Chapter 188: Special Favor
“I was wondering who was looking for me. Turns out it’s you, Oro. What is it this time—need me to clean up another mess for you?”
Jamil chuckled when he saw the familiar face and casually took a seat nearby.
“Can’t be helped. I’m the one who signed the agreement with that corporation.”
The fair-haired man with a pair of small mustaches at the corners of his mouth shrugged helplessly.
“So you’re here to ask me to deal with this corporation for you?”
Jamil crossed his legs, picked up the white wine beside him, inhaled its aroma with satisfaction, and spoke leisurely.
“No, no, not yet. It hasn’t reached that point. The higher-ups plan to send you to make contact with them. I just want to ask you for another favor. After all, among the Angels right now, you’re the only one with full freedom of action.”
“Tell me first. I’ll decide after I hear it.”
Jamil took a light sip of wine, gently swirling the glass as he spoke.
“I want you to make contact with the boss of PROJECT Corporation—Roland Vimers. Just tell me what you learn.”
Oro said this with a pleasant smile.
Jamil raised an eyebrow, his golden eyes opening as he looked at Oro.
“That’s it?”
“That’s it. I think once you meet him, one of my doubts will be cleared up.”
Oro nodded.
“Alright. I get it. So—what’s the payment?”
Jamil nodded as well, set the glass down, and extended his hand toward Oro.
“Same as always. I won’t let you down.”
“Good. Want me to bring you back any local specialties?”
“No need. What could the Crystal Palace possibly be lacking?”
“Is that so?”
Jamil let out a soft laugh at that rhetorical answer, then left without waiting for Oro’s reaction.
As for why he responded that way… the reason was simple. The Twelve Angels belonged to the European Space Agency, not the Highriders. And the relationship between the Highriders and the European Space Agency was extremely delicate.
In a sense, the Highriders were part of the European Space Agency. From another perspective, the two were entirely separate factions.
So why hadn’t things blown up between them?
The Highriders controlled massive numbers of space-based weapons—or rather, orbital launch systems—as well as the Tycho Colony. They styled themselves as New Humans, living and developing in space, with no intention of returning to the surface.
The European Space Agency, on the other hand, controlled the transport routes to the Crystal Palace, and the Twelve Angels were stationed there.
Just how powerful were the Twelve Angels? Put simply, each one was an army unto themselves. Even top-tier solo operators like Adam the Smasher were nothing more than small fry in front of them.
But didn’t the Highriders already control a colony and achieve self-sufficiency?
That was true—but if those self-proclaimed superior New Humans truly wanted to enjoy fine food and top-tier supplies, they still had to compromise with the European Space Agency. Otherwise, all they’d get was paste-like space rations.
For people who believed themselves to be above everyone else, that was an intolerable fate.
“Lord Jamil, please prepare for EVA.”
“I understand.”
Jamil nodded and pressed a button at his neck. Instantly, a device rose from behind him, wrapping around his head and forming an ornate tactical helmet.
...
“What’s the situation with the Southern California vanguard?”
Roland turned his head and asked Lissandra beside him.
“They’ve already reached the outskirts of Night City. Following our guidance, they’ve successfully avoided all Northern California forces ahead.”
Lissandra pulled up a map. Red and green dots were scattered across it—green representing Northern California units, red representing Southern California units.
Amid the cluster of green dots, a single red dot had slipped past them and appeared behind their lines.
This was because Roland had Kelly take control of the radar systems of all Northern California units that might encounter that squad, masking its presence and then guiding it along a safe route to achieve his objective.
“Good. Have the support unit with Maine intercept that squad.”
“Understood.”
Lissandra nodded and immediately contacted Kelly, who was already in the Net.
Once Kelly received the order, she acted at once. The radar systems on both the Northern and Southern California sides—blind just moments before—suddenly returned to normal.
At the same time, the Southern California squad’s stealth system failed like a case of sudden senility.
In an instant, both sides erupted into chaos.
“You’re saying a Southern California vanguard unit has already entered our territory and slipped past all our recon teams?!”
“Yes, sir…”
“But it’s exposed now?”
“Yes.”
“F**K! How do you know this exposure isn’t bait?!”
“We don’t have another option. Send the nearest unit to investigate.”
On the Southern California side, a similar scene was unfolding.
“Our vanguard unit has been exposed?!”
“Yes. Their cloaking system suddenly failed, and they were directly picked up by Northern California radar.”
“Damn it… Create some commotion on the front lines to draw Northern California’s attention. Get that cloaking system fixed as fast as possible.”
“Roger!”
...
“Boss, did HQ assign me a new mission?”
Maine turned to Garfield, who looked grim.
“Yes. They want us to abandon our current task and reroute immediately to this location to check the situation.”
Garfield nodded and pointed to a spot on the map.
“Sounds urgent…”
Maine rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“Probably dangerous too, but we don’t have much of a choice. Guroga, change course to the designated location!”
“Roger.”
The driver nodded, gave Garfield a quick acknowledgment, and sharply turned the wheel. The two vehicles behind them followed without hesitation.
“Boss, how far are you planning to take this?”
Kelly couldn’t help asking as she watched events unfold.
“How far? Hmm… that’s a good question. Hard to define, really.”
Roland rested a hand against his chin, thinking. Then something occurred to him, and he smiled at Kelly.
“Far enough that he’ll be deeply grateful to me. Of course, I’ll need you to clean up all the traces. Can you do that?”
Kelly shivered slightly under Roland’s gaze, then quickly nodded, patting her chest in assurance.
“Don’t worry, boss. I’ll wipe everything clean—no one will notice a thing. Honestly, aside from Miss Lissandra, I don’t think anyone in cyberspace can match me.”
As she spoke, a proud look crept onto her face.
Roland shook his head. “You’ve never been past the Blackwall. How can you be sure there isn’t something stronger out there? Still, you’ve reminded me—lately, you’ve been getting a bit full of yourself.
I’ll have Lissandra find a chance to straighten you out.”
Kelly’s expression froze instantly.
“No, boss!!!”
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