Chapter 142: The Truth About Red Ochre
Upon learning that the gene fusion in biotechnology could grant ordinary mercenaries the strength to engage in hand-to-hand combat with mutated beasts, Li Ang was slightly surprised by this discovery.
From Francis's description, the effects of this gene fusion seemed to surpass his expectations by a significant margin.
No wonder Myers Rosalind was so interested in this project. It turned out that biotechnology's gene fusion truly enhanced human physical strength to an extraordinary level!
If Ivanov were equipped with a lightweight power armor and thrown onto the battlefield, he would undoubtedly become a devastating humanoid weapon.
"Mr. Francis, thank you for your candidness. You should get some rest. I'll arrange for you to visit Anna's surgical laboratory tomorrow morning," Li Ang said. Since they had almost finished their discussion, Francis should leave now. After all, Li Ang wasn't one to host late-night gatherings.
"Understood, Mr. Li Ang. Have a good night," Francis replied, then left the office accompanied by Morgan and Lucy, leaving Li Ang alone once again.
After organizing his thoughts and finalizing his plans, Li Ang instructed the AI, White Queen, in his room to make a call to President Myers .
When the call connected, Li Ang skipped the formalities and said directly, "Mr. President, our company has developed a new technological product called Polymer. I believe you'll find it very interesting."
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Outskirts of Night City: The Wastelands
Amidst the vast expanse of fine yellow sand, a violent sandstorm swept through the wasteland, shrouding the camp of the Maelstrom Gang in an oppressive haze. The howling winds tore through the terrain like the onset of an apocalypse.
At this moment, V and Panam, along with others, remained trapped in the camp, unable to escape for the time being.
Fortunately, the camp still had an adequate supply of food and water—enough to sustain them for a week or two. Additionally, the external machinery was functioning properly, thanks to V's restraint in not engaging in a gunfight with the Maelstrom Gang, which prevented any damage to the electrical equipment.
Otherwise, the unfortunate souls trapped in the camp would have been stumbling around in the dark.
"It seems like this sandstorm won't subside anytime soon. At worst, it might last another day or two," V said, frowning as he gazed out through the glass door at the hazy, sand-filled world outside. The swirling dust reduced visibility to nearly zero.
Just as V considered sending a message to Li Ang to report the situation, Jack suddenly ran over and exclaimed, "V, Saul's awake!"
"Let's go check on him," V responded quickly.
Together, V and Jack entered another room, where Saul lay slumped in a chair while Nash, tied up tightly, sat under Panam's watchful gaze.
Moments later, as Saul began to regain consciousness, Panam hurriedly approached him and asked, "Saul, weren't you supposed to stay at the Aldecaldo camp? How did you end up captured by Nash, the leader of the Maelstrom Gang?"
Looking at Panam's familiar face and the unfamiliar mercenaries, V and Jack, Saul didn't bother to overthink. After catching his breath, he slowly replied, "I had planned to sign a contract with the Biotech company, allowing the Aldecaldo family to transport goods for them moving forward."
"Everything was going smoothly until I encountered a fugitive from a laboratory just before leaving the camp."
"He claimed to be a survivor from the Red Ochre Tribe and begged me to take him away from this cursed place. I took pity on him and let him into my vehicle."
By this point, everyone had pieced together the sequence of events.
Saul's act of saving the fugitive had likely been exposed, prompting Biotech to dispatch the Maelstrom Gang to clean up the loose ends.
To collaborate with the company meant becoming their enforcer, their black glove. But not only did Saul refuse to handle the company's dirty work, he also rescued one of their test subjects, leading to this disaster.
"Where's the survivor from the Red Ochre Tribe now?" V asked.
If the fugitive was still alive, they might possess critical information about the Biotech experiments. However, no trace of this person had been found in the camp.
"He's dead."
"Nash caught up to us and shot him in the head before stuffing his body into the trunk of Panam's off-road vehicle," Saul said, his tone heavy with regret.
Whether Saul regretted failing to protect the fugitive or blamed himself for meddling in matters that led to this disaster was unclear.
Upon learning that Nash had desecrated her car by stuffing a corpse into its trunk, Panam felt an uncontrollable rage. She lashed out, kicking Nash viciously with her thick-soled boots to vent her anger.
As the grim reality of the situation set in, V shook his head in disappointment. Without anyone to reveal the secrets of the Biotech laboratory, it would be nearly impossible to decide on the next course of action.
"Did the fugitive say anything before he died?" V pressed, unwilling to give up any chance to uncover the truth.
After some thought, Saul replied, "He talked a lot about the human experiments conducted by Biotech—gene fusion, drug testing. He mentioned that many people from the Red Ochre Tribe died at Joanne's hands."
"Joanne specifically used fugitives as test subjects for genetic drugs, and most of the Red Ochre fugitives died during the testing process."
The name Joanne immediately rang a bell for V, who recalled seeing her on TV. Joanne Koch, Biotech's technical director, held a high-ranking position within the company and was considered one of Night City's top corporate elites.
It was shocking to discover she was one of the masterminds behind these atrocities.
"So, both you and the fugitive were attacked by the Maelstrom Gang. Yet, Nash only killed the fugitive and spared you. Why is that?" V asked, his words raising suspicions.
Even Panam became wary. Why would Nash leave Saul alive unless they had reached some sort of covert agreement?
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