My cyberpsychosis is a task prompt

Chapter 170: In the corner of the city

Toot, toot—

A heavy trailer truck drove into the storage center, honking its horn in advance, and when it turned into the internal road, it saw municipal signs on the outside.

John stood in the circle of light of the motorcycle lights, his hands in his work jacket, admiring the big thing in front of him.

It looks like a short and thick cube with very high tires. You can feel the surging power even in standby mode. It is a towing model specially designed for towing heavy trucks.

Six strong men came down from the driver's seat and the crane arm.

They skillfully took out their baseball caps and gas masks to avoid being photographed by possible surveillance cameras. The shadows cast by the hat brims were particularly strong under the car lights, and their clear yellow eyes were constantly flashing with streams of data.

"You're John? Hey, Raphael says hello."

The lead driver shook his hand.

John knew it was a powerful prosthesis as soon as he touched it.

This guy might be a retired mercenary who switched to legal work due to family or other reasons. His arms are thicker than John's neck, and there is an unactivated behavioral chip inserted in the data slot at the base of his ear.

Raphael used this thing to "descend" remotely.

She is the manager of the underground black market in the East District and a top middleman trusted by senior lone wolves.

Not many people in Eden City have seen her, and even their female appearance is guessed based on her words and deeds.

Regular employees of the Coffs Granton Auto Sales Center must sign an authorization agreement when they join the company and wear behavioral chips while at work so that their bosses can use their bodies.

Behavioral chips are normal in the cyber age.

Front desk clerks at high-end venues, housekeepers in luxury apartments, sex dolls in clubs, corporate intelligence departments, and the like basically all wear behavioral chips.

It can record and reproduce technical operations, just like a mercenary would use a combat chip. As long as it is inserted into the data slot, it can make ordinary people become extremely professional.

The chip can also store memories from the working period. What happened during the service will be forgotten immediately after the chip is removed, just like a completely independent life and memory.

This protects the confidentiality of our customers and our company.

Raphael was willing to take the initiative to make friends with John because of the doctor.

Ryan Randall's underground clinic is located in the East District, and it is said that he used to be her teammate on the streets.

The driver sent by Raphael did not tow the armored car away immediately.

The strong men looked at the body calmly, took out the body bag from the car as if they had prepared it in advance, collected Knight's remains, and sprinkled chemical powder on the ground to degrade the blood.

The warehouse has been cleaned up.

The driver of Cofglanton secured the armored car and towed it, then waved goodbye to John and left the storage center.

The roar of the engine faded as the road ended.

The sound of the waves became clear again.

The sea breeze on the shore blows away the heat, and the tall buildings are like bonfires built with lights, sending virtual projections into the sky.

John looked away and twisted the motorcycle.

The tires of the Alloy RCH crushed the rubble, and the whistling sound passed through the night wind.

The city has entered the late night.

[Obtain a cargo vehicle. 0/1 (Not achieved)]

【Enrich the store menu. (Not achieved)】

The store vehicle problem has been basically solved, and now we need to work on the recipe. Gnaeus suggested visiting the operator, and the only person John could think of was Angelica.

John walked through the bustling streets and could clearly feel the increase in vehicles and the number of people enjoying the nightlife.

After several bloody battles and a city-wide curfew in the gang war, all sides suffered heavy losses and urgently needed to take a break to assess the current situation. The current moment was a brief interval in the storm.

【Eden City-Borrago Club】

John swiped his membership card and arrived at the underground garage.

When Mr. Vito was in office, he had his own independent space in VIP Area A. Now that Gucha has taken over, the original authorization entry can no longer open the door, so he can only park in the public area.

Because of moving, he now parks at the base of a high-end apartment building.

squeak--

Music and the sound of tires rubbing echoed in the underground garage, and the engine resonated with the surrounding buildings, making a dizzying hum.

The electronic signboards and flowing holographic projections create a very atmospheric atmosphere.

The surround sound system and the dark blue light-controlled filter make people feel dazed as soon as they enter the underground garage.

John did not go to the upper levels of the members-only area.

He returned to the road, walked down the wide steps, and arrived at the outer shopping mall among the bustling men and women at night.

The place was completely blocked by traffic, and the ordinary citizens who had been suppressed for a long time seemed to have received the "ceasefire" signal. They put on their most beautiful clothes and showed off their newly installed prosthetic limbs.

Spotlights and holographic projections wander through public areas.

Some of the wandering customers are half-naked, some have luminous modules implanted under their skin, and some show their personality through colorful hairstyles and bright clothes...

John squeezed out of the escalator with his hands in his pockets.

The Tipsy Bikini Bar was also filled with reveling customers.

For the first time, a male and female bartender appeared at the same time. They were wearing small suits and dancing with the cocktail shaker in a dazzling manner. Among the guests near the sofa booths and bar stools, there were still beautiful girls in bikinis wandering around.

They have big bodies and are either lifting or dragging vessels filled with drinks, moving between the strong men and furniture, occasionally spilling the liquid on themselves.

Whenever this happens...

Drunkards often don't get angry, and may even stop playing billiards or gambling, raise their eyebrows and smile, whistle from a distance, and enjoy the visual feast without any concealment.

The muscular security guards have adapted to the new environment.

They hold up their shirts and suits, their meridians meander under their skin like plant roots, their eyes flash with light, and they always maintain a cold and intimidating expression.

John looked quite moved:

The shop I built myself, the customers crowded into each other's shoulders, the employees doing their respective jobs and the endless flow of money...

"Hey, look who's this?"

The beautiful bartender has short, thick golden hair, looks like a tomboy, and wears a suspender vest under her blazer.

She is Winna.

The one next to him who compliments the customer’s lip piercing is Komlan.

The two were Angelica's regular bartenders and the most popular people behind the bar besides her.

Wen Na picked up the absorbent paper and wiped the black glazed prosthesis, then turned the cleaned wine glass over and put it on the rusty steel frame.

"You're here pretty early tonight, mercenary. What are you looking at me for? The special of the day is called 'Sea Waves'. Want to try it?"

John pulled out the barstool and sat down.

"Where can I find an employee as amazing as you guys? You're simply a walking sign."

"Sorry, what did you say?"

Winna obviously didn't understand what he said.

John spread his hands and smiled.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not here to poach Angelica's girlfriend, it's just... uh, has she talked to you guys about it? I'm also going to open a store, and the storefront and equipment have just been completed. If I can make some money, I'd also like to recruit two reliable employees like you."

"Wow~"

Wen Na leaned on the bar with his arms outstretched, his eyes shining and a rare look of surprise on his handsome face.

"Look at this. I told you that mercenaries still have a future. You have your own stable livelihood so soon. It's a wise choice, brother!"

She was sincerely envious.

As a new street rookie, John beat up a rising star boxer for a street girl when he first debuted. He was a hot topic on Danny Street at the time, but not long after that, he was able to open his own shop.

While Winna was chatting with John, her prosthetic eye flashed, apparently because she received an order from a bar customer.

"I'm still working hard, of course. Angelica is ten thousand times better than my last boss, who was a complete asshole."

She finished beautifully, pushing the drinks into the hands of the customers at the bar.

"I know a few agents who specialize in finding jobs for illegal immigrants. Many hardworking and skilled people are willing to put their names on the line with them. Feel free to contact me when you need employees."

[Street reputation increased, new relationships unlocked.] A new option popped up in front of John.

This thing also appeared when he had contact with Barry last time, which shows that he has already made a name for himself in the underworld and has more channels to solve problems.

Like Gnaeus, Winna believed that doing a stable business was a better choice than being a mercenary.

John didn't say he would give up the former, nor did he argue.

"Thanks, Winna. I'll have a glass of, uh, waves too, right?"

"I suggest something softer, like Virginia. You haven't modified too many organs, and drinking the waves will keep you drunk until tomorrow morning."

"so what?"

John always felt that she was hinting at something.

Winna licked her innermost teeth - this was an expression Angelica often made when she smiled wickedly.

"Angelica isn't in the store. If you want to find her, you can only knock on the door of the apartment. Do you know the house number? Uh-huh, John, the waves will definitely affect your performance tonight."

The metal shaker shook rapidly in Wen Na's hand.

She filtered out the spring and ice, drawing a beautiful water line, and pushed a glass of wine that was darker in color than the warm light in front of him. Misty water quickly condensed on the wall of the glass, and small bubbles kept coming out of it.

Slightly sour and spicy taste.

John tasted it and looked around.

Music is always echoing in the tipsy bikinis, and even at midnight when the lights are fully turned on it is not as restless as in the hot steel forest. Arguments and laughter can be heard one after another around the booths and the pool table.

Occasionally, someone would slam a gun on the table, or a waiter would yell at a dishonest customer...

For people who hang out on the streets, this is a warmer and more peaceful place than a single apartment.

The TV above the bar was replaying the scene of John hijacking the money truck, and ECPD spokespersons including Barry were answering questions from reporters.

They stressed that this was part of a gang war and that the truly bloody conflict was not over yet or even about to begin.

Winna and other regular customers were more or less following the news.

There was worry in each other's eyes. Ordinary people don't want to die from stray bullets or sudden explosions.

【Eden City - Denny Street Apartment】

John walked through the familiar mezzanine floor, where all the fitness equipment and old audio equipment had been moved away.

After Guzha took charge of the rental business, he no longer arranged patrols.

Ding--

The graffiti-covered elevator door opened.

The Black Gold Gang thugs came out carrying a guest who owed rent, and the thugs behind them each carried a bag of clothes without zippers.

They didn't recognize John and passed each other, wearing clothes from the Livable Rental Company. The several areas connected by Danny Street have established new rules.

The metal door closed.

The tractor roared upward, and advertisements for a livable and beautiful life popped up from all directions.

The car passed through the shared rental area and arrived at the former single apartment.

John passed by the room he used to live in and found that the metal sliding door had been repaired. Except for a slight color difference in the paint on both sides, there was no sign that it had been tampered with by network surveillance.

He walked through the corridors between the buildings.

Angelica lived in the one closer to the Borago Club.

John was also curious:

With the Tipsy Bikini business so brisk, was she being a bit restrained in living in the Danny Street apartment?

But think of...

There are all kinds of luxury cars in her garage, and a cinema-grade super-specification rendering machine at home. But in the end, I didn't ask. Maybe everyone has different consumption habits.

John had sent the message as he got on the elevator.

puff.

The metal sliding door opens early.

A scent of alcohol wafted into the room.

Angelica didn't turn on the lights, relying entirely on the bizarre lights of the city outside the window to illuminate every corner of the room. She wore a cooling stealth suit and sat cross-legged barefoot on a huge curved sofa.

There was a bottle of "neat" brandy on the table.

It is an original wine without added stimulants or industrial processing. Ryan once said that this thing can only be imported from Europe.

"Are you drunk or high?"

John came into the sunken living room and waved, trying to gauge the other man's mental state.

"Come in and talk."

Angelica lifted her hair, revealing the virtual headband around her neck, and an unlock sign lit up on the desktop - inside was the spare machine that she had used when she first brought John here.

[Equipment: App version player (hacked)]

A flash of light erupted from the machine on top of the living room.

A second before John's consciousness fell into darkness, he seemed to feel Angelica falling on him.

“Hiss—it’s so cold!”

John and Angelica sat in the igloo, the light coming from the lanterns hanging above their heads. There was a hole in front of them, and fishing rods and heating equipment were next to them.

There is also a travel backpack next to the thick terry blanket.

Angelica was also wrapped tightly, and she took out a bottle of wine from her jacket and shook it gently.

She seemed more lucid in the submersible.

"It never snows in Eden City. I can only use the virtual chip to satisfy my craving..."

The equipment Angelica used was very advanced. At this time, the two people replaced the characters in the chip and experienced the plot in person - if they stayed for another half an hour, they would catch fish in the ice eye, and then they would grill them on the spot with the help of a charcoal stove and enjoy a special lunch.

"Having a bad mood?"

"I want to leave here and go to the primeval forest or the icy and snowy ice field. I want to touch the soil without radiation and guard the lighthouse on the island where no one cares..."

Angelica waved her finger as she spoke.

The black light had already invaded the device, so John could also see it - virtual images flashed by as her fingers flew, which should be various super-sensory chips that had been read in advance.

"You want to travel?"

"No, John, escape."

Angelica picked up the wine, and in semi-immersive mode, her real arm picked up the bottle next to her and drank the liquor in sync with the characters in the plot.

"Who's hunting you?"

John tried his best to follow her thoughts with his imagination.

Angelica didn't say anything, but glanced sideways at him with a sly smile, as if her previous gloom was all fake.

She waved her arms to adjust the parameters.

The hurricane lantern went out.

The gap on the top of the ice roof disappeared, and the scene data of the sky was grafted onto the ceiling. Looking up, I saw the aurora crossing the night sky, floating and trailing into the distance, and a deep blue filter covered the thick carpet and the surrounding walls.

"Damn, this thing is spectacular... huh?"

John held his neck high and opened his mouth.

Angelica suddenly came close to him, and the warm heat and softness under the blanket covered him, soaking his dry lips and tongue with a smell of brandy.

The blonde hair couldn't be seen clearly in the night, blocking out the aurora.

The sound of my heartbeat gradually became more turbulent than the water flowing under the ice, and the distant band of light in the sky was occasionally blocked by my body.

John felt the heat and determination, as if some suppressed emotions were out of control, not gradually, more like beasts roaring at each other in pure release...

The aurora rose like beach sand and exploded into a sky full of stars.

I don’t know whose mood this is.

(End of this chapter)