Chapter 132: The Chaos of Blades
"Alright, I hope you have a pleasant discussion."
Myers lifted her wine glass again, taking a sip with a satisfied expression.
She couldn't care less whether Li Ang accepted the technological results or not. As long as LA Corporation was dragged into the deal, this multifaceted transaction involving various forces would be considered a success.
Whether LA Corporation would suffer a loss was none of her concern.
"Hmm... the skies are clearing up. It seems our forces should take a brief rest before advancing to the next battlefield!"
"Mr. Li Ang, enjoy the fruits of our labor."
Myers looked through the glass window of the airship at the dissipating dark clouds pierced by countless "bullet holes" of sunlight.
The rancid smell of smoke wafting up from the battlefield below didn't dampen her enthusiasm as she admired her glorious achievements.
---
Badlands, outskirts of Night City.
In this vast, uninhabited area, yellow rock cliffs stood desolate, with dried Joshua trees growing crookedly. Heaps of electronic waste, scorched by the desert's vicious heat, emitted a pungent, burnt stench.
Travelers passing through this region, even under the scorching sun, never dared to take off their thick cowboy jackets.
The ultraviolet radiation here was no joke—sunburn was the least of one's worries. The fine, razor-sharp sand in the desert could easily inflict painful, itchy cuts on unprotected skin.
With the extreme temperature differences between day and night and frequent "Haboob" sandstorms, this area was rightly known as the land of death.
At this moment, Jackie Welles had driven V and Panam to a camp near the gang known as the Scavengers.
Before arriving, they had learned from fixer Rogue that Nash, the Scavengers' leader, had driven off in Panam's car and was now holed up in this camp.
If they wanted to retrieve Panam's vehicle, they would have to confront this leader directly.
"V, do you think Panam merely mentioning Rogue's name will make these Scavenger scumbags willingly return her car and weapons?"
"This isn't Night City, and we're on their turf. I doubt Rogue's name will carry much weight here—it won't scare off that mutt Nash."
Squinting under the blazing sun, Jackie gazed at the Scavenger camp about 300 meters away.
Earlier, V suggested starting diplomatically. Panam would invoke Rogue's reputation to intimidate the gang.
If they cooperated and returned her belongings, everyone could walk away without incident.
But if they refused and insisted on keeping her car and weapons, V wouldn't hold back—he'd storm in and take them all down.
"I'm not sure. If Rogue's name doesn't work, I'll make sure they never forget the name V."
After speaking, V glanced at the yellowish sky. It was already 4 PM, and judging by the weather, a Haboob sandstorm might hit later tonight.
If they acted quickly, they might make it back to Night City before nightfall and avoid getting swept away by the storm.
"Wow! That's a badass line, V! If Panam heard that, she'd be head over heels for you!"
"Don't ever say that again; I'm stealing it to use later!"
"Do as you like," V replied without looking back, his gaze fixed on the Scavenger camp. He couldn't help but worry about Panam.
Noticing V's seriousness, Jackie nudged him with his elbow and teased, "Come on, V, be honest. Are you into Panam? That wildcat seems like a good match for you."
"You're both nomads—you must have plenty to talk about, right?"
Before V could respond to Jackie's banter, Panam returned, storming over in a rage.
"I think it's time we grab our weapons and teach these Scavenger bastards a lesson. Judging by Panam's mood, she probably got insulted back there."
Seeing Panam return empty-handed, V guessed she hadn't retrieved her belongings and likely suffered verbal abuse from the gang.
Still, before making a final decision, V approached her and asked, "What did they say to you?"
At his question, Panam's anger flared even more. With Scavengers being the lowest of the low, how could she expect any decency from them?
"I didn't even reach the camp's entrance before those dogs pointed turret guns at me and drove me away."
"I asked them to return my stuff, but those bastards wouldn't listen. My boots were almost shot by their guns!"
"I reckon their leader Nash is up to something shady inside. Their guards are well-armed; storming in head-on won't be easy."
Fuming, Panam's chest heaved visibly. V noticed that the "Detective" kinetic handgun he had given her was missing.
Sensing V's questioning gaze, Panam awkwardly explained, "Before I left, their guards confiscated my gun. I'm sorry, V..."
The thought of losing her belongings to the Scavengers one after another left Panam seething, but she knew anger wouldn't solve anything.
Suppressing her fury, Panam calmly shared her thoughts:
"I think we need to plan carefully. There are too many of them, and they have two turret guns. We can't break through directly."
"The camp is surrounded by barbed wire, and the guards patrol constantly. Sneaking in isn't an option either. Our best chance is to wait for them to bring the car out, then seize the opportunity to take it back."
Hearing this, Jackie clenched his fists in rage. The Scavengers' shamelessness had far surpassed his tolerance.
They'd come all this way—there was no way he'd let these bastards get away unscathed. He'd lose sleep from frustration otherwise.
"Screw it!"
"V, give me half a minute, and I'll call some reinforcements to gun down these Scavenger scumbags!"
Jackie growled, pulling out his phone to call reinforcements from the Valentinos.
"No need for that."
V stopped Jackie mid-action and laid out his plan:
"Listen, I'll head to the camp's main gate alone and draw their fire."
"You two find a way to sneak in from the side and quickly subdue their leader, Nash!"
"But you'll have to move fast. Otherwise, I might take down everyone inside before you even get a chance."
(Show your support and read more chapters on my Patreon: p@treon.com/psychopet. Thank you for your support!)