Moore Technologies, Company Headquarters, Top Floor. Goodwin sat at his dark gray office desk, gazing out the window behind him at Night Cit
Moore Technologies, Company Headquarters, Top Floor.
Goodwin sat at his dark gray office desk, gazing out the window behind him at Night City under the cloak of darkness. The orange-yellow glow from the city slowly faded into the night.
He turned his office chair, opened the computer on the desk, and prepared to continue his work for the evening.
However, the office's security door opened, and a graceful female employee walked in, holding a laptop in her arms.
"Anna, what are you doing here?" Goodwin asked sternly.
"Director, I'm sorry to disturb you at this time, but could you take a look at this?" The woman anxiously placed the laptop on the desk.
Goodwin looked at the screen and saw a video playing.
In the video, a journalist was reporting the news. The scene showed lingering fires, with deafening gunshots and occasional explosions echoing in the background.
Goodwin didn't care much about the news itself. What caught his attention was something the reporter said:
"...This cyberpsycho has numerous cybernetic implants, the most concerning to the police being the Rampage Type-2 implant produced by Moore Technologies. According to investigations, this implant was inserted just a week ago, and those who knew him say his temperament rapidly worsened until today's full-blown cyberpsychosis..."
"Looks like our friend has been a little too careless. Find out who he is and have Legal sue him," Goodwin chuckled, not paying much attention.
The woman nodded, quickly contacted the legal department, and explained the situation.
After the call, she tapped a few things on the laptop and then pushed it toward Goodwin.
"By the way, Director, the latest human trials for the Rampage plugin still require your authorization."
Goodwin glanced at it and casually connected his personal data cable to the laptop.
"Didn't I say not to bother me with trivial matters like this?" he muttered.
"But Director, you know all our test subjects are retired soldiers or Edgerunners. They're highly valuable assets—we can't proceed without your approval," the woman replied.
"Fine. So, how's the research going? Everything on track?" Goodwin asked, shifting gears.
The woman flipped through a tablet and replied:
"So far, everything is going smoothly. According to your design, exposing subjects to the suffering of loved ones dramatically accelerates the onset of cyberpsychosis."
"We're documenting the transformation process, monitoring physiological changes, and identifying what causes the spike in combat performance post-psychosis. These findings will directly improve our products. Frankly, Director, your approach is nothing short of genius."
The woman's voice grew increasingly reverent.
The Rampage series, often compared to Sandevistan, is a combat cyberware line installed in similar body regions.
Though Sandevistan outclassed it for years, Rampage components had unique value. Within Moore Technologies, the Rampage line was the flagship of their combat cyberware, leading sales.
Naturally, it drew competitors. Biodynamics and ZetaTech had long contested the Rampage market.
"Just a modest innovation," Goodwin said humbly, though he wore a proud expression.
"But yes, it's the most efficient approach. By manipulating hormones and neural responses, we simulate a cyberpsycho-like state. It's far easier than developing new shock resistance systems or treatment algorithms."
Rampage cyberware turns users into pure killing machines by enhancing neural reflexes and hormone levels.
Each model offers unique effects, but all serve the same goal: boosting strength, endurance, and pushing human limits.
Some include compensation protocols, combat calculation aids, and nano-enhanced healing or defense subsystems.
To Goodwin, existing Rampage tech had reached a research bottleneck. Everyone else was stuck in old paradigms—only he remained clear-headed.
In a world of cybernetics, the ideal human-augmentation state already existed. People just hadn't noticed.
—Cyberpsychosis.
Feared by most, but to Goodwin, it was the ultimate case study.
If the mental breakdowns could be removed, the psychotic's disregard for cyberware limits and mechanical identity would be the perfect state of "Rampage."
"Thanks to your plan, we've saved billions in research. I'm sure it'll pay off in massive future profits," the woman said, smiling.
Compared to costly R&D, cyberpsychosis experimentation was dirt cheap.
Advanced tech cost tens or hundreds of millions.
Hiring gangs or buying test subjects from Scavs? A few million at most.
The choice was obvious.
"What's the status of the current test subjects?" Goodwin asked.
The woman pulled up personnel files.
"The first psychotic episode was a vagrant from the Badlands. His daughter became a sex slave in the city. We showed him footage of her decline and death. He snapped easily. Sadly, he had few implants, so the data was limited."
"The second was an Edgerunner with moderate cyberware. Not even Afterlife-qualified. We showed him his friends and family dying—he broke as expected. His data is much more valuable..."
She described atrocities with clinical calm, like reading a checklist.
Goodwin tapped his chair's armrest thoughtfully.
Once she finished, he asked, "Have you heard the rumors behind our recent stock dip?"
"You mean the one about Kang Tao, Arasaka, and Militech allegedly starting neural-system cyberware R&D?" she replied.
"Exactly. In Huaguo, they say 'no smoke without fire.' Whatever the leak, have Compliance tighten up and monitor our staff. Those companies have no background in this field. Starting from scratch isn't easy."
Neural cyberware like Sandevistan and Rampage had been refined for decades. Without poaching talent or stealing data, newcomers couldn't catch up.
"Understood. I'll have Compliance stay alert," she confirmed.
"Good. Back to work," Goodwin waved her off.
She bowed slightly and left.
Goodwin rested his hands on the desk, his blue eyes fixed on the screen, lost in thought.
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