Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 87 (40/60 split) (18th update)

However, against Mowell, Dorio's effective tactics showed signs of inadequacy for the first time.

Mowell's movement trajectory completely defied common sense. The Sianwistan system, optimized by Chen Yu, enabled her to achieve incredible bursts of speed and changes of direction over short distances, leaving behind afterimages that were difficult to catch.

She rarely clashed with Dorio in pure physical strength, always managing to dodge Dorio's powerful punches, which were capable of splitting rocks, at the last second before they landed in front of her.

At the same time, using superb speed and precision, he left clear and cold "marks" on Dorio's neck, ribs, joints and other defensive gaps with the side or back of the sonic blade when it was not activated.

Throughout the entire process, Dorio was as if she were fighting against an invisible wisp of smoke, possessing the power to shake mountains but having nowhere to use it.

The exchange ended in silence.

Dorothy's bronze skin was covered in fine beads of sweat, her chest rose and fell slightly, and her eyes were serious.

Mowell calmly sheathed his blade, as if he had just done a warm-up exercise.

"40/60." Mann said in a low voice to the team members who had gathered around him, his expression serious, his gaze still fixed on the field. "Dorio is 40%, Mowell is 60%. Moreover, Mowell didn't even use his real skills."

His tone was very certain.

Rebecca's eyes lit up with pure admiration for the extreme destructive power, but she couldn't help but retort, "Dorio hasn't even used her full strength yet! Getting hit by that punch is no joke!"

“That’s exactly the problem.” Falco pushed up his sunglasses, his eyes behind the lenses as calm as if he were analyzing an instrument panel. “Mower also held back his strength.”

She didn't even activate the high-frequency vibration mode of the sonic blade. If that were a life-or-death struggle…

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone present instantly understood what he meant.

The activated sonic blade is said to have a destructive mechanism involving molecular-level resonance and disintegration. Whether Dorio's flesh and blood body, after being strengthened, can withstand such an attack remains to be seen.

In that situation, the outcome could be decided in a breath or two, and the result could be fatal.

Qiwei, who had been observing the entire process using remote sensors and data analysis software, also came over at this moment. Her voice came through the mask, carrying the calmness and objectivity unique to a technologist: "Based on my analysis of the energy reading fluctuations and her movement patterns, if Mowell removes all restrictions and goes all out, her chances of winning may further increase to 70%, or even higher."

Her entire system... its integration is astonishing, with almost no energy waste in its flow, far exceeding the design philosophy of any top-tier combat cybernetic device currently on the market.

These firsthand observations and the cold, hard data analysis were like a boulder thrown into the hearts of the Mann team members, stirring up tremendous waves.

What may begin as mere envy of power can quickly transform into a subtle jealousy of what others possess that one does not. Ultimately, all these emotions coalesce into an almost uncontrollable, burning desire to achieve the same transformation oneself.

They were happy for Dorio's growth, but the living example of Mowell clearly showed them that Chen Yu possessed the true core technology that would enable them to break through their current bottlenecks and achieve a leap in social class.

“The boss promised before,” Pila couldn’t help but rub his hands together, his excitement and eagerness overflowing. He pointed to his old-model robotic arm, which was flexible but had some wear and tear on the joints. “Give each of us a ‘customized makeover’! Look at Mowell now, and look at these cobbled-together, almost outdated ‘second-hand’ clothes we’re wearing… the difference is just too damn huge!” Mann took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the same surging anticipation and restlessness in his heart.

He understood the rules of dealing with that "boss" better than Pira did.

He glanced around at the eager team members and said sternly, "Calm down! Don't rush, and don't recklessly disturb the boss's research. Remember, we need to prove our worth first!"
The boss only values ​​efficiency and returns. We must offer sufficiently substantial "tribute" to demonstrate our usefulness in order to have any chance of getting him to take action.

His gaze swept over Pila and Rebecca, finally settling on the faint outline of the workshop in the distance: "Next, our primary task is to collect as much as possible what the boss might be interested in, especially those... high-performance prosthetics."
-
The opportunity to prove their worth soon arrived as the situation in Night City changed.

The "message" that Chen Yu transmitted through Mowell triggered a violent earthquake in the upper echelons of Night City.

The silence of the two giant companies does not mean that things are calm.

Conversely, the undercurrents beneath the surface became even more turbulent.

Suspicion between companies, infighting among internal factions, and greed for "unknown technologies" have led to a sudden increase in assassinations, intelligence gathering, and small-scale conflicts in the shadowy world of Night City.

Every morning, if you open the "Dead Man's Lotto" betting odds, you'll find that the odds are becoming increasingly unpredictable, because the list of the dead is no longer just made up of street thugs and low-ranking mercenaries, but also starting to include some prominent figures.

A mid-level manager in a company, a key leader in a gang, or even a well-known independent mercenary.

Their bodies are often found at the end of alleys or in luxury apartments, with all sorts of deadly wounds, but what they have in common is that their expensive military-grade or custom-made cybernetic bodies have all disappeared.

These high-performance prosthetics were not all taken away by the company's recycling department.

A significant portion of these funds flowed into the underground black market through various channels, becoming a coveted hard currency among various forces.

For Mann's team, this was both a danger signal and a huge opportunity.

Chen Yu had previously expressed interest in the various technological creations of this world, especially high-performance prosthetics.

These physical samples are of great reference value for him to analyze the local technology tree and conduct cross-system technology integration experiments.

Mann astutely grasped this point.

"Collect all the high-performance prosthetics available on the market, especially the ones that are just 'made'," Mann gave the team a new instruction. "This is the most direct way we can please the boss right now. Be careful and don't get involved in any unnecessary trouble."

They used the connections they had built up over many years in Night City to selectively acquire these outflowing prosthetic bodies.

This process requires careful and accurate intelligence, as they not only have to avoid being seen by the company, but also compete with other acquirers and even guard against being double-crossed.

(End of this chapter)