Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 72 Animal Gang (Third Update)

Rebecca also deflated, scratching her hair in frustration: "Damn it, you're right. What about our base in the city? We still have a lot of stuff there! And my collection!"

She was referring to the various strange and unusual weapons and ammunition she had hidden in her hideout.

Qiwei also raised her head; this was one of her biggest concerns right now, her voice urgent: "My hacking equipment, servers, and all the backup data... they're all in the city. Without them, I... my abilities will be greatly diminished."

For a skilled hacker, specialized equipment and servers storing countless tools and vulnerability information are half her life.

Pila wailed, "My tools and all those rare parts I'd painstakingly collected are in there! They're all worth a fortune!"

One practical problem after another is presented to us.

Behind the "glory" of offending the company lies a real survival crisis and financial loss.

Mann glanced around at his team and said in a deep voice, "We must return to the city, and we must get our belongings back. That's our savings of many years, and it's the foundation for our next move."

But if we just swagger into the city like this, we'll be walking right into a trap.

He looked at Falco: "Falco, do you have any connections? Can you find someone you can trust to help transport it out?"

Falco shook his head, his face grave: “It’s difficult. In this situation, everyone knows that helping us is going against the company. Ordinary transport teams certainly wouldn’t dare to take the job, and we can’t drag our trusted friends into this mess.”

Dorothy, who had been silent all along, spoke up. Her voice remained steady, carrying a reassuring strength: "Perhaps we can ask the animals for help."

“The Animal Gang?” Mann looked at her, and the others also cast questioning glances at her.

“Yes.” Dorio nodded and began to explain in detail, her tone carrying a certainty of her past knowledge, “I know a few leaders of the Animal Gang, and I’ve dealt with them before when I was in the gang.”

They're different from those money-grubbing middlemen or backstabbing corporate dogs in the city. The Animal Gang…they have their own logic.

She paused to gather her thoughts before continuing, "They have an extreme admiration for pure physical strength and believe that over-reliance on prosthetics is a sign of weakness."

Therefore, within the gang, one's status largely depends on one's muscle strength and fighting skills.

That is why they place great importance on 'strength' and 'reputation'.

Once you prove yourself strong enough and earn their respect, they will treat you as one of their own. As long as you don't violate their principle of "might makes right," they will generally keep their promises.

Compared to Faraday's slyness, their "street loyalty" is more reliable.

Rebecca's eyes lit up: "That's right! Dorio, you're so strong now, you could probably dismantle a mech with your bare hands, right? They'd definitely admire you!"

Dorothy, however, didn't seem particularly optimistic. She continued, "I can contact them. Given my current...state, I should be able to gain their attention. And..."

She paused, seemingly considering her words, "If we could offer a little 'sweetness,' like hinting to the boss that we have a way to make people stronger, the entire animal gang would probably be willing to work for us."

She knew very well that for these fanatics who pursued the limits of the human body, the allure of a method that could break through the constraints of the physical body without relying on a large number of prosthetics was deadly.

Her words struck a chord with everyone; the pursuit of strength was ingrained in the bones of those muscle fanatics in the Animal Gang.

Chen Yu's incredible enhancement technology was undoubtedly an irresistible temptation for them. However, Mann shook his head almost immediately, his tone resolute: "Get rid of that idea as soon as possible, Dorio. The boss's technology isn't for this kind of deal. He helped us modify ourselves because we swore allegiance and were useful to him. And the price was..."

He glanced at Dorio's enhanced arm and Rebecca's plasma pistol. "...We've already paid, and we'll have to pay more in the future. He will never agree to modify just anyone, especially an entire gang. Making such a request rashly will only anger him."

Mann was well aware of Chen Yu's principles of equivalent exchange and efficiency.

In Chen Yu's eyes, technology and resources are all bargaining chips that need to be precisely valued. They cannot be used to exchange for the animal gang's meager manpower support, as that would be worthless to Chen Yu and would bring unnecessary trouble and risks.

Dorothy paused for a moment, then nodded.

She realized that her earlier thoughts were somewhat idealistic.

The mindset of that red-robed "boss" was completely different from the rules of the street.

“I understand. Let’s not talk about technology then, just the deal. I’ll step in and, with my current strength, negotiate with them, pay enough euros, and have them help us safely transport our base’s equipment, along with Qiwei’s equipment, out of the city and here. Given the Animal Gang’s capabilities and style, they should be willing and able to do this.”

Mann thought for a moment, and it seemed that this was indeed the most feasible method at present.

He looked at Dorio: "Is it risky?"

Dorio replied, “I will be careful. I will only contact people I trust, and the transaction will be kept as discreet as possible. The Animal Gang and the company are not on good terms, and they are unlikely to betray us for the company, especially since we are paying in hard currency, euros.”

“Okay.” Mann finally made the decision. “Let’s do it this way. Dorio, I’m leaving this to you. Contact them as soon as possible to confirm the details and price of the transaction. We’ll all chip in on how many euros are needed.”

He looked at the others, and none of them objected.

“Okay, I’ll contact them later,” Dorio replied.

The topic had a temporary direction, and the atmosphere in the room eased a little, but it was still shrouded in a gloom of uncertainty about the future.

They had a temporary place to stay, but this abandoned town was far from the prosperity and opportunities of Night City, and also far from the life they were familiar with.

The future depends entirely on that mysterious and unpredictable being deep within the workshop.

Rebecca fiddled with her pistol listlessly, muttering, "I wonder how long the boss is going to keep doing his research... What's so great about that prisoner that he's going to put so much effort into it?"

Upon hearing this, Qiwei involuntarily shrank further into the shadows, the cold, emotionless word "eliminate" resurfacing in her mind once more.

She only hoped that her choice this time would not lead her into an abyss of no return.

Mann, meanwhile, gazed intently in the direction of the workshop.

He knew that the company's retaliation would never stop, and they had to become stronger as soon as possible in order to truly survive under Chen Yu's command and face the unknown and perhaps even more dangerous missions to come.

The current predicament is just the beginning.

　I'll stop here for now, and continue after I have a late-night snack.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)