The car accident on Palm View Boulevard was a massive headache for the Arasaka convoy transporting prisoners.
The convoy captain radioed the last vehicle in the line. "Can we turn around?"
"No, sir. The road behind is completely blocked."
"Damn it. Send two men to check it out."
Two Arasaka agents received the order and stepped out of the vehicle, heading toward the site of the accident.
"Bang! Bang!"
Two heavy, sharp gunshots rang out.
"It's Ice Storm! We've been ambushed!"
The two Arasaka agents hadn't made it far before their heads were blown apart by sniper rifles. The gunshots sent nearby citizens fleeing in all directions.
The vehicle carrying the prisoners tried to escape the area. However, the severe traffic jam made movement impossible.
From the buildings flanking the street, soldiers from Militech unleashed a ferocious barrage on the Arasaka convoy. A few Arasaka soldiers, unwilling to wait passively for death, attempted to disembark and return fire. But they quickly fell under the brutal crossfire pouring from both sides of the street.
Several Militech squads dispersed the panicking crowd and rapidly approached the prisoner transport vehicle.
One of the squads attached a special device to the rear door of the vehicle. A laser flared to life, drilling a hole the size of a fist into the door. Then, flashbangs were launched through the hole into the cabin.
"Open it," the Militech squad leader ordered.
Behind him, a soldier stepped forward carrying a breaching tool and smashed open the rear door.
Inside the cabin, the prisoners and Arasaka soldiers escorting them were sprawled on the floor, incapacitated by the flashbangs. The Militech team quickly eliminated the remaining Arasaka troops.
One squad member scanned the interior. "All clear, sir. They're our people."
"Get them out of here—fast."
The Militech team hastily lifted their captured comrades and melted into the shadows at the edge of the street.
Inside a makeshift command post nearby, Meredith Stout was on the radio, checking the status of each unit.
"This is HQ. All units, report in."
"Sniper team has withdrawn."
"Alpha squad is secure."
"Bravo squad is secure."
"Gamma squad is secure."
"Delta squad is secure. All prisoners have been recovered, but a few are seriously injured and need medical attention."
"This is HQ. Units with prisoners, head south. Support vehicles are waiting for you at the next intersection."
A soldier beside Meredith spoke up. "We should move too, ma'am."
Meredith nodded. "What about our netrunners?"
"They say the car accident looks like a coincidence, ma'am."
"How could it be a coincidence? We set up an ambush here, and just as we did, the traffic light conveniently fails, causing a crash?"
"But there's no evidence of any network interference."
Meredith pondered for a moment before brushing the matter aside. "Log the anomaly and report it to command. Pack up. We've already spent too much time here."
---
In a quiet alley far from the chaos, Yogan held a bottle of neural suppressant to his nose, preparing to test the newly unlocked feature of his system.
[@&#% charged]
[Upgrade blueprint?]
[Yes/No]
Yogan double-checked his setup. The aerosol was right beside him—if his mind spiraled out of control, he could use it immediately.
Everything appeared secure. Yogan tapped "Yes."
[Comparing blueprints]
[Optimization options found]
Yogan didn't feel any different. He removed the inhaler from his face and opened the system menu to see what had been unlocked.
[Bullet Optimization]
[Bullet heads and propellant optimized for greater range and accuracy. Increased penetration, reduced stopping power.]
[Compatible with: Militech M-10AF Lexington]
A new bullet materialized in Yogan's hand, designed specifically for the Lexington pistol. Its shape was slightly different from the standard rounds he'd seen before.
"So it's a feature that optimizes item designs," Yogan thought. "But it doesn't let me choose what to upgrade—it only activates when the system charges up enough energy, like a lottery draw."
He recalled his "arms dealer" plan. "Well, luck's on my side today. The system-made gear already outperforms commercial versions. With these enhanced bullets, I should be able to fetch a premium price."
"Ding~ Ding~" A message came in from Jack.
Yogan took the call, and Jack's boisterous voice echoed in his ear. "Yo, buddy, I found you a big job. My boss wants to buy some new heat. I talked him down and recommended you. V said your guns are top-notch. The deal's in two hours—location is the Kitchen Rooster diner. If you land this sale, you better buy me a drink."
---
Two hours later, at the Kitchen Rooster diner.
Yogan walked through the door carrying a suitcase. In one of the booths, Jack was seated with two hefty men from the Valentino gang.
Yogan approached. "Jack."
Jack stood up and dragged Yogan into the booth. "Buddy, you're finally here. Let me do the intros. This is Yogan, my buddy. He's the one dealing firearms now. Yogan, this is my boss—I've been working his turf for years."
Across the table sat a rugged man with a bushy beard and a golden cybernetic arm. He greeted Yogan, "Nice to meet you. Name's Bacordo. Just call me Baco."
Jack continued, "This guy here is Carreño. He brought me into the Valentinos back in the day."
The other man, who had a tattoo of Our Lady of Guadalupe across his chest, nodded at Yogan. "Pleasure."
Yogan returned the greeting. "Great to meet you both."
Baco got straight to the point. "Jack here says you've got solid connections for weapons? He spoke highly of your goods."
"I wouldn't call myself a full-fledged dealer yet," Yogan replied modestly. "Just a freelance arms runner. But I'm confident that what I've brought will exceed your expectations."
"Typical Eastern humility," Baco said with a smirk. "Alright, let's see what you've got."
Yogan placed the suitcase on the table and popped it open. Inside were five Lexington pistols and a sizable stash of bullets.
Baco examined the weapons closely. "Looks good. What's your price?"
"Same as the market rate. Each gun comes with two magazines of ammo."
Baco frowned. "You sure about that? Your weapons don't come with a warranty like the ones on the market. Charging full price seems a bit steep."
Yogan met Baco's gaze. "It's not hard to buy a gun in Night City. But getting one that's perfect for certain jobs and invisible to NCPD? That's a different story. These Lexingtons are the kind that won't get traced. And you're welcome to test them out—each one's handpicked and better than the stock versions you'll find on the street."
Baco picked up one of the pistols and racked the slide. "I'll admit, these are well-built. And the bullets—what's the deal with those? They look a bit different from standard rounds."
Yogan pulled one out. "This is Militech's latest tech. Not even on the market yet. The bullet's been optimized—upgraded propellant and a modified head. Designed specifically to deal with the underwhelming firepower of regular Lexington rounds."
Baco stroked his beard. "Getting your hands on experimental corp ammo… Looks like you've got some serious connections, brother. Alright, since Jack vouched for you, I won't haggle. Let's call it the start of a new friendship."
Yogan shook the hand Baco extended.
"Deal."
.