[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer":3,"chapter-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-303":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Cyberpunk: Cross-dimensional Science and Engineering",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},1151794,1495,"Chapter 303 - 282 The Confused Anthony","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-303",303,"\u003Cp>In Evil Land, the Military Technology units were reconstructing the scene.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a holographic reconnaissance reconstruction system, with numerous sensors placed around the site to collect and scan high-precision data on temperature, humidity, wind speed, and capture chemical compositions, explosive residues, and any possible clues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On-site reconnaissance personnel held material analysis scanning devices while squatting beside a pool of shattered armored plates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, scattered Columbus freight vans were fully scanned, including the tire tracks imprinted on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reconnaissance drones followed these tracks, guiding soldiers to deploy sensors over a broader area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After calculation by the central processor, the scene was ultimately reconstructed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battlefield was vast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only a few completely scrapped Columbus freight vehicles and a ruined unmanned mecha were left at the scene, with wreckage fragments and unidentified mixed fluids scattered on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Scanning complete, the holographic projection began reconstructing the event.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Uploading dynamic range data of the engagement]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The combat is divided into several stages]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Phase One: The attackers used some long-range projectile launch equipment to carry out an assault outside the reconnaissance range, with projectile types including high explosive bombs and high-power EMPs]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Searching the database for possible matching ammunition types...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[High likelihood of custom-made...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Phase Two: The enemy possibly attempted hacking, failed; engineers restored electronic equipment, Centaur Mecha began deployment, plasma gun hit target, some enemies withdrew]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Anomaly: Centaur Mecha deployment may not comply with Night City’s legal agreements regulations; this intelligence is only for agents with sufficient security clearance.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Phase Three...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A squad leader with tactical sunglasses slung his gun behind his back, crouched, and used some kind of analyzer to further scan the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The more information they gathered, the more illusory the holographic projection became, with many mosaics—even some things that made no sense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The happenings of the first two phases were easy to explain; it was nothing more than the enemy launching a sneak attack and then using wireless devices to hack in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it was clear that this group of robbers failed; the engineers successfully restored communications and power to the equipment, initiating the Centaur Mecha deployment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defeating a few hijackers was a piece of cake for the big guy, turning the tide of the battle, the plasma gun on the Centaur Mecha scattering the robbers, some even fleeing on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So far, everything seemed normal and very logical.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until the third phase, where the reconnaissance equipment’s reconstruction encountered issues—too little data led to a scene with large mosaics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Too little data could only mean one thing: the combat duration was very short, leaving hardly any traces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First was the ground; what she was scanning seemed to be the remnants of the Bimong armored vehicle’s armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The armor of the Bimong armored vehicle would accumulate thermal energy when subjected to sufficient kinetic attacks, eventually triggering a small explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In theory, blowing up the reactive armor would deflect the ammunition, reducing the penetration probability, but this time the reactive armor seemed not to function properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two possibilities: the armor was breached from the inside; the opponent’s armor-piercing bullets were powerful enough to disregard such damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And according to the materials science database, the armored vehicle indeed seemed to have suffered an internal strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the central computer immediately constructed possible scenarios:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An unmanned mecha might have attacked the armored vehicle from inside, with two most probable situations according to the computer:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, the unmanned mecha was hacked; second, the unmanned mecha was trapped in the vehicle, necessitating a violent breach of the armored vehicle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a headache; the holographic reconnaissance system had a major divergence, requiring the input of more intelligence to eliminate possibilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The squad leader thought for a while and decided to first simulate the second possibility: the armored vehicle being trapped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Choosing this resulted in even more absurd conclusions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was the second situation, it indicated the Bimong flipped over, considering the vehicle was driven away, the reconnaissance system concluded it did not suffer fatal damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Probably, the driver was killed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What about the sniper?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Reconnaissance results:]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[The attackers used the Maoyou Sniper Rifle to kill the driver, causing the vehicle to flip over, unmanned mecha deployment failed, Centaur Mecha operator engaged the enemy.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Estimated shooting range: 1000-1600 meters]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Reconstructing the shooting environment...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sniper shot from beyond 1000 meters! And from the probability, the most likely range was 1400-1500 meters...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They could find the likely sniper point, but it was on the motorcycle tracks!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Multiple pieces of evidence indicated: the sniper indeed shot from this distance, riding a motorcycle, and completed the sniper shot while on the motorcycle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At least at a speed of 140-155 miles per hour in... Evil Land!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Judging from the tracks, it wasn’t an exaggeration to say it was flying!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even hitting the target like this, what the hell?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the analysis and reconstruction continued, after the vehicle tipped over, the Centaur Mecha jumped off the external rack, and then another motorcycle even charged toward the mecha!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The motorcycle seemed to fly in front of the mecha, and then the mecha appeared to be hit by something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first, the squad leader thought it was the motorcycle that hit it, just like the bike bomb in the city center before, but nearby, other motorcycle tracks appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The holographic image showed a mosaic on the motorcycle colliding with the mecha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, in less than 30 seconds of engagement, this person took down the mecha in an unknown manner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That means, in the whole incident, the later two robbers, riding motorcycles over 150 miles per hour, in Evil Land, from more than 1000 meters away, killed the driver!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then another vehicle, at over 100 miles per hour, collided with the Centaur Mecha and somehow dismantled the Centaur Mecha!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The other Centaur Mecha had a similar fate; the motorcycle circled around, then collided with the mecha while it was firing, and the mecha stopped operating!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most ridiculous part was the damage to this unmanned mecha...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although there was internal attack within the cargo compartment, the explosion direction of the whole armored vehicle indicated that the enemy did attack from outside with armor-piercing bullets, which hit the unmanned mecha.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the unmanned mecha had only one damaged spot, but just this one spot was completely penetrated!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on previous conditions, the unmanned mecha was inside the cargo compartment of the Bimong armored vehicle and was shot through by a single bullet!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That means, the enemy likely blew up the Bimong armored vehicle’s armor and the unmanned mecha with a single shot!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of weapon could have such power?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The database could match a few of such powerful weapons, but none should appear in Night City.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From here, the intelligence got a bit absurd, maybe the truth was this absurd, or perhaps the earlier node’s inference was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, the mecha might have been hacked instead of the vehicle flipping over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the mecha was hacked, the mecha killed the driver, tipping the vehicle, making the scenario a bit more reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the battle data coming back from the field was intermittent, with no certainty whether the mecha was hacked or not.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both scenarios had many riddles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the confirmed information from the field was just these; further actions depended on the supervisor’s opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Field reconnaissance complete]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Uploading information...]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Night City City Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anthony stood in front of the sink, apparently looking at his reflection in the mirror, but actually reviewing the latest accident report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While this report could not be said to be useless, it was entirely useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What did it mean that the enemy blew up the vehicle with one shot and destroyed the unmanned mecha’s core computer?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn’t fathom what weapon could be this freakish!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The heads-up display on his prosthetic eye showed a line of small text:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[You have been in the bathroom for over 1 minute, a long stay may cause different thoughts from your meeting partners, affecting meeting efficiency.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anthony washed his face and turned to leave the bathroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the meeting room sat a somewhat obese middle-aged man, in a pinstriped suit, wearing black sunglasses, making it hard to read any extra information from his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was holding a cigar towards Anthony: \"Mr. Gilchrist, I hope you understand, my time is very valuable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Can we return to our topic? If you don’t have anything to say, we’ll conclude this meeting today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no progress, Anthony felt his blood pressure about to explode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For him, company matters could wait—for now, the more important thing was, if he couldn’t prove internal sabotage, he was finished!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he said: \"Mayor Ryan, our convoy was hijacked, I can’t give you a clear answer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ryan shrugged, took a puff of his cigar, displaying no inner emotions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then I can only say my condolences, this is Night City, is there anything else?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ryan didn’t care about his fate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hope to get assistance from Night City, according to Night City law...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"According to Night City law, corporate employees here have exemptions, not subject to legal jurisdiction, naturally Night City is not obligated to you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You need to solve your own problem, Gilchrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Military Technology’s equipment is excellent, I’m even interested in letting you handle the Watson District industrial area north.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But honestly, if you can’t even secure your things, how can I trust you with the project?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ryan shook his head, stood up, straightened his clothes, and threw the cigar into the ashtray.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hope you understand, the election is imminent, if this junk prevents me from completing the cleanup of Watson District’s homeless...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Do you know how people will see me? They’ll say I can’t control the Watson District, a place I come from.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So you better hurry, or else I can only turn to Arasaka.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anthony still didn’t give up: \"If Night City provides help, I can fully fund the investigation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This isn’t about money.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ryan picked up his briefcase, shook his head, and walked towards the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anthony sat silently in his chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before leaving, Ryan suddenly said: \"If you’re really clueless, I suggest investigating Vortex Gang, they’re pros at hijacking company convoys.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This city has its way of things, you need to learn to solve problems besides using money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Good luck.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ryan left the room, leaving Anthony alone in his seat quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>.....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stepping out of the door, Ryan lit another cigarette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Damn, someone even hijacks Military Technology’s vehicles.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Recipient: Network Supervision Foundation]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ryan: Military Technology’s vehicle was hijacked in Evil Land, the person in charge had no clues.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Contact: What does this have to do with us?]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ryan: I told him to find Vortex Gang.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Contact: You’re really audacious with your nonsense.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Ryan: Odds are it was Vortex Gang.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ryan sent the message, got into the floating car, thinking to himself:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one understands Night City better than me.\u003C\u002Fp>",1811,"2026-06-03T12:33:12.909Z","2026-06-03T12:33:19.803Z",1,"novelbin.me","bd5ee7510c46bbd319477b18da8bd4fff95e4c455067587439605d052b8e3956","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-304","cyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-chapter-302",1068,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fcyberpunk-cross-dimensional-science-and-engineer-cover.jpg"]