Chapter 1024 - 67: Demon (Part 2)

To the natives of Night City, an intercontinental missile is a wondrous thing—

It looks like a rocket!

On the roadside, a group of Night City residents lined up to board a vehicle looked up and exclaimed, "Whoa... from Taiping State?"

Rocket launches in this world are a monopolized power, with only a few organizations able to project into orbit. In Night City, only Orbital Aviation Company had this business here.

However, Orbital Aviation had evacuated Night City half a year ago, and this business had been shut down a year and a half ago!

Orbital Aviation concluded that without the guarantee of "free trade," Night City no longer had development potential, so they gradually shut down aerospace transportation and other businesses, completely vacating and demolishing the whole orbital spaceport half a year ago. So, where did this rocket in Night City come from?

There’s only one answer.

Beside him, Lucy placed a hand on David’s shoulder, covering her mouth with the other hand, her eyes filled with disbelief—

"A rocket?!"

He also noticed the rocket, and although he didn’t regret going into business with the big boys, it was precisely because of this business that Orbital Aviation left, and they became sought after in the world of company agents. Forget taking a rocket; just leaving Night City and showing up in any city would instantly bring attention to them.

The dream of going to the Moon gradually evolved into living a good life, with a pragmatic mindset of staying in Night City and living like a decent person:

Even Lucy started to adapt to this life, with her ideal sanctuary, far removed from the earthly world, stored in her heart. Reality became fulfilling, gradually shifting her focus.

But what if Night City had its own rocket?!

As one of Night City’s most confidential projects, David and Lucy couldn’t get close to the Rift Plan. They exchanged a look, shock kept in their hearts, and without speaking, chose to continue with their work at hand—

If Night City really had the capability to reach the Moon, then surely, they would still have a chance to go there in the future!

"Stop looking!" David shouted at the top of his lungs, "Hurry up, the evacuation order is about keeping you alive!"

Just moments ago, City Hall issued an emergency evacuation order. Based on the city’s social structure, this order directly called upon individuals from various industries, in a certain priority, to move into the underground city for living and working.

David now considered himself a special external member of NCPD, and his task was to ensure the emergency evacuation mission in this district proceeded swiftly and smoothly.

This task was not as easy...

After David shouted, the people notified to board the vehicle in the entire Super Skyscraper came downstairs and obediently got on the vehicle—

Honestly, even David could see that those given evacuation priority were basically technical workers, all decent people. Although they didn’t know what exactly they were avoiding, the spots seemed quite precious and were carefully selected.

With these thoughts in mind, David noticed someone sneaking around on both sides of the street through his prosthetic hearing, clutching cardboard.

A quick sweep with his peripheral vision: these people’s appearances were shabby, their clothes ragged and tattered. Where the fabric failed to cover, one could clearly see large and small needle marks, skin extremely ulcerated, and saliva dripped with every couple of steps...

This is the residue left behind during Night City’s development, and these are the people David spends most of his time drawing his gun to deal with.

If these folks interfere with the evacuation, he would shoot directly; however, obviously, David still has some reputation on the streets, and seeing him standing guard, these people slinked away.

He then pulled his hand from his pocket, got into his Mackinaw, and turned on the siren.

The Mackinaw with NCPD contract paint in this city is a symbol of order, not because they’re noble.

Back when they were still a gang, they were feared; now, though they gave up some things, they became official, a nuance that people just get—seeing such a car on the road, especially with the siren on, giving way is just right...

Only fools would speak of morality and legality with them.

As three "rockets" left Night City, the entire emergency evacuation protocol commenced, with NCPD’s outsourced teams maintaining road order everywhere with glowing sirens, while buses, subways, and pickups transported equipment and manpower toward Taiping State.

Such a large-scale operation couldn’t possibly escape the eyes of company agents—of course, no one knew there were no company agents in the city anymore; even if there were, they couldn’t send information out due to being cut off.

Gloria, sitting in the backseat, leaned forward after tidying up her things and asked David, "Where are we going? What is the Underground City?"

"Apparently, it’s a giant civil defense project." As David started his car to join the convoy, he explained, "It’s equivalent to a Night City built underground, and they say we might have to stay there until the war ends..."

"War?"

A slip of the tongue made David’s heart sink.

In the passenger seat, Lucy rolled her eyes, "Until the war exercise ends... but it’s also pretty much confirmed we might indeed be in a war state..."

Before finishing, the radio buzzed—

The message was simple: that infamous terrorist organization team here was identified as "Legendary Mercenaries," and they had attacked New American cities!

Not only that, but New America suffered a nuclear attack, and the one who launched the nuclear bomb... was precisely their own Night City!

This was no drill!

Thanks to the massive urban infrastructure project over the past two years, Night City’s public network was highly efficient. Everyone connected instantly to see the latest news...

A picture spliced together the attacked city’s current state, and the video’s content was more explosive. That "Legendary Mercenary," Burger King, directly obliterated the New American bomber about to drop the nuclear bomb on Night City!

It’s war!

The car fell silent, the crowd on the street was in uproar. David awkwardly scratched his head, "Mom, do you blame me? I mean..."

Gloria had a complicated feeling, "Blame you for what? I wanted you to climb to the top of Arasaka Tower, but now we have to live underground in Night City?

Or blame you for becoming the leader of this NCPD outsourced team? Of course, I don’t blame you."

Gloria didn’t have much education; she was still young when she got pregnant with David, and there wasn’t even a father figure in the family. To be honest, her mindset wasn’t mature back then.

But now she understood: In such a tide, what people like them want doesn’t matter at all, and her son was not... the chosen one.

How can one blame another person for not developing according to one’s own wishes? Especially when she is a mother.

Moreover, David was now a decent person, even if only within Night City.

In such a warm atmosphere where family members showed understanding to each other, before David could say anything, a piercing sound surrounded them!

[Beep——]

[Night City highest level war alert, all citizens please go to the nearest shelter——]

[Repeat, all citizens please go to the nearest shelter immediately...]

Although they hadn’t been attacked, the entire city’s crimson alert lights instantly maxed out people’s adrenaline!

Some quick-witted individuals immediately guessed that these vehicles were definitely transporting important individuals to safety and rushed into the streets, but the cars produced by Mackinaw General Vehicles Company always adhered to the legendary model image:

Fierce and strong!

"David, someone!"

David floored the accelerator, Gloria screamed: Right in front of them, a few people rushed into the street!

But David did not slow down——

Bam!

The frenzied vehicle ran over the crowd directly, the sky unknowingly turned scorching hot, Lucy looked up and saw a terrifying scene:

A meteor was rapidly approaching from a distance, Night City’s intercept missiles and machine guns fired all at once, the roaring missile engines and machine gunfire almost drowned out the city alarms, dyeing the sky red!

It’s the European Space Agency’s orbital mass projection weapon!

"David——faster!"

"This is already the fastest!!!"

The car plowed through those blocking their way, heading straight for Taiping State’s military base, soldiers in mechanical exoskeletons had already begun to fire to suppress the crowd!

Man’s group had long arrived at this side, anxiously waving at David from behind the slowly closing blast doors——

Faster!

David gritted his teeth and signaled to Lucy, who immediately grabbed the steering wheel, while he directly activated Si Anweisitan, clinging out of the window, his fingers punched into the car’s shell like steel nails, directly reaching near the exhaust system...

He pulled out his handgun, aiming at the gas-powered system.

Boom!

A fiery trail stretched from the rear of the car.

Around the fiery trail were frenzied people. Seeing death approaching, they rushed wildly toward the underground city entrance, which was also the military base’s blast doors, irrational like zombies.

The Mackinaw Pika dashed through the blast doors as if it had teleported at the last moment. David’s hands were numb, only the system’s drive gripping the safety bar, his vision blurring, hearing paralyzed by the loud noises, only able to feel his heartbeat.

He saw a violent blaze erupt in the city center, shockwaves spreading like tides, buildings collapsing, lights extinguished...

Whoosh——

Bam!

The shockwave struck the blast-proof steel door, the force from a still slightly open gap instantly knocked David unconscious!

Bam.

The path inside sloped downward, Mackinaw’s extreme speed made the car crash into the top wall as if it was flying, then slammed to the ground...

Still in shock.

The war had begun.