Samsara Space: They're all begging me to heal them one more time.

The next day, early in the morning.

When the first ray of sunlight pierced through the acid rain clouds and shone on the glass curtain wall of the Arasaka Tower.

Zhang Yuan was sitting in his luxurious office, holding the newly acquired [Original Sin Chip - Lust] in his hand.

The pink crystal was as docile as a pet in his hands.

[Original sin chip detected: Lust.]

[Limited to the current world, you have gained a new skill: Physical Activation (Aura).]

[Limited to the current world, you have gained the power: Flesh and Blood Catastrophe.]

"Not bad aura healing." Zhang Yuan nodded in satisfaction. This aura effect can significantly increase the health regeneration speed of everyone nearby without discrimination, further boosting his healing output.

As for that skill whose name alone is incredibly cheesy... let's wait for a more suitable opportunity to try it out.

"Boss..." Ah Qiang asked, somewhat puzzled, "Why didn't you forcefully take down V when we were in Genting Highlands? He's in terrible shape right now; a little manipulation would have been enough..."

"Forced love is never sweet, Ah Qiang."

Zhang Yuan gazed out the window at the city awakening, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

"V is the 'protagonist,' the embodiment of the world's destiny. Forcing him to do something will only trigger his rebellious nature and may even attract the world's corrective forces."

"What we need to do is make him smash his head against the wall until he realizes he has no other way out but us."

"Just wait. The Blue Team is making quite a splash in the Badlands. V wants to ask Panan for help, and sooner or later he'll run into the Blue Team's guns."

"When the time comes, he'll be begging to sign this contract of servitude."

Zhang Yuan gently swirled the wine in his glass:

"That's what sunk costs are."

-----------------

Next Life Bar.

V sat at the bar, staring blankly at the empty reagent bottle in his hand.

The effects of that "trial pack" have worn off.

Although Relic's whispers hadn't yet turned into the previous roars, that nauseating static sound began to crackle deep within my mind again.

Hey, V.

Roger pushed a glass of Johnny Silverhand (tequila with chili) in front of him, looking at the young man with a complicated expression:

"I heard you caused quite a stir in Genting? Now everyone's talking about it, saying you're in cahoots with that 'fox head'."

"Don't mention that charlatan!"

V irritably downed his drink in one gulp. "I just... happened to be passing by."

"Just right?" Roger sneered, lowering his voice, "That guy named Zhang Yuan just paid a large deposit to 'Next Life' yesterday."

"He specifically named you, saying that if you come to buy information, the fee will be waived and put on his tab."

V gripped the wine glass tightly: "I don't need his charity."

"It's good to have backbone, but backbone can't save lives." Roger lit a cigarette. "The Herman you're looking for, the information you need about the Kanto transport team, is in this chip."

V reached out to take it, but Roger stopped him.

"But there's bad news. The place you're going to—the Badlands—is now a no-go zone."

"A restricted area?" V frowned.

"Military technology has gone crazy lately," Roger said, exhaling a smoke ring.

"They demarcated a large military restricted area in the Badlands, claiming it was for 'exercises,' but none of the vagrants who went in came out. Even those mad dogs from the Chaotic Blade Society were beaten so badly they dared not show their faces."

"Moreover, according to my informant, some weapons that don't belong to this world have appeared there."

Roger released his grip and pushed the chip towards V:

"If you're going to your death, you'd better find someone to help you. There's a girl named Parnan Palmer, a former Adcado member, she knows that area very well. But she's been having some bad luck lately, her car and cargo were stolen."

-----------------

Meanwhile, at the top floor of Arakasaka Tower.

Zhang Yuan stood in front of the huge holographic tactical map, looking at the red trail that stretched across the bad land.

"Has the Contour transport vehicle already taken off?"

"Yes, priest."

Supervisor Sato reported, "According to intelligence, the defector researcher Herman is up there. But he is under the political protection of Comto, and even Arasaka cannot shoot him down directly in our airspace, as that would trigger a corporate war."

"We don't need to lift a finger."

Zhang Yuan adjusted his mask and drew a circle on the badlands region of the map with his finger:

"Someone is even more anxious than us. V is looking for Herman, and military technology has sealed off Badlands. If I remember correctly, Herman has access to Relic's core data, and the Blue Team definitely wants him too."

"But..." Sato said, somewhat puzzled, "V is just a lone wolf mercenary who has only recently made a name for himself. How could he possibly break through the military technology blockade?"

"Of course he can't break through. So he'll go find helpers—those rats familiar with the badlands."

Zhang Yuan retrieved V's real-time monitoring data:

"V's vital signs are now moving towards the Badlands. It seems he has found the key figure—Panan."

Zhang Yuan turned around and connected to A-Qiang's communication channel:

"Qiang, are you in position?"

The communicator crackled with the sound of whistling wind and Ah Qiang's excited voice: "I've been here for ages, boss! I'm squatting behind a rock on Luoji Ridge, eating dirt right now. This godforsaken place is full of military-grade drones."

"Mission changed." Zhang Yuan's voice was calm and calculating. "Your primary target is no longer Herman, but V."

"V?"

"The Blue Team has deployed a large force over there. If V charges in headfirst, he'll surely die. I need you to intervene when he's at his most desperate, save him, and then take advantage of the situation to intervene in the Badlands."

"Remember, helping someone in need is always more memorable than adding to someone's success."

-----------------

Badlands, near Rockey Ridge.

The scorching sun baked the cracked earth, stirring up clouds of yellow sand.

V's old Volkswagen Gallina had broken down on the side of the road.

He kicked the tire in frustration, watching the tall figure in the distance venting his anger on the hood of the car.

Parnan Palmer.

Even in this dusty, barren land, her wild vitality still burned like a flame.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Panan slammed the wrench to the ground, turned and glared at V: "This is your plan? To drive this junk through a military-tech blockade? Is your brain filled with mush?!"

"If you can help me get information about Herman, I'll help you get your car and cargo back."

V had to lower his stance and appease the wild lion, saying, "This is a deal, Panan."

"Take my car back?"

Panan laughed in exasperation, pointing to the faintly visible military outpost in the distance:

"Do you know who stole my car? It wasn't the Chaotic Knife Gang, it was those blue-skinned dogs (Blue Team Reincarnators)!"

"They weren't driving ordinary patrol cars, they were flying metal cans! And they could shoot lasers!"

"That bastard Nash sold me out to them in exchange for a few cases of that damn 'golden liquid'!"

V paused for a moment, then asked, "Jinshui?"

"That's right, it's the medicine sold by that 'Heavenly Army' in the city."

Panan gritted his teeth, "The military technology people not only control the water and supply lines, but they're also buying up this drug at exorbitant prices. Now, all the wanderers in Badlands are scrambling for that stuff like dogs seeing shit."

"To buy the medicine, Nash even gave away my entire shipment—a whole truckload of military-grade scanners—to people in the military technology sector as a pledge of loyalty!"

V remained silent.

It turned out to be the case.

Zhang Yuan's business has reached the Badlands, while military technology (and the Blue Team) are trying to sever this line by controlling the wanderers, or by acquiring the drugs for research.

Even after escaping to the desolate land, Zhang Yuan's shadow remained omnipresent.

That man was like a giant spider, weaving a web that would cover the entire world with the silk called "profit".

"No matter who the opponent is, I must find Herman." V checked his pistol. "I don't have much time left."

"Fine, since you want to die, I'll go with you."

Panan took a deep breath and pulled a kinetic sniper rifle from the trunk. "If you can get my Thunderway back, I'll help you shoot down that Contau hovercar."