011: Family
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Eden Weitz made his preparations before leaving the company. His shirt was made of shock-absorbing bio-cotton, paired with a carbon-fiber bulletproof vest equipped with special tactical modules and an electromagnetic isolation layer. Eden definitely had military experience, and it was combat experience at that. When John was at Ironbound Logistics, soldiers around him favored this kind of gear—flexible, professional, adequately protective, and easy to upgrade.
Eden’s pants were armored composite trousers, and his main weapon was a technologically precise rifle.
[Weapon: Plato MKU1]
[Module: Ultra-long-range sniper kill, High penetration]
This piece of equipment was complex in structure, costly to produce, and rarely available on the market. John had only seen it in brochures and arms chip data. Just before stepping out of the first-floor entrance, Eden suddenly grabbed John’s shoulder: “Watch your head.”
The surrounding thugs immediately went into concealment. Their tactical coordination was professional and crisp, followed by a burst of bullets piercing the wall and striking the corridor.
“Trash from the Markdos gang, two vehicle-mounted machine guns.”
“Pursuers? Take them out first.”
...
Gunfire erupted around John in an instant. Classified as non-combat personnel, he hung back as he heard a rumbling overhead. Looking up, he saw police patrol drones scanning and recording, their loudspeakers urging innocent civilians to stay away from the gunfight.
Bullets zipped close by, the enemy’s firepower fierce. Eden rested his rifle on his arm. His modified prosthetics were powerful; the recoil didn’t throw off his aim, and spent casings clattered crisply on the ground. He fired in single-shot mode with strong rhythmic precision.
Eden’s system was no slouch either. He only needed to scan one enemy, and the data would spread, revealing the rest through infrared targeting. The Plato-made tech rifle was devastating. Its ultra-long-range sniper and penetration chips could target red dots appearing through walls.
Outside enemies were steadily taken down by headshots.
Military hover vehicles patrolled in the distance, their spotlights swinging at the intersection, illuminating the foes clearly. It was a blatant show of support. John was convinced now—the Haven Company had ties with the police!
The automatic machine gun on the second floor began sweeping. It housed an intelligent chip, professional recoil buffering, a double-barrel with a thousand-round magazine, and could even auto-lock targets. Metal casings fell like rain on the ceiling.
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Whether suppressive fire or coordinated strikes, it was overwhelming.
John’s head buzzed. Meanwhile, a female voice crackled over their external comm channel—seemingly the team’s hacker. She hacked the enemy prosthetics, disabling the infantry’s infrared cyber-eyes, and caused gang members’ internal chips to overheat.
No wonder this was a heavyweight capable of holding down a company in the city.
Eden eliminated the gang with almost no casualties, only requiring the storefront to be renovated and the municipal authorities to handle the road repairs.
When John stepped outside, smoke lingered across the ground.
Eden Weitz brought him over to the Silver Rider motorcycle. Mato had already been locked inside the company building.
John gripped the handlebars and suddenly asked, “Can I grab a gun?”
Eden silently agreed.
John picked an energy rifle, street-grade heavy firepower—the priciest among their selections.
[Weapon: Warlord Sawtooth Croc K-1]
[Module: Basic armor-piercing, Physical damage boost]
John wanted to go loot, but of course, doing so might just turn him into Eden’s trophy.
He settled into the driver’s seat and asked, “Where to?”
“My sister’s graveyard.”
“Alright.”
John sped the sports car out of the city center. The cemetery was located on the northwest outskirts of Eden City.
[Eden City—Shang Grand Avenue]
Far from the slums, yet without touching the bustling districts.
From afar, a towering monument stood sentinel. This place had once been a museum, destroyed during the wars of the 2020s; the new city cemetery now rose from its ruins.
Compared to history, the dead deserved their own corner.
The curved walls, layered inside to out, were packed with urns.
Cold numbers, cramped spaces.
Death rates were high in the cyber era, and society no longer celebrated mourning. Only some families and sensitive souls held memorials.
The Silver Rider stopped roadside.
John couldn’t help but ask, “Why bring me here?”
“To see if you’re lying to me.”
Eden closed his eyes to rest.
Two vehicles followed and parked at a distance—a black stretch limo and a military-grade armored Borna.
All Haven Company staff, here to protect their boss.
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The steps were long, wide, and thick, stretching to the circular monument.
What met the eye were neat, dark stones, free from graffiti. After all, those who paid for a final resting place generally had a decent level of civility.
Eden Weitz didn’t rush forward.
This tough man bent down.
Using a puddle by the roadside, he carefully washed the blood from his boots and hands, then threw the bullet-riddled vest on the ground.
He straightened his clothes and collar, adjusting his posture.
His expression remained solemn, tinged with grief. Then, gathering courage, he approached the corner next to plot number 331.
“There should be a bouquet as well.”
Eden clasped his hands, his coldness piercing.
“I will bring her back to the family and hold a proper funeral. Friends and relatives will dress in their finest, holding her mementos and reciting eulogies, then lay her soul deep within the garden.”
“What customs are these?”
“We come from the north, a mafia family. The second year after the war broke out, she followed a rock singer to Eden City…”
Eden Weitz stopped speaking, pausing before adding,
“I don’t know why you’re helping her. No one would kidnap Mato over a missing person’s notice.”
John was left speechless, too weary to explain.
Eden didn’t press but said, “We’ll deal with the gang and declare war. Mato alone couldn’t have been hidden for two years; there had to be morticians cleaning up after him.”
“John, you can claim to work for me, but don’t go near Nocturne Bar lightly. The forces behind them are not to be trifled with.”
[Hand over the memento to Eden. (Optional)]
John snapped back to reality, pulling a blood-stained, old-fashioned room card from his inner pocket and handing it over.
“Believe it or not, this is my only clue. I have no right to attend your family’s funeral, but if you don’t mind, take it... um... and please accept my condolences.”
Eden took it solemnly without a word.
Suddenly, he stepped forward, pulled out the iron box marked 331, and cradled it as he left the cemetery—likely to prepare for the funeral he mentioned.
The sky had fully brightened.
Sunlight pierced the hazy sky, spilling into every corner of Eden City.
The Silver Rider was John’s unexpected bonus.
Before leaving, Eden said to him, “If you’re short on money... or at least look like you’re struggling... you can work for Haven Company. Show us your worth, and we’ll have good stuff for you.”
“Like what?”
“Combat chips, military-grade gear, and prosthetics.”
“Damn it, what kind of company are you guys anyway?”
“Debt collectors. We’ll talk specifics when I get back.”
[New contact added — Eden Weitz]