"That's basically it. I've put the basic gear in the weapon bag. When the time comes, you'll just need to grab one. All you need to do is pick out suitable weapons and then each carry an individual survival pack."
Mercer said as he picked up a survival pack and handed it to V. V opened it and took a glance. Inside were only three days' worth of survival supplies, including water and food stored in compression devices.
"We're just taking an oxygen backpack?" V frowned.
Mercer nodded and then said, "This thing automatically replenishes oxygen in environments with oxygen. Moon Base also has cars with built-in oxygen devices that can travel long distances... Much more durable than you think.
The armor itself comes with emergency oxygen storage that can last for ten minutes, and during our operations on the Moon, most environments aren't in space or on the lunar surface, but inside facilities. This is just in case."
Mercer emphasized again, "If all goes well, we won't even need to open the oxygen backpack until we're back on Earth."
"Alright..." V looked around, and finally, she really didn't know what to take—she didn't know how different the space environment was from the Earth environment...
She had never read any science books, and never in her life did she think she could become a space warrior...
Lark, on the other hand, calmed down instead. He looked at the virus program chip Mercer had shown him, but hadn't directly given to him, and said thoughtfully, "Is this a new virus you developed yourself?"
"Yes." Mercer didn't explain much, but warned her by looking at her: "Stay away from it. It's dangerous. Far more dangerous than the Black Wall or even the Rabies virus."
"...That absurd?" Lark was a bit incredulous, but she knew Mercer's skill level well. Though this guy was occasionally narcissistic, he absolutely wouldn't brag.
"Why else would I have confidence to take on Lilith?"
Mercer smiled slightly and then checked the time.
"Once you've picked, just unload all the gear. I need to think of a way to get them to the airport right now... We can't get through security with them, and the VIP channel on Orbital Aviation won't work either."
Mercer paused and then said, "Make sure to rest now. We'll depart at seven-thirty, arrive there early, and prepare for boarding."
"Wait, you haven't told us how we're coming back!" Lark quickly asked.
"You'll know when we get there." Mercer didn't disclose his return plan.
Lark looked at V, but V seemed completely unworried, only resting her hands on her hips and sighing: "Alright, go say goodbye to them... You didn't even tell Rebecca beforehand? You're really heartless."
Mercer shrugged: "If I told her in advance, she'd never let me off... It's better to apologize properly after I come back."
He could imagine if he told Rebecca his plans in advance, she'd go crazy—as is her character, rushing onto the rocket wanting to go with him, isn't something she couldn't do.
Mercer and V set the meeting time and place with Lark, then had the Robot start secretly transporting the gear to the airport.
Meanwhile, barely leaving the underground base of the stadium, Mercer saw Rebecca in armor, looking unfriendly, arms crossed in front of her.
As for Lucy—no one knew where she went.
Mercer didn't speak; he just met her gaze openly.
Well, what must come, after all, must come.
Thus, he decided to confess proactively.
"Nine fifty PM flight."
"...To where!?"
"Moon."
"...Departure time?"
"In... two hours."
Silence.
The two stared at each other until Rebecca, with red-rimmed eyes, approached him and swung a fierce punch.
Yet the punch that was thrown with all her might fell soft and powerless on Mercer's body.
"If you dare not come back, I'll go to the Moon to find you myself! You know I mean it!"
She glared at Mercer viciously.
"You probably won't get that chance because I'm definitely coming back."
Mercer held her hand, smiled, and made a promise.
"You better not be talking big!"
She tried to look angry, but what came was only tears: "If you dare to play missing like my dad, you're dead! You hear me!"
"Heard."
"When you come back, I don't care how many messes you have, you must make up for all our past dates, understand!"
"Fine, Night City, or even further, wherever you want to go, I'll go with you."
"You..."
She tightly hugged Mercer, and in the end, could only rest on his shoulder and sob.
Until the crying subsided, Rebecca finally lifted her head, vigorously wiped her face, and firmly put her helmet on.
"Miles wants to see you, and the Netherworld Dog says a lot of Military Science agents are gathering outside Dog Town..."