I Became a Sub Heroine in a Cyberpunk Game

Countless faces contorted with fear. I, too, would not have been able to make rational judgments in that situation.

However… despite knowing it was not highly likely, they instinctively turned their backs on the life-threatening danger and screamed.

“!! Those crazy corporate bastards actually fired…!!”

“We need to get inside right now…!!”

Thwak-thwak-thwak——!!

What I could hear was barely up to that point. When a grenade exploded right next to me before, I had experienced tinnitus, but this gunfire, beyond the realm of audible sound, created a complete soundless zone.

Crumble…

The body swaying from a direct hit by a fired bullet was swept away by the storm before it could even collapse to the ground, its limbs disintegrating.

Although I had made many wrong choices and actions in my life, things that had certainly been human were disassembled in an instant and evenly sprinkled across the ground and walls.

The horrifying and blood-soaked silent film unfolding before my eyes dulled the sensations in my limbs.

I couldn’t quite say whether my body, sensing the overwhelming violence, had simply frozen or if it was cognitive dissonance brought on by such an unreal sight.

I wasn’t denying the logic of survival of the fittest, which is arguably as important as capital.

Even I, at this moment, had a history of mowing down the military forces of Enema Corp, and while I might have struggled to sleep after blowing off the heads of outlaws, I had no regrets.

“……”

I covertly checked my teammates’ faces.

If it were the 21st century, they would have been like confused newcomers to society, yet they stood quietly as if they had anticipated this scene.

But… I couldn’t say even as a joke that they looked happy.

Horatio was preoccupied with clenching and unclenching his fists, trying to master himself, while Domino had crossed his arms and closed his eyes entirely. As for Omen… he adjusted his mask with one hand as it kept slipping from his twitching muscles. The veins protruding in rage around his head were frightening.

On the other hand, the other mercenaries appeared to have no complaints about the operation method and merely remained vigilant about whether that turret would target them.

……It’s certainly better to kill than to die. Perhaps I should be thankful that Mega Cop was making such a flashy preemptive strike to reduce the number of enemies and lower the risk. Yet, would we really be safe if we trampled over those who originally didn’t face any danger…?

Boom……

As the smoke cleared, the only moving object was concrete debris falling from the cracked building wall. The overheated barrel gradually settled down, and new communication came in.

[The neutralization operation on Brightside Avenue, First Street, has been completed. The suppression team is to enter the building and verify the existence of the illegal drug distribution organization, Painkiller.]

“……. Operation on First Street…?”

While muttering, the mercenary team equipped with night vision goggles swiftly entered the building.

Fortunately, if First Street was indeed a deserted building, they completed their search without any commotion or gunfire and exited. But… that also meant there were no targets.

[Thank you for your cooperation, citizens. The investigation team is moving to Second Street.]

“…This is just too much!!”

An inexplicable physiological rejection caused me to involuntarily spill my inner thoughts.

“Until they find Painkiller’s gang and their boss, they’re going to keep pushing like this… This might have been too strong of a stimulus for you, Miss.”

“……It’s the right of the overwhelming strong.”

“I have no complaints as long as I can kill that Dust bastard.”

Three of them, seemingly resigned, each added their remarks.

In their fierce competition to acquire a status and strength that would not hinder their survival and money, the wall of reality that blocked their hearts was the terror of Mega Cop.

…But it’s strange. As I reached that thought, a flicker of determination ignited in my heart, eager to withdraw from the idea that an ordinary hacker could do nothing.

“Damn it…!”

Even though it might seem like a mere game from a reality completely different from ours, even if it was a result borne from riding along the gigantic flow—the main scenario—I had shattered every major corporation and system hundreds of times.

Even if the role I was given in Neo Heaven Prime was not that of a protagonist, it didn’t matter at all. I surely possessed the ability and knowledge to clear the absurdity directly in front of me…!

“…Hey, you guys said you’re from the slums, right? Then, while I don’t know how long those painkiller bastards have been around, tell me all the places that could be the base. Especially you, Domino—you seem to have some personal grudges… so don’t hold back.”

“……”

The frustrated fools didn’t comprehend my words and glanced at each other.

I quickly added an explanation, having seen the residents of the Second Street building, anxious about the vehicles and mercenaries moving uneasily in their view.

“Corporations wouldn’t do something that causes them losses…! They’re calculating that these foolish acts are cheap compared to the value of the data they can obtain or the cost of investigating the yellow sector against the spent ammunition or operational costs!”

So… please help me just a little so that I can do the right thing, so that my heart can feel at ease.

Even if we face each other, the distance between humans is still distantly far away. But the moment genuine feelings spill from my mouth, it gets surprisingly close.

…My selfish sincerity was conveyed well.

“…Between Fifth Street and Seventh Street. That area seemed heavily guarded, Miss!”

“This is…… the ability to encompass the older ones? There were a few suspicious ones near Sixth Street. …I’m not sure, though.”

“That’s all I need…!!”

Bang!!

“Ugh?! Hacker girl!?”

I abruptly snatched the laptop that the broker was holding against his side.

Even though it was connected to the massive network of the city, I needed a medium to directly send my consciousness there. Once this is over, I definitely have to buy something similar for hacking.

As my consciousness drifted momentarily, I stepped into the digital library.

Boom!!

I pushed aside the unnecessary data on the laptop, represented by bookcases, with a wave of my hand.

When I searched the Harvest Planet network for Painkiller, Dust, and Brightside Avenue, almost infinite information poured out. The excessively broad topic made the computer’s processing unit scream for help… Please finish this up and die! My head hurts more!!

Finally, I gazed steadily into the massive whirlpool of information that had been born.

The distribution of the drugs was thoroughly handled by divided minions…? This is meaningless.

Intermittent vibrations detected near Sixth Street. It’s quite an old post; I’m not sure if it holds any meaning.

A photo presumed to be of the enigmatic boss of Painkiller, Dust? ……Bingo!

The quality was terrible, but he had dark skin and a corpulent body. The impression of a slum’s black fat cat matched roughly with the target information provided by Mega Cop.

“?! Miss! Blood from your nose…!”

“?! Be quiet! It’s distracting me!!”

I shouted at Horatio, whose accelerated imaginations were disturbing the focus. I hadn’t realized how vividly external stimuli felt during hacking because I had never tested it. …Improvements were needed.

I reached out to gather images floating in the electronic world haphazardly. The filming area was limited to Brightside Avenue. No matter how thorough a criminal they were, they couldn’t have never walked outside their whole lives.

I compared, contrasted, analyzed, and overlapped the photos and videos.

………I found that bastard.

Tap… Tap!

Exiting the library, I manipulated the laptop. I compiled all the supporting materials and rashly sent them over the communication channel for everyone to see.

…After all, since the remuneration is the same, I had hoped there would be plenty of mercenaries who didn’t want to spend the night searching buildings and shooting weapons… But what I’m persuading are the employees of Paradise, who are controlling this operation and the turret, even if they aren’t on-site.

…The turret vehicles and mercenaries heading towards Second Street gradually slowed down.

If there’s something more horrific than appealing to the hearts of these people, it’s making them realize how inefficient and wasteful in Credits their actions are.

– ……Confirming the intel from the hacker of the recovery team. The police should narrow the control line, and the mercenaries must perfectly surround Brightside Avenue, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Streets without gaps. –

“Haah……”

The breath I had been holding burst out.

“Miss……!”

“…What will happen if I pass out before the operation even starts?”

As a heavy voice, entirely different from the mechanical tones I had been hearing until now, echoed in my head, I found myself almost kneeling in surprise. I exchanged a grateful gaze with Omen, who gently supported my back with his large hand.

I roughly wiped my nose with my forearm. …Thanks to my jacket, which doesn’t retain foreign substances well, blood smeared all over my mouth. Frustrating.

With exasperation, I shoved the laptop, which was probably well past its expiration date, back into the broker’s chest.

“Ugh?!”

“This laptop should be completely destroyed. …It probably has a ton of records from unauthorized intrusions here and there.”

“……What?”

Whether he was pouting about the unexpected additional expenses or not.

The truths of how the world operates and the prowess of a top-tier hacker, whether my younger siblings were in awe or not.

Whether the residents passing by the shabby but precious home felt relieved or not.

Heavy weapons… Droids… and most importantly, drugs.

To dismiss it as merely a criminal organization… I reminisced about the somewhat perilous hidden materials.

With a bad premonition of what seemed to be a long night ahead, I raised my head and looked at the sky.

……When will this nosebleed stop?

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