It turned out that installing cyberware on a robot was much simpler than on a living person; at least there was no worry about connecting the wrong nerve and leaving the client's middle finger permanently bent.
Wiping his sweat, Viktor gave a thumbs-up to indicate he was done.
"Great! Now for the final step." Berry said excitedly.
The gate-like multi-functional platform's mechanical arms all activated at once, laying the robot flat.
Berry then placed the synthetic skin onto the scaffolding. She had customized this skin from an Adult Product Company; it was bulletproof, fireproof, and electricity-resistant.
The company employees, however, found it strange. Why would skin meant for an adult doll have so many combat features?
Unable to figure it out, they could only conclude that the seemingly innocent young Girl in front of them had a very wild lifestyle.
The mechanical arms welded for a long time, the white light was blinding, and the noise was deafening, but finally, the skin was fitted onto the robot.
Berry wanted this Chassis to have stealth capabilities, so she couldn't let it expose its mechanical skeleton.
Finally, the sight presented to Berry and Viktor was this: the Chassis appeared as a tall, muscular Caucasian male, like a classical bodybuilding champion, just without the 'Olympia Gut'.
"Activate Chassis." Berry input the voice command. She couldn't wait to see her first Chassis move.
The faint sound of machine cables charging rang out; this was the Nuclear Battery in the center of the Chassis's chest starting up.
Then, the Chassis's eyes flashed white, and it stood up straight, as if it had come alive.
The Chassis twisted its head to look at the excited and nervous Berry and Viktor in front of it.
Its mouth twitched, looking like it was about to say something.
"Tap me, customer. My service is so good it'll make you wet like a river."
Berry's face darkened. Watching the Chassis stiffly force out a seductive smile, she felt speechless, while Viktor was leaning on his leg, laughing until he almost coughed.
She almost forgot that the personality chip for this guy was modified from a used sex doll chip she had scavenged.
Watching a tall, tough man say such sappy words gave Berry goosebumps, and she quickly waved her hand to reset him.
"Personality module reset." The body instantly froze and stood by upon receiving the signal.
"Personality set to Male Mercenary, codename, 'terminator' Arnold."
After a flicker of the eyes, the machine completed the reset, looking up with a cold, emotionless face.
"Mission, please instruct."
That was better.
Berry breathed a sigh of relief, then looked disgruntledly at Viktor, who was still laughing.
"Viktor, isn't that going too far?"
Hearing Berry's dissatisfied voice, Viktor rubbed his face, which was red from laughing, and stood up.
"Sorry, Berry, it's just that I haven't seen anything this interesting in a long time, I couldn't help myself."
"Haha, yeah, right." Berry rolled her eyes irritably.
"Seriously though, you're amazing, Berry.
Kang Tao Corporation also has security robots, but compared to yours, they're trash."
After the joking stopped, Viktor became serious, looking admiringly at Arnold, who stood over two meters tall.
He couldn't fathom how Berry managed to create such a powerful product in this basement.
The shock it gave him was equivalent to a guy who had his arm cut off and replaced with cyberware, only for his flesh arm to grow back after the cyberware was removed—it was that unbelievable.
"I told you, I'm going to become a legendary in Night City; I can't do that without some good work under my belt." Berry crossed her arms, her face full of pride.
"Oh, right, Viktor, let's cooperate.
This unit is just a prototype; I can build even better ones later."
Berry reached out her small hand toward Viktor.
"Your technology plus mine—just the two of us could rule Night City."
"Of course." Viktor didn't hesitate, smiling as he shook Berry's small hand.
"I haven't seen anything this interesting in ages.
I have a feeling your abilities can change this city."
Viktor acted like an old father, happy to listen to Berry's boasts, supporting and encouraging her to do what she wanted.
"That's great!" Berry jumped up excitedly.
With the support of a Cyberware Doctor, it would be easier for her to acquire rare materials and cyberware.
She didn't trust others; only Viktor, who had saved V multiple times in the game, earned her complete trust.
"I'm going to test this unit now, Viktor, want to come?" Berry asked excitedly.
"Oh, spare me, Berry." Viktor shook his head wryly.
"I'm getting old; I can't handle that kind of strain."
Berry had been busy all day, and it was already dark.
He couldn't handle staying up late like that; his backside was starting to miss his own chair.
"Alright then." Berry let Viktor leave.
"I'll contact you if I make any progress."
Viktor nodded and turned to walk away.
After seeing Viktor off, Berry let out a long breath, turned to stare at Arnold, and brought up the system interface.
Next, she would personally control the machine.
The automatic module could only complete limited tasks; to maximize the unit's capabilities, she had to remotely pilot it.
The unit was a creation of the System and was rated as [Rare Grade].
Besides indicating that the unit was powerful, Berry could also control it directly through the System.
The System displayed that five Reaction points were needed to control one unit.
Reaction points determined how many units she could pilot simultaneously without her own reaction speed being impaired.
Since she currently had fourteen Reaction points, it meant she could simultaneously control two units: her own flesh body counted as one, and the machine counted as one, or she could fall into deep sleep and control two machines.
Deciding to act immediately, Berry closed her eyes, and her consciousness was linked through the System's mysterious connection into the machine before her.
It was nighttime.
Darkness shrouded the earth, and chemical pollution stained the sky a murky gray, making it look filthy.
In this era, you couldn't hope to see a sky full of stars, which must have ruined the joy of countless dreamers.
On the streets, pedestrians hurried along.
Night was always the best cover for things people didn't want seen.
In ancient times, there were legends of demons appearing at night, but in Night City, people avoided gang members and those who harvested kidneys.
Night was the perfect time for gang wars and for people to come out looking for fun.
If you didn't want to be completely robbed, or knocked unconscious by Scavengers, killed, stripped of your cyberware, and dumped in the sewer—the whole package—you had to rush home.
Therefore, the vehicles and people on the roads seemed tense because of the darkness.
But not entirely, because there was one person walking on the sidewalk who was very strange.
He strode down the street with his chest puffed out, as relaxed as if he were strolling through his own backyard.
He was about 2.2 meters tall, a towering figure with a Caucasian face, wearing odd protective gear that was bulging, suggesting he had plenty of muscle.
Strange as he was, no one dared to provoke him.
This was the combat mech controlled by Berry—"terminator" Arnold.
After testing along the way, Arnold's reactions were excellent; his optical sensors focused, and his body movements were flawless.
Next up: combat testing.
To a shooting range? Or the wilderness?
Neither was necessary.
As soon as night fell, Night City became a paradise for criminals, rife with extortion and robbery.
She only needed to look around to find a few heinous gang members—weren't they ready-made targets?
Berry controlled Arnold as he walked two streets, and sure enough, she spotted a group of leather-jacketed thugs huddled together.
"...Where the hell is the rest of the money?
Your old man lost so much to us, and you think this little bit is enough to fool us?!"
In the alley, several thugs wearing motorcycle leather and jeans had cornered a young man, who was a head shorter than them.
The leader of the thugs, wearing sunglasses, spewed all sorts of nasty remarks at the young man, who just stood there taking the abuse with his head lowered.
"I'm talking to you!
Are you deaf?"
Seemingly enraged by the young man's attitude, the thug leader slapped the young man across the face, knocking him to the ground.
"Get up!"
The leader didn't let him off, pulling him up by his collar and slapping him repeatedly.
In just a few moments, the young man's face was swollen and horrific to look at.
"Haha, Mike, you beat him up like a pig's head!"
"He looks ridiculous, I'm dying of laughter!"
The surrounding thugs were roaring with laughter, their voices grating and unpleasant.
His companions' laughter seemed to motivate Mike, who started hitting harder and harder.
Soon, dark red blood flowed from the young man's mouth and nose.
Grinning maliciously at the pitiful state of his victim, Mike wound up his arm, ready to deliver a solid slap.
But just as he exerted force, his hand couldn't move, held motionless as if clamped by iron pincers.