The car jolted before surging forward again.
Although it was a second-hand car, the cargo truck ahead wasn't fast either, and the distance between them was closing.
The people in the truck quickly realized they were being tailed, and someone leaned halfway out to fire shots back.
Jack yanked the steering wheel, swerving the car.
Bang!
Bang!
Two bullets hit the hood, but they weren't fatal—no one was hurt.
Seizing the opportunity, Lin Yu fired twice, hitting the cargo truck's tires.
The truck tilted wildly, completely lost control, skidded for some distance, and finally crashed into the factory's perimeter wall with a crunch.
"We better move fast. The cops could be here any minute!" Jack reminded him, then parked their car at the roadside, dual-wielding pistols as he marched straight towards the truck.
Lin Yu twitched at the corner of his mouth—Jack was even crazier than he was in the game.
The Vortex Gang's vehicle had been forced to a halt, but that didn't mean they had surrendered.
Sure enough, as soon as the rear door was opened, gunshots rang out!
But Lin Yu was already in motion!
In a flash, he deployed his mantis blades and charged forward!
He shoved Jack aside and simultaneously slashed down a flying bullet.
Sparks flew from the blade, while the other bullets veered off target.
Truth be told, it was sheer luck. Even with the speed of mantis blades, cutting down bullets wasn't an easy feat.
"These maniacs are completely nuts!" Jack cursed, firing several shots into the cargo hold.
"Stay here and cover me. And don't blow up the truck!" Lin Yu muttered in a low voice as he crept forward.
Hearing that, Jack immediately held his fire. After all, they hadn't secured the goods yet. Shooting recklessly could destroy everything. If the truck exploded, all the cyberware would be ruined.
As Lin Yu crept along the side of the truck, the door suddenly swung open, and someone with a submachine gun scrambled out.
But he was too slow!
Lin Yu accelerated in an instant, slashing sideways with one arm—sending the Vortex Gang member's head flying.
Given the extent of cybernetic modification, there was no way he could survive a beheading.
Quickly clearing the driver's seat, Lin Yu was just about to move on to the back seat when he spotted someone sitting there, completely still.
"Brick?" Lin Yu blinked in surprise. Brick was the current leader of the Vortex Gang—what was he doing personally involved in something like this?
Brick also stared at Lin Yu, clearly stunned. He didn't seem to recognize him, but the brutal efficiency Lin Yu had just demonstrated shocked him to the core.
Such combat ability, such equipment—only top-tier corporate operatives could manage something like that!
Could this man be from a corporation? But how could he know him?
"Who are you?" Brick asked, waving his hand to signal his men to stand down. Compared to the rest of the Vortex Gang, at least Brick wasn't completely insane.
"Was this your doing?" Lin Yu ignored his question, his voice growing colder.
He knew exactly who this sorry bastard was—and also that before long, Brick would be overthrown by the Vortex Gang's second-in-command, Royce.
"It's a misunderstanding! There's a traitor in the gang. I didn't order this!" Brick said quickly, fully aware of how precarious his situation was. Besides, this stranger clearly knew who he was.
Suddenly, the distant wail of sirens pierced the air—it was the City Security Bureau, and they were getting closer.
"You called the cops?" Brick blurted out in shock. They weren't exactly afraid of the cops, but stirring up trouble with them for no reason was pure stupidity.
"Hand over the goods," Lin Yu said coldly. "Otherwise, you know exactly what'll happen. Trust me—you won't regret the decision you make today."
As he spoke, he lifted his arm slightly, and the mantis blades flashed coldly under the light.
The cops were almost there; Lin Yu didn't want to waste any more time. Besides, Brick was relatively easy to manipulate—keeping him alive might be useful later.
Slaughter was never the goal; it was the profits behind it that truly mattered.
"I was planning to return it anyway," Brick muttered, finding himself a convenient excuse to back down.
He waved a hand, and someone quickly carried a crate out of the truck.
Jack opened it for inspection, then gave Lin Yu a small nod.
"You've just saved your own life, Brick," Lin Yu said with a nod, then turned and headed back to his car.
Jack didn't hesitate; he slammed the gas pedal, speeding away from the scene.
Seeing Lin Yu leave, the Vortex Gang members scrambled to flee as well, the wailing sirens growing louder and closer.
The young white mercenary had witnessed everything unfold and was left utterly dumbfounded.
Mercenaries were usually arrogant and full of pride—especially ones as skilled as him.
But after what he'd just seen, he realized it was on a whole different level.
Forget the legendary mantis blades for a moment—just the precision of those few shots was enough to prove that Lin Yu was an elite marksman.
While he was still lost in shock, the sirens were practically on top of him, forcing him to slam the gas and flee as well.
"Dex, where the hell did this guy come from?" the young man said excitedly. "I'll admit I'm nowhere near his level. But... could he be one of those corporate operatives—the kind that rarely ever show themselves?"
His mind was racing so fast that his words came out disjointed.
Fortunately, Dex's specialty was dealing with people, so he pieced together the meaning easily enough.
And from the kid's tone, Dex found himself reevaluating V's capabilities.
Corporate operative?
He wanted to know that too. Strength like that didn't belong on the streets—it belonged behind locked corporate doors.
"Follow him," Dex said excitedly, as if he'd just discovered a hidden treasure.
The young mercenary, equally curious, started trailing Lin Yu while recounting everything he'd just witnessed.
The more he described, the more shocked Dex became.
Dex wasn't some green rookie—he was one of Night City's top fixers.
The people he rated highly were all hardcore legends.
Still, perhaps because they were so overwhelmed by what they'd just seen—or because they were talking too enthusiastically—they forgot one important thing.
"V, feels like someone's tailing us," Jack finally said, peeking into the rearview mirror.
Of course Lin Yu had already noticed. And it didn't look like Vortex Gang.
Whoever it was, they weren't coming with good intentions.
Without hesitation, Lin Yu suddenly leaned out the window, aimed, and fired in one smooth, fluid motion.
One shot. One kill.
The tailing car's call was abruptly cut off.