In the age of cyberpunk, information holds unimaginable value.
As a leading network surveillance company, NetWatch maintains a mysterious public image, often presenting itself as humanity's last line of defense against rogue AI.
During this incident, NetWatch initiated the original contract but maintained its usual low profile throughout the entire operation—an approach that underscored the professionalism of Leo's team, as orchestrated by him.
Yet, when it came to the Soulkiller, NetWatch demonstrated both ruthlessness and focus.
Bryce hadn't lied to Leo. Based on Leo's displayed capabilities, a 60% survival rate wasn't a fabrication. However, this assumption was based on the premise that Leo was fully human.
[TN: This is why you never trust corpo even the good one like Netwatch]
"…Because of this mission, you intercepted part of the Soulkiller's code and employed a cyberspace weapon designed to counter rogue AI.
This weapon identifies the Soulkiller's source code, but once its progress reaches a certain threshold, it would target me as well. Were you planning to eliminate me alongside it?"
Bryce admitted calmly, "That's the risk I mentioned, and you agreed to it. Now, as part of our deal, take a look at this—it's highly valuable information."
He handed over a chip.
The contents of the chip were top-tier classified information—secrets about the Blackwall.
In cyberspace, the Blackwall manifests as an imposing black-and-red digital wall, stretching endlessly in all directions. It monitors all data flows within subnets and obliterates AI fitting specific data characteristics.
Bryce elaborated:
"You might wonder—didn't humanity deem all AI a scourge after the Old Net's collapse?
Why, then, do I use AI-like programs in cyberspace? Why do megacorporations continue to employ AI for production and other activities?
The Blackwall isolates all AI—why doesn't it eliminate these as well?"
What is AI? Put simply, it's something capable of thinking and acting like a human to some degree.
The Blackwall itself could be considered an AI.
Like humans, AIs require training and differ from one another. The Blackwall, as a massive AI, evolves slowly. It lacks human-like self-awareness and the motivation to learn or improve.
NetWatch's role includes helping the Blackwall keep up with the rapid iterations of rogue AI beyond the wall, preventing these entities from finding ways to breach the New Net.
In cyberspace, human consciousness and AI are fundamentally similar: data streams.
But the Blackwall doesn't attack humans—this implies some form of recognition mechanism.
Now imagine an AI resembling a human. Would the Blackwall attack it?
This is NetWatch's concern about the Soulkiller.
They want answers but know Arasaka won't cooperate by sharing its secret weapon.
Even if Arasaka agreed, their underhanded tactics make it impossible to trust them to provide the genuine source code.
In theory, the Soulkiller should have been deleted by Bartmoss before the Old Net's collapse. But somehow, Arasaka resurrected it.
They claim it's a new creation, but NetWatch has ample reason to believe Arasaka secretly breached the Blackwall and retrieved the Soulkiller from the Old Net.
Leo set the chip down.
"So the Blackwall was what attacked me."
Bryce nodded. "That's right. Since the Old Net's collapse, nearly 90% of the world's network activity has been under our control. Only a handful of megacorporations conduct illicit activities in hidden networks.
We only care about ensuring AI doesn't destabilize human society—most other matters we leave untouched.
That netrunner who caused the Atlanta massacre—the one who hired you—is highly secretive.
Without a doubt, it's an AI. And a very dangerous one at that."
Hearing this, V paused mid-bite on her apple, and Jackie scratched his head—reactions Bryce noted carefully.
Leo also noticed and remarked, "No wonder he was so cryptic.
So your plan was to use me as bait, trapping me with the Soulkiller to intercept its code during Arasaka's attack.
And by employing experimental tech, you launched the attack.
If I'm human and not extensively logged by the Soulkiller, I survive.
But if I'm an AI—or too similar to the AI generated by the Soulkiller's process—"
"You'd die. The Blackwall would instantly burn all devices connected to you. Or, more accurately, they'd explode."
[TN: WOW what dicks they are]
Leo nodded thoughtfully.
It was a smart strategy. If he were NetWatch, he'd probably do the same to confirm whether a suspected target was an AI.
Netwatch's modus operandi shines through: they don't intentionally target individuals, but when it comes to network security, they are willing to go to any lengths, regardless of collateral damage.
Leo questioned further:
"I still have some questions. How can you be sure Arasaka will attack me? And besides Soulkiller..."
Bryce nodded and replied, "To answer your second question first—yes, there are other cases, which is why we focus heavily on certain AI within the Wall. Some are incredibly human-like."
Bryce elaborated, "The good news is that the Blackwall possesses overwhelming power over nearly all roaming AIs. Its detection capabilities are unparalleled, leaving most rogue AIs with no chance of bypassing it—unless they choose to imitate human life at its very core.
Think of it this way: if it walks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. The same logic applies to AIs. Such AIs may pose minimal direct harm to the network but can have devastating consequences in other dimensions."
"For instance, your previous employer or the damn Voodoo Boys! I suspect their leader is precisely this kind of AI!" Bryce's disdain for the Voodoo Boys was palpable as his tone intensified.
Leo smirked, "Prepare enough money, and I might consider helping you deal with them."
"Uh, I'll need some time to arrange that." Bryce then refocused. "Back to the first question—about Arasaka."
Bryce's expression grew serious. "We owe it to the mess you caused at the corporate plaza. The EMP disrupted much of their concealed infrastructure. This gave us a glimpse of Soulkiller's activity in Night City—but strangely, we observed no abnormal deaths among netrunners in the area."
He paused, letting the implication sink in.
"Remember what I said: Soulkiller is a glitch in the Blackwall, like a storm cloud lingering on its surface.
If Arasaka quietly replaces someone with a digital construct, the Blackwall wouldn't know. Netwatch wouldn't know. And the world? It certainly wouldn't know either."
This was chilling. If Arasaka could silently replace one person, they could replace many, crafting a society unknowingly molded in their image.
Bryce continued, "Of the three contracts I gave you, two will involve Arasaka. As professional mercenaries, failure is not an option. I'm confident Arasaka will retaliate viciously when you get too close to the truth."
"Of course, it may not necessarily involve Soulkiller—but in this world, no plan ever unfolds perfectly."
Leo nodded in agreement. Adaptability was invaluable. In their line of work, nothing ever went 100% as planned. Unexpected variables and painful failures were the norm.
For large-scale operations like this, predictability was impossible. Success depended on relentless pursuit and improvisation. If the H8 Tower operation didn't force Arasaka's hand, the team would simply pursue other leads to exert more pressure.
Bryce shifted back to Soulkiller. "Taking it further, we still don't know if Arasaka can modify digital souls to make them what Arasaka desires.
Even imagining such a possibility is terrifying. We need the truth.
The engineers at HQ are decoding the intercepted data streams as we speak. We're getting closer to uncovering the truth. Something massive is unfolding in Night City, and we will figure out what Arasaka is planning with these AIs."
Bryce painted a grim picture: the idea that someone could be unknowingly replaced with a digital construct, engineered to inherently align with Arasaka's ideals and philosophy.
Such an operation, if executed slowly and covertly, could transform society into a quagmire of Arasaka loyalty without anyone noticing.
Leo tapped the table, deep in thought. The implications were horrifying.
Looking at Bryce, Leo asked, "Is this Netwatch's mission—or yours?"
Bryce hesitated. "Mine. But does it matter? It's both a Netwatch operation and something I personally believe in."
Leo chuckled. "Not for now. But your enthusiasm makes you seem like a street kid."
Bryce fell silent, pouring himself a glass of water—real water.
"I'm British. I've seen similar things happen. People, led by those they sought to overthrow, unwittingly brought about their downfall."
"If Soulkiller can achieve this level of influence, history will repeat itself in even bloodier ways."
As Bryce set down his glass, Leo noticed the red light flickering on the back of Bryce's neck. This room, cut off from signals, was one of the few legitimate places where corporate employees could deactivate their network-linked implants.
A man of stories, no doubt—a company loyalist with layers to unravel.
"Now," Leo said, breaking the silence, "let's talk about compensation. Oh, and that glass of water? 1,000 eddies."
Bryce sighed, his face unreadable.