Even if Brick couldn't control the entire Maelstrom presence in the factory, it would greatly reduce the resistance they faced.
Following Brick's release, the factory descended into greater chaos. Some subordinates loyal to Brick immediately attacked Royce's cadres after receiving contact from Brick. Maelstrom split into two factions, fighting each other in their own stronghold.
Gunfire and screams were everywhere—it was a brutal scene.
"Damn it, this door is locked tight!"
V slammed his fist against the heavy metal door, cursing loudly.
The three of them had almost slipped out the back door, taking advantage of the internal chaos, but they were stopped by this completely locked metal gate.
It wasn't that V's Hacker skills weren't high enough to break the lock; it was that the door was completely deadlocked. You could call Spider Murphy and it still wouldn't work.
"Shit, we're not going back the way we came, are we?" Jackie cursed, gripping his gun.
"Wait, don't rush, you two." Berry, however, looked relaxed because she knew the door wasn't a problem at all. "Come on, V, Jackie, both of you step back."
Seeing Berry's confident look, V and Jackie exchanged glances and obediently took a few steps back.
"No, step back a little more. Come over here," Berry shook her head, indicating they weren't far enough.
V and Jackie, confused, retreated a few more steps to Berry's side, not understanding what she was planning. Meanwhile, Berry covered her ears in advance.
"Boom!!!"
The sudden explosion startled the unprepared Jackie and V, making them jump and curse aloud.
Only after the flying metal fragments hit the floor did the three look toward the doorway.
They saw a huge hole blasted where the door had been.
As the smoke cleared, Arno appeared, holding a mutilated Maelstrom member in each hand. His body was covered in bloodstains, and blood continuously ran down him, dripping onto the floor.
Arno's arm, angled toward the doorway, was slowly retracting its cannon barrel.
Arno's sudden appearance and his gruesome state caused V and Jackie to widen their eyes in shock.
What kind of bloodbath could result in this appearance? Jackie and V exchanged glances, both seeing the astonishment in the other's eyes.
It was the dull thud of Arno dropping the corpses that brought V and Jackie back to their senses.
The blood-soaked Arno silently stepped aside, gesturing for the three of them to exit.
"Arno, that's real loyalty, man!" Jackie spoke first. His eyes were full of excitement as he looked at Arno. Including the time in the alley, this was the second time Arno had saved them.
Although this guy didn't want to go out and have a drink and heart-to-heart with them, he was definitely a loyal friend. They were trapped in the factory, and Arno had single-handedly fought his way in to clear a path for them.
Just looking at his body showed how brutal the fight he had endured was.
Jackie was so moved he almost wanted to swear brotherhood with Arno.
"I owe you an apology, Brother Arno." V looked remorseful. She had always been wary of this strange Mercenary, but she never expected him to rush in so selflessly to save them.
All suspicion instantly vanished. V only felt guilt for her previous unfriendly attitude toward Arno.
"When we get out, we definitely have to go for a drink, all of us together! My treat!" V patted Arno's shoulder, her eyes sincere.
But Arno was wearing sunglasses, making it impossible to see his eyes. Just as Jackie and V thought he was about to say something in the silence, Arno simply turned and led the way out, leaving the two of them standing there dumbfounded.
"Haha, maybe that's just his style," Jackie laughed and shrugged. He was starting to get used to Arno's silent demeanor.
"Yeah, our new buddy isn't much of a talker." V also smiled, unconcerned. In their hearts, the silent Arno was already a member of their team.
The two, along with Berry, followed Arno out.
To this, Berry could only think, You guys are thanking the wrong person.
Watching the change in their attitude toward Arno, Berry felt increasingly guilty. If she revealed now that Arno was actually a machine she controlled, would the two of them, enraged by the deception, team up to beat her up?
Berry thought about it and realized the possibility wasn't small.
The two, having lost face, would definitely make her treat them to meals for a month straight.
It seemed better to keep it a secret for a bit longer.
Berry nodded, making a swift and decisive choice that wouldn't violate the ancestors' teachings.
The rest of the way was utterly silent, without a single enemy. Or rather, there were enemies, but they were all lying on the ground as cold corpses.
The enemies had all been dealt with by Arno on his way in.
Blood was splattered all over the corridor walls, like twisted abstract paintings. The floor was covered with Maelstrom limbs and fragments that were almost unrecognizable. If they weren't careful, they might step on a piece of viscous liver or kidney, forcing Jackie and V to tread carefully.
The two exchanged glances, further shocked by Arno's methods.
No wonder he was covered in blood; it must have been left when he tore the enemies apart with his hands.
Just looking at the brutal scene in the corridor, the two could imagine how the desperate Maelstrom members had been literally ripped to shreds by Arno.
If Berry knew what the two were thinking, she would only say, It was nothing.
Actually, she just didn't have a weapon in hand, so she casually tore apart a few annoying guys. Be humble, be humble.
They returned the same way, and there wasn't a single enemy until they reached the rolling door Arno had blasted open in the workshop.
They had truly escaped. Berry, V, and Jackie all breathed a sigh of relief.
They had never thought that the pitch-black streets of Night City at night looked so beautiful.
But just as the group stepped out into the rain, they heard a whirring sound, and a drone bearing the Militech logo flew toward them.
The drone shot out a blue light, scanned the four of them, and then flew away again.
Berry frowned.
Militech personnel had arrived. If she guessed correctly, they were Stott's people.
She hadn't expected to run into Stott's squad even after getting out so quickly this time. It seemed this old lady really did have some capability.
"Militech, always sending these useless pieces of junk flying around." Jackie, holding two "Golden Mean" pistols, looked somewhat exhausted. Even this energetic big guy couldn't handle such a fierce battle. "Let's get out of the gate first."
In the rain, AVs whizzed in, their searchlights illuminating the open area outside. Several armored SUVs were parked at the main gate, and Meredith Stott was already waiting for them there, arms crossed.
"That Militech broad...?" Jackie muttered, frowning.
"Looks like it..." V's previously relaxed body tensed up again.
Having just fought their way out of the factory, they immediately ran into Militech personnel. It was clear they had been deliberately waiting for them. Since it wasn't yet clear whether Militech was friend or foe, the two immediately became wary.
After all, corporations frequently killed survivors to cover up scandals.
The four walked out the gate. Stott was smoking a cigarette, her eyes fixed on Arno in the middle.
"You thought you wouldn't see me again, huh?" Stott narrowed her eyes, staring at Arno, whose face was gradually being washed clean of bloodstains by the rain. "Naive little brat."
"So?" Arno replied casually.
But Arno's response shocked V and Jackie, who were watching from the side.
Dude, you can talk!
"You know what? You're a cunning guy, and your methods are decent..." Stott, smoking her cigarette, stared at Arno and thought about what happened before she arrived.
After returning, she prepared for the raid on the location of the tracking chip while also having people look into this Mercenary named Arno.
The result was that the guy had seemingly appeared out of thin air.
A skilled Mercenary operating in Watson, who had done some work for Fixers Regina Jones and Dexter DeShawn, but nothing before that. It was as if he had completely materialized out of thin air.
There was no record of such a person, whether in the Black Market, the NCPD database, or even border entry logs.
This piqued Stott's curiosity. Her corporate executive sixth sense told her immediately that this guy was absolutely not an ordinary Mercenary. Even ignoring his mysterious origins, his strength was top-notch.
Perhaps this guy could be useful to her.
That's what Stott thought.
Having solved the convoy hijacking case, she was almost certainly going to be promoted.
As her status rose, she would need more useful people. Although this Mercenary had crossed her once, he had proven his capabilities, so Stott developed a desire to recruit him.
After all, many dirty jobs had to be handled through non-corporate channels.
Thinking this, Stott narrowed her eyes and spoke. "Are you willing to keep working for me?"
"As long as the pay is generous enough."
Berry wanted to connect with Militech, so she was more than happy to agree, immediately manipulating Arno to accept.
"Hmph, see you next time. The company is very satisfied with you." Stott smiled and flicked her cigarette ash. She had anticipated that this guy wouldn't refuse.
Yes, the company had a bad reputation, but the compensation they offered was generous enough to make these street Mercenaries risk their lives.
"The flathead..." Stott glanced at the box in V's hand. "With so much cargo stolen from the corporate convoy, it's normal for one flathead unit to accidentally go missing."
"As for the rest, wait for my message..." Stott finished, turning to shout at the Agents who had gotten out of the cars behind her. "Lock down the entire area!"
Berry knew what she meant.
She was referring to the Centaur Exoskeleton Armor, which was a massive piece of equipment. Stott couldn't exactly pull that out of her pocket.
Berry knew the entire backstory perfectly, but V and Jackie were confused. After listening to Arno and Stott's cryptic dialogue, the two could only shrug indifferently and follow Arno out with Berry.
"Whew, I really thought we weren't going to make it out this time." Standing in the drizzle and looking up at the night sky, Jackie finally seemed to recover from the deadly fight in the factory.
"Yeah, if we hadn't fought desperately, and if Arno hadn't lent a hand, we probably would have died back there," V sighed.
"Hey, tell Dexter we got the goods. Later, the four of us should go to Afterlife for a gathering, have a few drinks, you know..."
Under the sparse streetlights, the three people and one machine walked down the desolate road, giving off a feeling reminiscent of an old Western film.
Tonight's battle was over, but tomorrow's challenges were yet to come.
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