Chapter 135: Deformed Corpses
At that moment, Panam emerged with a kinetic sniper rifle in hand, her face beaming with delight. Her beloved car and Overwatch sniper rifle had been recovered, and with them, so had her spirits.
"Thanks, V. I'll always remember your kindness," she said sincerely.
"If you ever run into trouble, just come to the Aldecaldo camp. No matter what it is, I'll do everything I can to help."
Having grown up in the Aldecaldo family, Panam had a strong sense of loyalty to her friends. For those who had helped her, she would always try her best to repay the favor.
V simply smiled faintly. He had dealt with far bigger problems in the past. Taking out a few dozen small-time thugs was nothing to him.
"Better check if anything's missing from the car. We need to get out of here quickly before something worse happens," V urged.
He was worried that if they lingered, another group from the Maelstrom might show up. That would complicate things, especially since he wasn't an indestructible superhuman.
"You're right," Panam nodded and turned to inspect the interior of her off-road vehicle, making sure nothing was damaged or malfunctioning.
Meanwhile, Jackie, having finished examining the corpses on the ground, jogged over with a curious look on his face.
"V, when did you get those Mantis Blades installed? And does Vik even stock thermal Mantis Blades?"
Jackie had noticed that the fatal wounds on the Maelstrom members' necks bore not just savage blade marks but also scorch marks from high temperatures.
Such damage was most likely caused by a cybernetic weapon equipped with a thermal mod. The added heat buff made the Mantis Blades devastatingly lethal.
Against these Maelstrom goons, whose cyberware implants weren't particularly advanced, the results were downright brutal.
In response to Jackie's question, V casually explained that he had three different mods: one for dealing with advanced cyber implants, one with a thermal feature, and one with a chemical toxin.
"Damn! What kind of deal did you strike to afford all this in one night? You didn't secretly sell that Arasaka chip, did you?"
Jackie's mind immediately flashed back to the heist at Arasaka tower. Fearful that V might draw more trouble, his tone became urgent.
"Listen to me, V. You can't mess with that Relic chip. I heard Arasaka agents are still hunting for it!"
Seeing Jackie's worried expression, V knew his friend was genuinely concerned. At this point, he decided to come clean.
"Jackie, I didn't want to keep this from you, but I'm tired of working solo too."
"The difference is, while you chose to rejoin the Valentinos, I decided to align myself with LA Corp."
"I'm working for Li Ang now."
Since Jackie would find out eventually, V figured it was better to be honest now and clear up any potential misunderstandings.
"What? LA Corp?"
Hearing this, Jackie was hit with a sense of disbelief, as if his world had turned upside down. He couldn't believe V was now working as a corporate operative.
But thinking it over, it started to make sense. Only corporate resources could explain how V's skills and equipment had improved so drastically.
"Are you kidding me, V? A big-shot like Li Ang actually handpicked you to be a covert agent?"
Jackie wasn't doubting V's abilities, but the idea of someone from their humble background being noticed by a megacorp seemed too far-fetched.
Nothing in life came free, and Jackie feared that whatever V had gained would come with a price too steep to pay.
"Look, Jackie, it's complicated. I can't explain everything now, but we'll talk about it once we're back."
V genuinely didn't know how to begin explaining everything that had happened to him—whether it was the engram of Johnny Silverhand in the Relic or the AI matrix.
"Fine, V. No matter what, I trust you," Jackie said, clapping a hand on V's shoulder.
"But if you're ever in a tight spot, you've got to tell me. If LA Corp tries to throw you under the bus, come to the Valentinos. I'll make sure no one in Night City messes with you."
As always, Jackie treated V like a brother.
"Thanks, Jackie," V replied with a smile. For a moment, it felt like the old days, when they'd worked side by side on various gigs.
But now, Jackie was different. Back with the Valentinos, he carried himself with newfound confidence and leadership. No longer a lone wolf, he understood the value of a team.
Since that fateful night at Arasaka tower, both V and Jackie had grown a lot.
"Hey! Why don't you come over for dinner tonight? My mom's making steamed pork belly. Haven't had it in ages, and I'm craving it bad!"
"Sure," V agreed readily.
Just as the two were discussing dinner plans, a sudden shout from Panam startled them.
"What's wrong? Are we under attack?"
V and Jackie instantly became alert, pulling out their pistols as they turned toward Panam.
"No... Just come and see for yourselves!"
Panam's voice carried a mix of rage and helplessness, as though she had witnessed something both infuriating and heartbreaking.
The two hurried to the back of the off-road vehicle. When they saw the scene in the trunk, any thought of dinner vanished.
Inside, the trunk was filled with deformed corpses. Their bones had been broken and twisted into unnatural shapes, folded into compact blocks. Some of the victims were women and children.
Their skin was coated with an eerie green hue, and their wounds oozed a foul-smelling, emerald liquid.
"Holy sh—" Jackie cursed, his face contorted with shock as he stumbled back. He couldn't imagine what kind of horrors these people had endured to end up in such a grotesque state.
"Those damned Maelstrom bastards!"
Panam was on the verge of breaking down. Seeing her beloved car desecrated by the Maelstrom thugs was devastating. The state of the trunk made her want to abandon the vehicle altogether.
It was disgusting beyond words.
No wonder Panam had felt her car was heavier than usual while driving—there had been all this inside the trunk.
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