Chapter 101: Chapter 97 Rockets in the City Center (Additional by Bolshevi, 2/2)

"Fuck you!"

V was tearing through the wide streets of downtown in a black Mackinaw Pika. Unfortunately, while the Mackinaw Pika was durable, it was way too slow.

She had to swerve through the traffic to keep up with her target, adding several scratches and dents to the car in the process.

Only thanks to her skill with the Si Anweisitan could she drive like this; an ordinary person would have crashed a long time ago.

She started to miss the days when Lille had her back in Saint Domingo. Back then, they could just step on the gas without worrying about any vehicles blocking their path.

Crash!

Another sports car was sent flying. V gripped the steering wheel tightly, but could only watch as her target got farther away!

Vroom——

Just then, a roaring engine noise came from behind, sounding like an entire convoy!

V spotted the green and purple motorcycles and realized it was the Tiger Claw Gang.

"V, it’s me!"

Jack’s voice sounded in V’s head. V’s face lit up: "Did you guys get the bikes? But Lille said not to mess with those things."

"The bikes had detonators; Lille already disarmed them. Ram the car in front! I need a ramp!"

"Copy that!"

V smirked, twisted the steering wheel, and floored the gas pedal, smashing into an expensive-looking stretch limo!

Amid the owner’s anguished screams, the car spun wildly, its low front hood facing Jack’s direction—

A perfect natural ramp!

Jack steered his motorcycle onto the car’s hood, pressed the horn button, and the Synth2 fuel in the tank gushed out furiously—

The bike surged!

Like a rocket launch!

Flames burst from the exhaust pipe, the bike soared through the air, clearing the chaotic traffic, and landing on top of another car!

Two more motorcycles behind him executed the same maneuver, closely following!

Though they wobbled when they landed, looking unstable.

Cars on the street were frightened by Jack’s rocket leap, crashing into each other and getting stuck in place.

The sensation of flying thrilled Jack, making him roar in excitement as he skimmed over the car rooftops, closing the distance almost instantly!

Jack’s Prosthetic Eye locked onto the agent ahead, activating the software Lille had uploaded for him!

The two bikes behind him truly turned into rockets, impelled by synthesizing fury that pushed the fuel tanks to their limits!

Bang!

The two motorcycles launched off the car roofs like rockets, aimed directly at the agent’s bike!

The agent had seen many things—but two rockets coming at him was not one of them!

Boom!

The Synth2 fuel’s thermal energy finally exceeded the tank’s limits, exploding above and behind the agent!

Shrapnel and burning fuel illuminated the street like daylight!

Despite his prosthetics from Krensky and his evasive maneuvers, a sizable piece of metal lodged into the agent’s back.

The pain destabilized him, and combined with the shockwave, his bike toppled instantly!

Boom!

The fuel tank of the corporate agent’s bike couldn’t bear the impact and ruptured, flames engulfing it, triggering another explosion.

People around screamed and ran—

For the wealthy, Night City wasn’t all that terrifying; firefights and murders were mostly confined to Super Dream sequences.

But this time was different.

Death was close, with flames, wreckage, and explosions all around.

Skree—

Jack’s bike skidded to a halt, leaving long, black tire marks on the ground.

Looking around, the agent had disappeared.

But the blood on the ground was undeniable.

The injuries, flames, and lights made optical camouflage not so flawless, the wounds from the shrapnel rendering it even less effective.

Jack spotted a twisted shadow limping toward an alley.

Jack followed him into the narrow passage—

Bang!

Just past the corner, Jack was hit by a bullet!

Unfortunately for the shooter, it was only a handgun—Jack blocked the bullet with his arm without even flinching.

He charged like a bull, the gunfire unable to halt his advance!

The agent gritted his teeth and swung at Jack’s head with his gunstock, but it was just a feint; Jack ducked and landed an uppercut!

Thud!

With a dull sound, the agent was sent flying by Jack’s punch, landing next to a trash bin.

The punch gave him a concussion, damaging his nerves, blood vessels, and brain cells, his prosthetics flashing error messages all over.

He had no strength left in his limbs, and his vision was swimming—

His instinct was to look at the brightest spot in his sight—the glittering company building in Company Square.

Just a little more... just a little more and he would’ve made it back to the company for debriefing.

That would’ve restored his corporate status, erasing all his past actions under corporate immunity.

He would finally escape this dead-end gang life—and maybe someday, reach the top of the corporate ladder.

"Damn... so close..."

His voice emerged from his cybernetic throat, the injuries turning his voice into a distorted, dying whimper.

The optical camouflage fully faded, revealing a seemingly ordinary member of the Tiger Claw Gang.

If not for his ruthless and meticulous actions, no one would have linked him to a corporate agent.

The agent shakily raised his pistol, only for Jack to shoot it out of his hand with his golden revolver.

Jack stepped forward, searched the agent’s body, and found a blood-stained chip, then pointed his gun at the agent’s head:

But before Jack could even utter a threat, the agent died—seemed to have ended his own life.

Looking at the guy who had caused them so much trouble, Jack sighed and stood up.

"Don’t be a corporate dog in your next life."

With that, Jack also heard the distant wail of NCPD sirens—

More trouble was coming.

...

"Criminal activity detected in the downtown area, suspect’s vehicle is a black Mackinaw Pika."

"Attention all NCPD contractors, criminal activity detected at City Hall, any apprehension or neutralization of the suspects will be rewarded."

"Damn."

V also heard the NCPD announcement—they were also NCPD contractors, after all.

The faint wail of NCPD sirens was already audible, making V anxious: "Jack? Are you finished?"

Even while communicating, V didn’t forget to clear a path, her black Mackinaw Pika bulldozing cars out of the way like a beast.

"Done—just that he killed himself. Let’s split up."

Jack, carrying the agent’s body, jogged to his motorcycle, gave V a thumbs-up, and they sped off separately.

V contacted Lille through the comms: "Jack got it, but the guy killed himself, damn... The NCPD is on us!"

"Just run. If they’re close, use the raccoon dog to fire a warning shot."

"A warning shot? That’s bold—hope it doesn’t attract the Terrorist Mobile Team."

Despite her words, V immediately pulled out the raccoon dog from the backseat, leaned out the window, and fired at the police car.

The bullet left a faint blue trail in the air—that was actually ionized air.

An NCPD armored vehicle’s tire exploded—along with the axle it was attached to.

The vehicle spun wildly, blocking the approaching police cars, allowing V to speed away.

Meanwhile, Lille reached a traffic node at City Hall—just as he thought, Jack and V’s commotion had escalated.

But while this was troublesome, it also provided an opportunity:

The police force assigned to guard the City Hall server had been halved to chase them.

However, half still remained—six officers, two cars.

Hacking the traffic node and using those officers as stepping stones to hack into the police communication channels was the only way to create an escape opportunity.

But... how to get the job done?

Pulling out Yinglong and killing everyone was an option—but then the Terrorist Mobile Team would surely be on their way.

The situation was urgent, but Lille tried to stay calm, using his Prosthetic Eye to scan the surroundings.

If he could divert their attention, he could slip to the server unnoticed, maybe find those six cops on the network.

Using the police as a bridge, he could hack deeper into the NCPD network, solving the problem.

Suddenly, he saw a police car transporting two familiar faces—

David and Lucy?