Chapter 156: David’s Curious Journey (Part Three)
“Is… is edge-runner life always this intense?”
David asked, his face a little pale. As for why—just moments ago, a stray bullet had skimmed right over his head. If he’d been any taller, he would’ve been done for.
“Not usually,” Maine replied, sitting down with his back against the wall. “It’s just that these two crews have had bad blood for a long time.”
“Kid, you still want to keep watching?”
“I… don’t think there’s any need.”
David quietly edged closer to Maine. This place was way too dangerous.
“Alright, then let’s go. Someone should be coming to deal with this soon—just not sure which side it’ll be.”
Maine nodded, grabbed David, and headed toward the back exit, clearly planning to leave.
“What you saw today was just the more violent side of things,” Maine said as they walked. “There are other parts you didn’t get the chance to see.”
“Uh… like what?”
David blinked.
“For example, someone might be willing to kill you for five hundred eddies—if you’re worth that price, and if it’s worth the effort.”
Maine glanced at David as he said it.
Bang!
Just as David froze for a split second, a sharp gunshot rang out from nearby.
And it clearly wasn’t from the two groups fighting inside.
Maine ignored it and kept moving.
“Aren’t we going to take a look?” David couldn’t help asking.
“Kid, don’t you understand something as simple as minding your own business?” Maine said flatly. “Curiosity kills the cat.”
“Just taking a look shouldn’t be a big deal… as long as we don’t do anything,” David muttered.
“No chance. If you want to look, go by yourself.”
With that, Maine set David down. David didn’t hesitate—after giving Maine a quick glance, he headed straight over.
The smoothness of his movement caught even Maine off guard. He hadn’t expected the kid to be this bold.
“Hey… this brat…”
Before long, David reached the mouth of an alley and cautiously peeked inside.
Several edge-runner-looking people were surrounding a woman with a wounded leg. All of them had weapons in hand, clearly making sure she couldn’t escape.
“Tch. Never thought I’d see the day,” the injured woman sneered. “After all these years, this is how you treat a friend?”
Two of them turned their heads away awkwardly. What they were doing really wasn’t something to be proud of.
“Saying that’s pointless, Vana,” the leader said, shrugging. “We’ve known each other for years, sure—but that doesn’t mean we’re close.”
“And trying to talk morality in Night City?” He snorted. “Don’t make me laugh. You idiots can drop the act too. Hurry up and take her away. What, you don’t want the bounty on her head?”
At that, greed flashed through their eyes. The last trace of guilt vanished as they slowly stepped forward.
A bounty?
David frowned slightly and squinted, trying to get a better look at the woman on the ground.
“You lucky little bastard.”
The sudden voice by his ear startled David. Just as he was about to cry out, Maine covered his mouth.
“Why am I lucky?” David whispered the moment Maine let go.
“That woman’s name is Vana,” Maine said quietly. “Militech’s been hunting her recently. No idea what she did, but the bounty’s big—ten thousand eddies.”
“So they sold out a friend for ten thousand eddies…”
David stared into the alley.
“That’s ten thousand eddies,” Maine replied. “For people at the bottom—maybe not edge-runners exactly. Mercenaries or hired guns fits better. Either way, that’s a fortune to them, and it’s basically being handed over.”
“But looking at it this way… Vana must be completely out of options,” Maine continued, shaking his head. “Otherwise, she wouldn’t have come here and gambled on these people’s loyalty.”
As he spoke, Maine calmly chambered a round.
“You’re going to help her?” David asked.
“You can see it that way,” Maine said. “But it’s not just to help her. It’s for myself too. After all… I’m a soldier of Night City.”
With that, Maine charged forward.
Hearing footsteps, the people in the alley immediately turned around.
“Fuck! Didn’t I tell you to keep an eye on the outside?!” the leader snapped.
“Uh… forgot.”
“Then deal with him, now!”
They raised their weapons at Maine—
But—
Gunfire erupted, followed immediately by the sharp clang of metal. Maine’s subdermal armor and cybernetic body parts—now reinforced with metal—absorbed the shots like a shield.
Their firepower was meaningless to him. He simply pushed straight through.
Bang!
Maine fired his hand cannon. One man’s head exploded like a watermelon, blood spraying across the alley.
Seeing things go south, another man racked his shotgun one-handed and aimed at Maine.
Wham—
A massive hand jammed straight into the muzzle.
Boom!
An explosion followed, flames engulfing the man instantly.
Clack!
A shell casing popped free from Maine’s hand cannon. Without hesitation, he lunged at the next target, smashing the man’s head against the wall while guarding his vitals with his free arm to prevent a sneak attack from the leader.
Splat!
The man who’d been so arrogant moments ago was now panicking.
Greedy and terrified of death, unwilling to take risks—people like that never amounted to much as mercenaries.
Bang!
Blood smeared the wall as the last man fell. Maine slowly retracted his weapons, frowning as he patted his sore shoulder.
The aftereffects of loading too much cyberware at once were still there—not because he’d reached his body’s limit, but because he hadn’t fully adapted yet.
“So… you’re here for the bounty too?”
Vana looked at Maine, now covered in blood, her expression calm and unreadable.
“Let me introduce myself,” Maine said, extending a hand. “I’m Maine, a soldier with the Northern California government forces.”
Vana froze for a moment, then smiled.
“Looks like I got lucky.”
“You did,” Maine replied. “If that kid hadn’t spotted you, I wouldn’t have made it in time.”
As he spoke, he glanced toward the alley entrance—then froze.
“Kid? You brought a little brat along?”
Vana looked at him, surprised.
“You didn’t see him?”
Maine frowned.
“He’s over there,” Vana said, tilting her chin. “Throwing up.”
Author's Note
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