Cyberpunk: Cross-dimensional Science and Engineering

[Completed first vehicle weapon modification]

[Technology Points +100]

[Current Technology Points: 1635]

"Damn, everyone else modifies their cars with machine guns, and you go ahead with a smart shotgun. Are you seriously expecting me to climb up there to use it?"

After spending some time modifying the car's weapon mounts, V complained about the ridiculous-looking setup.

The machine gun turret had a fixed mount, but the smart shotgun did not, so the two temporarily tied the gun with some ropes.

Just as Lille had thought, the smart shotgun could link with hand smart connectors and had a physical interface, seemingly for tech experts to tweak it.

By connecting a personal link to the car, they could retrieve the car's camera visual feed and upload their visual information.

Using the connection between the car and the weapon could indirectly achieve a connection to the weapon.

The tracking software it had installed could now be used!

Unfortunately, as V said, someone still had to climb up and manually pull the trigger and reload.

Technology is magical, isn't it?

"Not magical, more like really sloppy," V retorted mercilessly.

"Maybe it'll come in handy later," Lille said, parking the car. "See that farm? Get ready to meet your fellow folks—remember, you're now a lone wanderer from the Buckley Family."

"Got it, got it, you talk too much—sometimes I really wonder, with nothing here, why call it a farm."

Lille shrugged: "You'd have to ask the company. Now's not the time for a history lesson, get going. I'll tweak the weapons here."

The car stopped in front of the "farm."

It was called a farm, but it was just a broken house, barely better than the tin house V rented in Atlanta, with even more drafts.

There was no sign of anything being planted around, suggesting it had been abandoned for a long, long time.

Lille suddenly thought of the speech by the famous rock terrorist Johnny Silverhand: What did the company do?

Bang, V closed the car door and walked towards the dilapidated house.

...

As soon as V stepped in, she saw a burly man with a bun, sitting on the sofa, looking quite kind despite his gorilla-like build.

"I'm so poor I'm about to start farming. You're here to find me, right?"

Jack spoke with a smile, making V think it was odd—a guy this big, talking so gently?

"You must be Wales?"

"Jack, por favor."

V was even more puzzled, are Haywood folks this polite?

"I'm V." While speaking, V glanced at the box on the floor. As expected, it was quality company goods.

She instantly recognized that box as the company's regular security case—she'd looted a few just days ago.

"Hold on, where I come from, we always get to know each other before doing business. It's like a custom, or rather, a courtesy, you know?"

V shrugged—this felt like homecoming, an old familiar vibe.

"Got it. People need some dignity after losing everything—why don't you start?"

"Haha, right on, chica—I'm a Night City native, Haywood blood."

V raised an eyebrow: "I... hmm, Buckley Family. No idea what Haywood's like, but in our place, a convoy is like one big family. I might not like everyone, but, well…"

"I get it, I get it!" Jack got excited. "But, still family, right? That's Haywood for you."

"Then, nice to meet you—Jack, did you bring a weapon? In the Evil Land, everybody carries."

"That's a Haywood tradition too. I swear, chica, we'll get along just fine! The goods are right here."

Seeing this honest big guy, V chuckled: "Hehe, big guy, I think so too. What's in the cargo?"

"No idea—let's just say, not knowing might actually ease your conscience a bit."

V nodded approvingly: "Then let's load it up. By the way, I've got a buddy with me, doesn't talk much, you can call him Lille."

"More hands make quick work, let's go."

Seeing V and Jack walk out the door, Lille still felt a bit dazed—

The squad now had three members, a standard pair of muscle and a hacker combo.

But why... did it feel a bit ominous?

He was still the hacker, even more ominous.

Jack loaded the cargo into the trunk, placing Yinglong and the Eight-star Gun in the hidden compartment below to avoid scans.

These hidden compartments were tiny, otherwise, border control would notice structural issues.

"Nice to meet you, brother." Jack greeted Lille from the back seat with a big smile.

But Lille didn't look so relaxed—he just remembered the game where V and Jack took a hacker on a mission, and the hacker died horribly.

So Lille said with a serious face: "Normally I'd say I'm glad to meet you too, but now, I'm pondering some life-and-death matters."

"Uh..." Jack glanced at V.

She shrugged: "Ignore him, he's always like this."

The car started and drove into the sunset on a dusty straight road, V happily said: "Finally your turn to drive. Do you know how boring it is to drive for the past few days?"

Lille replied: "I find driving quite interesting, especially with such a wide road and no cars around."

"Try driving continuously for four or five days."

Jack, curious, asked, "Where did you guys come from, driving for so long?"

Lille and V exchanged looks and said: "From Atlanta."

"Wow, big city. Heard something huge happened there, you know about it?"

"Of course." V was quick to respond, "The Military Science and Kantao were at each other's throats. We got stuck in traffic on our way out.

You wouldn't believe it, Military Science had this cyber monster. With a Mantis Blade, it sliced cars in half like a bulldozer.

The scene was, tsk tsk, like a cleaver chopping a power line—sparks flying everywhere."

"Damn, that's intense!" Jack's eyes sparkled, "So what happened next?"

"Next, uh…"

"Ahem," Lille interrupted V's boasting, fearing she'd say too much, "Look at the customs declaration, V."

"Oh, bro, sure thing. Here it is. I really treasure this stuff. Have you taken this route before?"

Jack handed the form to V, who looked puzzled—wasn't it my turn to talk while you drove?

Lille shot her a look—read it even if you can't understand!

Lille said, "Not often, but a few times. Relax."

"I'm not nervous!" Jack's voice pitched higher, making him sound unconvincing.

The car passed an intersection, and Lille turned toward Night City.

As they turned, they saw the distant border control station—and a Military Technology armed helicopter hovering above.

But it didn't stop there. High-security drones were everywhere along the walls, several Bimong Armored Vehicles parked at the checkpoint, guards heavily armed.

More exaggerated...

Bzzzt—

A hovering tank—Mo Xi slowly passed through the checkpoint, heading to the other side, seemingly new on duty.

This was a real war machine.

Lille's face darkened, "They upped their security."

"No kidding, probably because of the Atlanta fiasco. I guess—um, why is there smoke on the roadside?"

Jack looked towards the black smoke at an ethanol station, where several burnt-out car skeletons were parked, with the stationed soldiers acting as if they hadn't seen a thing.

Lille glanced over and said, "It's normal for a few cars to blow up near the checkpoint. Don't ask why, could just be military personnel looking to make extra cash."

Thud, thud, thud—

The armed helicopter flew over the car, Jack gulped: "You told me not to be nervous? Okay, I am a bit nervous."

"A bit late for that now."

The car went into the red lane, marked with: Customs Declaration.

Ahead of them was a black business sedan undergoing inspection—

Lille reached out to V: "Customs form, give it to me. I'll handle it."

"Here—what does this mean?"

Lille glanced at the large, white English text on the black customs form and said, "L.O.A Lost Upon Arrival, it's for smuggling.

Jack, where's the bribe money?"

"Oh...here, I forgot...a bit nervous."

V took a deep look at the big guy, suddenly realizing Jack wasn't as honest as he seemed.

No matter, they were even less honest.

Lille took the Money Chip, pulled a Smart Shotgun from under the seat.

Jack was stunned—that thing looked expensive, worth thousands at least?

Then, Lille knocked on the passenger door. V pulled out an identical smart weapon from under her seat.

But it wasn't over. As Jack was still in shock, V turned to him and said: "Jack, under your seat are two more Smart Shotguns. Take them out, we'll declare them together."

What?

Jack was dumbfounded—was the stuff in his box even worth the price of these guns?

Who was smuggling, him or these two?