Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 58 Recruiting New Hackers

While Chen Yu was intently planning the follow-up matters in the desert workshop, in the Watson District of Night City, the air in the team's base, which had been converted from an old warehouse, was so stuffy it was almost humid.

Sasha's absence is not simply due to a player being absent.

She is the team's hacker, the eyes and ears of the mission, responsible for intelligence gathering, system hacking, electronic jamming, and, crucially, cover for the retreat.

She is now receiving treatment in the "boss's" workshop and is obviously unable to go on missions with the team for the time being, which immediately created a huge gap in the team's functionality.

Many commissions that require technical expertise and meticulous operation are now impossible to even touch.

The team has just connected with Chen Yu and is now officially working for him.

This should have meant better equipment and stronger technical support, a new turning point for them as they struggled to survive in Night City.

However, the tangible benefits of this new relationship have yet to materialize, and the serious injury of a core member has disrupted the team's operations, putting real pressure on everyone.

The warehouse was dimly lit, with only a few temporary power lines suspending fluorescent tubes emitting a pale light that barely illuminated the piles of clutter and modified equipment.

The members of Mann's team sat around a scratched metal table, the atmosphere heavy with tension.

Mann was slumped in an old chair that looked like it was about to collapse, his massive body causing the chair to groan softly from time to time.

His prosthetic arm rested on his knee, his metal fingers tapping unconsciously against it, producing a dull thud.

“Everyone’s here,” Mann finally spoke, his voice low.

Falcomo silently took a few cans of beer from the cooler at his feet, tossed one to Mann, and the aluminum can arced through the air before being caught steadily by Mann's large hand with a soft "click".

He then tossed the rest to the other people in turn.

“I know Sasha’s situation.” Mann pried open the tab with his fingers, and a little foam overflowed. He tilted his head back and took a big gulp. “She’s lying with the boss now, and we can’t count on her for the time being.”

The cold liquid slid down his throat. He paused, his gaze sweeping across every face in the room. "The problem is very real: without hackers, half of our work would be paralyzed. Working for the boss, we can't always rely on bullets to clear the way."

Who gathers intelligence? Who picks the electronic locks? Who deals with those damn surveillance and cyber defenses?

We can't expect the boss to get involved personally, or rely on his few muscular buddies to hack into the network. Even if he takes on some side jobs, without Sasha, he'll be completely lost.

Falco also opened his can, took a sip, and the ice-cold beer gave him a slight boost of energy.

“Mann is absolutely right.” He wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “Without hackers, we’re practically blind. Intelligence, infiltration, and responding to sudden electronic warfare are all weaknesses.”

Especially now that I'm working for a 'boss,' the opponents and situations I'll face in the future are probably no longer at the level of street thugs. I need to find a way to patch this hole as soon as possible.

Pila nervously rubbed the cold beer can, the metal prosthetic fingertips making a soft creaking sound as they rubbed against the aluminum can.

“I know we need to find someone!” Pila took a big gulp of beer, the aluminum can creaking in his hand. “But how long has Sasha been with us? We’ve built a real bond through thick and thin! Where are we going to find someone reliable right now?”
If we attract a spy planted by the company, or some greedy scum who'll stab us in the back at a crucial moment, we're all finished!

He grabbed a handful of hair in frustration, the mechanical fingers scraping his scalp with a soft sound.

"Then what do you suggest we do?!" Rebecca slammed a beer can onto the crate with a thud, a few drops of beer splashing from the rim. "Just because we're scared, we're going to sit here and wait to die? Wait for the next job that requires hacking access control to come our way, and then just surrender? Sasha is one of a kind, but there are tons of hackers in Night City who make a living this way! What good will just babbling on here do? We have to go find one!"

Her green prosthetic eye gleamed in the dim light, and her impatience stemmed more from her anxiety about the team's predicament than from any particular attack on Pila.

Dorio raised her hand and made a downward gesture, her voice steady and powerful: "Pira's concerns are valid, and Rebecca's words are also realistic. What we need now is not to find someone who can completely replace Sasha—that's unrealistic."

Instead, they look for someone who can lend a hand temporarily, whose risks are manageable, and who can get them through this immediate hurdle.

The most important thing right now is to address this weakness in the team, without causing any trouble.

Rebecca took a breath, as if she had made up her mind: "When I used to hang out at the Ritz Bar, I heard about a solo hacker."

Everyone says she's good at her work, but she's a loner and doesn't like to be in groups.

I can try to make the connection and see. Recruiting her to join the team is probably hopeless, but hiring her temporarily for a few jobs might be possible."

The information she provided wasn't specific and carried a degree of uncertainty, but it was practically the only reliable information available at the moment.

Mann's gaze fell on Rebecca, and he pondered, seemingly lost in thought, assessing the feasibility of the information Rebecca had provided.

Only the faint hum of fluorescent tubes remained in the warehouse.

After a few seconds of silence, he spoke.

“…Okay.” His voice was still low, but it carried an undeniable decisiveness. “Rebecca, you’ll follow this lead for now. Remember, keep your hands clean and don’t cause a scene.”

First, we need to find out about that person's background, their reputation, and whether they've recently gotten into any trouble they shouldn't have. We'll start now…”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the team, enunciating each word clearly, "...Sasha has just joined the boss, and is still lying on the brink of death, carrying a bounty on his shoulders for biotechnology. He can't withstand any more setbacks."

Any rumors, even the most baseless ones, must be reported to me first. No one is allowed to contact anyone without my permission. Do you all understand?

Mann's words pointed the way for the next action.

The heavy atmosphere in the warehouse hadn't dissipated, but the previous sense of helplessness and anxiety had faded, and everyone knew what to do next.

Rebecca nodded emphatically and downed the rest of her beer in one gulp.

Pira's shoulders slumped, and he let out a soft sigh, offering no further objections.

Falco's fingertips swiped rapidly across the terminal screen again, beginning to sift through potential clues.

Dorio crossed her arms, her steady gaze sweeping over the crowd, silently expressing her approval.

In order to save Sasha, they have staked their future on Chen Yu.

At this moment, before they can truly begin to serve that unfathomable "boss," they must find a way to fill this critical functional gap.

(End of this chapter)