"Yes!" A somewhat muffled voice came to his ear.
In this wilderness, the external network signal becomes very unstable because in today's Cyber World, there is no longer a public network that connects the entire world.
What exists are city networks set up by each city and various intranets built by companies themselves.
On this continent, Internet Supervision and New America are trying their best to restore a new network that can once again cover the entire North American Continent, but the difficulty is imaginable.
On one hand, everyone is afraid of the old network collapsing again, being killed by AI along the network lines, and on the other hand, it involves the interests of companies like 'Pyramid Network'.
So in this godforsaken wilderness, wanting to connect to the internet is down to luck, sometimes you can get lucky and connect to a public network from somewhere, sometimes you are left with only basic communication signals.
Moreover, since it is the end of the year 2071, only a year since the Unification War started by New America ended, many public communication devices destroyed in the war have yet to be repaired.
Mercer somewhat awkwardly controlled the Hovercar's descent, but ultimately managed to bring it down to the ground very smoothly. After opening the car door, he pushed the hatch aside, took a deep breath, and a strong scent of wilderness filled his lungs.
The sand and dust mixed with some scent probably from a coyote, hmm...that's the smell of freedom!
"Where is this?"
Kyoko, straining to place a cooler on the ground, curiously sized up her surroundings.
"In the wilds of Montana, next to an abandoned small town called 'Broken Stone Town'.
We get off the Hovercar here, then go into town to find the car I reserved. After that, we drive along the highway to Wyoming, then to Colorado.
These states are all members of the 'Free States Alliance', so there are no border posts, you can travel along the highways.
We won't enter any cities, just make pit stops at roadside towns and Peizhuo Petrochemical gas stations for supplies.
Afterward, we'll stock up enough supplies in Colorado, cross the Evil Land to Utah, and finally enter Nevada, where we can take the highway straight into Northern California.
Just by traveling along the highway, we can directly enter Night City."
Mercer stretched, the four hours of automated driving allowed him a decent rest, the ache in his head had subsided considerably.
The Relic Chip seemed to constantly emit some sort of magical bioelectric current, giving him the sensation of a gentle head massage, which was quite pleasant.
Arasaka certainly had something when they meddled with this fancy stuff.
"You've even reserved a car? But...do we have the money to buy it?" Kyoko was a bit surprised.
"Eh, does buying things need money? Haha, anyway, let's move stuff, I'll explain the details later."
"Alright... Is Montana considered New America's territory?"
Kyoko wasn't very aware because the metal war, the Unification War launched by New America against the Free States, was from 2069 to 2070.
During that time, everyone had long been sent into isolated underground facilities.
"Barely so."
As Mercer got off the Hovercar to help with the cargo, he also tossed the still unconscious Secretary Inoue to the side, saying:
"Everyone knows that the main purpose of the Unification War was for New America, with support from military technology, to try to reclaim all the Independent States.
And although the Free States Alliance formed by Independent States had Arasaka's secret support, they eventually lost.
But, from the Free States' perspective, although they signed the 'Unification Treaty' with New America, each state still retains autonomy.
And eventually, New America was so intimidated by Arasaka's aircraft carrier in Night City that they ended the war, so those politicians had the gall to claim they won the war and are still 'free'.
So, if you ask New Americans if this place is New America, those folks will surely say 'of course it is.'
But if you ask the people in these states the same question, they'll say 'screw your New America, we're independent Montanans.'
Mercer's words made Kyoko suddenly realize and she said: "So this place might as well be considered Arasaka's territory?"
"That's not wrong, Arasaka's influence here far exceeds Military Science.
However, since Arasaka didn't dare to directly participate this time, only providing weapons and equipment, after losing the war, Military Science's influence in these Independent States has already grown significantly."
Mercer summarized, finally finishing loading all the luggage, then called over Tetsuya Daichi for help: "Come, lend a hand, throw this guy into the driver's cabin."
Tetsuya Daichi came over, with a grunt picked up Secretary Inoue by himself, Mercer blinked, and ended up simply helping to support Secretary Inoue's legs, stuffing him into the driver's cabin.
Afterwards, Mercer lay over the driver's cabin, pulled out the data cable from Secretary Inoue's hand, tossed an empty Relic chip cooler box near his hand.
Then he connected his data cable into the car's system, brushed the program, changed the car's authorization to himself, while deleting the previous usage records.
Finally, after setting up an automated driving program, Mercer used his own Network Access Vault to give Secretary Inoue a hard one last time.
Ensuring he would not wake up before the car reached its destination, he then started programming immediately.
Connecting his bio-monitoring cyber body to the car's system, he then wrote a Synaptic Fusion program into the car system.
As long as his brainwave shows abnormality, that is waking up, then using the connection cable in his body directly linked to the car system, he would be synaptically fused by the car system, directly frying his brain.
Mercer then wrote an auto-delete program, ensuring that when the car system is inspected afterward, no information about him could be traced, only then did he finally breathe a sigh of relief, climbed out from the driver's cabin, and shut the door firmly.
"Alright, our Secretary Inoue, I mean, an FIA (New America's Intelligence Bureau) agent from New America, will directly head towards New America and Military Science's territory, dying halfway in the car.
When someone discovers the car landed in the wilderness and Agent Inoue's brain is fried by hackers, everything inside gone without a trace...
Hey, just let them investigate on their own. If they're a bit lucky, maybe some Wanderers or the Chaotic Blade Association will discover it first and take apart the car. By then, the clues will be even more scattered."
Mercer watched with satisfaction as the hovercar automatically lifted off, took flight, and sped off into the distance at full throttle.
"And us? We're just a bunch of small-time hackers slipping away in the chaos. Sure, some might suspect us...
But who would believe a group of small-time hackers could single-handedly handle server security, kill so many agents, and blatantly steal a hovercar and escape without a hint of information leaking out?"
Mercer finished moving the stuff, wiped his sweat, and then sat with a smile on a cold storage box containing his prosthetic body.
He glanced at the power indicator on the cold storage box—it was fine. It could last another week, and he'd just need to find a place to recharge, which would then last half a month.
"What's next?"
Lucy held her Kenshin pistol, walked to the top of the small hill, lay down, and cautiously observed the distant small town as she questioned Mercer.
"What's the first step when stepping into the wild? Of course, get a sturdy and durable car, along with ample supplies.
The stuff is in the town. This is the territory of a small head of the Chaotic Blade Association. They usually go to other highways to rob and then bring the loot here before selling it off in the city.
I looked around from the hovercar just now; it seemed like there was no one inside temporarily, but we still have to be cautious just in case."
Mercer also took out his custom pistol and gestured, skillfully aiming, unlocking the safety, and loading it.
Although the 'Mercer' in his memory had undergone basic shooting training, this was his first time handling a real gun.
He eagerly pressed the charge button, and with a soft buzz, two tungsten-tipped bullets were electromagnetically fired, kicking up a wave of dust in the distance.
"Wow~"
He let out a small exclamation, then smiled and said:
"Check all your weapons and gear. I'm going to see if there's anyone in the town.
If there are people, they've probably already noticed our hovercar parked for a moment behind the hill."
"So..." The expressions of the few kids turned tense again.
"Mm-hmm~ In the wild, in this Cyber World, it's a classic to taste the rule of the jungle where it's dog-eat-dog!"
Mercer laughed heartily, grabbed two hand grenades, and stuffed them into the back of his waist, then said casually:
"When the shooting starts, be careful. After all, we're all students from Arasaka Academy who passed the training chip exams. Don't lose points against a few bandits."
"Let's connect our network. If you see any enemies, light them up in your prosthetic eyes."
Kyoko raised her hand and suggested, "I brought a laptop; let's see if I can find the town's network signal."
"Good idea."
Mercer praised her: "With me here, don't worry about hackers from the other side entering our subnetwork. One hack and it's all dark."
"What if we see people?" Leon nervously picked up his rifle and, like Lucy, stood at the edge of the hill, observing the nearby small town.
"Don't worry, each one of the Chaotic Blade Association here can be counted on to be a target without mistake."
Mercer's tone was calm. He stood up and walked to the edge of the hill.
In their view, the dilapidated small town remained calm.
After observing for a while, Kyoko's voice rang out.
"I didn't find any network signal, just some fixed device signals. I guess there's probably no one."
"Then we'll sneak over to check it out. Be careful, spread out the formation. Kyoko, you stay at the high point to observe, and keep an eye on my precious prosthetic. Once we get the car, we'll come to get you."
Mercer made a judgment.
"Got it! Please be extra careful!" Kyoko said worriedly.
Mercer raised his pistol, only carrying one magazine, stood straight on the top of the hill, and then in a single leap down the slope at about a forty-degree angle, he began to run freely.
Lucy hurriedly followed, using the connected subnet to send him a message.
[Lucy: What kind of stealth is that!]
[Mercer: If we take care of everyone who sees us, who says it's not stealth!]
[Leon: Damn, damn, damn! Wait for me!]
The four of them rushed down from the hillside straight toward the small town.
"Idiots!" Kyoko quickly widened her eyes, trying her best to scan the town with her prosthetic eye from above.
Just as Mercer had reached the back of the town's buildings, Kyoko suddenly looked up, gazing into the distance.
In the distance, dust suddenly began to rise—it was the sign of a convoy approaching!
[Kyoko: Quick! Take cover! Someone's coming!]
[Mercer: Received.]
[Mercer: Be ready! When I'm sure they're Chaotic Blade Association bastards... not one will be left!]