Darkness quickly swallowed all trace of their movements.
Their expressions hardened in unison, worry etched across their faces as they watched Lucy, whose expression shifted constantly.
She was visibly struggling.
In Cyberspace—that abstract, digital realm—
Lucy fought to shake off a defensive protocol clinging to her, finally breaking free and pushing forward.
Had she not bypassed the outer firewall of this factory network, who knew how many more of these Breach Protocols would have blocked her way.
Yet despite the trouble, her anxiety strangely eased.
It was something she had learned from past dives.
The reasoning was simple: if an AI from the internal net wanted to settle here, it would have wiped out these human-made traps and overwritten the place with its own signature.
The fact that these remnants still existed proved this network hadn't been occupied.
Sometimes, when a person breaks through their own shackles, it feels less like luck and more like destiny lending a hand.
Not far from the trap, Lucy located a functioning system.
It was a camera—likely an old model—its angle not particularly clear.
The emptiness of the space broke under the order it provided. Shoving aside distractions, Lucy fixed her focus on it.
The corridor floor here was at least no longer made of hemlock planks, but white tiles.
Debris leaned against her feet, collapsed at odd angles, leaving only a small patch of floor exposed.
Lines of data linked back to the camera, pulling her into the most familiar network environment. Lucy pushed further in.
Throughout the factory, only a handful of areas were active.
The network was riddled with vulnerabilities, letting her slip easily into its deepest section—
A place that resembled a laboratory.
Through several overhead cameras, Lucy searched, but David was nowhere to be seen. Her heart tightened again.
Still, given the situation, not seeing him outright was almost good news.
At least it meant there was still hope. But… not knowing his exact condition gnawed at her.
"Did I... get the wrong place?"
Her pulse quickened as she combed the feed again, finally catching something in the corner of her vision.
A massive metal box—almost like a smaller shipping container. Its unguarded data revealed the Cyberware Titan, still awaiting a host.
The meaning was clear.
With that, Lucy immediately retraced her path, moving as fast as she could.
She still had to pass through the pitch-black Old Net, but this time she cast aside caution and sprinted through the darkness.
"Huuh—"
Like someone bursting up for air after being submerged too long, Lucy's head snapped back as she came to. She drew a deep breath of stale air into her lungs.
"I found it... I found it..."
She ripped the data cable from her wrist and panted heavily, her eyes already locked on a single direction.
It was still darkness, but she seemed to see something there, charging straight toward it.
The three behind her exchanged uncertain looks. Finally, Arthur raised a hand and followed after her.
Their urgent footsteps rang out, clanging against the metal floor and echoing through the hollow underground.
When silence was replaced by this sharp noise, the darkness lost its mystery and fear.
Led by Lucy, they quickly climbed a staircase and emerged back on the surface.
Though they'd only left the sunlight moments ago, seeing it again brought a strangely familiar warmth.
Once her feet touched solid ground, Lucy braced herself against a crumbling wall, breathing hard.
As a netrunner, she had strong stamina—the underground trek wasn't nearly long enough to wear her out like this.
It had to be the weight in her chest making her seem so worn down.
The three behind her fared much better, quietly waiting for her to recover.
"David... should still be safe... I... saw the Cyberware Titan."
Still bent over, Lucy forced the words out between breaths.
In the sunlight, the corners of her eyes caught a glint.
"Where's that kid?"
Arthur stepped closer, scanning the surroundings as he spoke.
"It's... not far..."
Something in her heart seemed to settle, and Lucy straightened, her gaze still fixed ahead.
"That place... I don't know how to describe it."
Recalling the scene, Lucy hesitated.
"If you call it a lab, it looks far too crude."
Arthur's face darkened.
It seemed every clue confirmed V's suspicions—this wasn't as simple as it appeared.
"For now, let's get David out. We'll worry about the rest later."
Suppressing his unease, Arthur narrowed his eyes at Lucy.
"Did you see him? How's he holding up?"
Lucy's lips trembled before she replied.
"No... but since the Cyberware Titan hasn't been installed, we're still in time."
Arthur nodded and glanced toward the spot Lucy kept staring at.
"Then keep leading. Let's move."
In the sunlight, the area was nothing but ruins and decay.
The Fixer had been right—this place had been abandoned for years, at least on the surface.
Using the collapsed walls for cover, Arthur and the others cut through shortcuts, quickly approaching the building Lucy had pointed out.
At last, they saw movement beyond their own group.
A convoy of black armored vehicles—large, though smaller than Militech's—rolled into view.
If David hadn't been found inside earlier, it was obvious what these vehicles were transporting.
Arthur held Lucy back as she nearly rushed out, saying nothing as he moved toward the convoy's destination.
That, of course, was where Lucy had found it.