Players Invade Cyberpunk

Seventy kilometers southeast of Big Sur.

Golden City

It was once a small town nestled in California's Salinas Valley, right next to the Salinas River, and alongside a national highway. It had a permanent population of around ten thousand and over twenty thousand acres of farmland.

But everything was destroyed during the Great Collapse in the United States seventy years ago.

People fled their homes for survival, the fields were abandoned, and houses damaged. When the Great Network Collapse happened, an unmanned train derailed nearby, releasing a large amount of toxic chemicals that spread unchecked, eventually polluting all arable land and drying up the Salinas River.

Yet, what should have been an uninhabited zone, Golden City, has been unusually lively recently.

The flag of the Chaotic Blade Association flies atop the abandoned bank in Golden City, with members racing in and out of the city, patrolling wildly.

The buildings in the city have been tidied up and complemented with rows of tents, serving as their temporary base. At a glance, there are thousands of men, including old-fashioned armored vehicles and some heavy weapons.

Logically, this area is not within the activity territory of the Chaotic Blade Association, and such a massive force is just over a hundred kilometers from Night City, generally avoiding misunderstandings is the norm.

But things are different now.

The Night Wanderer underlings of the Chaotic Blade Association were almost kicked out of the suburbs of Night City by a group of newcomers, forced to huddle in an abandoned factory, and their original smuggling route was cut off.

They reinforced several times to reclaim their territory, with results no different from the Night Wanderers before.

It's not that our army isn't strong enough, it's just that the enemy is unreasonable.

This crazy group is so incredibly brave, their skill and equipment has increased exponentially compared to their previous clashes with the Night Wanderers. Waiting longer might even cost them the abandoned factory.

In the abandoned bank's hall, a voluptuous adult female sat in the center, her long legs brazenly resting on the sand table, gulping down wine from a bottle, her dark red cybernetic eyes never leaving the Huang Ban Corporation dog across the table.

"Big Sur? A water source? What kind of tricks are you corporate bastards playing now, wanting us to die for you? Not a chance!"

Among the various nomadic tribes, the Chaotic Blade Association was the most chaotic. The average tenure for each leader doesn't exceed eight years, and none step down alive.

After all, they are criminals ousted for not following other tribes' rules, and whoever's fists are bigger, they are in charge.

Surrounded by the Chaotic Blade Association, Valerie had only two Huang Ban agents with her, appearing outmatched. Yet, there wasn't a hint of panic on her face, instead, she looked fearlessly at the person in front of her.

"Olivia, even if we don't come, would you just leave here?"

"That's our business, none of Huang Ban Corporation's concern."

The Chaotic Blade Association officer called Olivia bared a mouth full of sharp teeth, crimson wine dribbling from the corners of her mouth, adding a bloody wildness to her otherwise attractive older sister-like appearance.

"Anyone who dares intervene will be killed, even if you're from Huang Ban."

"Exactly!"

"Kill her! Let me taste if corporate dog meat is better than a Wanderer's!"

"I want a piece of her leg! Hahaha!"

The Chaotic Blade Association members, at the officer's cue, burst into raucous laughter. Roaming the wilderness year-round, they are not bound by city rules, and cannibalism is almost routine, like a horde of demons.

Some even started edging toward Valerie from behind, poised to act, but Valerie shoved a handgun into the mouth of the nearest Chaotic Blade Association member faster than anyone could see.

"Kill me, and you'll gain nothing, and you won't beat Horizon Corporation's mercenaries, even you might die here."

Bang!

The head of the Chaotic Blade Association member exploded, scattering brain matter everywhere.

Olivia didn't even glance at the dead subordinate but leapt from her chair onto the table, face-to-face with Valerie.

"Are you threatening me?"

Valerie: "Whether it's a threat or not, you know better. I don't believe you're ignorant of what's happening in Night City."

"Heh..."

Olivia was indeed aware of the city's incidents, where Huang Ban suffered huge losses at the hands of these mercenaries, their strength already beyond the Chaotic Blade Association's estimation.

Otherwise, she would've led her subordinates to crush these guys long ago. Why wait until now?

She took a step back, sitting cross-legged on the sand table, looking down at Valerie.

"What does Huang Ban want? Their lives?"

"Their technical data, equipment, and one person."

"What do you offer in exchange?"

Valerie took out a chip and tossed it to her.

"Everything's in there. Once it's over, it's all yours."

Olivia inserted the chip, and after reading the data, a hint of shock appeared in her eyes as she looked at Valerie.

"Are you guys crazy? So much money?"

Valerie replied calmly, "Fail-safe."

"Hehehe... Hahaha... Hahahahaha..."

As if hearing a joke, Olivia stared straight at Valerie, her laughter growing manic before suddenly coldly stopping.

"You filthy corporate dogs... never do a loss-making deal, think old lady's a fool? Add more money."