"I heard from Panan that you're quite famous in Night City. Can you tell us what you did to earn that reputation?"
A homeless man sitting nearby asked Peter, curiosity gleaming in his eyes.
Peter shrugged casually. "It's nothing much. The first time, I transported a lizard worth 200,000 euros. Then, my next job was infiltrating the Maelstrom Gang's base to retrieve a robot… and, you know, taking down a group of cyber-enhanced maniacs while I was at it."
As Peter continued recounting his exploits, the homeless men around him exchanged bewildered glances.
"This is what you call 'nothing much'?" Mitch asked, staring at Peter in astonishment.
After all, Peter's journey had escalated from smuggling exotic animals to dismantling the Maelstrom Gang's stronghold—not once, but twice. Then, he went toe-to-toe with the Tiger Claw Gang on multiple occasions.
The Adecado family members listening in couldn't fathom taking on both the Maelstrom and Tiger Claw Gangs, considering their own faction barely managed to stay out of their crosshairs.
Peter smirked. "It's simple. My fists are harder than theirs, so they don't have a choice but to take the beating."
Everyone nodded in understanding. In Night City, power belonged to those with the strongest fists. But possessing that level of power was a different matter entirely.
"Peter, how did you and Panan first meet?" Scorpion asked, leaning forward with interest.
Peter chuckled. "It was pretty amusing. The first time I saw Panan, she was cursing out Rogge—the most powerful fixer in the city—right in front of me. After that, we went to Stoneridge Mountain together to get her car back."
Panan scoffed. "That so-called 'fixer' hired someone who scammed me, and she didn't even care. If I hadn't cursed her out, I would've exploded from frustration."
Mitch grinned. "You've got guts, Panan. Not many people would dare to talk back to Rogge."
Panan rolled her eyes before tossing a few sleeping bags onto the ground. "It's getting late. We'll rest here for the night. Get some sleep—we have a long day ahead of us."
No one objected. With the military convoy arriving in just over ten hours, they needed to be well-rested.
---
Early the Next Morning
Panan groggily crawled out of her sleeping bag, stretching as she looked around.
She quickly realized Peter was nowhere to be seen.
Scanning the area, she finally spotted him sitting atop the train car, bathed in the morning sunlight.
Curious, she climbed up and approached him. "Peter? What are you doing up here?"
Peter turned slightly, acknowledging her with a smirk. "Absorbing the energy of the sun."
Panan rolled her eyes. "Come on, if you don't want to tell me, just say so. What are you really doing?"
Peter simply shook his head. Only a few people—like Lucy and V—truly believed him when he spoke about his abilities. To anyone else, it sounded like nonsense.
Panan sighed. "Whatever. Just don't forget—military tech's convoy will be here soon. Get your gear ready."
Peter nodded and climbed down from the train.
---
Preparing for the Heist
An hour later, everyone was in position.
Peter and Panan sat inside her modified car, Ting Wei. The other vehicles were lined up, ready to move.
Panan honked twice, signaling Carol at the signal tower to begin.
The caravan of cars roared to life, moving off the tracks and onto the open road.
As they approached their target, Panan turned to Peter. "Once we get close, military tech will deploy drones. Do you want to handle them with my machine gun on the roof, or will you use your own weapon?"
Peter smirked. "Your machine gun will do just fine."
He pulled out a wire, connecting it to the automated turret mounted on the roof of Panan's vehicle. It was a system he had modified himself, just in case they needed extra firepower.
Their speed climbed to 160 km/h—an impressive feat given the rugged, uneven terrain of the badlands.
Within minutes, the military tech convoy detected them. As expected, a swarm of security drones was deployed to intercept them.
Peter waited patiently as the drones closed in.
Then, without hesitation—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Peter opened fire, shredding through the drone swarm with ruthless efficiency. In mere moments, he had taken down over a dozen. The only reason he didn't eliminate all of them was that the machine gun barrel had overheated.
"Holy s**t! That was amazing!" Panan exclaimed, gripping the steering wheel tightly.
Peter smirked. "Watch this."
With a flick of his wrist, he activated his hacking interface, targeting one of the remaining drones.
Beep.
One of the military drones suddenly turned its gun toward its allies.
Ratatatat!
Under Peter's control, the hijacked drone gunned down three more before flying straight into another group of drones.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
Alarms blared. Then—
BOOM!
A chain explosion erupted, wiping out the rest of the drones in a fiery spectacle.
Mitch, watching from another car, could barely believe his eyes. "Damn, Peter! You're a f**king legend!"
With the drones eliminated, the path was clear.
Panan grinned. "The convoy is just ahead."
---
The Ambush
The military tech convoy had stopped in its tracks, unable to pass due to the derailed train blocking the road.
Peter and the others saw their target—one of the cargo trucks carrying the coveted Demon Lizard.
Panan's excitement was palpable. "Everyone, stick to the plan!"
Their victory was within reach.
Peter and Panan exited their vehicle, weapons at the ready.
The rest of the team did the same, spreading out in formation. Most of them were former corporate war veterans, fully aware of what was at stake.
On the other side, the military tech guards wasted no time preparing their defenses.
"Hostiles incoming! Lock and load!" one of them shouted.
The guards recognized the insignia on the gang's clothing—it belonged to the Tiger Claw Gang.
"What the hell?! The Tiger Claws are attacking us now?!"
Their commander scowled. "These f**king rats…! I knew they were up to something."
They quickly fortified their position, ready to retaliate.
Then, all hell broke loose.
Ratatatat!
Gunfire erupted as both sides clashed in a brutal firefight.
Boom!
A grenade exploded near the military truck, sending debris flying.
Peter moved with inhuman speed, dodging bullets while expertly taking down guards with his Yinglong Smart Rifle.
Every shot he fired was a precise headshot, each one sending shockwaves through the battlefield.
Mitch and Panan were stunned by his sheer efficiency.
"Holy s**t… Peter is unstoppable!" Mitch muttered.
Within minutes, the military tech team was decimated.
The battle was over.
Panan, catching her breath, turned to Peter with awe. "You're seriously insane… No wonder people fear your name in Night City."
Mitch patted Peter's shoulder, grinning. "Damn good work, man."
Peter simply smirked.
---
Victory
With the military tech forces eliminated, the team secured the Demon Lizard.
Panan exhaled, relief washing over her. "We did it… We actually pulled it off!"
Carol's voice crackled through the radio. "Nice job, guys. Get that lizard out of there before reinforcements arrive."
Peter chuckled. "Let's not celebrate just yet. We still have to get out of here in one piece."
Panan nodded. "Right. Load it up—let's move!"
As they prepared to leave, Peter couldn't help but smirk.
Another successful mission. Another legend written in the chaos of Night City.
And this was just the beginning.
---
End of Chapter 106