[TN:Alright that all the chapter i owned this week see you guys next week]
First off, there was the monetary reward.
Bryce initially offered a payout of 50,000 eddies. If Leo hadn't recognized the risks of this plan and realized he was essentially a honeypot, that would've been the final amount.
However, after some haggling, the reward skyrocketed to 500,000 eddies.
Predictably, Bryce, being a miser, didn't have that kind of money.
"Man, the operational budget only has 150,000 eddies left!"
"Damn it, did you pocket the rest?!"
V snapped, slamming her boot onto the table in fury.
This kind of move wouldn't have been as intimidating if Leo had done it, but under V's intense gaze, Bryce visibly flinched.
Bryce threw a pleading look at Leo: "Help me out here, sensible boss!"
Leo cleared his throat, "V, don't rush—our friend from NetWatch surely has more to offer. Let's see what else he's got."
He gestured toward the box Bryce had brought with him.
The atmosphere became subtly awkward. It felt like a scene where debt collectors, upon finding their debtor penniless, started pawing through his belongings to make up for the loss.
Bryce reluctantly placed the box on the table.
"This is for you. It took a lot of effort. You used to have that Militech Parallel Line Type 2, right?"
"Actually, it was a Raven Microcyber 3.0, but I upgraded."
Bryce raised an eyebrow. "Nice gear, but that's not the point anymore, is it?"
Opening the box revealed a neural port chip and some adapter components.
[Raven Microcyber 4.0 (NetWatch-Optimized Version)]
Description: A cutting-edge chip crafted with 1nm precision. It's one of the first to use bio-molecular transistors to overcome breakdown effects, featuring 3D stacked memory architecture that dramatically increases base storage capacity.
Special Feature: Equipped with a micro self-assembly system that utilizes proteins from brain secretions to repair wetware systems.
Note: The driver has been upgraded by NetWatch, maximizing the chip's potential.
Reputation: Some users refer to this neural port as a "battleship" due to its unbeatable system security and anti-theft protocols.
"This high-end neural port chip wasn't easy to procure. It's part of the first batch of Raven Microcyber chips to reproduce Old Net technologies.
Hardware-wise, it's already top-notch, but the standard drivers were awful. I've upgraded it for you.
Besides doubling efficiency, it's better suited for hands-on Netrunners like you, enabling smoother multitasking while reducing cognitive load.
While you haven't shown signs of cyberpsychosis yet, it's better to be safe than sorry."
The chip screamed advanced tech.
The 3.0 version still used a 2nm process and didn't dare to employ aggressive designs due to breakdown risks. After all, a malfunction in regular hardware is manageable, but one in a brain-embedded device could be catastrophic.
In terms of wetware applications, the 4.0 model was clearly a major step forward.
NetWatch's custom driver only made it better, pushing the hardware to its limits.
This chip was priceless.
"Wait!" V interrupted the transaction, glaring at Leo. "Didn't I just replace your neural port chip?"
"Yeah, it burned out. Back at H8 Megabuilding."
"It burned out?!"
The atmosphere shifted again.
V stared at Leo in disbelief. "I bought that less than 24 hours ago, and it's already fried?!"
Feeling the heat, Leo quickly retracted his hand from the box and turned to Bryce. "Yeah! Your mission fried my brand-new chip! And my spinal implant too! How are you compensating me for this?"
Now fully aligned with V's outrage, Leo added fuel to the fire.
Though he wasn't sure why V was so worked up, her energy was infectious.
Bryce, under V's death glare and Leo's goading, caved.
"Okay, fine. Let's renegotiate."
Realizing he had nothing else of value, Bryce rummaged through his bag for show, but he was just a salaryman NetWatch agent without any significant bonuses lately.
After some thought, he grudgingly inserted the money chip back into his device, adding another 100,000 eddies to the account.
His personal stash was gone.
"This is it. Oh, and those cyberspace tech resources you asked for? They're included. I forgot to mention them earlier."
Leo waved dismissively. "That'll do. No need to look so glum. You handled the Soulkiller case for mere pocket change. Who knows? NetWatch might even give you an award, like Best Employee or something."
V, still fuming, dropped onto the couch with crossed arms. The impact made it bounce twice, a testament to the furniture's quality.
NetWatch's tab was settled.
Bryce stood and stretched. "You're not cheap to hire, but… yeah, worth it. Turns out, I still came out ahead.
By the way, given our friendly cooperation, I'd advise against getting more involved in political matters, despite the allure of easy payouts.
Why not join NetWatch? Together, we'd safeguard the Net, free from political entanglements.
Fighting AI and protecting humanity's last line of defense—isn't that a noble cause?
"Not necessarily," Leo suddenly said. "Bryce, have you ever considered that, generally speaking, the Blackwall is only effective against AIs?
But paired with the Soulkiller… that's way beyond what Arasaka's current version is capable of."
Bryce shook his head. "If NetWatch really wanted to weaponize the Blackwall, why wait until now?"
"Maybe they don't fully understand the Blackwall themselves?"
Bryce paused for a moment, then waved it off. "Your mind jumps around too much.
I'll head back and apply for more funding. We've unearthed a lot this time, and there are still plenty of things you guys can be useful for.
Arasaka… heh, remember what I said about how terrifying the Soulkiller is? Holt, the current mayoral candidate, is a loyal Arasaka dog."
"Speaking of that, who do you support? You should have voting rights, right? Does NetWatch have any preferences?"
"No preferences—personally, I like Peralez. He seems like he genuinely wants to do some good.
Alright, that's it for today. Pleasure working with you."
Bryce left.
V finished the last bite of her apple and even started gnawing on the core.
Leo, exasperated, took the core away. "You can't eat that."
"How do you know? This little thing costs a few hundred eurodollars, and you're telling me I can't eat all of it?"
"I just know—how does it taste?"
"Not bad, just a bit weird to chew."
"That weirdness makes sense. Most synthetic foods don't include cellulose and are designed with special textures to suit different demographics.
But an apple—it's just an apple. Naturally like that."
Of course, compared to apples of the past, this one had also undergone significant modification.
Leo grabbed a couple more apples, but only inspected them without taking a bite.
He'd have to be out of his mind to eat apples in the world of 2077—if he wanted to enjoy them, he'd do it in Marvel and eat his fill.
"Though they're not tailored to individual tastes like other foods, I like this kind of natural food. Jackie, you should try one too. No need to peel it."
Leo tossed an apple to Jackie and pocketed a few more, intending to bring them back for Mrs. Wells, Misty, and old Vic to try.
V and Jackie looked at Leo with a mix of amazement and amusement. Leo's commentary made him sound like someone born into wealth, critiquing food with an air of authority.
Leaning back on the couch, V asked, "Got all the money? Time to split it, right?"
Leo rubbed his hands together. "Uh, about that… not quite yet. There's still a payout pending from the NCPD and the fixer."
He hesitated, then added, "I've got an idea—how about we wait until we've finished the mission, taken some downtime to recover, and then split the money?"
"Works for me."
And so, a new financial policy was established among the group:
Mission ends → Downtime and recovery → Profit sharing.