Chapter 62: Chapter 60: Surgery Arrangement for the Cyber Monster

[ctOS Development Progress:]

[Traffic monitoring model completed, traffic diversion AI algorithm developed]

[Interdimensional data transmission channel opened, current openness: 20%]

[Laboratory achieved breakthrough progress, Technology Points +500]

[Current Technology Points: 800]

Upon reaching Preaching Seaside, three people sat on the chairs by the riverbank, watching the factory across spew thick smoke.

Just now, he had hacked into this district’s traffic network using the connection node between Cheson and River Valley District traffic network.

After uploading the last part of the data to the other side, Skye also skillfully completed the development of the traffic diversion AI.

This wasn’t an especially difficult engineering task—but for this world, such AI development was risky, and since general AI wasn’t well received, if developed at all, it would be military AI.

Companies like Arasaka and those dealing with military technology preferred to meddle with the Black Wall, digging through old net data to achieve technological breakthroughs.

With this technology, Lille didn’t need to calculate the road network situation himself and could directly use this AI to "summon" suitable dump trucks from afar.

The "Interdimensional Data Transmission Channel" currently had low traffic, but it was very practical, just enough for Lille to use the Magic Doll: Dump Truck Iai.

More crucially, this feature was free.

"Not bad... without the protection of the dump truck, I always feel somewhat uneasy."

In Lille’s mind appeared all the heavy vehicles running on the River Valley District road network, a full sense of security.

When not using this Magic Doll, Lille selectively sent the data generated during his movements to another world for processing, then sent the results back to this world, transmitting them to various facilities.

As a result, the three’s tracks of movement would disappear in Cyberspace, and even the cleverest hacker couldn’t trace something that didn’t exist.

"Hey, what are you thinking about? You seem lost." V poked Lille.

At this moment, the three were sitting on chairs by the riverside, watching the smoking factory, waiting for Cheson.

Lille had just taken an immunosuppressive drug—the pain in his nerves had increased slightly when he had written the Magic Doll into the network access pod.

"I’m thinking, maybe we should rest for a while after this job is done."

"Can’t hold up anymore?" Jack asked with concern, "If you can’t hold up, your health comes first, or you could just lie in the chair like other hackers, and I and V take care of the action.

After all, we have the money now, and we can buy the best hacking equipment."

"That might still not be enough." Lille shrugged, "Top-level hacking equipment can’t be bought—and my point is, we might need to lay low for a while."

V said nothing, just glanced at Lille.

The three watched the sunset and sighed deeply together.

Unbeknownst to others, they might seem like three workers lamenting life.

"Let’s finish this job first—the people inside are gone."

...

"Mom, it looks like the operating system needs to be upgraded this new term."

"Got it, let the doctor check you first."

In the clinic, a prosthetic doctor wearing only a white coat was performing a prosthetic check on a young boy.

Sitting beside was a red-haired woman with a ponytail, appearing quite young, yet there was a strong sense of parenthood about her.

After the prosthetics doctor dealt with the boy’s issue, he took a cigarette and looked at the sitting woman.

"Martinez, upgrading to a new system isn’t cheap."

"I know." The woman rubbed her temples, "Valentino and Six Street Gang are at war... funny, I actually hope they kill more of each other."

"The tuition at Arasaka Academy isn’t cheap, in many senses," the prosthetics doctor glanced at the boy on the operating table, "I have pirated software that could make do."

"No." Mrs. Martinez shook her head, "Stop, he’s about to wake up."

The boy opened his eyes, rested for a while, and then he and his mother left the clinic.

But as they were leaving, three people came walking towards them—the woman tensed up:

The shorter man had stared at her for quite some time...

Thankfully, no incident occurred.

However, she didn’t notice that her son was also staring at someone else—only his gaze was fixed on the tallest one.

After walking some distance, the boy curiously asked, "Mom, those looked like Valentino people, how did they sneak in?"

"Don’t ask, just hurry up!"

...

Martinez and her son?

Lille was staring for a reason, because the two who had just walked out had hairstyles exactly like the mother and son from the anime "Cyberpunk Edgerunners."

The woman was still wearing the yellow and white striped jacket of the NCPD contract corpse collection team.

V poked Lille hard, "After all this time, you’re into that type? Can you focus?"

"I... ah, forget it."

"We’re closed for the day..." The prosthetic doctor was about to return to watching his Super Dream clips when Jack, mountainous in stature, stood in front of him, instantly sobering him.

"Uh... I only deal with prosthetics here, gun fights are none of my business."

"If I say it’s your business, it’s your business. A tough new member from the Six Street Gang showed up a few days ago. I heard Six Street got him a lot of military prosthetics, ring any bells?"

"Gentlemen..." the prosthetic doctor lifted his hands, forcing a smile, "Patient information is confidential..."

Bang!

The bullet hit the wall, and the prosthetic doctor swallowed hard, pointing to his workstation where there was a computer.

"Thanks for cooperating." Lille stepped forward, taking a small bag of cheap prosthetics from his jacket, "Here, I’ll handle these for free, consider it a tip."

"Uh... thanks? Can you hurry it up, I don’t work overtime..."

Lille quickly booted up the computer and found the most recent surgical records.

It was clear that despite being unlicensed, the doctor’s low fees compelled many from Saint Domingo to come here for check-ups.

Lille nodded, "Okay—tell me the guy’s name."

"James Norris—the Six Street Gang will kill me, please hurry."

James Norris?

The cyberpsychotic from Cyberpunk Edgerunners?

Opening the surgical records, the list of implants was truly worthy of the nickname "Cyber Monster."

"Tsk tsk, reinforced tendons, bionic joints, steel bones, heavy subdermal armor,

neural coordinator, enhanced hormones, external compound eyes, integrated thoracoabdominal structure, Si Anweisitan...

Man, V, your favorite mantis blades, this guy has three installed—one in the hand and two in the knees—and a bullet launcher in another hand.

So many prosthetics aren’t enough, he came for an upgrade this time, overclocking like there’s no tomorrow.

Is he in a rush to assassinate Arasaka Saburo?"

"Where did this guy come from?"

Out of curiosity, Lille probed further.

The prosthetic doctor scratched his head, looking quite anxious:

"I heard he used to be a soldier in the corporations, then after the war ended, he became a mercenary in Taiping State, doing small jobs.

His partner got killed during a trouble in Taiping State, and then he joined the Six Street Gang—I only know this much, can you hurry it up?"

V frowned, "Lille, don’t you think this guy seems a bit anxious?"

Anxious?

Lille had noticed, but at first, he just thought the guy was busy trying to get rid of them.

But soon, Lille discovered the true reason.

"Surgical appointment: January 12th, at 7 PM."

"Appointee: Sergeant."

"Surgical subject: James Norris."

"Surgical details: Si Anweisitan upgrade, replacement, tuning."

"Note: New prosthetics never encountered before."

And the current time was...

January 12th, at 7 PM.

"Shit... Jack, V, we’re pulling out—"

Ziii...

The sound of a vehicle stopping outside, Lille knew trouble had arrived.

"Ah..." the prosthetic doctor stepped back a few paces, speaking quite troubled, "I told you to hurry it up, now we’re really in trouble."

"It’s quite the trouble—is it self-anesthesia, or do you need my help?"

The prosthetic doctor decisively grabbed an anesthetic from beside the surgery table and injected himself.

The dose was enough to put him to sleep until tomorrow.