After his cyberware adjustments were perfected, David returned to Maine's team. He still deeply respected the boss who had set him on this path.
Arthur and Jackie also learned about David's mother. Arthur sighed with regret and found the coincidence unbelievable.
Over the next few days, Arthur and Jackie spent their time spending money.
The process of spending money was undoubtedly enjoyable. Outside Viktor's clinic, Arthur finally saw the motorcycle Jackie had been dreaming of.
The ARCH Nazare.
It was a road bike with a streamlined body, red and black coloring, and a low-slung riding position.
Watching Jackie strike a flashy pose, with one foot on the ground, a certain trait deep within Arthur's soul reawakened.
"The bike is cool, but with you riding it, it looks like an elephant on a hippopotamus."
Arthur's insults were always based on facts; one of Jackie's thighs was as wide as the bike itself.
"I shouldn't have come to find you."
Even with Jackie's good temper, his face fell at this, and he looked at Arthur with a mournful expression.
"What about your cyberware installation? How's it going? Did Viktor recommend any cyberware?"
"No. So I bought a gun."
Saying this, Arthur waved his hand, signaling Jackie to follow him.
Inside Viktor's clinic, on the always-empty cyberware repair smart workbench, lay a massive object.
It was a behemoth nearly two meters long, entirely black, with only the magazine embedded beneath the barrel being yellow.
Its barrel module design was extremely complex, with a slender electronic component as long as the barrel underneath, covered with dense and neat circuit bundles, and above it, electromagnetic rails and three pairs of magnetic field generating components attached to both sides.
The entire gun was sharply angled, as if it had been carved out with horizontal and vertical knife cuts.
Even the aiming component, originally cylindrical, was encased in a black external module, becoming rectangular.
"My god, where did you get this thing?"
The moment Jackie stepped through the door, his gaze was firmly captured by the gun; his eyes couldn't move away.
"Do you know how rare this thing is? Those Tsunami guys hide it like it's their child."
Tsunami's Katana series tech sniper rifle.
Yes, this gun was the industrial jewel of Tsunami Defense Systems, the best sniper rifle in the world, bar none.
It was the culmination of all Tsunami Defense Systems' technology: electromagnetic systems, air correction, multi-stage bullet acceleration, and smart modules.
When Tsunami designed this firearm, they poured all the technology they possessed into it.
It's worth noting that Tsunami Defense Systems is an undisputed leader in the high-end firearm market.
"This Katana's smart module is damaged. Even so, it still cost me sixty thousand to get it."
On the cyberware operating table, dozens of cables were connected to the gun, and on a screen to the side, a progress panel was constantly refreshing.
The first time Arthur saw this gun, he was drawn to its appearance. Fortunately, its power matched its domineering looks.
Noticing the two of them enter, Viktor also walked over. He pointed at the progress on the screen and said,
"The physical structure of this gun is intact; only some built-in smart programs are problematic, which is why I could tinker with it.
But you'd better be careful when using it. Every part of this thing, especially the electromagnetic module components, cannot be repaired."
Saying this, Viktor pointed to the magnetic field generator on the side of the barrel.
"Like these things, with their artificially designed magnetic field layouts, even if a corner is bumped, it will cause magnetic field disorder."
"Looks like it's a delicate little girl, Arthur. You'll have to take good care of her."
Jackie said with a laugh, his gaze indeed like he was looking at a little girl, staring intently without end.
"Little girl? It can shoot through three Scorpion tanks stacked together. You call it a little girl?"
Viktor was amused by Jackie's remark and added,
"Oh, and there are quite a few types of bullets compatible with this weapon: tungsten spikes, APDS (Armor-Piercing Discarding Sabot). These are common firearm ammunitions, you can buy them at any gun store.
But it also has two specialized ammunitions, designed specifically for the Katana by Tsunami Defense Systems—
Multi-stage acceleration bullets. With these bullets, the Katana can hit targets from nine to fifteen kilometers away.
There's also a miniature firearm missile called 'Katana Eye.' That thing can track, but it only works effectively at long distances."
Introducing the basic information about the gun, Viktor tossed a data chip to Arthur.
"Take a good look at the stuff in here. The Katana is quite difficult to use."
Shrugging, Arthur also examined the black sniper rifle and took the chip Viktor tossed him.
"No rush to learn. To be honest, there won't be many opportunities to use this gun."
It was too big, and too demanding to handle. Fortunately, its power made its drawbacks worth accommodating.
After seeing the gun, Arthur and Viktor discussed matters concerning Biotechnica.
Although the chip brought back from the Tyger Claws didn't directly specify the experiment location, based on some material transport routes within it, Arthur and Jackie were able to deduce a lot.
The three test tubes were obtained from a Maelstrom stronghold called Diman Slaughterhouse. They were originally planned to be sent to the Badlands.
Here, we must mention one of Biotechnica's businesses—Chooh2 Wheat.
Chooh2 is one of Biotechnica's pillar industries, an artificial energy source used to replace today's gradually depleting oil resources.
In this industry, Biotechnica licensed an energy company called Petrochem. The latter handles all stages, including cultivation, and Biotechnica only collects high patent fees.
But Biotechnica clearly wouldn't entrust all Chooh2 cultivation and processing tasks to Petrochem. Under the guise of self-use, they established a Chooh2 farm in the Badlands, east of Night City.
According to the chip records, the results of those live experiments would all be sent there.
"It seems Biotechnica's Chooh2 farm isn't just for causing trouble for Petrochem."
After clarifying these clues, Jackie remarked with emotion.
It's important to know that while Chooh2 wheat was a product that changed the world, the technology behind it was not difficult to replicate. Biotechnica enjoyed only patent rights, not some technical barrier.
And when they signed the cooperation agreement with Petrochem back then, Biotechnica was not the global giant it is today. The profits they gained from that agreement were not very substantial.
So over the years, with Biotechnica's continuous development, they have long been dissatisfied with their share in Chooh2, and have secretly and openly tripped up their partners.
Their self-established Chooh2 farm was one such example. Covertly, fuel far below market value constantly flowed out from it, causing a considerable blow to Petrochem's monopolistic position.
"We're going to cause trouble for that farm? That sounds like a death wish."
Jackie's tone was strained, looking at Arthur with a questioning gaze.
"Of course not. That Chooh2 farm is already heavily guarded; even an energy giant like Petrochem can't do anything about them. Why would we go commit suicide?"
Arthur's finger pointed at the slaughterhouse and the other strongholds that transported people for it, saying,
"To cause trouble for them, there's something I can't hide: I have a selfish motive in this matter.
It seems some kind of experiment was also performed on my body. Viktor's advice not to accept intensive neural cyberware implants for now is also for this reason.
Troubling those guys also serves the purpose of investigating my own situation.
Well, do you still want to take this risk with me?"
After hearing Arthur's words, Jackie looked at him with an annoyed expression.
"Somos hermanos (We are brothers)! If you're in trouble, I have even more reason to go!"
With a hand on the other's shoulder, Arthur said nothing, nor did he need to.
The two discussed the specific plan.
That large slaughterhouse should be an external core of the entire experimental process, and its defensive strength would certainly not be weak.
They planned to first raid a stronghold, and using its route for transporting live subjects to the slaughterhouse, try to sneak in directly.
The goal this time was to find data and eliminate all the beasts involved in the experiments.
The two had considered using media exposure, but a series of failed examples made them abandon the idea.
Look at what happened to the girl named Sasha a year ago—
She was labeled a terrorist, her background was dug up completely, and everything related to her met with a bad end.
As for the evidence she collected with her life, about the side effects of Biotechnica's latest drugs, who cared?
There are only a few pharmaceutical companies. If you don't take their drugs, you'll just wait to die.
The media and corporations are in cahoots; no, they are one and the same. Ordinary people can't make any waves at all.