Chapter 112: The Ghost of Atonement

"It's going to snow."

She lifted her gaze to the night sky, now faintly reddened, and murmured to herself.

A pained howl shattered her thoughts, making her instinctively frown.

She stomped hard, and the fresh, crimson fluid gushed out in a frenzy, splattering the walls.

The marks looked like those left by a demon clawing its way out of hell.

She lowered her eyes, kicked the still-warm corpse carelessly into a dark corner at the alley's end, then turned and walked toward the entrance.

"Waa—waa—"

Faintly, she thought she heard a hoarse cry, like that of a crow.

But such creatures should have been extinct in Night City long ago.

"Rovina! There you are?" Before her appeared Melissa Rory's striking face, accompanied by a cheerful voice.

Rovina shook her head, pushing the so-called "crow" cry from her mind.

"Did you finish your side too?"

She put the cigarette she'd just reached for back in her pocket and asked, showing a hint of concern for Melissa.

"I'm no longer a rookie! This kind of thing is child's play." Melissa puffed out her chest confidently, like a rising star in the field.

"Wow…" Rovina murmured vaguely, nodding silently, then patted Melissa's slender shoulder a few times before continuing toward the alley's exit.

Melissa obediently followed, walking one behind the other as they left the deserted, forgotten alley.

"Rovina…"

Watching the heavier silhouette ahead, Melissa hesitated for a long while before calling out.

"What is it?"

"Let's… go get some late-night snacks after this…"

Seeing the fleeting flash of sharpness in the Captain's eyes as she turned back, Melissa shrank her head and swallowed her original words, changing course.

"It was just a minor emergency… never mind… I'll follow your lead. I'm hungry too." Rovina squinted, tilted her head, and gestured toward the Floating Car hovering in midair, waiting.

The brilliant beam of light piercing the sky pivoted and sped away swiftly.

"So cool, Rovina…" Melissa blurted out instinctively, then quickly clapped her hand over her mouth.

Rovina sighed, tapping the girl lightly on the forehead. "You know I'm just mindlessly copying Beros—why say that? You're asking for a smack."

"Oh…" Melissa mumbled, rubbing her head.

"Get ready for the next two days."

"Ready for what?"

"Recruitment prep. Our squad's down to two—we need to fill the ranks."

"So we have to wear formal clothes and do interviews? Can I skip the high heels…?"

As they crossed the street, Melissa unconsciously took Rovina's hand.

"I'm starting to wonder if your brain's frozen solid…" Rovina sighed deeply but didn't immediately pull her hand away. "Like how we recruited you—unconventional methods."

"Do we have to go out and capture them ourselves?" Melissa asked, worried.

Unlike the small-time rats they'd just dealt with, those fit to join the squad were usually powerful types.

"Of course. That's why I told you to get ready—don't get yourselves killed casually…" Rovina glanced at Melissa, then looked away. "But you generally don't need to worry… don't forget how you got in."

"When I got in…"

Melissa froze, lowering her gaze to her own arms.

"'Sunset' 2013 Mantis Blades, nearly full-coverage ballistic Skin-like Armor… if we hadn't arrived in time, you would've wiped out the entire NCPD squad."

Rovina continued, her gaze fixed on Melissa's pale, confused pupils.

"I can't remember much from back then…" Melissa scratched her head, looking troubled.

"Don't dwell on it… you're normal now. Just know you're not weak."

"So… does that count as part of the prep too?"

Melissa pressed on stubbornly.

She studied every expression on the red-haired woman's face, refusing to miss a single micro-change.

Rovina suddenly smiled—a cold, tooth-baring grin.

"You're officially part of MaxTac now, Melissa Rory," she said flatly. "Even if our little squad's down to just the two of us."

"So… you sent me away earlier… not to protect me?" Melissa frowned, her voice trembling.

"To HQ, all of us are just disposable lives…" Rovina turned her head, avoiding the clear gaze. "But to me, you're a little better than the rest."

"Ah…" Melissa lowered her head and gave her a light, apologetic hug. "Sorry, Rovina—I didn't mean it like that…"

"It just worked out the same. Don't overthink it…" Rovina patted her back once, then broke free of the embrace.

"So… can you tell me now what happened that night? What really happened to Beros and Bit?"

Watching Melissa unconsciously clutch her own arms, Rovina let out a heavy sigh.

"Beros went mad. Bit tried to save me—he was the first he killed."

"Save you?"

"I'd started suspecting Beros, but never thought he'd strike in that moment. Bit, though—he was always on guard."

"Captain… why?"

Melissa asked softly, watching Rovina's dazed expression.

"Madness is the final fate of every Hunter Squad member…" Rovina shook her head, choosing still to hide the truth. "It begins in madness, ends in madness—that's our destiny."

"…" Melissa fell silent. The blurred memories in her mind began to resurface.

Screams, wails, pleas… even as her arms' razor blades grew heavy with severed limbs and blood, she swung on, expressionless, again and again…

Even kinetic bullets must shatter into the finest powder upon striking her Skin-like Armor...

Then, even thick bulletproof armor must be severed clean in two by her blade...

Killing, madness, delight.

She was always a woman whose hands were stained with sin.

Finally, Melissa remembered everything.

She felt dazed, unconsciously looking into Rowena's eyes.

But she saw only the same sea of vengeful souls, crimson red.

"Don't be afraid, Melissa," Rowena whispered gently. "We are both ghosts seeking atonement—so what is there to fear? Just do what you're best at..."