cyberpunk: Travel to 2075

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Triggering the Alarm

James Norris!

Unexpectedly, I actually found him!

"Oliver, Jack, get ready. I've located the target," Karl informed them while sending a message.

He watched as James Norris slowly walked over to an NCPD police car and pulled out a db-2 Sadara Technology double-barreled shotgun from the back.

[db-2 Sadara Technical Double-Barreled Shotgun]: A technical shotgun capable of powerful, charged shots. As the saying goes, where Sadara goes, barriers break. When facing it, you'd better pray you have reinforced iron bones for protection.

James Norris's three-eyed prosthetic glowed a strange red after retrieving the shotgun—a sight Karl recognized.

He'd seen that high-heat glow when a prosthetic body pushed to its limit. He had seen it in cases of cyberpsychosis.

Damn, in the rain, with military-grade interference—can Oliver still aim accurately? Karl felt uneasy as he broke through the blockade.

"Karl?" Jason, puzzled by Karl's sudden change of expression, watched him turn around urgently.

"The person you're talking to, get them out of here. Something's wrong with that guy. He might be in cyberpsychosis."

"Something's wrong...Cyberpsychosis?!"

Jason, a little slow from overwork, quickly looked toward his officers. He saw someone had slipped into the blockade—a large man holding a shotgun, aiming it at the NCPD officer inside the police car.

"What are you planning to do?"

The officer, initially communicating with a colleague inside, turned to see the shotgun's black muzzle.

At that moment, Jason's anxious cry came through his comms, "Run! This guy's a cyberpsycho!"

Cyberpsychosis?

Before the officer could process what was happening, the shotgun fired.

It's said that in the final moment before death, time seems to slow down. But for this officer, facing death left his mind blank.

"!"

The window glass shattered, shards flying amidst fire and steel. Pain jolted the officer from his blank state—glass had deeply pierced his face.

I'm not dead?

"Idiot! Get out the other door and run!" Jason's roar over the comms brought the officer back to his senses. He slid across the seat, pushed open the other door, and fell backward into the rain, rolling onto the ground.

His luck had saved his life.

James Norris, however, ignored the fleeing officer. His battlefield-honed instincts warned that persisting would lead to harm—and that harm meant death when facing the greater threat he now sensed.

"Death... red, black, fire," Norris muttered, turning to face the perceived threat: a black-haired young man pointing a gun at him.

Enemy, instinct whispered, and firearm data briefly replaced his chaotic thoughts.

Seeing James Norris turn with the now-damaged shotgun, Karl exhaled, feeling fortunate.

Luckily, when he sensed something was off, he had fired first, damaging the weapon.

Despite Norris's evident cyberpsychosis, Karl called out, "Stop looking for others. Why not play with me?"

He quickly messaged Jack and Oliver through their comms.

Jack, circle around but keep your distance. Use the Saratoga to help suppress. I need to gauge his sandevistan's capability. Oliver, hold Nekomata steady; my life's in your hands.

He also messaged Jason.

"Tell your men to retreat. He's a former lieutenant from the New American Army with military-grade prosthetics. Your weapons, like Lexington, won't penetrate his subdermal shield. No unnecessary sacrifices—just suppress the fire and back away."

Karl's mind raced, his data stream tapping into Norris's system.

His "Arasaka Type 3" access chip struggled against Norris's military-grade processor, the puppet data intrusion hitting its limits.

Arasaka Type 3, you're exaggerating, Karl thought, though he knew facing such defenses, even initiating an intrusion, was impressive.

The puppet program he deployed aimed to hinder Norris's movements, buying time—for Jack and Oliver's approach and the officers' escape.

If we can meet our objectives, saving a few officers' lives is worth it.

Unexpected, this encounter was a stroke of luck, sparing them the effort of finding Norris. With NCPD's law enforcement recorder as evidence, Norris's cyberpsychosis was confirmed.

The next step was simple.

Kill him.

This thought drove out all distractions in Karl's mind.

Now, only 22 meters separated him from James Norris.