A Confused Anthony
[TN: Alright here the last three chapters of the week see y'all next week]
On the Wasteland, the Militech forces were reconstructing the scene.
They used a holographic reconnaissance reconstruction system, deploying numerous sensors around the site to collect and scan high-precision data on temperature, humidity, wind speed, chemical compositions, explosive residues, and any other possible clues.
A field investigator, holding a material analysis scanner, squatted beside a shattered armor plate.
Nearby, the wreckage of Columbus cargo vans was scanned in full detail, including tire tracks imprinted on the ground.
Recon drones traced these tracks, guiding soldiers to deploy sensors across a wider area.
After processing the data, the central computer reconstructed the battlefield.
It was an expansive combat zone.
Only a few completely scrapped Columbus cargo vehicles remained, along with a destroyed unmanned mech, debris scattered across the ground, and unidentified mixed liquids.
With scanning completed, the holographic projection began replaying the events.
[Uploading combat dynamics data]
[The battle unfolded in multiple stages]
[Stage One: The attackers used some kind of long-range projectile launcher from outside reconnaissance range. The projectile types included high-explosive rounds and high-power EMPs.]
[Searching the database for matching ammunition models...]
[High likelihood of custom-made weaponry.]
[Stage Two: The enemy attempted a cyberattack but failed; engineers restored electronic systems; a Centaur-class mech was deployed; its plasma cannon hit the target, forcing some enemies to retreat.]
[Anomaly detected: The deployment of the Centaur-class mech may violate Night City security regulations. This intelligence is restricted to authorized personnel only.]
[Stage Three...]
A squad leader wearing tactical sunglasses slung his rifle over his back and crouched down, scanning the ground with an analyzer.
However, the more data they gathered, the more fragmented the holographic projection became—censored and filled with digital mosaics. Too much of it defied logic.
The first two phases were easy to understand—ambush, electronic warfare, and a failed hacking attempt. The engineers restored communications and deployed the Centaur-class mech, which quickly turned the tide with its plasma cannon, scattering the raiders.
Everything seemed normal. Until Stage Three.
The reconstructed data was too sparse. The battle had ended so quickly that it left barely any traces.
On the ground, what the squad leader was scanning appeared to be the remains of a Behemoth armored vehicle's plating.
Behemoth armor accumulates thermal energy when struck by high-kinetic attacks, triggering a small-scale explosion to deflect projectiles and reduce penetration chances. But this time, it failed.
Two possibilities:
The armor was breached from within.
The enemy's armor-piercing rounds were powerful enough to completely negate the reactive armor's function.
Material analysis confirmed internal damage—suggesting an attack from inside the vehicle.
The central computer then formulated two likely scenarios:
The unmanned mech was hacked and attacked from within.
The mech was trapped inside the vehicle and had to forcibly break out.
The second scenario was simulated first—leading to even more absurd results.
If the mech was trapped, that meant the Behemoth had flipped over. Yet, since the vehicle was later driven away, it hadn't suffered fatal damage.
That meant the driver was killed.
So where was the sniper?
[Scene Investigation Results:]
[The attacker used a Nekomata sniper rifle to eliminate the driver. The vehicle overturned, unmanned mech deployment failed, and the Centaur-class mech engaged the enemy.]
[Estimated shooting distance: 1000-1600 meters.]
[Reconstructing firing conditions...]
The sniper took the shot from over a kilometer away—likely between 1400 and 1500 meters.
The shocking part? The shot was fired from a moving motorcycle.
The tire marks indicated the motorcycle was moving at at least 140-155 mph.
On the Wasteland.
At that speed, the rider was practically flying.
And they still landed a perfect headshot? Impossible.
As analysis continued, the reconstruction showed that after the Behemoth overturned, a second motorcycle charged straight at the Centaur-class mech.
The bike launched into the air right in front of the mech—then something collided with it.
At first, the squad leader thought it was a bike bomb, like the ones used in the city center before. But another set of tire tracks appeared not far away.
That meant—
The holographic projection displayed a censored, pixelated blur colliding with the mech.
And within 30 seconds, this one person took down the Centaur-class mech—with unknown methods.
In other words, two raiders:
One, riding at 150+ mph, sniped a driver from over a kilometer away.
The other, also speeding at over 100 mph, rammed into a Centaur-class mech and dismantled it in an unknown way.
And the same thing happened to the second Centaur-class mech.
The reconstruction suggested that as the mech was firing, the motorcycle circled around, then rammed into it again—disabling it instantly.
The most ridiculous part was the damage to the unmanned mech.
Despite signs of internal damage, the main armor had been pierced clean through from the outside.
One single bullet had penetrated both the Behemoth's armor and the unmanned mech's core.
What kind of weapon had that much power?
The database could match a few, but none should exist in Night City.
At this point, the investigation hit a dead end—either the truth really was this insane, or an earlier assumption was flawed.
Perhaps the mechs were hacked, not the truck flipping over.
But battlefield data was incomplete—nothing confirmed a hack.
Either way, too many mysteries remained.
[Site investigation complete.]
[Uploading intelligence...]
Night City Municipal Center
Anthony stared at the mirror in the restroom, though he wasn't looking at his reflection. He was reviewing the latest incident report.
It was useless.
"One shot destroyed a vehicle and took out the unmanned mech's core?"
He couldn't comprehend what kind of weapon could pull that off.
His cybernetic HUD displayed a small notification:
[You have been in the restroom for over 1 minute. Prolonged absence may raise concerns among meeting attendees and impact efficiency.]
Anthony splashed water on his face and left.
In the conference room sat a fat, middle-aged man in a striped suit and black sunglasses, impossible to read.
A cigar dangled from his lips as he looked at Anthony.
"Mr. Gilchrist, I hope you understand—my time is valuable. If you have nothing more to say, we're done here."
Anthony was frustrated—unless he proved an insider was involved, he was screwed.
"Mayor Ryan, our convoy was hit. I have no definitive answers yet."
Ryan shrugged, exhaling smoke, his expression unchanged.
"Then all I can say is—tough luck. This is Night City. Anything else?"
Anthony pressed on. "I need Night City's assistance. Under its laws—"
"Under Night City's laws, corporate employees have immunity. Meaning, Night City owes you nothing. You fix your own mess, Gilchrist."
Ryan stood, adjusted his suit, and tossed his cigar in the ashtray.
"Elections are coming. If these screw-ups stop me from cleaning up Watson's homeless problem, I'll look weak. And if I look weak—I lose."
"So hurry up, or I'll just go to Arasaka instead."
Desperate, Anthony tried one last time. "If Night City helps, I can fully fund the investigation."
"This isn't about money."
Ryan picked up his briefcase and walked out.
Just before leaving, he paused.
"If you're out of leads, try investigating the Maelstrom gang. They know how to hit corporate convoys."
Outside, Ryan lit another cigarette.
"Damn. Someone actually had the balls to rob Militech."
[To: Netwatch]
[Ryan: Militech's convoy got hit. Their guy has no clue.]
[Netwatch: And that concerns us how?]
[Ryan: I sent him after Maelstrom.]
[Netwatch: You really just say whatever, huh?]
[Ryan: It's probably them.]
As his hovercar lifted off, Ryan smirked.
"No one understands Night City better than me."