Chapter 218: Special Training (Part Four)
Bang!
A bullet crackling with blue arcs of electricity pierced the man’s skull. Mibs slowly lowered his weapon. This was the third competitor he had tracked down in recent days.
Relying on the gang’s network, he had managed to locate several suspected members in this area. His luck really wasn’t bad—there were so many opponents nearby. With slightly worse fortune, he might not have run into even one.
“Are electromagnetic weapons really this common in this world…?”
Mibs turned the pistol over in his hands, momentarily lost in thought.
“Boss, the boss is looking for you.”
A figure suddenly slipped out from behind him and spoke.
Mibs’s mouth twitched. Two bosses… figures. That’s just like you.
He didn’t dwell on it. After this brief period of contact, he already had a rough idea of what kind of person the guy was.
“Wonder what he wants with me…”
As Mibs headed toward the gang leader’s location, he weighed his options in silence, even briefly considering whether he could take the man out and seize his position. The thought was quickly dismissed.
He still knew far too little about this place. He had no real sense of what kind of cyberware a gang leader in this world might be equipped with.
But it was probably terrifying—nothing like the street-level gang members he’d encountered back in the real world.
...
While Mibs was beginning to act and make contact with the gang leader, V had already arrived at PROJECT Corporation.
“V? You’re back so early? Did you find anything on Gene Power?”
She had barely entered the building when a man in a uniform similar to hers looked at her in surprise.
V froze for a split second, then quickly pieced together the situation. Keeping her composure, she shook her head.
“No. It’s not that simple. I ran into some reckless punks—probably tipped someone off. Bad luck, so I decided to come back first.”
“Oh, I see.”
The man nodded and walked off without another word. He clearly had no time to worry about her.
Once he was gone, V finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. Still, she had already memorized the badge on his chest. It seemed to represent her own department as well—also an inverted triangle, but subtly different…
V made her way smoothly to her assigned work area. It was a shared office with her name displayed outside, and three other people were already seated inside.
When she entered, none of them so much as glanced up, clearly having no intention of greeting her.
That actually helped V relax a little. She turned to the terminal, intending to review the files—but the moment the screen lit up, her expression stiffened.
A password prompt.
Damn… This is probably another test.
V frowned and stopped. She had no idea what the password could be. Repeated failed attempts would only draw suspicion.
“Is there a risk tied to the corporate identity itself…?”
She murmured under her breath. After gathering a few things from her desk, she shut down the terminal and left the room.
As V departed, the woman seated beside her slowly shifted her gaze, watching her retreating back.
“Report. Valerie showed abnormal behavior upon returning to the corporation. I request an investigation.”
“Your report has been logged. Ms. Valerie has been flagged. An investigation will be initiated. If your report proves accurate, it will count as merit toward promotion. If it is false, you will be penalized.”
“Understood.”
The light in the woman’s eyes dimmed, her expression returning to normal as she resumed her work.
Not long after, PROJECT Corporation’s internal AI launched its investigation. In an instant, it reviewed all records related to V’s recent movements and activities.
The conclusion was clear: V had remained for several hours in an alley within the slums.
That alley had no surveillance coverage and connected to numerous other locations.
It was immediately marked as suspicious and scheduled for further investigation.
V, however, was completely unaware of any of this. She was busy organizing the information she had obtained.
First, the intelligence department clearly wasn’t harmonious. Internal competition was intense, far removed from anything resembling cooperation.
Second, her assignment involved investigating a faction known as Gene Power. The trail had led her deep into the slums, where she had inexplicably lost consciousness in an alley.
Finally, there were the employee handbook and detailed descriptions of staff authority and responsibilities.
V studied the two data chips in her hand, a strange glint appearing in her eyes. Without hesitation, she inserted them into the slot and began reading.
Before long, delight spread across her face.
The authority held by her department was far greater than she had expected.
She could directly requisition a security squad to assist with investigations and carry out armed suppression. If the target was deemed highly dangerous, she could even apply for heavier reinforcements.
With this knowledge in hand, V headed straight for the security department, determined to make full use of the resources available to her. At the same time, she firmly etched the name Gene Power into her memory.
If nothing unexpected happened, this faction was likely the key to clearing this place with outstanding results.
...
“You’re awake. This is our base. You’re safe for now, so don’t worry.”
Ambir slowly opened her eyes, still disoriented. The first thing she saw was a woman clad entirely in blue armor, a matching cloak draped over her shoulders.
“Where… is this?”
“This is Gene Power. We don’t know why PROJECT Corporation was hunting you, but either way, we’re on the same side for now. Of course, if you don’t want to join us, you’re free to leave.”
After saying that, Ash turned and prepared to go.
“If you want to join, go find Sejuani. If you want to leave, just tell my deputy. Though I wouldn’t recommend leaving. I still have things to do—I’ll be going.”
With that, she left, leaving Ambir standing there, utterly bewildered.
Gene Power? Hunted by PROJECT Corporation? What the hell is this?!
Wasn’t I just entering an assessment… an assessment?!
Realization struck Ambir all at once.
So that’s how it is. This is the assessment!
They threw me into a scenario where I’m placed among the enemies of PROJECT Corporation, all to test my loyalty. That has to be it!!
It’s a shame Roland wasn’t monitoring everyone’s perspective from the real world. Otherwise, he definitely would’ve noticed this gem of a candidate. And honestly, if you look at it from Ambir’s point of view, it almost seems like the explanation actually makes perfect sense.
Author's Note
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