Cyberpunk: 2075.

Chapter 451 64. Exposed
'I allow you to run first.'

Karl's words were soft and didn't sound threatening at all, but Daphne didn't move.

Is it because it is false?
No.

Carl's words were sincere, so sincere that Daphne didn't need to activate some equipment to be sure that he was not lying. However, even if he was not lying, anyone who really did what he said would be a fool.

Karl only said that she was allowed to run, but he did not say that they would not chase her, nor did he say that they would not stop her. He just gave her a chance to try to escape and let her move.

So is Daphne really going to run away?
how is this possible.

No one is a fool, especially for a professionally trained CIA agent. Carl's words were like a cat playing with a dying mouse.

There were people who could escape from Carl's team, but their number was definitely not large, and Daphne was definitely not one of them, so she stood obediently where she was, not even trying to restore her dislocated hand with emergency treatment, just keeping it in that drooping position.

At this time, except for Carl's team and Daphne, several people from Mann's team also reacted.

It happened too suddenly, and V moved too quickly, so Daphne's resistance was stopped just as she began to try. It all happened so quickly that the members of Mann's team barely had time to react before it was over.

However, no matter how quickly things ended, it was still easy for the members of Mann's team to distinguish between friend and foe.

There was no doubt who to choose from as he was the frequent bartender and savior and friend of most of the team members.

"Kacha."

The sound of the pistol safety being unlocked was heard. Because Rebecca was not tall enough, she put one foot on the chair to keep stable. She leaned forward with her upper body, crossed half of the counter in a threatening manner, and raised the muzzle of the gun and pointed it at Daphne.

Then, she turned her head slightly and looked at Karl, with a hint of seriousness in her tone: “Karl, is there anything wrong with this woman?”

As she asked this question, the other members of Mann's team had already drawn their weapons and pointed them at Daphne. As the top mercenary team in the city, even if they had been drinking, they were still able to draw their guns quickly.

"I'm not sure, actually."

Carl said honestly, staring at Daphne: "But I am sure that people with the latest military prosthetic technology should not just stay in Dogtown, a place where ordinary people gather, as bartenders."

In Carl's past, this was as incredible as the owner of a roadside pancake stall carrying a real gun. Anyone would be surprised when they realized that the bulging thing on the other person's waist was real.

"The latest prosthetic technology for military use?"

Mann's expression changed several times when he heard this. He didn't expect that the bartender, who was already familiar with him in Dog Town, a place that was considered a semi-repair base, actually had this thing. Does that mean that their previous chats and actions were all watched by someone related to military technology? This feeling really makes people feel like they are being monitored all the time.

However, Mann knew that there was nothing for the mercenaries to be monitored by the military technology personnel. Their actions were not hidden from others, and any middleman would know what they did. The owner of the store where they were stationed was a military technology person, which should be just a coincidence. The other party's purpose was definitely not against them, but it was too coincidental.
Mann and his friends wanted to entertain Carl and the others, but as soon as Carl and the others arrived, they discovered something suspicious about the boss. Should we say it was a coincidence, or should we say that this bartender who was related to military technology was too unlucky?

Daphne, who was pointed at by various guns, was silent for a while before she spoke. When she spoke again, her tone had changed. It was completely different from the bartender who had been enthusiastically greeting the guests before. She sounded calmer:

"I think it's not strange that everyone has some secrets. Could it be that the famous mercenary KK is also the kind of person who is keen on exploring other people's secrets?"

"I don't have many advantages, but I have many disadvantages."

Carl said nonchalantly, "One of my shortcomings is that I am too curious. Although it is not strange for people to have secrets, I think it should not be a problem for me to ask the true identity of a person who was about to draw a gun on me just now, right?"

Daphne was stunned by Carl's words, then she recalled it a little and found that Carl had indeed just said that he wanted to see her face, and he and his companions did not take any action. The guy who had dislocated her joint with his move just now could have done it earlier, and she would definitely not have been able to react in time, but that guy waited until the moment she pulled out her gun and was about to aim before making his move.

So, Carl was really following some kind of rules and waiting for me to make the first move. Was those words just now intended to trick me?
I have heard that mercenary KK is a very disciplined and polite person in the industry. Seeing is believing, and it is indeed true. However, as the person being lured, Daphne is not happy at all.

Just as Daphne was thinking about how she should deal with Karl's problem next, she received a message: "Let me be responsible for communicating with them."

This information came from Daphne's superior, but Daphne found it a little unbelievable when she saw it.

She probably hasn't had the time to report to her superior that she had been exposed in front of KK. How did her superior know about the situation here?

Could it be surveillance?

But I am just a hidden agent. This kind of surveillance is used to deal with myself.
"It's just some necessary procedures. After all, you were betrayed by a 'traitor' before, right?"

As if guessing what Daphne might be thinking, the superior instructed Daphne: "Take out your phone. I will conduct the conversation from now on."

Daphne remained silent and did not respond verbally to her boss's words, but she still took out her cell phone as her boss requested.

Under the gaze of Karl and others, Daphne placed the phone on the counter, and Karl's familiar voice came from the phone.

"It's the second time we're communicating, KK, this is Smith."

The voice of Smith, who had concealed his face and entrusted Carl and others to carry out tasks related to the presidential campaign, came from the phone.

(End of this chapter)