Legend of the Cyber Heroes
Chapter 150 - 150 70 Take a Gamble

150: Chapter 70: Take a Gamble 150: Chapter 70: Take a Gamble “That woman has even wiped out our hall!”

White Paper Fan’s remark instantly unlocked everyone’s memories.

“That’s right, that did happen,” Straw Sandals said.

“It must have been about four years ago.

That woman took out our hall, but I have no clue what conflict we had with her.

Also, I heard that a Double-Flower Red Stick from the Capacitor Gang fell at her hands too.”

“Of course, her main targets were always the martial artists employed by the government.”

In fact, even the members of the Meng Hand Gang didn’t know that it wasn’t actually Deborah who had destroyed their hall, but rather the troops of the government.

The government simply spread rumors in advance to ensure that no Internal Strength Masters were present in the area of the operation, and then they struck with lightning speed, wiping out that Meng Hand Gang hall and erasing the memories of all the people nearby.

Afterward, they used fabricated records to put Deborah on the wanted database.

As for the government-employed martial artists “slain” by Deborah…

they were either fictional, or they were real people who had changed their Prosthetic Bodies.

In any case, it was likely only the Double-Flower Red Stick from the Capacitor Gang that was truly taken out by Deborah herself.

But those in the gangs could never know this secret.

The gap in their intelligence capabilities was still quite large.

However, Xiang Shan, who held parts of both Deborah’s and Carolina’s memories, was fully aware of what was really going on.

Even though Deborah couldn’t remember wiping out those Black Path members under her disguised identity as Hero, she did recall carelessly crushing some of them.

Xiang Shan decided to toss this person into the mix, as these gangs had no way to see through the deceit.

As a result, everyone began to pull up the real and fake information on Deborah from their records.

They then started to become indignant, insisting that they must eradicate this Hero.

At that moment, White Paper Fan posed a constructive suggestion, “Could it be that the incident this morning was her doing as well?”

“It’s possible,” Tang Shagu replied.

“Looking at her past areas of activity, EE District could indeed be her base.”

——No, no, no, that record is completely fabricated…

Xiang Shan kept a tight control over his thoughts to prevent himself from bursting into laughter generated by the synthesizer.

But White Paper Fan and Straw Sandals apparently didn’t see it that way.

They exchanged ideas back and forth, constructing an entire logical chain.

“I see…

If we’re dealing with a badly wounded Hero, then it all makes sense.”

“Indeed.

She needs to acquire resources to strengthen herself and rebuild her Prosthetic Body.

But she’s currently without the means to do so, forced to start robbing from her hideouts in the sewers.”

“Ho, very likely!”

“But Big Brother Shell said, she’s been seriously injured, even her brain was damaged, and it’s difficult to heal…”

“But no matter what, it’s better than having a damaged Prosthetic Body.”

“So the key is where she has gone now.”

White Paper Fan’s finger traced a line on the virtual map—that was the record of Meng Hand Gang hideouts Xiang Shan had hit all along the way.

“These are connected in a straight line.

If she’s been attacking indiscriminately, then neither the Alloy Sect nor the Capacitor Gang would likely be spared.”

“He could very well be on…

Robbery Alley?

No, it’s Secret Alley he’s headed for.

Because the record of attacks stops right there…”

The group kept fleshing out the details of the event and speculating “where the badly wounded Hero Deborah could be.”

Xiang Shan said, “Speaking of which, how widely available are potions that can heal nerve damage in this city?”

“Hey, don’t I know it, Big Brother Shell,” Tang Shagu boasted.

“When it comes to trade, no one can claim first place in the underground world of Pine Eagle City if our Meng Hand Gang is second.

Although the Alloy Gang is better at the biochemical synthesis of potions, we still control forty percent of that business.”

Though the turnover was meager, perhaps not even twenty doses a year.

Xiang Shan nodded, “Then do you have a way to keep those Heros from buying the potions that can treat nerve damage?”

“Gathering all of them in our hands might be a bit difficult,” Tang Shagu quickly assessed the Meng Hand Gang’s available resources and said, “But we can immediately take control of all channels on the market that have access to these potions and track every single dose.”

Xiang Shan nodded, “That’s perfect.

Hoard all that you can get your hands on first.”

He remembered that Hero named Yuan Wenren seemed to need it.

Theoretically, Cui Hai also had a brain injury, but his was an old wound that only the Restoring Enzyme could heal.

Xiang Shan kept this in mind and asked, “By the way, all your Biological Brains are over fifty years old, right?”

“Yeah,” Tang Shagu sighed.

“Young people can’t survive in this world.”

Xiang Shan nodded, “It seems, if you want to practice Superior Internal Power, you’ll have to find a way to restore it—hm, do you know about the Restoring Enzyme?

What about the Jade Cauldron Fungus?”

Everyone looked at each other, clueless about what “Big Brother Shell” was talking about.

After a while, “Straw Sandals” finally said, “Big Brother Shell, the government has a tight grip on that thing.

It’s better not to mess with it, especially since we’re about to leave the city.”

Xiang Shan nodded and lifted his hands, “Continue.

I’m from out of town and don’t know your rules here.

You’d better decide how to set up the killing of that Hero.”

Everyone nodded and resumed their discussion.

But soon, they encountered difficulties.

“Technically, the Hero entered the sewers from the Capacitor Gang’s territory and vanished within their area of control,” said a man with a White Paper Fan, looking troubled.

“This really ties our hands…”

Xiang Shan slapped the man’s forehead fiercely, “Has your biological brain been infected by bacteria?

Isn’t it well-maintained?

What’s your status now?”

Mr.

Gleayard loved to scold his underlings just like this.

Xiang Shan assured himself that his acting skills were professional level.

The White Paper Fan was stunned and a bit perplexed, “But, Big Brother Shell, didn’t you say earlier that we shouldn’t change our patterns of behavior to avoid raising suspicions with the government?”

Xiang Shan sighed, “Don’t you gang types ever think about swift and decisive vengeance?

Haven’t there been any friction between you and the Capacitor Gang?

Isn’t it normal for built-up tensions to suddenly erupt?”

“But if things really get stirred up, the government might intervene…” said the White Paper Fan.

“Aren’t you leaving the city soon anyway?” Xiang Shan said.

“To hell with them.”

The White Paper Fan had more to say, but Tang Shagu immediately cut in and decided, “Let’s follow Big Brother Shell’s lead!”

“Yes!” The long-standing authority of the leader, combined with the strong trust from shared memories, made the White Paper Fan give up on arguing.

The group quickly began to plan their entrance into the Capacitor Gang’s district to search for the Hero.

However, Straw Sandals commented, “Speaking of which, the Capacitor Gang’s recent actions have been quite strange, as if they’re hiding something in their own territory.

Plus, today some government officials entered their district…”

“Could there really be a Hero hiding in their area?”

“There’s definitely something hidden,” Straw Sandals continued.

“And it seems not just in one place.

If we consider that person leaving the sewers in their district…”

—— No, no, no.

I didn’t leave the sewers in that area; I just stopped fighting, that’s all.

Xiang Shan continued to stifle his laughter.

But amid the serious discussion of these gang leaders, it was as if there really was a Hero setting up more than one nest within the Capacitor Gang’s stronghold.

The Capacitor Gang was either sheltering the Hero or fighting against him.

The gang members exchanged ideas, quickly establishing their strategy.

These underworld leaders seemed to have rehearsed such matters before and appeared to have a mature plan in place.

It didn’t take long for Tang Shagu to make a final decision and establish the strategy.

However, after all his subordinates had dispersed, Tang Shagu turned to Xiang Shan and said, “Big Brother Shell, I’ve just realized something…

There might have been inaccuracies in what you said earlier.”

“Oh?” Xiang Shan kept his expression unchanged but secretly activated his Sonicon Blade through the Sword Tassel-Type Connector he had never removed from his wrist.

When he installed the prosthetic limb for Tang Shagu, Xiang Shan had determined the alloy crystal structure of Tang Shagu’s external armor.

This time, he could surely cut through it with one slash.

Tang Shagu said, “I’ve been pondering, and I find the timing of Big Brother Shell’s arrival a bit too coincidental.

Plus, there are things you’ve said that seem hidden, and I fear…”

“Why don’t you tell me then, what are my real intentions?”

Tang Shagu replied, “I’ve been thinking hard, and according to the logic of the Green Forest, I’ve concluded that Big Brother Shell’s pursuit of that Hero isn’t just about revenge—there must be some benefit involved.

Otherwise, you wouldn’t motivate us to risk a conflict with the Capacitor Gang.

But for the life of me, I can’t figure out what the benefit is.”

“But when you mentioned cultivation techniques, it struck me.”

“What Big Brother Shell is after is the Hero’s cultivation technique, isn’t it?”

“Heh,” Xiang Shan nodded, discreetly turning off the energy-draining Sonicon Blade, “It seems you really are a competent member of the Green Forest.”

“Right, I indeed want that Hero’s memory storage device.

There are not only cultivation techniques in it but also complete annotated cultivation techniques that can be accessed.”

“Even the Green Forest needs that.”

Tang Shagu’s eyes shone brightly [this is a literal ‘shine,’ said to be a new expression of excitement often used by cybernetically enhanced people]: “That’s fantastic.”

Xiang Shan sighed, “Since you’re so receptive, I’ll give you another piece of hot news.”

“Please tell, Big Brother!”

“Do you know why there have been so many instances of Martial World members appearing in Pine Eagle City, a place where Martial Artists were once rare, over the past six months?”

Tang Shagu replied, “I’ve heard something; it’s said to be related to a prominent figure from before the Sublimation War, but I don’t know who specifically.”

Xiang Shan nodded and looked up at the starry sky, “A mighty figure from the Jupiter Universe fell here…

The Lord has led troops to besiege him.

The purpose of the Hero coming here, well, I needn’t say more…”

“I know the place they will definitely attack.

It’s up to you whether you want to take the gamble.”