033: The Gambler

"EMP?" Gino held her water glass, lost in thought.

She had once modified an electromagnetic pulse emitter, which had inadvertently destroyed some contraband materials stolen by a traitor from the Owl Town Gang, sparking a cascade of trouble. According to her description, the other components were standard, but the core decryption unit used an Intrusion Countermeasures Electronics (ICE) module from Plato Corp.

ICE, in layman's terms, is a firewall. It represents the most advanced anti-hacking technology of the cyber age. Major tech corporations spend vast fortunes assembling specialized research teams to pit their ICE against hackers, ensuring their manufactured cybernetics cannot be easily breached.

"Where did you get this stuff?" John asked.

"Do you remember that cyberpsycho incident in the city center a while back?"

"I remember. The night I brought the doctor back."

John could still recall the sight of the special ops team's aerocar skimming over the rooftops. At the time, weakened by the Blacklight, he had been half-dead and had no interest in getting involved.

Like most hacker girls, Gino kept her finger on the pulse of the digital world, so she knew the details: rumors said the Plato Corp warehouse had been blown open that night. A group of Outcasts and Ghouls had teamed up, obtained high-end cybernetics, and stormed the facility to loot it.

The black market was flooded with high-quality goods that very night. Gino, with her limited funds, had gambled on a blind box and scored the experimental Plato protective hardware. This firmware had been hyped to the heavens; Plato executives had even boasted that this experimental ICE could block the top hackers in the world, filled with internal traps like a labyrinth that would fry the brains of any young hacker foolish enough to try and break in.

After receiving the goods, Gino had a stroke of genius: she tried running the hardware subroutines in reverse. The result was an EMP capable of piercing even the strongest corporate defenses. The thickest shield had become the sharpest spear.

"With just one damn pulse, the drone dropped out of the sky. Even I didn't expect it... do you get it?" Gino still sounded amazed as she recalled it. Seeing John's interest, she added regretfully, "Everything else is still with the Japanese guys who kidnapped me. It's in a secret room inside an abandoned casino in Owl Town. That's where I was locked up."

[Mission Progress Updated]
[Return to the abandoned casino and retrieve the lost hardware. (Incomplete)]

John recounted the events of the previous night. When Gino heard that her kidnappers were being interrogated by the Owl Town Gang, she let out a string of satisfying curses. John worried that the Japanese group might have scavenged the site, but Gino insisted the secret passage was well-hidden, designed specifically for stashing stolen goods. If luck was on their side, it might remain undiscovered.

With that, John started the Silver Knight and headed back to Cherry Blossom Crossroads.

Morning mist hung in the air. Sunlight hit the charred bridge, where the wreckage of vehicles had already been cleared. An automated cleaning machine crawled slowly past, leaving behind a damp road and a faint, lingering stench of rot.

The Silver Knight cruised down the coastal boulevard. The factory where the Ghouls had been entrenched was now consumed by fire, thick smoke billowing up to mingle with the industrial smog of the West District. John watched from the window: Owl Town thugs were standing guard in front of the building. They had slaughtered all the remaining Ghouls from the night before, stacking the mangled corpses by the roadside as a silent warning to passersby.

Whoever caused trouble at Cherry Blossom Crossroads would pay the price.

The red light turned green. A street-level voice broadcast began to chime. John honked at the car in front of him and turned through the intersection.

[Cherry Blossom Crossroads - Abandoned Casino]

John ducked through the buckled rolling shutter. The dust-covered casino was filled with signs of violence, including a long, dragged bloodstain still visible on the floor. The person involved was almost certainly dead; they might have even been burned to ash.

As John had expected, the Owl Town gang had searched the casino, but they were sloppy and had clearly missed the key area. Likely, Ryugawa Sawa hadn't cared about the loser's assets—he was only interested in torture and punishing a traitor.

Following Gino's instructions, John found a dead pinball machine with a shattered glass face. Lifting the control panel revealed a data slot. John pulled out his connection cable, using the Blacklight to override the system. The seamless wall popped open, revealing a small, few-square-meter secret room.

The space was cramped and simple—metal tables, chairs, and scattered debris and shelves. John found the arms crate in the corner, filled with neatly arranged ICE firmware, though one was clearly missing—the one Gino had used. Just seeing the Plato Corp logo told him the contents were valuable. It was a shame the poor bastard had been killed by Ryugawa Sawa before he could sell them.

John scanned the area with his cybernetic eye. A circle of discolored sealant coated the wall, standing out due to dampness and age. He stepped forward and pried off the cover. Digging into the hidden compartment, he pulled out a silk-wrapped package, revealing a high-frequency monomolecular katana.

[Weapon: Katana - The Gambler]
[Attachments: Sharpened Edge, Durable Coating]

In the cyberpunk era, the bushido culture of the Japanese had been reinterpreted. Extremism and violence were amplified, and certain elements became the inspiration for weapon designers. This high-tech blade was an early product of the Waki Industrial.

When they first entered Eden City, they launched a series of weapons with Japanese themes to expand their market. For a price, they would create unique color schemes and issue exclusive product serial numbers based on client requests. This series was still being updated to this day.

The one in John's hand was an early custom model. The original owner must have been reasonably well-off when he bought it. Even after falling on hard times, he hadn't sold the blade; it was like a fantasy, a spiritual principal that carried the hope of a desperate comeback. John thought of the man's pathetic state—reduced to colluding with Ghouls just to scrape together travel money. There was an ironic desolation to it.

"So this is 'The Gambler'?" John examined the katana.

It had a pitch-black alloy hilt, a narrow guard, and a long, slender blade etched with subtle ukiyo-e patterns. The metal blade itself was a faint, navy blue—the most popular suit color for Japanese gangsters in the last century, and also evocative of a degenerate gambler addicted to the pinball machines in an arcade.

John collected his loot and left. He had just settled into the driver's seat when his phone rang.

[Vito Russell: John, nice work. Macao has already picked up Gino in the East District. It’s thanks to you that this girl made it home in one piece. Sigh, let’s hope she learns her lesson.]

"She's not destined to die yet. Honestly, luck was on Gino's side. She was close to the end." John recalled the narrow escape.

Mr. Vito smiled.

[Who’s to say otherwise... There was some reckless driving and gunfire at Cherry Blossom Crossroads last night, and I’ve heard some rumors... Anyway, you’ve worked hard on this job. The original fee I promised doesn't seem like enough, so I’m doubling it.]

"That's quite generous."

[You earned it.]

Vito poured himself a drink with interest.

[You’ve made quite a splash in the Japanese territory; the Owl Town gang is already asking after your name. Don't worry, we’ve got your back. You’re just a neutral mercenary—walk the streets as you please. Aside from the Ghouls, no one will come looking for you.]

He raised his glass toward John and added:

[The Black Gold Gang never mistreats its friends. When you get back to your apartment, you’ll find a gift we’ve prepared for you. Money is money, but this is a gesture. Denny Street formally welcomes you.]

Vito hung up. John slowly accelerated as the settlement information popped up before his eyes.

[Mission: Pulling Someone from the Frying Pan (Completed)]
[Rewards: Payment, ICE Module, Transport Protocol 308 (Program), Katana - The Gambler, Special Access Pass, Unknown Souvenir.]