Chapter 863 - 142: Traversing the Storm (4) (Supplement)

The same scene played out on multiple streets in Bruges:

The city had over 500,000 of such lower-tier workers, maybe only one percent of them had courage, but even one percent meant there were 5,000 people.

This event was organized by Lille and Munemasa on the forum, the actual number of people involved in the march was 124, prepared to march at different locations in the neighborhood—

They had no cars, no cyber amplifiers, no dazzling signs, only primitive fonts on banners and their own voices.

Obviously, in an extremely stable environment, gathering for a protest march just for the sake of it was a very foolish move...

But if they realized their foolishness, it would be bad for everything to end silently.

"Damn ADL! Cyber psychopaths are all their doing!"

Bang!

A loud noise erupted among the crowd, sounding like the collision between an iron fist and human flesh, sounding especially pleasing.

European Union police cars blared their sirens, it was clear without looking that it was the pursuit of a pack of lost dogs, the purple-haired executive no longer paid attention to the street happenings, and began to report.

[ADL Production Line Engineer #0032: They couldn’t remain calm.]

At the ADL headquarters in Bruges, the public relations manager watched as the police cars, sirens blaring, pursued the fleeing workers through the city, showing a strange smile:

"I used to think these low-level people were merely fuel, their only value was to be filled into the industrial society’s Melting Furnace, forging this beautiful world..."

"But now it seems they can also be mice, running amusingly and hilariously; say a few words and they get anxious, not knowing how they would survive in the outside world without the company."

Clearly feeling victorious, with this in mind, he opened his network device and connected to the "Worker Movement" forum.

[Post: Warning Others by Punishment]

[Content: Warning others by punishment is the best way to command a motley crew, take your time to learn it.]

After posting, he opened the champagne on the table, crossed his legs, and looked out at the blackened sky...

Soon, tiny raindrops began to appear on the glass.

[Urgent Message]

[Market Information Department: The biological breeding base in Foxstone of CINO stated that those people just departed from Foxstone.]

The public relations manager paused: Are they planning to ride a whale here?

He looked out the window, began to ponder if he should take some preventive measures: for instance, directly hiring professional biological weapon troops to intercept this group; or perhaps deploying defenses at the port and near the sea...

But these two options require substantial resource input, the former most reliable, but the investment is undoubtedly the highest—

ADL is not Arasaka or Military Technology, companies inherently designed for warfare, nor is it like International Electric or Su Oil, companies large enough to sustain professional security teams.

To undertake military intervention, would inevitably require hiring a professional security company, or contacting CINO to take action against its own customers...

The former, in Europe, using such services incurs an astronomical cost, requires processes, rush service adds expense;

The latter, this is completely shady, CINO has no reason to help them, whether they will even acknowledge them is questionable, even if a deal is reached, it would still be an extraordinary expense.

ADL just sounds domineering, but is definitely a "law-abiding" company within the European Union.

As he pondered this, fine rain streaks suddenly appeared on the window.

He paused for a moment, laughed out loud: "Now even the storm carries a better metaphor."

The coming storm meant even the biological weapon’s capabilities would be disrupted, might even trigger the "protect property" protocol in its chip, greatly slowing down their progress.

Even if they are Superman...

Even if they are possessed by those madmen of Night City, they couldn’t possibly arrive on time!

Thinking this way, the smile on his lips became more apparent: "The market department truly wasted money, I don’t see how this information helps...this champagne tastes great."

...

[Johnny: You have the right to kill me! But you have no right to defeat me!]

Boom!

Johnny’s phantom roared against the gale, thunder roared among the clouds!

The storm came suddenly, raindrops pattering on the cockpit glass, as if striking their hearts:

Humans inherently harbor fear facing the capricious sea, especially when it’s their first time confronting nature like this?

"Ahhhhhhh, we’re doomed!"

Sevens’ elite appearance had completely shed, repeatedly rising and falling on the whale’s back above the water, feeling as if he was switching between being alive and dead...

"We won’t die!" Carl grabbed Sevens’ shoulder, "This is a pirate’s life! Ahahaha! Pain means nothing to a man! Leader—hold on tight!!"

Splosh!

Waves smashed against the hull, the three mercenaries in extreme discomfort: they were particularly skilled at fighting on land.

None of these three had a naval background!

Alina strove to keep her back straight, clutching Elliot’s arm: "Captain! What do we do! Can we really make it through?"

Elliot’s mind was constantly suffering Lille’s electric shocks:

Seasickness resulted from a nervous intolerance, so Lille would assist him in adapting!

"We can make it! Not only can we make it, but we’ll also arrive in Bruges on time and give those corporate dogs a scare!"

Captain Elliot’s tone was so resolute, yet at this moment, even he was questioning in his mind:

[Elliot: Bro! Can we make it through?]

[Lille: Open the cockpit!]

"Huh?"

Elliot’s questioning voice was drowned in the gale—

[Lille: I said, open the cockpit, switch to water-drain mode!]

[Lille: The chip is controlling the humpback whale to switch to safe mode, it’s already slowed down!]

[Lille: If this continues, we won’t make it on time! There must be a military control program in the chip to lift the restrictions—]

[Munemasa: You’re crazy! A civilian chip messing with a biological weapon chip might make it go berserk!]

Biotechnology is not Arasaka’s forte, hence it can’t be Munemasa’s either!

[Lille: Trust me, open the cockpit!]

Elliot gritted his teeth and, while everyone was striving to keep their sanity in the storm, slapped the emergency button!

The sealed cockpit shell instantly retracted inward, the seawater lost its barrier, and as the whale advanced, it engulfed everyone!

Although the protective suits they were wearing prevented them from drowning, the sudden pressure of water and overwhelming spray left them all dumbfounded!

In their stupor, a notification appeared in everyone’s eyes:

[Warning: Cockpit seal has been compromised, system has entered manual control mode]

Elliot promptly released the first safety lock on himself—

Upon releasing the safety lock, he could leave his seat, only connected by a safety rope and the inner oxygen tube...

But he clearly overestimated his ability to move; as he unlocked the safety and headed for the chip access port, a wave crashed against him, he felt as if he was hit hard, lost his balance, and slammed into the edge of the cockpit!

[Elliot: Help me to get close to the control panel...!]

Splash!

The whale swam on the sea surface, rising and falling, Elliot was hit again by a wave and suddenly found himself airborne.

The whale that was diving resurfaced, Elliot’s stalled heart started again, but he realized his landing spot was no longer inside the cockpit!

As Elliot fell towards the whale’s side, Carl leapt from his seat, gripping the edge of the cockpit and catching Elliot!

"Up you go!"

Yet another jolt, and Elliot suddenly felt himself airborne again!

But as he rose, Carl lost his balance and was thrown outside the cabin...

Bang!

Elliot slammed onto the cockpit floor, swallowing a lump as he looked at Carl’s seat safety rope—

He would be okay.

"Hurry up!" Alina grabbed Elliot and, along with her two mercenary companions, dragged him near the control panel!

Due to the cockpit mishap, the chip interface had already become manual.

Elliot wasted no words, pulling out his personal connection wire and plugging it in—

"Ooh—"

The whale’s sound resonated through its thick body into the cockpit, people felt the vibrations beneath them, deeply anxious.

As the interface was connected, not only was the whale’s smart chip software manipulated, but a small round hole also appeared nearby.

This was the biological weapon’s injection port...

Through here, various biological agents could be injected.

[Cross-dimensional Material Transmission: Lizard Serum (Animal Companion version)]

[Description: Part of the core technology of the second generation of Steel Bone Warhorse, slow and prolonged injection of a small amount of serum can enhance the animal companion’s physique]

[A one-time injection will have a stimulant effect, granting the subject extreme endurance, along with certain aggressiveness.]

Splash!

The whale suddenly plunged into the depths, everyone felt the terrifying water pressure, truly sensing that the whale seemed to have become fierce!

Splash!

The whale surfaced again, and the relief made it unnecessary for anyone to breathe, yet still they unconsciously adjusted their breathing rhythm with the whale’s rise and fall.

Alina clutched Elliot tightly, securing him to her seat:

"You’ve heard of joyrides..."

"Never heard of joywaters!"

Splash!