Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 202 V's New Job (Fifth Update)
“…Very generous.” She took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in her heart. “But money alone is not enough. In this world, especially after experiencing all this, I understand that power is fundamental. I want… the power to no longer be easily manipulated and slaughtered by others.”

“Power?” Chen Yu’s crimson lens turned to the side of the workshop, where a dark red power armor that had just completed its final assembly stood quietly in the shadows, its single-horn antenna on its head gleaming coldly under the light. “Power armor, cybernetic modifications, advanced weapon systems… As long as you prove your worth, all of these can be provided. Resources are not a bottleneck for me.”

He refocused his "gaze" on Valerie, his synthesized voice suddenly becoming serious, carrying an undeniable weight: "But all of this has one premise, one sole requirement."

The air inside the workshop seemed to freeze.

"Absolute loyalty."

Chen Yu's voice was cold and clear, each word like a hammer blow on metal.

"Loyalty that isn't absolute is absolute disloyalty. That's my creed. Any form of betrayal, deception, or double-dealing is intolerable. Can you accept that?"

Valerie, facing those crimson optical lenses, felt an unprecedented pressure. She knew very well that this was no ordinary employment contract; it was more like a declaration of allegiance. The presence before her could indeed grant her the wealth and power she craved, but it also demanded unconditional submission.

She remembered Arasaka's ruthlessness, the despair she felt when she lost her arm, and Jack and her seemingly unattainable dream.

Without much hesitation, she nodded, her eyes hardening.

“I accept,” Valerie said. “As long as you keep your promise, Jack and I… are willing to pledge our loyalty.”
-
When Valerie found Jack, he was surrounded by several recently rotated Ghosthound recruits, crouching next to a pile of crates in a corner of the outpost.

His booming voice and exaggerated gestures stood out in the crowd; he was clearly boasting about some remarkable experience.

“…Just one shot, ‘bang!’ I used this ‘old friend’ right then and there,” he raised his hand to make a firing gesture, “to blow out the last remaining eyeball of that cyber lunatic! Ha! You didn’t see it…”

A recruit was listening intently when he caught sight of Valerie walking by and nudged Jack with his elbow.

Jack turned around, saw Valerie, and immediately flashed his signature, slightly roguish smile.

"Hey! Look who's here!" He stood up and waved to the recruits. "Go away, go away, I have important business to discuss with my sister."

The recruits dispersed, laughing and joking. Jack walked up to Valerie, lowered his voice, and asked, his excitement still lingering, "How was it? They didn't give you any trouble, did they?"

“No.” Valerie shook her head, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable determination. “Jack, I’ve found a new job. For the two of us.”

“A new job?” Jack raised an eyebrow, casually holstering his pistol. “Who introduced you? A priest? Or…”

“Not a middleman,” Valerie interrupted him, looking directly into Jack’s eyes. “It’s the boss here, that ‘sage.’”

Jack's smile faded slightly, and he looked somewhat bewildered: "The Sage? Who? The mysterious boss behind Mann and the others? Good heavens, Valerie, that's no ordinary person... How did you get in touch with her? And you even dragged me into it?"

He scratched his head, looking somewhat confused, but there was no doubt in his eyes, only curiosity about Valerie's decision.

“The process is a bit complicated, I’ll go into details later,” Valerie said briefly, not wanting to explain how she had stood before that being and reached an agreement. “You just need to know that we work for him. The pay… is very generous, far beyond your imagination.” She remembered the promise of a ton of gold.

Jack looked at her serious expression, then at her empty right sleeve, and remembered how she had been chased by the company like a stray dog.

He took a deep breath and patted Valerie's uninjured shoulder with his large, fan-like hand.

“Fine! You’re in charge, girl!” Jack said firmly. “You’ve never cheated me. Since you think this path is viable, then I, Jack Wells, will work for you! Working for a big shot is better than drifting along the streets, sometimes getting one job and sometimes not! Maybe I can really make a name for myself!”

A renewed glimmer of hope rekindled in his eyes, even though he didn't really know who this "sage" was.

Valerie breathed a sigh of relief; Jack's trust was exactly what she needed at that moment. "Next, I have a mission. The sage gave me a set of... equipment, which needs to be tested."

"Equipment? What's so interesting?" Jack became interested.

“A power armor,” Valerie said.

"Wow!" Jack whistled, his face full of envy. "Wow! You're going all in right away! What about me? What am I supposed to do?"

“You’ll remain on standby for now,” Valerie said, looking at him. “Familiarize yourself with the environment and get into good shape. I’ll let you know when I need you.”

Although Jack was a little disappointed that he couldn't participate in the operation immediately, he still nodded: "Understood! Be careful, opening that tin can is no joke."
-
Not long after, Valerie stood in Chen Yu's workshop again.

Her right arm sleeve was no longer empty; instead, it was replaced by a rugged, angular mechanical prosthesis.

This is the "medical aid" provided by Chen Yu. Although its industrial aesthetics are almost rudimentary and far less refined than the high-end prosthetic body of Arasaka, the sense of power and responsiveness it conveys are exceptionally outstanding, far exceeding any model she has used in the past.

The dark red powered armor with a single-horn antenna on its head has been moved to the test preparation area.

With Chen Yu's remote instructions and Mowell's silent assistance, Valerie climbed up the gangway behind her into the cockpit located in the chest area of ​​her power armor.

The hatch slammed shut behind her, shutting out the outside world. The interior lights then came on, their light cold and harsh.

The cockpit was narrower than she had expected, with an extremely simple, even primitive, layout—there were no comfortable seats, only an ergonomic metal frame structure that looked more like a riding position on a motorcycle or a small aircraft. The pilot had to straddle it and secure himself in place with straps.

Her mechanical right hand clenched unconsciously, precisely embedding itself into an exposed control interface, feeling a slight locking sensation.

Without complex neural connections, the main controls rely on several main screens in front of her, physical buttons, joysticks, and a helmet-mounted display that is activating and projecting an all-around view.

"System startup." Valerie issued the command, combining voice commands with manual operation, following the instructions.

(End of this chapter)