NOVEL WEB Chapter 44: 37
ADVANCE CHAPTER IN PATREON
NEW DISCOUNT CODE
0E6C6
Patreon Discount
patreon.com/Achilles_Stein
The roar of engines and puffs of smoke rose in the distance, echoing across the plains.
Just as Alex Carter and Panam were about to leave, the Aldecaldos arrived once more!
Leading them were Mitch, Scorpion, and Saul.
"Alex, Panam, are you both okay?"
"Why is everyone here?" Panam asked, puzzled.
Mitch explained, "After you notified us about the AV this morning, we felt something was off."
"When we heard gunfire, we knew you were engaged with the company's people, so we hurried back to bring reinforcements."
The typically reserved Scorpion glanced at the AV and commented, "It's Kang Tao's armed escort vehicle."
"If you hadn't warned us, we might have died just now."
At this, Panam quickly credited Alex.
"It's all thanks to Alex for the heads-up."
"Thank you, Alex." As the leader of the Aldecaldos, Saul approached Alex with gratitude.
"You not only helped us take down the Scavs but also saved Mitch and Scorpion's lives."
"On behalf of the Aldecaldos, I thank you."
"If you ever need help in the future, let us know, and we'll do everything we can to assist you."
Alex nodded with a smile: "I appreciate it."
Then, Saul turned to Panam.
"Panam, you've been out here so long. You should come home and rest sometimes."
"I..." Panam was taken aback.
She never imagined that Saul, who she'd often clashed with, would say something like that.
Watching Saul walk away, Scorpion grinned and said:
"As soon as Saul heard what was happening here, he ordered us to come immediately, worried about your safety."
"Even if you two don't always see eye to eye, you're still family. For family, Saul would do anything."
Alex watched this tribal drama unfold with interest.
For these nomads, the clan was their home, and the members were their family.
This sense of unity allowed them to survive in the harsh Badlands and grow stronger.
Seeing Panam's conflicted expression, Alex patted her shoulder and said, "Follow your heart. Go back if you want to."
Panam smiled ruefully: "Sorry for letting you see this mess, but I'll sort it out. Thank you, Alex, for everything."
"No need to thank me, but we should get out of here quickly," Alex said.
Panam nodded: "Get in the car, let's go."
...
Alex brought Hellman to the Sunset Motel alone.
After dropping off Hellman, Panam drove back to Night City.
Whether she decided to rejoin the clan or not, she needed time to calm down and think.
Alex didn't push her on the matter.
"Knock, knock, knock."
There was a knock on the door, the signal Alex and Takemura Goro had agreed on.
"Come in."
Hearing Alex's voice, Takemura Goro opened the door and entered.
"Good to see you, Alex."
"Likewise." Alex stood up and patted Goro Takemura's arm.
"I've brought him to you. Ask whatever you want, as long as it doesn't kill him."
"Mmmph..."
Hearing this, Hellman, who was already panicking at the sight of Goro Takemura, nearly wet himself again.
As a former core technical staff member of Arasaka, how could he not know Goro Takemura?
As Saburo Arasaka's most loyal bodyguard, his ruthlessness toward traitors was matched only by his loyalty.
Falling into his hands would surely mean trouble!
"Bang!"
The door closed, leaving only Takemura Goro and Hellman in the room.
Takemura Goro approached Hellman with a sneer: "I ask, you answer."
"Of course, Mr. Takemura, I'll tell you everything."
Takemura Goro nodded in satisfaction and pulled up a chair to face Hellman.
He got straight to the point: "What's the difference between the digital souls in the Relic and their living counterparts?"
"The Relic? How did Mr. Takemura know about..."
"Cut the nonsense and answer my question."
Hellman shivered and quickly replied: "To ordinary people, there's no difference."
"Even the digital consciousness believes it's still itself."
"But objectively, when a person dies, they're gone, and the Relic is just a new digital personality with the same consciousness."
"Relic itself means 'relic' or 'legacy'."
...
Compared to Alex, Hellman, the developer of the Relic, explained it more thoroughly.
Naturally, the revelation hit Takemura Goro even harder.
"Lord Saburo... is truly gone."
"And what remains is just a string of data with Lord Saburo's consciousness..."
Takemura Goro stared at the ceiling, feeling his faith crumble.
"What? You mean Saburo isn't dead? He backed up his consciousness?" Hellman was surprised.
But Goro Takemura ignored him.
Hellman realized then that Goro Takemura had captured him because of this.
Thinking quickly, Hellman suggested, "The Saburo in the Relic isn't the original Saburo anymore."
"Mr. Takemura, as Lord Saburo's most loyal bodyguard, maybe you should have a talk with Yorinobu."
"You don't need to remind me!"
Ignoring Hellman's provocation, Takemura Goro left the room with a furrowed brow.
"Alex, I've finished questioning him."
Seeing the gloom on Goro Takemura's face, Alex joked, "Doesn't seem like good news."
"Take your time. There's an old saying in my country: 'Think long-term.'"
"Thank you for the advice, Alex. We'll keep in touch."
Watching Goro Takemura leave the motel, Alex turned back inside.
"Heh... Mr. Takemura's done with his questions, so I suggest you let me go," Hellman sneered at Alex.
"I possess a lot of Arasaka's biotechnology secrets, which Kang Tao desperately needs."
"If anything happens to me, you can't afford the consequences."
Alex asked with interest, "Oh? Then tell me, what happens if something happens to you?"
Hellman sneered: "Do you know about the Relic theft two days ago?"
"Trust me, it won't be any less significant than that!"
Upon hearing this, Alex smiled.