Chapter 171: Learning How to Lose to Know How to Win!
"V, this party still has two hours to go. When it ends, you need to hide nearby and wait for my signal."
Song Zhaomei's plan was clear: as the guests began leaving the Sapphire Blue rooftop, V would find a hiding spot.
Once Hansen dismissed the extra Specter soldiers stationed on this floor, the real action could begin.
At that point, Song Zhaomei would signal V to stealthily maneuver into position.
When Hansen retrieved the AI Neural Matrix Device, she would launch a surprise attack on him and his men!
Of course, close combat wasn't her strong suit, so she needed V's help. As long as they teamed up to take down Hansen, the mission would be nearly complete.
Meanwhile, Song Zhaomei planned to activate the Blackwall Intrusion Protocol, taking control of Dogtown's drones and mechanical devices, causing chaos and infighting.
The Specter soldiers would be slaughtered by the drones and combat robots, providing them a safe escape route.
"Also, when I activate the Blackwall Protocol, you need to protect me. No one can interrupt the process," Song Zhaomei reminded V sternly.
This step was crucial—it was a matter of life and death.
During the protocol, she would be entirely focused on controlling the machinery. Entering a semi-reality, semi-cyberspace state left her nearly defenseless in close combat.
If someone injured her physically, she might lose consciousness to the Blackwall's backlash.
Moreover, the protocol's data overload would strike her like a tsunami, making her body extremely weak and overheated.
Yes, overheated in the literal sense.
Despite her body being augmented with a heat-dissipating metallic material, overloading would turn her into a virtual fireball.
Adding to this was the weight of her cybernetic implants. Though she seemed as light as a bird, her actual weight rivaled that of a 300-pound sumo wrestler.
Without a capable mercenary, safely getting her out of Dogtown would be nearly impossible.
"Understood," V nodded.
After hearing the specifics, he finally understood why Song Zhaomei chose him. Few mercenaries could handle such a challenging job.
But following her plan meant V would sit idle for two hours.
Time invites trouble, and V was operating under a fake identity.
If the Specter soldiers conducted a background check and discovered his false identity, things could escalate quickly.
Fortunately, this oversight by Song Zhaomei had already been addressed by Reed.
Reed's mission for V was to kill the hacker siblings downstairs, assume their identities, and stay close to Hansen for easier access.
However, to accomplish this, V needed Song Zhaomei's cooperation.
Would she agree to let Reed and Alex get involved? If she decided to expose Reed to Hansen, it would spell disaster for everyone.
While V was still deliberating how to explain the situation, Reed—who should have been lurking on the rooftop—suddenly appeared behind Song Zhaomei.
"Xiao Song, long time no see."
A deep, raspy voice, filled with the weight of years, pulled Song Zhaomei's attention behind her.
Seeing Reed, who had been missing for so long, her initial reaction was guilt, followed by complex, indescribable emotions.
Reed had been her mentor, introducing her to the Intelligence Bureau. Their relationship was akin to that of master and apprentice, bound by life-and-death experiences.
However, during the Arasaka Tower incident a year ago, under Myers' orders, Song Zhaomei personally severed Reed's connections to the Bureau.
This left Reed unable to contact external forces, including Bureau agents in Night City, and led to his presumed tragic demise.
If Myers was the judge who sentenced Reed, Song Zhaomei was the executioner—the cold blade that struck him down.
The victim of her betrayal wasn't just her mentor but also a life-and-death comrade.
Though Reed had survived through sheer luck, the pain of betrayal by a trusted apprentice was something few could endure.
Song Zhaomei could empathize deeply with such anguish.
"Reed, I'm sorry… How have you been?"
Lowering her head, she avoided Reed's gaze, her tone riddled with remorse.
"I understand, Xiao Song."
"I've never blamed you."
Reed saw the guilt in her eyes but harbored no resentment, not even for Myers.
From the moment he joined the Bureau, he knew the pain of betrayal was part of the job. It was something he had to accept.
"I'm here today with V to help you. To secure the AI Neural Matrix Device and get you out of Dogtown safely."
Naturally, Reed omitted his true intentions, steering clear of mentioning Myers.
He knew Song Zhaomei's hatred for Myers and the Bureau. Otherwise, she wouldn't have worked with Hansen to shoot down Orbital Air One.
Reed's words surprised Song Zhaomei. She couldn't tell if he was here to bring her back to Myers or genuinely wanted to help.
Uncertain, she turned to V, hoping he could confirm Reed's claim.
She couldn't simply trust Reed's words. His professional training made him too skilled at deception.
Only V, aware of the situation, could validate Reed's intent. Song Zhaomei needed V's assurance—or she'd have Hansen execute Reed immediately.
Reed, sensing her hesitation, subtly signaled V, silently urging him to keep the secret.
"Don't reveal secrets—always prioritize the bigger picture!"
Faced with the simultaneous gazes of Song Zhaomei and Reed, V quickly understood their intent. After a brief moment of thought, V nodded to Song Zhaomei and said:
"Yes, Reed and I are both here to help you. This operation is too risky. With one more helper, our chances of success will increase."
"Think of it as an extra layer of insurance. It's best if we don't need it, but if we do, it won't hurt us."
Seeing V vouch for Reed, Song Zhaomei reluctantly accepted the explanation.
She didn't have a personal issue with Reed; she was simply taking responsibility for her freedom. Song Zhaomei didn't want any mishaps during this operation.
However, this didn't mean she would completely drop her guard against Reed.
She was aware of Reed's blind loyalty. If he dared to turn on her at a critical moment, Song Zhaomei was confident she and V could take care of him.
As long as V was on her side, no one could stop her from escaping Dogtown successfully.
"Alright, V, I trust you."
Song Zhaomei gave V a deep look. Fortunately, she didn't detect that V had lied to her.
Seeing that Song Zhaomei would rather trust an outsider like V than his own words, Reed felt a mix of helplessness and bitterness.
He had sacrificed everything for the revival of New America. Yet, in the end, not only did he fail to gain the honor he deserved, but he was also gradually losing everything he valued: the recognition of his superiors, the trust of his colleagues and friends, and even Alex's fondness for him was fading.
But now wasn't the time for sentimentality. His partner Alex was ready, and all that was left was for V to join him in dealing with the two European hackers downstairs.
"Xiao Song, we need your help now. You must be informed about this."
Reed then revealed the plan to assassinate the European hackers and have V and Alex impersonate Aurore and Aymeric to Song Zhaomei.
When Song Zhaomei learned of their audacious plan, she couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety for V.
It was incredibly dangerous!
Aurore and Aymeric were top-tier corporate elites with high intelligence. Even professional agents found it difficult to extract information from them, let alone gain their trust and favor. And to kill them under the watchful eyes of so many Militech soldiers? It was akin to walking into a trap!
"I suggest you don't do this. Aurore and Aymeric aren't fools. If they see through your plan—"
"Not only will I be implicated, but all of you will be doomed."
Song Zhaomei frowned deeply, expressing her strong disapproval of Reed's risky plan. There were simply too many variables, and one misstep could ruin everything.
Just as Song Zhaomei was about to refuse Reed's request, V smiled and reassured her, "Don't worry, Song Zhaomei, I've got this."
"Reed's plan is feasible. Besides, we still have two hours. If we don't act now, staying idle could be even more dangerous."
V remained confident. After all, he had powerful allies like Johnny Silverhand, Li Ang , and LA Corporation supporting him.
This was his confidence. In any critical moment, Li Ang always had his back.
Since V had promised her, Song Zhaomei knew she couldn't argue further. She reluctantly agreed.
"Fine, but be careful."
"If anything happens, contact me immediately. Don't push yourselves. If it goes wrong, just run."
At this point, Song Zhaomei could only place her hopes on V and Reed.
"Got it. You take care too. We'll meet again soon."
With that, V and Reed turned and headed downstairs, quickly making their way to the gambling table in the corner.
According to Reed's plan, V would approach Aurore and Aymeric, play a few hands of cards, and intentionally lose some money to them.
Once the hacker siblings were sufficiently invested, Reed, disguised as a bartender, would serve them drinks spiked with a mild diuretic. The substance wouldn't take effect immediately but would work after 20 minutes.
This delay would minimize suspicion and compel Aurore and Aymeric to head to the restroom.
At that point, Reed and Alex, lying in wait in the restroom, would assassinate them!
Alex would then use a high-quality mimicry mask to disguise himself as Aurore Cassel, while V would do the same to impersonate Aymeric Cassel.
Although the mimicry devices from the Intelligence Agency weren't as advanced as LA Corporation's originals, they were good enough to pass basic scrutiny. Advanced scanning devices could potentially expose them, but in a small place like Dogtown, it was unlikely Hansen would have access to such high-tech equipment. So, the risk was minimal.
"V, that's everything you need to know. You must remember every detail. There's no room for error—we only have one chance!"
Reed's expression grew more serious than ever. Today might be the last mission of his life, and he wouldn't tolerate any mistakes.
In this intricate and highly challenging plan, V held the most crucial role. The outcome hinged entirely on his performance.
"Don't worry, I've got this."
V's demeanor remained relaxed. He had handled missions far tougher than this countless times before.
What's the big deal about playing cards with two hackers? For him, it was a walk in the park.
"It's all up to you now!"
With that, Reed and V split up. V approached the European hackers to play cards, while Reed changed into a bartender's uniform to deliver the spiked drinks.
Soon, V arrived near the gambling table in the corner of the hall. There weren't many guests gambling—only the European hacker siblings.
Aurore and Aymeric were playing cards out of boredom and had no interest in mingling with other guests. After all, none of the aristocratic attendees at this party were easy to deal with.
"Do you mind if another player joins?"
V confidently initiated a conversation with Aurore and Aymeric. His demeanor exuded calm and charm.
Aurore, already bored with the game, immediately perked up.
Who could say no to a handsome man striking up a conversation?
"There's no gambling table that doesn't welcome a player. As long as you don't mind losing everything down to your underwear, you're welcome to join anytime."
Aurore looked V up and down with interest, trying to discern his identity through his attire, appearance, and behavior.
Meanwhile, Aymeric silently scrutinized V, clearly on guard and attempting to deduce the newcomer's intentions.
"True players don't only accept 'winning' as a result. They must learn how to 'lose' before they can truly learn how to 'win.'"
V responded with a smile while exchanging 100,000 eurodollars for chips.
"Wow! Brother, did you hear that? This handsome guy actually said something profound!"
Aurore teased Aymeric in her sultry, silky French, clearly intrigued by V.
Aymeric didn't respond, keeping his focus on the cards and V's movements. He remained vigilant.
Seeing Aymeric's continued wariness, V decided to provoke him into engaging.
"If you two are here for some fun, why not play a couple of hands with me?" V suggested, upping the stakes.
"If I lose, you keep the money. If I win, you treat me to a drink. Deal?"
Hearing such a sweet deal, Aurore burst into laughter, delighted by the prospect.
Before agreeing to V's invitation, Aurore politely introduced herself and her brother.
"My name is Aurore, and this is my brother, Aymeric. He doesn't talk much unless you touch on topics he likes."
Aurore signaled the dealer to deal the cards, explaining the simple rules of the game: a straightforward contest of card values with no room for skill—just pure luck.
"A man of Aymeric's intellect probably doesn't care about the outcome of such a trivial game," V said, deliberately drawing Aymeric into the conversation.
As expected, Aymeric turned to look at V, curiosity piqued.
Based on Alex's intel, Aymeric, an employee of the World Satellite Communication Corporation, was deeply interested in geopolitics and power dynamics. Essentially, he was a political geek who loved debating corporate rivalries and power plays.
Since few people at the party were discussing such topics, Aymeric had remained mostly silent.
V casually brought up Hansen 's political rise after downing Orbital Air One, suggesting that Hansen would gain the favor of the Cuban and European corporations and rise to prominence.
As soon as V praised Hansen —a figure Aymeric found contemptible—the hacker's "political geek" instincts flared up. He couldn't resist joining the conversation.
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