19: First a statement

A few days had passed, and Nix was quite efficient, though this matter was also very time-consuming. Fortunately, Nix had first eliminated the records and cyberspace activity traces related to "Lin Wei," and then temporarily forged some information for Lin Yi, which was perfect for Lin Yi right now.

The air in Watson never had just one scent. The acrid smell of low-quality synthetic fuel, the rich aroma of tech-spices churning in street vendors' pots, and the wisps of decay seeping from dark corners—all these things mixed together to form the most honest backdrop of this district. But today, after visiting Viktor's clinic and chatting with Viktor, as he walked out from behind that barred door, Lin Yi took a deep breath and felt that the dark cloud named "Kang Tao" that had been pressing on his chest seemed to have faded just a little.

Nix was already on it. That veteran netrunner, hidden deep within the data storm, was acting like the most brilliant ghost, slowly and completely erasing the name "Lin Wei" from the world's memory, and building a brand new 'Lin Yi' for them. This work required time, but at least the gears had started turning. He was no longer the panicked prey huddled in a corner, waiting for the hounds to chase his electronic footprints and pounce—he had grabbed a moment to breathe and could actively plan his next move.

Subconsciously, he raised his hand to rub the back of his neck. The "Bai Ze" access port was attached there, and a steady, cool sensation seeped through his skin. This tactile sensation was no longer just a symbol of power; it was more like a confirmation—this creation brought from the past was slowly becoming the foundation for his foothold in the present.

"How is it, brother? Any news from Nix?" Jackie's voice came from the side. He was leaning against the door of the galena GTS, an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth. This car had been riddled with holes by that Kang Tao cleanup squad before, but it had been repaired by Old Captain using the reward from their last mission. Its lines were rugged, and it sat quietly by the roadside, showing no signs of having been nearly totaled just a few days ago.

"Just starting, still have to wait." Lin Yi walked over, pulled open the car door, and sat in the passenger seat. "But at least, walking on the street, I don't have to worry about a corporate assault team dropping from the sky anymore. Now, it's the enemy in the shadows, and we are in the shadows too."

"Ha! I told you!" Jackie sat in the driver's seat and slapped the steering wheel, a dull thud exploding in the car cabin. "Whatever Kang Tao or Biotechnica, in Night City, dragons have to coil and tigers have to crouch! As long as we brothers are united, there's no hurdle we can't overcome!"

Lin Yi smiled and didn't dampen his spirits. He knew clearly in his heart that the threat from Kang Tao hadn't disappeared; it had just shifted from blatant raids to calculations in the dark. The other side knew the target was in Night City, knew the target wasn't easy to bite, and their next move would only be more lethal and less scrupulous. But for now, this temporary chance to breathe was truly worth its weight in gold. He had to seize the time to sharpen himself and dig deeper into the shadows of this city—deep enough that even if Kang Tao wanted to touch him, they would have to weigh the cost.

"Let's go, time to find some work. Take a good breath." Lin Yi fastened his seatbelt. "The account is hitting bottom again; just sitting around and eating through savings isn't sustainable."

"I've been waiting for you to say that!" Jackie turned the key, and the galena let out a low roar, merging into the ceaseless traffic of Watson. "I just asked around with the old folks at El Coyote Cojo; there are a few juicy contracts lately, perfect for testing out our new gear!"

The destination was a small fixer's base near Japantown—an office hidden behind the back door of an automated ramen shop, as crude as a temporary warehouse. The fixer's nickname was "Old Qu," gaunt and thin, his eyeballs moving faster than his lips, known in the Watson district for being well-informed and having barely fair prices.

The air in the office was even murkier than outside. Old Qu was frowning at a row of flickering data slates, and seeing Jackie and Lin Yi enter, he lifted his eyelids as a greeting.

"Jackie. And… 'Ghost'." When he read out Lin Yi's code name, there was a hint of unreadable calculation in his tone. "Looking for work?"

"No shit, why else would I come to you if not for work, to go on a blind date?" Jackie sat down carelessly, the chair groaning under his physique. "Got any good gigs? Preferably the kind that pays fast, makes little noise, and doesn't require much brainpower."

Old Qu swiped a few times on the data slate and pushed over a mission brief. "Warehouse cleanup. There's an abandoned cargo warehouse over in the harbor district that's been occupied by a bunch of shady people. The owner wants someone to 'clear the field' and get the usage rights back. The pay is decent—" He paused, then added, "It's just that the other side might be a bit prickly."

Lin Yi's gaze swept over the brief, and [Insight] activated silently at extremely low power, with less than one percent load. Pale golden data streams floated into his vision; Old Qu's micro-expressions while speaking, the pauses between each sentence, the intentionally vague parts of the brief's wording—all were broken down, analyzed, and synthesized.

[Analysis: The fixer's mood is stable, with slight impatience, even resistance. The task description is intentionally vague, and the "shady people" have a high probability of pointing to a non-mainstream gang—Scavengers: 73%. Risk level: Low-medium. The reward matches market price, no obvious signs of fraud.]

"Shady people?" Jackie raised an eyebrow. "Which bunch of iron trash is it this time? Or is it those maggots, the Scavengers?"

"Maybe." Old Qu kept his words vague. "The owner doesn't want a fuss, just the result. You taking it or not? If not, I'll find someone else."

"Taking it! Why wouldn't we!" Jackie looked at Lin Yi.

Lin Yi nodded. A warehouse cleanup job was perfect for testing his upgraded gear and, incidentally, honing his coordination with Jackie. More importantly—he wanted to see with his own eyes just how dark the "cleanup" work at the very bottom of Night City really was.

"Fine, the job is yours." Old Qu sent over the warehouse coordinates and the access code. "Wish you… a pleasant cleanup."

Leaving that cramped office, the two drove the galena toward the harbor district. The closer they got to the destination, the more desolate the scene outside the window became. Huge gantry cranes were rusted beyond recognition, like a herd of steel giraffes standing dead; abandoned shipping containers were piled into mountains, making a wailing, hollow sound when the wind blew through. The smell in the air had also changed—beneath the salty tang of seawater was the acidic stench of aged motor oil evaporating, making one's throat tighten after smelling it for too long.

The target warehouse stood alone on the edge of an empty lot. The outer wall was covered in graffiti and rust, the main gate tightly shut, but the side door next to it showed signs of having been violently pried open, the sheet metal turned outward as if torn open by force from the outside.

"Looks like this batch of guests inside isn't too refined." Jackie lowered his voice and fished his shotgun from the trunk, its metal parts gleaming coldly in the dim light. "How do we do this, brother? Soft or hard?"

Lin Yi didn't answer; he closed his eyes and let his consciousness sink deep down. [Insight]'s power slowly pushed upward, stopping at around three percent. His consciousness, like an invisible ripple, passed through the warehouse's metal walls, took over the pitifully crude local area network inside, and began scanning layer by layer.

[Scan complete. Life signs detected: 7 people. Heat signal distribution is scattered, with no discernible pattern. Non-standard energy readings: small generator, cryogenic storage equipment. Air composition analysis: high concentration of preservatives, blood residue, isopropanol...]

Tactical data poured in one by one, the 3D structure of the warehouse interior automatically assembling in his mind, with seven red dots marked one by one on the model. But what made Lin Yi's heart sink even more than these was that string of chemical composition analysis results. This combination—preservatives, blood residue, and isopropanol—he was all too familiar with it. In the game memories of his "past life," this formula was practically screaming that name.

"It's the Scavengers." Lin Yi opened his eyes, his voice cold. "Inside… they are 'processing' something."

The smile on Jackie's face vanished instantly, as if wiped away by a hand. He spat on the ground, his Adam's apple bobbing: "Damn it! It's this bunch of scum who should go to hell! Then there's no need for more talk, let's fuck them up!"

Scavengers. The most nauseating festering sore in Night City. Robbery, kidnapping, dismantling living people's cyberware to sell as parts—falling into the hands of this group, dying quickly was considered a stroke of luck.

"Change of plan." Lin Yi took a deep breath, forcing down the sticky feeling of nausea rising in his stomach. "It's not just a simple cleanup anymore. We need to ensure—no survivors." His gaze was exceptionally sharp in the dim car cabin. "I'll hack their surveillance and alarms, then infiltrate. Jackie, you breach from the front, I'll provide cover and clean up the stragglers. Quick and decisive, leave no one alive."

"Understood!" An uncontrollable rage surged in Jackie's eyes, and with a "click," he chambered a round.

Lin Yi focused his mind again, [Insight] running at full power, four percent load. The warehouse's internal surveillance system was ridiculously crude, and a few newly installed laser tripmines were nothing sophisticated. In less than three seconds, he had figured them all out, located them, and cut them off.

[Infiltration complete. Surveillance footage locked, looping static images. Laser tripmines disabled.]

"Eyes and tripwires are all blind." Lin Yi synced the real-time heat source locations of the seven Scavengers to Jackie's tactical visor. "Seven, locations marked."

Jackie grinned, a smile completely different from his usual carefree laughter—ferocious, bloodthirsty, like a true street veteran ready to deal a lethal blow. "Beautiful. Time to deliver some packages to this scum."

The two crept to the side door, using the shadows of the container cluster, their footsteps so light they made almost no sound. From inside the warehouse came the faint clinking of metal colliding, mixed with muffled voices—those Scavengers were busy with their dirty "business," completely unaware that the grim reapers outside were already right on their doorstep.

Jackie nodded at Lin Yi. The next second, he violently kicked open the side door, his massive frame crushing into the dim warehouse like an out-of-control armored vehicle, the roar of his shotgun exploding against the four walls like a muffled thunderclap smashing into a sealed iron can.

"Hello, delivery! Night City express! Sending you all to hell!"