Drugs every day.
Leo's mouth twitched. At least leave ti for the addiction to actually kick in.
From now on, Maelstrom was basically the forced labor camp of Watson North. If any extremists wanted to blow off so steam, well, perfect. They could serve as Leo's volunteer test subjects.
Full-body cyberware was a dangerous research path, but also the most promising one for advancent. And since these guys were so fanatical about cyberware mods, Leo didn't mind letting them be the pioneers of this field.
[Initializing antenna test program]
[Connecting to test console...]
[Connection successful. Preparing for test...]
[Antenna test begins.]
[Test 1: Signal reception capability check.]
[Test 2: Data transmission efficiency asurent.]
[Test 3: Frequency coverage range test.]
[Test 4: Signal stability evaluation.]
[All tests complete. Summarizing results...]
[Test result summary complete.]
[Generating report...]
[Report generated successfully.]
[Antenna test program complete.]
[Welco to the OCT Network.]
Everyone under Leo's command was now connected to a local network called OCT, each granted different access levels.
Having fully absorbed the cybersecurity training materials from NetWatch, this data fortress was shaping up to be the pinnacle of Leo's hacking prowess.
On the hardware side, the fortress ran a hybrid core of CPUs from IEC, ZetaTech, Militech, and Kang Tao, wired together in a daisy-chain system.
Network node managent was handled by several sub-instances of Lil' Octo, which could be fully taken over by the main Octo if needed.
At present, the nodes were split into two branches—an intelligence archive and an encrypted communication module. In the future, Leo planned to store drifters' and his own knowledge and skills in the mory space, creating an education and skill-sharing domain.
The data wall wrapped around the core like an onion, with each layer managed by a CPU from a different manufacturer. All of it ran dynamic encryption algorithms, appearing to shift and morph in real ti.
Along the paths to each data node were honeypots, counter-intrusion protocols, and anti-personnel scripts.
Every CPU—whether it handled security, data retrieval, or access control—was connected through distinct cryptogates, all linked via a Leo-customized long-range data-guided link using interdinsional transmission. This created the world's only cross-dinsional encryption system.
[Current network users online: 763]
[mory capacity: 600MU (storage)]
[Network defense capacity: 700CCU]
Unlike other datavaults conjured out of thin air via cross-dinsional tunneling, this one had real, functional capabilities and truly linked a large number of users.
To preserve stealth in the wireless domain, the vault's physical footprint was deliberately kept small.
After all, this ti the server was actually located in this world—even Leo couldn't guarantee it would be 100% secure.
Of course, by combining the defensive power from both worlds, the total capacity now reached 1500CCU, matching a major local corporation. And with Leo's proprietary encryption system, those 1500CCUs were enough to withstand most cyberattacks.
The real threat now cos from physical hacks and wireless breaches.
It was maxed out—fully maxed out.
Leo gazed at the datavault, satisfied, watching each mber connect to the network.
[Leo: Nice work. Wrap it up.]
[Lil' Octo: On it, boss.]
Just as Leo was about to log out of cyberspace, a new ssage popped up before his eyes—visible only to him:
[Dual-domain established]
[Cross-dinsional data channel widened; direct data exchange process enabled]
The entire data vault shook violently.
[10% of all data transmission between worlds will now be processed in the alternate world.]
Leo took a mont to feel it out. It was like so kind of cross-dinsional quantum resonance. The physical process of sending and receiving signals could still be observed, but the actual data exchange was happening in real ti in another world!
In other words, the data vault in cyberspace still appeared intact, but so interfaces simply didn't exist in this world. That made hacking through them completely impossible.
It also eliminated the need for the data to pass through Leo's relay space, speeding up the response and significantly improving security.
"Unexpected bonus."
In cyberspace, Lil' Octo raised one arm and scratched its head in confusion.
But soon, as Leo logged out, the Octo instance relinquished real-ti control of the datavault, leaving the now semi-intelligent subroutines to handle its upkeep.
Back in the real world, Leo yanked out his connection cables. The heat radiators on his back stead violently, the surrounding air visibly warping.
Still—not intense enough to require laying in the cooling trough.
V scratched her head. "This is actually my first ti connecting to a network outside Night City's public net. Well… there was that ti in Atlanta's Ribbon Domain, but that was public too."
Jackie chuckled. "So what you're saying is—we're kind of a big deal now. Big shots gotta have their own pad, even in the Net."
V smirked. "You sure talk fancy when it cos to showing off, Jackie."
After this job, all three of their bank accounts had crossed the million-eddies mark—except for Leo's, which had a minus sign in front of it.
The once-chaotic Redshirt Psychiatric Ward was now fully rebranded as the Aldecaldo Operations Office.
Looking at the place, V suddenly rembered when she'd just returned to Night City—renting a place with Leo.
Back then, surrounded by nothing but rented furniture, she'd roared in frustration: She wanted a ho of her own.
And in a way, the Aldecaldos now had their own ho.
"Leo!" V suddenly called out. "Why don't we buy a house?"
"Better off investing in so tech," Leo said while pouring coolant on the radiators. Steam hissed upward. "Rich folks never lack a place to stay. This place is fine. If you wanna move in, just tell 'em to free up a room."
Only those living on the edge worry constantly about finding a place to stay.
Those with power and influence never lack real estate, like Leo now.
Legal or not didn't matter. What mattered was, he owned the usage rights. That was enough.
"Fair point."
Then Jackie chid in, "Still, it's not the sa. A respectable man's ho doesn't co with the risk of getting kicked out."
Leo chuckled. "You think corporate employees are respectable? Think they can guarantee they won't get thrown out on the street?"
Jackie went silent. He'd seen enough of that. Corporate workers fired and holess overnight.
Co to think of it, his mom's bar, though registered—would've changed hands long ago if it weren't in Heywood and under the protection of Valentino regulars.
Watching the two fall into thought, Leo sighed, almost philosophically.
"The security a ho gives you? That's just an illusion.
True security cos from sothing deeper.
Like you, Jackie, you feel safe at ho because you see your mom there. Because that's where you grew up."
V nodded. "Familiarity brings comfort. I get that."
Leo looked at her, curious. "You've got that streetwise vibe going on, not much for schoolin'. But every now and then, you say sothing deep."
"Damn right," V said proudly, rubbing her nose. Then she softened. "Still... not buying a house just feels kinda... unmotivating."
"That's all it takes to kill your drive?"
Leo shook his head in exasperation, then pulled a case from the backseat.
"You lack imagination. Let boot up the braindance and analysis rig. We'll take a look at your Sandevistan breakpoint, and I'll show you sothing real pretty."
V blinked, then sat up straight.
Braindance?
"You an... that ti at the Biotechnica building?"
Leo nodded while strapping on a braindance headband, plugging it into the cybermod jack at the base of his spine.
Among the equipnt they stole from the Maelstrom gang were a bunch of high-end BD rigs—way more advanced than what Jotaro's crew used.
And since Maelstrom were hardcore tech-heads, their gear had better compatibility with all kinds of cyberware.
V's Sandevistan had been decently repaired—but if they wanted to improve it further, even break through its original limits, they'd have to analyze the overclocking phenona during her cyberpsychosis episodes.
V watched as Leo reclined into the chair. Her heart thumped with a mix of tension and excitent.
Leo slotted in the chip. "Alright, let's see what other potential your spinal implant's hiding."
Bzzzz—
The circuit engaged. The BD headband flared with intense white light, flooding Leo's vision. In that blinding world, all his senses were disconnected.
Guided by the chip, the device stimulated his brain in sequence, recreating V's entire experience during the Biotech incident, forcing it straight into Leo's mind, making him feel everything as if it were his own.
Theoretically, that's how it was supposed to work.
[Emotional disturbances caused by braindance playback successfully neutralized.]
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