Whoosh.
With a sharp sound cutting through the air, the flying blades that had been circling V instantly gathered in front of her, then streaked forward at a speed the eye could barely follow, slicing through the bodies of several Scavenger leaders.
Thud.
As the bodies hit the ground, those men were left as little more than halves.
Whoosh.
The blades immediately returned to V's back.
"PROJECT dogs? Tsk… how ugly."
V walked up to the barely breathing Scavenger leaders, crouched down, and looked at them with clear pity before shaking her head.
Clink.
With a crisp sound, the blades behind her finished them off completely. After that, she stepped into their room, scanned the area, collected items like ledgers, and left.
Whoosh.
"Captain, it's done."
A female team member appeared in front of V in an instant and reported.
"That fast?"
"They were just a bunch of weak Scavengers. Didn't take long."
"Fair enough."
V nodded.
"Alright, let's head back and report. This was our first mission, so finishing it cleanly is a good start."
"Hehe, Captain, do you think we'll get a bonus?"
"How would I know? But probably. Everyone before us got one, so there's no reason we wouldn't."
"Sounds right."
As they spoke, the team regrouped and headed outside. There were barely any signs of blood or injuries on them, as if they had not fought at all.
That was only natural. These were elite operatives personally selected by Roland, enhanced with PROJECT cyberware and an upgraded version of Sandevistan.
As for that upgraded version, it was developed by Mudor. He had taken an interest in this world's cyberware, studied it thoroughly, and even dismantled it down to its core.
Rumor had it this gave him new ideas. The Sandevistan now used by PROJECT forces not only had fewer side effects but also came with powerful heat dissipation.
In a way, it lowered the barrier for using Sandevistan. If it were released to the public, it would likely shake up the entire market.
As for cleanup, that was not V's team's responsibility. It would either be handled by PROJECT's logistics team or handed over to the NCPD.
"Damn, Captain, you guys were fast."
Grant had a cigarette in his mouth as he raised an eyebrow at V and the others.
David stared at them in shock, noticing there was almost no sign they had been in a fight.
"They're really that strong…"
He muttered. Even with his virtual training, he had never fully grasped how strong a PROJECT squad member was until now.
"Bring the kid. We're leaving. Regroup."
"Roger."
Grant made a quick gesture near his forehead, flicked his cigarette to the ground, crushed it under his foot, and put his helmet back on. Then he grabbed David and pulled him along.
Soon, everyone boarded the armed AV. Not long after, the NCPD finally arrived.
Several police cars pulled up outside the building. Watching the PROJECT AV disappear into the distance, the officers exchanged helpless looks.
"Alright, let's get to work."
"Another cleanup job… We're basically PROJECT's janitors at this point…"
"Come on, it's not that bad. At least they actually pay, and with them handling things, we don't have to risk our lives."
"That's true, but…"
"If PROJECT wasn't here today, would you have shown up if Edgerunners and Scavengers were fighting here?"
The officer had no answer. He adjusted his cap and walked inside.
The other officer shook his head. It might not feel great, but getting paid without risking your life was not a bad deal, especially at his age.
If it came down to a real firefight, he would not play the hero unless he had no choice. He was past that stage.
What worried him more was whether the government might one day decide officers like them were no longer necessary and start cutting positions.
"Whatever. One step at a time… Worst case, I'll try applying to PROJECT as logistics staff…"
...
Buzz.
The PROJECT AV slowly landed inside one of their public-facing facilities.
The moment the hatch opened, David immediately saw Gloria standing nearby, her face cold.
A chill ran down his spine.
Grant gave him a push from behind.
"Alright, kid, you're safe now. Go back to your mom. We've got other business."
With that, Grant signaled to close the hatch. They still had to head to PROJECT's headquarters in the city center. This stop was just to deliver David.
This was also where Gloria worked.
"David!"
"Mom…"
At her sharp voice, David lowered his head and walked over.
"Thank God… you're okay… you're okay…"
Gloria pulled him into a tight hug and finally let out a long breath.
"Mom… I'm sorry…"
David looked guilty.
"This can't happen again. Do you understand?"
Gloria held his shoulders and looked straight into his eyes.
"Yeah."
David nodded, but his thoughts drifted back to V and the others. He could not help but feel drawn to the power of their cyberware.
"Good work, V."
"Thanks, Boss. What's next?"
V smiled and asked.
"There is something. I need your squad and Sasha's squad to carry out a mission in a region of the New United States."
"What's the objective?"
"Assist our people there in establishing a base. It has to be done quietly, so you'll need to tone down your Justice fighting style and change your appearance."
"Understood."
V nodded.
"When you get back, you'll be promoted."
"Roger!"
At the mention of a promotion, V's eyes lit up instantly, her motivation surging.
...
(Full Series is already available on P@treon)
[email protected] / GhostParser