At the moment, Mann and others were already prepared for a defensive battle.
The hacker vehicle had taken Mann, Lucy, and Qiwei far away, to the rooftop of a distant high-rise to set up for a sniper position.
The armored vehicle was parked sideways at the entrance, serving as a protective trench.
The automated turret on top of the armored vehicle was activated, and there were several drones hovering high in the sky—Mercer had brought them along. They were there as aerial reconnaissance, waiting for the Voodoo Gang to show up.
[Mercer: Hua Tiao, how long until your people arrive?]
[Hua Tiao: Fifteen minutes! Why didn't you give me a heads-up if you were going to take on the Voodoo Gang?]
[Mercer: Didn't I just get someone to inform you? Did the Voodoo Gang in Taiping Prefecture find out already? If I had told you earlier, the Sea God Server would likely have been moved by now.]
[Hua Tiao: Are you suggesting that my people leaked the information?]
[Mercer: Just a guess. What do you think?]
[Hua Tiao: ...]
[Hua Tiao: We'll be there in ten minutes!]
Hearing Hua Tiao's response, Mercer couldn't help but let out a couple of laughs. This guy was clearly worried about him settling scores later—but it just so happened that Mercer absolutely intended to do that.
He had plenty of ways to ensure Hua Tiao was well-prepared and also enough methods to prevent the Voodoo Gang in Taiping Prefecture from finding out. Yet, he chose to have Lucy message Hua Tiao only after making a move.
He did it on purpose.
Even if it wasn't Hua Tiao's people who leaked the information, he would still firmly place the blame on him. Otherwise, how would he get reimbursed for the ammunition and equipment losses?
"Whatever you do, don't open the door. Once we're done outside, we'll message you. If things go south, I'll come to get you two out."
V warned them again, while also advising Mercer and his companion not to move towards the center in front of the church door: "You two might as well stay in the underground tunnel..."
"Alright, alright! Just go already. I bet the quickest Voodoo Gang members have already driven their cars to the street corner." Mercer said dismissively, and V, a bit puffed up, jabbed a finger towards him.
But in the end, she just gave a huff, turned around, and went out the door to join Mann, Jack, and the others in preparing to face the enemy.
Sasha chuckled lightly: "V really does care about you, huh? I'm right here next to you, and she doesn't care about me at all. That woman, seriously..."
"She's becoming more and more like a nagging mother," Mercer retorted. "If I married her, I bet she'd even want to control what underwear I wear. I have no clue where she got such a strong protective instinct for me..."
"Or maybe it's a desire for control?" Sasha hit the nail on the head, casually pulling over a bench to sit against the wall as V suggested, to avoid stray bullets from the entrance.
She glanced at Mercer, teasing him: "Don't tell me you haven't noticed... She's got a bit of a crush on you, but can't admit it to herself, so she's turned that possessiveness into this nagging need for control.
In simple terms, it's a way of showing she cares, and hopes you'll listen to her, as an emotional response—she probably doesn't even understand why she acts like this herself."
This little kitten sure understands a lot.
Mercer looked at her beautiful eyes, shrugged: "Maybe this is the price of being handsome, sigh~"
"Ugh..." Sasha feigned discomfort, then burst into laughter: "Anyway, I think despite your grumbling, you secretly enjoy it...
Constantly having girls worried about you, you're probably over the moon."
Mercer sat casually on the table of the church's podium, swinging his legs: "Yeah, it's alright, but in this fucked-up world, if there's someone who genuinely cares about you every day, who wouldn't be happy?"
He smiled under his helmet, his voice light: "Sigh, if only everyone were a bit more open-minded, you know with Night City's vibe, why can't V be a bit more generous?"
"Shouldn't you ask yourself that first? If V turned around and started flirting with others, how would you feel?"
After Sasha said this, Mercer immediately got serious: "I'm a conservative and introverted guy, can't stand seeing team members in unclear situations with outsiders.
For the sake of the team's stability, I'd immediately get rid of whatever stupid ambiguous object it is. We're all still young; we should focus on our careers."
Sasha spat out her gum with disdain: "Ha... never realized you were such an ass in this regard."
"Sigh, you don't understand, I just long to give these poor girls a warm home..." Mercer lamented, shaking his head: "Instead of letting girls lose a beloved good man and feel sad, I'd rather take all the blame myself."
Sasha made a face at him, disdainful: "Stop, stop... I don't know what those good girls see in you..."
"If you figure that out, wouldn't I just have another reason to worry?" Mercer laughed heartily, while outside, gunfire erupted.
Sasha knew most of Mercer's narcissistic words were a joke and didn't bother about it. Instead, she smiled, crossing her legs, relaxing in the chair: "I'm not like Rebecca, V, or Lucy... if you catch my eye, you're finished~"
She laughed confidently: "I'd make you love me to pieces, then play with your feelings harshly, have your heart in constant turmoil like a rollercoaster, until you beg for mercy~"