"Are they insane? Do they even know what they're doing?" Leo muttered, shaking his head.
Cults like Eden's Gate were at least sowhat understandable—after all, such groups usually preached that the end of the world was near, and if you wanted to survive and carve out a place in the new world, joining them was the only way to be saved. Leo could still understand why soone would fall for that kind of rhetoric.
But worshiping rogue AIs, even helping rogue AIs breach the Blackwall... Did these people have no brains at all? Did they not realize they were also part of Night City's human population, that they too would beco targets to be wiped out by rogue AIs?
"They're already in a cult—you expect them to think rationally?" Johnny Silverhand finally spoke up after being silent most of the way. "It's like a gambling addict swearing up and down they're done gambling, but really, it's just to win your sympathy so they can borrow more money. And when you catch them at it again, they'll put on the most pitiful, repentant act—more devout than a saint. They always believe they'll win big next round: 'What if? What if I just get lucky next ti?' That's what they always say."
On the holocall, Regina's emotions were slipping—rare for soone usually so composed when talking to others. It seed she knew people like this, and it had worn her down badly. Realizing it herself, she took a deep breath and said, "Sorry, I lost it for a mont."
"It's fine," Leo said, waving it off. Everyone had monts of losing control. Adult breakdowns usually happened in an instant—and besides, with the relationship between him and Regina, this was nothing.
Regina's voice turned serious again. "Lilith's House.—I know where their hideout is. But Leo, be careful. Please. I've hired so freelancers to scout it out before, but since then, they've vanished. Without a trace."
Leo frowned. "If they're that dangerous, why not send NCPD to wipe them out?"
"You think I haven't tried? NCPD's already been bought off top to bottom—they won't even respond to a call."
"Alright, got it." After all, this was Night City, where anything defying common sense or logic could happen simply because it was Night City.
Regina gave one last warning. "Anyway, just—stay sharp."
"I will. Thanks, Regina."
They got the address from Regina and headed straight for Lilith's House. On the way, Jackie called his buddy Gustavo, a high-ranking mber of the Valentinos, the gang Hanks belonged to. After hanging up, Jackie turned to Leo. "He says give him half an hour."
Leo nodded slightly, acknowledging. From Heywood to the North Industrial District, they'd either have to cut through the City Center or detour around Westbrook. Plus, Gustavo needed ti to rally his crew—half an hour was actually fast; slower might've taken an hour or two.
Soon, they arrived at the location Regina had given.
The place was a cluster of abandoned factories. Ever since the North Industrial District had declined, abandoned plants like these were everywhere—so were repurposed as gang hideouts, others left empty, turning into holess camps.
Leo told Delamain to park on the street, then activated his tactical visor. A wave of red light, invisible to the naked eye, pulsed outward in every direction from his position. In monts, dozens of red human-shaped silhouettes appeared on the visor's display. One of them was marked with the na "Hanks."
Looks like they'd found the right place—and Hanks was alive, though the scan showed he was badly injured, with both his hand and leg tendons severed.
Besides Hanks, there were several others in the sa condition. Leo paused, eyes narrowing as he studied the layout. These people were all separated from the others, forced to kneel in a circle. His visor wasn't X-ray; it just presented scanned data as overlays, so he couldn't see the exact environnt or details—but knowing Lilith's House was a cult, it wasn't hard to guess they were setting up or already conducting so kind of ritual.
"Leo, you're looking grim—what are you seeing?"
"They're in the middle of so kind of ritual."
"Relax," Johnny smirked, swinging a chanical leg. "There are no ghosts in Night City. Let them play at being cultists; when your Valentinos buddies show up, we'll sweep the lot of them."
Leo shot Johnny a sharp glance. "They're a cult—think about what that ritual involves. You really think they won't sacrifice a few people to their so-called god?"
Johnny fell silent, and the others quickly caught on—this was bad. Everyone piled out of the car and made their way toward the abandoned factory.
"Careful. There are traps here," Leo warned. With the Falchion's built-in tactical screen scanning the surroundings, Leo led the group easily past the various mines and tripwires hidden inside.
They reached the back of the factory, finally stepping into a workshop. "The entrance is here."
Leo pointed to a massive piece of industrial machinery, over ten ters long, several ters wide, and two ters tall. Just looking at it, it was obvious—this wasn't so cabinet they could just push aside.
Lilith's House hideout was beneath this machine.
Logically, there should've been so sort of chanism to open the entrance, but after searching, they found no buttons or controls. Leo figured the chanism was probably activated only from inside—soone wanting to co in would have to call ahead, and a lookout on the inside would open it.
No matter.
Leo drew his Muramasa from his waist, the crimson blade raised overhead. With a powerful swing, a flash of red light tore through the air, and the massive machine split cleanly in two.
But he didn't stop there—Leo followed with several more rapid slashes, slicing the machine into multiple neat pieces, like cutting through tofu.
Only after finishing did he sheathe his blade, pushing the sliced remains aside to reveal a heavy alloy door in the floor. Testing it briefly, he found it sealed tight and motionless, so he applied the sa thod, cutting it open as easily as before.
Beneath lay a staircase descending deep underground. Though the passage was long and dark, Leo's tactical scan showed no hostile units or traps—if anything, it seed deceptively quiet, which likely ant it was actually the safest route in.
"I'll go first. You follow behind ," Leo instructed. Without another word, he led the way down the stairs.
After advancing about ten ters, Leo dropped into a crouch and raised his right hand in a signal to hold.
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