Chapter 883 - 162 Ghost Arrival (2)

At some point, the workers realized there was background music playing in their heads—

The background music was authentic 21st-century old rock, electric guitar, classic, electric piano...

[Lille: You’re freaking out with a mission this time, go with something that burns passion, simple and understandable.]

[Johnny: An amateur is an amateur. When a superstar like me opens his mouth, those who want to fuck me and those I want to fuck can line up from City Hall to the border wall.]

[Johnny: This is the perfect time for a song like "Black Dog" to let the corporates feel the chaos...]

[Johnny: Don’t disappoint me, Lille. Everyone I met tells me how awesome you are. If you lose face, I’ll laugh at you for life.]

[Lille: You better open your mouth and have people scream like fanboys, or you can go eat shit.]

"Black Dog" was the last song Johnny Silverhand wrote before disappearing at Arasaka Tower—

But after the Fourth Corporate War, the song vanished before it could be released.

It tells the story of black dogs and hunters exchanging roles while fleeing in the city, with scenes of running and chasing blending together until they can only keep running in the steel forest.

"Weren’t you dead?"

"I never said I was dead. This is not the time for reminiscing. I need to borrow your device to transmit some data."

Blais stared blankly at the dark red mosaic drifting past him, something he couldn’t comprehend, feeling a slight heat in his head.

"Wait, you’re in my head? How is this possible!"

"Nothing is impossible. Arasaka has fumbled too many times. I understand Soul Killer better than them. I uploaded my consciousness before the explosion, when David stormed Arasaka Tower, and escaped Night City.

As for the Black Wall, Soul Killer can evade the Black Wall’s purges. I can too, and even do it better."

Every word Lille said, Blais could understand, but put them together...

He only felt it was some cyber-psychotic fantasy moments before death.

First of all, what does "I understand Soul Killer better than them" mean?

Arasaka repaired Soul Killer not long ago, and the relic project that can be placed in a person’s brain to make them "reincarnate" is just a legend. If it weren’t for Arasaka Yorinobu saying it himself, Blais would dismiss it as nonsense!

You, on the other hand, don’t even need a chip and directly run into my head?

Seeing through Blais’s thoughts, Lille explained: "The Digital Soul depicted by relic is strictly based on the AI built on human brain’s neural network, so it requires a nanochip to transform the host’s neural system.

I can transform myself into more mechanical AI logic and present it on a regular chip, as long as there’s enough computing power."

Since Lille’s true "root server" is not in this world and relies on Spark Energy to operate, he doesn’t need to convert a person’s brain to adapt his existence.

Also, because Spark Energy stored more information in higher dimensions, he won’t have uncontrollable changes over time and external interference like other Digital Souls, occupying a very small storage space.

Blais felt his brain overload, but still barely accepted the current situation: "So attacking Arasaka Tower wasn’t just to weaken the Arasaka Aircraft Carrier... you survived!"

"I never died. Focus, I’m going to overclock the chip in your head... Why not use enhancing serum?"

"Are you talking about the stuff you guys used to have? After you disappeared, Adkaduo couldn’t keep up with the process, production is very low, and the effect is bad. More importantly... using that stuff to enhance physical performance is one thing, using it to enhance the brain is just forcing me to become a cyber-psycho?"

Not everyone can tolerate the switch between alertness and confusion in the brain, let alone the issues arising from neural burnout and regeneration.

But Lille thought much further after hearing it: Back then, to prevent commercial espionage and betrayal, all core processes were encrypted with cross-dimensional production methods, and later production issues are understandable.

Perhaps this is why Europe abandoned its investigation on Night City and Lille these past two years:

Those once powerful Human Lizard Cyborgs, serums, and various biological products have all become limited editions, the outside world thinks Night City is doing hunger marketing, but in fact, the stock is running low.

In that case...

Blais immediately continued: "Your two old mates are truly awesome. New America suffered quite a bit at the US-Mexico Border, the Southern California economy is close to collapsing.

Who would believe this? A criminal organization making people too scared to ship goods to Southern California... but without you, they didn’t suffer any less.

But if you want to rely on me to go back, forget it. I came in using my Network Supervision identity, unloaded everything and went underground at the first port, going back across continents is seeking death."

"No, there’s no use in going back before things are done here."

The European Union is the strongest order in this world, Night City is nothing before it, and that little Burger King is even less—

If one day they suddenly show interest in Lille and what happens in Night City, what happens if they threaten using the Orbital Mass Projector?

They might not even need much reason: with Night City’s conditions, a few meteors would send the city back fifty years. Trying to fight a prolonged battle in a crashed economy is too... unrealistic.

Those in power naturally possess the ability to manipulate the weak, unrelated to power, conscience.

The better Night City gets, the more it will have to face this issue. It might be better to lay the groundwork now and gain all the advantages in the shadows.

"That’s great!" Blais beamed but soon became serious, "Actually, my being here is somewhat related to you guys, but let’s sort out these situations first. How do you plan to handle EBM?

Or are you planning to run away like this?"

"When have you ever seen me fleeing shamefully?"

This city has a total of 27 Jilafa 3 Type Robots assisting with factory line changes and Industrial Union Factory planning construction—

These robots are highly efficient in engineering construction, doing a great job, and they’re also "platform" robots that can switch carried tools based on work tasks and do modular customization.

Most industrial machinery contains considerable energy, only lacking weaponization ideas and operators.

"I want to weaponize the armed robots in the city. I’ve been designing the production line these days, so it’s quick to adapt. I want to take down EBM’s army in street warfare."

"You..." Blais took a deep breath but swallowed his words, "Forget it, you’re the boss, you make the calls. I can help you access the standby zone entrance to the police station. I know where it is, but you need to help me open the Network Supervision database here.

That thing is underground, in the rock mass; violently opening it is difficult, can you handle it?"

"That’s easy, these big guys are meant to dig tunnels..."

As Lille finished speaking, he disappeared from Blais’s sight.

Just this moment, having such a fast-moving AI in the brain, Blais suddenly felt crazy: It really is an illusion...

[Lille: Hurry up, chicken and shredded meat wrap.]

Blais suddenly felt like a black slave from centuries ago, the whip mercilessly striking his ass...and his face.

How embarrassing is this code name.