portion.

This is by no means a small amount; the average income per person is at least close to 200,000 euros, enough for everyone to live a carefree life for a long time after this busy period.

As for the 2 million euros of team funds deducted in advance, it was used to pay commissions for several people, including Adca, which amounted to approximately 200,000 euros.

Considering that the other party provided manpower, effort, and equipment, Mercer felt the payment was fair. At that time, most of the Adca workers who did the work would receive around 10,000 euros, which was a lucrative job for them.

Another portion is used to cover losses and base operations.

For a while afterward, Mercer planned to keep a low profile and move the base's money-making businesses onto a more formal basis. The production inputs and the base's water and electricity expenses were not small, so Mercer did not plan to buy any more expensive items and intended to use them sparingly.

After the money was divided, everyone excitedly started thinking about how to spend it, while Mercer waved and called to Lucy.

He told her to wait for him in her room for a while, and Mercer found the medical kit that Panan had specially placed in the room and went upstairs.

She sat on the mattress, lost in thought, and only paused when Mercer came in carrying the medical kit. Then she said, "I don't need it."

"I'll know whether I need it or not after I check it."

Mercer merely glared at her, sat down in front of her, and without a word, reached out and took her right leg to examine it.

He first carefully touched her shinbone and knee through the black screen: "Does it hurt?"

Lucy looked at his face, hesitated, and nodded.

Mercer then frowned and continued to check the injured area with his hands. Unsurprisingly, her ankle was twisted, and it was visibly red and swollen. But Mercer still made her bear the pain and checked whether there was any fracture.

Although he lacked professional equipment, Mercer, who had taken advanced medical courses in Arasaka and biotechnology online classes, quickly diagnosed her condition.

"I need to see Old Wei. At the very least, your leg has a ligament problem. I suspect there might be some bone fractures, but thankfully there shouldn't be any direct ligament tears or fractures."

Mercer made a diagnosis: "Topical medication can only relieve pain. The simplest solution is to get a check-up and repair any necessary prosthetics. In that case, you should be able to recover after just three days of post-operative medication."

In the cyber world, the easiest thing to deal with is any external damage. No matter where it is broken, the simplest way is to replace the part. Synthetic materials are far more tough and durable than the human body. As long as you don't buy from small companies or second-hand goods, it can basically last a lifetime without any problems.

"Oh," Lucy said softly, tossing her short hair as she watched him put his legs down again and sit cross-legged in front of her.

Mercer picked up the pain relief spray, rolled up her black customer service trousers, sprayed the medicine on, and performed a simple emergency treatment.

Lucy just blinked and let him do as he pleased, watching him gently spread the medicine evenly.

After finishing his work, Mercer packed up his things, washed his hands, looked around, and decided to take a nap there. He had only been busy since early yesterday morning and had only rested for about an hour. Now that he was relaxed, he was actually feeling sleepy.

So Mercer simply lay down on her mattress: "I'm going to rest for a while. You just sit here and rest quietly. I'll take you to see Old Vie tomorrow."

"Hmm." Lucy moved over a bit to make room for him, then rested one hand on her knee, propped her chin up, and turned to look at him.

Mercer, however, fell asleep without a care in the world, as if he were dead asleep the moment he closed his eyes. Seeing him lying there so peacefully, Lucy actually felt a little sleepy herself. She carefully moved her legs to lie down next to him and closed her eyes.

Mercer didn't know how long he had slept, but when he opened his eyes, it was already dark outside the window. He turned his head and saw Lucy sleeping soundly, using his arm as a pillow.

Mercer carefully pulled out his arm, which had gone numb from being pressed down, and shook it a few times after getting up before he felt the blood flow back to his arm.

Seeing that she was sleeping soundly, Mercer didn't disturb her. He tiptoed out of the room and downstairs, where he saw V, Mann, and the others chatting in the living room.

He naturally moved closer, and Qiwei handed him a cup of instant hot coffee. Moser didn't care whose it was, took a couple of sips, smiled and thanked her, then sat down and asked, "What are you talking about?"

"It's about Mann's past," V replied casually, then teased, "Did you sleep comfortably with Lucy?"

"Damn, something doesn't sound right to you," Mercer glanced at her, then leaned back on the sofa, looking languid.

Having gotten used to being busy as soon as he woke up, he was actually a little unaccustomed to suddenly having free time.

Mercer listened for a while, then seized an opportunity to interject and talk about a topic that interested him.

"Do you know a guy named Li De?" Mercer's sudden question made Mann instinctively turn to look at him.

Mann frowned: "Yes, I know him. We were comrades-in-arms. When I retired, he even invited me to come to Night City to continue working for the new America. You know him?"

“I know him, but he doesn’t know me.” Mercer paused for a moment before continuing, “He’s still in Dogtown.”

"Are you sure?" Mann asked, somewhat surprised. "I thought that after the armistice took effect, all the people from New America left. Back then, Arasaka and his men carried out a major purge of Night City."

"Pretty much. He also escaped death by a hair's breadth, was betrayed by his own people, but was ultimately saved by President Miles of the new America."

After Mercer finished speaking, Dorio asked curiously, "Is this also thanks to your ctOS system? I heard Rebecca talking about it for a while, saying that you created a really awesome intelligence gathering system."

Rebecca replied irritably, "If you ask, he'll definitely say yes. But I suspect this guy has other sources of information, he's acting all mysterious."

She glared at Mercer, seemingly annoyed by his napping with Lucy—it was she who felt Mercer had been gone for a while that afternoon, so she sneaked over to find him, only to discover him and Lucy fast asleep together.

Mercer shrugged: "Anyway, this guy is an FIA agent now, but he's in a dormant state and hasn't been activated by New America yet. I'd like to ask what your impression of him is."

Mann gave a fairly direct answer: "A good man, a reliable comrade, a loyal soldier—he was different from me; he was willing to do anything for the new America."

After sighing, Mann showed an unusually dejected expression, as if he was recalling something. After a second or two, he continued, "I don't recommend you deal with him unless you plan to side with New America."

"And your skill level?" Mercer pressed.

In the game, Li De was eventually killed by V with a single shot, but that doesn't mean he was really the kind of weakling who could be instantly killed by V.

As a secret agent, his physical skills are not his greatest strength; his intelligence, strategy, and composure are where his value lies.

"Well, let's put it this way. Apart from V, no one here should be a match for him. And if he's determined to assassinate someone, I reckon even V wouldn't escape."

Mann was telling the truth.

V suddenly stretched out his hand, looking a bit annoyed: "Stop, stop, stop! What's with this FIA stuff? I told you we've been hiding in Dogtown to avoid trouble, haven't we?"

When Mercer asked that question, she guessed that he must have thought of something related to the new America.

Whether Mercer wants to cooperate with the other party or sabotage them, it will definitely be troublesome.

“I’d like to too, but I suspect that after this is over, the people from the Military Science Institute and the New America will be keeping an eye on me,” Mercer said.

"Why? Your hacking skills? The new America is so big, they wouldn't bother you for something like that, would they?" V said.

Mercer chuckled lightly: "To be honest, if they really knew my skill level, with my hacking skills alone, if they wanted to apply for a job, they could just pack their bags and move into the White House."

V only knew that his skills were indeed amazing, but she didn't know they were this amazing. She looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Really?"

"But this time, it's mainly because of that exoskeleton," Mercer said frankly. "After the military scientists study it a few times, they'll probably know just how amazing my talent as the user really is."

For decades, the military science community has longed to find a reliable mercenary to succeed Morgan Blackhand, to fight for their position in Night City and to eliminate dissidents.

Myers in New America is even more complicated; I worry she'll use me as a stepping stone to some pathetic hacker.

Mercer felt that he wasn't exaggerating, but that it was highly likely this would happen.

"So what should we do? Do you even have a plan?" V frowned.

"Yes~ If I wasn't sure, I definitely wouldn't be stupid enough to give this equipment directly to the military science department."

Mercer laughed: "My idea is to eat the sugar coating, then throw the bullets back. No matter how they want to recruit me, let me taste the benefits first."

"Aren't you afraid they'll use you as a guinea pig?" Rebecca understood the implication in his words. "That would be fantastic! This prosthetic body I'm wearing was given to me for free by someone who wanted to use me as a guinea pig!" Mercer laughed heartily.

He smiled and said, "Once we've taken all the benefits from the military science and the new America, we'll continue our back-and-forth journey, jumping to Kangtao or Arasaka, and while we're at it, leave Dogtown and officially move into the Night City district."

"That's wishful thinking," V commented.

Mercer, however, was very confident: "Just you wait and see. However, for now, we should try to discuss cooperation with the Military Science Institute and New America as much as possible."

"Let's take this opportunity to sell them exoskeletons and establish contact. After that, we'll try to get as much benefit as possible from them."

Mercer had made up his mind from the beginning that if Stott was reliable, he really intended to establish some cooperative relationship with the Military Science in the short term and get as many benefits as possible.

Once he has reached an agreement with Lai Xuan, he can consider defecting. Or, if the Military Science Academy is too greedy and really intends to use him as a guinea pig, then Mercer can take advantage of the situation and turn around and join Kang Tao first.

After using the exoskeleton, Mercer could finally be certain of one thing—his tolerance for prosthetics was no less than V's.

Strictly speaking, he is practically a born robot with a divine body. As long as he is given the right equipment, Adam's Hammer is nothing but a weakling in front of him.

He was confident that he could build himself a suit of armor that was no less powerful than Adam's Hammer, but the problem was that he lacked the necessary development and manufacturing capabilities.

He already had some design ideas in mind; the next step was to see where he could get assistance.

Mercer changed the subject and didn't discuss it in detail. V and the others didn't delve into it either. They were used to him causing trouble anyway. He would definitely discuss it with everyone before making a decision, so there was no need to talk too much about it now that things were still uncertain.

After laughing and joking around for a while, when the sky had completely darkened, Mercer volunteered to take the night watch.

Late at night, Lucy, still a little groggy, limped downstairs to find something to eat. She grabbed a bag of instant jelly and turned around to see Mercer sitting by the window, his prosthetic eye gleaming and his brows slightly furrowed.

"What trouble have you run into this time?" she asked.

"Hmm, the Morning Star has noticed something unusual and is reporting the situation to me."

Mercer gave a brief reply, but his attention remained focused on his conversation with the Morning Star.

[Morning Star: It can now be confirmed that the person scouting around the base is a disguised Ghost Hound. Based on personal information comparison, I have sent their personal file to your email address.]

Mercer: What's your assessment?

[Morning Star: It doesn't seem like Hansen's doing, because the Ghost Hounds who came to scout the base are not of a match for your strength.]

I'm more inclined to believe these soldiers were greedy for the three million euro bounty on Farah, or that they received a request from Arasaka through some channel.

Mercer did not give a direct answer, but continued to ask.

[Mercer: What do you think we should do now?]

[Morning Star: My suggestion is that you should communicate directly with Colonel Hansen; that would be the safest course of action.]

Mercer: Oh?

【Morning Star: You are now wanted by Arasaka. Even if Stott is willing to publicly state that the exoskeleton has been put into the hands of the Military Science, the possibility of Arasaka's retaliation cannot be ruled out.

Rather than waiting for Arasaka and Hansen to reach some kind of deal that threatens your and the base's security, you should take the initiative to negotiate with Hansen now.

Furthermore, considering Hansen's personality, cooperating with him in this way, where you are asking for his help, might prevent your cooperation with Hansen from escalating into conflict in the short term.

At least if you don't plan to move out of Dogtown anytime soon, dealing with Hansen is unavoidable.

Morning Star clearly understood Hansen's personality very well.

This guy always likes to be in control and dominant. If you act weaker than him, he might be more willing to cooperate with you. Unless your interests conflict, he won't easily cause trouble.

But if you are too assertive, or even make him feel threatened, then he is more likely to lose control.

Mercer was deep in thought.

But Qimingxing is still offering its own solutions.

[Morning Star: You have fully demonstrated your and the Fire Seed Squad's combat capabilities and possess sufficient technical skills. From any perspective, Hansen's current need for you far outweighs the threat you pose to him.]

As long as you are willing to appropriately relinquish your dominant position, in my judgment, you and Hansen will have a honeymoon period of at least a year, during which you can absolutely achieve mutual success.

Mercer simply nodded.

Mercer: Let's do it this way. I'll do it now... Never mind, I'll contact Hansen first thing tomorrow morning. As for the hounds around the base, are the security facilities inside the base sufficient?

[Morning Star: According to calculations, the probability of the enemy breaching the base's automated defense system is 0.17%.]

[Mercer: Then I'll leave it to you. Tell Anzu not to worry too much. If anyone has designs on the base, then let them die.]

[Morning Star: Understood.]

After pondering for a moment, Mercer decided to start communicating with Hansen right away.

[Mercer: Go and send an email to Hansen in my name, remembering to include the files on these people, asking him if he authorized these hounds around him, and leave him my contact information so he can call me later.]

The purpose of this was to alert Hansen that some of his men were taking it upon themselves to cause trouble for Mercer.

As for Hansen's reaction, he will most likely take advantage of the situation and threaten him, first strongly reminding him who the boss of Dogtown is, and then seeking cooperation with Mercer.

Dealing with this kind of warlord is really a headache.

Mercer pursed his lips, no longer worried about the problems at the base. The base had security robots and automated turrets, and the entrance to the underground base was also very well hidden, so ordinary small fry didn't need to worry at all.

He turned his head and, seeing that Lucy was still looking at him, offered an explanation:
"Hansen's side has probably already set their sights on us, but hasn't made a move yet. They're probably planning to wait until I've dealt with my current troubles and returned to Dogtown, see how I handle the whole situation, and then contact me."

However, his subordinates were getting impatient. Whether it was a private request from Arasaka's people or their own greed for the reward, it seemed that meeting him sooner rather than later was the best course of action.

Lucy said worriedly, "Kyoko is still alone at the base."

"It's alright, Morning Star is watching. The base has heavy drones, folding machine guns, and several robots. Let alone a few Ghost Hound soldiers, they'd need at least an elite tactical squadron to get in."

Mercer said confidently, "With the Morning Star around, the destructive power of these unmanned machines is much greater than you think."

Lucy nodded, but was still a little uneasy.

Seeing her like this, Mercer comforted her, "Don't worry, I've already had Morning Star send an email to Hansen to see his attitude. If things aren't going well, I'll have Anzu withdraw."

“I should have put her with Adcardo,” Lucy said.

"I actually feel more unsafe leaving it there," Mercer reminded Lucy. "We're worth three million euros now. Even if most of the Adca people are good, what if one of them turns out to be unreliable?"

This is why he didn't choose to hide with his men in Adcado, but instead asked Panan to find him a hiding place on his own.

Lucy could only nod and say, "Okay, how long will it take before we can go back? She's all alone there."

"Why are you like her mother?" Mercer laughed. "She's much stronger than you think."

Lucy glared at him.

Mercer comforted him, "It won't be long. Stott should have a result in about a day or two, and we'll be able to go back soon."

"I hope so," Lucy said, then curled up on the sofa, watching the boring commercials on TV and continuing to doze off.

Mercer, meanwhile, turned his head and continued to look out the window, keeping watch while lost in thought, enjoying a rare moment of quiet relaxation.

While Mercer was enjoying his rare moment of rest.

However, within the military technology sector, he caused a great uproar.

(End of this chapter)