The struggling Shinno Aso with his right hand didn't choose to fight back; instead, his left hand immediately reached into his arms and pulled out a lighter, preparing to ignite the fuel.

Huang Ban's agents always made task completion their first priority, their own lives were not important.

But to his surprise, A2 not only reacted quickly, but also possessed astonishingly long legs. Maintaining her grip on the knife, she accurately side-kicked Shinno Aso's left wrist with her left foot, causing the lighter to fall instantly. She then retracted the knife and thrust forward, stabbing the lighter in the air and disintegrating it into pieces scattered on the ground.

"Kisama!"

Shinno Aso, unsuccessful in starting the fire, grew somewhat angry. Without suppression, his left hand also flicked out a mantis blade, and he charged at A2 with his right hand, having discarded his empty pistol.

In the dim corridor, sparks flew from the clash of their blades. Each time they flared, the two moved slightly closer to the building's lower level.

This was A2's first combat encounter, yet her moves seemed honed by thousands of trials. Her strikes were fast, precise, and ruthless, each one targeting the opponent's vital spots, continuously wounding Shinno Aso.

Each strike faster than the last, each blow more ruthless, her movements elegant and proficient. Between swinging and retracting the blade, she resembled a ballerina performing on a staircase, graceful and fluid.

Though her mind held no memory of training, her body instinctively responded as if everything was etched into her bones.

As a failed test subject under Blue Eyes' control, though her hardware had been completely removed, some software traces remained.

Moreover, she still had the leisure to interrogate while attacking from above.

"Who are you? Who sent you to do this?"

Her voice was flat and emotionless, like a robot, sending chills down one's spine.

Shinno Aso naturally couldn't answer such questions. While defending against the attacks, he kept scanning for an escape opportunity with the corner of his eye, forcing his way between A2's blade and exerting force to the sides. If he pierced through, A2 would be torn in half instantly.

But A2's movements were composed and deliberate; she bent backwards in a standard bridge pose, narrowly dodging the falling strands of white hair from the blade, which drifted away in the wind.

Then A2 supported herself with her hands on the ground, shifting her pivot. Her right high-heeled foot lifted, stabbing through Shinno Aso's jaw and tongue before he had a chance to retreat.

"Not talking?"

With his jaw pierced, Shinno Aso couldn't open his mouth, only emitting muffled groans.

"Mm...."

Then A2 stood up, swiftly chopping off the opponent's limbs, rendering him into a human stick. Only after neutralizing the threat did she release her grip on his right leg, then delivered a kick to his head, knocking him unconscious.

"B2."

The sound of clashing blades ceased quietly on the other side.

"Target has been neutralized."

However, 2B was far more ruthless than A2; she had split that Huang Ban agent entirely in two from head to toe.

A2 was somewhat helpless, knowing she couldn't blame B2. Their opponents were evidently a group of highly trained special agents. In the team channel, she called the Truth Department.

"This is a report to the Truth Department on Super Earth; we have discovered several infiltrators in disguise, attempting to set a fire with flammable liquid inside the building."

The Truth Department, having just eliminated two gang members trying to rob an ATM in the chaos, was stunned upon hearing the news.

"What?"

What do you mean by attempting arson?

Wasn't the fire set by those people Brother Ni encountered?

After calming down a bit, the Truth Department signaled a good brother to retrieve the bodies and then asked,

"Who are they?"

"Two Japanese nationals, wearing our tactical suits, with excellent cybernetics and well-trained, but lacking any obvious identifiers; they've likely swapped them out intentionally."

Japanese nationals?

The range is enormous then.

In Night City, there are no less than 800,000 Japanese descendants if not a million; which corporation doesn't have a few Japanese staff?

"Where are they?"

"One is dead; the other has temporarily lost the ability to act."

This was Lin Miao's order: any criminal attempting to incite unrest should be executed on the spot, and A2 naturally complied.

"But with their quality, extracting information from them would be very difficult."

"Uh..."

The Truth Department found it troubling, believing this might be a clue to a hidden mission, but after the lessons from last time, he didn't plan to investigate it personally.

Due to lack of capability, if he blew it again, he would lose face significantly.

"Understood, you bring the bodies back first, remember to clean up the flammable materials on the scene. I will report this matter upward."

"Additionally, continue your investigation; I suspect those you encountered aren't the only ones."

————

Upon receiving the report from the Truth Department, Lin Miao felt relieved rather than worried, learning someone intended to set a fire.

This really is....

A perfect opportunity delivered just in time.

Unable to trace identity information?

No problem.

Sometimes it's even better when you can't trace identity information.

Some people live, but have already died.

Some people die, but they will live forever.

Lin Miao leisurely dialed a phone call, which was quickly answered by the other side.

A proud woman's voice came through the line.

"Having time to call me from a fire scene, it seems your situation isn't tense at all, huh? So, do you want me to send someone to help?"

"Let me tell you first, the price for military tech intervention is steep. Are you prepared to pay what it takes?"

Speaking is naturally the operations manager of Military Tech, Mercedes Stout.

Lin Miao looked at the fully prepared fire prevention line along Huang Ban's seaside in the distance and replied with a smile,

"Huang Ban's people set fire in the Watson District."

Mercedes paused her breathing, then coldly said after a few seconds,

"Evidence?"

"Caught one alive, but they probably left no evidence."

"However, I think... doesn't military tech conduct business without needing evidence?"

Lin Miao spoke with a hint of sarcasm, believing that even though New America wasn't the old United States, the style of 'I suspect you have weapons of mass destruction.jpg' is likely consistent.

"...."

Caught someone, who would dare to claim them?

No one dares to claim an arsonist?

Then I'll say they're arsonists from Huang Ban.

What?

You say it's slander?

Then ask the broad masses of Night City citizens if they believe my claim that Huang Ban set the fire.

Without refuting rumors, perhaps they won't believe it, but once you do....

Given these big corporations' reputations and past illustrious deeds, some matters are what they are, regardless of truth.

Other people might not dare, but ask if Military Tech dares?

Though Military Tech doesn't want a frontal conflict with Huang Ban currently, it absolutely has the guts to smother you with negative press in a media war.

And that courage is formidable.

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