Players Invade Cyberpunk-Chapter 856 - 277: The Great Chaos

Researchers, scientists... actually aren't crazy truth seekers. They're not much different from regular scholars. If anything, they are only a tiny minority of extremists, usually those who are driven to extremes when their research yields no results.

The so-called mad scientists who disregard costs, ethics, or even threaten to destroy the world, are merely figments of fear over the dangers posed by technological advancement.

Many researchers have very straightforward and common goals.

They want money, women, and to leave their name in history.

Very few venture into it for truth or mysteries.

Moreover, the technical principles and No. 1 Machine that come out of their hands can't be controlled by them after modifications.

Through the glass of the petri dish, the Zeta Technology project manager obsessively watched the wetware processing center immersed within.

Beside him were two Hellhound robots, helping carry terminals and recording sheets.

At times, these things are much more efficient than humans.

The related data has already been sent back to Zeta Technology's headquarters. If this project could go into mass production, his name would go down with Zeta Technology, and he would want for nothing in terms of wealth and fame.

Moreover, since the human brain already has mature thinking abilities, there would be no AI conflict arising from code... it's simply the perfect artificial intelligence substitute.

Just looking at those vivid brains and the orderly functioning assembly line, the manager's thoughts suddenly paused.

Artificial intelligence substitute...

Have I forgotten something?

Wait...

The computational ability of the human brain is a great miracle of evolutionary iteration, not a programmed construct. That means...

There would be no... Black Wall protocol in a human brain.

He slightly tilted his head, his gaze moving from the brain to the glass cover. Through the reflection on the glass, he could see the two Hellhound robots beside him, the red light from their heat sensors flickering slightly.

Like a human eye, looking at him mockingly.

And the mechanical tentacle already reaching the back of his head.

Pa!

The Hellhound robot's strength was immense, easily crushing a half-cyborg's head.

The last thought in the manager's mind before dying.

[I released the devil]

Behind him, numerous Zeta Technology and Netherworld Dog soldiers didn't even manage to say a word before an unknown signal cut off their network. They were then slaughtered by the Hellhounds around them.

Blood splattered on the cold machines, while the assembly line prosthetics kept working, and the brains in the petri dishes dreamt peacefully.

————

"You know, Ms. Aurora, I despise being lied to more than anything in my entire life."

Still fighting against the player alongside her brother, Aurora knew something was amiss upon hearing Hansen's words.

But trapped in cyberspace combat, she couldn't escape for now and could only respond accordingly.

"In this world, who can guarantee they've told nothing but the truth their entire life, Colonel Hansen."

She didn't forget to throw him a flirtatious glance.

"Besides, who doesn't know that you men like to sweet-talk women into bed? Or are you saying you'd deny knowing someone after pulling up your pants, how ruthless of you, Colonel."

"Heh."

Hansen's demeanor hadn't changed in the slightest, still a façade of a smile covering a sinister intent, enough to send chills down one's spine.

Especially when he was standing right by the hacker chair, ready to slit Aurora's throat if she showed any sign of movement.

"I just had someone check your record. In '68, you did come to Night City, but it wasn't for military technology, it was under the orders of... Europe's Daybreak One plan."

"Do you know what that means?"

"What's the difference? We're all just workers; I do whatever my superiors say, it doesn't interfere with our deal this time."

This woman is hopelessly stupid.

Hansen's urge to kill was becoming hard to suppress.

If not for needing the elite hacker's help now, he'd have shot Aurora and her brother already.

If it was military technology that came before, it would mean military technology had obtained all data from this lab. The lab's value would plummet, becoming Hansen's bargaining chip.

But since it was Europeans, it meant to Military Science this lab was pre-war property, not trusting Hansen, an adversary of New America, to stay here.

Perhaps Special Intelligence Bureau and military tech agents were already here.

This misjudgment was fatal, and Hansen couldn't even be sure if Aurora had connections to the European Community.

"..."

Aurora didn't know the battles emerging behind Hansen's grim expression before he finally decided to put down the knife.

"Can you tell me why you concocted this lie to deceive me? Give me a reason not to kill you."

"..."

With a twitch of her lips, Aurora reluctantly said, 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"They suspected you were eyeing the underground lab, but didn't want the excavation of Little Beidou Laboratory data revealed, so they sent me to erase those records, and definitely couldn't disclose we were with the European Community then."

"This matter doesn't impact you at all, Colonel Hansen."

"It'd better be that way."

Hansen finally responded, the implications of the underground possibly larger than expected, big enough for the European Community to be involved. Sitting on it was like sitting on a pile of explosives that could be ignited anytime.