Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 100 78. Growing into a Man

"drop."

After an extremely slight unlocking sound, Carl finally cracked the door of the scavenger's suite.

The first room after entering the door is the lounge where two people are lying and watching Mewtwo Scavengers. The slight sound of unlocking did not disturb their fun in Mewtwo.

He slowly pushed the door open just enough for one person to pass through, but Carl did not rush in.

"There are mines. It seems that this group of scavengers are quite vigilant."

As Carl pointed, David, who was watching nearby, noticed that there were two biological sensing mines placed at the entrance. They would be activated as soon as they detected any creature trying to cross the threshold.

'No wonder the lounge was placed in the first house. I originally thought it was to deal with possible inspections by the NCPD, but now it seems that it was used to attract attention.'

Jack said in the message, looking at the sensor mines on the ground, and glanced at the two scavengers lying on the sofa in the distance, wearing Mewtwo equipment and without any protective preparation.

'I'll take care of it.'

A single molecule wire popped out from Carl's wrist, and when he waved it, the end of the single molecule wire was connected to the usage port of the induction mine. That port was originally used for users to connect for remote control, but now it became the best channel for Carl to invade.

Single-molecule wires can be used as data cables for hackers to invade, but few people would use the swinging method like Carl to connect to dangerous mines, because if this is not handled properly, it may really explode.

After the connection was successful, not even a second passed before Carl's message appeared in the communication again.

'The solution is complete. I also blocked any possible triggering induction. As long as we don't actively detonate it, even if someone among the scavengers has linked to this mine in advance, they won't notice that it has become ineffective. Although I feel that the induction mines bought by the scavengers should not have this function, for the sake of safety, it is better not to touch it.'

'clear. '

Seeing that Jack and Oliver both sent clear messages in the communication, David quickly followed suit and said something.

'clear. '

After finishing the work, Carl walked slowly into the suite first. He had already taken over the surveillance of this area.

'Careful, slow down, David.'

After Jack kindly gave a reminder, he followed Carl into the suite, followed by David. Oliver was responsible for the rear guard, so he had to enter the room last.

David, knowing that he was in third place and was being taken care of, stared at the induction mine that was so close that it seemed like he would trigger it if he was not careful. His heart skipped a beat, and he took a deep breath to suppress his inner tension. Then he moved steadily and walked into the room without any mistake.

"For a newcomer, you've done well. Perhaps you're more suitable for being a mercenary than you thought."

Oliver, who watched David's entire performance from behind, praised him in the communication, saying that David's performance the first time was much better than his, as he was shaking all over at the time.

"Haha, is that so?"

Who wouldn't like to be praised for a job well done? At least for David, this kind of recognition and approval was something he had only encountered a few times in his life. The constant praise from Oliver made him grin involuntarily. If it wasn't for the wrong place, he might have touched his head shyly.

'You've done a good job, but it's time to improve. Come on, David, come here.'

Looking at David's cheerful appearance, standing next to a scavenger who was looking at Mewtwo, Carl waved at David.

"What are you going to do?"

David walked lightly, being careful not to alarm the scavenger, and approached him, and then saw Carl handing him a knife.

"You probably don't have enough strength to break his neck, so just use this thing and cut it right into the carotid artery. Don't worry, if you make a mistake he'll call for help or something, I'll cover his mouth for you." "Huh?"

David took the knife handed to him by Carl in a daze. Looking at the scavenger in front of him who was still moving his lower body, he felt a little dazed.

He was ready to defend his life with a pistol, but he didn't fire a single shot and went straight to the knife, right?
"Don't be too sympathetic. I checked his information and found that he was involved in the murder of three children, the oldest of whom was only twelve years old. Each of them had their prosthetic bodies and organs dug out. One of the children was from your hometown, Santo Domingo. Think about the parents who cried while holding the empty bodies of their children after losing them, and think about the street children you saw in Santo Domingo."

Carl's hand gently rested on David's shoulder, giving David the courage to support himself.

"If you want to protect yourself and your family, you should not hesitate to kill bastards like scavengers. I personally do not approve of killing them, but if it is a scavenger, I don't mind relaxing the conditions and seeing such a scene."

'Empty-handed children, weeping parents.'

An image flashed through David's mind. It was of his young self lying in a pool of blood, his body empty, and his mother holding him and crying desperately.

I feel the same way.

Taking another deep breath, David acted decisively under Carl's gaze.

"Pfft!"

The sound of a sharp knife piercing into the neck was heard along with the sound of Jack breaking the scavenger's neck. Under David's gaze, the scavenger, who had been obsessed, suddenly stiffened, and then his face twitched a few times and began to shake his head frantically.

He didn't stab accurately, leaving the scavenger with the strength to flutter.

'continue. ’

Without any accusation, Carl just glanced at the scavenger, blocked the last message he tried to send to his companions, and coldly asked David to attack again in the communication.

There can be no hesitation at this time. Any hesitation towards scumbags may give them the opportunity to hurt themselves and those around them.

'Yes. '

Replying on the communication, David felt his hands being wrapped in the gushing bloody liquid, as if he could hardly open them. However, he still pulled out the knife steadily, and then, using the biology knowledge he had learned in class, he found the right position and cut it again.

This time, there were no mistakes.

David's expression was different as he watched the life stop struggling and then slip away in his hands, his clothes stained with blood and blood slowly dripping from his face.

That expression was no longer that of a boy.

Oliver, who had been watching everything and making preventive preparations on the side, also sent a message to David through the communication.

'Congratulations, you are now a man.'

In Night City, when does a boy become a man?

Is it when you kill your first enemy, or when you go to bed for the first time, or when you shoot your first gun?
neither.

Only when he is truly determined and aware enough to protect the people around him can he be considered a true man.

On an ordinary day in December 2075, the boy named David Martinez has grown into a man with the awareness of protecting those around him.

(End of this chapter)