In Night City.

Even after 9 p.m., it's still rush hour.

The traffic arteries leading to the districts in the company square are constantly flowing, and cars are crowded side by side and slowly moving forward.

Viewed from above, it looks like a long fluorescent dragon swimming through the city streets.

Some of them drove out to play at night, and some of them just rushed home from work.

Carter Smith was driving home at the moment, and after getting on the viaduct, there was traffic coming and going.

The dazzling headlights and traffic jams made him a little upset, and he couldn't help but honk his horn wildly.

Backbite! Backbite! Backbite!!!

Suddenly.

A golden graffiti modified car pulled up to Carter's left, lowered the window and yelled at him: "Company dog, arrogant Nima!" Honk the horn again, Lao Tzu hit him to death, believe it or not? Dog mongrel! ”

Carter Smith drove his own car, but he hung up the badges issued by Arasaka for the sake of access.

Hanging up the Arasaka Pass can often avoid a lot of trouble, such as the NCPD temporary inspection is usually smooth.

But today's trick is obviously not good, these gangsters on the street don't eat this set, and they seem to be even more angry when they see the company car.

Carter Smith had no choice but to pretend that he didn't see it, shook his head helplessly, didn't care about the scum of society, moved his hand away from the horn button, stepped on the accelerator and squeezed forward two parking spaces.

But Carter Smith's forbearance did not satisfy the gangsters, but they saw that Carter was a cowardly company dog, and he couldn't let go of an honest company dog if he finally caught it.

So, the thugs forced two parking spaces and ran side-by-side with Carter Smith again.

Mao Zi, a street thug sitting in the co-pilot on the right, spat at Carter Smith fiercely, and laughed wildly: "Cowardly company dog, kneel down and apologize to Lao Tzu, otherwise I will kill you!" Haha"

Carter Smith frowned impatiently, he didn't have time to delay with these thugs right now.

I had to find a gap in the traffic and continue to avoid the harassment of the street gangsters.

It was close to half past nine.

This is the time point of the task he told Deputy Minister Tang Yu.

The real deciphered transaction information was actually nine o'clock sharp, and a delay of half an hour was enough for the Special Operations Department to solve the Vortex Gang transaction.

The reason why Carter Smith chose to delay the operation of the Counterintelligence Department for half an hour, rather than longer, was mainly to leave a way out for himself.

The time lag in intelligence decipherment can be explained, and as long as the prosthetic operation data is in hand, the upper level of the meeting will not delve into the entanglements.

Susan Abernathan promised to promote him to team leader if the matter was successful, and he would also receive a large honorarium.

The crux of the matter is that the mission may not have been completed, and there is no news from Caitlin's side.

I am afraid that the Special Operations Department has failed in carrying out its mission, otherwise the remuneration promised to him should have been paid by now.

The failure of the operation means that the prosthetic operation data is not available, and once the upper level meeting is investigated.

The contradictions and conflicts between the two departments will be put on the table, and they will certainly not be able to hide the leakage of information to the Special Operations Department.

Albernathy will definitely take the blame for it, saying that his intelligence has caused the two departments to act in a different way, and even Caitlyn is not to blame.

So now Carter can't care so much about it, and chooses to flee directly from Arasaka Tower, even if it doesn't matter if he escapes from Night City.

Because he knows that going back to Arasaka Tower is a dead end, and he wants to stay away from Arasaka, the farther away the better!

He was now driving back to pick up his mother, and to escape from Arasaka's sight before Abernacy began a clean-up operation with her.

Suddenly.

Carter received a call from his mother.

Could it be that something happened to my mother?

He didn't dare to imagine Arasaka's cruel methods, and quickly stabilized his mind and connected the phone: "Mom, are you okay?!" ”

Mary's tone on the other end of the phone was steady, and she could faintly hear a little expectation: "I'm fine, I just prepared a birthday meal for you at home, and I want to ask you about the situation when you haven't come back so late and have no news."

"Can you come back tonight for your birthday?"

Carter hears his mother's words of concern and realizes that this phone call may be the last moment to talk to his mother.

Although he knew what to do, and had a large amount of cash hidden on him, enough to escape Night City with his mother and find a small remote place to hide.

But Carter Smith's fear of Arasaka comes from the bottom of his heart and cannot be dispelled.

He has worked in Arasaka for many years, and he knows Arasaka's bloody methods and strong strength very well.

Even though he had the opportunity to escape, he could still feel Arasaka's black hand gradually approaching him.

When he is valuable, Arasaka is like a demon who is attached to his back twenty-four hours a day to absorb soul nourishment.

When it loses its usefulness, the raised evil spirits will open their bloody mouths and eat meat and bones, and there will be no blood left.

At this moment, Carter only has disgust and fear for Arasaka.

The world is so big, and the only one who really cares about him is his mother, Mary.

In the company, he never felt any warmth, and some only tore each other between colleagues and superiors.

At first, I thought that joining Arasaka would be the highest honor of my life, but I only promised to work for so many years, but in the end I failed in a mess.

Carter choked up, thinking of his mother, who was waiting alone at home, and unconsciously wet his eyes with tears.

"Mom, I miss you"

"I'm sorry... I'm a failure."

"Mom, you must wait for me and don't open the door to anyone, okay?"

Mary on the other end of the phone didn't quite understand why she said such frustrating words for a good birthday, and she was still comforting her son.

"Carter, it's okay"

"Don't be discouraged even if you encounter setbacks in the company"

"Is it that the company is working overtime and can't come back today?"

"Mom lights candles for you at home to celebrate, and everything is important to the company's affairs"

Carter gritted his gums, tears streaming uncontrollably.

"I'm fine here..."

Damn stinky watch!

Damn company!

Damn Arasaka!

If it weren't for Susan Ebernasse's seduction, he would never have taken this step.

If it weren't for seeing the young and promising Tang Yu deeply valued by Minister Arthur Jenkins, he would not have been so jealous that he went crazy.

If he hadn't chosen to embark on this road of no return, he would still be able to spend today's birthday with his mother in peace.

Carter regretted it.

I regretted it until my intestines turned blue and purple, and my whole heart cramped.

He wanted to say something, but the street thugs who had been speeding up just now caught up and slammed into the back of the car.

Boom!

Carter's whole body shook for a moment.

"Company dog, kind of you run again?!"

"Roll down with Lao Tzu and apologize, do you hear?"

"Beware of Lao Tzu breaking your three legs!"

Hearing the shouting of Carter Smith behind him, his face gradually became gloomy, and his former honest temperament was gone.