Chapter 796 - 75 Johnny’s Questions

[Johnny: It seems like most tough opponents have mental issues... Why is this guy so cheerful?]

This issue indeed gives one pause, especially Johnny.

In the Cyberpunk world, strength means a lot of prosthetic modifications, and only a madman would undergo extensive prosthetic enhancements. Either a madman installs a lot of prosthetics, or those who install them go mad.

Setting aside aliens like Optimus Prime, at least Jack looks very human... theoretically speaking, he is human.

Even Lille feels a bit sentimental: for him, individual strength is limited, but collective strength is truly overwhelming.

But in his original world, it’s not uncommon for key figures in strong collectives to be abnormal, and during the fiercest times of war, one could say there were no normal people at all...

However, Jack seems very normal, even sunny. When he invited Lille to join the resistance, he clearly exuded goodwill, aligning his words with his intentions, which were:

If you have nowhere to go, you’re welcome to join the frontier, become part of our home.

For both Johnny and Lille, in their respective worlds, showing goodwill mainly brought about bad results, but this behavior became something that... would be ridiculed all of the time.

It’s like the laughter of the wicked was too loud, overshadowing the sound of the good people’s goodwill, leaving behind only mockery, sarcasm, hostility, and backhanded comments.

Among these people, some are purely evil, truly capable of cruel deeds, but most just want to bluff to make themselves seem more "in tune" with society.

Maybe this is the transformation brought on by the interstellar colonization era, facing the endless starry sky?

With these many thoughts, Lille shook Jack’s hand:

"...I... am not just a self-disciplined AI, maybe one day I’ll find where I belong."

"The frontier can always be a place for you to settle down, besides, you can even bring your home here.

You helped the resistance, they will always be your friends."

[Johnny: ... They say those with the most miserable gains become the most brutal, and people in war are even more ruthless. Are they really fighting a war here?]

[Lille: Absolutely true. We should stop making blind guesses.]

"You guys are really enthusiastic. Well then, what’s your next move? I’ll support you."

...

As mentioned earlier, Jack went to Tifon Star because the resistance detected a significant energy reaction on the planet. They needed to find out what it was, to prevent the other side from developing unknown weapon technologies.

Before Jack and his team arrived, the resistance had already sent a reconnaissance unit. It was when this unit had problems that the resistance commander decided to deploy a large number of soldiers there.

The pilot who arrived as a reconnaissance soldier two weeks earlier was named Colonel Anderson.

"...Colonel Anderson has been out of contact for a long time. We need to rush to the rendezvous point we agreed upon.

This mission was originally... supposed to be Captain Lastimos’ mission, but it’s now mine."

The Titan walked over the land, with Lille and Jack sitting on BT’s shoulders.

Tifon Star is a picturesque planet, unlike the flatlands surrounded by mountains in Latovia, its natural landscape includes more rugged and densely packed stone mountains.

Thick green plants clung to the rocks, streams trickled and hit the rocky walls, splashing water into the air.

Johnny had never seen such scenery?

[Johnny: Although the scenery here is free, it’s more enjoyable than those Black Superdreams.]

[Johnny: I heard our world used to be like this too, but I’ve never seen it.]

[Johnny: It feels like when I was young, just starting to accumulate knowledge and strength to face the world, the world already fell apart.]

[Johnny: I wanted to find something worth fighting for, but in the end, I realized it was all empty words, all fake...]

[Johnny: I even served in the army, for the GJ, but the results... weren’t great.]

Along the way, Lille talked with Jack about their mission and tactics, while Johnny lamented incessantly.

What struck him the most was Jack’s attitude and passion. As a remnant of a wasted generation from the early 21st-century Cyberpunk era, he was a deserter; he simply couldn’t comprehend why someone would be so passionate about joining the military.

After all, most of those he saw marching onto the battlefield in high spirits were monsters and freaks like Adam Hammer!

[Johnny: Ask him, doesn’t he fear? Doesn’t he fear that his efforts will end up benefiting another oppressive group, or that the people he kills will one day grab his collar at night, doesn’t he fear...]

Johnny couldn’t utter that last reason.

But Lille knew what he feared: the most direct fear.

The sound of gunfire whizzing through the air, death threats from all directions, days or even months or years of attrition warfare, with no freedom, always at the beck and call of orders, seeing no end day...

Johnny wished to be an uncompromising fighter, but in reality, he was a deserter.

Despite convincing himself with many reasons, his subconscious still felt deserters were despicable. He even knew he was deeply afraid of that feeling.

Lille also knew it was because he had seen too many who talked a good game before being sent to the camps, only to die disgracefully in the toilet later.

Yet Lille also knew...people like Jack do exist.

But in the Cyberpunk world, it was rare for Johnny to meet such people. Even if he met them, chances were, he’d see their tragic end and realize their death made no difference to the world.

After pondering for a while, he followed Johnny’s lead and asked:

"Cooper, do you fear the battlefield? Aren’t you afraid the resistance might one day become something like IMC...?"

Jack visibly paused, a chuckle resonating from inside his helmet:

"My dream is to become a pilot, a genuine pilot, so I can protect my homeland.

As for the resistance turning into the IMC..."

Jack shook his head, as if reminded of something embarrassing: "I’m not good at building houses, but after the war, I’d definitely go back, find a plot of land, build a decent house, and earmark a nice farm...

I’m not good at thinking about complex things, but I am the resistance, and I will build every brick of the frontier alongside my friends and family.

Why would you think I’d become my enemy?"

[Johnny: Damn, that doesn’t answer anything.]

Johnny’s voice faded into the background, retreating back into his sector.

Perhaps it’s because he felt increasingly ashamed of himself. After all, as a native of Night City, he excelled at cursing a certain group while becoming one of them, and then cursing himself as a jerk...

Jack was definitely not that kind of person, so he had no idea why Lille asked such questions.

Yet he noticed a small detail: "We’re comrades now, why not just call me by my name?"

"...Well, I remember I have a friend named Jack too, I just worried about mixing you up."

"A friend? Before, I always thought you were a pure AI, seems like your background is more complex than I imagined. What kind of person is he?"

"In some ways, quite like you."

Jack responded with a smile: "Then I must become friends with him."

Boom.

BT came to a halt.

"Jack, Lille, we are about to reach the rendezvous point with Colonel Anderson."