Chapter 84

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No one could have imagined that the Arasaka Special Task Force would be decimated in an instant, with most members dead or wounded.

It was the speed that pushed the limits, the terrifying burst of power.

"Sandevistan?!"

Tanaka, observing the scene from the armored car, was almost certain that the ability used by the other party was the quick response from Sandevistan.

On the electronic screen, the viewpoint was also on the ground, motionless.

Tanaka realized that the situation was dire. The opponent's strength was formidable, and it subconsciously reminded him of the cyberpsycho James who slaughtered NCPD officers at the company plaza.

"Could it be, that cyberware?"

Inside the bar.

Rebecca forcefully kicked off the sofa pinning her down, her face half-covered with dust and soot.

Despite her injuries, she quickly got up to look for Pilar and her teammates.

Finally, Rebecca saw Pilar's golden cybernetic hand and leap over to drag him out of the rubble.

"Cough, cough, cough..."

Pilar coughed dryly, fortunately, he had laid down in time and was not seriously injured.

Dorio and Kiwi were also safe, having avoided the blast by lying close to the wall corner, yet they looked in severe pain.

Rebecca turned with a fierce glare towards Maine, who stood like the Grim Reaper, and cursed, "Maine! What the hell are you trying to do?! Do you want to get us all killed?"

Upon hearing Rebecca's yelling, Maine turned his head in a daze and managed to force a strained smile at her.

Whether it was the effect of the last injection, Rebecca's angry shout, or Dorio's blood and tears, a moment of clarity surged through Maine's chaotic mind.

"It's Rebecca!"

"Are you alright?"

Maine's iconic long side sunglasses were nowhere to be found after the explosion, and his eyes showed an unusual calmness and clarity.

Rebecca, unsure why Maine's mental state was fluctuating, and given the urgency of the situation, pleaded, "Maine, we have to evacuate now!"

As if he was standing in an open, barren field, Maine spoke to Rebecca.

"It's okay, you take them and go."

"I don't want to run anymore; death has already arrived."

Rebecca was nearly driven mad by Maine's words and shouted in frustration, "What are you talking about?! Stop with the nonsense! Let's get the hell out of here!"

At that moment.

A sharp warning sounded from outside the bar.

"The psycho squad is executing a special task, please evacuate the area immediately!"

Then streams of red light beams shone into the bar, illuminating Maine's grim smile.

Maine turned and walked calmly towards the bar entrance into the red light.

His lonely figure faded gradually until completely swallowed by the rolling dust...

Meanwhile, at the Ripperdoc clinic.

Tang Yu closely monitored Maine's physical and mental changes while envisioning scenes from Maine's simulated life experiences.

Vik sat on a stool, checking Maine's vitals and preparing for the final surgery.

Tang Yu had asked Vik to wait a moment without specifying why, allowing Maine to slip into some strange slumber.

Tang Yu asked Vik seriously, "How close is Maine to cyberpsychosis?"

Vik sighed slightly, "Just a few steps away. Installing this darn thing will only exacerbate the symptoms."

"You know, not all cyberware leads to cyberpsychosis, but for the low-life cyberpunks, it's nearly an irreversible process."

Tang Yu nodded in agreement with V's statement, acknowledging Maine as a classic example.

Vik tapped the screen and flipped through a couple of pages.

"To obtain sufficiently sensitive neural feedback, most of Maine's combat implants are deeply linked to the neural synapses."

"The cybermetal erosion is almost unavoidable for him. To get rid of it completely, he would have to remove most of his heavy cyberware."

"Of course, if he had the financial means, he could get a set of custom-made, advanced cyberware and regular medication to suppress rejection reactions, which would be much better than now," Vik continued.

Tang Yu, looking at Maine lying on the operating table, spoke with a hint of helplessness.

"In this era of cyberware proliferation, that's an unlikely option for Maine."

"Even though he's made some money from mercenary work, it's still hard for him to keep up with the company's newly developed full set of advanced cyberware."

"Even if he could afford it, it doesn't necessarily mean he could sustain it."

Vik agreed and added, "Maine also has a lot of low-quality implants from early on, which have caused heavy metal poisoning, limb pain, vomiting, tremors, migraines, fever, and thirst. These are early symptoms of cyberpsychosis."

"As the erosion gets worse, he could potentially experience hallucinations, memory loss, hysteria, and more."

"Over time, a worsening of these symptoms will blur the line between illusions and reality for him, making him extremely dangerous."

"But ultimately, these are his choices. Even if we see them, we can't change or prevent anything."

"As a Ripperdoc, I've seen too many mercenaries who gamble with their bodies to become stronger in exchange for money and dreams."

Tang Yu hoped silently: Hopefully, after this big dream, Maine will realize something.

Shortly after, Maine slowly woke from the vivid experience of his simulated life, groaning from the distressing pain.

"Hiss..."

He opened his eyes to find that the bar scene had vanished entirely, replaced by the clinic.

Struggling to sit up, Maine looked around. Standing not far away were Tang Yu and Vik sitting on a nearby stool.

The pain was intense, his body still trapped in the aftermath of a real hysteria attack, lingering in his brain for a long time, unable to fade.

Maine was almost unable to discern whether his recent experience or the present was real.

If it was all a dream, it was too vivid to be true!

Vik asked with concern, "Maine, how are you feeling?"

After a while, Maine slowly gained clarity.

"I'm fine, just felt like I fell asleep for a moment and had a special dream. I can't quite put it into words, but it's nothing serious."

Tang Yu fully understood the extent of Maine's simulated life experience and thus was clear about his perplexity but couldn't provide an answer.

In the conclusion of the life simulation.

In the final moments, Maine faced the psycho squad alone to buy time for his teammates to escape. He activated the military-grade Sandevistan ability repeatedly, engaging in a fierce battle with the psycho squad. Amidst the heavy encirclement, he managed to kill Tanaka, who was hiding in the armored car.

However, succumbing to the overwhelming brute force of the psycho squad, he fell in the bullet storm and reached the end of his simulated life.

Clearly.

This outcome was not particularly wonderful for Maine; it was even profoundly sad.

Tang Yu felt that this life simulation held significant meaning for Maine.

It was enough to make him see the thorns on the road ahead. What choice will Maine make now? Will he continue to implant that ominous piece of cyberware? Tang Yu waited silently for Maine's decision.

Maine sat on the operating table with a somewhat dazed expression.

In his mind, the vivid dreams played on a loop.

The celebration at the bar, his trembling left hand, Dorio's concern, the Arasaka corporation bomb, the heavy firepower of the anti-terror squad, and so on.

The memories were vivid, as if they had just happened.

Maine stared intently at his left palm and flexed his fingers slightly.

There was no hindrance in the movement of his fingers, nor any tremors—it was as if a weight had been lifted from his heart.

Maine let out a deep breath and felt somewhat relieved.

"It seems it was indeed a dream, a dream so real."

Then, he raised his head to look at the table beside him where military-grade Sandevistan lay.

Maine's gaze was complex, filled with mixed emotions.

It seemed that the root of all tragic endings was somehow connected to it.

The cyberpsycho James was like that, and in that dream, Maine was too.

The only difference was that he now had a choice.

Seeing Maine in such a state, Vik spoke in a low voice, trying to persuade him.

"Maine, how about we postpone the implant surgery for a couple of days? You go back and think it over, then make a decision when you're ready."

In response to Vik's kind gesture, Maine gave him a confident smile, firm and decisive in his tone.

"I know my physical condition very well; there's absolutely no problem."

"Install this military-grade Sandevistan on me."

Speaking these words, Tang Yu was slightly surprised.

Even though he had anticipated that Maine might ultimately choose to undergo cyberware implants, he did not expect Maine to be so resolute and unwavering.

Tang Yu's regard for Maine's perspective deepened.

Here stood a true iron man.

Knowing the risks, he was still willing to move forward.

As for why Maine was adamant about installing the military-grade cyberware, the answer was clear.

To become stronger.

To survive in this dog-eat-dog world.

To create a way out when the team is in crisis.

What Maine was striving for all along must've already been clear to him.

Vik glanced at Tang Yu, seeking his opinion.

Tang Yu nodded slightly, accepting Maine's request, though his gaze revealed complexity.

If this course continued without strong external interference, Maine was very likely to start down a path of no return, slipping into uncontrollable madness.

Tang Yu could only wait and see.

He did not wish to see someone like Maine end up like a cyberpsycho.

From any perspective, Maine was a tough guy who had gotten by pretty well in life.

With a decent paying job, Dorio by his side, a compatible mercenary team, and friends to share drinks with at midnight.

Probably, it was these blessings that made it impossible for Maine to take a step back.

He was the leader; he had responsibilities.

As for the life simulations for Maine, the options had turned gray, indicating a need to wait for the next opportunity in life.

And when that next chance might come, well, that was up to Maine's fate.

The surgery continued.

As instructed by V, Maine lay back down on the operating table and fitted the breathing mask over his face.

Vik operated the equipment and began the anesthesia process.

A white mist gradually covered the mask on Maine's face, and as he breathed, the anesthetic drug slowly entered his lungs and was transported into his brain.

Maine suddenly felt an unprecedented drowsiness and comfort, eventually closing his heavy eyelids and drifting off to sleep—this time, without the realistic dreams.

Vik started the installation process, and robotic arms began working on Maine's back.

As the cyberware pieces were disassembled, the integration of flesh and machinery was fully exposed under the light.

Metallic tubes linked into his torso, seeming to float with each breath.

Green electronic components with traces of flesh clung tightly to his skin.

Quickly, the military-grade Sandevistan was implanted into Maine's spinal column by the robotic arms.

The hard shell firmly embedded onto the spinal column resembled the raised back of a monstrous machine.

A chip interface at the back of the head opened, and the neural operating system chip was carefully inserted.

The last step was complete.

Beep...

The military-grade Sandevistan began to flicker with blue light, illuminating each mechanical vertebra until the brain chip was activated.

The installation of the entire cyberware was now complete.

Meanwhile, Tang Yu had finished the life simulation for Maine, and his life points and abilities had emerged.

While Maine was under anesthesia and Vik was busy with the surgery, Tang Yu called up the system panel and examined it carefully.

[Life Points: 3]

[Fusion Ability 1: Indomitable (Rare)]

[Fusion Ability 2: Bullet Time (Common)]

"Two life points gained."

"And a new ability, 'Bullet Time'."

'Bullet Time' particularly caught Tang Yu's attention, this ability likely stemmed from the military-grade Sandevistan that Maine was using.

He chose to examine the details of 'Bullet Time.'

"Suddenly activating the full potential of every muscle, nerve, and even every cell in the body, greatly enhancing perception, burst power, and reaction speed."

"Perception appears to slow down, entering a special time state called 'Bullet Time.'"

"Upon entering 'Bullet Time,' the body's functions go into overdrive, experiencing speed, strength, and velocity like never before."

"Afterwards, depending on the intensity and frequency of use, different degrees of weakness, fatigue, injury, nausea may occur, and serious misuse can cause severe trauma to bodily functions—use must be moderated."

"'Bullet Time' at the common level reduces time perception to 50%."

Tang Yu felt somewhat resigned.

This 'Bullet Time' was somewhat reminiscent of a sage mode.

"Currently, at the common level, it's equivalent to being twice as fast as others—its power isn't strong, but it has significant room for improvement."

"Moreover, the aftermath is severe, but when used in conjunction with the talent 'Indomitable,' it complements well."

"In theory, as long as the recovery is fast enough, 'Bullet Time' can be continuously activated."

Tang Yu was very satisfied with the new 'Bullet Time' talent simulated.

The next time an unexpected situation arose, he would be much more confident in handling it.

However, this ability was beyond the capabilities of normal people and should not be exposed to others' prying eyes lest it attracts unwanted attention.

Careful discretion was always wise.

Tang Yu put away the attribute panel, waiting for Maine to awaken.

After this surgery, Maine would possess even greater strength.