V nodded and then glanced at the camera. When the camera nodded back, V knew she had found the right person.
"Don't worry about who I am just yet. I'm here to rescue you... According to my boss, you're the type we save when we can, and you happen to be quite wealthy, so we won't be at a loss."
As V spoke, Rebecca walked over, untied the ropes on him, and seeing the cuffs still on his wrists, she crushed them with her hands.
Night Shadow Hero instinctively thanked her, then asked confusedly, "So, you guys don't actually know me, you just know of my Night Shadow Hero identity and came to rescue me? How did you know I was captured..."
A voice interrupted Night Shadow Hero.
"Bruce Will, senior project manager at Ye Corporation... Let's see, indeed, your dad and mom were in charge of Night City's light rail project, owning their own construction and finance companies when alive.
But at the age of twelve, your parents died during a robbery-murder, and you, due to sheer luck, survived the crime scene.
Then you sold their companies, went to college, and joined a corporation, working there to this day... A very standard file of a social elite."
Mercer's voice alerted Bruce, who turned his head to see a man about 1.76 meters tall stepping out of the shadows.
It must be said, the scanning program hacked from NCPD is really useful, with detailed records in their database for lawful citizens like Bruce.
"I'm A, don't worry about how I know it, just say you were lucky to run into me."
After Mercer finished, he paused and said, "This trip is specifically to save you, no conspiracy as you imagine, simply because I want to, so I did.
As your rescuer, I think I should get some reward, like that Sword in the Stone of yours, which I quite like, so not free labor."
Hearing Mercer say this, Bruce actually felt relieved—having something of interest is good.
He quickly regained his composure, glancing at Royce, who lay on the ground, moaning low, holding his head without dying:
"Alright, regarding payment, we'll discuss it once I'm safe, I definitely won't shortchange my saviors, but, what do you plan to do with this Royce?"
After he said this, Mercer laughed: "Check if there's any valuable information in his brain, kill him if not, why, do you want to handle it?"
"No, I don't casually kill people." Bruce decisively shook his head to refuse.
Oh, you also have a no-kill principle? Mercer tilted his head looking at him.
"Are you serious? Another second and they could've blown your head off!" V looked at Bruce incredulously.
Bruce, with a pig-headed face, replied solemnly:
"I never kill defenseless enemies... I prefer capturing him and handing over to NCPD."
V snorted coldly: "Come on, NCPD is useless! Night City's law is crap, someone like Royce enters prison, and he'll be released in no time."
"Then I'll throw him back in when that time comes!" Bruce insisted.
And Mercer grew more intrigued, thinking this guy genuinely seemed more like Batman.
But then Mercer suddenly grew alert—was this really just a... usual game Easter egg?
In a place like Night City, could someone like Bruce really exist?
At this moment, Royce, who was nearly knocked out from hacking, finally regained consciousness, asking hoarsely, "Who the hell are you all?"
"Watch your mouth!" Rebecca kicked him hard, unexpectedly with enough power to knock his face askew.
He glared furiously... well, the red prosthetic eye nearly covering half his face only showed flashing red light: "I admit defeat, name your price, give a brother a chance to buy his life.
You're not seriously planning to kill me just like that? Vortex Gang members aren't easy to kill! I'll exchange 500,000 Euros for my life—brothers, that's not a small number!"
Royce originally thought the two women in front might waver a bit, but didn't expect these street kid dressed girls didn't even spare him a glance.
V even gave a direct scoff.
Royce hurriedly added: "50,000 Euros each! As long as I can live!"
"Then you better pay up first." Mercer smiled at him.
"Of course can't pay now..." Royce hadn't finished when Mercer walked up and unplugged his personal chip from his head.
"A virtual wallet with just 10,000 Euros, and you dare open your mouth about 500,000, you think we're fools?"
Mercer transferred the money from the personal chip, coldly chuckled, and then transmitted a lie detector program into his head, then asked:
"What's your actual worth? 100,000 Euros? 200,000 Euros? 300... Damn, just 300,000 Euros? You're the actual number two in Vortex Gang!"
Royce was shocked: "What the hell did you transmit into my brain!"
"Looks like you're beyond saving." Mercer regretfully looked at V, and V cooperated by pointing the pistol at his head.
Royce immediately said: "I just don't have that much in the bank! Us in the gangs, who stashes such an amount in banks?
Here's the deal, bros, I recently bought a rare item, let me go and I'll give you that, it's worth close to a million Euros, definitely a rarity!"