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Dr. Sorenson and the nearby technical expert's eyes instantly lit up, though they struggled maintaining restraint.
Regardless of content, "technology" itself was the crucial first step.
Morell continued conveying Cairo's demands: "Master requires—after you receive and preliminarily verify these materials' value—you must immediately begin executing procurement and delivery preparations for materials listed on reparations inventories.
Specific delivery times and locations await our subsequent notifications."
Her tone shifted. Though voice unchanged, content carried clear boundaries: "Additionally, Master explicitly states—this technical exchange is exceptional, responding to 'constructive' postures you've displayed.
Future similar exchanges won't occur frequently, levels will also maintain within this scope.
Our mutual highest efficiency lies in maintaining current ceasefire states, avoiding unnecessary contacts and mutual interference.
Deep cooperation or alliances aren't under consideration."
Dr. Sorenson rapidly digested this information.
She realized—though opponents provided technology, attitudes remained distant, even cold.
This resembled more "payment and done" rather than opening doors to long-term relationships.
However, obtaining substantive technical materials—even "basic" levels—already exceeded expectations as breakthroughs.
She immediately responded: "We understand. Thank your master for his response. We'll quickly organize experts verifying these materials and immediately initiate reparations material preparation work. We anticipate receiving further instructions regarding delivery details."
Morell slightly nodded, said nothing more, turned and left meeting points—as crisp as her arrival.
"Probe" team members swiftly returned with two data packets. Under highly classified environments, Militech's technical teams immediately conducted preliminary analyses on materials.
Analysis results left them with complicated feelings.
That laser weapon optimization scheme—design thinking indeed novel and efficient, far exceeding similar technologies they currently mastered, especially significantly improving energy utilization rates and focusing precision.
That network data processing techniques also contained some extremely efficient algorithm fragments they'd never seen.
However, as Cairo defined—though these technologies held considerable value, they obviously felt "fragmentary," lacking systematic support and deeper principle explanations.
Like obtaining an extremely sharp blade yet not knowing complete craftsmanship forging it.
This deepened Militech higher-ups' judgments: Opponents controlled even more unfathomable technical systems, plus cautious attitudes, unwilling exposing too much.
Based on this, Militech leadership rapidly made decisions: satisfy opponent demands, immediately begin preparing reparations materials, strictly follow "mutual non-interference" principles, temporarily stopping all proactive reconnaissance behaviors possibly viewed as provocations.
They decided first digesting these two "scraps" while patiently awaiting next possible contact opportunities.
Cairo's cold responses instead made them more convinced of powerful forces behind him.
——
Just as Militech busied verifying technology and preparing materials, Morell had already infiltrated Night City like phantoms.
Elliott Kwan—after experiencing last terror incidents—though preserving life, mentally was at semi-collapse states.
Biotechnica temporarily placed him inside another supposedly absolutely-safe secret safehouse, strengthening guard forces.
However, for Morell transformed into Ruststalker, these defensive measures still held full of loopholes.
She utilized Sandevistan-provided extreme speeds plus superhuman environmental information perception, merging into shadows penetrating layered security. Door locks and monitoring systems at Kwan's room were mere decorations before her.
Kwan was curled in room corners, relying on sedatives maintaining brief calm.
When seeing Morell's figure once again silently appearing before him, terror on his face instantly froze. Pupils dilated to extremes. Even screams stuck in throats.
This time, Morell gave him zero chances speaking or reacting.
Sonic blades slid out, bringing low humming. Cold light flashed past. Kwan's consciousness hadn't even transmitted pain sensations before completely descending into darkness.
Morell precisely executed directives.
She removed Kwan's head, packed it into prepared special containers, cleaned any traces possibly left at scenes, then—as silent as arrival—departed safehouses.
Next target: Nicolò Loggagia's mansion at Charter Hill.
Security levels here exceeded Kwan's safehouse, but for Morell, differences only lay in needing more time and computational resources.
She patiently observed patrol team shift patterns, analyzed all surveillance probe blind spots, calculated sensor trigger thresholds.
During the darkest moment before dawn, she once again became death's messenger. Utilizing Sandevistan bursts plus sonic blade precision, passing through layer after layer of invisible curtains, ultimately entering Loggagia's bedroom.
Loggagia lay in bed, seemingly fallen into sleep from consecutive days' mental pressure plus medication effects. But brows furrowed tightly—obviously not sleeping restfully.
Morell gently placed containers holding Elliott Kwan's head onto Loggagia's bedside table, directly facing him. She even carefully adjusted angles, ensuring Loggagia—upon opening eyes—could clearly see Kwan's face frozen in final terrified expressions.
After completing this, she didn't linger momentarily, swiftly withdrawing along original routes, vanishing into gradually-brightening morning light.
——
When Loggagia hours later woke from nightmares, instinctively looking bedside—what he saw was terrifying scenes impossible escaping for life.
Kwan's wide-open dead eyes "staring" straight at him.
A heart-wrenching scream shattered mansion tranquility.
Loggagia rolled and crawled tumbling off bed, entire body soaked in cold sweat, body uncontrollably trembling violently. Vomit mixed with tears smeared across his face.
This time, he genuinely, unfiltered felt death's icy touch.
Opponents not only could kill his subordinates but also—in nests he considered safest, most private—leave such bloody "gifts."
All anger, all clamoring, all revenge thoughts—at this moment thoroughly shattered, leaving only boundless fear and post-survival exhaustion.
He clearly understood that message: This matter ends here. Any further actions meant his own termination.
Inside Biotechnica, those senior executives originally harboring doubts about Loggagia's aggressive attitudes—after learning this—rapidly united, substantially sidelining Loggagia's decision-making authority.
Company interiors—after emergency consultations—ultimately unanimously decided: default accepting boundaries opponents drew, stopping all targeted actions, thoroughly swallowing this bitter pill.
Survival far outweighed hollow dignity and unfeasible revenge.
——
Morell smoothly returned to wasteland workshops, reporting to Cairo, briefly summarizing transaction completion and warning delivery situations.
Cairo merely calmly received information. Crimson optical lenses didn't even shift from dimensional transport device data analysis interfaces.
To him, these two matters merely cleared small obstacles along research pathways.
Militech obtained "technological scraps" they wanted, would pay physically for this. Biotechnica received final warnings impossible misunderstanding—high probability choosing silence.
External interferences temporarily suppressed.
His attention had long refocused on those jumping energy readings plus complex resonance waveforms.
That was the pathway toward genuine resources and power—far more valuable than maneuvering with this world's corporations.
Inside workshops, once again only equipment operational low humming remained, plus Tech-Priests' silent questing toward deeper profound mysteries.