Chapter 124: Chapter 116: Loyal and Devoted

"... Look around you! The company decides everything! Your clothes, food, house, and even travel, all are controlled by the company, even your birth and death!"

"I don’t understand, why do you turn a blind eye?"

"Before dealing with the company, yes, I was an honest farmer. The worst and the last thing I wanted to do in this life was farming—

But ever since dealing with the company, my land was taken, my water was taken, and for a long time, I thought about that soldier I killed—

Then I started building houses, but after a few years, I didn’t get a single penny!"

"Now you tell me, it’s not the fault of those damn bastards that they owe me money? Why don’t you say I should go settle the score with Military Technology?"

"Yes, you could go settle the score with Military Technology— if you dare."

The audience booed, and Zig Q smiled, "But you’re a coward! You only dare to pick on the weak!"

Hector’s veins bulged, "Have you ever left your studio, Zig Q? Have you ever left that studio filled with false artificial light to see the sun?"

When the sun shines on the earth, and a family starts working, hoping for a bountiful harvest—

Since dealing with these corporate dogs, I miss the farming life I once hated every day—

Yes, I am a lawless bandit. At 24, I had killed corporate dogs, robbed oil fields, hijacked cars, smuggled, I’ve done it all.

But every time I tried to be a good person—

I took legitimate transport jobs for the company, and the pay wasn’t even enough to cover fuel; I went to Taiping State to build houses, and the project funds were all in arrears; I wanted to farm, but the company had already taken my land!"

He stood up shakily, "This is a fucking shitty world, every time I get screwed over, it’s related to the company, but you people still ask me for evidence?

What’s this about picking on the weak?

Do you think I’m a child who would be intimidated by your rhetoric?!"

"This sounds like you’re making excuses for your illegal behavior..."

"Fuck your illegal behavior, did you let me vote in your parliamentary elections? Did your law-making have anything to do with me?!

"But it’s the law that allows you to be here, and it’s this big market of Night City that lets you speak here, you should be grateful for these things!"

"Grateful?" Hector sneered, "You’re quite good at pretending, you know? I never make excuses—."

The gun was pointed at Zig Q, and for a moment, he panicked.

But the gun was empty.

"So, if you had bullets, would you even kill me? But what have I done? I invited you to the show!

Officer, please get this lunatic off the stage..."

"Now, let me show you what happens when you try to humiliate a desperate Wanderer—"

Just as Inspector Klakos made a move, Hector suddenly swung the gun, smashing the butt into her jaw!

This area is nerve-dense, the blow left Inspector Klakos dazed.

Hector followed up with a kick to her stomach, two precise and fast strikes, showcasing the old-school outlaw spirit.

They might not have the top-notch Prosthetics of the finest mercenaries in Night City, but their combat experience was enough to rival the best warriors.

He only pretended to be in pain, but in reality, he had used up all his neural relaxants before coming.

Besides, how could physical pain compare to the guilt and struggle in his heart?

This scene scared Zig Q, and Hector’s next move frightened him even more—

Hector tore off all his tattered clothes, revealing burnt and scorched skin!

He reached into his arm—yes, inside his arm! And pulled out a bullet!

"Remember, this was done by me!"

Bang!

...

Bang!

V reacted incredibly fast, instantly activating Si Anweisitan, yanking Jack down!

Almost simultaneously, a bullet pierced the reinforced glass of the Biotechnology Building, leaving deep black bullet holes on the glass and walls—

They were familiar with these bullet holes; they were made by a raccoon dog!

Lille shouted anxiously, "Jack—reply!"

"Mierda! I’m fine! What happened!"

"That bitch played us!"

Koch was scared shitless; she didn’t know how Lille suddenly reacted, not even expecting the people outside to start shooting—

But she knew she should run amidst the chaos!

Lille, seeing Koch trying to run without a care, angrily shouted, "You think you can run after deceiving me—V!"

Koch ran while shouting, "Don’t kill me, I can be a hostage—"

V coldly raised the gun, "Gladly—"

Bang!

Achilles shot Koch in the head, cleanly and swiftly.

Be a hostage?

Koch hiding in the Biotechnology Building had led Lille to misjudge—he thought this woman hadn’t been abandoned!

Moreover, the previous corporate dogs they had dealt with, from the very beginning, planned to sabotage the company, which had made Lille let his guard down—

Since Murphy, Kuno, and Morton were all disloyal to the company, why could Koch remain loyal after the incident?

Yet Koch was so loyal!

The equipment had been in the Biotechnology Building all along, and she applied to deploy it despite no report of equipment failure, of course, a problem would be discovered!

The company had already decided to sell Koch out, but Koch thought she could still salvage it, so she never believed in the pie Lille painted for her!

She bet everything on the hope that she could make a great contribution this time!

However, things weren’t over; she still had no value—neither to the company nor to Lille!

"What now!"

"Run! Run into the building!"

Lille hurried to Koch’s body and fumbled out an access token from her clothes—many of her permissions had been shut off, she had to use the access token to stay in the company.

Whoosh—

Blinding white light gradually illuminated the entire office—

The wind howled, the sound of floating engines was deafening, a Scorpion-tailed Lion Floating Car was quickly ascending!

"Shit..."

"Stop staring, run!!"

Lille roared into the comms channel, V and Jack looked like they were stunned, still standing there.

Two fools—do they plan to wait to be torn to bits by the Scorpion-tailed Lion’s cannons?

Prompted by Lille, the two turned and ran through the office door—almost simultaneously, the Scorpion-tailed Lion Floating Car ascended!

Koch’s office was spacious but had a depth of less than 30 meters.

For a Floating Armored Vehicle, this distance was enough to see all its details—

A Military Technology soldier sat squatting on the side of the Floating Car, pulled the trigger, and started firing!

The thick reinforced glass was pierced by several bullet holes and became fragile, shattering under the impact of the large-caliber bullets!

Bullets penetrated the glass, hitting the walls heavily, the sound more like a heavy hammer smashing the walls!

Lille and the others felt bullets passing behind them!

The three of them sprinted, bullets closely trailing behind—but fortunately, penetrating the reinforced glass of Biotechnology still took some effort.

Moreover, since they were already inside the building, continuous firing wasn’t efficient—

It was the Biotechnology Company’s building after all.

The Scorpion-tailed Lion approached the shattered glass, a robust Military Technology soldier braced himself and, with a bang, broke through the shattered glass!

"Entered the Biotechnology Building, deploying soldiers."

"Received—Biotechnology Building’s internal defense system activated, identify friendly Combat Robots, Terrorist Mobile Team hackers have accessed the collaborative combat network."

Several well-equipped soldiers jumped off the Scorpion-tailed Lion, holding guns, quickly advancing into the building, some beginning to fix rappel gear to the walls.

"Received, tracking the target."

...

Outside the building, another Scorpion-tailed Lion Floating Car hovered at the same height as the Military Technology Floating Car.

But this Scorpion-tailed Lion had "MAX-TECH" written on it.

Inside the car were four heavily armed Super Soldiers—

But they didn’t directly enter the battlefield; instead, a sniper set up his rifle, letting out a "tch" sound.

"Haha, you missed!"

A giant of a man laughed, patting the sniper’s shoulder.

Then he asked the woman sitting with arms crossed, "Inspector Rory, why don’t we go in directly to deal with those guys? Give us some fun."

"There’s no evidence of a cyber psychosis incident; the enemy might just be small-time crooks. HQ wants us to watch and only provide appropriate support.

It seems there’s a good chance of the corporate dogs turning on each other—I’m curious how these crooks got in. Keep an eye on the walls."

However, after a few seconds, the hacker in charge of the network security of the unit made a puzzled sound.

"This is... interesting."